Abstract: Unit for sorting parts moving along a conveyor belt comprising a transfer device (3) which comprises a roller (31) which is rotatably movable above the belt and a plurality of gripping tools (32) at the periphery of the roller which are each capable of selectively removing a part from the belt when the tools are brought into a removal position, each tool comprising a suction cup (321) attached to a tubular support sleeve (322) which is capable of creating a connection between the suction cup and an internal chamber (312) of the roller, said connection being kept at a negative pressure relative to the surrounding air, all of the suction cups which are brought into the removal position being depressurized, each sleeve being mounted so as to be translatably movable along the axis thereof through a wall (311) of the roller, an actuator (34) being designed to selectively control, in the removal position, the movement of the sleeve so that the suction cup engages with the part to be removed.

Abstract: An egg candling method for determining a state of eggs between the 13th and the 17th day of incubation, particularly for identifying with certainty the living or dead state of that egg. The egg is illuminated with a green or blue light to visually show on the shell a shadow of the blood network supplying the embryo of the egg if it is present in the egg. At least one image of the egg is acquired then processed in order to determine a vitality level of the egg, based on the presence or not of this blood network and the size of the veins of said blood network. The method also determines the presence or absence of air cell in the upper portion of the egg and to thus define the inverted or uninverted position of the egg. Finally, the method also makes it possible to detect lesions on an egg shell and particularly cracked shells.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automated method for positioning eggs on a tray that comprises the automated detection of the presence/absence of eggs in the cells of a tray, and the picking-up of eggs from a supply and the placement thereof in the empty cells of a tray. The invention also relates to a system or positioning eggs on a stabilizing tray, the tray including evenly distributed cells in which the eggs are placed, one or more cells being likely not to contain eggs, this information being stored in an information processing unit, wherein said system includes a means in the form of a robot having an egg pick-up head that are driven by the information processing unit in order to pick up eggs from a supply tray and to place them in the empty cells of the stabilizing tray.

Abstract: A distribution system for distributing dosed amounts of a treatment substance to a plurality of injectors of an egg injection device, and to an injection device equipped with such a distribution system. The distribution system comprises at least one syringe pump comprising an actuator for actuating the piston of a syringe, a discharge tube connected to the outlet orifice of the syringe, feed tubes connected in parallel to the discharge tube via a valve system, each feed tube being intended to be connected to an injector, and a controller capable of controlling the actuator and the valve system for distributing dosed amount of substance contained in the chamber through the feed tubes, to injectors.

Abstract: A distribution system for distributing dosed amounts of a treatment substance to a plurality of injectors of an egg injection device, and to an injection device equipped with such a distribution system. The distribution system comprises at least one syringe pump comprising an actuator for actuating the piston of a syringe, a discharge tube connected to the outlet orifice of the syringe, feed tubes connected in parallel to the discharge tube via a valve system, each feed tube being intended to be connected to an injector, and a controller capable of controlling the actuator and the valve system for distributing dosed amount of substance contained in the chamber through the feed tubes, to injectors.

Abstract: An injection method for injecting a substance into eggs, and an injection head for implementing said method. The method generally includes piercing the shell and at least the shell membrane of an egg by moving a needle, and then injecting the treatment substance via said needle, said piercing step comprising a first movement of the needle to pierce the shell with a first penetration force and then a second movement of the needle to pierce at least the shell membrane with a second penetration force lower than the first penetration force.

Abstract: A living animals conveying device for sorting animals with respect to a characteristic such as color, size, gender, or weight. In the case of chicks, an embodiment of the invention includes a section for conveying chicks with chicks positioned in buckets with their wings spread out, and an automatic chicks sexing system. A first endless bucket conveyor comprising pre-positioning buckets able to individually receive and transport a living animal, is oriented with respect to a second endless bucket conveyor, comprising sorting buckets able to individually receive and transport a living animal, the first conveyor and the second conveyor being arranged in such a way that each pre-positioned living animal in a pre-positioning bucket falls from the pre-positioning bucket into a sorting bucket arranged below the pre-positioning bucket.