Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a poultry defeathering apparatus, where a drive mechanism is used for rotating a plurality of picking heads of a picking bank and to such a picking bank. Each picking head is mounted at an outer side of a cover member on an axle projecting through an opening in the cover member and supported by a bearing. The drive mechanism is arranged on an inner side of the cover member opposite the picking heads. To protect the drive mechanism from deterioration, a gas or air is caused to flow along an inlet path on the inner side of the cover member and onwards to the drive mechanism. The gas or air has a lower relative humidity than the air surrounding the picking heads, when the apparatus is in operation, thus ventilating any moisture entering the picking bank away.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a poultry defeathering apparatus, where a drive mechanism is used for rotating a plurality of picking heads of a picking bank and to such a picking bank. Each picking head is mounted at an outer side of a cover member on an axle projecting through an opening in the cover member and supported by a bearing. The drive mechanism is arranged on an inner side of the cover member opposite the picking heads. To protect the drive mechanism from deterioration, a gas or air is caused to flow along an inlet path on the inner side of the cover member and onwards to the drive mechanism. The gas or air has a lower relative humidity than the air surrounding the picking heads, when the apparatus is in operation, thus ventilating any moisture entering the picking bank away.

Abstract: The invention relates to a poultry defeathering apparatus and to a picking row for use in such an apparatus. The picking row comprises an elongate support part with a front side surface, a back side surface, a two interconnecting side surfaces interconnecting the front and back side surfaces. Said side surfaces extends in parallel to a length axis of the support part and a plurality of picking heads are arranged on the front side surface. At least one of the interconnecting side surfaces is convex, preferably being curved with a radius of curvature corresponding to half the height of the support part. In the apparatus, two or more picking rows are arranged side-by-side with the picking heads facing in substantially the same direction such that interconnecting side surfaces of neighboring picking rows face each other. In such a pair of interconnecting surfaces, at least one of them is convex.

Abstract: The invention relates to a poultry defeathering apparatus and to a picking row for use in such an apparatus. The picking row comprises an elongate support part with a front side surface, a back side surface, a two interconnecting side surfaces interconnecting the front and back side surfaces. Said side surfaces extends in parallel to a length axis of the support part and a plurality of picking heads are arranged on the front side surface. At least one of the interconnecting side surfaces is convex, preferably being curved with a radius of curvature corresponding to half the height of the support part. In the apparatus, two or more picking rows are arranged side-by-side with the picking heads facing in substantially the same direction such that interconnecting side surfaces of neighbouring picking rows face each other. In such a pair of interconnecting surfaces, at least one of them is convex.