Egg collector having separate continuous flexible belts of baskets for each cage conveyor

An egg collector operatively associated with, and positioned between an arrangement of confinement cage rows spaced apart in vertical tiers from one another, and a cross conveyor, each row of said confinement cage rows having a cage conveyor associated therewith for delivering eggs from individual cages within said confinement cage rows to said egg collector, said egg collector comprising:

• a plurality of separate continuous flexible belts of basket members, one for each cage conveyor provided, each of said basket members within each separate continuous flexible belt of said egg collector being dimensioned to accommodate only a single egg, and each basket member having two side walls for retaining eggs being transported thereby;
• reversing means for guiding each of said separate continuous flexible belts past a first point at which eggs from each cage conveyor are collected and retained by said basket members, and a second point at which eggs are released from said basket members and delivered onto said cross conveyor;
• each of said separate continuous flexible belts being adjustable for changing the distance between said separate continuous flexible belts of basket members to adapt said egg collector to the particular arrangement of confinement cage rows associated therewith, and;
• inverting means for threading each separate continuous flexible belt into a pattern which causes the eggs carried in said basket members to gently fall by gravitation onto said cross conveyor, thereby providing an effective and efficient manner of transporting eggs from said arrangement of confinement cage rows to said cross conveyor without subjecting said eggs to contact with any additional machinery.