Apparatus and method for conveying a bird along a poultry processing line

Abstract

A grading shackle (10) for suspending birds from the overhead conveyor system of an automated poultry processing plant. The grading shackle (10) has a tiltable support frame (15) and a bird support bracket (20) pivotally attached to the support frame (15). The tiltable support frame (15) has a pair of wheels (40) which carry the support frame along the rails (102) of an automated weigh scale along the poultry processing line, and an elongated pin (52) to which bird support bracket (20) is pivotally attached. As the grading shackle proceeds up the inclined ramps (100) onto the rails (102) of the weigh scale, tiltable support frame (15) pivots away from the direction of travel along the poultry processing line while bird support bracket (20) simultaneously rotates through an arc about vertical axis (63) of the grading shackle (10) so that the wings of the bird (84) suspended from grading shackle (10) will move away from the wings of adjacent birds on adjacent grading shackles in order to accurately determine the weight of the bird (84) carried on grading shackle (10). As grading shackle (10) is conveyed away from the weigh scale, tiltable support frame (15) moves from a generally horizontal position back to a generally vertical position and bird support bracket (20) rotates back into its original position about vertical axis (63).