US 5,453,045 A · System for transferring birds from one conveyor system to another with intermediate accumulator

Abstract

A system for transferring birds (77) from a weigh line (11) to a cut-up line (12) through an intermediate accumulator. The system comprises a continuously rotating buffer wheel (15) having a plurality of bird carriers (17) slidably mounted on its periphery and being carried on buffer wheel (15) toward either an inlet gate (106) or a delivery gate (114). When a bird carrier (17) arrives at either inlet gate (106) or delivery gate (114), it is stopped by a gate arm (108)or (115), respectively, and remains stationary with respect to the continuously moving buffer wheel (15). When a bird (77) moves along weigh line (11) toward buffer wheel (15), gate arm (108) opens and a first pressure wheel assembly (128) is activated to carry a bird carrier (17) on the periphery of buffer wheel (15) toward a shackle (22) having bird (77) suspended therefrom, to the inlet area (18) whereupon the bird (77) will be transferred from shackle (22) to bird carrier (17), and then be carried on the buffer wheel toward delivery gate (114). Thereafter, when an empty shackle (124) on cut-up line (12) approaches delivery area (20), gate arm (115) is opened and a second pressure wheel assembly (128) is activated to carry a bird carrier (17) having a bird (77) suspended therefrom moves into delivery area (20) so that the bird (77) carried on the bird carrier plate will be transferred to shackle (124) of the cut-up line. Bird carrier plates (17) accumulate and form a queue at both inlet gate (106), and delivery gate (114), respectively.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of transferring birds from the shackles of a first suspended conveyor line to the shackles of a second suspended conveyor line, both of the conveyor lines including a series of shackles holding the birds in an inverted attitude by their legs, said method comprising:

continuously rotating a buffer wheel about an upright axis,
mounting a plurality of bird carriers in an upwardly facing annular slot formed at the periphery of the buffer wheel, carrying each of said bird carriers at the periphery of the buffer wheel past an entrance area and a delivery area adjacent the buffer wheel, holding each of said bird carriers with the friction between the bird carrier and the buffer wheel in a fixed position on the buffer wheel as the buffer wheel rotates;
blocking the movement of the bird carriers at a first gate located at the entrance area;
moving birds on a first suspended conveyor line into peripheral relationship with the buffer wheel at the entrance area;
releasing a bird carrier from the first gate and moving the released bird carrier with the buffer wheel to the entrance area in timed relationship with a bird moving to the entrance area on the first suspended conveyor line;
transferring the bird from the first suspended conveyor line to the bird carrier at the entrance area;
moving the bird carrier and its bird with the buffer wheel from the entrance area toward the delivery area to a second gate;
blocking the movement of the bird carrier and its bird at the second gate;
moving empty shackles on a second suspended conveyor line into peripheral relationship with the buffer wheel at the delivery area;
releasing a bird carrier and its bird from the second gate;
moving with the buffer wheel the released bird carrier and its bird to the delivery area in timed relationship with a shackle of the second suspended conveyor line;
and
transferring the bird from the bird carrier to the shackle of the second suspended conveyor line at the delivery area.

10 more elements

A bird transfer apparatus for transferring birds from shackles of a first suspended conveyor line to the shackles of a second suspended conveyor line, both of the conveyor lines including a series of shackles holding the birds in an inverted attitude by their legs, said transfer apparatus comprising:

a wheel member rotatable about an upright axis and having a perimeter portion movable through a bird receiving area and a bird delivery area;
annular guide means extending about the perimeter portion of said wheel member, said annular guide means comprising an upwardly facing annular groove formed in said wheel member;
a plurality of bird carriers movably mounted on the perimeter portion of said wheel member and each of said bird carriers including a follower means engaged with said guide means for guiding said bird carrier along the perimeter portion of said wheel member, said follower means comprising a protrusion extending from said bird carrier into said annular groove;
first gate means positioned at one edge portion of said wheel member for selectively blocking the movement of a bird carrier toward the bird receiving area;
and
a second gate means positioned at another edge portion of said wheel member for selectively blocking the movement of a bird carrier toward the bird delivery area.

3 more elements

A method of transferring birds from the shackles of a first suspended conveyor line to the shackles of a second suspended conveyor line, both of the conveyor lines including a series or shackles holding the birds in an inverted attitude by their legs, said method comprising:

continuously rotating a buffer wheel about an upright axis,
carrying a plurality of bird carriers at the periphery of the buffer wheel past an entrance area and a delivery area adjacent the buffer wheel;
blocking the movement of the bird carriers at a first gate located at the entrance area;
moving birds on a first suspended conveyor line into peripheral relationship with the buffer wheel at the entrance area;
releasing a bird carrier from the first gate and urging an adjacent bird carrier into engagement with said buffer wheel to move the released bird carrier with the buffer wheel to the entrance area in timed relationship with a bird moving to the entrance area on the first suspended conveyor line;
transferring the bird from the first suspended conveyor line to the bird carrier at the entrance area;
moving the bird carrier and its bird with the buffer wheel from the entrance area toward the delivery area to a second gate;
blocking the movement of the bird carrier and its bird at the second gate;
moving empty shackles on a second suspended conveyor line into peripheral relationship with the buffer wheel at the delivery area;
releasing a bird carrier and its bird from the second gate and urging an adjacent bird carrier into engagement with said buffer wheel to move the released bird carrier and its bird with the buffer wheel to the delivery area in timed relationship with a shackle of the second suspended conveyor line;
and
transferring the bird from the bird carrier to the shackle of the second suspended conveyor line at the delivery area.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for transferring birds from one conveyor system to another with intermediate accumulator

Life of this patent

System for transferring birds from one conveyor system to another with intermediate accumulator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19