Brush element, assembly, brushing device and methods of coupling and uncoupling

An assembly for processing carcasses of slaughtered animals, comprising:

• a) a rotatable body;
• b) at least one brush element having at least one female coupling member;
• and
• c) at least one substantially elongated flexible whip extending from the female coupling member, wherein the whip has a profiled side adapted to process carcasses of slaughtered animals, wherein the female coupling member comprises a resilient cylinder comprising at least one female receiving space comprising, in cross-section, a ring having an opening with a narrowed entrance channel, and wherein the narrowed entrance channel can be enlarged counter to a bias, and wherein the narrowed entrance channel is arranged in a lengthwise direction of the cylinder and wherein the narrowed entrance channel is directed facing away from the profiled side of the whip and wherein the narrowed entrance channel narrows toward the ring opening;
• wherein the narrowed entrance channel widens into the female receiving space, the female receiving space being substantially larger than the narrowed entrance channel along the longitudinal axis of the whip,
• wherein the female coupling member is releasably coupled to a male counter-coupling member forming part of the separate rotatable body such that the whip extends substantially radially from a rotation shaft of the rotatable body, the ring opening being sized to accommodate a portion of the male counter-coupling member by snap-fitting the female coupling member over the male counter-coupling member, and
• wherein the receiving space of the female coupling member engages round the male counter-coupling member.

A brushing device for processing carcasses of slaughtered animals, comprising:

• a) a frame;
• b) at least one assembly mounted in the frame, the assembly comprising
• (i) a rotatable body,
• (ii) at least one detachable brush element having at least one female coupling member, and
• (iii) at least one substantially elongated flexible whip extending from the female coupling member wherein the whip has a profiled side adapted to process carcasses of slaughtered animals, wherein the female coupling member comprises a resilient cylinder comprising at least one receiving space comprising, in cross section, a ring having an opening with a narrowed entrance channel, and wherein the narrowed entrance channel can be enlarged counter to a bias and wherein the narrowed entrance channel is arranged in a lengthwise direction of the cylinder and wherein the narrowed entrance channel is directed facing away from the profiled side of the whip, and wherein the narrowed entrance channel narrows toward the ring opening, wherein the female coupling member is releasably coupled to a male counter-coupling member forming part of the rotatable body such that the whip extends substantially radially from a rotation shaft of the rotatable body, the ring opening being sized to accommodate a portion of the male counter-coupling member by snap-fitting the female coupling member over the male counter-coupling member, and wherein the receiving space of the female coupling member engages round the male counter-coupling member;
• wherein the narrowed entrance channel widens into the receiving space, the receiving space being substantially larger than the narrowed entrance channel along the longitudinal axis of the whip, and
• c) drive means for causing rotation of the rotatable body of the assembly.

A detachable brush element for processing carcasses of slaughtered animals, comprising:

• a) at least one female coupling member;
• and
• b) at least one substantially elongated flexible whip extending from and integrated with the at least one female coupling member wherein the whip has a profiled side adapted to process carcasses of slaughtered animals,
• wherein the female coupling member comprises a resilient cylinder comprising at least one female receiving space comprising a ring having an opening with a narrowed entrance channel which can be enlarged counter to a bias and wherein the narrowed entrance channel is arranged in a lengthwise direction of the cylinder, wherein the narrowed entrance channel narrows toward the ring opening, and wherein the narrowed entrance channel is directed facing away from the profiled side of the whip, the female coupling member adapted to couple with a generally cylindrical shaped male counter-coupling member, the ring opening being sized to accommodate a portion of the male counter-coupling member,
• wherein the male counter-coupling member is forming a part of a separate rotatable body onto which the female coupling member can be releasably coupled,
• wherein the narrowed entrance channel widens into the receiving space, the receiving space being substantially larger than the narrowed entrance channel along the longitudinal axis of the whip, and
• wherein the whip and the coupling member are manufactured as a single material part.

An assembly for processing carcasses of slaughtered animals, comprising:

• a) a rotatable body including a plurality of rods associated with and spaced around at least one shaft;
• b) at least one brush element having at least one female coupling member;
• and
• c) at least one substantially elongated flexible whip extending from the female coupling member wherein the female coupling member comprises a ring having at least one female receiving space provided with a narrowed entrance, and wherein the narrowed entrance can be enlarged counter to a bias;
• wherein the narrowed entrance widens into the receiving space, the receiving space being substantially larger than the narrowed entrance along the longitudinal axis of the whip, and
• wherein the female coupling member is releasably coupled to one of the rods such that the whip extends substantially radially from the at least one shaft of the rotatable body and the brush element at least partially rotates around the rod and the shaft and wherein the narrowed entrance narrows toward the rod.