Back to results
US 12,751,428 B2Granted
Poultry cradles and methods of restraining poultry
AssigneeNova-Tech Engineering, Inc.
InventorsDominic Oerter, Matthew H. Erickson, Nathan A. Blum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Poultry cradles and methods of restraining birds are disclosed. Each poultry cradle may include a torso support, one or more shank clamps, one or more optional shank guides, and a head support. Restraining the shanks of birds using separate shank clamps and optional shank guides can provide additional control over the shanks and, therefore, the toes, of the restrained birds.
Claims17
A poultry cradle for atraumatic restraint of a live bird, the poultry cradle comprising:
- a torso support shaped to support and atraumatically retain the torso of a live bird restrained in the poultry cradle;
- a head support operably attached to the torso support and positioned to receive a head of a bird restrained in the poultry cradle with its chest supported against the torso support;
- a head clamp operably attached to the head support, wherein the head clamp and the head support cooperate to receive and atraumatically retain a head of a bird between the head clamp and the head support;
- a shank clamp operably attached to the torso support, the shank clamp positioned to receive and atraumatically retain a shank of a live bird restrained in the poultry cradle, wherein the shank clamp comprises an open configuration in which the shank can be positioned in the shank clamp and a closed configuration in which the shank is retained in the shank clamp;
- and
- a shank guide positioned between the shank clamp and the torso support, the shank guide restraining the shank of a live bird restrained in the poultry cradle from movement in the lateral and medial directions when the shank clamp is in the open configuration and the closed configuration.
3 more elements
A method of restraining a live bird in a poultry cradle, the method comprising:
- positioning the torso of a live bird proximate a torso support of a poultry cradle, wherein the torso support is shaped to support and atraumatically retain the torso of the bird restrained in the poultry cradle;
- restraining the head of the bird against a head support operably attached to the torso support, wherein a head clamp is operably connected to the head support and cooperates with the head support to receive and atraumatically retain the head of a bird between the head clamp and the head support;
- and
- restraining the shank of a leg of the bird in a shank clamp and a shank guide, wherein the shank guide is located between the shank clamp and torso support, wherein the shank guide restrains movement of the shank in the lateral and medial directions when the shank clamp is in an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein removal of the shank from the shank clamp is prevented when the shank is in the shank guide and the shank clamp, and the shank clamp is in the closed configuration.
1 more element
A poultry cradle for atraumatic restraint of a live bird, the poultry cradle comprising:
- a torso support shaped to support and atraumatically retain the torso of a live bird restrained in the poultry cradle;
- a head support operably attached to the torso support and positioned to receive a head of a bird restrained in the poultry cradle with its chest supported against the torso support;
- a head clamp operably attached to the head support, wherein the head clamp and the head support cooperate to receive and atraumatically retain a head of a bird between the head clamp and the head support;
- a shank clamp operably attached to the torso support, the shank clamp positioned to receive and atraumatically retain a shank of a live bird restrained in the poultry cradle, wherein the shank clamp comprises an open configuration in which the shank can be positioned in the shank clamp and a closed configuration in which the shank is retained in the shank clamp;
- and
- a shank guide positioned between the shank clamp and the torso support, the shank guide restraining the shank of a live bird restrained in the poultry cradle from movement in the lateral and medial directions when the shank clamp is in the open configuration and the closed configuration;
- wherein a position of the shank guide relative to the torso support and the shank clamp is fixed;
- wherein a distance between an inferior/bottom side of the shank clamp and an inferior/bottom side of the shank guide along a longitudinal (superior/inferior) axis extending through the head support and the torso support is 5 millimeters or more.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.