# US 2014/0194044 A1 · Poultry processing apparatus having one or more transfer units > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194044 A1 - Document ID: US20140194044A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/205,725 - Filed: 2014-03-12 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-17 - Assignees: Meyn Food Processing Technology B.V. - Applicants: Meyn Food Processing Technology B.V. - Inventors: Leendert AANDEWIEL; Aloysius Christianus Maria VAN STEIJN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194044A1 ## CPC - A22C 21/0053: {Transferring or conveying devices for poultry} - B65G 47/846: {Star-shaped wheels or wheels equipped with article-engaging elements} - A22C: PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH (preserving A23B; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs A23J1/00; fish, meat or poultry preparations A23L; disintegrating, e.g. chopping meat, B02C18/00; preparation of proteins C07K1/00) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract A processing apparatus for poultry is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes one or more transfer units placed intermediate of conveying poultry from, a first line to a subsequent second line, wherein both the first line and the second line are selected from the group including a slaughtering line, an evisceration line, a chilling line, a sorting line and a cutup line. Each transfer unit is embodied with a circulating support that includes material that is magnetically conductive and transfer means are provided with at least one magnet so as to induce eddy currents in the circulating support that counteracts relative motion between the transfer means and the circulating support. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transfer means for mounting on a circulating plate of a processing line, the circulating plate constructed from a magnetically conductive material, the circulating plate defining a conveying direction for the transfer means, the transfer means comprising: opposing sides oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction; at least one magnet located on the transfer means between the opposing sides and positioned for inducing eddy currents into the circulating plate that counteract motion between the circulating plate and the transfer means; and at least two magnets, one each located on the opposing sides of the transfer means, the at least two magnets on the opposing sides oriented with poles of the same polarity facing outwardly from the transfer means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transfer means for mounting on a circulating plate of a processing line as in claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet located on the transfer means between the opposing sides comprises a pair of magnets located in opposing manner about an imaginary line of symmetry of the transfer means. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The transfer means for mounting on a circulating plate of a processing line as in claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet located on the transfer means between the opposing sides is a permanent magnet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The transfer means for mounting on a circulating plate of a processing line as in claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet located on the transfer means between the opposing sides is a switchable magnet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The transfer means for mounting on a circulating plate of a processing line as in claim 1, wherein the at least two magnets on the opposing sides of the transfer means are permanent magnets. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The transfer means for mounting on a circulating plate of a processing line as in claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet located on the transfer means between the opposing sides is positioned on the transfer means to be over the circulating plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The transfer means for mounting on a circulating plate of a processing line as in claim 1, further comprising a roller positioned below the at least one magnet that is located on the transfer means between the opposing sides. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The transfer means for mounting on a circulating plate of a processing line as in claim 1, wherein the circulating plate is arranged to convey the transfer means between supply stations of a poultry processing apparatus. ### Claim 9 A processing apparatus for poultry, the processing apparatus including at least two processing lines along which poultry is conveyed, the processing apparatus comprising: a circulating support positioned between the processing lines and configured for conveying poultry between the two processing lines along a. conveying direction; a plurality of transfer means removably received onto the circulating support, each transfer means configured for receipt of poultry, each transfer means comprising: opposing sides oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction; at least one magnet located on the transfer means between the opposing sides and positioned for inducing eddy currents into the circulating plate that counteract motion between the circulating plate and the transfer means; and at least two magnets located on the opposing sides of the transfer means, the at least two magnets oriented with poles of the same polarity facing outwardly from the transfer means towards adjacent. transfer means, ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The processing apparatus for poultry as in claim 9, wherein the at least one magnet located on the transfer means between the opposing sides comprises a pair of magnets located in an opposing manner about an imaginary line of symmetry of the transfer means and between the opposing sides. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The processing apparatus for poultry as in claim 9, wherein the at least one magnet located on the transfer means between the opposing sides is a permanent magnet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The processing apparatus for poultry as in claim 9, wherein the at least one magnet located on the transfer means between the opposing sides is a switchable magnet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The processing apparatus for poultry as in claim 9, wherein the at least two magnets on the opposing sides of the transfer means are permanent magnets. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The processing apparatus for poultry as in claim 9, wherein the at least one magnet is positioned on the transfer means at a location over the circulating plate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The processing apparatus for poultry as in claim 9, wherein each of the at least two processing lines is selected from the group comprising a slaughtering line, an evisceration line, a chilling line, a sorting line, a cut-up line, and another type of line or lines.