SYSTEM FOR RECEIVING AND POSITIONING SLAUGHTER CATTLE DISCHARGED BY A PROCESSING MACHINE

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for catching slaughter­ cattle which is delivered by a processing maching (1) to a horizontal conveyor (8) belt or table. Behind the discharge end (2) of the processing machine (1) and above said belt (8) or table a catching tray (3) is positioned of which the bottom wall is bended such, that the generating line has a direction adapted to the direction of movement. Said bottom wall comprises furthermore a passage opening (5) of such size and shape that the animal is forced to pass said opening lying on its back.

Description: System for catching slaughtercattle from a processing machine. The invention relates to a system for catching slaughtercattle, in particular pigs, which are coming from a processing machine, like a de-hairing machine, linked to a horizontal conveyor belt or table. Among the known processing machines for slaughtercattle are some which deliver the processed carcass in horizontal direction, whereby the animal leaves the system with the head or tail in front and simultaneously is rotating around a longitudinal axis. An example of such a machine is a de-hairing machine working with rotating scrapers. The carcass coming from this machine arrives directly on a table or on a horizontal conveyor belt and must be connected for further processing to a spreader, to be submitted to further processing via a transporting means. After leaving said processing machine the carcass falls in an arbitrary way on the table or conveyor belt and special personel is needed to put the pigs straight with the legs to one side and directed the same way. In high production processes this is a serious complication, the more as the carcass leavesfthe processing machine rather fast and rotating. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple system causing the carcasses to arrive automatically in the correct position on the table or belt without the assistence of personel. Said object is realized according to the invention by means of a catching tray which is placed behind the discharge end of the processing machine and above the belt or table, the bottom wall of which tray is bended such that the generating line has a direction adapted to the direction of movement of a processed animal leaving the processing machine, the bottom wall of which tray is provided with a passage opening of such size and shape that the animal can pass lying on his back. The catching tray which can have for instance a half cylindrical shape, catches the carcass coming from the processing machine, which carcass does not move through said opening because of its high speed and its rotation. Only after the carcass has come to rest it will move through said opening and fall on the conveyor belt or table automatically in the correct position. To quickly stop the rotation it will be advantageously in accordance with the invention that a bar is positioned at a distance from the bottom, extending in the same direction as the direction of movement. The legs of the rotating carcass run against this bar, so that the rotation is stopped. This stopping takes place in a position, in which the legs are already directed upwards so that the carcass is lying on its back, which is necessary for passing through said opening. Because there will normally be some distance between the catching tray and the conveyor belt or table, preferable an inclined guide plate is positioned directly underneath said opening of the tray, which tray terminates at the conveyor belt or table. The carcass coming through the opening of the catching tray is thus transported gradually to the conveyor belt or table. If one installs the catching tray at a small distance above the conveyor belt or table, then such a guide plate is not necessary, but in that case the catching tray has to be vertically movable to let the carcass pass through. The invention will be explained with reference to the drawing, which shows schematically a perspective view of the system according to the invention. In the drawing a de-hairing machine is indicated by 1. A half cylindrical tray 3 is connected to the discharge opening 2 of said de-hairing machine, which tray is provided with a bar 4, positioned approximately along the longitudinal axis of said tray. The bottom of said tray has an opening 5 and the lower wall of the tray is linked to a guide plate 6 positioned such, that the carcass which is coming through the opening 5 can slide over this plate 6 to the conveyor belt 8. It is possible with the system according to the invention to catch the carcasses which are coming from the de-hairing machine and to deliver them gradually onto the conveyor belt or table, such, that further processing operations to be carried out by the present personal are made easier and said personal runs no risk. For connecting the spreader for instance to pigs, the tendons in the legs have to be incised. The personel standing near the belt and carrying out these operations is running some risk in the known systems, because the carcasses are falling down arbitrarily and are put straight in a rough way, thereby eventually knocking the hand in which the person is holding a very sharp knife. Besides a saving on personel also an increase of the safety conditions is obtained.

Claims: C L A I M S. 1. System for catching slaughtercattle, more particularly pigs, which are coming from a processing machine, like a de-hairing machine, linked to a horizontal conveyor belt or table, characterized in that behind the discharge end of the processing machine and above the belt or table a catching tray is placed, of which a bottom wall is bended such that the generating line thereof has a direction which is adapted to the direction of movement of a processed animal leaving said processing machine, the bottom wall of which tray is provided with a passage opening of such size and shape that the animal can pass lying on its back. 2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the catching tray is provided at a distance from the bottom with a bar extending in the same direction as said direction of movement. 3. System according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an inclined guide plate is positioned underneath said opening, which plate terminates near the conveyor belt or table.

Inventors: NIJHUIS, GERRIT JAN
Applicants: MACHINEFABRIEK G.J. NIJHUIS B.V.
Application year: 1982
Main classification: A22B7
IPC codes: A22B7, A22B5