Poultry carriers and methods of restraining poultry
AssigneeNova-Tech Engineering, Inc.
InventorsMarc S. Gorans, Matthew Henry Erickson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Bird carriers and methods of restraining birds are disclosed. Each bird carrier may include a torso support, one or more leg clamps, and a head support. The head support may further include a beak receiving passage such that at least a portion of the birds' beaks are exposed. The bird carriers may restrain one or both legs and heads of the birds while supporting their torsos. Restraining the legs and the heads of the birds while supporting their torsos may produce a calming effect such that the birds exhibit significantly reduced struggling in an attempt to free themselves from the carrier.
Claims24
A carrier apparatus for atraumatic restraint of a live bird, the apparatus comprising:
- a torso support element shaped to support and atraumatically retain the torso of a live bird restrained in the carrier;
- a leg clamp apparatus operably attached to the torso support element, the leg clamp apparatus positioned to receive and atraumatically retain a thigh of a live bird restrained in the carrier, wherein the leg clamp apparatus comprises an open configuration in which the thigh can be positioned in the leg clamp apparatus and a closed configuration in which the thigh is retained in the leg clamp, and further wherein the thigh is retained in a selected angular orientation relative to the torso support element;
- a head support operably attached to the torso support element and positioned to receive a head of a bird restrained in the carrier with its chest supported against the torso support element;
- and
- a head clamp operably attached to the head support, wherein the head clamp and the head support cooperate to receive and atraumatically retain a head of a bird between the head clamp and the head support.
A method of atraumatically restraining a live bird in a carrier apparatus, the method comprising:
- positioning the torso of a live bird proximate a torso support element of a carrier apparatus, wherein the torso support element is shaped to support and atraumatically retain the torso of the bird restrained in the carrier;
- atraumatically restraining the thigh of at least one leg of the bird in a leg clamp apparatus that is operably attached to the torso support element, wherein the thigh is atraumatically restrained in the leg clamp apparatus in a selected angular orientation relative to the torso support element;
- and
- atraumatically restraining the head of the bird against a head support operably attached to the torso support element, wherein a head clamp is operably connected to the head support and cooperates with the head support to receive and atraumatically retain the head of a bird between the head clamp and the head support.
A carrier apparatus for atraumatic restraint of a live bird, the apparatus comprising:
- a torso support element shaped to support and atraumatically retain the torso of a live bird restrained in the carrier;
- a leg clamp apparatus operably attached to the torso support element, the leg clamp apparatus positioned to receive and atraumatically retain a thigh of the left leg and a thigh of the right leg of a live bird restrained in the carrier, wherein the leg clamp apparatus comprises an open configuration in which the thighs can be positioned in the leg clamp apparatus and a closed configuration in which the thighs are retained in the leg clamp, and further wherein the thighs are retained in a selected angular orientation relative to the torso support element;
- a head support operably attached to the torso support element and positioned to receive a head of a bird restrained in the carrier with its chest supported against the torso support element;
- and
- a head clamp operably attached to the head support, wherein the head clamp and the head support cooperate to receive and atraumatically retain a head of a bird between the head clamp and the head support;
- wherein the torso support element is pivotally attached to a base such that the torso support element can be rotated relative the base about an axis of rotation;
- and wherein the torso support element and the base define an upright configuration and an inverted configuration, wherein rotation of the torso support element about the axis of rotation moves the torso support element between the upright configuration and the inverted configuration, wherein in the upright configuration the head clamp is located farther from the base than the leg clamp apparatus, and wherein in the inverted configuration the head clamp is located closer to the base than the leg clamp apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.