Apparatus and method for removing turkey viscera

A spoon operatively attached to a driver means for moving the spoon between a first position outside of the poultry carcass to a second position with the spoon partially entered into the poultry carcass for engaging and removal of viscera, comprising:

• a shaft having a bearing slidably mounted for travel between a shoulder of the shaft and a stop at one end of the shaft;
• a tube enclosing a spring that bears against the stop to bias the tube from the shaft and the tube press-fit connected to the bearing;
• and
• a spoon attached at a first end to the tube and having at least one tooth attached at an angle at a second end,
• whereby the spring-biased tube, being moved longitudinally on the shaft in response to the spoon contacting a distal end of the poultry carcass after entry of the tool for engaging and removal of viscera, prevents the spoon from pushing through the distal end.

A method of removing viscera from a poultry carcass carried substantially horizontally on a first conveyor, comprising:

• aligning the poultry carcass with a spoon module attached to a pair of continuous second conveyors driven by sprockets on a frame in synchronization with the travel of the first conveyor, the spoon module comprising a plate slidably attached to a pair of spaced-apart rods connected between the second conveyors;
• moving the plate transversely between the second conveyors on the pair of rods from a first position to a second position in response to a cam wheel traveling in a cam track to insert a spoon attached to the plate into the poultry carcass;
• pivoting the spoon downwardly to engage the viscera;
• and
• retracting the spoon from the second position to the first position by the cam wheel travelling in the cam track;
• whereby the viscera, being engaged by the spoon, is removed from the poultry carcass.