Method of eviscerating poultry

Abstract

Abstract IN THE AUTOMATIC EVISCERATION OF POULTRY THE VISCERA IS DISPLACED FROM THE BODY CAVITY OF THE BIRD, THROUGH AN ACCESS OPENING CUT AT THE VENT, BY PRESSURE ON THE VISCERA AWAY FROM THE BREAST AND BY DRAGGING THE VISCERA ALONG THE BACKBONE. MAXIMUM PRESSURE IS APPLIED INITIALLY TO LOOSEN THE LUNGS WHEREUPON THE PRESSURE IS REDUCED SO THAT THE HEART EXERTS A PULL ON THE LUNGS BY VIRTUE OF INTERCONNECTING VEINS. THE ENTIRE OPERATION TAKES PLACE WHILE THE BIRDS ARE ADVANCED CONTINUOUSLY BY AN OVERHEAD CONVEYOR FROM WHICH THEY ARE SUSPENDED BY THEIR LEGS. A SERIES OF BIRD-RECEIVING CARRIAGES TRAVEL AROUND A LOOP IN TIMED RELATION TO THE CONVEYOR, AND EACH CARRIAGE HAS A VISCERA-REMOVING SPOON THAT ENTERS THE CAVITY ON AN ARC WHICH CONFORMS TO THE CONFIGURATION OF THE BREAST. AFTER SLIGHT WITHDRAWAL OF THE SPOON ACROSS THE LUNGS, A LATCH IS AUTOMATICALLY RELEASED TO REMOVE THE TENSION OF A SPRING ON THE SPOON. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE OPERATION, A SECOND LATCH IS RELEASED TO REMOVE THE TENSION OF A SECOND SPRING, CAUSING THE SPOON TO SWING CLEAR AND PERMITTING THE EVISCERATED BIRD TO CONTINUE ALONG THE CONVEYOR LINE FOR SUSCESSIVE PROCESSING OPERATIONS.

Inventors

• 👤 Donald J Scheier

Bibliographic Details