Abstract: A machine for removing stuck eggs from egg trays made of semi-flexible material with a series of depressions holding the eggs therein including plungers located beneath the trays and including means for raising the plungers, pressing them against the egg supporting portions of the depressions to partially invert the depressions, raising the eggs, and thereby releasing the eggs from the material of the egg trays, whereupon the eggs are lifted out and disposed of.

Abstract: An improved breaker head is disclosed for use on automatic egg breaking machines. These machines receive whole eggs from a conveyor or other egg feeder and crack, open and drain the eggs. This improved head has a cracking knife arrangement which engages the inner side portions of the egg shells. This facilitates egg drainage by permitting a more complete and a more rapid draining of the egg white, facilitates the yolk removal, and adjusts knife penetration in accordance with the egg size to protect yolks from knife damage in smaller eggs.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for separating an egg white from an egg yolk is disclosed for use in an automatic egg breaking and separating operation. The improved separator is used in a method where an egg is cracked and opened and drained into a separator cup. The yolk is supported in an imperforate cup over a substantial portion of its under surface and the surrounding egg white is drained from the yolk into a separate pan through an elongated generally spiral or curving opening in a support member extending upwardly from the yolk support cup. The white collecting pan is positioned to receive the egg white below the yolk cup.

Abstract: An improved egg breaking machine is described of the type in which a plurality of cooperating egg cracking heads and separators carried by a drive means, such as a roller chain, automatically crack and drain eggs and separate the liquid egg yolk and white. The drive chain carries the cracking head and separator combinations through egg loading, cracking, draining, and yolk and white separating positions. An improved cracker head is disclosed which operates in three automatically controlled positions including a fully closed, partially opened, and a fully opened position whereby the initial and subsequent shell drainage are facilitated. Additionally, an improved cracking head and separator mounting and spacing control means is disclosed for improving the drainage from the egg to the separator.

Abstract: A method and means are described for transferring rows of articles having one alignment on a first support to a second support where the rows have a differing alignment. Preferred method and means are described for transferring straight rows of articles, such as eggs, from a row conveyor to a processing machine having a turret or other curved article supporting arrangement. The transfer means includes slidable mountings for the article supports on the turret and a cooperating camming means which temporarily moves the supports into a straight line when they are adjacent to the row conveyor for receiving the straight row of articles.

Abstract: An improved egg washing machine is disclosed using an advancing conveyor for moving rows of eggs under an egg washing spray and scrubbing brushes. The spray uses a staggered array of nozzles having a generally square spray pattern and the brushes are angularly aligned with respect to the rows of eggs so that each brush engages less than the full number of eggs in each row of eggs at any one time. When used with an intermittently advancing conveyor, the brushes are movably mounted for being advanced over the eggs while the eggs are stationary between conveyor advances and for returning over the eggs in the opposite direction against the direction of conveyor movement during the conveyor advance.

Abstract: Improved method and means are disclosed for transferring eggs from transportation trays to a row conveyor which feeds the eggs to washers or breakers or other devices. A single operator transfers loaded trays of eggs from stacks of trays to a transfer position. At the transfer position, the operator may inspect the trays and remove undergrade eggs and replace them with acceptable eggs. An egg transfer means then carries the eggs to an egg row conveyor. During the transfer, the egg spacing is adjusted if necessary from the tray spacing to the conveyor spacing. After the egg transfer, the transfer means returns to the pick-up point and proceeds through another cycle. Alternatively the transfer means may be set to await a signal from the operator before proceeding with another transfer cycle.

Abstract: An improved egg handling device is disclosed in which a number of egg lifting vacuum cups, mounted on a convenient support, are used both to transfer eggs and to punch the egg shells. The egg piercing system is incorporated with the transfer cups to provide for a simultaneous piercing and lifting of the eggs. A piercing needle is mounted within each vacuum cup in a position to pierce or puncture each egg shell while it is held within the cup by the vacuum lifting force.

Abstract: An improved carrier system is described for rows of eggs. The system includes elongated open carriers with covers of movable rods permitting the covers to be automatically opened and closed. The carriers are mounted on spaced chains for movement through egg processing stations as, for example, hot water cooking chambers. Means are provided along the chain paths for opening and closing the carrier covers at appropriate positions in the process. The covers are closed when carriers move into the heated cooking water and are opened as the carriers emerge from the water toward an egg discharge station. Pivotal mountings of the carriers on the chains permit them to be dumped by dumping members provided along the chain paths at the egg discharge station.

Abstract: An improved drive system is described for use in coupling a drive means to a driven element. The system includes a novel drive rod with threadedly connected portions which permit an adjustment of the drive rod length with an independent adjustment of a spring loaded coupling for permitting the rod to shorten when the driven member encounters an obstruction which exerts more than a predetermined obstructive force on the drive system. The drive rod is useful, for example, in operating an article transfer machine such as one having an oscillating egg transfer head. The drive rod length adjustment adjusts the end positions of the path of motion of the transfer head. The adjustable spring loaded coupling in the drive rod permits a temporary interruption in the movement of the driven head preventing injury to the operator or damage to the machine where an operator's hand or some other object inadvertently enters the path of the transfer head.

Abstract: An improved device is described for controlling lifter means for carrying articles such as eggs from one position to another and which in particular may be used to carry the articles from one level to another level. The lifter means, such as plates, are attached to the outer ends of pivotal transfer arms by pivotally mounted orbit arms. The positions of the orbit arms on the transfer arms are controlled by a chain and sprocket system with the position of the chain and the relative sprocket sizes being set to cause the plates on the orbit arms to move along a predetermined path differing from the arcuate path of the transfer arm ends and in particular having a path at the beginning and at the end of the transfer which is substantially perpendicular to the surfaces at the pick-up and placing positions regardless of substantial differences of the levels of the positions. A more efficient transfer operation results which is adaptable to a variety of different processing plant arrangements.

Abstract: Improved method and means are disclosed for transferring eggs from transportation trays to a row conveyor which feeds the eggs to washers or breakers or other devices. A single operator transfers loaded trays of eggs from stacks of trays to a transfer position. At the transfer position, the operator may inspect the trays and remove undergrade eggs and replace them with acceptable eggs. An egg transfer means then carries the eggs to an egg row conveyor. During the transfer, the egg spacing is adjusted if necessary from the tray spacing to the conveyor spacing. After the egg transfer, the transfer means returns to the pick-up point and proceeds through another cycle. Alternatively the transfer means may be set to await a signal from the operator before proceeding with another transfer cycle.