Improved Apparatus for Killing Fowls.
Year: 1890

page_text: ate of Application 10th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 12th Apr., 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Killing Fowls.
I AUGUST SCHÖNEMANN of Wernigerode /H. in the Kingdom of Prussia in the
German Empire, Bailiff do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement
:-
This apparatus is intended to afford assistance to housewives in the killing of fowls
many of whom are very unskilled in such an operation while others of a nervous
disposition cannot sufficiently control themselves to face the sight of blood.
The fowl to be killed is placed in a net which is drawn together over the neck of
the bird which is laid in a metallic pan or receptacle in such a manner that the said
neck rests upon a wooden ledge placed in front thereof. This done a cap, cover or
hood is placed over the head and neck of the bird and by striking with the flat part of
the hand upon a knife arranged in the said cap and actuated by a spiral spring the
head of the bird is separated from the body whilst the blood is received in a reservoir
arranged in front of the ledge.
The improved apparatus is shewn in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1. is
a side view of the complete apparatus. Fig. 2. is a longitudinal section of the same
with the cap or hood raised. Fig. 3. is a back view of the apparatus, Fig. 4 is an
upper view of the ledge, the cap being removed.
The apparatus is mounted upon the base plate A and consists of a pan B which is
preferably made of copper or other suitable metal and upon this peculiar pan there is
arranged a lid B' movable upon the hinge a so as to be shut down when required upon
the said pan B which is firmly fixed upon the base A. The smaller or front part of
the pan rests upon the lodge b which is furnished with a cylindrical opening for the
purpose of serving as a rest at 61 (Fig. 2.) for the necks of fowls intended to be killed.
The receptacle C is secured to the ledge 6 by means of the angle wires c and
the cap or hood D is arranged to move freely upon hinges d fixed at the
back of the receptacle C so that the said cap or hood D may be shut down upon
the latter or be raised up as desired. F is a strengthening bar or band which extends
from the hinged (Figs. 1 and 3) over the whole of the cap, cover or hood D and
serves as a support for a tube f in which moves the rod furnished with a knob g.
The rod h is surrounded at its upper end with a spiral spring i which bears at one end
against the knob g and on the other against the cap of the tube f. The lower end of
the rod terminates in a sharp heart shaped knife k which by the act of striking and
pressing the knob g severs the fowls head from its body. After the pressure caused by
the blow has ceased the spring i brings the rod with the knife back into its normal
position. In order to take up the knife after the blow and prevent the same from
wearing the ledge b is provided with a notch k¹.
For the purpose of obtaining more perfect impermeability and of preventing the
blood spurting out the front and small part of the pan lid B is surrounded with a
small strip or band of india-rubber or leather 1.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows. The fowl is placed as already stated
in a net which is tied round its neck and the bird is then placed in the pan B
whereupon the lid B is closed and secured with a pin or peg. The previously drawn
back hood D is shut down over the neck of the bird now resting in the recess b¹ and
the knob g (Fig. 1) is struck with the hand whereupon the head is forthwith severed
from the body of the fowl and falls into the receptacle C whereinto the blood also runs
subsequently and until the bird is bled out. After the fowl is removed the vessel C
which can be moved up and down in the tubular sheath c¹ by means of the angle
wires c is withdrawn and cleaned.

page_text: Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
..
1st. The improved apparatus for killing fowls substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
2nd. In an apparatus for killing fowls the employment of a pan with a binged lid
the former being provided with a suitable recess formed in a ledge to receive the neck
of the bird and over which is hinged a cover or hood carrying the decapitating knife
all mounted and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated on
the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 8th day of March 1800
JOHN G. WILSON,
Patent Office, 55, Market Street, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.