Removing feathers from poultry carcasses
AssigneePrime Equipment Group, LLC
InventorJoseph L. Gasbarro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system (20) for removing feathers from poultry carcasses (50), including a scalding apparatus (28) that applies the dual cascade of heated water downwardly onto poultry carcasses passing beneath. A quill picking unit (30) follows the dual cascade scalding apparatus (26) to remove the feathers from the carcass after the pores have been enlarged by the dual cascade of scalding water. After the feathers have been pulled from the carcass (50), the carcass is passed through a chiller (40) which applies a dual cascade of cooling water downwardly onto the carcasses passing through the chilling unit.
Claims25
A method for removing feathers from poultry carcasses, comprising:
- (a) scalding the poultry carcasses by passing the carcasses under a dual cascade of heated water, the cascade of heated water passing over and off the poultry carcasses and into a reservoir;
- (b) after the scalding of the carcasses, passing the carcasses through a quill picking unit to pull the feathers from the heated carcasses;
- (c) after passing the carcass through the quill picking machine, cooling the carcasses by passing the carcasses under a cascade of chilled water.
(canceled)
6-7. (canceled)
(canceled)
For a system for removing feathers from poultry carcasses, a scalding apparatus for scalding the poultry carcass to open the pores of the carcasses, the scalding apparatus comprising:
- (a) a reservoir for retaining heated water;
- (b) a first plenum located above the reservoir for receiving the heated water from the reservoir;
- (c) a second plenum positioned above the reservoir for receiving the heated water from the reservoir;
- (d) the first and second plenums spaced apart from each other to define a gap therebetween through which the poultry carcasses can travel;
- (e) a circulation pump in communication with the reservoir and at least one of the plenums for pumping the heated water from the reservoir to at least one of the plenums causing the heated water to overflow out of the two plenums and cascade downwardly into the gap and onto the poultry carcasses passing through the gap and then off the poultry carcass to collect in the reservoir below the level of the poultry carcasses.
(canceled)
26-29. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.