Albumen collection method

Abstract

An apparatus for collecting albumen drippings or stringers from conveyor-mounted egg breaking and separating units. The apparatus includes a collection container with an exhaust opening connected to a vacuum pump, an albumen discharge opening and an albumen and air intake opening. A vacuum pickup head includes an opening positioned in the travel path of the egg breaking and separating units. The albumen drippings or stringers are drawn through the pickup head inlet opening and into the collection container. An exhaust valve assembly in the collection container closes the exhaust opening when the albumen reaches a predetermined full level, which releases the partial vacuum for discharging the albumen contents. A method of collecting albumen is disclosed and includes the steps of clamping an egg in a breaking and separating unit, cracking the eggshell, separating the eggshell into two parts, dumping the contents into a yolk cup, straining the albumen from the yolk and retaining the yolk in the yolk cup, overflowing the albumen from the yolk cup into an albumen cup, passing the breaking and separating unit by a vacuum pickup head, drawing albumen drippings and air through the pickup head and into a collection container, exhausting air from the collection container and releasing the albumen contents from the collection container when a predetermined albumen level is reached.