Abstract: An arrangement for processing poultry has at least one overhead conveying device which is designed for conveying the poultry with a predefined conveying speed, which forms a conveyor line and is configured for transporting the poultry suspended by the legs. A plurality of processing stations are arranged along the conveyor line. The conveyor line has processing conveyor portions at each of the processing stations for processing poultry, and at least two of the processing portion lengths of each of the processing conveyor portions are configured to be controlledly variable. A method for processing poultry is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating wing tips from poultry carcasses includes a suspended conveyor device and a support guide for guiding the neck and shoulder region. The guide extends in the transport direction and is arranged below the carcass, and has at least one support surface to support the neck and shoulder region. A lower arm guide is configured for guiding the poultry lower arm and wing tip and is arranged at the side of the support guide. A first hold-down guide holds down the poultry upper arm under pretension and is arranged stationarily. A second hold-down guide is arranged downstream of the first hold-down guide and has at least two guiding elements for holding down the upper arm. The guiding elements are movable in deflection against a return force. A separating device is configured for separating the wing tip and is arranged in the region of the second hold-down guide.

Abstract: The invention relates to broiler containers having a floor and side walls defining an inner volume which is designed and configured to receive and accommodate at least five live broilers, wherein the broiler container is designed and configured to be stackable with broiler containers of the same construction and has at least one ventilation opening and at least one air outflow opening, which broiler container is characterised in that the broiler container comprises at least one segment of a ventilation or air outflow column which extends through the inner volume and has at least one ventilation or air outflow opening at a distance from the side walls, wherein each segment of the ventilation or air outflow column is designed and configured for connection to corresponding segments of broiler containers of the same construction and also for connection to an active ventilation system.

Abstract: The invention relates to broiler containers having a floor and side walls defining an inner volume which is designed and configured to receive and accommodate at least five live broilers, wherein the broiler container is designed and configured to be stackable with broiler containers of the same construction and has at least one ventilation opening and at least one air outflow opening, which broiler container is characterised in that the broiler container comprises at least one segment of a ventilation or air outflow column which extends through the inner volume and has at least one ventilation or air outflow opening at a distance from the side walls, wherein each segment of the ventilation or air outflow column is designed and configured for connection to corresponding segments of broiler containers of the same construction and also for connection to an active ventilation system.

Abstract: A lifting apparatus (1), configured to lift poultry legs (9) conveyed suspended in a row, comprises a conveying device (11) and a poultry leg lifting device (12). The poultry legs (9) can be suspended by their ankle joint balls (911) in poultry carriers (131) of the conveying device (11). The poultry leg lifting device (12) has a poultry leg positioning device (70) having at least one positioning element (71-78, 141) which, with weight unloading of the poultry carrier (131), lifts the conveyed poultry legs (9) with the ankle joint balls (911) in a poultry leg lifting way (h) into lifted ankle joint ball positions. A carrier lifting device (13) is configured to lift each foot hook-in device (31) to suspension heights which correspond with the ankle joint ball positions lifted in the poultry leg lifting device (12).

Abstract: A lifting apparatus (1), configured to lift poultry legs (9) conveyed suspended in a row, comprises a conveying device (11) and a poultry leg lifting device (12). The poultry legs (9) can be suspended by their ankle joint balls (911) in poultry carriers (131) of the conveying device (11). The poultry leg lifting device (12) has a poultry leg positioning device (70) having at least one positioning element (71-78, 141) which, with weight unloading of the poultry carrier (131), lifts the conveyed poultry legs (9) with the ankle joint balls (911) in a poultry leg lifting way (h) into lifted ankle joint ball positions. A carrier lifting device (13) is configured to lift each foot hook-in device (31) to suspension heights which correspond with the ankle joint ball positions lifted in the poultry leg lifting device (12).

Abstract: The invention relates to an evisceration tool, designed and configured for removing internal organs and in particular an intestine pack from the body of slaughtered poultry, comprising a spoon-shaped basic body, wherein the basic body has a spoon base (12) and a spoon edge which extends around at least part of the spoon base to form a spoon bowl, which is distinguished in that the basic body is made at least partly of a resilient material, wherein the resilient material is on the one hand flexible enough to adapt to a contour of the body during removal of the internal organs and on the other hand stiff enough to remove the internal organs from the body. The invention relates also to an evisceration apparatus having such an evisceration tool.

Abstract: The invention relates to broiler containers having a floor and side walls defining an inner volume which is designed and configured to receive and accommodate at least five live broilers, wherein the broiler container is designed and configured to be stackable with broiler containers of the same construction and has at least one ventilation opening and at least one air outflow opening, which broiler container is characterised in that the broiler container comprises at least one segment of a ventilation or air outflow column which extends through the inner volume and has at least one ventilation or air outflow opening at a distance from the side walls, wherein each segment of the ventilation or air outflow column is designed and configured for connection to corresponding segments of broiler containers of the same construction and also for connection to an active ventilation system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method, a guide assembly and a system for separating poultry viscera sets suspended from a viscera holder. In the method a guide member is moved so that said viscera set is arranged in an elongated opening of the guide member with the intestines and the gallbladder suspended below said guide member and the liver and gizzard positioned above it. The intestines and the gallbladder are then separated from the remaining viscera set while said liver rests on a first part of a separation support surface and said gizzard on a second part on the opposite side of an elongated opening. Before the separtion, the viscera set is brought into contact with an engagement member so that the gizzard is kept on the one side of the elongated opening at least until coming into contact with the separation support surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to an evisceration tool, designed and configured for removing internal organs and in particular an intestine pack from the body of slaughtered poultry, comprising a spoon-shaped basic body, wherein the basic body has a spoon base (12) and a spoon edge which extends around at least part of the spoon base to form a spoon bowl, which is distinguished in that the basic body is made at least partly of a resilient material, wherein the resilient material is on the one hand flexible enough to adapt to a contour of the body during removal of the internal organs and on the other hand stiff enough to remove the internal organs from the body.

Abstract: Wing cutting apparatus for processing poultry carcasses includes a conveying device configured to convey a poultry carcass along a conveying line in transport direction. First and second separating devices are configured to separate wings or wing parts in pairs from one each of the poultry carcasses. The second separating device is offset from said first separating device. A plurality of concurrent pushing elements are configured to run along in the transport direction. At least one of the pushing elements is arranged to be in association with a carrier element and is configured to come into engagement with the wing or wing parts.

Abstract: An unloading system for unloading at least one transport unit having at least one rack and at least one transport crate mounted for receiving poultry. The rack includes a transport restraint for each transport crate, which include a bottom and side walls. A cover arranged at a distance from the upper edge of the side wails. The system includes an unloading station for at least one transport unit, a pushing device for ejecting transport crates in an ejection position, and a receiving device for receiving and conveying ejected transport crates. In the ejection position, position of transport crate to the cover is vertically controllable during the entire ejection operation so a maximum distance between the upper edge of trailing side walls of the transport crates in the pushing direction and the cover are maintainable depending on the position of the transport crate within the rack during the ejection operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for arranging a bird having a body and two legs in a position for being suspended from a shackle. The method comprises the following sequence of steps: I) placing the body of the bird on a support surface with the breast side facing the support surface, II) inserting at least one spreading member between the legs of the bird, so that the breast side of at least one leg comes to rest on a contact surface of the spreading member, and III) forcing the legs away from each other using the spreading mechanism, so that the distance between the hock joints becomes bigger than the distance between the hip joints.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus, designed and configured for stunning live poultry animals which are intended for slaughter and are located in containers, by means of a gas mixture comprising a stunning gas, which apparatus comprises a stunning chamber having at least two stunning zones, an introduction station, arranged on the inlet side of the stunning chamber, for the or each container containing live poultry animals and a discharge station, arranged on the outlet side of the stunning chamber, for the or each container containing stunned poultry animals, at least one transport conveyor for transporting the or each container in the transport direction T through the stunning zones from the introduction station to the discharge station, as well as means for delivering the gas mixture into the stunning zones of the stunning chamber, which apparatus is characterized in that the means for delivering the gas mixture comprises at least one injection pipe which is designed and configured to be movable relativ

Abstract: A processing system for processing slaughtered and defeathered poultry bodies, comprising a plurality of processing devices which, for the processing-transport of the poultry bodies separately from a main conveyor device, is designed with a processing-holding means which is movable on a circular path. The processing system has transfer stations arranged in succession along a main conveyor line, in which the poultry bodies are transported in a suspended manner by carrier devices. Each processing device is assigned a transfer station which is formed by a transfer pair having two rotary transfer devices. The first rotary transfer device removes the poultry bodies from the carrier devices and transfers them to the processing-holding means of the processing device. The second rotary transfer device removes the processed poultry bodies from the processing-holding means of the processing device and transfers them to the carrier devices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wing cutting apparatus for processing poultry carcasses (10), comprising a conveying device (12) configured to convey the poultry carcasses (10) along a conveying line in a transport direction (11), and a first separating device (13) and a second separating device (14) which are designed for separating wings or wing parts (15) in pairs from one of the poultry carcasses (10), and is characterised in that the first separating device (13) and the second separating device (14) are arranged offset along the conveying line in the transport direction (11) in such a manner that the wings or wing parts (15) of a pair are each separated in succession. The present invention relates further to a corresponding method.

Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus, configured and adapted for scalding slaughtered poultry, comprising a linear scalding tank open at the top for receiving and holding a scalding medium, with at least one transport line for the poultry, wherein each transport line in its longitudinal extension borders a partition element extending over at least part of the length of the transport line, a transport means arranged above the scalding tank for transporting the poultry suspended by the feet along the transport line in the transport direction, a control and regulating unit for tempering the scalding medium, means for generating turbulence and/or flow in the scalding medium, and a filtering device for cleaning the scalding medium, which is distinguished in that each partition element comprises two partition walls spaced apart from each other and extending upward from the base wall of the scalding tank to form a channel open at the top and at the end sides, and inside the channel in the region of openings in each p

Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus configured and designed for automatic defeathering of slaughtered poultry, comprising a transport means configured and designed for freely hanging transport of poultry suspended from their feet, in the transport direction along a transport path, and two side cheeks spaced apart and arranged on opposite sides of the transport path and forming a channel, which on their insides facing each other and turned towards the transport path each have means for defeathering the poultry transported through the channel, wherein the defeathering means can be brought into contact with the poultry to be defeathered, which is distinguished in that the apparatus has a stationary means for active support of entry of the poultry between the two side cheeks and the defeathering means arranged thereon, which is arranged in the inlet region E of the poultry into the channel.

Abstract: A method for monitoring gas stunning of birds, where groups of birds are conveyed into and out of a stunning zone (1), and where the concentration of the stunning gas in the stunning zone is measured and adjusted for optimal stunning. The gas concentration is measured at a plurality of measuring positions in the stunning zone and a visual inspection of the birds is performed at two or more of the measuring positions using a visual inspection unit (76), such as a camera, which is moved into the stunning zone together with the group of birds. The groups of birds are advantageously kept in crates (3). The visual inspection unit may be part of a monitoring unit (71) further including a gas sensor (75), said monitoring unit being used for simultaneous measuring of the concentration of the stunning gas and inspection the birds at two or more monitoring positions.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus for positioning poultry legs which are conveyed suspended in a row has a bending device for bending and positioning the poultry legs, as well as a stationary holding and guiding device. The bending device forms a threading device for suspending the poultry leg in the region of the knee joint in a holding and guiding gap of the holding and guiding device. Co-running positioning elements are formed by driven pressing elements which grip the poultry leg from beneath on an axial side of the leg for bending and lifting. Each co-running positioning element forms with a stationary positioning element a functional pair of positioning elements. One of the two positioning elements engages in the hollow of the knee of the poultry leg, while the other positioning element is configured to rest against the thigh on the front side of the leg. Processing stations can be arranged along the holding and guiding gap.