A system for automatic organization, hanging and driving of slaughtered animals installed at the outlet of a slaughtered animals processing station such as a chiller. The system comprises a receiving and aligning means of slaughtered animals in longitudinal position, which is previously disposed to an accumulator device of slaughtered animals positioned longitudinally. The system further comprises a suspension and movement assembly of each slaughtered animal from the axial alignment assembly to a driving guide of each slaughtered animal to a hanging transfer device of each animal slaughtered in the hanging line.

A conveying device, apparatus and method for continuously conveying poultry bodies or parts oriented into different processing positions in a conveying direction. A continuous conveyor, which is provided with receiving elements for holding the poultry bodies revolves in a conveying plane and forms a conveying path. The receiving elements each of which include a saddle element to receive one of the poultry bodies, are arranged on a base element to be pivotable about an axis of rotation lying perpendicular to the conveying direction. The conveying plane is arranged inclined relative to the horizontal by an angle of inclination α greater than 0° and less than 90°, and the base elements are each arranged on the continuous conveyor by angled elements with an angle of extension β less than 180° and greater than 90°.

An apparatus for fixing and transporting crabs during slaughter has a rotationally driven conveying element guided about deflection and/or drive elements to form an upper and lower run, and at least one holding apparatus for fixing the crabs. Each holding apparatus is attached to the conveying element for transporting the fixed crabs in a transport plane along a transport path in a transport direction from a loading station to at least one processing station. Each holding apparatus has a supporting plate for receiving a crab and at least two holding means arranged transversely to the transport direction at a distance from each other. The holding means are pivotable relative to the supporting plate about an axis A.sub.H, lying substantially in or parallel to the transport plane and directed transversely to the transport direction, from a receiving position into a clamping position and back. A corresponding method is also provided.

A conveying apparatus for food-processing industry articles includes a conveying device to convey articles in a transport direction with holding elements adapted for receiving the articles. At least one guide extends in the transport direction, and guides guide elements arranged thereon in the transport direction. One holding element is vertically adjustably arranged on each guide element. Controllable adjusting means are arranged on the conveying line for adjusting the vertical position of the holding elements relative to the respective guide element. The adjusting means controllably come into adjusting engagement with passing holding elements to adjust the holding element vertical position. Each holding elements is arranged on the respective guide element by a self-holding device configured such that the holding element is upwardly movable relative to the guide element against gravity and is downwardly releasably locked in a stop position. An assembly for processing articles and corresponding methods are also provided.

An apparatus for transporting poultry bodies/parts has a transport saddle fastened to a transport unit. A holding apparatus fastens the saddle to the unit, and has a receptacle body for the unit and a fastening body for the saddle. The fastening body is releasably and rotatably connected to the body. The holding apparatus has a latching device to lock the fastening body and saddle, having a latching lever and two latching bolts. The lever on a main body of the receptacle body pivots from a locking position where the lever engaged the bolt into a release position where the lever is out of engagement with the bolt. A first actuating member actuates the lever from the locking into the release position and a second actuating member rotates the fastening body in the release position. First and second magnetic elements with unlike poles pull the lever into the locking position.

A system for processing a carcass or carcass part of a porcine, bovine, ovine, or caprine slaughter animal involves a plurality of processing steps. The system includes a primary transport system that includes an overhead conveyor and a plurality of carriers for holding a carcass or carcass part, a plurality of processing stations, which processing stations are arranged along the track, each of the processing stations being adapted to carry out one or more processing steps on a carcass or carcass part, wherein in at least one processing station a step of removing a part of the carcass or carcass part is carried out, a secondary transport system, which secondary transport system is arranged adjacent to the processing station in which said part is removed from the carcass or carcass part, which secondary transport system is adapted to receive said part.

A process and an apparatus for controlling temperature loss and shrinkage of meat after an animal is slaughtered for food. Shrinkage is controlled by compressing the meat during cooling, the compression offsetting a natural tendency of the meat to contract and providing a measure of control over the shaping of the meat. Apparatus for the process includes one or more rigid rings for placement around the meat. Each ring is wrapped with a thread secured rigidly to one side of the ring and secured movably to the other side such as to allow the length of thread on the second side of the rigid ring to form at least one winding around the meat. As the meat cools, the thread shrinks, applying the thermal contraction of the thread along the ring to constrict the winding around and thus longitudinally elongate the meat.

A slaughtered pig part processing plant including a plurality of pig part processing stations and a conveyor supporting via respective couplings a plurality of spaced apart clamp structures, the conveyor advancing the couplings with a respective clamp structure in a machine direction (T) from a first station for introducing a pig part between jaws of a clamp structure, towards a last station for removing the bone of the processed pig part from the clamp structure, wherein in the clamp structures being connected to the conveyor so as to allow for a turning movement of the clamp structures about a vertical axis (D), the processing plant including elongated guiding elements engaging the clamp structures or the couplings as they are advanced in the machine direction (T), for bringing about the turning movement about the vertical axis (D).

An apparatus for transporting poultry bodies/parts has a transport saddle fastened to a transport unit. A holding apparatus fastens the saddle to the unit, and has a receptacle body for the unit and a fastening body for the saddle. The fastening body is releasably and rotatably connected to the body. The holding apparatus has a latching device to lock the fastening body and saddle, having a latching lever and two latching bolts. The lever on a main body of the receptacle body pivots from a locking position where the lever engaged the bolt into a release position where the lever is out of engagement with the bolt. A first actuating member actuates the lever from the locking into the release position and a second actuating member rotates the fastening body in the release position. First and second magnetic elements with unlike poles pull the lever into the locking position.

A system for automatic organization, hanging and driving of slaughtered animals installed at the outlet of a slaughtered animals processing station such as a chiller. The system comprises a receiving and aligning means of slaughtered animals in longitudinal position, which is previously disposed to an accumulator device of slaughtered animals positioned longitudinally. The system further comprises a suspension and movement assembly of each slaughtered animal from the axial alignment assembly to a driving guide of each slaughtered animal to a hanging transfer device of each animal slaughtered in the hanging line.