Patent US3653093A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3653093A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Poultry eviscerating machine
Assignee: Johnson Gordon Co
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Filing: 1970-11-12
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Granted: 1972-04-04
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Expires: 1990-11-12
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. In one form of the invention, a spoonlike removal tool applies pressure on the viscera away from the breast and drags the viscera along the backbone. In a second form, a removal tool in the nature of a loop captures the viscera and pulls it from the cavity. 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 birdreceiving carriages travel around a loop in timed relation to the conveyor, and each carriage is provided with an individual removal tool which enters the cavity on an arc that conforms to the configuration of the breast. At the completion of the operation, a latch is released to remove spring pressure from the tool, causing the latter to swing clear and permitting the eviscerated bird to continue along the conveyor line for successive processing operations.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald J Scheier
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:04
CPC Classifications
A; A22; A22C; A22C21/00; A22C21/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
In apparatus for removing viscera from the body cavity of a bird through an access opening at the vent thereof, said apparatus including: a shiftable unit; a removal tool carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity toward the back of the bird to a position capturing the viscera in the tool; releasable latch means on the unit for holding the tool in said position; and structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the tool and the viscera from the cavity through said opening while the tool is held in said position by the latch means, there being a control assembly on said unit having resilient means operably coupled with the tool for yieldably supporting the latter in said position against swinging movement away from the back of the bird, said latch means being engageable with said assembly upon said swinging movement of the tool to said position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
In apparatus for removing viscera from the body cavity of a bird through an access opening at the vent thereof, said apparatus including: a shiftable unit; a removal tool carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity toward the back of the bird to a position capturing the viscera in the tool; releasable latch means on the unit for holding the tool in said position; and structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the tool and the viscera from the cavity through said opening while the tool is held in said position by the latch means, there being a control assembly on said unit having resilient means operably coupled with the tool for yieldably supporting the latter in said position against swinging movement away from the back of the bird, said latch means being engageable with said assembly upon said swinging movement of the tool to said position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
In apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein is further provided means for disengaging said latch means from said assembly to release the tool after full withdrawal thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
128 words
In apparatus for removing viscera from the body cavity of a bird through an access opening at the vent thereof, said apparatus including: a shiftable unit; a removal tool carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity toward the back oF the bird to a position capturing the viscera in the tool; releasable latch means on the unit for holding the tool in said position; and structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the tool and the viscera from the cavity through said opening while the tool is held in said position by the latch means, said tool having an elongated, generally U-shaped configuration, presenting a pair of spaced legs having outer ends bridged by a bight defining the tip of the tool.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
128 words
In apparatus for removing viscera from the body cavity of a bird through an access opening at the vent thereof, said apparatus including: a shiftable unit; a removal tool carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity toward the back oF the bird to a position capturing the viscera in the tool; releasable latch means on the unit for holding the tool in said position; and structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the tool and the viscera from the cavity through said opening while the tool is held in said position by the latch means, said tool having an elongated, generally U-shaped configuration, presenting a pair of spaced legs having outer ends bridged by a bight defining the tip of the tool.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
In apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said tip is configured to relieve pressure on the backbone of the bird when the tool is in said position with said ends of the legs engaging the back of the bird on opposite sides of the backbone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
In apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein portions of said legs adjacent said ends thereof lie substantially in a common plane, and wherein said tip is curved and extends out of said plane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
In apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein is provided resilient means for yieldably supporting the tool in said position with said ends of the legs in pressure engagement with the back of the bird on opposite sides of the backbone thereof, and wherein said tip is configured to relieve pressure on the backbone while said pressure engagement of said ends with the back is maintained.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
145 words
In apparatus for removing viscera from the body cavity of a bird through an access opening at the vent thereof, said apparatus including: a shiftable unit; a removal tool carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity toward the back of the bird to a position capturing the viscera in the tool; releasable latch means on the unit for holding the tool in said position; and structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the tool and the viscera from the cavity through said opening while the tool is held in said position by the latch means, resilient means being provided for yieldably supporting the tool against reverse swinging movement away from the back of the bird, said resilient means being responsive to a predetermined degree of said reverse movement for increasing the resistance to further reverse movement of the tool.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
145 words
In apparatus for removing viscera from the body cavity of a bird through an access opening at the vent thereof, said apparatus including: a shiftable unit; a removal tool carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity toward the back of the bird to a position capturing the viscera in the tool; releasable latch means on the unit for holding the tool in said position; and structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the tool and the viscera from the cavity through said opening while the tool is held in said position by the latch means, resilient means being provided for yieldably supporting the tool against reverse swinging movement away from the back of the bird, said resilient means being responsive to a predetermined degree of said reverse movement for increasing the resistance to further reverse movement of the tool.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
132 words
In apparatus for removing viscera from the body cavity of a bird through an access opening at the vent thereof, said apparatus including: a bird mount; means for maintaining the back of the bird against the mount; means for holding the bird against fore to aft movement relative to the mount; a unit shiftable on the mount; a removal tool carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity toward the back of the bird to a position capturing the viscera in the tool; releasable latch means on the unit for holding the tool in said position; and structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the tool and the viscera from the cavity through said opening while the tool is held in said position by the latch means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
132 words
In apparatus for removing viscera from the body cavity of a bird through an access opening at the vent thereof, said apparatus including: a bird mount; means for maintaining the back of the bird against the mount; means for holding the bird against fore to aft movement relative to the mount; a unit shiftable on the mount; a removal tool carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity toward the back of the bird to a position capturing the viscera in the tool; releasable latch means on the unit for holding the tool in said position; and structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the tool and the viscera from the cavity through said opening while the tool is held in said position by the latch means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
In apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said mount is movable along a predetermined path of travel and wherein said structure is disposed for engagement with said unit as the latter moves with the mount.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
In apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said mount is movable along a predetermined path of travel, wherein an actuator is provided to swing the tool to said position, and wherein said tool is provided with means disposed to engage said actuator as the tool moves with the mount.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
In apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein is provided resilient means for yieldably supporting the tool in said position in pressure engagement with the back of the bird, said mount having means for supporting the bird in a disposition to effect application of greatest pressure by the tool during engagement with the back of the bird at the lung region thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
169 words
For use with an overhead conveyor adapted to suspend a bird by its legs, apparatus for removing the viscera from the body cavity of said bird through an access opening at the vent thereof as the bird is advanced by the conveyor, said apparatus including: a carriage movable with the suspended bird alongside the latter and provided with a mount for the bird; means for maintaining the back of the bird against the mount; means for holding the bird against fore to aft movement relative to the mount; a unit shiftable on the mount; a removal tool carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity toward the back of the bird to a position capturing the viscera in the tool; releasable latch means on the unit for holding the tool in said position; and structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the tool and the viscera from the cavity through said opening while the tool is held in said position by the latch means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
169 words
For use with an overhead conveyor adapted to suspend a bird by its legs, apparatus for removing the viscera from the body cavity of said bird through an access opening at the vent thereof as the bird is advanced by the conveyor, said apparatus including: a carriage movable with the suspended bird alongside the latter and provided with a mount for the bird; means for maintaining the back of the bird against the mount; means for holding the bird against fore to aft movement relative to the mount; a unit shiftable on the mount; a removal tool carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity toward the back of the bird to a position capturing the viscera in the tool; releasable latch means on the unit for holding the tool in said position; and structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the tool and the viscera from the cavity through said opening while the tool is held in said position by the latch means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
153 words
In apparatus for removing viscera from the body cavity of a bird through an access opening at the vent thereof, said apparatus including: a shiftable unit; a spoon carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity to a position interposed between the viscera and the breast of the bird; a pair of control assemblies on said unit; each assembly having resilient means operably coupled with the spoon for yieldably pressing the spoon against the viscera toward the backbone of the bird, at least one of the assemblies being releasable; structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the spoon and the viscera from the cavity through said opening; and means for releasing said one assembly after partial withdrawal of said spoon, said one assembly being swingable on the unit and disposed to swing, when released, in a direction to remove the tension of its resilient means on said spoon.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
153 words
In apparatus for removing viscera from the body cavity of a bird through an access opening at the vent thereof, said apparatus including: a shiftable unit; a spoon carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity to a position interposed between the viscera and the breast of the bird; a pair of control assemblies on said unit; each assembly having resilient means operably coupled with the spoon for yieldably pressing the spoon against the viscera toward the backbone of the bird, at least one of the assemblies being releasable; structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the spoon and the viscera from the cavity through said opening; and means for releasing said one assembly after partial withdrawal of said spoon, said one assembly being swingable on the unit and disposed to swing, when released, in a direction to remove the tension of its resilient means on said spoon.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
147 words
In apparatus for removing viscera from the body cavity of a bird through an access opening at the vent thereof, said apparatus including: a shiftable unit; a spoon carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity to a position interposed between the viscera and the breast of the bird; a pair of control assemblies on each unit; each assembly having resilient means operably coupled with the spoon for yieldably pressing the spoon against the viscera toward the backbone of the bird, at least on of the assemblies being releasable; structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the spoon and the viscera from the cavity through said opening; and means for releasing said one assembly after partial withdrawal of said spoon, the other of said assemblies being also releasable, there being means for releasing said other assembly after full withdrawal of said spoon.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
147 words
In apparatus for removing viscera from the body cavity of a bird through an access opening at the vent thereof, said apparatus including: a shiftable unit; a spoon carried by the unit for swinging movement in the cavity to a position interposed between the viscera and the breast of the bird; a pair of control assemblies on each unit; each assembly having resilient means operably coupled with the spoon for yieldably pressing the spoon against the viscera toward the backbone of the bird, at least on of the assemblies being releasable; structure for shifting the unit in a direction to withdraw the spoon and the viscera from the cavity through said opening; and means for releasing said one assembly after partial withdrawal of said spoon, the other of said assemblies being also releasable, there being means for releasing said other assembly after full withdrawal of said spoon.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
In apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said assemblies are separately swingable on the unit and each disposed to swing, when released, in a direction to remove the tension of its resilient means on said spoon.
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) | 1975-04-04 | 1975-10-04 | 1976-04-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-04 | 1979-10-04 | 1980-04-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-04 | 1983-10-04 | 1984-04-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |