Abstract:
Birds are conveyed in a suspended series through a poultry processing plant in a legs and tail up attitude, and a series of bird support brackets are moved down an incline from above the path of the birds in timed relationship with the movement of the birds and the birds are guided to the bird support brackets until the bird support brackets at least partially support and guide the birds. Each bird support bracket comprises an upper and lower horizontal plate and a vertical plate joining the two horizontal plates giving the bracket an approximately Z-shape, and a pair of downwardly extending side leg members are mounted to the support bracket on opposite sides of the lower plate at the intersection of the lower plate and the vertical plate. As the birds and support brackets continue their movement, a rotatable cutting disc which defines a series of peripheral notches engages and severs the oil bag tissue from the birds.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the poultry industry where chickens and other type birds are processed for consumption by the removal of feathers, feet, head, viscera, etc., it is desirable to move the birds rapidly through the processing steps with as little interruption as possible while effectively processing the birds. Most poultry processing plants utilize overhead conveyor systems where the birds are suspended by their legs from shackles in a legs-up attitude, and the shackles which are closely spaced from one another are progressively moved by the conveyor system through the various work stations in the processing plant. 
     Various automatic oil bag removing machines have been developed and utilized in the past on poultry processing lines; however, the prior art machines have been complicated with numerous moving parts. There are frequent breakdowns and the complicated nature of the machines along with the need for numerous repair parts result in long repair waits and the processor is sometimes required to shut down an entire processing line because of the malfunction of a single piece of equipment. Maintenance on the prior art machines can be very expensive and is often so difficult the poultry processor is not able to undertake maintenance of the equipment by himself. Also, some of the prior art machines are ineffective to properly cut off the oil bags, or are wasteful, cutting away, along with the oil bag, more of the edible chicken meat than necessary. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly described, the present invention comprises a poultry processing system wherein the oil bags of a series of birds moving on a continuous processing line in closely spaced relationship are accurately cut away from the tails of the birds substantially without removing excessive amounts of edible flesh from the birds and without impeding the movement of the processing line. 
     A series of bird support brackets move in equally spaced relationship to one another down an incline in timed relationship with the movement of the suspended birds along the processing line. Each bird is guided into engagement with a bird support bracket and the brackets engage and at least partially support and guide the bodies of the birds so that the backs of the birds achieve an appromimately upright attitude. Then the birds and support brackets move toward the cutting system which comprises a rotating disc with a series of grooves along its periphery and a stationary blade. One of the grooves in the periphery of the rotating disc catches the oil bag of a bird and the oil bag is removed from the bird with a scissors action as the groove of the rotating disc passes the stationary blade. 
     There is no noticeable interference with the movement of the birds along the path of the conveyor line. The oil bag removing system of the present invention has relatively few moving parts and is therefore easily serviced and kept clean. There are few parts to break down and the system is uncomplicated and therefore easily understood by the poultry processor. 
     Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a poultry processing system for use in connection with an overhead poultry processing plant wherein the oil bags of birds are accurately, expediently and rapidly cut from the bird with a minimum of waste of edible chicken flesh and without interfering with the movements of the conveyor system. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide an improved oil bag removal system for use in a poultry processing plant wherein birds are received in closely spaced sequence along an approximately rectilinear path and the oil bags removed from the birds substantially without interfering with the movement of the birds along the path. 
     It is also an object of this invention to provide an oil bag removing system for use in a poultry processing plant which requires a minimum of repair cost, which is easily serviced and kept clean and which is uncomplicated and easily understood by the poultry processor. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading the following specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the oil bag removal system according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the oil bag removal system taken from the side opposite to the side illustrated in FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the oil bag removal system with the guide shield and rotatable cutting disc removed. 
     FIG. 4 is an perspective view of the bird support bracket with its mounting and guide system. 
     FIG. 5 is an isolated view of the cutting apparatus of the oil bag removal system. 
     FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C show in sequence how birds are moved to the cutting disc. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the oil bag remover 8 which includes a super structure or framework 9 which comprises two approximately vertical support columns 10, an upper horizontal cross brace 11 and lower horizontal cross brace 12. Drive axle 13 is mounted vertically to an extension of upper cross brace 11. Brace piece 14 aids in mounting the drive axle 13. Positioned on the drive axle 13 are chain drive sprocket 15 and power drive sprocket 16. At the opposite end of the super structure, a driven axle 17 is mounted to an extension of upper cross brace 11. Brace piece 18 aids in mounting this driven axle 17. Horizontal support plate 19 is attached to the super structure between the two support columns 10 and between the two cross braces 11, 12. The support plate 19 is mounted to the framework by use of adjustable track means 20 (see FIG. 2), by which the support plate 19 can be moved horizontally, that is, perpendicular to the plane defined by the two support columns 10. Supported on the support plate 19 is gear box 21 having power driven sprocket 22, input shaft 23 and output shaft 24. The gear box 21 moves with support plate 19. The adjustable track means 20 comprises two externally threaded rods or travel screws 25 to which the support plate 21 is attached. Each rod is threaded through an internally threaded socket 26 which is mounted on support columns 10. Adjustment gears 28 are located on one end of each threaded rod 25 and are connected by chain 29. A crank 27 is connected to one adjustment gear 28. When the crank 27 is rotated, the chain causes the travel screws to rotate in unison to move the support plate laterally with respect to the framework 9. The framework 9 is hung from overhead by insertng a pin or other hanging device through an opening 30 defined in the top ends of support columns 10. 
     The equipped framework 9 is illustrated in FIG. 1. A conveyor chain 31 connects chain driving sprocket 15 with chain driven sprocket 32 mounted on driven axle 17. A series of equally spaced bird support brackets 70 are located on conveyor chain 31 and move with the conveyor chain 31 in an elongated loop about the framework 9. Each bird support bracket 70 is attached to conveyor chain 31 by welding or the like to a vertical bracket mount 71 which is likewise welded or otherwise attached to a link 72 of conveyor chain 31. Other major equipment shown in FIG. 1 are a horizontal guide rail 33, the purpose of which will be discussed later in regards to FIG. 3, a rotatable disc 34 mounted on the output shaft 24 of gear box 21 (shown in FIG. 1), positioning shield 35 and positioning bar 36. Rotatable disc 34 has a plurality of spaced apart grooves 37 defined in the periphery. A stationary cutting blade 38 (seen in FIGS. 3 and 5) is mounted to a frame 39 attached to gear box 21 so that it is located over the upper portion of the rotatable disc 34 and extends down between the rotatable disc 34 and the bird support brackets 70. 
     Each bird support bracket 70, as best illustrated in FIG. 4, comprises an upper horizontal plate 73, a lower horizontal plate 74, and a vertical connecting plate 75. The three plates 73, 74, 75 are joined at right angles in such a way that they define a &#34;Z&#34; shape. Two support fingers 76 extend downward from the edges of vertical connecting plate 75 and from the point of intersection of vertical plate 75 and lower horizontal plate 74. The free end of the upper horizontal plate 73 adjoins vertical bracket mount 71 and is attached to the bracket mount 71 thus attaching the bird support bracket 70 to the conveyor chain 31. The bird support brackets 70 and the conveyor chain 31 to which the brackets 70 are attached as previously described are moved about the super structure 9 by chain driving sprocket 15 and chain driven sprocket 32. The conveyor chain 31 and brackets 70 are guided along their elongated loop path by a guide system comprising guide clips 77, chain guide rails 78 and bracket guide rail 33 (see FIG. 1) and chain driving and driven sprockets 15, 32 (see FIG. 1). A guide clip 77 is attached to the links 72 of the chain to which a bird support bracket 70 are also attached. Chain guide rails 78, of which there are two, are located between the two support columns 10, one rail 78 on each side of the vertical plane defined between the two support columns 10. The chain guide rails 78 are positioned horizontally within the same horizontal plane as is defined by the elongated loop of the conveyor chain 31 and are located inside the loop defined by conveyor chain 31. The guide clip 77 has an upper plate 79 and lower plate 80 which ride above and below the chain guide rail 78 respectively, and as a result prevent vertical motion of the conveyor chain 31 and support brackets 70. Bracket guide rail 33 is only located on one side of the super structure as seen in FIG. 1. This bracket guide rail 33 is L-shaped, as seen in FIG. 5, fitting the contour of the connection between the upper horizontal plate 73 of the bird support bracket 70 and the bracket mount 71. This bracket guide rail 33 prevents movement, which might result during the actual cutting process, in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the path of motion of the conveyor chain 31. 
     The oil bag removal system is operational as follows: 
     The assembly is hung, using holes 30 in support columns 10, from a scaffolding that is suspended from an overhead conveyor system. The conveyor system brings the poultry in sequence into the system. Drive axle 13 is driven from the same power source as the overhead conveyor system and is in timed relationship with the conveyor system. Rotating with drive axle 13 is chain driving sprocket 15 and power driving sprocket 16; chain driving sprocket 15 powers conveyor chain 31 which is carried on chain driving sprocket 15 and chain driven sprocket 32 and to which are attached bird support brackets 70; power driving sprocket 16 turns power driven sprocket 22 using power drive chain 40 (see FIG. 2) and in turn driving gear box 21 to which rotatable disc 34 is mounted at output shaft 24. As a result of this configuration, bird support bracket 70 and rotatable disc 34 are operated in timed relationship with one another and likewise in timed relationship with movement of the birds in sequence along the overhead conveyor system. 
     Birds moving in sequence along the conveyor system are channeled into the oil bag removable system by a channeling bar 45 (FIG. 2). The birds move in the direction indicated by arrows A of FIG. 1. Bird support brackets 70, moved in the direction of arrows B by conveyor chain 31, move into place to guide and position the birds. This is accomplished as follows (refer to FIGS. 1 and 6): each support bracket 70 moves in timed relationship with a bird 100 on the conveyor system; as each bird 100 is channeled along the path described by arrows A by positioning bar 36, a support bracket 70 moves into position behind the bird; the birds, as hung from the conveyor system, are in a legs up and tail up attitude with their breasts facing away from the oil bag removal machine and their backs facing the support bracket 70 and rotatable disc 34; the oil bag removal system is hung from the conveyor system at a slight angle (see FIG. 3) such that the plane of rotation of the conveyor chain 31 angles slightly downward from the horizontal plane in the direction of motion of the birds in the conveyor system; because of this incline, the support bracket 70 approaches the bird from above and gradually moves down into contact with the bird (see FIG. 6); lower horizontal plate 73 of support bracket 70 locates itself between the upwardly extended legs 101 of the bird while support fingers 76 locate themselves behind the legs 101 of the bird (see FIG. 5), that is, to the backside of the bird 100 between the legs 101 and the rotable disc 34, these fingers 76 keep the bird from swinging too far behind the bracket 70; the tail 102 is forced up and behind vertical connecting plate 75 of the support bracket 70; by the slight downward motion of the support bracket caused by the inclination of the oil bag remover 8, slight downward pressure is put on the bird thus forcing the tail 102 higher up behind the vertical connecting plate 75 thus giving the back of the bird a more vertical upright attitude and making the oil bag 103 more prominent and accesible; this positioning is aided by the action of positioning bar 36 which presses against the breast of the bird and thus swings the tail 102 up into position behind the support bracket 70 and also is aided by the flat surface of positioning shield 35 which serves as a backing surface to keep the back of the bird straight as it approaches the cutters (the cutters being rotatable disc 34 and stationary blade 38). This positioning shield 35 tends to keep the birds out of the blade of the rotatable disc 34. The bird, positioned and guided by the support bracket 70, moves continuously in the direction of arrows A towards the rotatable disc 34; the grooves 37 in rotatable disc 34 are positioned around the periphery of the rotatable disc 34 in such a way that combined with the synchronization of gear box 21 and conveyor chain 31, the grooves 37 move in timed relationship with the motion of the birds; as each bird 100 approaches the rotatable disc 34 one groove 37 moves into position behind each bird and eventually locates the oil bag 103 protruding from the tail of the bird; the groove locates the oil bag 103 just before the bird passes by stationary blade 38 (see FIG. 3); as the bird with its oil bag 103 cupped by the groove 37 passes stationary blade 38, the rotatable disc 34 and stationary blade 38 coact as cutting edges to snip the oil bag 103 from the tail of the bird. The cutting surfaces are not particularly sharp so as to avoid inadvertently cutting into the oil bag of the bird. After the oil bag has been removed, the bird, still attached to the conveyor system continues to move on out from the oil bag removal system. This process is repeated consecutively with each subsequent bird without stopping or slowing progression of the birds through the conveyor system. 
     The position of rotatable disc 34 and the stationary blade 38 in relationship to the vertical connecting plate 75 of the bird support bracket 70 can be adjusted closer or further away from the vertical connecting plate 75 by moving support plate 19 back and forth on the adjustable track means 20. This is accomplished by turning crank 27 which turns, with the aid of chain 29, both adjustment gears 28 simultaneously. This turns externally threaded rods 25 in their matching internally threaded brackets 26 which are mounted to the support columns 10. As the threaded rods move through the threaded brackets 26, support plate 19 which is attached to the threaded rod 25 moves back or forth with the threaded rod. In this way, the oil bag removal system can be adjusted to accommodate larger or smaller birds. 
     Bracket guide rail 33 is also adjustable in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the path of support brackets 70 as they move by the horizontal guide rail 33. This is accomplished by loosening the four bolts 41 and sliding the guide rail 33 in or out within the boundries of elongated screw holes 42. 
     Chain guard 43, which is shown in FIG. 2 as removed from the oil bag remover 8, serves to keep objects away from the drive mechanisms, i.e. chains 31 and 40, sprockets 15, 16, 22 and 32. An access panel 44 removably attached to the chain guard 43 makes inspection and maintenance of the drive mechanisms possible without disconnecting the entire guard 43. 
     While this invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein before and as defined in the appended claims.