Head washing apparatus

A head washing apparatus for washing an animal head at a head washing station, the head washing apparatus including:

• a head support which supports the animal head so that the head is in a position with the muzzle directed generally upwardly;
• conveyor means operatively associated with the head support and operative to convey the head support and an animal head supported thereby to the head washing station and operative to convey the head support and the animal head supported thereby away from the head washing station after a head washing operation, the conveyor means comprising an overhead conveyor line and said head support comprising a support hook having a shank, the shank being coupled to the conveyor line so that the hook hangs downwardly from the conveyor line, the conveyor line being movable so as to advance the support hook and the animal head supported thereby to the head washing station and to convey the hook and the animal head away from the head washing station after the head washing operation, the head support including a support bracket which is coupled to the conveyor line, the support hook being mounted at its upper end to the support bracket, the shank of the hook being rotatable about its axis so that the animal head supported by the hook can be rotated about the vertical axis of the shank;
• a plurality of nozzles arranged for directing water under pressure in a plurality of directions onto the animal head at the head washing station so that water is directed under pressure into generally upwardly opening orifices including the mouth and nostrils of the animal head so that the water flushes the nasal and mouth cavities and the water flushes through those cavities and associated passages and drains from the lower portion of the head;
• and
• head turning means for turning the head support and thereby turning the animal head relative to the nozzles so that water is directed onto the head and into the orifices by the nozzles while the head is in different orientations relative to the nozzles, the head turning means comprising deflecting tabs which are mounted by the head support, the head turning means further including co-operating guides arranged so that as the head support is advanced, each of the deflecting tabs encounters a respective one of the guides and causes the hook to rotate about the vertical axis of the shank as the respective tab engages the co-operating guide is aligned with that guide, the deflecting tabs comprising a first and a second tab mounted to the shank of the support hook adjacent to the upper end of the shank, the first tab projecting from the shank in one plane and the second tab projecting from the shank at an angle to the first tab in top plan view, the two tabs being located at different heights along the shank, said guides comprising respective opposed guides located at the height of the respective tab, the guides having flared opening mouths into which the respective tab passes as the conveyor means advances the support hook so that the tab enters the space between the respective opposed guides, whereby the first tab, if it is not already in a position aligned to the path of travel, encounters and enters the associated facing guides so that the first tab is twisted and the hook on which the animal head is mounted is also twisted to a particular orientation, the first guide terminating after a distance and the second guide at the second height commencing a short distance downstream from the termination of the first guide whereby the second tab enters the second deflecting guide and turns the hook so that the animal head will adopt a known orientation regardless of the initial orientation of the head.