US 5,634,397 A · Egg washer, breaker and separator system

Abstract

An improved egg washing, breaking and separating system is constructed of two side-by-side washers feeding a corresponding pair of candlers. From the candlers, a respective pair of conveyor transition ramps lead to corresponding ones of a pair of stacked upper and lower egg breaker/separator units. Each egg breaker/separator unit includes an endless chain of a plurality of individual egg cracker/separator cup assemblies with the upper chain independently driven about a four sided frame, preferably in opposition to the lower chain. Eggs are shuttled into the cup assemblies from each of the conveyor transition ramps. The chains of cracker/separator cup assemblies ride via slides operating within tracks extending about the frame. Each washer allows rows of eggs to advance along an egg conveyor which travels beneath a plurality of endless chains of brushes as well as a cleaning water distribution manifold. Each chain of brushes is driven in a direction opposite from the brush chains on either side, resulting in a very thorough cleaning of the rows of eggs advancing through each washer.

Claims28

Dependent claims

An egg breaker/separator comprising:

(a) a support frame;
(b) an upper endless chain with a plurality of cracker/separator cup assemblies connected thereto and spaced from one another along said upper chain, said upper chain extending around said frame;
(c) a lower endless chain with a plurality of cracker/separator cup assemblies connected thereto and spaced from one another along said lower chain, said lower chain extending around said frame;
(d) attachment means for slidably attaching said upper and lower endless chains to said frame;
(e) upper drive means for driving said upper chain about said frame;
and
(f) lower drive means for driving said lower chain about said frame, said upper and lower drive means being independent of each other;
(g) each of said cracker/separator cup assemblies comprising:
(i) an egg cradle with separable halves;
and
(ii) cracking means for cracking an egg cradled in said egg cradle.

8 more elements

A combination egg washer, cracker and separator system comprising:

(a) a pair of egg washers, with each of said egg washers comprising:
(i) an egg conveyor for conveying rows of eggs in a first direction over a surface, said egg conveyor having first and second sides;
(ii) cleaning fluid distributing means for spraying cleaning fluid on said conveyor;
(iii) a plurality of endless chains of interlocking brushes disposed above said conveyor with each said chain being oriented transverse to said first direction, each said brush including a plurality of bristles;
(iv) brush drive means for driving each of the endless chains of brushes in a respective loop such that the brushes are moved in a direction transverse to said first direction and the bristles in said interlocking brushes contact eggs on said conveyor as they are driven through a bottom portion of said loop;
(b) an egg breaker/separator comprising:
(i) a support frame;
(ii) an upper endless chain with a plurality of cracker/separator cup assemblies connected thereto and spaced from one another along said upper chain, said upper chain extending around said frame;
(iii) a lower endless chain with a plurality of cracker/separator cup assemblies connected thereto and spaced from one another along said lower chain, said lower chain extending around said frame;
(iv) attachment means for slidably attaching said upper and lower endless chains to said frame;
(v) upper drive means for driving said upper chain about said frame;
and
(vi) lower drive means for driving said lower chain about said frame;
(vii) each of said cracker/separator cup assemblies comprising:
(1) an egg cradle with separable halves;
and
(2) cracking means for cracking an egg cradled in said egg cradle;
and wherein
(c) a first of said egg conveyors conveys rows of eggs to said lower endless chain of egg cracker/separator cup assemblies and a second of said egg conveyors conveys rows of eggs to said upper endless chain of egg cracker/separator cup assemblies.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Egg washer, breaker and separator system

Life of this patent

Egg washer, breaker and separator system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28