Abstract: The invention relates to a device for processing poultry carcasses or parts thereof, comprising a conveyor having supports for retaining the carcasses or parts thereof, which conveyor is provided with means for leading the supports in a supply direction past at least one processing installation. The device further comprises a skinner for skinning the carcasses or parts thereof, which skinner is provided with skin gripping means for gripping the skin and means for moving the skin gripping means relatively with respect to the carcass and substantially perpendicular to the supply direction during skinning.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for processing poultry carcasses or parts thereof, comprising a conveyor having supports for retaining the carcasses or parts thereof, which conveyor is provided with means for leading the supports in a supply direction past at least one processing installation. The device further comprises a skinner for skinning the carcasses or parts thereof, which skinner is provided with skin gripping means for gripping the skin and means for moving the skin gripping means relatively with respect to the carcass and substantially perpendicular to the supply direction during skinning.

Abstract: Device for hanging conveyance of poultry, comprising a hanger, which is possibly provided with means for attachment to an overhead conveyor, in which the hanger is provided with at least one accommodation space for a leg of the poultry, which accommodation space is provided with an access opening for entrance and exit of leg, in which the hanger is provided with means for closing off the access opening, which closing means are moveable between a closed position which closes off the access opening and an open position releasing the access opening, and with means for locking the closing means in the closed position.

Abstract: Device for removing at least the crop of slaughtered poultry, comprising means for holding a carcass of the poultry, a crop probe assembly with a crop probe holder and an elongated crop probe, which is provided with crop engaging means in an end portion, such as a number of teeth/sprockets, means for moving the crop probe up and down between a non-active position to one or more active positions, means for turning the crop probe about its longitudinal axis, in which the crop probe is provided with a nose on the outer end of the end portion, and in which on the side of the holder means facing away from the crop probe the device is provided with a neck breaker with neck breaking means and with means for activating the neck breaker and with means for moving the neck breaker toward the carcass and away from it, said means for moving the crop probe, the activating means and the means for moving the neck breaker being geared to one another such that during activation of the neck breaker the nose of the crop probe is

Abstract: Device for removing at least the crop of slaughtered poultry, comprising means for holding a carcass of the poultry, a crop probe assembly with a crop probe holder and an elongated crop probe, which is provided with crop engaging means in an end portion, such as a number of teeth/sprockets, means for moving the crop probe up and down between a non-active position to one or more active positions, means for turning the crop probe about its longitudinal axis, in which the crop probe is provided with a nose on the outer end of the end portion, and in which on the side of the holder means facing away from the crop probe the device is provided with a neck breaker with neck breaking means and with means for activating the neck breaker and with means for moving the neck breaker toward the carcass and away from it, said means for moving the crop probe, the activating means and the means for moving the neck breaker being geared to one another such that during activation of the neck breaker the nose of the crop probe is

Abstract: A wing remover (10) for removing the wings from birds as the birds are conveyed along an overhead conveyor line (13) includes wing guides (66 and 67) that engage the birds and cause the shoulder joints between the wings and shoulders of the birds to be opened as the birds are moved towards a cutting station (29). As the birds enter the cutting station (29), they are engaged by a set of first cutting blades (80 and 81) that cut into the shoulder joints of the birds to initiate the separation of the wings therefrom. As the birds are carried further forwardly through the wing remover (10), the wings are urged rearwardly and downwardly as the shoulder joints are carried into engagement with and cut by second cutting blades (95 and 96) to complete the separation of the wings from the birds.

Abstract: Previously eviscerated poultry carcasses are moved in series along a conveyor (26), mounted upon a series of mandrels (33). As the poultry carcasses are moved along their processing path and are mounted on their mandrels (33), the carcasses are automatically engaged by a clamp tool (77) that clamps the poultry carcasses against their mandrels (33) in tight locking engagement to hold the poultry carcasses on their mandrels (33). A series of processing stations (42-50) engage and remove the wings, skin and progressively separate the meat from the skeletal structures of the poultry carcasses as said poultry carcasses are moved along their processing path (27) by the conveyor (26).

Abstract: Device for removing the viscera from the carcass of a slaughtered bird, comprising means for holding the carcass with its vent upward, means for gripping the gullet, said gripping means comprising at least two jaw members which are movable towards each other to fixedly and positively clamp the gullet between them, means for engaging under the viscera and means for moving the gripping means and the engaging means downward inside the carcass to the area of the gullet and operating means to move them subsequently in an active position upwards to eviscerate the viscera, wherein the gripping means and the engaging means are formed by one and the same scoop member which is hingedly connected to the lower end of a carrier bar means, wherein the gripping means and the scoop means are arranged for being simultaneously moved between a non-active position and an active position and vice versa.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing the wings of birds as the birds are conveyed along a poultry processing line suspended by their legs. As the birds are carried through the wing remover (10), the wings on one side of the birds are engaged by a first wing guide means (40), which tends to spread the wings. This spreading of the wings dislocates the joints between the wings and shoulders of the birds and pulls a desired quantity of meat from the breasts. The birds are thereafter engaged by a first cutting means (56), which separates the wings and the portions of breast meat from the birds. At the same time, the wings on the opposite sides of the birds are engaged by a second wing guide means (41), which tends to spread the wings, dislocating the shoulder joints between the wings and shoulders of the bird and pulling a desired quantity of meat from the breasts. The dislocated shoulder joints are thereafter engaged by a second cutting means (81), which separates the wings and pulled breast meat from the birds.

Abstract: A grading shackle (10) for suspending birds from the overhead conveyor system of an automated poultry processing plant. The grading shackle (10) has a tiltable support frame (15) and a bird support bracket (20) pivotally attached to the support frame (15). The tiltable support frame (15) has a pair of wheels (40) which carry the support frame along the rails (102) of an automated weigh scale along the poultry processing line, and an elongated pin (52) to which bird support bracket (20) is pivotally attached.

Abstract: Poultry carcasses (10) are carried in series by an overhead conveyor system along an internal guide rail (33), with protrusions of the vertebrae received in the downwardly facing slot (37). The thighs (12) spread apart by a pair of joint opening guide rods (43 and 44) to open the thigh joints and joint separating wheels (51, 52) engage the knuckles of each thighbone and urge the knuckles upwardly and out of mating engagement with the backbone (10) to thereby separate the thigh joints.

Abstract: The deboner (30) carries a plurality of deboning modules (31) in a closed path through a series of processing stations. Each module includes a rotary bone holder (50) which supports one end of a poultry part (106) and a stripper assembly (51) that is moved toward and away from the bone holder. Stripper blades (65, 66) engage the poultry part (106) as the stripper assembly is moved away from the bone holder to strip the meat (107) from the bone (105). As the blades (65, 66) strip the meat from the bone, the rotary bone holder is rotated by its sprocket (83) engaging sprocket turning protrusions (93).

Abstract: The deboner (30) carries a plurality of deboning modules (31) in a closed path through a series of processing stations. Each module includes a rotary bone holder (50) which supports one end of a poultry part (106) and a stripper assembly (51) that is moved toward and away from the bone holder. Stripper blades (65, 66) engage the poultry part (106) as the stripper assembly is moved away from the bone holder to strip the meat (107) from the bone (105). As the blades (65, 66) strip the meat from the bone, the rotary bone holder is rotated by its sprocket (83) engaging sprocket turning protrusions (93).

Abstract: The deboner (10, 110) carries a plurality of modules (11, 111) in a closed path through a series of processing stations. Each module includes a rotary bone holder (30, 130) that supports one end of a poultry bone (85) and a stripper assembly (31, 131) that is moved toward and away from the bone holder. The stripper blades (55, 56, and 155, 156) engage the poultry part (86) as the stripper assembly is moved away from the bone holder to strip the meat (87) from the bone (85). As the blades (55, 56 and 155, 156) strip the meat from the bone, the rotary bone holder is rotated by its sprocket (36, 136) engaging the sprocket turning protrusions (45, 145).

Abstract: As turret 12 rotates on vertical axle 20, probe assemblies 14 are raised and lowered by cam track 29. Drive belt 76 engages the drive sheave 42 of the probes as the probes pass around the back of the machine, causing the probes to rotate about their longitudinal axes 46. Ring cam 48 urges cam sheaves 58 radially outwardly into engagement with the belt 76 to disengage the belt from the probe drive sheaves 42, so that the probes 34 rotate only during part of their revolution about the turret 12. Probe head 35 includes a stem 88 of parallelopiped cross section, with helical teeth 90 and 91 which extend at a radius from the acute angle into overlying relationship with respect to the obtuse angle of the stem.

Abstract: Birds 24 are placed on bird support mandrels 22 and their wings are spread into the recesses 68 at the peripheral portion of the rotary carrier wheel 11. As the wheel 11 rotates, the wings are severed from the carcasses by the wing cutters 12 and 13, the carcasses transferred to the carcass carrier 14, where the breasts are split longitudinally by the breast cutter 42 and the backbones of the carcasses are cut out by the backbone cutters 49 and 50. In the meantime, the previously cut-away wings continue to move with the rotary carrier wheel 11 where they are guided and cut apart at their joints by blade members 90-92.

Abstract: Previously eviscerated poultry carcasses with wings and saddle removed are moved on a series of carcass carriers (20) along a processing path with protrusions (32, 33) extending into the wing sockets of the carcass to hold the carcass on the carrier. A series of meat removing implements (46, 47, 60, 61, 62, 96, 116, 118 and 119) separate the meat from the skeletal structures of the carcass as the carcasses are moved along the processing path.