MEASURING DEVICE FOR ASSESSING SLAUGHTER MATURITY

Abstract: The present invention relates to a measuring instrument for the assessment of animals' readiness for slaughter consisting of two mutually movable parts, wherein a first part (4, 5, 12, 13) comprises a measuring arm (4) and two measuring scales (12, 13), a second part (2) comprises two measuring arms (7, 8) and an indicator (11), and the longitudinal shaft (5) of the first part serves as a bearing for both the rotary (1) and the axial (3, 6) motion of the second part (2), one measuring arm (7) of the second part (2) being arranged to show conjointly with the first part (4, 5) by means of the indicator (11) a breadth measurement (9) on a first measuring scale (12) and the second measuring arm (8) of the second part (2), after rotation about said longitudinal shaft (5), being arranged to show conjointly with the first part (4, 5) by means of the indicator (11) a length measurement (10) on a second measuring scale (13), such that it can be determined by a direct comparison between said breadth and length measurements whether the animal is ready for slaughter.

Description: MEASURING DEVICE FOR ASSESSING SLAUGHTER MATURITY The price of meat pigs sold to packing plants is set according to the pig's weight and meat yield, i.e. its readiness for slaughter. This means that a pig with a low meat yield is to be delivered lighter than a pig with a high meat yield, and this is of great importance for the economic yield of production. Today three methods are used for assessing pigs' readiness for slaughter: • visual inspection • pig scales, i.e. a cage with weighing cells into which the pig is driven and weighed • scanners, i.e. a measuring instrument that effects breadth and length measurements by means of light beams The measuring instruments available on the market today are heavy, ergonomically poor, and technically difficult to use, they require electric power, and their complicated construction makes them expensive. The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned problems. Our invention is easy to operate during assessment of readiness for slaughter because of its low weight. It is therefore easily operated with one hand for measuring in cases where the interior fittings of the pig box are in the way or where long reaches are necessary. The invention is made from materials such as polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, aluminium etc. which can withstand the environment in which the invention is used. Its construction is very simple and it requires no maintenance and no electric power. An embodiment of the invention is shown diagrammatically in the attached drawings. Fig. 1 shows the setting for measuring length. Fig. 2 shown the setting for measuring breadth. The invention is used to take two measurements for the assessment of pigs' readiness for slaughter. Essential to the operation of the invention is the rotation between the respective settings for measuring breadth and length. This rotation is effected by turning the first part of the instrument through 180 degrees about the central shaft (5) of the second part as shown in the attached drawings. For the first part one might also consider using two measuring arms or a single large one-piece arm, and a rotation through approximately 90 degrees. With the measuring arms (4, 7, 8), the instrument may be compared to two combined calipers one of which is rotatable about the longitudinal shaft of the other, with one arm (4) common to both calipers. The central shaft (5) also functions as a measuring guide when the movable part (2, Fig. 1) is moved. The measuring scale consists of two similar colour and/or numerical scales (12, 13) turned opposite ways such that the order of the scales is mutually reversed. The scales may also consist e.g. of letters in marked fields and may also be located elsewhere. The measurements are required to be mutually complementary, i.e. the same colour or number must be achieved in both measurement operations (length, breadth). Thus a short pig is required to be relatively broad, while a narrow big is not ready for slaughter until it is relatively long. Assessment of readiness for slaughter by means of this invention takes place as follows: 1. Breadth measurement Setting the instrument as shown in Fig. 2 gives a measure (9) of the pig's breadth across the back behind the forelegs. The movable part (2, Fig. 1) is moved as shown by the arrows (6) and the indicator (11) points to a colour and/or a number on the measuring scale (12) which is the breadth measurement (9) achieved by the pig. At this time the arm (8) for length measurement is pointing upwards out of the way. 2. Length measurement The change of setting from measurement of breadth (9, Fig. 2) to measurement of length (10, Fig. 1) is effected by a simple operation as follows: The movable part (2, Fig. 1) is turned through 180 degrees (as shown by arrow 1, Fig. 1) and at the same time is displaced as shown by the arrows (3, Fig. 1) until the indicator (11) points to the same colour and/or number that resulted from the breadth measurement. The distance between the measuring arms is now the minimum length measurement that the animal must have from shoulder to base of tail in order to be ready for slaughter. Thus the minimum allowable length measurement is pre-set during the turning operation, after which the pig's actual length is compared with that of the instrument. During the length measurement operation the arm for breadth measurement is pointing upwards (as in Fig. 1) out of the way. The instrument may be equipped with electronics to emit an acoustic signal when the measurement setting is correct.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A measuring instrument for the assessment of animals' readiness for slaughter, consisting of two mutually movable parts, characterised in that a first part (4, 5, 12, 13) comprises a measuring arm (4) and two measuring scales (12, 13), a second part (2) comprises two measuring arms (7, 8) and an indicator (11), the longitudinal shaft (5) of the first part serves as a bearing for both the rotary (1) and the axial (3, 6) motion of the second part (2), one measuring arm (7) of the second part (2) being arranged to show conjointly with the first part (4, 5) by means of the indicator (11) a breadth measurement (9) on a first measuring scale (12) and the other arm (8) of the second part (2) being arranged, after rotation about said longitudinal shaft (5), to show conjointly with the first part (4, 5) by means of the indicator (11) a length measurement (10) on a second measuring scale (13), such that it can be determined by a direct comparison between said breadth and length measurements whether the animal is ready for slaughter. 2. A measuring instrument as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that a measuring arm (4) disposed on the first part is common to two different measuring operations. 3. A measuring instrument as claimed in either of the preceding claims, characterised in that said comparison is effected in that the respective arm for the different measurements identifies a colour/number on the respective measuring scale (12, 13) by means of the common indicator (11). 4. A measuring instrument as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said measuring scales (12, 13) have the form of two similar colour/numerical scales disposed in opposite orientations. 5. A measuring instrument as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the measurements made against the two different measuring scales (12, 13) are mutually complementary, i.e. at readiness for slaughter the same colour/number must be achieved in both measuring operations. 6. A measuring instrument as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that any of the parts of the instrument is hollow. 7. A measuring instrument as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised by electronics to emit an acoustic signal in the presence of the correct relation between the measurements.

Inventors: LINDH MATS, LINDH, MATS
Applicants: LINDH MATS, LINDH, MATS
Application year: 2000
Main classification: G01B5
IPC codes: A22B5, G01B3, G01B5