Improvements in or connected with machines for plucking feathers, stubs and down from poultry and other birds

摘要

404,399. Harvesting tea, flax, or hops. BUDD, A. G., and BARTON, H., Station Garage & Motor Works, West Moors, Wimborne, Dorset. Sept. 5, 1932, No. 24756. [Class 6 (iii).] In a machine for plucking poultry, stripping tea plants, pulling flax, or picking hops, of the kind comprising gripping-members mounted on rotary discs, the gripping-members consist of spring blades 5 secured, e.g. by riveting, at the leading ends to the sides of the discs 3, the trailing ends being free and arranged to come together in pairs to form the grippers. The blades 5 are stiffened by spring blades 11 secured to the discs and arranged behind the blades 5. The discs 3 are spaced by, and are secured to, spacers 4 which are keyed to the hub 1, and the assembly of discs and spacers are held together by a screwed ring 13. Means 7, 8 for separating the grippers 5 are arranged between each pair of discs 3, the means 7, 8 being secured between spaced fibre rings 6 loosely mounted on the spacers 4. The means 7, 8 are prevented from rotation by a bar 10 which passes through aligned holes in the parts 8. The bar 10 may be adjustable to vary the position at which the grippers snap together on being released by the members 7, 8. In operation, the bird, or article to be plucked, is held against an opening in the casing, which at the plucking position, is curved to the radius of the gripper drum, and the feathers, erected by draught induced by a fan, project between the grippers 5 which have been opened by the members 7. On being released by the members 7, the grippers 5 snap together and grip the feathers. The tips of the grippers 5 are curved away from each other, to avoid sharp edges contacting with the members 7, 8. The plucked feathers are released by the members 8, which positively eject the feathers and clean the grippers.