Nozzle assembly for livestock intestine washing machine

An intestine cleaning machine operable to clean an intestine having an open intestine end, the intestine cleaning machine comprising:

• a rotatable drum presenting an intestine-supporting surface;
• a fluid supply line coupled to the drum for rotation therewith, the fluid supply line being configured for fluid connection with a source of fluid;
• and
• a nozzle assembly associated with the intestine-supporting surface and fluidly coupled to the fluid supply line such that fluid from the source is supplied to the nozzle assembly, the nozzle assembly including:
• an elongated outlet tube presenting a fluid discharge opening,
• the outlet tube being configured for insertion into the open intestine end so that the fluid discharge opening is located within the intestine,
• a clamp attached to the outlet tube, and
• an intestine retainer assembly including a body, the body being swingably coupled to the clamp at a connection location such that the intestine retainer assembly swings into and out of an intestine-securing position,
• the body including a first retainer extending at least partly around the outlet tube when the intestine retainer assembly is in the intestine-securing position, the first retainer including a pair of spaced first fingers that define a first tube-receiving channel having a first channel base and opposed first channel sides extending from the first channel base to a first distal open channel end,
• the outlet tube being removably received through the first distal open channel end and between the first channel sides,
• the outlet tube being located immediately adjacent the first channel base when the intestine retainer assembly is in the intestine-securing position,
• the intestine retainer assembly being operable to secure the open intestine end to the outlet tube when in the intestine-securing position so that, when the open intestine end is received and secured on the outlet tube, fluid may be emitted into the intestine as the drum is rotated,
• the first retainer and the outlet tube being operable to cooperatively exert a gripping pressure against the intestine therebetween,
• the intestine retainer assembly including a second retainer spaced from the first retainer along a length of the outlet tube,
• the second retainer extending at least partly around the outlet tube when the intestine retainer assembly is in the intestine-securing position, with the second retainer and the outlet tube being operable to cooperatively exert a gripping pressure against the intestine therebetween,
• the body including a handle portion extending outwardly relative to the connection location,
• the handle portion being operable to facilitate manual swinging of the intestine retainer assembly into and out of the intestine-securing position,
• the spaced apart first and second retainers projecting from the body at locations between the connection location and the handle portion,
• the outlet tube including first and second spaced tube portions, each of which is received in a respective one of the first and second retainers,
• the outlet tube including an enlarged portion between the first and second tube portions,
• the enlarged portion having a greater cross-sectional dimension than each of the first and second tube portions.

A nozzle assembly for an intestine cleaning machine having a rotatable drum and a source of fluid to facilitate cleaning of an intestine, the nozzle assembly comprising:

• an outlet tube including a fluid discharge opening, a first tube portion defining the fluid discharge opening, a second tube portion, and an enlarged portion between the first and second tube portions, with the enlarged portion having a greater cross-sectional dimension than each of the first and second tube portions,
• the outlet tube being configured for insertion into an open end of the intestine so that the fluid discharge opening is located within the intestine;
• a clamp attached to the outlet tube;
• and
• an intestine retainer assembly being swingably coupled to the clamp at a connection location such that the intestine retainer assembly is swingable relative to the outlet tube into and out of an intestine-securing position,
• the intestine retainer assembly including a body and first and second retainers projecting from the body, the first and second retainers being spaced along a length of the outlet tube,
• each of the first and second retainers including a pair of spaced fingers that define a respective tube-receiving channel therebetween, the first tube portion being received in the tube-receiving channel of the first retainer and the second tube portion being received in the tube-receiving channel of the second retainer when the intestine retainer assembly is in the intestine-securing position,
• the enlarged portion being positioned between the first and second retainers when the intestine retainer assembly is in the intestine-securing position.