Abstract: An apparatus for removing from an overhead conveyor a fowl which is supported by ankle joints in the hooks at the lower end of a conveyor hanger. The fowl is carried along a stationary guide rail bearing against the fowl's legs while the conveyor hanger is held against movement relative to the path of this conveyor. The guide rail is shaped in such manner that the fowl is tilted away from the conveyor hanger by the guide rail as it is carried along by the conveyor so that the ankle joints of the fowl are lifted out of the hooks of the conveyor hanger one by one.

Abstract: A revolving apparatus for automatically cutting open fowl hanging by the ankle joints from an overhead conveyor, having a number of cutting units regularly spaced about the circumference of the apparatus. The cutting units work in succession as they revolve about the central shaft of the apparatus moving along with the conveyor. Each cutting unit is also vertically movable down towards a fowl carried by the conveyor and away again from the fowl. Each cutting unit carries a ball shaped protrusion consisting of two separatable ball halves, one of which carries a knife in its upper part facing away from the other ball half. During the downward movement of each cutting unit it's closed ball halves are inserted into an opening in the fowl previously made by cutting out it's vent, whereafter the ball halves are spread and the fowl is cut open by the knife.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the neck of an plucked, headless fowl hanging by the legs from a hook of a overhead conveyor. The apparatus is built in the manner of a merry-go-round and has a number of clamping units, regularly spaced about the circumference of the apparatus and moving along with the conveyor, each unit being slidably mounted on a vertical slide bar and adapted to grip the fowl's neck, so that the vertebrae of the neck are separated from the remaining part of the fowl's spine without damage to the skin of the neck. After separating the vertebrae the unit moves downwards relative to the fowl, so that the vertebrae are at least partially pushed out of the skin together with the meat adhering thereto. Finally the unit releases the fowl's neck, moves back to its upper position and its slide bar and is ready for removing another fowl's neck.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting out the vent of a fowl having at least one cutting means, having a hollow cylindrical knife rotating about a center pin, being axially reciprocable relative to the knife and being provided with an onion-shaped knob at its lower end; a clamping sleeve being axially slidable mounted on the center pin with the rotating knife; the relative movements of the center pin, the clamping sleeve and the knife being controlled in such manner that the center pin and the sleeve are first moved together towards the fowl until the center pin, whch protrudes over some distance from the sleeve is inserted into the vent opening and the lower edge of the sleeve contacts the fowl's vent, after which the center pin is drawn into the sleeve, so that the vent is firmly clamped between them, the center pin and the sleeve then are withdrawn over a short distance while the rotating knife is moved towards the fowl and is withdrawn again after cutting out the vent and finally the pin is pushed out of the sleeve again

Abstract: A revolving apparatus for automatically opening a fowl's body cavity by severing the fowl's skin near its vent, comprising at least one slide block reciprocating towards and away from the fowl and carrying a gripping member, which grips the fowl as the slide block is moved towards the fowl and brings the fowl into the right position for its skin to be cut near its vent by a rotating circular knife. The knife may either be contained within a housing carried by the slide block, in which case the gripping member is formed by a ball shaped protrusion attached to the housing and adapted to penetrate into an opening formed in the fowl by cutting out its vent, or be stationary with respect to the slide block, in which case the gripping member is formed by a suction member which pulls the fowl's skin against the knife as the slide block again moves away from the fowl.