Abstract: The present invention is directed to a carrier for holding and transporting a product along a conveyor. The carrier includes a block having a lower surface and a footprint defined by a width and a length. A shackle has an upper end proximate the block and a lower end distal from the block. The upper end is secured to the block such that the shackle depends from the lower surface and the lower end of the shackle is prevented from moving toward the block. A holder is formed on the lower end of the shackle, the holder adapted to hold the product. The present invention is also directed to a transport/holder assembly for holding and transporting a product along a conveyor. The assembly includes a trolley engaging the conveyor for movement therealong. An adapter is secured to the trolley. A carrier is mounted on the adapter and depends therefrom. The carrier and the adapter are relatively arranged and configured such that the carrier may be vertically displaced with respect to the adapter and the trolley.

Abstract: A plurality of hooks on each poultry carrier are adapted to receive poultry of different specified grades. Such carriers convey poultry along a common conveyor path to a plurality of stations, each of which services a single poultry grade corresponding to one of the hook locations. Servicing is effected by signal-controlled devices with which the different hooks are respectively associated at each of the stations.

Abstract: Poultry dropped from a moving conveyor impacts on a slide surface and is aligned by positioners with a path of entry into bags established by a nozzle assembly that expands each bag in advance of bird entry. A ram packs each bird fully into the bag after alignment thereof followed by detachment of the bag and drop onto a receiving surface.

Abstract: A latch release force is applied by a signal-controlled plunger on one side of a carrier body through a force transfer lever to a latch element slidably mounted on the other side of the carrier body which pivotally supports a hook held in a latched position by the latch element. The latch element is thereby displaced upwardly to release the hook for downward pivotal displacement and load drop off in response to downward displacement of the plunger producing a tilting moment on the body in the same angular direction as hook displacement.

Abstract: Poultry carriers connected to a common overhead conveyor, travel along a pair of load supporting tracks through a weighing station. The tracks are laterally spaced from each other below the conveyor to reduce spacing between adjacent carriers in the direction of conveyor travel. Each carrier is supported on a track by a roller assembly having a single roller shaft from which the carrier is pivotally suspended by a side suspension arm rigidly connected to one axial end of the roller shaft.

Abstract: Poultry releasably suspended from a conveyor is distributed amongst a plurality of stations along a travel path of the conveyor from which the poultry is released. Release under control of sensors from the conveyor is effected only at those stations at which product bagging apparatus are inactive. Lock-out devices at each station prevent release while the bagging apparatus is in operation for a period of predetermined duration.

Abstract: Fresh processed poultry suspended by double leg hooks from conveyor mounted carriers are dropped onto an inclined guide surface of a bagging device having a stack of flexible film bags positioned to receive the dropped birds. Each bird is suspended from its carrier by a hook that pivots downwardly when released, resulting in free fall to an angular impact position substantially matching the incline of the guide surface along which the bird descends into an opened bag.

Abstract: Double leg suspended poultry dropped from a moving conveyor and guided into bags by a nozzle assembly that effects limited expansion of each bag in advance of entry of each bird into the bag. A ram packs each bird fully into the bag after partial entry resulting in tight fit packaging upon withdrawal of the ram and nozzle assembly from the bag as it is detached and dropped onto a receiving surface.

Abstract: The loads suspended from poultry carriers are weighed at a monitoring station as the carriers travel along a fixed track. The carriers loaded above a predetermined amount are transferred to a lower level by retraction of a section of the track downstream of the weighing platform. A selectively retractable ejector bar engages a latch arm projecting from each carrier, during descent to the lower level for release of the load suspended on the carrier. Descent of the carrier to the lower level is retarded by a pivoted ramp which also produces a signal to register transfer of a carrier from the fixed track to the lower level.

Abstract: Sensors associated with a pair of weighing devices of a weight sorting system are operative through a logic circuit to effect release of loads from conveyor carriers. Lockout and reset actions produced internally of the logic circuit distinguish between sequential signals produced by the sensors and a single signal produced by one of the sensors during any monitoring cycle, to effect release of the loads between upper and lower weight limits, respectively, established by said weighing devices.

Abstract: Poultry dropped from a conveyor line at a weighing station is automatically packed into containers by a container filling machine positioned below the weighing station. The birds guidingly received in the machine from the weighing station are rammed into an accumulator counted and dropped into a container that is supported and periodically reorientated on a turntable. When fully loaded with a measured number of birds, the container is displaced from the turntable by an empty container to begin another operational cycle. Signal feedback sensors and control logic synchronize automatic operation of the machine with movement of the conveyor line.

Abstract: Poultry dropped from a conveyor line at a weighing station is automatically packed into containers by a container filling machine positioned below the weighing station. The birds received in the machine from the weighing station are rammed into an accumulator from which they are dropped into a container that is supported and periodically reorientated on a turntable. When fully loaded, the container is displaced from the turntable by an empty container to begin another operational cycle. Signal feedback sensors and control logic govern automatic operation of the machine through fluid power operated devices.

Abstract: Poultry carriers release birds at a plurality of work stations to which they are conveyed, under control of weight sensing devices and resettable counters. The birds reaching each group of work stations are limited to a common weight range by weight sorting mechanism to activate the counters through associated weight sensing devices. The counters are arranged to trigger carrier release devices at each work station in response to the counting of different preset numbers of birds within the common weight range so as to obtain equal distribution of the birds released at each of the work stations.