Device for transferring eggs from a feeding chain to retaining members moving behind each other

Device for transferring eggs from a source of eggs in which the egg axes are horizontal, said device comprising

• a first conveyor for conveying in a vertical plane;
• a plurality of first retaining members mounted on said first conveyor, each said member receiving and gripping an egg which axis is horizontal, each of said first retaining members comprising a plurality of gripping fingers, at least one of which is movable with respect to at least another gripping finger, and means for pivotally mounting said gripping fingers such that an egg held thereby can be rotated into a position in which the egg axis is vertical;
• means for rotating said gripper fingers and an egg held thereby into a position in which the egg axis is vertical;
• a second conveyor;
• a plurality of second retaining members mounted to said second conveyor, each second retaining member comprising a plurality of gripping fingers, including a forward finger and a rearward finger which is movable with respect to said forward gripping finger, said second conveyor moving said second retaining members along a predetermined path in a line, one behind the other, said path being such that said second retaining members are locatable vertically above corresponding ones of said first retaining members in a predetermined region of said path and move in the same direction therewith;
• means for controlling said movable fingers of said first and second retaining members when in said regions including means for rotating each of said first retaining member fingers in a backward direction from the direction of movement when at a particular area in said region, finger controlling means of said first retaining members when at said particular area in said region to release the grip on the egg, and means for moving said rearward retaining member finger toward said forward finger when in said area of said region such that when the egg has been conveyed into said particular area by said first retaining member, the egg is rotated rearwardly, is released by said first retaining member fingers and is engaged by said rearward finger of said second retaining member during the forward movement thereof whereby the transfer of the egg to the second retaining member is effected;
• means for moving said gripping fingers of said first retaining members upwardly when in said region;
• and
• means for moving said gripping fingers of said second retaining members downwardly when in said region such that said second retaining member fingers can engage and pick up an egg held by the corresponding fingers of said first retaining member as said controlling means respectively controls the disengagement and engagement of said first retaining means fingers and said second retaining means fingers.