Abstract: A shackle assembly (10) transports poultry carcasses along a poultry processing line. Turning block (50) turns the stirrups (18) of the shackle in response to engagement with turning pins (75) that are located along the processing path, so as to properly orient the bird carried by the shackle to the next cutting station. One of the side wings (66) of the turning block (50) is relieved such that its turning slots will not engage the turning pin, thereby avoiding the turning of the stirrups. This assures that the stirrups, and therefore the bird carried by the stirrups, are properly oriented for the next cutting station.

Abstract: The rotary bird hanger 30 includes a turning gear 38 having on its upper surface a lock collar 42, with lock notches 50 formed at intervals about the lock collar 42. The non-rotatable hanger support 32 includes a cam lock 62 movably supported by the hanger support 32 and a lock pin 82 engagable with the lock notches 50 of the hanger turning gear 38. Cams 78 are positioned along the processing path for engaging the cam lock 62 and for releasing the lock pin 82 from a lock notch 50, thereby permitting the rotary bird hanger 30 to rotate with respect to the hanger support 32 such that the lock pin 82 can engage others of the lock notches 50 to secure the rotational movement of the hanger 30 until the cam lock 62 engages additional cams 78 along the processing path.

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: Poultry drumsticks (13) are placed on carrier trays (22) of a tray conveyor (14) and move on an endless loop conveyor first through a rectilinear loading run (24), then through a precutting run, then a curved deboning run (26), and then through a lower return run (25). The pre-cutting run involves pre-cutting separate drumsticks of poultry, especially turkeys, with a pre-cutting device 110 in preparation of its deboning, comprising means to transversely cut the muscular tissue, especially tendons, at or near their connection to the drumstick bone. The curved deboning run extends about the deboning unit (35), which includes a stationary cam drum (36) and a revolving carrier assembly (38) that carries the series of deboning modules (55) about the drum (36). Each deboning module becomes aligned with a carrier tray and is actuated by the cam tracks (81) of the stationary cam drum (36) so as to engage and push the bone of the poultry drumstick through the aperture (63) of a stripper disk (61).

Abstract: Poultry parts which have elongated bones, such as poultry thighs (10), legs (40), or segments of wings (not shown) are moved with respect to a stripper element, such as an apertured disk (24 or 54) or stripper blades (79 and 80), so as to partially strip the meat (12, 42) from the bone (11, 41). The partially deboned product is formed with the meat accumulated at one end of the bone, with the stripped portion of the bone being substantially free of meat. The product is cooked and the cooked meat remains at one end of the product, leaving the substantially bare bone available for grasping by the fingers of the human hand, so that the product becomes finger food that is substantially free of grease, etc.

Abstract: The poultry cut-up apparatus receives vertically halved poultry carcasses in an inverted attitude transported along an overhead conveyor. Vertically spaced, horizontally oriented pairs of circular cutting blades (21, 22) cut the carcasses into segments as the carcasses are maintained in desired attitudes by flight blocks (17) that move in unison with the shackles of the conveyor, with the cutting blades extending into aligned grooves (48) of a flight block to reach and cut the poultry carcasses into segments, as guide bars (19 and 20) are received in similar grooves of the flight block to hold the carcasses in the proper location for cutting.

Abstract: The poultry shackle assembly (10) includes an upper hanger rod (11) and a lower carcass hanger (12). The legs (44 and 45) of a poultry carcass (46) are inserted into the leg recesses (42 and 43) of the carcass hanger. Guide rods (66, 67 and 68) tilt the carcass hanger (12) and the carcass (46) to an attitude suitable for visual inspection of the visceral cavity (49) of the carcass (46). Lock collar (48) moves downwardly along the hanger rod (11) until it is received in the lock recesses (58) of the clevis plates (34 and 35) of clevis (32), thereby holding the carcass (46) in the desired attitude for visual inspection. Later, the lock collar (48) is lifted by a guide rod (67) out of locking engagement with respect to the clevis (32), to permit the carcass (46) to reassume its vertical orientation for further advancement along the processing line.

Abstract: Deboning device for partially deboning meat surrounding a bone, which deboning device is provided with means for holding partially to be deboned meat, a diaphragm and a pin with a cam, in which the diaphragm and the pin with the cam are placed on either side of the means for holding partially to be deboned meat, and means for moving the pin in a direction towards the diaphragm, so that a bone of meat placed in the means for holding partially to be deboned meat can be pushed by the pin through the diaphragm, in which the deboning device is further provided with a stop for the pin, which stop is placed at a side of the diaphragm which is directed to the means for holding partially to be deboned meat and which stop limits the moving of the pin in the direction of the diaphragm so that a bone of meat placed in the means for holding partially to be deboned meat can only be partially pushed through the diaphragm by the pin and in which the deboning device is further provided with a push-back pin placed on a side of

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: Poultry thighs (13) are placed on carrier trays (22) of a tray conveyor (14) and move on an endless loop conveyor first through a rectilinear loading run (24), then through a curved deboning run (26), and then through a lower return run (25). The curved deboning run extends about the deboning unit (35), which includes a stationary cam drum (36) and a revolving carrier assembly (38) that carries the series of deboning modules (55) about the drum (36). Each deboning module becomes aligned with a carrier tray and is actuated by the cam tracks (81) of the stationary cam drum (36) so as to engage and push the bone of the turkey thigh through the aperture (63) of a stripper disk (61).

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: An apparatus for transferring birds from the evicerator line (11) to the cooling line (12) of a poultry processing plant, the apparatus comprising a bird removal assembly 29 having a plurality of cam operated modules (35) for lifting the birds from their shackles (18) as the modules are rotated in unison with the shackles carried by the evicerator line. The cam operated modules include a bird lifting plate (91) that is moved vertically to lift a bird from its shackle and is rotated downwardly into a horizontal position, whereat the hocks of the bird are guided from the bird lifting plate to an intermediate transfer wheel (31). The intermediate transfer wheel carries the birds over to the cooling line, whereat the hocks of the birds are then guiding into the cooling line shackles (53).

Abstract: A keel bone aligning apparatus (70) aligns the keel bone (78) of a carcass (10) with a rotary halving blade (61) so that the keel bone (78) is centrally cut with precision as the carcass (10) is carried along a processing path (12) and suspended by its legs (13) via a conveyor (11). As the carcass approaches the keel bone aligning apparatus (70), the visceral cavity (22) is introduced onto an internal guide rail (33). The keel bone aligning apparatus (70) has an angled guide plate (75) and a rollers (76a, 76b). The angled guide plate (75) initially engages and guides a portion of the carcass in the area of the keel bone. The rollers (76a, 76b) subsequently engage and guide the carcass portion during the cutting of the keel bone (78) by the rotary, halving blade (61).

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for separating the back from the legs of a poultry carcass as the carcass is conveyed on overhead shackles along a processing path and after the entrails and breast of the carcass have been removed. The apparatus includes a cutting station for cutting through the tissue and muscle in the region of the thigh joint of the poultry carcass and a separating station having a spiked rotating disk for gripping the carcass back portion and pulling it away from the legs to separate the legs from the back. Disposed between the cutting station and the separating station is means for rotating carcass backs about an axis extending between the thigh joints of the carcass to dislodge the balls of the thigh joints from the sockets thereof. With the tissue cut and the balls and sockets dislodged, the back is separated cleanly from the legs and the oysters of the thigh joints are left always on the end of the leg bones to prevent unsightly discoloration and escape of bone marrow.

Abstract: Birds are conveyed in an inverted attitude suspended by their legs form shackles as their torsos move between a pair of guide rods (48) and guide rails (58) prior to reaching a pair of rotary cutting blades (41). A ramp (62) is positioned to engage the shoulder portions of the birds and a second pair of guide rods (66) engage the mid-wing sections of the birds. The wind tip joints move toward and through adjacently placed rotary cutting blades (41) and rotary discs (44) wherein the wing tip segments are severed from the mid-wing sections.

Abstract: A poultry wing tip processing apparatus (9) wherein the mid-wing segments are severed from the drumette segments of the wings of poultry carcasses, or other similar fowl. The carcasses are conveyed in an inverted attitude suspended by their legs from shackles as their torsos move between a pair of guide rods (44) and guide rails (56) prior to reaching a pair of rotary disc cutters (34). A ramp (66) is positioned to engage the shoulder portions of the carcasses and a second pair of guide rods (71) engage the mid-wing segments of the carcasses. The elbow joints between the drumette segments and the mid-wing segments move toward and through the rotary disc cutters (34) as a pair of elbow joints engaging means (40) engage the elbow joints and guide them through the disc cutters (34), wherein the mid-wing segments are severed from the drumette segments.

Abstract: Parts of animals and edible fowl, such as poultry thighs (26) are deboned by loading the parts onto a series of carrier trays (55), with the thigh bones (27) extending transversely to the direction of movement of the carrier trays (55) along a processing path (43). Compound pusher assemblies (52) each engage one end of the thigh bones (27) and urge the thigh bones (27) longitudinally through apertures (64) formed in stripper discs (63) positioned adjacent the rear edges (57) of the carrier trays (55). As the thigh bones (27) pass through the apertures (64), the thigh bones (27) are engaged by stripper edges (66), which scrape the thigh meat (31) from the thigh bones (27) as the thigh bones (27) are progressively urged through the apertures (64) of the stripper discs (63).

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for automatically separating the breast from the neck, shoulders, back and saddle of birds while the birds are moving along as overhead conveyor line (12). A mandrel (61) is inserted into the visceral cavity of each bird to rigidly support each bird, and causes the breast of each bird to protrude outwardly. An auger (73) is mounted adjacent the rear surface (62) of the mandrel (61) and engages the visceral cavity of each bird as the mandrel (61) is inserted into the visceral cavity of each bird. A tiltable holding plate (76) is pivoted upwardly as the mandrel (61) and auger (73) are fully inserted into each bird, and engages the neck of each bird in a clamping relationship with the mandrel (61) to thereby hold each bird in place during cutting function.