Egg processing apparatus

Claim 1

An apparatus adapted to convey eggs to a plurality of egg processing machines, the apparatus comprising an egg accumulation device providing an egg accumulation area wherein eggs may accumulate; a conveyor system for transporting eggs from a source of eggs to and from the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device, the conveyor system including first conveyor means for conveying eggs to the egg accumulation area of said egg accumulation device, second conveyor means for conveying eggs through the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device, and third conveyor means for conveying eggs from the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device; the third conveyor means including a conveyor for conveying eggs to a first egg processing machine and including a separate conveyor for conveying eggs to a second egg processing machine; and control means for controlling the first conveyor means so that it may be operated at either a first speed or a second speed, lower than the first speed, or so that it may be halted; said control means including means for operating said first conveyor means at the second speed and including means for halting the first conveyor means; said means for operating said first conveyor means at the second speed being operable to change the speed of the first conveyor means for the first speed to the second speed wheN the quantity of eggs accumulated in the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device increases to a first approximate number of eggs; said means for halting the first conveyor means being operable to halt the first conveyor means when it is operating at the second speed and when the quantity of eggs accumulated in the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device increases to a second approximate number of eggs greater in number than the first approximate number of eggs; said egg accumulation device including an inlet to which eggs are conveyed by said first conveyor means and including outlets from which eggs are respectively conveyed by the conveyors of said third conveyor means; said second conveyor means moving said eggs through said egg accumulation device in a generally straight line path, said first conveyor means delivering eggs to said accumulation device at one end thereof in a direction transverse to the direction of said path, and said third conveyor means directing the eggs in paths which are generally in alignment with said straight line path.

Claim 2

An apparatus adapted to convey eggs to a plurality of egg processing machines, the apparatus comprising an egg accumulation device providing an egg accumulation area wherein eggs may accumulate; a conveyor system for transporting eggs from a source of eggs to and from the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device, the conveyor system including first conveyor means for conveying eggs to the egg accumulation area of said egg accumulation device, second conveyor means for conveying eggs through the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device, and third conveyor means for conveying eggs from the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device; the third conveyor means including a conveyor for conveying eggs to a first egg processing machine and including a separate conveyor for conveying eggs to a second egg processing machine; and control means for controlling the first conveyor means so that it may be operated at either a first speed or a second speed, lower than the first speed, or so that it may be halted; said control means including means for operating said first conveyor means at the second speed and including means for halting the first conveyor means; said means for operating said first conveyor means at the second speed being operable to change the speed of the first conveyor means for the first speed to the second speed wheN the quantity of eggs accumulated in the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device increases to a first approximate number of eggs; said means for halting the first conveyor means being operable to halt the first conveyor means when it is operating at the second speed and when the quantity of eggs accumulated in the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device increases to a second approximate number of eggs greater in number than the first approximate number of eggs; said egg accumulation device including an inlet to which eggs are conveyed by said first conveyor means and including outlets from which eggs are respectively conveyed by the conveyors of said third conveyor means; said second conveyor means moving said eggs through said egg accumulation device in a generally straight line path, said first conveyor means delivering eggs to said accumulation device at one end thereof in a direction transverse to the direction of said path, and said third conveyor means directing the eggs in paths which are generally in alignment with said straight line path.

Claim 6

An apparatus adapted to convey eggs to a plurality of egg processing machines, the apparatus comprising an egg accumulation device providing an egg accumulation area wherein eggs may accumulate; a conveyor system for transporting eggs from a source of eggs to and from the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device, the conveyor system including first conveyor means for conveying eggs to the egg accumulation area of said egg accumulation device, second conveyor means for conveying eggs through the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device, and third conveyor means for conveying eggs from the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device; the third conveyor means including a conveyor for conveying eggs to a first egg processing machine and including a separate conveyor for conveying eggs to a second egg processing machine; control means for controlling the first conveyor means so that it may be operated at either a first speed or a second speed, lower than the first speed, or so that it may be halted; said control means including means for operating said first conveyor means at the second speed and including means for halting the first conveyor means; said means for operating said first conveyor means at the second speed being operable to change the speed of the first conveyor means from the first speed to the second speed when the quantity of eggs accumulated in the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device increases to a first approximate number of eggs; said means for halting the first conveyor means being operable to halt the first conveyor means when it is operating at the second speed and when the quantity of eggs accumulated in the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device increases to a second approximate number of eggs greater in number than the first approximate number of eggs; said means for operating said first conveyor means at the second speed including a first switch means for causing said first conveyor means to move at the second speed when the first switch means is continuously actuated for a first predetermined time interval; said means for halting the first conveyor means including a second switch means for causing said first conveyor means to halt its movement when the second switch means is continuously actuated for a second predetermined time interval; a first switch actuator means for actuating said first switch means, said first switch actuator means being disposed adjacent a first portion of the egg accumulation area so as to be continuously actutable by an egg or eggs in the egg accumulation area; and a second switch actuator means for actuating said second switch means, said second switch actuator means being disposed adjacent a second portion of the egg accumulation area so as to be continuously actuatable by an egg or eggs in the egg accumulation area; said first switch actuator means including a pivoted paddle disposed above said first portion of the egg accumulation area for pivoted actuation by eggs moving through said egg accumulation area and said second switch actuator means including a pivoted paddle disposed above said second portion of the egg accumulation area for pivoted actuation by eggs moving through said egg accumulation area.

Claim 7

An apparatus adapted to convey eggs to a plurality of egg processing machines, the apparatus comprising an egg accumulation device providing an egg accumulation area wherein eggs may accumulate; a conveyor system for transporting eggs from a source of eggs to and from the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device, the conveyor system including first conveyor means for conveying eggs to the egg accumulation area of said egg accumulation device, second conveyor means for conveying eggs through the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device, and third conveyor means for conveying eggs from the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device; the third conveyor means including a conveyor for conveying eggs to a first egg processing machine and including a separate conveyor for conveying eggs to a second egg processing machine; control means for controlling the first conveyor means so that it may be operated at either a first speed or a second speed, lower than the first speed, or so that it may be halted; said control means including means for operating said first conveyor means at the second speed and including means for halting the first conveyor means; said means for operating said first conveyor means at the second speed being operable to change the speed of the first conveyor means from the first speed to the second speed when the quantity of eggs accumulated in the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device increases to a first approximate number of eggs; said means for halting the first conveyor means being operable to halt the first conveyor means when it is operating at the second speed and when the quantity of eggs accumulated in the egg accumulation area of the egg accumulation device increases to a second approximate number of eggs greater in number than the first approximate number of eggs; said means for operating said first conveyor means at the second speed including a first switch means for causing said first conveyor means to move at the second speed when the first switch means is continuously actuated for a first predetermined time interval; said means for halting the first conveyor means including a second switch means for causing said first conveyor means to halt its movement when the second switch means is continuously actuated for a second predetermined time interval; a first switch actuator means for actuating said first switch means, said first switch actuator means being disposed adjacent a first portion of the egg accumulation area so as to be continuously actutable by an egg or eggs in the egg accumulation area; and a second switch actuator means for actuating said second switch means, said second switch actuator means being disposed adjacent a second portion of the egg accumulation area so as to be continuously actuatable by an egg or eggs in the egg accumulation area; said first switch actuator means including a pivoted paddle disposed above said first portion of the egg accumulation area for pivoted actuation by eggs moving through said egg accumulation area and said second switch actuator means including a pivoted paddle disposed above said second portion of the egg accumulation area for pivoted actuation by eggs moving through said egg accumulation area.

Claim 8

An apparatus for feeding eggs to a plurality of processing machines that operate simultaneously or individually, the apparatus comprising an egg accumulation device having a substantially horizontal surface area upon which eggs can accumulate in a single layer without exerting undue force upon adjacent eggs; a conveyor system including first conveyor means for conveying eggs to the egg accumulation device, second conveyor means for conveying eggs along the egg accumulation device from where they are introduced by the first conveyor to an opposite end of the egg accumulation device from which they are discharged and for arranging the accumulated eggs in a zone extending transversely of the egg accumulation device adjacent the discharge end thereof; third conveyor means including a plurality of conveyors, each conveyor adapted to convey eggs from the discharge end of the egg accumulation device to a separate processing machine; and control means for operating said first conveyor means at a first speed when the quantity of eggs accumulated in the zone is less than a first approximate number, at a second speed lower than the first speed when the quantity of eggs accumulated in the zone exceeds the first approximate number but is less than a second approximate number, and halting the first conveyor means when the quantity of eggs accumulated in the zone exceeds the second approximate number.

Claim 9

An apparatus for feeding eggs to a plurality of processing machines that operate simultaneously or individually, the apparatus comprising an egg accumulation device having a substantially horizontal surface area upon which eggs can accumulate in a single layer without exerting undue force upon adjacent eggs; a conveyor system including first conveyor means for conveying eggs to the egg accumulation device, second conveyor means for conveying eggs along the egg accumulation device from where they are introduced by the first conveyor to an opposite end of the egg accumulation device from which they are discharged and for arranging the accumulated eggs in a zone extending transversely of the egg accumulation device adjacent the discharge end thereof; third conveyor means including a plurality of conveyors, each conveyor adapted to convey eggs from the discharge end of the egg accumulation device to a separate processing machine; and control means for operating said first conveyor means at a first speed when the quantity of eggs accumulated in the zone is less than a first approximate number, at a second speed lower than the first speed when the quantity of eggs accumulated in the zone exceeds the first approximate number but is less than a second approximate number, and halting the first conveyor means when the quantity of eggs accumulated in the zone exceeds the second approximate number.