Patent ID: 7878147

Claim:
A transfer apparatus for transferring eggs having an injection hole in a top portion thereof from an incubating tray to a hatching tray, which comprises: a substantially horizontal support plate moveable in a generally horizontal direction between a first position over said incubating tray and a second position spaced from said first position over said hatching tray; a plurality of egg transfer assemblies operatively associated with said support plate, each egg transfer assembly having a pair of concentric inner and outer egg contacting surfaces that encircle the top portion of the egg, said inner egg contacting surface enclosing a central area over said top portion that includes said injection hole and said outer egg contacting surface encircling said inner egg contacting surface and being spaced therefrom to define an annular suction ring between said inner and outer egg contacting surfaces; a vacuum pressure source coupled to said egg transfer assemblies for creating a reduced pressure and for causing said reduced pressure to be applied to each of said annular suction rings without applying negative pressure to the central areas that enclose the holes in said eggs; each of said central areas being connected to atmospheric pressure through at least one vent hole in each of said egg transfer assemblies separate from said negative pressure to maintain atmospheric pressure at said injection holes so that a pressure inside said eggs is unaffected by the reduced pressure applied to said annular suction rings; and said support plate being moveable in a generally vertical direction in said first position to pick up eggs with said egg transfer assemblies from said incubating tray using said reduced pressure and movable in a generally horizontal direction to said second position to deposit said eggs into said hatching tray without applying negative pressure to said hole.