An Improved Method of and Means for Slaughtering Animals.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Means for Slaughtering Animals.
1, SOLOMON MYERS, of 41, Linden Buildings, Brick Lane, Bethnal
Green, N.E. no occupation, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved method of and means for slaughtering
animals, especially bullocks. The method consists in binding the animals feet to
posts attached to a padded or upholstered back-piece, fastening its body to the
back-piece, inverting the animal thus held, and then cutting its throat. The
apparatus for carrying out my invention consists of two upright standards one of
them having an arched portion through which the animal can be driven into its
required position. The standards are connected at the top by a cross-beam or
girder. The feet of the standards are attached to a base frame, which has an
opening in it, so that the animal passing under the arched end still remains on the
ground. These standards are slotted at their upper ends and in these slots are
slides, between which is held the back-piece by a pin at each end which turns in
sockets in the slides. The back-piece is padded underneath and is intended to be
lowered on to the beasts back after it has been driven under the apparatus, the
slides permitting the back-piece to be adjusted in height in accordance with the
size of the animal. Attached to the back-piece is a piece of leather for passing
under the animal and on attaching this to the opposite side of the back-piece, the
animal is effectually kept from moving.
Four posts are provided two on each side of the back-piece, and each of these
is provided at its free end with a strap to fasten round the animals ankles.
A suitably shaped piece of leather is used to fasten across the animals face, the
ends of which are attached to the back-piece or to the upper ends of the posts.
Attached to this face piece are two suitable pieces of leather or the like formed
into long tapering tubes and so placed as to be in line with the animals throat
to lead away the blood when the animals throat is cut. On one side of the
apparatus is a winch provided with a suitable stop to retain it at any required
position. To the barrel of this winch is attached one end of a piece of leather
which passes over a pully at the top of the cross-girder connecting the two
standards, and then over another pully carried at the end of a beam standing out
from the side of the cross-girder. The other end of this piece of leather is made
attachable to the back-piece, and by turning the winch the back-piece and animal
can be turned completely over so that the animals feet will be in the air. The
animals throat is then cut, and the blood flows away through the tapering
contrivances already referred to.
Two loops of leather are provided in connection with the hoisting piece already
mentioned these are to fasten round the animals fore and hind feet aud permit the
dead animal to be swung out into a trolley and taken away, after its feet have been
unstrapped from the four posts above mentioned.
A portable feeding trough is provided for pushing under the animals nose in
order that it may feed till the time arrives for turning it over.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, I make reference to
the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which,
Fig. 1 is part sectional side view.

page_text: Fig. 3 plan of the padded back piece and of the body leather.
Fig. 4 plan of face piece.
Similar letters represent the same parts where they occur.
a the upright standards. barched end of one of the standards. c connecting
cross beam or girder. d base or bed plate. e slots in a. f slides running in e.
g back or saddle piece. h pins or pivots which support g and turns in sockets
provided in fi padded part of g. j piece of leather for passing round the body
of the animal k. 7 leg posts attached at their upper ends to g, and at their lower
ends fastened by straps m to the animals ankles. n face piece having the breathing
holes o. p tapered leather tubes attached to g, for running off the blood. q winch
to the barrel of which is attached one end of the leather strap r, which passes over
the pully t at the end of the arm u. v loops of leather attached to r, and to be
fastened round the fore and hind pairs of the animals legs and by which the dead
animal can be lowered into a trolley and taken away after the animals feet have
been unstrapped from the posts 7 and its body released from j.
The various parts may be constructed of the most suitable materials, thus the
standards slides and cross girder may be of wood or metal, the leather parts may
be of any other equally suitable material, the back or saddle piece g of wood, or
metal and wood in combination.
I do not restrict myself to the precise shape, configuration, relative dispositions
or proportions of the various parts, as any or all of them may be considerably
varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.-
CLAIMS.
1. The method of slaughtering animals by inverting them from their standing
position and cutting their throats, substantially as described in the above
specification, and exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
2. An apparatus for slaughtering animals by the method mentioned in the
preceding claim, the said apparatus consisting essentially of two uprights between
which the animal stands, the said uprights having slots in which work slides
carrying pins or equivalents at the ends of a padded back or saddle-piece, which
is let down in contact with the animals back, the body of the animal being attached
to the saddle-piece by a suitably shaped piece of leather, and its legs attached to
posts suspended from the said saddle-piece, the saddle-piece and animal being
inverted by a strap or equivalent, one end of which is attached to the leather
holding the animal to the saddle-piece, the other end by attached to a suitable
winch after passing over guide pullies at the top of the apparatus, the whole
substantially as described in the above specification, and exemplified in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 31st day of October 1806
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for Applicant.