Abstract: A continuously moving load is conveyed through a plurality of weighing load cell assemblies during a weighing operation to obtain a predetermined number of repetitive weight measurements fed to a data processor for providing an error corrected readout. Individual weight measurements are monitored to identify load cell assemblies from which erroneous readings are derived and to remove such erroneous readings from the data processing operation.

Abstract: A poultry load is pivotally suspended by a hook from a carrier body in a travel position without latching and is displaced to a load releasing position by a signal operated mechanism during travel of the carrier body along a conveyor path. A stop bar engages the load during displacement of the hook to the releasing position for load drop purposes.

Abstract: Poultry necks severed from poultry bodies during production line processing are gravitationally conveyed across a load platform of a weighing device to detect and direct heavier necks along a separate path for subsequent reassembly with poultry bodies. The load platform in its unloaded position is coplanar with an inclined slide surface onto which the severed necks are dropped from the neck cutter. A weight limit above which the heavier necks are detected is established to control the proportion of heavier necks selected for reassembly.

Abstract: Poultry dropped from a moving conveyor impacts on a slide surface and is aligned by positioners with a path of entry into bags established by a nozzle assembly that expands each bag in advance of bird entry. A ram packs each bird fully into the bag after alignment thereof followed by detachment of the bag and drop onto a receiving surface.

Abstract: Poultry carriers connected to a common overhead conveyor, travel along a pair of load supporting tracks through a weighing station. The tracks are laterally spaced from each other below the conveyor to reduce spacing between adjacent carriers in the direction of conveyor travel. Each carrier is supported on a track by a roller assembly having a single roller shaft from which the carrier is pivotally suspended by a side suspension arm rigidly connected to one axial end of the roller shaft.

Abstract: Poultry releasably suspended from a conveyor is distributed amongst a plurality of stations along a travel path of the conveyor from which the poultry is released. Release under control of sensors from the conveyor is effected only at those stations at which product bagging apparatus are inactive. Lock-out devices at each station prevent release while the bagging apparatus is in operation for a period of predetermined duration.

Abstract: Poutlry dropped from a moving conveyor is loaded into bags through a nozzle assembly that expands each bag in advance of bird entry by means of a two-stage motion. A ram packs each bird fully into the bag during the second stage of nozzle operation followed by detachment of the bag and drop onto a receiving surface.

Abstract: Fresh processed poultry suspended by double leg hooks from conveyor mounted carriers are dropped onto an inclined guide surface of a bagging device having a stack of flexible film bags positioned to receive the dropped birds. Each bird is suspended from its carrier by a hook that pivots downwardly when released, resulting in free fall to an angular impact position substantially matching the incline of the guide surface along which the bird descends into an opened bag.

Abstract: Double leg suspended poultry dropped from a moving conveyor and guided into bags by a nozzle assembly that effects limited expansion of each bag in advance of entry of each bird into the bag. A ram packs each bird fully into the bag after partial entry resulting in tight fit packaging upon withdrawal of the ram and nozzle assembly from the bag as it is detached and dropped onto a receiving surface.

Abstract: The loads suspended from poultry carriers are weighed at a monitoring station as the carriers travel along a fixed track. The carriers loaded above a predetermined amount are transferred to a lower level by retraction of a section of the track downstream of the weighing platform. A selectively retractable ejector bar engages a latch arm projecting from each carrier, during descent to the lower level for release of the load suspended on the carrier. Descent of the carrier to the lower level is retarded by a pivoted ramp which also produces a signal to register transfer of a carrier from the fixed track to the lower level.

Abstract: Sensors associated with a pair of weighing devices of a weight sorting system are operative through a logic circuit to effect release of loads from conveyor carriers. Lockout and reset actions produced internally of the logic circuit distinguish between sequential signals produced by the sensors and a single signal produced by one of the sensors during any monitoring cycle, to effect release of the loads between upper and lower weight limits, respectively, established by said weighing devices.

Abstract: Poultry carriers release birds at a plurality of work stations to which they are conveyed, under control of weight sensing devices and resettable counters. The birds reaching each group of work stations are limited to a common weight range by weight sorting mechanism to activate the counters through associated weight sensing devices. The counters are arranged to trigger carrier release devices at each work station in response to the counting of different preset numbers of birds within the common weight range so as to obtain equal distribution of the birds released at each of the work stations.