Abstract: A carrying hook for suspending poultry by the legs and conveying it, having two channels, each capable of receiving one leg. The channels are open at both ends. Optionally the channels are widened in the middle, and are provided with channel walls that can be separated by moving them against a spring force. In addition, the channels may mutually diverge toward their ends.

Abstract: An apparatus for gripping the feet of sitting or standing poultry. The apparatus comprising a first conveyor where the poultry sits or stands on the first conveyor and points its head in the same or opposite direction to the direction of travel of the first conveyor. A section of the first conveyor forms a tunnel floor. A tunnel ceiling is disposed above the first conveyor. The distance between the tunnel ceiling and the first conveyor initially decreases in the direction of travel of the first conveyor. A guide extends in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel ceiling and is located between the first conveyor and the tunnel ceiling. The distance between the tunnel ceiling and the first conveyor increases in the direction of travel of the first conveyor at a location proximate to the guide. A second conveyor is located in the direction of travel of the first conveyor substantially after the guide. The breast of the poultry rests on the second conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for suspending poultry by the feet from an overhead conveyor has pairs of cooperating strings for gripping the poultry by the feet in an upside-down hanging position. Check means are applied to check the position of the feet with respect to the strings in the hanging position of the poultry, and to provide a control signal that depends thereon.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing filleted flatfish comprises a conveyor means for the fillets and processing devices positioned beside the conveyor means. The processing devices preferably in the form of rotating brush means that move in a plane perpendicularly to the plane of transport of the fillets, remove the fat brims of the fillets.

Abstract: A method for removing the breast flesh from a poultry carcass is provided in which, prior to the removal of the breast flesh, the top of the clavicle of the carcass is removed. For carrying out this method an apparatus is provided, having carrying elements for each carcass, said carrying elements being movable along a conveyor track and means positioned next to said conveyor track for separating the breast flesh and the carcass wherein ahead of the separating means a processing device is provided for removing the top of the clavicle of the carcass. In a preferred embodiment said processing device comprises a cutting die that cooperates with a counter-knife.

Abstract: An apparatus for orienting eggs in an egg handling system comprises an endless roller chain for conveying the eggs to be oriented along a track defined between parallel longitudinally extending vertical guide plates arranged above the roller chain. At the downstream end of the roller chain an orienting member is suspended for free swinging movement about a horizontal axis extending downwardly to within the path of the advancing eggs.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the breast from the eviscerated carcass of a chicken or other bird having an abdominal opening and a neck opening cut therein. The apparatus has a conveyor for advancing the chicken carcasses hanging by the legs thereof in a position with the breast facing forwards and a trough-like guide channel member arranged below the conveyor for supporting and guiding the breast of the carcasses in a substantially horizontal position. A mandrel extends above the guide channel member extending, on the one hand, past the rear end thereof and having, on the other hand, a forward end portion freely extending in the direction facing the advancing carcasses whereby this forward mandrel end is adapted to enter the body cavity of each carcass through the abdominal opening and to leave this cavity through the neck opening of the carcass.

Abstract: The apparatus for cutting-off a part from slaughtered poultry comprising a suspension conveyor with hooks from which the poultry is suspendable with its ankle-joints, further comprising a cutting device for cutting-off said poultry part according to the invention is characterized by at least one positioning and tensioning assembly synchronously movable with the suspension conveyor for positioning and tensioning the poultry in relation to the cutting device, wherein this positioning and tensioning assembly is provided with a spine adapted to engage the backbone of the poultry, said spine or elongated member being displaceable relative to the suspension conveyor and being capable of being inserted from above into the abdominal cavity of the poultry, said assembly further being provided with a tensioning bracket adapted to engage the sternum of the poultry, said bracket being displaceable relative to the suspension conveyor and being capable of being inserted from above into the abdominal cavity of the poultry a

Abstract: A machine for packaging eggs of the type having an egg orienting and aligning device for arranging the eggs, supplied at random by a conveyor, in successive cross rows of a predetermined number, an orienting device for orienting the eggs in each cross row with their blunt ends directed in the direction of forward movement with the longitudinal axes of the eggs equally spaced in each row at a first distance, and a transfer device for transferring the successive cross rows of the eggs so oriented to successive corresponding cross rows of the egg holding recesses of egg trays or the like, the centers of these recesses being spaced at a second smaller lateral distance.

Abstract: A gizzard processing apparatus comprising a feed section with means for detaching and removing the entrails attached to the gizzards, and a conveying section for advancing the gizzards from the feed section to a peeling section in which the lining is removed from the gizzards. The conveying section includes a rotating knife for cutting open the gizzards longitudinally thereof, spreading members for spreading apart the two halves of the cut-open gizzards and rotating brushes for cleaning the inside of the gizzards. A gizzard guide plate extends from the detaching means of the feed section to the cutting knife at the level of the horizontal path of travel of the gizzards through the feed section and a pair of conveying shafts with helical ribs longitudinal extend above the guide plate to engage the gizzards at the upper side thereof and to advance the same whereby the gizzards are moved through the apparatus along a continuous straight path.

Abstract: An apparatus for packing fowl in plastic bags. The machine has a magazine holding a stack of plastic bags, a funnel and a plunger for pushing a bird through the funnel into the top most bag in the magazine, which has been blown open and mechanically put onto the narrow end of the funnel. The machine further comprises a clamp for holding the bagged bird, pincers for grabbing and holding the open end of the bag and a slotted counter pressure plate for sliding over the end of the bag between the clamp and the pincers. After bagging the bird the pincers pull the bag tight over the bird, which is held back by the plate, after which the clamp and the plate together make an adjustable number of revolutions relative to the pincers to twist the bag. Finally the clamp, the plate and the pincers are moved together to a tieing unit which automatically ties the bag with tape or a metal clip.

Abstract: A revolving apparatus for automatically transversely cutting open fowl hanging by the ankle joints from an overhead conveyor, having a stationary cutting knife and a number of stretching members regularly spaced about the circumference of the apparatus. The stretching members work in succession as they revolve about the central shaft of the apparatus moving along with the conveyor. Each stretching member is vertically movable down towards a fowl carried by the conveyor and away again from the fowl. During the downward movement of a stretching member the same is inserted into an opening in the fowl previously made by cutting out its vent, whereafter the stretching member is moved radially outwardly to stretch the abdominal skin of the fowl from the inside radially outwardly towards the stationary knife which cuts the skin as the fowl passes the knife.

Abstract: A rotating apparatus for separating the neck of a headless fowl hanging by the ankle joints from a hook of an overhead conveyor, the apparatus having a fork-shaped clamping member for receiving the neck of the fowl and co-operating with a pivoting pressure arm adapted to be moved into the fork opening of the clamping member to pinch off the fowl'neck. A further fork member is provided above the clamping member and adapted to support the fowl by its shoulders.

Abstract: The apparatus for removing the cut off feet of a fowl from an overhead conveyor shackle is mounted in a 180.degree. curve of the overhead conveyor and has a clamping wheel driven by the conveyor and cooperating with a stationary clamping bar for holding the shackle against any movement relative to the conveyor. The apparatus further has a plurality of unloading members, each supported by a slide block slidably mounted on vertical guides revolving with the clamping wheel. As a slide block is moved upwards the unloading member vertically wipes along the shackle held by the clamping wheel and the clamping bar, thereby tilting the feet out of the shackle.

Abstract: An apparatus for breaking the neck and making a transverse incision in the skin of the neck of a fowl, which is hanging by the legs from a shackle of an overhead conveyor. The apparatus has a plurality of working units diposed for rotation about a vertical central shaft in synchronization with the overhead conveyor. Each working unit has a slide block slidably mounted on a pair of vertical slide bars. The slide block supports an axially movable rod extending radially outwards from the slide block and is provided with a transversely extending blade for catching the neck of a passing fowl and pulling the neck against the slide block, thereby breaking the neck and making the incision in the skin thereof.

Abstract: Apparatus for weighing fowl hanging from shackles of a continuously moving overhead conveyor, having a plurality of balance arms extending radially outwards from the vertical central axis of the apparatus and being pivotably supported by slide blocks mounted on vertical guide bars rotating about the central axis and driven by the overhead conveyor. The outer ends of the balance arms are adapted, while moving along with the conveyor at the same speed, to catch and lift the shackles so that they are no longer connected with the conveyor, by moving the slide blocks upwards, and the inner ends of the balance arms are adapted to come to bear on a load cell located in the central axis when released by a locking member.

Abstract: An apparatus for splitting, cleaning and skinning poultry gizzards having a transport chain which takes the gizzards past a rotating knife for cutting open the gizzards, a spreading bar for folding open the split gizzards and a rotating brush for removing the contents of the split and spread gizzards, to a set of peeling rolls for removing the lining from the split, spread and cleaned gizzards. The apparatus has two positioning rolls which bring the gizzards, which previously have been separated from the remaining entrails including the stomach, into the right position for receipt by the transport chain, and two pressure discs, rotating in synchronization with the transport chain about a horizontal shaft, which lift the split, spread and cleaned gizzards from the transport chain and press them briefly onto the peeling rolls.

Abstract: Automatic vent cutting machine for poultry, cooperating with an overhead conveyor carrying birds by the ankle joints, having at least one cutting unit moving along with the conveyor and reciprocatable towards and away from the bird, the cutting unit having a hollow cylindrical knife concentrically rotatable about a center pin, in which the knife is axially reciprocatable relative to the center pin, and in which the tip of the center pin to be inserted into the vent opening of the bird is provided with a tapering external helical flight and is rotatable in a direction opposite to the rotation of the knife, so that in operation first the tip of the slowly rotating center pin is inserted, after which the fastly rotating knife shoots out over the tip of the center pin and cuts out the vent, during which the friction between the rotating tip of the center pin and the vent prevents the vent from rotating with the knife, then the knife and the center pin are stopped and retracted from the bird, thereby pulling the c

Abstract: Aparatus for cutting out the vent of a fowl, having at least one cutting means with a hollow cylindrical knife rotating about a center pin, which is axially reciprocable and rotatable relative to the knife, and a helical hook concentrically mounted within the knife and rigidly coupled with the pin; the relative movement of the center pin and the knife being controlled in such manner, that the center pin is first inserted into the vent opening of the fowl and than rotated over a limited angle, so that the hook grips the vent in a corkscrew-like manner, after which the hook holding the vent and the knife are moved towards each other, so that the vent is cut out, and finally the knife and the pin are withdrawn and the cut out vent is released by rotating the hook in the opposite direction while restraining the vent.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating the gizzard from a package of interconnected entrails removed from a fowl, comprising a horizontal rotating transport drum with helical external ribs, cooperating with a stationary sloping support blade in moving the gizzard towards a cutting assembly attached to the frame, while supporting the gizzard on the support blade, whereas the remaining entrails connected to the gizzard dangle below the support blade. The cutting assembly comprises a rotating circular knife cooperating with a stationary counter knife having a groove, into which the cutting edge of the rotating knife extends, for separating the gizzard from the remaining entrails dangling therefrom. The rotating knife is resiliently urged towards the counter knife.