Height adjustable poultry shackle
AssigneeFoodmate B.V.
InventorsDavid Scott Hazenbroek, Juul Floris Van Den Berg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A poultry shackle and a method and system for adjusting a height of a poultry shackle. The shackle includes a carrier having a bore, a shaft extending through the bore, wherein the shaft is movable relative to the carrier along an axial direction of the bore, and a retainer, movable relative to the carrier at an angle, such as substantially perpendicular to. the axial direction. The retainer is movable between a first and second position. In the first position the retainer engages the shaft for maintaining the shaft in a predetermined axial position relative to the carrier. In the second position the retainer releases the shaft for allowing axial movement of the shaft relative to the carrier.
Claims21
A poultry shackle including:
- a carrier arranged to be attached to a conveyor system and having a bore;
- a shaft extending through the bore, wherein the shaft is movable relative to the carrier along an axial direction of the bore;
- and
- a retainer movable relative to the carrier at an angle;
- wherein the retainer is slidable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the bore between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the retainer engages the shaft for maintaining the shaft in a predetermined axial position relative to the carrier, and wherein in the second position, the retainer disengages from the shaft for allowing axial movement of the shaft relative to the carrier.
A height adjustment system for adjusting a height of a poultry shackle, including:
- a conveyor system from which one or more poultry shackles depend, each of the poultry shackles comprising:
- a carrier attached to the conveyor system and having a bore;
- a shaft extending through the bore, wherein the shaft is movable relative to the carrier along an axial direction;
- and
- a retainer movable relative to the carrier at an angle;
- wherein the retainer is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the retainer engages the shaft for maintaining the shaft in a predetermined axial position relative to the carrier, and wherein in the second position, the retainer disengages from the shaft for allowing axial movement of the shaft relative to the carrier;
- an actuator system for moving the retainer from the first position to the second position;
- and
- a lifting system arranged adjacent the carrier and configured for lifting or lowering the shaft relative to the carrier.
A method for adjusting a height of a poultry shackle, including:
- moving one or more shackles along a conveyor system, each of the shackles comprising:
- a carrier attached to the conveyor system;
- a shaft extending through the carrier and being movable relative to the carrier along an axial direction;
- and
- a retainer movable relative to the carrier at an angle;
- wherein the retainer is movable between a first position whereby the retainer engages the shaft for maintaining the shaft in a predetermined axial position relative to the carrier, and a second position whereby the retainer releases disengages from the shaft for allowing axial movement of the shaft relative to the carrier;
- moving the shackles past a lifting station;
- and
- as the shackles pass the lifting station, moving the retainer from the first position to the second position and lifting or lowering the shaft relative to the carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.