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US 5,651,731 AGranted
Method and apparatus for debeaking poultry
AssigneeNova-Tech Engineering, Inc.
InventorsMarc S. Gorans, Scott C. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to debeaking turkey and chick poultry through non-contact thermal transfer from a source of high frequency heat generating radiation. The present invention directs heat onto the upper beak of a live bird by convection or radiation to thereby affect the continued growth of the beak. Such heating of the bird's upper beak provides a debeaking method which allows the bird's upper beak to stay in place for several days allowing the bird to eat and drink. Heating the portion of the upper beak also allows the poultry tongue and lower beak to be shielded from the heat causing less trauma and injury to the bird. The heat may be directed onto the poultry upper beak by radiation or convection.
Claims29
An apparatus for debeaking a bird comprising:
- (a) a beak locating adaptor portion having a beak receiving aperture therein through which a bird's beak protrudes;
- (b) a bird head positioning device adjacent said adaptor portion to position a bird's head with the bird's beak protruding through the beak receiving aperture;
- and
- (c) a reflector for focusing a directional source of heat for applying heat to the portion of the bird's beak protruding through the beak receiving aperture said directional source of heat being separated from said beak, whereby said heat may be directed for non-contact thermal transfer to said beak.
1 more element
An apparatus for debeaking a bird comprising:
- (a) a beak locating adaptor portion having a beak receiving aperture therein through which a bird's beak protrudes;
- (b) a bird head positioning device adjacent said adaptor portion to position a bird's head with the bird's beak protruding through said beak receiving aperture;
- and
- (c) a heating means for applying heat to the portion of the bird's beak protruding through the beak receiving aperture by non-contact thermal transfer, said heating means comprising a gas heating chamber, a heat source in the gas heating chamber, and a gas delivery duct discharging hot gas onto the portion of the bird's beak protruding through the beak receiving aperture.
1 more element
An apparatus for debeaking a bird comprising:
- (a) a beak locating adaptor portion having a beak receiving aperture therein through which a bird's beak protrudes;
- (b) a bird head positioning device adjacent said adaptor portion to position a bird's head with the bird's beak protruding through said beak receiving aperture;
- and
- (c) a heating means for applying heat to the portion of the bird's beak protruding through the beak receiving aperture by non-contact thermal transfer, said heating means comprising an energy emitting bulb providing a source of radiant energy, a reflector focusing energy adjacent the beak receiving aperture for application to the bird's beak, wherein said heating means is electromagnetic comprising:
- i. a stationary means mounting said bulb;
- and
- ii. a conveyor means, intermittently and progressively moving along a predetermined course and mounting said beak locating adaptor and head positioning device, the conveyor means moving the adaptor and head positioning device to and away from the source of electromagnetic energy.
4 more elements
An apparatus for debeaking a bird comprising:
- (a) a beak locating adaptor portion having a beak receiving aperture therein through which a bird's beak protrudes;
- (b) a bird head positioning device adjacent said adaptor portion to position a bird's head with the bird's beak protruding through said beak receiving aperture;
- (c) a heating means for applying heat to the portion of the bird's beak protruding through the beak receiving aperture by non-contact thermal transfer, the heating means comprising an energy emitting bulb providing a source of radiant energy, a reflector focusing energy adjacent the beak receiving aperture for application to a bird's beak, said reflector having a socket mounted therein, said energy emitting bulb electrically connected to the socket, the reflector having an elliptical reflector portion adjacent said energy emitting bulb to reflect energy in a predetermined direction;
- (d) a radiation confining and transmitting housing having a front side and a tapering passage, an electromagnetic radiation aperture along the tapered passage and extending to the front side to thereby reflect the radiant energy from the bulb to the electromagnetic radiation aperture;
- and
- (e) a translucent window in the electromagnetic radiation aperture, the translucent window being transmissive to energy emitted from the bulb to thereby minimize smoke and other contaminants which enter the tapered passage through electromagnetic radiation aperture.
3 more elements
A method of debeaking poultry comprising:
- (a) generating high frequency heat producing radiation;
- (b) directing such radiation onto portions of the bird's upper beak adjacent the tip of the beak across an air space;
- and
- (c) shielding other portions of the bird's upper beak and head from such radiation, wherein the directing is obtained by heating a gas and delivering the heated gas onto the portion of the bird's upper beak.
1 more element
An apparatus for debeaking a bird comprising:
- (a) a beak locating adaptor portion having a beak receiving aperture therein through which a bird's beak protrudes;
- (b) a bird head positioning device adjacent said adaptor portion to position a bird's head with the bird's beak protruding through said beak receiving aperture;
- and
- (c) a heating means for applying heat to the portion of the bird's beak protruding through the beak receiving aperture by non-contact thermal transfer, said heating means comprising an energy emitting bulb providing a source of radiant energy, a reflector focusing energy adjacent the beak receiving aperture for application to the bird's beak, said heating means being electromagnetic further comprising:
- i. a stationary means mounting said adaptor and head positioning device;
- and
- ii. a conveyor means intermittently progressively moving along a predetermined course and mounting said bulb, the conveyor means moving the bulb to and away from the adaptor and head positioning device.
4 more elements
An apparatus for debeaking a bird comprising:
- (a) a bird head positioning device with a beak locating adaptor portion and a shielding portion, a bird head shaped opening in the bird head positioning device to receive a bird's head, a beak receiving aperture in said opening through which a bird's beak protrudes;
- (b) a debeaking module having a reflector surface therein, an infrared bulb mounted in said debeaking module along said reflect surface to generate infrared energy, a radiation confining and transmitting housing having an electromagnetic radiation aperture and a tapered passage extending from said reflector surface to said electromagnetic radiation aperture, a translucent window on the debeaking module transmissive to infrared energy to thereby minimize smoke and other contaminants which enter the tapered passage through the electromagnetic radiation aperture;
- and
- (c) an open space between said electromagnetic radiation aperture and said beak receiving aperture to thereby transmit infrared energy from said infrared bulb through said electromagnetic radiation aperture and across said open space to apply heat to a beak protruding from said beak receiving aperture through non-contact thermal transfer.
1 more element
The apparatus of claim of 17 wherein the means for directing the energy further comprises:
- (a) a reflector having a bulb socket therein adjacent said beak locating adaptor, said energy emitting bulb electrically connected to said socket to thereby generate and reflect energy from the bulb at an oblique angle to said adaptor.
A method of processing a bird having a head and a beak comprising:
- (a) producing a beak heating media comprising a focused beak-treating radiant energy directionally transmissible through an open space;
- (b) positioning and orienting the bird's head and locating the bird's beak in a portion of a beak-treating open space;
- and
- (c) transmitting and directing the beak heating media through a portion of the beak-treating open space and onto the bird's beak.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.