Abstract: A poultry-handling assembly (10) (FIG. 6) comprises two endless conveyors (12,13) arranged side-by-side and adapted to move poultry from a first location (15) to a second location (17). Access means at the first location allows birds to enter the assembly (10) one by one e.g. with one foot on one conveyor (12) and the other foot on the other conveyor (13). Conveyor guide means constrain the conveyors (12,13) to present an open-bottomed V-shaped trough configuration at the second location, where the legs of the birds will slip between the two conveyors (12,13) for engagement by a restraint device (19) and subsequent take-up by the shackles of a processing plant shackle line (20). In an alternative embodiment (FIG. 9), the conveyors (12,13) are replaced by two side-by-side conveyors 38,39 which grip the birds laterally.

Abstract: A poultry harvester has a pick-up head feeding birds from the front end of the harvester onto a conveyor belt. The pick-up head includes a three-rotor array with the poultry-handling elements on each rotor abutting and/or intermeshing with the elements of the other two rotors of the array. Stationary side walls flank both sides of the conveyor belt and barrier loops extend away from these sides wall to interdigitate with the guide elements of the rotors and embrace the cores of these rotors. This prevents birds from being pulled between the side walls and the adjacent rotors. A similar arrangement may also be used at the rear end of the harvester.

Abstract: A poultry-handling assembly is provided which includes a pair of rotors arranged side-by-side for rotation about a vertical or predominantly vertical axis. Each rotor includes a central core upon which are arranged groups of guide elements spaced apart around the central core. In operation, the guide elements of each group lie closely adjacent and/or abut and/or intermesh with the guide elements of the other rotor of the pair. In operation a drive elements contra-rotate the two rotors enabling them to gather or accept poultry into the assembly.

Abstract: A rotor assembly for use in a poultry harvester, comprising first and second rotors arranged side by side about a center line of the assembly for rotation about vertical or predominantly vertical axes, a third rotor equispaced from the first and second rotors in a direction along the center line of the assembly, and drive means for rotating the third rotor in a clockwise or anticlockwise sense, as desired, during operation of the assembly, the drives for the first and second rotors being derived from the motion of the third rotor and being operative to counter-rotate the first and second rotors in rotational senses which remain unaltered irrespective of the direction of rotation of the third rotor at any given moment, each rotor providing a continuous array of radially-extending guide elements closely adjacent and/or abutting and/or intermeshing with the guide elements of the other rotors.

Abstract: A broiler harvester 10 (FIG. 1a) comprises contra-rotating pick-up rotors 12, 13 and a third pick-up rotor 14 arranged in front of and co-operating with the other two rotors in a triangular formation. In operation the rotors 12, 13 discharge the broilers on to a conveyor belt 18 which in turn discharges them on to a turntable 32 where they remain until removed for packing into crates etc. The support frame 20 for belt 18 is able to scan back and forth around an arc to accelerate the harvesting operation, the front rotor 14 at all times being rotated in the direction of the scan.

Abstract: A poultry-harvester 10 (FIG. 1) for use in a poultry house comprises two contra-rotating rotors 12, 13 arranged side by side with the flexible fingers 20 of each rotor abutting and/or intermeshing with the fingers 20 of the other rotor. In operation, as the harvester is driven towards the birds to be harvested, the two rotors are rotated in opposite directions to one another so that the fingers 20 co-operate to carry birds between the two rotors and deposit them on the conveyor belt 45.