Apparatus and method for splitting poultry breasts

Claim 1

An apparatus for splitting a chicken breast comprising; a chicken-supporting means for receiving a chicken in a predetermined position, a chicken-clamping means for engaging and retaining a chicken received on said chicken-supporting means, a displaceable breast clamping means movable into and out of engagement with a chicken positioned on said chicken-supporting means and each displaceable breast clamping means having a displaceable breast-splitting means for engaging and splitting the breast of a chicken retained on said chicken-supporting means and releasably clamped thereon by said chicken-clamping means and said displaceable breast-clamping means whereby upon displacement of said chicken-supporting means said breast-splitting means vertically progressively engages and splits the breast of a clamped chicken as it travels along a directed path of travel.

Claim 2

An apparatus for splitting a chicken breast comprising; a chicken-supporting means for receiving a chicken in a predetermined position, a chicken-clamping means for engaging and retaining a chicken received on said chicken-supporting means, a displaceable breast clamping means movable into and out of engagement with a chicken positioned on said chicken-supporting means and each displaceable breast clamping means having a displaceable breast-splitting means for engaging and splitting the breast of a chicken retained on said chicken-supporting means and releasably clamped thereon by said chicken-clamping means and said displaceable breast-clamping means whereby upon displacement of said chicken-supporting means said breast-splitting means vertically progressively engages and splits the breast of a clamped chicken as it travels along a directed path of travel.

Claim 12

An apparatus for splitting the breast of a chicken comprising: a plurality of chicken-supporting shackles uniformly spaced from each other traveling horizontally in a directed path of travel for supporting a partially processed chicken having the viscera removed and the viscera cavity extending in an upward position, conveyor means supporting said shackles with a chicken on each of said shackles, drive means for urging said shackles along a directed path of travel at a vertical distance above a floor, a frame positioned beneath said path of said shackle travel, said frame having an upper structure supported thereon, said upper structure having means for displacing said upper structure on said frame into and out of the path of shackle travel, a plurality of spaced chicken-supporting frames, an endless conveyor means mounted on said upper structure for retaining said chicken-supporting frame in spaced relation and in cooperative alignment with said chicken-supporting shackle, means for driving said endless conveyor means in synchronization with said shackle drive means, a chicken-clamping means connected to each of said chicken-supporting means for displacement from an inoperative to an operative position to releasably clamp a chicken on said chicken-supporting means in the chicken-clamping means operative position, means for displacing said chicken-clamping means from an inoperative to an operative clamping position against each chicken supported on said chicken-supporting means, a clamping spreader means pivotally connected to each chicken-clamping means whereby upon displacement of each of said chicken-clamping means said clamping spreader means being introduced into the chicken cavity urging the chicken breast into a preselected locked position on said chicken-supporting means and exposing the chicken breast for splitting, a plurality of cooperating breast positioning means displaceable with each of said chicken-clamping means and having means thereon for orienting the chicken breast and bone into a predetermined position on said chicken-supporting means while the chicken remains supported on the chicken-supported shackle, means to actuate said breast splitting means during travel of the chicken-supporting means, chicken-clamping means and chicken-positioning means to split the breast of a chicken automatically in the travel path, and means removing said chicken breast splitting means, chicken-positioning means and chicken-clamping means to release the breast split chicken while traveling and suspended from the chicken supporting sshackle.

Claim 13

An apparatus for splitting the breast of a chicken comprising: a plurality of chicken-supporting shackles uniformly spaced from each other traveling horizontally in a directed path of travel for supporting a partially processed chicken having the viscera removed and the viscera cavity extending in an upward position, conveyor means supporting said shackles with a chicken on each of said shackles, drive means for urging said shackles along a directed path of travel at a vertical distance above a floor, a frame positioned beneath said path of said shackle travel, said frame having an upper structure supported thereon, said upper structure having means for displacing said upper structure on said frame into and out of the path of shackle travel, a plurality of spaced chicken-supporting frames, an endless conveyor means mounted on said upper structure for retaining said chicken-supporting frame in spaced relation and in cooperative alignment with said chicken-supporting shackle, means for driving said endless conveyor means in synchronization with said shackle drive means, a chicken-clamping means connected to each of said chicken-supporting means for displacement from an inoperative to an operative position to releasably clamp a chicken on said chicken-supporting means in the chicken-clamping means operative position, means for displacing said chicken-clamping means from an inoperative to an operative clamping position against each chicken supported on said chicken-supporting means, a clamping spreader means pivotally connected to each chicken-clamping means whereby upon displacement of each of said chicken-clamping means said clamping spreader means being introduced into the chicken cavity urging the chicken breast into a preselected locked position on said chicken-supporting means and exposing the chicken breast for splitting, a plurality of cooperating breast positioning means displaceable with each of said chicken-clamping means and having means thereon for orienting the chicken breast and bone into a predetermined position on said chicken-supporting means while the chicken remains supported on the chicken-supported shackle, means to actuate said breast splitting means during travel of the chicken-supporting means, chicken-clamping means and chicken-positioning means to split the breast of a chicken automatically in the travel path, and means removing said chicken breast splitting means, chicken-positioning means and chicken-clamping means to release the breast split chicken while traveling and suspended from the chicken supporting sshackle.

Claim 15

A method of splitting a chicken breast comprising the steps of; positioning a chicken on a chicken positioning surface for retention in a predetermined position, conveying said positioned chicken on said chicken positioning surface along a directed path of travel releasably clamping the chicken above said surface in a preselected position and retaining it in a substantially stable position with the chicken breast and bone exposed for splitting, releasably clamping the exposed chicken breast and bone to retain the chicken in a substantially rigid position on said surface, and splitting the chicken breast and bone progressively while the chicken is in a clamped position and continuously traveling during a portion of its directed path of travel.

Claim 16

A method of splitting a chicken breast comprising the steps of; positioning a chicken on a chicken positioning surface for retention in a predetermined position, conveying said positioned chicken on said chicken positioning surface along a directed path of travel releasably clamping the chicken above said surface in a preselected position and retaining it in a substantially stable position with the chicken breast and bone exposed for splitting, releasably clamping the exposed chicken breast and bone to retain the chicken in a substantially rigid position on said surface, and splitting the chicken breast and bone progressively while the chicken is in a clamped position and continuously traveling during a portion of its directed path of travel.