Abstract: A system for transferring birds (77) from a weigh line (11) to a cut-up line (12) through an intermediate accumulator. The system comprises a continuously rotating buffer wheel (15) having a plurality of bird carriers (17) slidably mounted on its periphery and being carried on buffer wheel (15) toward either an inlet gate (106) or a delivery gate (114). When a bird carrier (17) arrives at either inlet gate (106) or delivery gate (114), it is stopped by a gate arm (108)or (115), respectively, and remains stationary with respect to the continuously moving buffer wheel (15).

Abstract: A bird transfer carrousel is provided for transferring birds between two conveyor lines wherein the shackles of one conveyor line are spaced at a different increment than the shackles of the other conveyor line. The bird transfer carrousel comprises a rotatable, cylindrical turret (22) positioned between the two conveyor lines. The turret carries a series of parallel travel bars (26) that are arranged angularly displaced around the turret and are adapted to reciprocate or slide within the turret. Bird transfer plates (32) are mounted at each end of the parallel travel bars (26). The bird transfer plates (32) are horizontally arranged in a common plane, and each comprises a pair of outwardly exposed recesses for receiving and carrying the birds from the first conveyor line (12) to the second conveyor line (14).