METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THE HEART AND THE LUNGS OF A HEART-LUNGS PACKAGE OF POULTRY

Abstract: A method for separating the heart and the lungs of a heart-lungs package of poultry makes use of the difference in specific weight of the heart and the lungs. When both heart and lungs are introduced into a water basin (14) the lungs will float whereas the heart will sink. Separately discharging the heart and lungs then is easy to accomplish. The apparatus for separating the heart and the lungs comprises preferably two cooperating parallel rolls (2, 3) for removing the muscle tissue from the package and a water basin (14) for separating the heart and lungs due to their different specific weights. Discharge means (18; 19) are provided for the heart and the lungs.

Description: The invention relates to a method for separating the heart and the lungs of a heart-lungs package of poultry. The heart of poultry is suitable for human consumption whereas lungs are part of the so called garbage being used in animal feed. Therefore it is important that the heart and the lungs of a heart-lungs package of poultry are separated from each other. According to the known method this happens manually, being labour intensive, thus expensive, and leading to a low productivity. It is an object of the invention to provide a method of this kind not having these disadvantages. Therefore the method according to the invention is characterized in that firstly the muscle tissue interconnecting the heart and the lungs is removed from the heart-lungs package whereafter the heart and the lungs loosened therefrom are discharged via separate ways. The method according to the invention can in an effective way be carried out automatically, thus increasing the productivity and lowering the costs. According to a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention discharging the heart and lungs via separate ways occurs in a water basin based on their different specific weights, whereby the lungs float on the water whereas the heart sinks. It appeared that the specific weight of the lungs is lower than the specific weight of water, so the lungs will float. The heart however has a specific weight that is higher than the specific weight of water, so the heart will sink. Like this a separation between the lungs and the hearts will occur which thereafter can be discharged separately. The invention also relates to an apparates for carrying out the method according to the invention. According to the invention this apparatus is characterized by two parallel rolls lying closely together for removing the muscle tissue from the heart-lungs package said rolls rotating towards each other and having such a toothing that they propel the heart-lungs package to be processed in their longitudinal direction and a means for dincharging the loosened heart and the loosened lungs via separate ways. Whith the help of the two rolls the muscle tissue is seized and drawn between these two rolls and thus removed from the heart-lungs package. Thereafter the heart and the lungs remain loosened from each other on the rolls and are propelled thereby towards the discharge end. According to a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention the means for discharging the loosened heart and the loosened lungs via separate ways comprises a water basin joining the discharge end of the means for removing the muscle tissue. With the aid of this water basin separating the loosened lungs and heart can occur in the way described before. It is advantageous if means are provided for discharging the lungs floating on the water and means for discharging the bunk hearts. Moreover it is possible, that the discharge means for the floating lungs comprise a blower positioned next to the water basin and directed towards a discharge. By means of this blower the lungs are blown towards said discharge and can be led away through this discharge. Moreover it is handy if the discharge means for the floating lungs comprise a conveyor screw extending upwards from the bottom of the water basin. At the discharge end of this conveyor screw the hearts can then be collected. It is preferred if at the feeding end of the rolls a dosage plate is provided that ends at a short distance above these rolls. As a result a large amount of heart-lungs packages can be supplied all at once at the feeding end of the rolls, whereby the dosage plate ensures that these packages are processed by the rolls one by one. In such a case it is further advantageous if above said rolls, ending at a short distance above these rolls, at least one obstruction means is provided for temporarily obstructing the heart-lungs package, said obstruction means having a lowermost end that is pivotable into the propelling direction of the rolls against a force, such as a spring force. These obstruction means prevent that the heart-lungs packages are only propelled by the rolls without these rolls effectively seizing the muscle tissue. Hereafter the invention will be elucidated by means of the drawing in which an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is illustrated. Fig. 1 shows schematically and in a side elevational view part of an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, and fig. 2 shows the apparatus according to fig. 1 in a top plan view. The apparatus shown in fig. 1 and fig. 2 has a frame 1 onto which the different parts of the apparatus are mounted. Among others these are firstly two parallel rolls 2, 3 lying closely together and that in a way known per se are mounted in the frame 1 by means of mounting blocks 4, 5. The rolls 2, 3 each are provided with a helically extending toothing, whereby the toothing of both rolls extends in an opposite sense. The rolls 2, 3 are driven by a not illustrated driving means, such that they rotate towards each other as seen from their upper side. As a result of this direction of rotation and the helically extending toothing as represented in the figs. the products lying on these rolls 2, 3 are propelled from the left handed side to the right handed side as seen in figs 1 and 2. From the upper plane of the rolls 2, 3 guide plates 6, 7 extend laterally upwards and guarantee that the products to be processed are always located near to the rolls 2, 3. At the feeding end of the rolls 2, 3 a dosage plate 8 is provided ending at a short distance above these rolls. Products feeded onto the rolls 2, 3 via a supply guide 9 are dosed by means of this dosage plate 8, that means propelled one by one by the rolls 2, 3. The dosage plate 8 is mounted onto the frame 1. Mounted onto the frame 1 too are two obstruction means 10 and 11 ending at a short distance above these rolls 2, 3. These obstruction means 10 and 11 can rotate around their uppermost ends into the propelling direction of these rolls 2, 3. This rotation can occur against an opposite force, such as a spring force or the gravitational force acting on the obstruction means 10 and 11. An abutment means, not shown, can guarantee that these obstruction means 10 and 11 just do not contact the rolls 2 and 3 in their rest position. The function of the obstruction means 10 and 11 is to prevent that products present on the rolls 2 and 3 are only propelled by these rolls 2 and 3 without these rolls 2 and 3 effectively processing these products. By means of the obstruction means 10 and 11 care has been taken that the rolls 2 and 3 effectively seize the products to be processed. A horizontal guide plate 12 joins the discharge end of the rolls 2 and 3 and receives the products. This discharge plate 12 then changes into a downward chute 13 ending in a water basin 14. Aside this water basin 14, separated therefrom by a lowered wall section 15, a collection reservoir 16 with discharge 17 is provided. A conveyor screw 18 extends inclined upwards from the bottom of the water basin 14 and leads to a discharge not discussed in detail. Further aside of the water basin 14 a blower 19 is positioned providing an air stream along the surface of the water in the water basin 14 directed towards the wall portion 15. The upper edge of the wall portion 15 then will act as an overflow. Further the figs. show a protection grid 21 preventing that a person could be caught up in the conveyor screw 18 with its hands. The shown apparatus operates as follows: Heart-lungs packages of poultry are supplied to the rolls 2, 3 via de supply guide 9. The dosage plate 8 guarantees that these heart-lungs packages are taken along one by one by the rolls 2, 3. The heart and the lungs of such a heart-lungs package are interconnected by a muscle tissue. As a result of the action of the obstruction means 10 and 11 this muscle tissue is contacted with the toothing of the rolls 2, 3 whereafter this muscle tissue is pulled away from the heart and the lungs and is discharged downwards through the rolls 2, 3 towards a discharge plate 20. The heart and the lungs rest loosened from each other on the rolls 2, 3 and are supplied thereby to the guide plate 12 that then presents the heart and the lungs to the chute 13. Via the chute 13 the heart and the lungs reach the water basin 14 being filled with water and of which the water level corresponds with the upper edge of the wall portion 15. The specific weight of the hearts is such that these immediately sink in the water basin 14 and are received by the conveyor screw 18 and are discharged thereby. The lungs however have a lower specific weight and will float. The air stream discharged by the blower 19 blows the lungs over the upper edge of the wall portion 15 into the collection reservoir 16 from which the lungs can be collected through the discharge 17. The invention is not limited to the embodiment described before which can be varied widely within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims: 1. Method for separating the heart and the lungs of a heart-lungs package of poultry, characterized in that firstly the muscle tissue interconnecting the heart and the lungs is removed from the heart-lungs package whereafter the heart and the lungs loosened therefrom are discharged via separate ways. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that discharging the heart and lungs via separate ways occurs in a water basin (14) based on their different specific weights, whereby the lungs float on the water whereas the heart sinks. 3. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by two parallel rolls (2, 3) lying closely together for removing the muscle tissue from the heart-lungs package said rolls rotating toward each other and having such a toothing that they propel the heart-lungs package to be processed in their longitudinal direction and a means (14) for discharging the loosened heart and the loosened lungs via separate ways. 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the means for discharging the loosened heart and the loosened lungs via separate ways comprises a water basin (14) joining the discharge end of the means (2, 3) for removing the muscle tissue. 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized by means (19) for discharging the lungs floating on the water and means (18) for discharging the sunk hearts. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the discharge means for the floating lungs comprise a blower (19) positioned next to the water basin (14) and directed towards a discharge (17). 7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the discharge means for the sunk hearts comprise a conveyor screw (18) extending upwards from the bottom of the water basin (14). 8. Apparatus according to one of the claims 3-7, characterized in that at the feeding end of the rolls (2, 3) a dosage plate (8) is provided that end at a short distance above these rolls. 9. Apparatus according to one of the claims 3-8), characterized in that above said rolls (2, 3), ending at a short distance above these rolls, at least one obstruction means (10; 11) is provided for temporarily obstructing the heart-lungs package, said obstruction means (10; 11) having a lowermost end that is pivotable into the propelling direction of the rolls against a force, such as a spring force.

Inventors: MEYN, CORNELIS
Applicants: MACHINEFABRIEK MEYN B.V.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A22C17
IPC codes: A22C21, A22C17