Egg collecting apparatus

Claim 2

Egg collecting apparatus for use in a tiered battery cage system for hens in which eggs are delivered to one end of a row of tiered cages by delivery conveyors serving the tiers, which apparatus comprises: an elevator adapted to be positioned adjacent the discharge ends of said delivery conveyors and comprising a series of spaced receptacles which travel past the discharge ends of a plurality of said delivery conveyors to receive eggs therefrom and transport them to another level; a plurality of transfer mechanisms, one for each of said delivery conveyors past which said receptacles travel, each said transfer mechanism comprising: a perforate platform constructed and arranged to be located at the discharge end of one of said delivery conveyors as a continuation thereof in the direction of travel of said delivery conveyor, and at least one rotor at said platform of substantially planar form rotatable about a horizontal axis transverse to the direction of travel of said delivery conveyor and below the surface of said platform, and said rotor having a plurality of angularly spaced, outwardly extending arms which, as said rotor is rotated in use, project in turn through said platform for propelling eggs along said platform at a controlled rate in the direction of travel of said delivery conveyor to said receptacles of said elevator; and driving means coupled to said rotors of said transfer mechanisms and to said elevator to co-ordinate the rotational speeds of said rotors and the speed of travel of said receptacles of said elevator such that, in use, eggs fed by said rotor of one side transfer mechanism to said elevator do not enter into the same receptacles of said elevator as the eggs fed by said rotor of another one of said transfer mechanisms.

Claim 3

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each said transfer mechanism has a plurality of said rotors which are similar to one another, are spaced coaxially apart and connected for simultaneous rotation, and have their arms correspondingly disposed.

Claim 4

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said arms of each said rotor each have a leading edge which extends radially of said rotational axis of said rotor, and a trailing edge which converges towards the extremity of said leading edge.

Claim 5

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said platform of each said transfer mechanism has a downwardly inclined part extending from adjacent said rotational axis of said rotors towards said elevator, and said trailing edge of each said arm of each said rotor has a step in it which, when the apparatus is in use, provides a stop to restrain eggs from falling freely as they descend said downwardly inclined part of said platform towards said elevator.

Claim 6

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each said rotor has a hub of substantially equilateral triangular shape and three integral equi-angularly spaced arms which extend from the three corners of the hub.

Claim 7

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each said arm of each said rotor has a leading edge which is straight and meets an adjacent side edge of said hub at an obtuse angle, and which extend substantially radially of said rotational axis of said rotor.

Claim 8

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each said arm of each said rotor has a trailing edge which is straight and extends substantially parallel to an adjacent side edge of said hub, and between said trailing edge and said adjacent side edge of said hub there is an inclined step down from sAid trailing edge to said adjacent side edge.

Claim 9

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each said platform of each said transfer mechanism is of wire grid construction comprising parallel wires extending in the direction of travel of said delivery conveyor, and said rotor is disposed between said parallel wires.

Claim 10

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said elevator comprises a plurality of shallow, open wire-work baskets which constitute said receptacles, and endless chains which carry said baskets and to which drive is transmitted by said driving means.

Claim 11

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said endless chains pass around sprockets on a spindle coupled, to be rotated to drive said elevator, through drive transmitting chains to a motor, said drive transmitting chains being drivably connected to said rotors of said transfer mechanisms to rotate said rotors.

Claim 12

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at said level to which said elevator transports eggs a receptacle is provided to receive the eggs from said elevator.

Claim 13

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at said level to which said elevator transports eggs a receiving conveyor is provided to receive the eggs from said elevator.

Claim 14

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said receiving conveyor comprises a fixed bed and spaced flat slats which travel along said bed, said slats being of a thickness which normally enables them to push eggs along said bed but permits said slats to pass underneath the eggs if the travel of the eggs along said bed is impeded.

Claim 15

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said receiving conveyor forms part of a conveyor system which includes an inclined conveyor having transverse rows of spaced wire carrier fingers for supporting eggs, and which said inclined conveyor runs in the course of its travel along a main upwardly inclined stretch and a shallowly downwardly inclined top stretch running on from the top of said main stretch, there being a rack at the bottom of said main stretch which receives eggs delivered to said inclined conveyor and from which said carrier fingers pick up the eggs to take them up said main stretch to said top stretch, and a platform overlying said top stretch with which said carrier fingers co-operate to transfer eggs supported by said carrier fingers to said platform as said fingers pass along said top stretch.

Claim 16

Egg collecting apparatus according to claim 14 wherein spaced slats extend lengthwise of, and close to said inclined conveyor at, said main stretch from the bottom of that stretch to the top thereof and also extend substantially horizontally over said top stretch thereby to define said platform overlying said top stretch, said slats being disposed so that said carrier fingers travel along the spaces between said slats, the construction and arrangement being such that eggs picked up by said carrier fingers lie close against said slats as they are carried upwards along said main stretch, and at said top stretch said carrier fingers gradually move out of engagement with the eggs, leaving the eggs supported entirely by said slats.

Claim 17

In a battery cage system for hens comprising a row of tiered cages and delivery conveyors extending one below each tier of cages to receive eggs laid by hens in said cages and deliver the eggs to one end of said row, egg collecting apparatus comprising: an elevator positioned adjacent the discharge ends of said delivery conveyors and comprising a series of spaced receptacles which travel past the discharge ends of a plurality of said delivery conveyors to receive eggs therefrom and transport them to another level; a plurality of transfer mechanism one for each of said delivery conveyors past which said receptacles travel, each said transfer mechanism comprising: a perforate platform located at the discharge end of one of said delivery conveyors as a continuation thereof in the direction oF travel of said delivery conveyor, and at least one rotor at said platform of substantially planar form rotatable about a horizontal axis transverse to the direction of travel of said delivery conveyor and below the surface of said platform, and said rotor having a plurality of angularly spaced, outwardly extending arms, which, as said rotor is rotated in use, project in turn through said platform forpropelling eggs along said platform at a controlled rate in the direction of travel of said delivery conveyor to said receptacles of said elevator; and driving means coupled to said rotors of said transfer mechanisms and to said elevator to co-ordinate the rotational speeds of said rotors and the speed of travel of said receptacles of said elevator such that, in use, eggs fed by said rotor of one said transfer mechanism to said elevator do not enter into the same receptacles of said elevator as the eggs fed by said rotor of another one of said transfer mechanisms.

Claim 18

In a battery cage system for hens comprising a row of tiered cages and delivery conveyors extending one below each tier of cages to receive eggs laid by hens in said cages and deliver the eggs to one end of said row, egg collecting apparatus comprising: an elevator positioned adjacent the discharge ends of said delivery conveyors and comprising a series of spaced receptacles which travel past the discharge ends of a plurality of said delivery conveyors to receive eggs therefrom and transport them to another level; a plurality of transfer mechanism one for each of said delivery conveyors past which said receptacles travel, each said transfer mechanism comprising: a perforate platform located at the discharge end of one of said delivery conveyors as a continuation thereof in the direction oF travel of said delivery conveyor, and at least one rotor at said platform of substantially planar form rotatable about a horizontal axis transverse to the direction of travel of said delivery conveyor and below the surface of said platform, and said rotor having a plurality of angularly spaced, outwardly extending arms, which, as said rotor is rotated in use, project in turn through said platform forpropelling eggs along said platform at a controlled rate in the direction of travel of said delivery conveyor to said receptacles of said elevator; and driving means coupled to said rotors of said transfer mechanisms and to said elevator to co-ordinate the rotational speeds of said rotors and the speed of travel of said receptacles of said elevator such that, in use, eggs fed by said rotor of one said transfer mechanism to said elevator do not enter into the same receptacles of said elevator as the eggs fed by said rotor of another one of said transfer mechanisms.

Claim 19

In a battery cage system, egg collecting apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said driving means is also coupled to said delivery conveyors to drive said conveyors.

Claim 20

In a battery cage system, egg collecting apparatus according to claim 17 wherein at said level to which said elevator transports eggs a receiving conveyor is provided to receive the eggs from said elevator, and wherein control means is provided at said receiving conveyor which is connected to said driving means and is adapted to operate to stop said driving means in the event of eggs becoming jammed on said receiving conveyor or there being an excessive accumulation of eggs on said receiving conveyor.

Claim 21

In a battery cage system, egg collecting apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said control means comprises an electrical, pressure-operated, switch positioned at the side of said receiving conveyor to be sensitive to the pressure of any build-up of eggs at the side of said receiving conveyor.