US 5,176,564 AGranted

Mid-wing cutter

OwnerJacobus E. Hazenbroekinventor

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Abstract

A poultry wing tip processing apparatus (9) wherein the mid-wing segments are severed from the drumette segments of the wings of poultry carcasses, or other similar fowl. The carcasses are conveyed in an inverted attitude suspended by their legs from shackles as their torsos move between a pair of guide rods (44) and guide rails (56) prior to reaching a pair of rotary disc cutters (34). A ramp (66) is positioned to engage the shoulder portions of the carcasses and a second pair of guide rods (71) engage the mid-wing segments of the carcasses. The elbow joints between the drumette segments and the mid-wing segments move toward and through the rotary disc cutters (34) as a pair of elbow joints engaging means (40) engage the elbow joints and guide them through the disc cutters (34), wherein the mid-wing segments are severed from the drumette segments.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An apparatus for severing the mid-wing segment from the drumette segment of the wing of a bird carcass as the carcass is conveyed in a direction along a processing path and suspended from a conveyor line, the wing including a mid-wing bone having a first end, a drumette bone having a proximal end, and connecting tissue between the first and proximal ends, which together form an elbow joint of the wing, the apparatus comprising:

support means for positioning the apparatus beneath the conveyor line;
a rotary disc cutter supported on said support means in the path of the elbow joint for cutting upwardly through the elbow joint between the drumette segment and the mid-wing segment of the wing, as the wing moves over the rotary disc cutter;
the peripheral edge of said rotary disc cutter having sequential dull edges for aligning the elbow joint on the disc cutter and sharpened areas for severing through the elbow joint;
guide means for directing the elbow joints into engagement with the cutting means so that a cut is made through the connecting tissue between the first end of each mid-wing bone and the proximal end of each drumette bone,
elbow joint engaging means for engaging the elbow joint positioned above the peripheral edge of the rotary disc cutter for urging the elbow joint downwardly against the peripheral edge of said rotary disc cutter, said elbow joint engaging means forming a slot through which the peripheral edge of the rotary disc cuter is adapted to move,
so that as the elbow joint of the wing moves over and engages the peripheral edge of the rotary disc cutter, the elbow joint is guided into engagement with the elbow joint engaging means and is pressed downwardly by said elbow joint engaging means toward the rotary disc cutter, until a cut is made through the connecting tissue between the first end of the mid-wing bone and the proximal end of the drumette bone.

3 more elements

A method of severing the mid-wing segments from the drumette segments of the wings of poultry carcasses as the carcasses are conveyed in series in a direction along a processing path and suspended invertedly by their legs from a conveyor line comprising the steps of:

moving the carcasses toward a pair of disc cutters which straddle the processing path;
and
as the carcasses are moved along the processing path, performing the following steps:
directing the elbow joints between the drumette segments and the mid-wing segments into engagement with the rotary disc cutters;
and
severing the mid-wing segments from the drumette segments of the wings through the connecting tissue between the mid-wing segment and the drumette segment of each wing,
wherein the step of directing the elbow joints comprises moving the shoulder joints between the wings and the carcasses onto a ramp having an inclined portion and a portion substantially parallel to the processing path so that the carcasses are tilted rearwardly away from their direction of movement and the shoulder joints are raised substantially to an approximate predetermined height with respect to the rotary disc cutters,
and wherein the step of directing the elbow joints further comprises engaging each of the wings with wing guide means for pivoting the wings downwardly and rearwardly away from the direction of movement of the carcasses.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.