Abstract:
The bird vaccinating device comprises a frame, a drum or carosel rotatable on a vertical axis on this frame, schackle means for attaching birds, and being angularly spaced on said drum, motor means to rotate said drum, to present the bird successively to different operating stations, wherein said drum has a polygonal shape, preferably octagonal, each lateral side of the polygon providing a flat surface, said schackle means protruding from said surface so that an attached bird can be backed on to this flat surface by the vaccinator for proper vaccination. Preferably means are provided to cause the drum to stop if grasped by a vaccinator and to release automatically the vaccinated bird, preferably on a slide, as well as to count the vaccinated birds.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention generally relates to the art of vaccinating birds, including but not limited to pullets.  
           [0002]    More particularly, the invention relates to a rotating bird vaccinating device in the form of a rotating drum or carosel turned by an electric motor and having means, such as shackles, which hold the birds upside down by the legs, in order to present the bird to the vaccinator, where said drum turns before successive fixed stations, including a first station to attach the bird, one or several vaccination stations for the vaccinators, and a releasing station where the bird is released from the drum.  
           [0003]    The invention also relates to a method which makes use of the improved device according to the invention.  
           [0004]    Presently such kind of pullet vaccinating devices are on public use. These machines comprise a cylindrical drum turning on a vertical shaft and chain driven by an electrical motor connected to a power source.  
           [0005]    Such known devices need an important staff, to attach the pullet, to vaccinate the birds and to release the vaccinated pullets.  
           [0006]    Using such machines leads sometime to inaccurate vaccination, for example in the event the drum must be suddenly stopped, which requires one operator to disconnect the power source and there is a risk of vaccinating some birds twice or just omitting to vaccinate them because of the time needed for the drum to stop. Further, the vaccinators cannot know how many birds are vaccinated, unless they try to count the birds.  
           [0007]    Some of these known machines have a cylindrical drum surface to which the pullet can be backed on by the vaccinator, which may result in some stress to the animal.  
           [0008]    These machines are often cumbersome and are not very practical for the vaccinators who generally have to stand during the whole vaccination sequences.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    It is an object of the invention to provide bird vaccinating devices which results in more accurate vaccination of the birds, even if several distinct vaccines are administered.  
           [0010]    Another object of the invention is to reduce the stress of the birds during the vaccination step.  
           [0011]    Another object is to allow each operator or vaccinator to stop and restart the machine immediately.  
           [0012]    Another object is to allow an accurate and simple counting of the vaccinated birds.  
           [0013]    Another object is to reduce the staff needed to operate the vaccinating device.  
           [0014]    Another object is to speed up the vaccination rate of birds.  
           [0015]    Another object is to allow the vaccinators to work in a comfortable position.  
           [0016]    According to a first embodiment of the invention, the bird vaccinating device comprises a frame, a drum or carosel rotatable on a vertical axis on this frame, schackle means for attaching birds, and being angularly spaced on said drum, motor means to rotate said drum, to present the bird successively to different operating stations, wherein said drum has a polygonal shape, preferably octagonal, each lateral side of the polygon providing a flat surface, said schackle means protruding from said surface so that an attached bird can be backed on to this flat surface by the vaccinator for proper vaccination.  
           [0017]    By providing such a polygonal, preferably octagonal, shape of the drum with flat surfaces, for example vertical plates forming said lateral sides, the pullet can be backed on to a flat surface whereby the stress on the pullet is reduced compared to the stress of being pressed against the usual convex cylindrical surface of a drum.  
           [0018]    This octagonal or polygonal shape also allows, if needed, to provide more than one schackle means per lateral side, whereby more than one, for example two pullets can be attached on one lateral side for increasing the rate of vaccination without increasing the rotation speed.  
           [0019]    According to another improvement, a bird vaccinating device according to the present invention comprises a frame, a drum or carosel rotatable on a vertical axis on this frame, schackle means for attaching birds, being angularly spaced on said drum, motor means to rotate said drum, to present the birds successively to different operating stations, wherein said drum or carosel is cinematically driven by the motor means through drive disconnecting means able to be actuated by any member of a staff, to immediately stop the drum while the motor continues to run, and to immediately restart the rotation of the drum, if wanted.  
           [0020]    This rotation disconnecting means can, for example, comprises clutch means with various clutch control means angularly spaced around the frame to be actuated from each working station.  
           [0021]    But, according to a preferred embodiment, this disconnecting means comprises friction means, such as, for example, frictionnaly mutually engaged discs, whereby the drum can be immediately stopped by an operator grasping the drum and immediately restarted when the operator releases the drum.  
           [0022]    This allows to immediately stop the drum by the proper operator if needed and to have it restarted after a short time, without disconnecting the power source. Further once an operator, for example a vaccinator, stops the drum, he keeps the side of the polygon with the relevant pullet in front of him, instead of having the drum continuing to rotate for a short time while he goes to disconnect the power source.  
           [0023]    It also prevents risks or injuries if the drum is blocked accidentally.  
           [0024]    According to another embodiment of the improved vaccinating device according to the invention, the device comprises a frame, a drum or carosel rotable on a vertical axis on this frame, schackle means for attaching birds, said schackle means being angularly spaced on said drum, motor means to rotate the drum, to convey a bird successively to different operating stations, wherein said schackle means are responsive to a schackle release means fixed at a precise angular location of the frame to release automatically the bird once the schackle means reaches an angular location corresponding to said schackle releasing means.  
           [0025]    In such embodiment there is preferably provided a slide or other receiving and transportation means which gently receives the falling pullet to transport the pullet away from the device.  
           [0026]    According to another embodiment of the present invention, the bird vaccinating device comprises a frame, a drum or carosel rotatable on a vertical axis on this frame, a schackle means for attaching birds, said schackle means being angularly spaced on said drum, motor means to rotate said drum, to present the bird successively to different operating stations, wherein there is provided a pullet counter which automatically counts the number of pullets released from the schackle. Preferably this counter is a mechanichal counter.  
           [0027]    In a preferred embodiment, this counter is located either on the frame, at the bird release station, or on the slide or other transportation means for the released bird. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0028]    Examples of the invention are illustrated in the drawings.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 1 is general view of a bird vaccinating device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 2 is a side elevation of another embodiment where the lateral plates are omitted,  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 3 is a front elevation corresponding to FIG. 2,  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the device (with a decagonal drum) corresponding to FIG. 2,  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 5 is a general view of the preferred drum where the lateral plates are omitted,  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 6 is a view of the slide of the device.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the slide with a counting pallet. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0036]    While the preferred embodiment is shown on FIGS. 1, 5,  6 ,  7 , FIGS. 2, 3,  4  are used to show the driving and sliding disc means and the shape of the shackles.  
         [0037]    With reference to the figures, there is provided a rotating bird vaccinating device comprising a frame  1  and a rotating carosel like drum  2 . Frame  1  has vertical legs  3 , provided with wheels  4  for rolling the device. Frame  1  rigidly supports a motor and gear box assembly having an electrical motor  5  and a gear box  6  whose output vertical shaft is rigidly fastened to a hub  7  whereby the hub  7  is driven by the output shaft. Hub  7  rigidly supports a lower horizontal disc  8  which is thereby rotatively driven with the shaft (FIG. 2). Frame  1  supports a control panel  9  having switching means to connect or disconnect electrical power to motor  5 . Means can also be provided on the panel to vary the rotation speed of the electrical motor  5 , as well as the clockwise or counterclockwise direction of the rotation. Further a remote system pause can be provided, for example a foot pedal actuated switch to allow a designated operator to pause the rotation.  
         [0038]    Drum  2  has the shape of an octogon having eight vertical lateral sides  10 , each side arboring a rectangular vertical metal plate  11 . As better seen on FIG. 5, the structure of wheel  2  comprises upper and lower octagonal assemblies  12 ,  13  being connected at each apex by vertical legs  14 . A central disc  15  is rigidly mounted centrally in this octagonal cage by a pair of oblique bracings  16  whose proximal ends are secured to the periphery of disc  15  and whose distal ends are respectedly secured to apexes of the upper and lower polygons  12 ,  13 . Plates  11  are welded or otherwise secured to the octagonal drum sides to form the lateral sides thereof.  
         [0039]    While the upper side of disc  15  is flat, its lower side has a large central recess surrounded by a peripheral rim, which recess has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the lower disc  8 . As better seen on FIG. 2, when a drum is mounted on the frame, upper disc  15  engages lower disc  8  which penetrates into the central large recess. The peripheral rim of disc  15  would prevent any substantial lateral displacement of one disc with respect to the other. The friction between the upper side of the lower disc  8  and the internal side of the recess of the upper disc  15  is such that when lower disc  8  is rotated by the motor-gear box assembly, the upper disc  15 , and, accordingly, the drum  2 , is driven at the same speed. However if the rotation of the drum is hindered, for example by an operator grasping the drum, the discs will slide with respect to each other. In other words, disc  8  and  15  provide a kind of frictional clutch which allows the upper disc to be easily disconnected from the rotation of the lower disc by an operator which retains the drum.  
         [0040]    Disc  15  has a central bore through which the upper end of the vertical output shaft can freely extend and a means can be provided, such as a nut screwed on the upper end of the shaft to prevent disc  15  to be vertically removed from disc  8  while allowing both discs to slide respectively if needed.  
         [0041]    As best seen on FIG. 5, the horizontal sides of the upper octagonal assembly  12 , which are formed of bars  17 , provide radial brackets  18  which protrude radialy outside from the plate  11 . As better seen on FIG. 2, brackets  18  provide also a lower part forming a horizontal hinge for shackles. Shackle  19  comprises a rigid metal wire having a M form having a central V shaped part  20  and two radial end parts  21 . Accordingly there is provided between each end part  21  and the central V shaped part  20 , a tapered recess  22  in which a leg of a pullet can be introduced in such a way that the pullet can be maintained upside down by its two legs in the recesses  22  of a shackle  19 . As the shackles  19  are normally in an oblique position with their external parts pointing upwardly, one understands that the legs of the pullet, whose feet prevent it from falling down, will be urged to the apexes of the shackle due to the weight of the pullet. On the other side, if bracket  19  is tilted down and points obliquely and downwardly, the legs of the pullet will slide out of recesses  22  and the pullet will be released from the wheel.  
         [0042]    The shackles  19  are normally oriented outwardly and upwardly according to FIG. 2, and are maintained in this orientation by a latch hook  23  having a lever form which is journalled on the upper octogonal assembly. Lever  23  is hinged to a lever rod  24  which is hinged to the end of a short lateral arm  25  secured to a shaft  26  having a lever form which is journalled at respective ends on the lateral bar  27  of the lower polygon  13  and on a hinge affixed on the disc  15  (FIG. 5). A lateral tab  28  extends from the shaft in a direction opposite to arm  25 . During rotation of the drum  2 , when this tab  28  encounters a static cam mounted at proper location on frame  3 , shaft  26  will be rotated, whereby lever  23  is tilted, which allows the corresponding shackle  19  to tilt downwardly and release the bird. After the bird is released the shackle reverts to its upper oriented position and once the tab  28  escapes the cam, the latch hook  23  engages the shackle. Of course, rod arrangement  24  can be replaced by equivalent pull means, such as a pull cable, which allows more flexibility for the location of the shackle actuation control means.  
         [0043]    With reference to FIG. 6, there is provided a funnel like slide  30  mounted on a wheeled frame, which is adapted to be located radially with respect to drum  2  in such a position that a pullet which is released from shackle  19  at the corresponding angular releasing station, will fall on the slide and slide downwardly to be finally released. Preferably, a mechanical counter is fixed on the slide  30  in such a position that each pullet which slides downwardly on slide  30 , actuates the counter by one increment. Preferably, the counter comprises a lightweight pivoting pallet  31  at the top of slide  30  which is biased to its horizontal rest position by a counterweight  32 . As a bird is released from the shackle it falls on pallet  31  and causes it to deflect. The deflection is counted by a microswitch  33 . The dimension of the pallet is enough to allow birds falling from each direction to be counted accurately.  
         [0044]    The operation is as follows:  
         [0045]    The device according to the invention can be introduced in a poultry farm through normal doors as it can have an external diameter which is less than usual form door width. This also allows transportation on an usual pick-up. Once the device is at the proper place, it provides eight working stations A to H (assuming the drums of FIG. 3 is modified to an octagonal drum). Assuming the cam is located at the angular position corresponding to location H, location H will form the pullet releasing station and the slide  30  will be accordingly located under the drum at location H. As the device is clockwised rotated, the next station, namely A, will be the station where an operator hangs the pullet on the shackle  19 .  
         [0046]    Locations B to G can be used for vaccinators. If needed, location B, which is directly downstream location A, could be used for a second operator to hang a pullet on a shackle. In this event location B will not be available for a vaccinator.  
         [0047]    Once the drum is rotated with a pullet, maintained upside down close to a lateral plate  11 , the pullet will reach a successive station, for example station C, where the vaccinator administers the vaccine, for example, a parenteral or an ocular vaccine. It is easy for the operator to gently press the pullet against plate  11  to maintain it motionless with one hand in order to vaccinate it with the other hand according to any suitable administration route, for example wingweb transfixion or eye drop administration. As the pullet is gently pressed on a flat surface, it would not be stressed as it would on a cylindrical convex drum. Once the pullet reaches location H, the shackle is tilted by the cam and the pullet is released and counted.  
         [0048]    If one of the operators or vaccinators needs to temporarily stop the wheel he just grasps the drum at any location and the drum will stop while the motor and the lower disc will still rotate. As soon as he releases the drum, the slight frictional engagement between plate  8  and  15  will drive the drum to rotate.  
         [0049]    The frame  1  is preferably designed to maintain the drum at a vertical level which allows the vaccinators to seat on foldable chairs at the relevant vaccinating station, instead of standing during the whole vaccination campaign. As an alternative, seats can be directly mounted on the frame.  
         [0050]    The vertical dimension of the drum can be adapted to the size of the bird to be vaccinated. For example, one can provide a drum having a sufficient height for maintaining and vaccinating turkeys or other big birds. In such event the same drum could be used for smaller fowls like pullets. A larger octagonal drum can be provided with large lateral sides, with several shackles per side in order to maintain several birds close to a same plate  11 .  
         [0051]    The device according to the invention gives easy access to all its components. Accordingly it can be readily disinfected before use. Preferably its components are made of easy to disinfect materials, for example stainless steel.