US3571845A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Chicken-slaughtering mechanism
Assignee: MGS Inc
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Filing: 1968-12-04
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Granted: 1971-03-23
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Expires: 1988-12-04
Abstract
Abstract Chicken-slaughtering mechanism having a conveyor to move chickens suspended by the feet into position for an operator to dispose the necks in slots formed in propelling means and opening upwardly to readily receive the necks and thereby positively move said chickens with their necks positioned substantially horizontally and twisted to position one side for the jugular vein to be incised to a limited controlled depth by a disc knife, and also including means to engage the opposite side of each neck from that penetrated by the knife to fully position the necks in said slots while a neck-stretching roller engages the necks of the chickens to stretch the same in opposition to the slotted propelling means and thereby dispose the skin of the neck in taut condition for efficient incising of the jugular vein close to the jaw as the neck is moved past the power-driven knife.
Inventors
- 👤 Eugene G Martin
- 👤 Roland P Gehman
- 👤 Edgar H Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:23
CPC Classifications
A; A22; A22C; A22C21/00; A22C21/0015
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
Chicken-slaughtering mechanism comprising in combination, chicken-suspending and conveying means engageable with the legs of a chicken and movable along a predetermined path, propelling means having a multiplicity of slots adjacent each other and opening upwardly to permit the neck of a chicken to be placed quickly thereon, said slots being appreciably longer that the width thereof to prevent disengagement of said neck therefrom, means operable to move said propelling means along a path in cooperation with said suspending and conveying means to insure positive movement of a succession of chickens thereby while suspended substantially therebetween, knife means positioned adjacent said path of said propelling means and operable to incise the neck of a chicken adjacent the head thereon, said propelling means being adapted to dispose the neck of each chicken substantially transversely to the plane of said knife means, and means operable to position the side of the neck of each chicken adjacent said knife means to incise only one of the jugular veins in said neck.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
Chicken-slaughtering mechanism comprising in combination, chicken-suspending and conveying means engageable with the legs of a chicken and movable along a predetermined path, propelling means having a multiplicity of slots adjacent each other and opening upwardly to permit the neck of a chicken to be placed quickly thereon, said slots being appreciably longer that the width thereof to prevent disengagement of said neck therefrom, means operable to move said propelling means along a path in cooperation with said suspending and conveying means to insure positive movement of a succession of chickens thereby while suspended substantially therebetween, knife means positioned adjacent said path of said propelling means and operable to incise the neck of a chicken adjacent the head thereon, said propelling means being adapted to dispose the neck of each chicken substantially transversely to the plane of said knife means, and means operable to position the side of the neck of each chicken adjacent said knife means to incise only one of the jugular veins in said neck.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
97 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 1 in which said propelling means comprises a plurality of similar fingers of limited width and spaced apart even distances to provide said neck-receiving slots of substantially uniform width to propel said necks during the portion of the path thereof in which the same are moved into engagement with said knife means, and said means to move said propelling means comprising power drive means interconnected to said fingers and operable to propel the same along said path thereof at a predetermined sPeed similar to that of said suspending and conveying means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 2 in which said plurality of fingers have substantially parallel side edges and said mechanism further including an endless assembly of pivotally interconnected links and means connecting one of said fingers to said links and from which said fingers project substantially perpendicularly, and said mechanism also including a frame having a guideway to support said pivotally interconnected links and control the movement thereof through said path of said propelling means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 2 in which said suspending means comprises an endless conveyor and means to support the same for longitudinal movement along said predetermined path thereof, and said mechanism further including variable control means for said power drive means for said propelling fingers to orient the speed of said fingers relative to that of said conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 2 in which said conveyor is provided with suspending members arranged in evenly spaced relationship thereon and the spaces between said fingers of said propelling means being more numerous than said suspending members, whereby a plurality of said spaces are available selectively with respect to each suspending member to receive the neck of a chicken suspended from any individual suspending member and thereby permit substantially instantaneous placement of the necks of chickens within an operative space in said propelling means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
97 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 1 in which said knife means comprises a sharpened disc knife, and said mechanism further including means to rotatably support said knife and drive it within said plane transverse to the necks of chickens when said chickens are suspended between said conveying means and said slotted propelling means, and said means operable to position the sides of the necks of said chickens adjacent said knife means also being arranged to maintain said necks in the slots of said propelling means for incising one of the jugular veins in the necks thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
88 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 6 further including guide means engaged by the necks of chickens as propelled relative to said knife means by said conveying means and slotted propelling means, said sharpened disc knife being supported relative to said guide means so that only a very limited portion of the sharpened periphery thereof extends above said guide means for purposes of incising the neck of each chicken a corresponding limited amount adequate to penetrate the jugular vein in one side of the neck of the chicken.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
77 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 7 in which said guide means comprises a stationary guide member having a neck-supporting surface substantially parallel to the axis of said knife and immediately adjacent said slotted propelling means and parallel thereto, said guide means having a slot through which said limited portion of the periphery of said knife extends, thereby positively limiting the depth of an incision to be made by said knife in the neck of a chicken.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 6 further including pressure means supported adjacent said knife but spaced from said slotted propelling means and positioned to engage the back of a chicken as it moves toward said knife to further facilitate positioning the necks of chickens for transverse incision by said knife.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
86 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 1 further including a rotatable member positioned to engage the necks of chickens in opposition to said knife means and power means to drive said member in such direction that the peripheral portion thereof which engages the neck of a chicken is operable to twist said neck about the axis thereof to dispose one side of said neck for engagement by said knife means and thereby dispose the jugular vein Therein in position to be incised by said knife means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
72 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 1 further including neck-stretching means operable at least adjacent said knife means to engage the necks of chickens positioned within said slots of said propelling means and operable to pull the neck in a direction to abut the heads against the side edges of said slots of said propelling means and thereby render the skin on said neck taut for effective incising by said knife means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
116 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 11 in which said neck-stretching means comprises a cylindrical roller mounted for rotation about an axis adjacent said knife means and substantially parallel to the path of movement of said propelling means and beneath the necks of chickens as moved toward said knife means by said propelling means, and said mechanism also including power means connected to said roller and operable to rotate it in such direction relative to said knife means that the upper surface of said roller moves away from said knife means and propelling means, thereby to pull the heads against said propelling means and stretch the skin of the necks of chickens relatively taut as aforesaid.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 12 in which the slots of said slotted propelling means are narrower that the width of the head of a chicken, whereby when said slots receive the necks of chickens and said neck-stretching roller moves in operative direction said roller operates to pull the opposite sides of said heads into firm abutment with the side edges of said slots.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
83 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 12 further including a rotatably supported pressure member positioned operably to engage the upper surface of the neck of a chicken adjacent said knife and in opposition thereto, and means to drive said pressure member in a direction to twist the neck of a chicken a predetermined amount to dispose one side in position to be incised to a predetermined depth by said knife means adequately to penetrate the jugular vein in said side of said neck.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
71 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 1 further including a slotted stationary guide member supported so as to be substantially parallel to said propelling means, said knife means comprising a power-driven disc knife, and adjustable means supporting said knife to project a limited portion of its periphery through the slot of said stationary guide member a variable predetermined amount to control the depth of incisions in the necks of said chickens.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
99 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 1 in which said suspending and conveying means is a conveyor having supporting members to receive the legs of a chicken and hold the chickens depending therefrom, and said mechanism further including body-arranging means positioned adjacent the receiving end of said propelling means and operable to engage the bodies of chickens as moved toward said propelling means and slidably incline said bodies upwardly a limited amount from said depending position thereof toward a substantially horizontal position, thereby to facilitate the positioning of the necks of chickens within the slots of said propelling means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
61 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 16 in which said arranging means comprises an inclined cam member having a relatively broad surface over which the bodies of chickens are slidably moved in a direction substantially parallel to the path of movement of the portion of said conveyor adjacent said cam member and substantially to the leading end of said propelling means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
83 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 17 further including roller means supported between said inclined cam and the leading end of said propelling means, and means to drive said roller about an axis generally parallel to said propelling means and in a rotary direction to engage the bodies of chickens when suspended from said conveyor aNd move them away from said conveyor to extend the necks of said chickens toward said propelling means for ready insertion of said necks in the slots thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
106 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 1 further including a frame arranged to be disposed upon a supporting floor surface or the like and comprising members arranged to support all of said mechanism except said suspending and conveying means, means to support said suspending means independently of said frame, and adjustable positioning means on said frame operable to move the mechanism supported thereby laterally in opposite transverse directions relative to the path of movement of that portion of said suspending means which moves past said mechanism incident to supporting and moving chickens relative to said knife means for incising the necks thereof by said knife means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
60 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 19 in which said frame means include transversely extending supporting and guide means interconnected to said mechanism to support the same upon said members, and said frame also including manually operable adjusting means interengageable with said mechanism and operable to move the same relative to said supporting and guide means of said frame means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
74 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 19 further including a housing supported upon said frame, power means mounted within said housing and interconnected to said propelling means to drive the same, said knife means comprising a disc knife supported by a shaft and said shaft also being connected to said power means to rotate said knife, and means on said housing connected to said propelling means and shaft for said knife for support thereby.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
67 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 21 in which said propelling means is elongated and substantially parallel to the path of that portion of said suspending and conveying means which is adjacent said propelling means, said propelling means comprising elongated guide means, and means connecting one end portion of said guide means to said housing, whereby said propelling means is supported in cantilever manner by said housing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
123 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 22 in which said propelling means comprises an endless series of pivotally connected fingers supported by said elongated guide means and extending along and around one end of said guide means, said fingers being spaced apart adequately to provide said slots to receive the necks of chickens therebetween as said fingers are moved along said elongated guide means to said knife, sprocket means supported by said housing and said series of fingers extending therearound to be driven thereby, and longitudinally adjustable means connecting said elongated guide means to said cabinet to render said one end of said guide means adjustable toward and from said sprocket means to adjust the tension of said endless series of connected fingers.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
156 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 1 in which said propelling means comprises a plurality of fingers flexibly interconnected into an endless series thereof, and said mechanism further including elongated guide means for said series of fingers having curved means at opposite ends around which said series of fingers move, said fingers being substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to said guide means while moving along at least one portion of said guide means to provide said neck-receiving slots between adjacent fingers operable to move said necks to said knife means for incision thereby, said knife means being positioned intermediately between said curved means at the ends of said guide means, and said fingers being disposed at acute angles relative to each other when moving around said curved means at the ends of said guide means, thereby to insure disengagement of the incised necks of chickens from said propelling means at one end thereof.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
40 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism accordIng to claim 24 in which one of said curved means of said guide means is a circular driven member operable to engage said endless series of fingers and drive the same relative to said guide means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
143 words
Chicken-slaughtering mechanism comprising the combination, a conveyor operable to support chickens in sequential relationship and move them along a predetermined path, propelling means provided with slots narrower than the heads of chickens to receive the necks of said chickens and movable in a direction to cooperate with said conveyor and move said chickens along said path, knife means adjacent the path of movement of said propelling means and operable to incise the necks of said chickens to a predetermined depth as said necks are moved along said path, and neck-stretching means engageable with the necks of chickens disposed in said slots of said propelling means prior to reaching said knife means and operable to pull the heads of said chickens against the edges of said slots and thereby stretch at least the skins of said necks taut for incision by said knife means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
143 words
Chicken-slaughtering mechanism comprising the combination, a conveyor operable to support chickens in sequential relationship and move them along a predetermined path, propelling means provided with slots narrower than the heads of chickens to receive the necks of said chickens and movable in a direction to cooperate with said conveyor and move said chickens along said path, knife means adjacent the path of movement of said propelling means and operable to incise the necks of said chickens to a predetermined depth as said necks are moved along said path, and neck-stretching means engageable with the necks of chickens disposed in said slots of said propelling means prior to reaching said knife means and operable to pull the heads of said chickens against the edges of said slots and thereby stretch at least the skins of said necks taut for incision by said knife means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
64 words
The chicken-slaughtering means according to claim 26 in which said neck-stretching means comprises a roller supported for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to said path of movement of said necks of said chickens and the upper surface of said roller engaging said necks from beneath and being rotated in a direction to pull said necks away from said slots of said propelling means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
50 words
The chicken-slaughtering means according to claim 27 in which said roller is elongated and adapted for the necks of chickens to be slidably moved longitudinally along said roller by said propelling means for a predetermined distance prior to reaching said knife means and thereby insure adequate stretching of the necks.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
102 words
Chicken-slaughtering mechanism comprising in combination, conveyor means operable to support chickens and move them in a feeding direction in said mechanism, knife means positioned adjacent said conveying means in line with the necks of chickens conveyed thereby, means positioned to precede said knife means and adapted automatically to engage the necks of chickens immediately prior to incision by said knife means and operable to engage and positively rotate the neck of each chicken to position one side thereof and the jugular vein therein to be engaged and incised by said knife means to a limited predetermined depth, whereby the vertebrae remains unsevered.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
102 words
Chicken-slaughtering mechanism comprising in combination, conveyor means operable to support chickens and move them in a feeding direction in said mechanism, knife means positioned adjacent said conveying means in line with the necks of chickens conveyed thereby, means positioned to precede said knife means and adapted automatically to engage the necks of chickens immediately prior to incision by said knife means and operable to engage and positively rotate the neck of each chicken to position one side thereof and the jugular vein therein to be engaged and incised by said knife means to a limited predetermined depth, whereby the vertebrae remains unsevered.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
42 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 29 further including propelling means movable parallel to said knife means and adapted to engage the necks of chickens and positively move them to and past said knife means for incision to a limited depth thereby.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
93 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 29 further including guide means adjacent said knife means and positioned for movement of the necks of chickens therealong and cooperable with said knife means to control the depth of incision by the same, and said means to position one side of the necks of chickens for incision by said knife means comprising a member engageable with the necks and mounted for movement in a direction to twist said necks a limited extent to dispose one side of the neck as aforesaid relative to said knife means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 29 in which said means engageable with the necks of chickens comprises a positively driven rotatable member adjacent said knife means and positioned to engage said necks in opposition to said knife means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
170 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 29 including guide means, said guide means being an elongated member having a guide surface thereon and said knife means is a disc knife adjacent said guide means, means rotatably supporting said knife for exposure of a predetermined extent of the periphery thereof relative to said guide means to control the depth of incision of the neck of a chicken by said knife, and said movable member engageable With the necks of chickens comprises a disclike member positioned for rotation in opposition to said knife and at least slightly in advance thereof in the direction of movement of chickens toward said knife, and power means connected to said disclike member and operable to rotate it in engagement with the necks of chickens sufficiently to twist the same to dispose a side thereof adjacent said knife prior to the same being contacted by said knife to permit said knife to incise said sides of said necks to a predetermined depth and the jugular veins therein.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
53 words
The chicken-slaughtering mechanism according to claim 33 in which said elongated guide member is slotted to accommodate a portion of the periphery of said knife therethrough, and said mechanism further including means to support said knife for adjustable positioning of said periphery of said knife therethrough to control the depth of incision thereby.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-22 | 1974-09-21 | 1975-03-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-22 | 1978-09-21 | 1979-03-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-22 | 1982-09-21 | 1983-03-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |