A transport apparatus for poultry bodies/parts includes a frame, a transport unit on the frame with a revolvingly driven transport device, and a holding apparatus for saddling/holding the poultry during transport/processing. The holding apparatus includes a clamping device with a clamping hook pivotable by an actuating mechanism about a rotational axis from a standby into a clamping position and back. The actuating mechanism includes an adjusting lever pivotable about a rotational axis into connection with an actuating member, on the frame along the transport path, for pivoting the adjusting lever and hook. The holding apparatus rotates relative to the transport device about an axis perpendicular to the transport direction, and is brought into operative connection with an actuating lever on the frame. The adjusting lever rotational axis is oriented perpendicular to the hook axis. The actuating lever for rotating the holding apparatus is before the adjusting lever actuating member.

An apparatus for the moving-along tool positioning of linearly conveyed articles includes a conveyor device forming a conveying line, a processing station arranged along the conveying line and having a processing tool, and a positioning unit having a transverse slide and a longitudinal slide for positioning the tools. An assembly for removing the wishbone from poultry carcasses has such an apparatus and utilizes corresponding methods.

Provided herein are methods and compositions for the reduction of microbial contamination of animal carcasses, including fowl, and food products with carbonic acid-based compositions.

A holding apparatus for holding a gutted poultry body/part during processing has a support body supporting the body/part, a fastening body for holding the support body and fastening the holding apparatus to a circulatingly driven transport unit, and a clamping device for securing the body/part to the support body. The clamping device has a hook for penetrating into soft parts and a clamping lever. The lever has a clamping jaw for clamping parts of the body/part against the hook lower side directed towards the support body. The hook lower side is spaced apart from the support body to form a free space for receiving the parts to be clamped. The clamping lever is movable, against a spring force, from a standby position into a clamping position, and back. The clamping lever also has a centring shoulder projecting into the free space when the clamping lever is in the standby position.

An apparatus for automatically recovering breast fillets from poultry bodies or parts thereof has a conveying device to continuously convey the poultry bodies in a conveying direction. The conveying device has receiving elements to hold and convey the poultry bodies along a processing path. Processing stations are arranged on the processing path and the stations include at least a furcula-removal station and a breast fillet detaching station. At least one measuring device is arranged on the processing path downstream of the breast fillet detaching station. The poultry bodies held by the receiving elements are conveyed past the measuring device such that the sternum of the poultry bodies is oriented at least substantially transversely to the conveying direction with the breast side facing the measuring device. The measuring device has a scanning element to mechanically scan the poultry bodies on the breast side. A corresponding method is also provided.

The present invention relates to an idle gear set for an overhead poultry conveyor, the gear set including a variable structure chain gear capable of being adjusted in size according to the needs of a user. Specifically, an idle gear set for an overhead poultry conveyor includes a chain gear for moving a roller assembly, the chain gear comprises: a pair of plates vertically spaced apart and arranged in parallel; and a plurality of chain guides interposed between the pair of plates, and radially arranged along the circumferences of the plates, wherein the chain guides are arranged to be spaced apart such that a mounting groove into which the roller assembly is inserted can be formed between the chain guide and another adjacent chain guide.

The present invention relates to an idle gear set for an overhead poultry conveyor, the gear set including a variable structure chain gear capable of being adjusted in size according to the needs of a user. Specifically, an idle gear set for an overhead poultry conveyor includes a chain gear for moving a roller assembly, the chain gear comprises: a pair of plates vertically spaced apart and arranged in parallel; and a plurality of chain guides interposed between the pair of plates, and radially arranged along the circumferences of the plates, wherein the chain guides are arranged to be spaced apart such that a mounting groove into which the roller assembly is inserted can be formed between the chain guide and another adjacent chain guide.

A system and method for rehanging poultry suspended by the head in a first shackle of a first shackle conveyor to a second shackle of a second shackle conveyor in which the poultry is or will be suspended by the legs. A leg positioning unit may be arranged to support the poultry at the legs while the poultry is maintained suspended by the head in the first shackle of the first shackle conveyor. A movable takeover unit operates on the legs of the poultry and is movable towards the second shackle of the second shackle conveyor to move the legs of the poultry into the second shackle of the second shackle conveyor.

An apparatus 10 for removing the skin of poultry pieces at a skinning station 12 includes an infeed conveyor 14 for transporting or feeding poultry pieces to the skinning station 12. The infeed conveyor 14 includes an endless belt 16 that is trained around an end roller 18 at the downstream end of the infeed conveyor. A pinch block 20 is configured with a concave pinch surface 22 having curvature closely following the curvature of the endless belt 16 trained around the end roller 18 to define a narrow gap 24 therebetween for capturing the skin of the poultry piece and forcing the skin through the gap 24, thereby pulling the skin away from the underlying flesh of the poultry piece. A transfer roller 26 assists in transferring the skinned poultry piece to an outfeed conveyor 28. A hold down structure 30 is provided for applying downward pressure on the poultry piece as the poultry piece is carried by the infeed conveyor 14 towards the skinning station 12, while the poultry skin is being removed, and also while the skinned poultry piece is being transferred to the outfeed conveyor 28.

A system and method for automatically suspending poultry by the legs from a carrier of a carrier conveyor. The system can include an imaging device connected to a decision-making tool to process images from the poultry on a feedline and a vision guided robot for picking up the poultry from a feedline. The poultry can be suspended from the carrier of the carrier conveyor. The decision-making tool can be arranged to detect poultry with the breast engaging the feedline to control the vision guided robot to pick up the poultry from the feedline.