Poultry packaging apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for packaging an article in a close fitting flexible plastic film packaging bag comprising, in combination: a. a structural frame having a proximal end and a distal end; b. a conveyor mounted movably on said frame, having a first end located at the proximal end of said frame, and having a second end located at a point removed from the proximal end of said frame; c. an article cradle surmounting the conveyor, arranged to pick up an article at the proximal end of the frame and maintain said article in a preselected packaging orientation during transport thereof; d. article alignment means at the proximal end of the frame arranged and disposed to position an article being packaged into a preselected packaging orientation for pickup engagement by the article cradle surmounting the conveyor; e. packaging bag holding means at the distal end of the frame, positioned at an elevation below said second conveyor end; f. a gravity slide extending downwardly from said second conveyor end to said bag holding means; and, g. article guide means extending substantially parallel with said gravity slide, arranged to maintain said article in said preselected packaging orientation while it is on said gravity slide.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein hold-down means is positioned at said conveyor and is adapted to exert a holding force on an article contained in said article cradle during conveyor movement.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said hold-down means comprises at least one elongated member positioned above said conveyor and adapted to exert a downward force upon an article contained in said article cradle.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said conveyor is upwardly inclined, said point removed is at a preselected elevation above the first end of said conveyor and above said packaging bag holding means.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said bag holding means is at the same elevation as said first conveyor end.

Claim 7

Apparatus for packaging a shaped article of irregular configuration such as poultry in a close fitting flexible plastic film packaging bag comprising, in combination: a. a structural frame having a proximal end and a distal end; b. a conveyor mounted movably on said frame, having a first end located at the proximal end of said frame, and having a second end extending to a point removed from the proximal end of said frame; c. an article cradle surmounting the conveyor, arranged to pick up a shaped article at the proximal end of the frame and maintain said article in a preselected packaging orientation during transport thereof; d. shaped article alignment means at the proximal end of the frame arranged and disposed to position a shaped article being packaged into a preselected packaging orientation for pick-up engagement by the article cradle surmounting the conveyor; e. packaging bag holding means at the distal end of the frame positioned at an elevation below said second conveyor end and movable between a retracted position and an expanded position whereby it is adapted to hold a packaging bag stretched open at least at the mouth portion thereof; f. a gravity slide extending downwardly from said second conveyor end to said bag holding means; and, g. shaped article guide means extending substantially parallel with said gravity slide, arranged to maintain said shaped article in said preselected packaging orientation while it is on said gravity slide.

Claim 8

Apparatus for packaging a shaped article of irregular configuration such as poultry in a close fitting flexible plastic film packaging bag comprising, in combination: a. a structural frame having a proximal end and a distal end; b. a conveyor mounted movably on said frame, having a first end located at the proximal end of said frame, and having a second end extending to a point removed from the proximal end of said frame; c. an article cradle surmounting the conveyor, arranged to pick up a shaped article at the proximal end of the frame and maintain said article in a preselected packaging orientation during transport thereof; d. shaped article alignment means at the proximal end of the frame arranged and disposed to position a shaped article being packaged into a preselected packaging orientation for pick-up engagement by the article cradle surmounting the conveyor; e. packaging bag holding means at the distal end of the frame positioned at an elevation below said second conveyor end and movable between a retracted position and an expanded position whereby it is adapted to hold a packaging bag stretched open at least at the mouth portion thereof; f. a gravity slide extending downwardly from said second conveyor end to said bag holding means; and, g. shaped article guide means extending substantially parallel with said gravity slide, arranged to maintain said shaped article in said preselected packaging orientation while it is on said gravity slide.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said conveyor is upwardly inclined, said second end is at a preselected elevation above the first end and above said packaging bag holding means.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said bag holding means is at the same elevation as said first conveyor end.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said packaging bag holding means includes means adapted to expand said holding means with a force not greater than the tensile strength of a packaging bag held thereon.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said force is sufficient to elongate the stretched open portion of a plastic film packaging bag held thereon.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein hold-down means is positioned at said conveyor and is adapted to exert a holding force on an article contained in said article cradle during conveyor movement.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said hold-down means comprises at least one elongated member positioned above said conveyor and adapted to exert a downward force upon an article contained in said article cradle.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 6 adapted to package a poultry article and including means positioned adjacent to said conveyor and adapted to tuck poultry wings into close conformation with the poultry body.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 6 adapted to package a poultry article and including means adapted to tuck a loose flap of poultry neck skin into close conformation with the poultry body.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 6 adapted to package a poultry article and including means adapted to tuck poultry drumsticks into close conformation with the poultry body.