Selective ejecting of birds hanging from conveyor - by rapidly moving thrust against leg as hook passes guides

摘要

At the point at which a selected bird hanging by one or both feet from the fork of a conveyor hook, is to be ejected, an arm energised by a control unit, makes a short sharp thrust against the bird's foot, immediately beneath the fork. At the ejection point on each side of the conveyor, at different heights a fixed guide is fitted. The two guides, of which the one on the side of the ejector arm is higher, prevent the hanger from swinging sideways. The arrangement makes possible the grading of birds in an efficient manner without the complicated and expensive, self-locking hooks used in existing conveyors.