Device and method for processing slaughter animals and/or parts thereof

Short description: Device and method for processing slaughtered animals and / or parts thereof.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for processing slaughter animals and / or parts thereof, such as, for example, pigs and poultry, such as chicken, turkey and / or duck, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a device is known per se, for example in the form of a so-called overhang, wherein poultry is transferred from a first type of hook to a second type of hook. Overloads can occur with such devices. Overloading can lead to damage, for example because the device gets stuck and parts break or deform. To prevent such damage in the event of an overload, it is known to provide devices according to the preamble with overload protection means. These include balls which are pressed with the aid of compression springs into ball chambers which are provided in one of the member or the transfer member to be driven. During normal operation, a rigid coupling between the member to be driven and the transfer member is effected via these balls. In the event of overloading, the balls are forced out of the ball chambers against the spring action, as a result of which the rigid coupling is released. In this way (further) damage to the device can be prevented.

It is a major drawback of the known overload protection means that they are relatively difficult to clean, which is disadvantageous from a hygienic point of view. A further drawback is that parts of the various overload protection means will rust in practice, partly due to the relatively moist environment in which they are used, which is also undesirable from a hygienic point of view. In addition, rust or dirt accumulation in general can adversely affect the operation of the overload protection devices. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device according to the preamble with more favorable hygienic properties, wherein moreover a high degree of reliability of the operation of the device can be obtained.

To this end, the present invention provides a device of the type mentioned in the preamble, which is characterized by the characterizing part of claim 1. More specifically, the overload protection means comprise a first coupling element forming part of the transfer element or of the element to be driven and a second coupling element forming part of the other element of the transmission element and of the element to be driven, the first coupling element being designed as a first magnetic element and the second coupling element is either magnetizable or is designed as a second magnetic element, wherein the first and second coupling elements are adapted to cooperate such that the rigid coupling between the member to be driven and the transfer member is effected during normal operation via magnetic coupling between the first coupling element and the second coupling element, and that in the event of an overload the magnetic coupling between the first coupling element and the second coupling element is canceled due to the overload. The use of such overload protection means makes the use of bullets, springs and ball chambers superfluous, as a result of which the surface, the space and seams and cracks in which and on which bacteria can settle down considerably. In addition, the magnetic specifications of the first coupling element and the second coupling element can be adjusted to the limit value for the magnitude of the external force that must be active between the member to be driven and the transfer member, in order for the overload protection means to become operative by then causing to bear for uncoupling between the first coupling element and the second coupling element. The overload protection means according to the invention are thereby functionally effective. It is possible to provide the coupling elements such that the visible - or directly accessible - surface of the device is relatively small, which is particularly advantageous with regard to hygienic aspects of a device for processing slaughter animals. The object of the present invention has thus been achieved. An additional advantage is that the overload protection means can be designed with relatively few components, which also has a favorable effect on the cost price.

Advantageous embodiments of the device according to the present invention are the subject of dependent claims 2 to

16. These embodiments and their advantages will be explained in more detail below.

In an embodiment which may be favorable in certain applications, the device comprises sensor means which are adapted to detect a relative displacement between the member to be driven and the transfer member and to provide a signal for stopping the drive member. Thus, shortly after the overload protection means for disconnection between the first coupling element and the second coupling element is released, the drive member can be stopped to prevent (further) damage.

In a possible embodiment, the member to be driven and the transfer member are pivotable relative to each other in the event of an overload. Such a movement is often relatively easy to construct constructively.

According to a further embodiment, the device is adapted to cause mutually facing surfaces of the member to be driven and the transfer member that lie against each other during normal operation to slide past each other in the event of overload.

Alternatively, the device according to the invention can also be arranged to cause mutually facing surfaces of the member to be driven and the transfer member that lie against each other during normal operation to move away from each other in the event of overload.

It can also be advantageous if the second coupling element is made of martensitic stainless steel. Such a material has favorable corrosive properties and is moreover magnetizable in contrast to, for example, austenitic stainless steels.

In order to obtain a uniform distribution of forces acting between the transfer member and the member to be driven, the overload protection means may comprise a number of first coupling elements forming part of the transfer member or of the member to be driven and an equal number of the other of the transfer member and second coupling elements forming part of the element to be driven. This number is preferably three or more.

In order to prevent the first coupling element and the second coupling element from colliding with each other after they have been uncoupled, it can be advantageous if in normal operation there is a gap between the first coupling element and the second coupling element, which gap has a width at least size of 0.02 mm and preferably a maximum of 5 mm. Immediately impacting the first coupling element and the second coupling element on each other could result in a reduction in magnetic action. Moreover, by varying the size of the gap width, the magnetic attraction between the first coupling element and the second coupling element can also be adjusted. This also sets the magnitude of the load between the member to be driven and the transfer member to remove the magnetic coupling as protection against overload.

According to a possible advantageous application of the invention, the device is characterized in that the member to be driven is a processing member for performing a processing on the slaughtered animal to be processed and / or the parts thereof and, for this purpose, makes contact with the slaughtered animal to be processed during the processing. and / or the parts thereof. Such a processing member therefore makes a movement during normal operation in order to be able to carry out the processing on the slaughtered animal and / or the parts to be processed. If such a movement is unintentionally blocked, the movement can be interrupted thanks to the operation of the overload protection means without this leading to damage or so that damage is in any case limited. Examples of operations are cutting operations, overhang operations and evisceration operations.

In general, the invention is well suited for use with drives that are involved in carousel arrangements such as are known in the processing of slaughter birds in all kinds of embodiments. Within this framework, a possible embodiment is characterized in that the device comprises a carousel with a vertical axis of rotation and with a number of processing members arranged in a circle which rotate about the vertical axis of rotation during normal operation. The invention can then be applied both for driving the processing members for the purpose of carrying out the specific processing for which the processing members are intended and for rotatingly driving the carousel about the vertical axis of rotation or at least for the processing members forming part of the carousel.

A very favorable possibility of applying the invention is that of overhanging slaughter animals to be processed and / or the parts thereof, as may be relevant between various types of lines, such as a slaughter line, evisceration line, cooling line, sorting line or a part line. . The processing member then comprises a hook for taking over a slaughtered animal or at least a part thereof during normal operation during displacement of the hook from the transferring member.

For certain applications, in particular in which the member to be driven is rotatably driven in normal operation, such as, for example, for rotating a carousel or for rotating a roll of a stomach dispenser, it can be advantageous if the member to be driven and the transfer member each comprise a center line which center lines coincide and wherein the member to be driven and the transfer member rotate concentrically in normal operation about a axis of rotation which coincides with the center lines of the member to be driven. driving member and the transfer member.

As may be the case, for example, with a stomach dispenser, the member to be driven within the scope of the present invention is a bypass member or at least the member to be driven is rigidly connected to a bypass member around which bypass member a flexible transfer member is mounted and the transfer member concerns an axle body or is at least rigidly coupled to an axle body.

According to a possibly very advantageous embodiment, the device is adapted to automatically restore the magnetic coupling between the first coupling element and the second coupling element after the magnetic coupling between the first coupling element and the second coupling element has been canceled due to overloading, and thereby the device to be driven and rigidly couple the transfer member again. To this end, the first coupling element and the second coupling element must be brought back into each other's magnetic sphere of influence. This can be done, for example, under the influence of gravity.

However, in order to better control the process of recoupling the first coupling element and the second coupling element, it may also be preferred that the device comprises recoupling means for automatically restoring the magnetic coupling between the first coupling element and the second coupling element after overloading.

A constructively favorable embodiment can be obtained here if the recoupling means comprise guide means for bringing the first coupling element and the second coupling element into contact with each other. By applying the guide means it can be prevented that the first coupling element and the second coupling element are coupled again (too) abruptly.

The invention also relates to a method for processing slaughtered animals and / or parts thereof, in particular slaughtered poultry, such as chicken, with the aid of a device according to the invention as described above. The method comprises the steps of keeping the member to be driven and the transfer member rigidly coupled in normal operation by means of magnetic force acting between the first coupling element and the second coupling element and allowing the magnetic coupling between the first coupling coupling element and the second coupling element is canceled due to the overload.

Advantageous embodiments of the method according to the present invention are the subject of the dependent claims 18 and 19. The advantages have already been explained above in the discussion of certain possible embodiments of the device according to the invention.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to the description of some possible embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view in perspective of a device for processing, more specifically the overhanging, of slaughter animals, more specifically of slaughter birds. according to the present invention;

Figures 2a and 2b show perspective views, respectively, in normal operation and in overloaded condition, of a detail of a processing unit that forms part of the device according to Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a vertical cross-section of the processing member that forms part of the processing unit according to figures 2a and 2b;

Figure 4 shows a vertical cross-section of a circulating wheel as used in a device according to Figure 1;

Figures 5a and 5b show perspective views, respectively, in normal operation and in the overloaded state of the circulation wheel according to Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows a partly cut-away perspective view of a device for processing poultry stomachs;

Figures 7a and 7b are perspective views, respectively, in normal operation and in the overloaded state of a part of a transmission forming part of the device according to Figure 6;

Figure 8 shows a vertical cross-section of the part of the transmission according to figures 7a and 7b.

FIG. 1 shows a device 1 for processing slaughtered animals and / or parts thereof. More specifically, device 1 relates to an overhang for overhanging slaughtered poultry, such as chicken. Overhang 1 comprises a frame 2 consisting of a number of beams 3a-3f and uprights 4a-4b.

Relative to the frame 2, two bypass wheels 5 and 6 rotatable about respective vertical rotation axes are mounted. The bypass wheels 5, 6 are provided with teeth 7 at their circumference. In operation, a first conveyor chain (not shown in more detail) is arranged around a part of the circumference of bypass wheel 5 and engages with teeth 7 of bypass wheel 5. A second conveyor chain 8 is arranged around a part of the circumference of the circulating wheel 7 and engages the teeth 7 of the circulating wheel 6. The second conveying chain 8 forms part of a conveying system in which trolleys are arranged at regular intervals along the length of the endless second conveying chain 8. 9 are provided, each with running wheels 10 which roll in operation on guide 11 extending along a conveying path. Under each trolley 9 hangs a product carrier, designed as a bracket, in which poultry can be hung hanging from their legs. The (endless) first transport chain is also part of a transport system for transporting poultry, but then according to a different transport route. Hanger 1 further comprises a carousel 21. Carousel 21 comprises a cylindrical part 22 which, at least in normal operation, is rigidly coupled to circulation wheel 7, as will be explained below with reference to Figs. 4, 5a and 5b, and along the circumference of which at regular intervals from each other processing units 23. Carousel 21 further comprises on the inside of the cylindrical part 22 a stationary drum 24 in, at least a part of, the circumference of which a cam track (not shown in more detail) is provided.

As shown in Fig. 2a, each processing unit 23 comprises a frame 25 with two legs 26a, 26b. Each processing unit 23 further comprises a processing member designed as a hook member 27, which is pivotally reciprocated about pivot axis 128 on legs 26a, 26b. The hook member 27 comprises a hook body 28 with two open grooves 29a, 29b, which are adapted to engage the legs of a slaughtered bird, more specifically of a slaughtered bird suspended in a bracket of the second transport system around the bird concerned of that hook to be copied in a manner known per se to the person skilled in the art. Hook member 27 further comprises a leg 30 extending at least substantially downwards from pivot axis 128, the hook body 28 of which is rigidly attached. Leg 30 and hook body 28 together form a first pivot body 31 of hook member 27.

Hook member 27 also comprises a second pivot body 32 with a leg 33 extending at least substantially downward from pivot axis 128 and a leg 34 extending at least substantially obliquely upwardly from pivot axis 128. Legs 33 and 34 are rigidly connected to each other. Leg 33 of the second swiveling body 32 extends parallel to leg 30 of the first swiveling body 31 and is rigidly coupled thereto, at least in normal operation, via a magnet coupling to be described later. At the upper end leg 34 is provided with a cam body 35 which is adapted to cooperate with the aforementioned cam track in the stationary drum 24.

For the magnetic coupling, leg 30 comprises a cylindrical permanent magnet 36 which is press-fit into a cylindrical recess 37 in leg 30. The depth of the recess 37 is greater than the height of the permanent magnet 36, whereby leg 30 is attached to the side facing leg 33 and in the environment immediately surrounding permanent magnet 36, slightly protruding beyond permanent magnet 36. Leg 33 of the second swivel body 32 comprises a disc 38 of magnetizable material. This material preferably relates to martensitic stainless steel, for example of the 420 type. The magnetizable disc 38 is received in a cylindrical recess 39 in leg 33. The side of the magnetizable disc 38 facing the permanent magnet 36 is aligned with the side of leg 33 facing toward leg 30, at least to the extent that the magnetizable disc 38 immediately surrounding. Because of the structure described above, in the magnetically coupled state according to Figs. 2a and 3, there is a narrow gap 40, typically 0.1 mm in size. The permanent magnet 36 attracts magnetisable disc 38 so strongly that in normal operation there is a rigid coupling between the first swiveling body 31 and the second swiveling body 32 and the hook member 27 as a whole will pivot about pivot axis 128 if such a pivot is imposed in that cam body 35 runs around the cam track in the stationary drum 24.

In an overload situation, the magnetic coupling between the permanent magnet 36 and the magnetizable disc 38 will be canceled as shown in FIG. 2b. This may be the case, for example, if the pivoting movement of hook body 28 from the situation according to FIG. 2a the external forces acting between the first swiveling body 31 and the second swiveling body 32 then become so large that the magnetic coupling is canceled and only the second swiveling body 32 will pivot about pivot axis 128 while the first swiveling body 31 does not pivot or at least to a lesser extent.

Due to the course of the cam track, the second swivel body 32 will again pivot in a controlled manner back to the position according to Fig. 2a, wherein the magnetic coupling between the second swivel body 32 and the first swivel body 31 is restored. Due to the gap 40 between the permanent magnet 36 and the magnetisable disc 38, upon the restoration of the magnetic coupling, there will be no direct contact of the magnetisable disc 38 or of any other part against the permanent magnet 36, which is the effect of the permanent magnet 36 benefit.

The overhang 1 further comprises a circumferential guide 51 which is rigidly connected to the frame 2. Along the guide 51, product carriers 52 can be moved separately. The guide 51 has two opposed semicircular guide parts 53a, 53b which are connected to each other via linear guide parts 54a, 54b of guide 51. The semicircular guide parts 53a, 53b are concentric with respect to bypass wheel 5 and bypass wheel 6, respectively. In view of the concentricity of the circulation wheel 6 and carousel 21, the semicircular guide part 53b is also concentric with carousel 21.

In normal operation, product carriers 52 move in synchronization with carousel 21 and synchronized with a circulation wheel 5. During that synchronized movement the product carriers 52 are located directly opposite a processing unit 23. In normal operation, during the outward stroke thereof, hook body 28 takes over a slaughter bird from a hook hanging on a trolley 9, while during the return stroke of hook body 28 the slaughter bird in question is transferred to a product carrier 52. If the relevant product carrier 52 is subsequently when circulation wheel 5 arrives, the slaughter bird is transferred there from product carrier 52 to the conveyor system of the conveyor chain which is wrapped around circulation wheel 5.

Conveyor chain 8, just like otherwise the conveyor chain which is wrapped around circulation wheel 5, is driven by drive means (not shown). Thus, the relevant drive means also drive the circulating wheel 6 and the part, rigidly connected there, in a cylindrical part 22 of carousel 21, rotating there. However, it is conceivable that the rotating movement of the cylindrical part 22 of carousel 21 is blocked by external factors, while the drive continues through the drive means of conveyor chain 8 (not shown). In such a case, overload protection 1 also comes into effect against overload. This is further elucidated with reference to figures 4, 5a and 5b.

Figure 4 shows a vertical cross-section of the circulation wheel 6. As can be seen in Figure 4, the circulation wheel 6 consists of various parts. Turning wheel 6 comprises a turning disc 61 on the circumference of which the teeth 7 are provided. Circular disk 61 has a central recess in which cylindrical bearing body 62 is received. Rotary disc 61 and bearing body 62 are fixedly connected to each other via bolt connections 64 and therefore always rotate together. Turning wheel 6 further comprises a flange body 65 rigidly connected to axle body 66. Flange body 65 and axle body 66 therefore always rotate together about axis of rotation 67. Both sides of the flange body 65 and of the bearing body 62 face both the bearing body 62 as the flange body 65 provided with four disc-shaped magnetic bodies 67, 68 which, at least in normal operation, are situated opposite each other and attract each other. As a result of this mutual attraction of magnet bodies 68 and 69, there is also, at least during normal operation, a rigid coupling between bearing body 62 and flange body 65 so that rotation of by-pass disc 61, which is effected via conveyor chain 8, will cause rotation of shaft body 66 . Axle body 66 is rigidly coupled to the cylindrical part 22 of carousel 21. When the rotation of the cylindrical part 22 is blocked, the forces acting on the magnetic coupling between the magnet elements 68, 69 will be too great to maintain that magnetic coupling and flange body 66 will come to a halt or at least rotate less rapidly than bearing body 62 together with bypass disc 61, whereby the magnetic coupling between the pairs of magnet elements 68, 69 is canceled.

The lifting of this magnet coupling can be observed with sensor 71, such as, for example, a camera, which is directed at the peripheral surfaces of bearing body 62 and flange body 62 at the interface between the bearing body 62 and the flange body 65. These peripheral surfaces are provided with stripe-shaped markings 72, 73 which, in normal operation, if there is a magnetic coupling between the four pairs of magnet elements 68, 69, are aligned with each other. However, due to the disconnection, stripe-shaped markers 72, 73 will shift relative to each other, which is sensed by sensor 71. Sensor 71 is arranged to subsequently send a signal to the control system to stop the drive for conveyor chain 8 so as to prevent further damage.

A third application of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to Figures 6, 7a, 7b and 8. Figure 6 shows schematically a device 81 for processing the stomachs of poultry, also referred to by the term stomach dispenser. Stomach machine 81 includes an inlet opening 82 through which viscera packages including stomachs are supplied to the stomach machine 81. Stirring machine 81 further comprises various rollers and knives which will be known per se to the skilled person and therefore require no further explanation here. On the downstream side of stomach dispenser 81, the stomach dispenser 81 comprises three pairs of peeling rollers 83 which are provided with a helical profiling and with which stomachs are processed. The total of six peeling rollers 83 are each rotatable about their respective axes and are rigidly connected to gear wheels 84 which are in line with the associated peeling rollers 83. An endless chain 87 is zigzagged around the gear wheels 84. Chain 87 is further wrapped around two gear wheels 85 and around a larger gear wheel 86. For driving the peeling rollers 83, an electric motor 88 is provided which drives gear wheel 89. Endless chain 90 is wrapped around gear 89 and is also wrapped around gear 91 rigidly coupled to gear 86. Thus, during normal operation, actuation of electric motor 88 will cause the peeling rollers 83 to be rotated about their respective axes of rotation.

In practice, it is possible that relatively hard objects, for example coming from a stomach, get trapped between two peeling rolls 83 of a pair of peeling rolls 83. To this end, stomach dispenser 81 comprises an overload protection system. This system is explained below with reference to figures 7a, 7b and 8. Near the free end of the outgoing shaft body 92 of electric motor 88, the shaft body 92 is received in a bearing housing 95 which is rigidly attached to a wall 101 of the housing part of the automatic stomach 81 in which the electric motor 88 is received. There is limited play between the bearing housing 95 which allows rotation of the shaft body 92 within bearing housing 95. Disc 93 is rigidly attached to the free end of axle body 92. On the side of the disk 93 facing the electric motor 88, four magnet bodies 94 are provided in four recesses thereof. A ring body 96 is provided around the bearing housing 95 and abuts against disk 93. At corresponding positions such as that of magnetic bodies 94, magnetic bodies 97 are also provided in recesses in annular body 96. Ring body 96 is rigidly attached to gear 89. The combination of ring body 96 and gear 89 is rotatable about the outside of bearing housing 95. The magnet bodies 94 and 97 form pairs and magnetically attract each other, so that in normal operation there is a rigid coupling between disc 93 and annular body 96. This rigid coupling is canceled if a hard object gets stuck between peeling rollers 83. Disc 93 and ring body 96 then rotate relative to each other so that from the situation according to figure 7a the situation according to figure 7b is achieved. Marks 99, 100 are provided on the circumference of disc 93 and annular body 96, respectively, comparable to markings 72, 73 in Figures 5a and 5b. The rotation is observed with the help of camera 98. Camera 98 gives a signal to the control of electric motor 88 to switch it off and to prevent (further) damage.

In an alternative embodiment, it is also conceivable to provide the magnetic coupling at a different position within the transmission line between the electric motor 88 and the peeling rollers 83, for example between gears 86 and 91.

It will be clear to the skilled person that the invention has been explained above with reference to a few embodiments. The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described. In particular, the invention is further elucidated on the basis of devices for overhanging slaughtered poultry, in particular chicken, and on the basis of a device for processing viscera packages, in particular the stomachs thereof. However, the invention is also applicable to devices for processing slaughter animals in general, such as, for example, pigs and / or poultry, such as chicken, turkey and / or duck.

The invention is also applicable to devices for carrying out other types of operations, for example for making cuts in a slaughtered animal or parts thereof. The requested protection is determined by the appended claims.