Linco Food Systems A/s

Baader Food Systems Denmark A/s

Bent Østergaard

Lasse Markfoged Petersen

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for arranging a bird having a body and two legs in a position for being suspended from a shackle. The method comprises the following sequence of steps: I) placing the body of the bird on a support surface with the breast side facing the support surface, II) inserting at least one spreading member between the legs of the bird, so that the breast side of at least one leg comes to rest on a contact surface of the spreading member, and III) forcing the legs away from each other using the spreading mechanism, so that the distance between the hock joints becomes bigger than the distance between the hip joints.

Method and an apparatus for arranging a bird in a position for being suspended from a shackle

A method of suspending a bird from a shackle according to the invention comprises the following sequence of steps: I) bending at least one leg at the hock joint so that the foot comes nearer to the breast of the bird, II) inserting the leg in the shackle, III) releasing the leg at least partially. The bending may be achieved by arranging an engagement member at the breast side of the leg to hinder a movement of the hock joint towards the breast of the bird and using a carrier for forcing the foot towards the breast. The engagement member and/or carrier may be adapted to yield.

Method of suspending a bird from a shackle and an apparatus for suspending birds

A method for suspending birds from an overhead conveyor, comprises the following sequence of steps: A) each bird is arranged in a holder with its legs and/or feet projecting from a first opening therein and its neck at a neck end, B) orientation of the feet is determined, C) the bird is rotated about an axis of rotation extending between the first opening and the neck end until a predetermined orientation of the legs and/or feet is reached, and D) the feet or legs of the bird are arranged in a shackle on the conveyor. The rotation may be achieved either by rotation the holder or by rotating the bird in the holder. In an apparatus according to the invention a monitoring station and a rotation station is provided for performing steps B) and C). The holders are preferably open-ended with a second opening at the neck end.

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Svenstrup, Denmark

Bent Østergaard