Simon-johnson, Inc.

Johnson Food Equipment, Inc.

David R Crawford

Frank J Criscione, Ii

David M McDonald

Donald J Scheier

James A Bonuchi

A poultry scalding apparatus includes an elongated first tank section having opposed side walls, end walls and a bottom wall, and defining a poultry travel path extending generally in the longitudinal direction of the first tank section. Water is delivered via troughs to the first tank section from both sides of the poultry travel path at a generally constant height along at least a portion of the length of the first tank section, and a conveyor is provided for conveying poultry along the poultry travel path in a head-down orientation while preferably moving the poultry vertically relative to the water delivery troughs as the poultry travels along the portion of the length of the first tank section in which the water delivery troughs are disposed. The poultry is moved between a first elevation at which the poultry is supported at least partially above the height at which water is delivered to the first tank section and a second elevation at which the poultry is supported substantially completely beneath the height at which water is delivered to the first tank section such that the head and neck of the poultry is exposed to the water for a longer period of time then the remainder of the poultry. At no time during the movement of the poultry through the first tank section does the head of the poultry become submerged beneath the waterline of the first tank section. A second tank section may be provided adjoining the first tank section and defining a continuance of the travel path. The second tank section includes a water level sufficient to permit the poultry to be substantially submerged during continued conveyance along the travel path such that scalding of the poultry may be performed.

Scalder apparatus

A chiller has a series of moving rakes for advancing poultry carcasses through a tank of chilling liquid for cooling the carcasses down to an acceptable temperature. The chiller includes a loader which permits loading of the carcasses into an end of the tank without subsequent damages to the carcasses by the rakes. The loader includes a gate which is biased open for permitting feeding of the carcasses through an inlet and onto a ramp in the loading end of the tank when the rakes are remote from the inlet, and is closed as the rakes approach the inlet so as to prevent pinching of the carcasses between the rakes and the ramp.

Method and apparatus for loading poultry carcasses into drag type

The machine has two laterally separated banks of pickers located on opposite sides of the path of travel of poultry carcasses conveyed through the machine. Each bank includes three horizontally extending lines of rotary pickers set in spaced opposition to the corresponding lines of pickers on the opposite bank so as to define a picking zone therebetween. The two banks may be rocked about a pair of respective horizontal axes extending parallel to the path of travel so as to adjust the shape of the picking zone to the extent needed for optimum performance, i.e., rocking the banks inwardly toward one another at their upper corners correspondingly brings the upper pickers closer together while separating the lower pickers and, on the other hand, rocking the banks toward one another at their lower corners causes the lower pickers to be brought closer to one another while the upper pickers are spaced further apart. The intermediate or middle lines of pickers are independently adjustable toward and away from one another relative to the other pickers, and both banks may be bodily shifted toward and away from one another to expand or contract the picking zone as may be necessary or desirable.

Poultry picking machine

A rotary picking unit has its drive shaft journaled by bearings that must be sealed against exposure to moisture and the escape of lubricant. A housing which contains the bearings is fitted at its open end with an annular seal that is disposed outwardly adjacent the bearings in surrounding, sealing relationship with the shaft which projects outwardly from the housing and carries feather picking means at its outer end. A close fitting sleeve, preferably of a synthetic resinous material, surrounds that portion of the shaft projecting outwardly from the seal and is held stationary during rotation of the shaft within the sleeve so as to keep feathers, grit and grime from working along the shaft and deteriorating the interface between the shaft and the seal. The stationary sleeve bears against the backside of a rotating disc of the picking means and has a beveled outer end so that only a thin, knife edge of the sleeve actually makes contact with the disc. This minimizes the risk of pinching fine feathers between the end of the sleeve and the disc and forcing them to work along the shaft as it rotates relative to the sleeve.

Growing community of inventors

Blue Springs, MO, United States of America

David R Crawford