Poultry handling and killing apparatus

An apparatus for at least one of grasping and killing poultry, the apparatus comprising:

• a main body including a first body-end opposite a second body-end and an elongated-body length therebetween, a bar-track on a left side and a right side thereof, and a plurality of first band attachers spanning the elongated-body length;
• a grabber assembly including:
• a grabber head located at the first body-end of the main body, the grabber head including at least a first grabber finger and a second grabber finger defining an opening therebetween, the first grabber finger and the second grabber finger pivotally connected together such that movement of the first grabber finger and the second grabber finger relative to each other selectively allows movement of the grabber head between an open position and a grasping position, the opening being smaller in the grasping position than in the open position, and wherein the opening is sized to hold at least one of a leg and neck of the poultry when in the grasping position;
• and
• an actuator assembly being configured to move the first grabber finger and the second grabber finger between the open position and the grasping position;
• a killing assembly including:
• a housing attached to a top surface of the main body, the housing including a first opening opposite a second opening, the first opening being located about the grabber head and defining a blade-exit;
• a blade removably located within the housing and configured for selective movement out of the blade-exit, the blade including a width larger than a width of the grabber head when in the grasping position;
• a rod including a first rod-end opposite a second rod-end and a rod-length therebetween, the first rod-end attached to a rear-side of the blade, the rod being configured for selective placement between a loaded position and an unloaded position;
• a horizontal bar attached to the main body, each end of the horizontal bar being slidably mounted within the bar-track of the main-body, the horizontal bar including a second band attacher, a third band attacher and a rod attacher, the rod attacher configured to removably attach the second rod-end thereto;
• at least one tensioning means configured to selectively place the rod in tension, biasing the rod in a forward direction and thereby placing the rod in the loaded position, the at least one tensioning means including at least one elasticated band being elongated tubing having a first tube-end opposite a second tube-end and a tube-length therebetween, a mid-section of the elasticated band being configured for attachment to one of the first band attachers, the first tube-end being configured for attachment to the second band attacher, the second tube-end being configured for attachment to third band attacher;
• a holder means configured to hold the rod in the loaded position, the holder means configured to receive and lock the horizontal bar therewithin;
• a killing-trigger in communication with the holder means, the killing-trigger configured to unlock the horizontal bar from the holder means, wherein actuation of the killing-trigger when the rod is in the loaded position forcefully springs the rod in the forward direction, moving the blade from the blade-exit and over the grabber head, thereby decapitating the poultry being grasped at the neck by the grabber head;
• and
• a stopper means attached to at least one of the first grabber finger and the second grabber finger, the stopper means being configured to stop movement of the blade.

A method of using an apparatus for killing poultry, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing the apparatus including:
• a main body including a first body-end opposite a second body-end and an elongated-body length therebetween;
• a grabber assembly including:
• a grabber head located at the first body-end of the main body, the grabber head including at least a first grabber finger and a second grabber finger defining an opening therebetween, the first grabber finger and the second grabber finger pivotally connected together such that movement of the first grabber finger and the second grabber finger relative to each other allows for selective movement of the grabber head between an open position and a grasping position, the opening being smaller in the grasping position than in the open position, and wherein the opening is sized to hold at least one of a leg and a neck of the poultry when in the grasping position;
• and
• an actuator assembly being configured to move the first grabber finger and the second grabber finger between the open position and the grasping position;
• a killing assembly including:
• a housing attached to a top surface of the main body, the housing including a first opening opposite a second opening, the first opening being located about the grabber head and defining a blade-exit;
• a blade removably located within the housing and configured for selective movement out of the blade-exit;
• a rod including a first rod-end opposite a second rod-end and a rod-length therebetween, the first rod-end attached to a rear-side of the blade, the rod being configured for selective placement between a loaded position and an unloaded position;
• at least one tensioning means configured to selectively place the rod in tension, biasing the rod in a forward direction and thereby placing the rod in the loaded position;
• a holder means configured to hold the rod in the loaded position;
• a killing-trigger in communication with the holder means, wherein actuation of the killing-trigger when the rod is in the loaded position forcefully springs the rod in the forward direction, moving the blade from the blade-exit and over the grabber head, thereby decapitating the poultry being grasped at the neck by the grabber head;
• and
• a stopper means attached to at least one of the first grabber finger and the second grabber finger, the stopper means being configured to stop movement of the blade;
• placing the rod into the loaded position via the at least one tensioning means;
• holding the rod in the loaded position via the holder means;
• placing the grabber head around the neck of the poultry in the open position;
• actuating the grabber actuator assembly to move the grabber head into the grasping position, thereby grasping the neck of the poultry;
• and
• actuating the killing-trigger, thereby forcefully springing the rod in the forward direction and moving the blade from the blade-exit and over the grabber head, thereby decapitating the poultry being grasped at the neck by the grabber head.