Patent Publication Number: US-2016235041-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for unloading live poultry

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/117,675, filed 18 Feb. 2015, and entitled “Method and Apparatus for Unloading Live Poultry,” which application is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, and for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for transferring live birds at a poultry processing facility, and specifically to a method and apparatus for gently unloading live birds from transportation containers onto an intake conveyor system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Historically, the unloading of live poultry from transport cages and coops has been characterized by either handling or dumping from an elevated coop or cage into a containment area. Traditional manual handling (i.e. the manual grasping of legs and pulling of birds from containers) is a labor-intensive process that can impose stresses on leg joints and musculature of the poultry during transfer from the transportation container to the receiving conveyor, resulting in bloody thighs and discolored hocks. On the other hand, while dumping the birds from their elevated containers can reduce manpower requirements, the rapid displacement and sensation of being in free fall caused by current equipment configurations can elicit a “fight or flight” response in the birds that is often characterized by violent wing flapping, which in turn can lead to joint dislocation, bone breakage and contusions. Breast bruising and punctured livers also have been traced to the dumping of live birds from elevated cages. 
     Consequently, a need exists for a method and apparatus for unloading live poultry from transportation containers that deliver the poultry to the intake conveyor in a less-forceful and less-stressful manner that avoids damage to the poultry, and that is also not labor intensive. It is toward such a method and apparatus that the present disclosure is directed. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a method for unloading live poultry onto a horizontal receiving surface from a multi-level transportation container or cage, with the transportation container having an access side with an opening at each level and a door for closing each opening. The method generally includes receiving the transportation container within a support cradle that is rotatably supported on one or more pivot mounts, with the access side of the transportation container in a substantially vertical orientation. The method further includes rotating the support cradle and the transportation container together through an angle of about 90 degrees until the access side of the transportation container is in a substantially horizontal orientation above the horizontal receiving surface, and activating a door opening mechanism to open the doors for each level with the transportation container to gently deposit, in a substantially vertical fashion, the live poultry contained therein onto the horizontal receiving surface. 
     Another embodiment of the disclosure includes an apparatus for unloading live poultry from a multi-level transportation container onto a horizontal receiving surface, in which the transportation container has an access side with an opening at each level and a door for closing each opening. The apparatus generally comprises a cradle that includes a base platform that is configured to receive and support the bottom of the transportation container, a side support extending upward from a side of the base platform and configured to receive and support the access side of the transportation container, and one or more support pillars extending downward to engage with at least one pivot mount that is spaced from and below the base platform. The apparatus also includes a power mechanism that is configured to rotate the cradle, with a transportation container received therein, from an upright position with the access side in a substantially vertical orientation, around the pivot mount to an unload position, with the access side in a substantially horizontal orientation spaced from and above the horizontal receiving surface. The apparatus further includes a door-opening mechanism that is configured to open the doors for each level with the transportation container in the unload position to gently deposit live poultry contained therein onto the horizontal receiving surface. 
     The invention will be better understood upon review of the detailed description set forth below taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures, which are briefly described as follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an apparatus for unloading live poultry from transportation containers, in accordance with a representative embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a multi-level transportation container for use with the unloading apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic side view of the unloading apparatus of  FIG. 1  with the transportation container in an upright position. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic side view of the unloading apparatus of  FIG. 1  with the transportation container in an unload position. 
         FIG. 5  is another schematic side view of the unloading apparatus with the transportation container in an unload position, in accordance with another representative embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a door-opening mechanism for opening the doors to each level of the multi-level transportation container, in accordance with yet another representative embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the unloading apparatus with the transportation container in an upright position, in accordance with yet another representative embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the unloading apparatus of  FIG. 7  with the transportation container in an unload position. 
         FIG. 9  is front view of the rotatable cradle of the uploading apparatus of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is side view of the rotatable cradle of the uploading apparatus of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate and understand that, according to common practice, various features and elements of the drawings described above are not necessarily drawn to scale, and that the dimensions and relative positions between the features or elements may be expanded, reduced or otherwise altered to more clearly illustrate the various embodiments of the present disclosure depicted therein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings described above, is provided as an enabling teaching of exemplary embodiments of a method and apparatus for gently transferring or unloading live birds at a poultry processing facility. As described below, the method and apparatus can provide several significant advantages and benefits over other methods or systems for unloading birds from transportation containers to an intake conveyor system. However, the recited advantages are not meant to be limiting in any way, as one skilled in the art will appreciate that other advantages may also be realized upon practicing the present disclosure. 
     Furthermore, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that changes can be made to the described embodiments while still obtaining the beneficial results, and that some of the advantages and benefits of the described embodiments can be obtained by selecting some of the features of the embodiments without utilizing other features, and that features from one embodiment may be combined with features from other embodiments in any appropriate combination. For example, any individual or collective features of method embodiments may be applied to apparatus, product or system embodiments, and vice versa. Accordingly, those who work in the art will recognize that many modifications and adaptations to the embodiments described are possible and may even be desirable in certain circumstances, and are a part of the disclosure. As such, the present disclosure is provided as an illustration of the principles of the embodiments and not in limitation thereof, since the scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims. 
     Referring now in more detail to the drawing figures, wherein like parts are identified with like reference numerals throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of an apparatus  10  for unloading live poultry from a transportation container onto a horizontal receiving surface. The unloading apparatus  10  generally includes a rotatable cradle  20  with a base platform  22  that defines the portion of a receiving framework  28  that is configured to receive and support the bottom  84  of the transportation container  80  ( FIG. 2 ). As shown in  FIG. 1 , in one aspect the base platform  22  of the cradle  20  can comprise a U-shaped frame that may include a rabbet or recess that securely captures the bottom edges at both ends  86 , and optionally along the access side  88 , of the container  80 . The cradle  20  also has a side support  26  that extends upwardly from one side of the base platform  22  to define the portion of the receiving framework  28  that is configured to receive and support the access side  88  of the transportation container  80  during rotation. The side support  26  can comprise side bars  27  and one or more crossbars  29 . In addition, the cradle  20  can also include one or more end braces  24  extending between the base support  22  and the side support  26  that provide the cradle  20  with additional strength and rigidity for securing the loaded transportation container  80 , which can weight as much as 1,500 lbs., as it is rotated through an arc from an initial upright position to a substantially horizontal position for unloading. In one aspect the end brace  24  can also serve as a stop to correctly position the transportation container on top the arms of the U-shaped base platform  22 . 
     The rotatable cradle  20  further includes one or more support pillars  30  that extend downward below the base platform  22  to engage with one or more pivot mounts  34  ( FIG. 3 ) that are spaced below the base platform  22 , with the support pillars  30  acting to elevate the base platform  22  of the cradle  20  above an axis of rotation defined by the pivot mounts  34 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the rotatable cradle  20  generally includes a support pillar  30  extending downward from both ends of the base platform  22 , with each being rotatably supported on its own pivot mount  34 . Moreover, in one aspect the support pillars  30  and side bars  27  of the side support  26  can be formed together or combined together into elongate columns of high-strength structural material, such as carbon steel, steel alloy and the like. 
     Also shown in  FIG. 1  is a stationary frame  40  that provides the unloading apparatus  10  with an upper platform  42  for receiving the transportation containers  80  in an elevated position prior to loading into the cradle  20 , and for receiving and carrying away the containers  80  after the unloading of the live poultry contained therein. In one aspect the upper platform  42  can be defined by a plurality of rollers  42  that allow the transportation containers to be rolled onto and away from the frame  40  from an end  48  of the platform  42  opposite the side brace(s)  24  of the cradle, as well as one or more lateral loaders  46  that can move the containers into and out of engagement with the receiving framework  28  of the cradle  20  or onto another series of rollers (not shown) that can carry the empty container to a washing station or to a loading dock for transport back to a poultry farm for re-loading with poultry. 
     An exemplary embodiment of a multi-level transportation container  80  that can be used with the unloading apparatus of  FIG. 1  is shown in  FIG. 2 . Generally, the transportation container includes a top panel  82 , a bottom panel  84 , end wall panels  86 , an access side  88 , and a back side panel  89  opposite the access side. In one aspect the top panel  82  and the bottom panel  84  can be substantially solid across the expanse thereof to provide protection for the birds during transportation, while the end panels  86  and the back side panel  89  opposite the access side  88  can be formed from a grating that facilitate the ventilation of the enclosure. In addition, lifting slots  85  configured to receive the forks of a forklift can also be integrated into the bottom panel  84  to facilitate the movement and storage of the transportation container  80 . In one aspect the transportation container  80  can have a height  83  of about 4 feet (48 inches) between the top panel  82  and the bottom panel  84 , a depth between the access side  88  and the back side panel  89  of about the same distance, a width between end wall panels  86  of about 8 feet, and one or more center panels that divide the transportation container  80  into two or more sections. 
     Also shown in  FIG. 2 , the transportation container  80  can include a plurality of interior floor panels  90  that divide the container vertically into multiple levels  91 , in this case four levels, with each level  91  having sufficient clearance to allow the birds to remain upright and standing during transportation. In addition, each level  91  can include one or more access openings  92  on the access side  88  of the container  88 , with doors  94  that generally swing outward and downward from their closed, upright positions so that, in one aspect, the inside surfaces of the doors  94  can be substantially flush or aligned with the top surfaces of their respective floor panels  90  when the doors  90  are in their fully open position. This feature can ease the passage of the birds into and out of the container  80 . 
     The doors  94  can generally pivot around lower door pivots  96  that are aligned with the floor panels  90 , with the outer edges  98  of the doors extending away from the container  80  a distance or height  95  of the door  94  that, in one aspect, can be customized to be less than the spacing between floor panels  90 . Thus, when the doors  94  are in their upright and fully closed position, the reduced door height can create gaps  93  between the upper edges  98  of the doors  94  and the next upper level  91  that eliminate pinch points that could otherwise damage wings or cause head trauma to the live poultry during their initial loading into the transportation container  80 . The gaps  93  can also provide for additional ventilation when the doors  94  are closed. 
     The doors  94  can also be spring-loaded toward both the closed position and the open position by compression springs  97  which encounter a neutral or centered position when the door is rotated open or outward between about twenty degrees and about forty degrees, as referenced from the upright plane of the access side  88  of the container  80 . If the angular position of the door is less than the neutral position, the compression springs  97  can operate to push the door  94  shut. Alternatively, if the angular position of the door is greater than the neutral position, the compression springs  97  can operate to push the door  94  open. 
     Although the multi-level transportation container  80  of  FIG. 2  is shown with, among other things, four levels  91 , a specific vertical grating  87  construction, and a specific access door  94  construction, it is to be appreciated that the present disclosure is not limited to the particular transportation container  80  illustrated in the drawing. For example, the transportation container could be divided into five levels in order to carry smaller poultry animals. Likewise, it is further contemplated that other types or models of transportation containers of varying design could also be used with one or more embodiments of the unloading apparatus described herein, with each falling within the scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic side view of the unloading apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1  with a transportation container  80  filled with live poultry secured within the cradle  20  in an upright position, with the access side  88  in a substantially vertical orientation. The unloading apparatus  10  is generally located adjacent to a horizontal receiving surface  70  that is adapted to receive the live poultry after unloading. In the illustrated embodiment, the horizontal receiving surface  70  can comprise the translatable belt of an intake conveyor  72  that carries the poultry into a processing facility. In one aspect the intake conveyor  72  can operate in an intermittent fashion, in which the belt is stopped during the unloading process so that the poultry is deposited on a stationary segment of the belt. The belt can then be cycled forward to carry the poultry into the facility while simultaneously exposing a new segment for the unloading of the next container  80 . In other aspects, however, it may be preferable for the intake conveyor  72  to operate without stopping to present a continuously-moving horizontal receiving surface  70  to the unloading apparatus  10 . It will be appreciated that the unloading apparatus  10  can be modified as needed to accommodate both intake conveyor configurations without risk of damage or stress to the live poultry during the unloading process. 
     As described above, the transportation container  80  may be rolled across the upper platform  42  of the stationary frame  40  prior to being received within the receiving framework  28  defined by the base platform  22  and the side support  26  ( FIG. 1 ). Once the access side  88  of the container  80  is received within side support  26  of the cradle  20 , a power mechanism  50 , such as the double-acting hydraulic cylinder  52 , can be activated to rotate the cradle  20  and loaded container  80  together about the pivot mount  34  that is spaced some distance  33  below the base platform  22 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , this distance  33 , or radius of rotation of the base of the transportation container, can be the difference between the height of the engagement surface of the side support of the base platform  22  above the horizontal receiving surface  70  and the height of the pivot mount  34  above the receiving surface  70 . As discussed in more detail below, the distance  33  may be selected to center the transportation container  80  above the horizontal receiving surface  70  of the intake conveyor  72 . Although shown as a hydraulically-actuated cylinder  52 , it is to be appreciated that the power mechanism  50  can comprise any means for rotating the cradle  20  and secured container  80  known to one of skill in the art, including but not limited to a direct drive motor, a geared motor, a linear motor, a pneumatic drive, a belt drive, and the like. 
     The arc of rotation  38  of the cradle  20  and secured container  80  can comprise about 90 degrees, or until the access side  88  of the container  80  reaches a substantially horizontal position that is spaced above the horizontal receiving surface  70 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . While not being bound to any particular theory, it is thought by the inventor that rotating the closed container  80  through a full 90 degree arc prior to depositing the poultry generally causes the birds within each level  91  to slide down the interior floors  90  onto the inside surfaces of the now-horizontal access doors  94 , thereby extending the contact between the birds and the interior floors  90  in a manner that simultaneously reduces the speed and limits the sensation of free-fall that would otherwise be experienced by the birds, especially those birds located in the upper levels  91  of the container  80 . This, in turn, can substantially reduce or eliminate any “fight or flight” responses in the poultry that could result in self-injurious or damaging activity throughout the combined rotation and unloading sequence. In this way the poultry can be moved to a position directly above the receiving surface  70  in a controlled manner that avoids triggering the birds&#39; natural response to rapid displacement or acceleration. 
     In the embodiment of the unloading apparatus  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 3-4 , the arc of rotation  38  of the cradle  20  and secured container  80  can be a long-radius arc, in which the distance  33  between the engagement surfaces of the U-shaped base platform  22  (which supports the bottom  84  of the container  80 ) and the axis of rotation of the pivot mount  34 , can be equal to at least 25% of the height of the transportation container  80  between the bottom panel  84  and the top panel  82 . In other aspects this distance can be greater than 25% of the height of the container  80 , up to and including 50% or 75% and above. 
     The long-radius arc may be advantageous for centering the transportation container  80  above the horizontal receiving surface  70  so that the poultry is deposited onto a center portion of the receiving surface. This feature can reduce the risk of the birds becoming temporarily densely packed against the side surfaces (not shown) of a framework that surrounds the horizontal receiving surface  70  during unloading. In addition, it is further contemplated that rotating the secured container  80  through a long-radius arc may also beneficially reduce the intensity of the rotational motion experienced by the poultry relative to the gravity component, thereby extending their sliding contact with the interior floors  90  of the container and further reducing their sensation of free-fall. 
     It will be understood, nevertheless, that the unloading apparatus of the present disclosure may also be adapted for use with poultry handling systems having a horizontal receiving surface or alternatively, a receiving opening, that is substantially narrower than the intake conveyor  72  shown in  FIGS. 3-4 . In this configuration the distance  33  between the axis of rotation defined by the pivot mounts  34  and the engagement surface of the base platform  22  can be much shorter than that shown in the drawings (i.e. less than 25% of the height of the transportation container  80  between the bottom panel  84  and the top panel  82 ), and the arc of rotation of the cradle and secured container may be considered a short-radius arc. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , in one aspect the spacing or distance  76 A between the access side  88  of the container  80  and the horizontal receiving surface  70 , upon completion of the rotation, can be less than the height  95  of the doors  94 , down to and including a spacing of about one inch between the two surfaces. In this case, when the doors  94  are released or allowed to open via a door opening mechanism, as described in more detail below, the outer edges  98  of the doors  94  can drop down to contact the horizontal receiving surface  70  that prevents the doors from opening further. This allows the poultry to gently slide or roll out of the container  80  along the smooth ramp surfaces provided by the doors  94  until they are deposited onto the receiving surface  70 . In one aspect the power mechanism  50  can be activated to retract or lift the cradle  20  and container  80  simultaneous with the opening of the doors  94 , or shortly thereafter, so as to steadily increase the spacing  76 A between the access side  88  and the receiving surface  70 . This in turn allows the doors  94  to open completely and for all the poultry  80  within the container to be completely unloaded or deposited onto the receiving surface  70  in a substantially vertical fashion, and with a minimal amount of free fall. In this configuration it may be advantageous for the belt of the intake conveyor  72  to be momentarily stopped, as indicated above, thereby avoiding the creation of a pinch-point between the moving belt and the framework of the transportation container, as well avoiding any damage or tearing of the belt by the free edges  98  of the doors  94  resting against the receiving surface  70 . 
     Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the spacing or distance  76 B between the access side  88  of the container  80  and the horizontal receiving surface  70 , upon completion of the rotation, can be equal to or greater than the height  95  of the doors  94 . Thus, when the doors  94  are released or allowed to open via the door opening mechanism, the doors  94  can swing directly down around their door pivots  96  to a vertical and completely-open orientation, with the rounded outer edges  98  of the doors  94  remaining at or above the horizontal receiving surface  70 . This configuration can be advantageous for avoiding contact between the receiving surface  70  and the doors  94  that may result in wear and tear on the belt of the intake conveyor  72 , while only allowing the poultry to drop a minimum height, specifically the height  95  of the doors  94 , from each access opening  92  during deposition of the live birds onto the receiving surface. 
     One embodiment of a door-opening mechanism  60  is illustrated in  FIG. 6 , in which at least one of the side bars  27  of the side support and one of the support pillars  30  are formed or combined together into an elongate column  32 , and a bar  62  is slidably secured with guide tubes  63  proximate to the outer surface of the column  32 . The lower end of the bar  62  can comprise a contact surface  64  that rides against a stationary cam surface  35  located adjacent to the pivot mount  34 . The bar  62  can further include a plurality of latch members  66  that press against the outer edges  98  of the doors to maintain each of the doors in its closed position ( 94 A), even after the transportation container  80  has been rotated in the cradle and the poultry contained within the container has slid down to rest against the inside surface of the doors. As the cradle reaches the unload position with the access side  88  in a substantially horizontal position, the cam  35  can be configured to press against the contact surface  64  to move the bar  62  outward so that the latch members slide out from under the outer edges  98  of the doors and into the gaps  93  between the doors and the next upper level  91 , allowing the doors to swing downward, under the weight of the poultry, to their open positions ( 94 B), as described above. 
     In a preferred embodiment the door opening mechanism is generally activated simultaneous with the access side reaching the substantially horizontal orientation, in which case the cam-activated door opening mechanism of  FIG. 6  described above could provide a suitable functionality. Alternatively, in other embodiments it may be desirable to either slightly advance or momentarily delay the activation of the door opening mechanism  60  relative to the access side reaching the substantially horizontal orientation, so as to better smooth or control the unloading process. In this case an electronic timer or controller in combination with movable actuator could be used to provide the desired adjustment in the unloading sequence. 
     Another embodiment of the unloading apparatus  110  is shown in  FIGS. 7-10 , with  FIGS. 7-8  depicting the transportation container  80  filled with live poultry secured within the cradle  120  in an upright position ( FIG. 7 ) and in an unload position ( FIG. 8 ). In this embodiment the distance  133  between the pivot mounts  134  and the engagement surfaces of the base platform  122  can be reduced so as to create a shorter arc of rotation, which in turn allows the power mechanism  150  to be moved closer to the pivot mounts  134  with a corresponding reduction in the overall footprint of the unloading apparatus  110 . The reduction in the radius of rotation of the base platform  22  can also shift the transportation container  80  away from a centered position above the horizontal receiving surface  170  of the intake conveyor  172  after rotation in the unload position. Nonetheless, the reduced distance  133  can be still sufficient to provide for a long-radius arc that beneficially extends the sliding contact of the poultry with the interior floors  90  of the container and reduces the sensation of free-fall experienced by the poultry over other unloading systems known in the art. For example, the distance  133  between the pivot mounts  134  and the engagement surfaces of the base platform  122  of the cradle  120  shown in  FIGS. 7-10  can be about 17 inches, or about 35% of the height  83  of the transportation container  80 , which will generally be about 48 inches. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9-10 , the cradle  120  of the unloading apparatus  110  can also include an electronically activated door-opening mechanism  160  that is positioned between the pair of elongate side bars/support pillars  127  that define the sides of the cradle. The door-opening mechanism can include an actuator  164  that is electronically activated upon rotation of the cradle  120  to the unload position ( FIG. 8 ). The actuator  164  can be motorized, pneumatic-powered, hydraulic-powered, electro-magnetically powered, and the like. 
     As shown in the drawings, in one aspect the door-opening mechanism  160  can comprise a movable bar  162  that is slidably supported between two fixed bars  163  mounted to the side frame or support  126  in a centered location between the elongate side bars/support pillars  127 . Similar to the door-opening mechanism of the previous embodiment, the slide bar  62  can include a plurality of latch or flange members  166  that press against the outer edges of the doors  94  to maintain each of the doors in its closed position, even after the transportation container  80  has been rotated in the cradle  120  and the poultry contained within the container has slid down to rest against the inside surface of the doors  94 . As the cradle reaches the unload position with the access side  188  in a substantially horizontal position, the actuator  164  can be actuated to pull the slide bar  162  away from the base of the transportation container  80  so that the flange members  166  slide out from under the outer/upper edges of the doors and into the gaps between the upper edges of the doors and the next upper level, thereby allowing the doors to swing downward, under the weight of the poultry, to their open positions. 
     Furthermore, it is understood that other devices and methods, whether mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical or magnetic in nature, or combinations thereof, for maintaining the doors  94  of the transportation container  80  in a closed position throughout the rotation of the container, and then opening the doors or allowing the doors to open once the cradle and container have reached the unload position, are also possible and considered to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The invention has been described herein in terms of preferred embodiments and methodologies considered by the inventor to represent the best mode of carrying out the invention. It will be understood by the skilled artisan, however, that a wide range of additions, deletions, and modifications, both subtle and gross, may be made to the illustrated and exemplary embodiments of the composite substrate without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, adjustable pivot mounts and/or support pillars that would enable a user to change the elevation of the access side of the transportation containers in the unload position, so as to account for variations in the height of the doors and minimize the gap between the receiving surface and the access openings, are also possible and considered to fall within the present disclosure. These and other revisions might be made by those of skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention that is constrained only by the following claims.