Livestock head splitting apparatus and operating method of same

A livestock head splitting apparatus for splitting livestock heads, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame;
• a vertical shaft supported on the frame and rotatable about a vertical longitudinal axis of the shaft;
• a plurality of head trays positioned circumferentially about the shaft and extending horizontally away therefrom, each head tray being connected to the shaft for movement about the axis sequentially through loading, head-splitting and discharge stations circumferentially spaced around the shaft under rotation of the vertical shaft in a predetermined direction;
• a plurality of head splitting blades disposed above the head trays in positions lying respectively thereover and arranged to move with the head trays about the axis through the loading, head-splitting and discharge stations under rotation of the vertical shaft in the predetermined direction;
• a head splitting actuation system operable in cooperation with the head trays and the head splitting blades under rotation of the shaft to drive each head tray and the respective head splitting blade relatively toward one another from spaced apart positions during passage through the head-splitting station and subsequently draw the head tray and respective head splitting blade relatively away from one another back to the spaced apart positions while approaching the discharge station;
• and
• a control system cooperatively linked with the head splitting actuation system and operable to switch into and out of a head splitting mode of operation in which the shaft is driven to carry the head trays through full revolutions around the vertical axis and the head splitting actuation system forces together and draws apart each head tray and the respective head splitting blade during passage through the head splitting station, and a cleaning mode of operation in which the shaft is driven to carry the head trays through full revolutions around the vertical axis and each head tray and the respective head splitting blade are not driven toward one another at any time during said full revolutions around the vertical axis.