Abstract: An apparatus (10) and a method for stunning an animal, such as a chicken or other domesticated fowl, prior to performing one or more other processing operations on the animal, wherein the length of a path that the animal travels during exposure to the stunning force is variable. Varying the length of the path allows for compensating for variations in the speed with which the animal is moved along the path. By varying the length of the path in proportion to the variation in the speed, the time during which the animal is exposed to the stunning force can be maintained substantially constant, thereby avoiding the undesirable effects of over- and underexposure.

Abstract: A belt conveyor system (10) having a continuous, looping carrier belt (28) entrained around a belt plate (20) which is supported by a frame (12). The belt plate (20) is secured to the frame (12) by securement pins (26a) and pivot pins (26b). The carrier belt (28) is driven externally rather than internally and is tensioned with minimal obstruction to removing the belt (28), which thereby facilitates disassembly of the system (10), particularly frequent removal, cleaning, and replacement of the belt (28) as may be necessary or desirable in, for example, the food processing industry. More specifically, the drive mechanism (14) is located substantially completely outside of and adjacent to the internal area (41) defined by the looping belt (28), and the tensioning mechanism (22) is low profile presenting minimal to no obstruction when removing the belt (28) from the belt plate (20).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a weighing station that comprises a positioning apparatus, a drive mechanism, and a scale apparatus. In one embodiment, the positioning apparatus includes a plurality of partitions that define a plurality of product compartments. The positioning apparatus further includes a guide wall located beyond the exterior end of the partitions, with the guide wall defining a loading aperture where product may be loaded into the weighing station and a discharge aperture where product is weighed and then exits the station. The drive mechanism is coupled to the positioning apparatus and is operable to move the partitions and thereby move the product compartments so that the product compartments pass the guide wall apertures. The scale apparatus is positioned at the leading edge of the discharge aperture in the guide wall and is operable to weigh product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for determining an attribute of an article during the transfer of the article by an article-feeding machine during the transfer of the article from one location to another location.

Abstract: A picker apparatus for defeathering or plucking of poultry and other avian in a food processing facility includes a universal mount picker assembly including a belt drive system for driving a plurality of rotatable picker members with a drive motor disposed centrally in relation to the picker members, and a quick release positioning adjustment for the operating components of a picker apparatus.

Abstract: A tool, or probe, is provided for insertion into a avian or poultry carcass for removing the crop and/or windpipe and/or gullet and/or other undesired viscera from the neck of the bird carcass. The probe has helical threads protruding from a probe body. V-shaped voids are cut into the helical threads to provide teeth for removal of the crop and other inedible viscera from the carcass. A cam and method of manufacturing a cam for use in decropping machines and other food processing machinery is provided. The cam includes plastic guides that are pre-shaped in two dimensions and then wrapped about a three dimensional cam frame to provide a desired path for a cam follower.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for product separation and processing are provided where an apparatus for sorting and grouping objects includes: an attribute measurement device 20; a first conveyor 18 moving at a first rate of speed; a second conveyor 26 oriented perpendicularly to the first conveyor 18 and moving at a second rate of speed which is less than the first rate of speed; a position determination device 30; and a controller unit 22 that groups sets of objects 16 matching a target attribute based on attribute measurements and position information from a population of objects 28.