Vacuum eviscerator apparatus and method

Claim 2

Poultry processing apparatus for positioning poultry having an access opening to the body cavity thereof at its vent including: conveying means for successively moving the poultry along a prescribed path in a head lowermost position, said conveying means including a hock engaging member for supporting the poultry by their hocks; and, positioning means including a holding member for engaging the poultry in the access opening in opposition to said hock engaging member to support the poultry between said holding member and said hock engaging member so that the access opening is located in a relatively fixed plane while the breast portion of the poultry is supported solely through its bone and muscle structure to allow the breast portion of the poultry to move with respect to said plane.

Claim 3

Poultry processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said holding member includes a projecting end for engaging the poultry in its access opening in opposition to said hock engaging member and further including guide means for locating the access opening in the poultry with respect to said projecting end of said holding member and spacing means for moving said holding member and said hock engaging means with respect to each other to cause said holding member to project into the access opening and engage the poultry with said holding member in the access opening to support the poultry by said holding member and said hock engaging member.

Claim 4

Poultry processinG apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said guide means includes pivoting means operatively associated with said holding member to pivot the body of the poultry to a position so that said projecting end of said holding member lies in registration with the access opening.

Claim 5

Poultry processing apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said conveying means and said positioning means are adjustably positioned with respect to each other.

Claim 6

Poultry processing apparatus as set forth in claim 4 further including synchronization means for selectively maintaining alignment between said hock engaging member and said holding member as said hock engaging member and said holding member are moved.

Claim 7

Eviscerating apparatus for removing selected organs from the body cavity of poultry through an access opening formed at its vent including: a conveyor comprising a support track having spaced sections lying in a common plane and an elevated section connecting said spaced sections to form a continuous track, said elevated section lying in a plane parallel to said common plane and spaced thereabove a prescribed distance; a plurality of wheeled trolley assemblies supported on said track for movement therealong; a shackle member flexibly carried by each trolley assembly and having hock clamping portions at the free end thereof for engaging and supporting the poultry in a head lowermost position by their hocks; and drive means connecting said trolley assemblies for successively moving said trolley assemblies and said shackle member along said track so that said shackle members are a prescribed distance apart; guide means for deflecting said shackle members a prescribed distance rearwardly from the vertical plane of said track as said trolley assemblies move along said elevated section of said track; positioning means positioned below said hock clamping portions of said shackle members comprising a chain support; an endless chain movably carried by said support having an operative flight generally parallel to said common plane of said track and a prescribed distance therebelow; a plurality of positioning members carried by said endless chain and movable therewith; said positioning members spaced apart said prescribed distance between said shackle members, each of said positioning members including a hook portion insertable into the access opening in opposition to said hock clamping portions of said shackle member and a V-shaped orienting member positioned below and forwardly of said hook portion in alignment therewith for engaging the poultry at their back and pivoting the poultry about their leg joints to locate said hook portions in registration with the access opening when said trolley assemblies are located on said spaced sections of said track, said elevated section of said track raising said trolley assemblies and said shackle members with respect to said hook portions of said positioning members to insert said hook portion into the access opening and engage the poultry thereat to cause the back of the poultry to be lifted from said orienting member and the breast portion of the poultry to be flexibly suspended in cantilever fashion through its bone and muscle structure; and idler drive means drivingly connecting said endless chain to said conveyor drive means for synchronously moving said endless chain with said trolley assemblies to maintain alignment between said shackle members and said positioning members on said operative flight of said chain; and, vacuum eviscerating means including a support frame comprising a pair of parallel, spaced apart support rods oriented generally parallel to said track and said operative flight of said chain; a table movably mounted on said support rods for movement therealong; cam means operatively connected to said table and driven by said conveyor drive means for moving said table synchronously with said shackle member and said positioning members and parallel to the path of movement of said shackle member; at least one eviscerating tool carried by said table and movable therewith in alignment with said shackle member and said positioning member; a connector pivotally mounted on said table and slidably mounting said tool for movement perpendicular to the path of movement of said shackle member; a fluid cylinder mounted on said table and having its piston rod operatively connected to said tool for selectively moving said tool slidably within said connector; cam switch means for selectively extending and retracting said piston rod, said tool including an eviscerating member on the projecting end thereof extending within the body cavity through the access opening in the poultry carried by said shackle member and said positioning member when said piston rod is extended and withdrawn from the body cavity when said piston rod is retracted, and a spacer assembly carried by said eviscerating member for preventing collapse of said body cavity, said eviscerating tool defining a vacuum passage therethrough having an open mouth within said body cavity when said member is extending therein; and, vacuum means communicating with said vacuum passage when said piston rod is extended.

Claim 8

Eviscerating apparatus for removing selected organs from the body cavity of poultry through an access opening formed at its vent including: a conveyor comprising a support track having spaced sections lying in a common plane and an elevated section connecting said spaced sections to form a continuous track, said elevated section lying in a plane parallel to said common plane and spaced thereabove a prescribed distance; a plurality of wheeled trolley assemblies supported on said track for movement therealong; a shackle member flexibly carried by each trolley assembly and having hock clamping portions at the free end thereof for engaging and supporting the poultry in a head lowermost position by their hocks; and drive means connecting said trolley assemblies for successively moving said trolley assemblies and said shackle member along said track so that said shackle members are a prescribed distance apart; guide means for deflecting said shackle members a prescribed distance rearwardly from the vertical plane of said track as said trolley assemblies move along said elevated section of said track; positioning means positioned below said hock clamping portions of said shackle members comprising a chain support; an endless chain movably carried by said support having an operative flight generally parallel to said common plane of said track and a prescribed distance therebelow; a plurality of positioning members carried by said endless chain and movable therewith; said positioning members spaced apart said prescribed distance between said shackle members, each of said positioning members including a hook portion insertable into the access opening in opposition to said hock clamping portions of said shackle member and a V-shaped orienting member positioned below and forwardly of said hook portion in alignment therewith for engaging the poultry at their back and pivoting the poultry about their leg joints to locate said hook portions in registration with the access opening when said trolley assemblies are located on said spaced sections of said track, said elevated section of said track raising said trolley assemblies and said shackle members with respect to said hook portions of said positioning members to insert said hook portion into the access opening and engage the poultry thereat to cause the back of the poultry to be lifted from said orienting member and the breast portion of the poultry to be flexibly suspended in cantilever fashion through its bone and muscle structure; and idler drive means drivingly connecting said endless chain to said conveyor drive means for synchronously moving said endless chain with said trolley assemblies to maintain alignment between said shackle members and said positioning members on said operative flight of said chain; and, vacuum eviscerating means including a support frame comprising a pair of parallel, spaced apart support rods oriented generally parallel to said track and said operative flight of said chain; a table movably mounted on said support rods for movement therealong; cam means operatively connected to said table and driven by said conveyor drive means for moving said table synchronously with said shackle member and said positioning members and parallel to the path of movement of said shackle member; at least one eviscerating tool carried by said table and movable therewith in alignment with said shackle member and said positioning member; a connector pivotally mounted on said table and slidably mounting said tool for movement perpendicular to the path of movement of said shackle member; a fluid cylinder mounted on said table and having its piston rod operatively connected to said tool for selectively moving said tool slidably within said connector; cam switch means for selectively extending and retracting said piston rod, said tool including an eviscerating member on the projecting end thereof extending within the body cavity through the access opening in the poultry carried by said shackle member and said positioning member when said piston rod is extended and withdrawn from the body cavity when said piston rod is retracted, and a spacer assembly carried by said eviscerating member for preventing collapse of said body cavity, said eviscerating tool defining a vacuum passage therethrough having an open mouth within said body cavity when said member is extending therein; and, vacuum means communicating with said vacuum passage when said piston rod is extended.

Claim 9

The poultry processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said holding member comprises: a main body having a first end and a second end; a hook member attached to and extending from said first end of said body, said hook member having a projection constructed and arranged to selectively extend into the access opening of the poultry and engage the poultry within the access opening; and, body support means carried by said second end of said main body for selectively aligning the body of the poultry with said hook member so that said projection on said hook member lies in registration with the access opening.

Claim 10

The poultry processing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said projection of said hook member is spaced outwardly from the plane of said main body a prescribed distance and oriented generally parallel to the plane of said main body.

Claim 11

The poultry processing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said body support means includes a V-shaped member having a pair of diverging legs projecting outwardly from said main body, said legs constructed and arranged to span the body of the poultry across its back and center the body of the poultry therebetween.

Claim 12

The poultry processing apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including: an eviscerating tool; and carriage means for selectively moving said eviscerating tool along a predetermined path to cause said tool to extend into the body cavity through the access opening in the poultry.

Claim 13

The poultry processing apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said eviscerating tool includes an open mouth at the projecting end thereof and further including vacuum producing means for selectively imposing a vacuum on the open mouth of said eviscerating tool to selectively withdraw viscera from the body cavity of the poultry.

Claim 14

The poultry processing apparatus as set forth in claim 11 further including synchronizing means operatively connecting said conveying means, said holding member and said carriage means for selectively maintaining alignment between the poultry and said eviscerating tool.

Claim 15

The poultry processing apparatus as set forth in claim 12 further including control means for selectively causing said carriage means to shift said open mouth of said eviscerating tool within the body cavity of the poultry and longitudinally of the backbone of the poultry.

Claim 16

The poultry processing apparatus as set forth in claim 13 further including body cavity spacing means operatively associated with said eviscerating tool and engagable with the poultry about the body cavity to maintain an air space between said eviscerating tool and the poultry.

Claim 17

The poultry processing apparatus of claim 2 wherein said conveying means includes a plurality of said hock engaging members spaced a prescribed distance apart for successively moving the poultry aloNg said prescribed path and wherein said positioning means includes a chain support; an endless chain movably carried by said support having an operative flight generally parallel to said prescribed path; a plurality of said holding members carried by said endless chain and movable therewith; said holding members spaced apart said prescribed distance between said hock engaging members, each of said holding members including a hook portion insertable into the access opening in opposition to said hock engaging member and a V-shaped orienting member positioned below and forwardly of said hook portion in alignment therewith for engaging the poultry at their backs and pivoting the poultry about their leg joints to locate said hook portion in registration with the access opening as the poultry is moved along said prescribed path; guide means for moving said hock engaging members with respect to said hook portions of said holding members to insert said hook portion into the access opening and engage the poultry thereat to cause the back of the poultry to be lifted from said orienting member and the breast portion of the poultry to be flexibly suspended to cantilever fashion through its bone and muscle structure; and idler drive means drivingly connecting said endless chain to said conveying means for synchronously moving said endless chain with said hock engaging members to maintain alignment between said hock engaging members and said holding members on said operative flight of said chain.

Claim 18

The poultry processing apparatus of claim 15 further including eviscerating means including a support frame comprising a pair of parallel, spaced-apart support rods oriented generally parallel to said prescribed path; a carriage table movably mounted on said support rods for movement therealong; cam means operatively connected to said table and driven by said conveying means for moving said table synchronously with said hock engaging members and said holding members and parallel to said prescribed path; at least one eviscerating tool carried by said table and movable therewith in alignment with each of said hook engaging members and said holding members; tool support means reciprocally carried by said table and mounting said eviscerating tool thereon for movement generally perpendicular to said prescribed path along an eviscerating path; fluid cylinder means mounted on said table and connected to said tool support means for selectively moving said eviscerating tool along said eviscerating path into the body cavity through the access opening in the poultry carried by each of said hock engaging members and said holding members.

Claim 19

A holding assembly for use in eviscerating poultry having an access opening to the body cavity at the vent including: an endless flexible member; drive means for supporting said endless flexible member for movement along an endless path; guide means for selectively orienting said flexible endless member between said drive means; and, a plurality of holding members carried by said flexible endless member in spaced apart positions and movable with said flexible endless member, each of said holding members constructed and arranged to extend into and engage the access opening of the poultry.

Claim 20

A holding assembly for use in eviscerating poultry having an access opening to the body cavity at the vent including: an endless flexible member; drive means for supporting said endless flexible member for movement along an endless path; guide means for selectively orienting said flexible endless member between said drive means; and, a plurality of holding members carried by said flexible endless member in spaced apart positions and movable with said flexible endless member, each of said holding members constructed and arranged to extend into and engage the access opening of the poultry.

Claim 21

The holding assembly of claim 17 further including conveying means comprising a plurality of shackle members spaced a prescribed distance apart and adapted to successively convey poultry along a prescribed path, said holding members spaced apart said prescribed distance, and means connecting said drive means with said conveying means to move said flexible member along said endless path synchronously with the movement of said shackle members.

Claim 22

The holding assembly of claim 15 wherein each of said holding members includes: a main body having a first end and a second end; a hook member attached to and extending from said first end of said body, said hook member having a projection constructed and arranged to selectively extend into the access opening of the poultry and engage the poultry within the access opening; and, body support means carried by said second end of said main body for selectively aligning the body of the poultry with said hook member so that said projection on said hook member lies in registration with the access opening.

Claim 23

A holding member for use in eviscerating poultry having an access opening to the body cavity at the vent including: a main body having a first end and a second end; a hook member attached to and extending from said first end of said body, said hook member having a projection constructed and arranged to selectively extend into the access opening of the poultry and engage the poultry within the access opening; and, body support means carried by said second end of said main body for selectively aligning the body of the poultry with said hook member so that said projection on said hook member lies in registration with the access opening.

Claim 24

A holding member for use in eviscerating poultry having an access opening to the body cavity at the vent including: a main body having a first end and a second end; a hook member attached to and extending from said first end of said body, said hook member having a projection constructed and arranged to selectively extend into the access opening of the poultry and engage the poultry within the access opening; and, body support means carried by said second end of said main body for selectively aligning the body of the poultry with said hook member so that said projection on said hook member lies in registration with the access opening.

Claim 25

The holding member of claim 20 wherein said body support means includes a V-shaped member having a pair of diverging legs projecting outwardly from said main body, said legs constructed and arranged to span the body of the poultry across its back and center the body of the poultry therebetween.

Claim 26

The holding member of claim 21 wherein said projection is spaced outwardly from the plane of said body a prescribed distance.

Claim 27

The holding member of claim 22 wherein the axis of said projection is oriented generally parallel to the plane of said body.