Device and method for cutting slaughtered poultry in separate pieces

Abstract

A device for cutting slaughtered poultry in separate pieces. A bird is held by at least one radial processing device which is movable on a frame by a driving device which is provided with a processing arm, at the side facing the frame being provided with an adjustment mechanism which can reorient the processing device during the movement of the arm in a number of various positions of rotation with respect to the arm and a blocking mechanism which can fix the processing device in said positions of rotation, with a deblocking mechanism for unlocking the processing device, and said processing arm at the side facing away from the frame being provided with a stretching mechanism for holding the bird. A number of driven knives mounted on the frame comprise of a first knife for cutting the breast, a second knife for cutting the first wing, a third knife for cutting the bird lengthwise in two halves, a fourth knife for cutting the other wing, a fifth knife for cutting the entire leg and a sixth knife for cutting the lower legs from the rumps.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for cutting slaughtered poultry into separate pieces, comprising, a frame,   a plurality of cutting stations which are spaced apart,   a holding means for holding a bird, said holding means being supported on the frame and being movable in a machine direction to carry a bird successively through said cutting stations, said holding means being rotatable to change the orientation of a bird thereon with respect to the machine direction,   drive means for moving the holding means in said machine direction to carry the holding means through said cutting stations,   reorientation means operable while the holding means is located between successive cutting stations for unblocking the holding means to permit rotation thereof, rotating the holding means to a different orientation, and blocking the holding means to retain it at said different orientation relative to the machine direction,   each of said cutting stations having a driven knife positioned in the path of a bird on said holding means.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the reorientation means is operable to place a bird at an orientation where said knife at one cutting station cuts the breast, a knife at another cutting station cuts the bird lengthwise into two halves, a knife at another cutting station cuts a second wing, a knife at another cutting station cuts the legs, and a knife at another cutting station cuts the lower legs from the rumps. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said reorientation means comprises the following: an adjusting and blocking disc which is connected to and rotatable with said holding means, said adjusting and blocking disc having a plurality of holes and a plurality of adjusting pins,   a blocking pin which is movable in the machine direction with the holding means, said blocking pin being movable between an engaged position and a retracted position where it is respectively engaged and retracted from one of the holes in said disc,   a plurality of deblocking cam means affixed to the frame for moving said locking pin to its retracted position,   a plurality of adjusting cam means affixed to the frame for engaging said adjusting pins to rotate said holding means.   
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the holding means comprises the following: a support member,   means for engaging the legs of the bird to hang the bird in front of the support member,   means for holding the wings of the bird, and   means for holding the body of the bird at a fixed orientation in front of the support member.   
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the holding means comprises the following: a base member,   a back support for the body of the bird, said back support being mounted at the front of the base member,   a pair of levers pivotally mounted on an upper portion of the base member and having forward ends provided with U-shaped suspension hooks for engaging the knee joints of the bird, said levers having rear ends connected to the base member by tension springs,   a pair of pivoted support arm provided with means for engaging the body of the bird,   a pair of pivoted wing clamps for holding the wings of a bird and   a cam plate slidably mounted on the base member, said cam plate having recesses engaged with the support arms for moving the support arms in response to sliding movement of the cam plate, said cam plate having cams for moving the wing clamps in response to sliding movement of the cam plate.   
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein two said support arms are provided with retaining plates located to project inwardly to engage the rump of the bird, and two said support arms are provided with transverse plate-like grippers located to engage behind the backbone of the bird. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said retaining plates are adjustably supported on the support arms for movement in planes which are perpendicular to the support arms. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim 5 having wing hooks affixed to the base member in the vicinity of the wing clamps. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein two said support arms are provided with retaining plates located to project inwardly to engage the rump of the bird, and two said support arms are provided with transverse plate-like grippers located to engage behind the backbone of the bird. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said retaining plates are adjustably supported on the support arms for movement in planes which are perpendicular to the support arms. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to claim 5 having a shaft which is pivotally mounted on the frame and is connected to the support arms, a rod which is slidable on the base member and is connected to the cam plate, said rod having a cam follower at one end for engaging a rising cam on the frame,   a locking lever pivotally mounted on the base member and having means for holding said rod and the cam plate at a given position when a bird is on the holding means,   an unlocking cam affixed to the frame for disengaging said locking lever from said rod to permit movement of the rod and the cam plate from said given position.   
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein two said support arms are provided with retaining plates located to project inwardly to engage the rump of the bird, and two said support arms are provided with transverse plate-like grippers located to engage behind the backbone of the bird. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said retaining plates are adjustably supported on the support arms for movement in planes which are perpendicular to the support arms. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus according to claim 12 having wing hooks affixed to the base member in the vicinity of the wing clamps. .Iadd. 
     
     
       15.  An apparatus for cutting slaughtered poultry into separate pieces, comprising, a plurality of cutting stations which are spaced apart,   a plurality of bird holding means each of which is operable to hold a bird, each said bird holding means including a support member and being operable to hold a bird in front of and at a fixed orientation with respect to the support member,   each said bird holding means being movable in a machine direction to carry a bird successively through said cutting stations, each said bird holding means being rotatable to change the orientation of a bird thereon with respect to the machine direction,   drive means for moving the bird holding means in said machine direction to carry them through said cutting stations,   reorientation means operable while the bird holding means are located between successive cutting stations for rotating the bird holding means and the birds thereon to a different orientation relative to the machine direction,   each of said cutting stations having a cutting knife positioned in the path of birds on said bird holding means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein each bird holding means includes means for   
     
     
        engaging the wings of a bird. .Iadd.17.  Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein each bird holding means includes means for engaging the legs of a bird to suspend a bird in front of the support member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein each bird holding means includes first means for engaging the legs of a bird and second means for engaging the wings of a bird whereby a bird is stretched between the first means and the second means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the means for engaging the wings of a bird includes wing clamps which clamp the wings of the bird on said support member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the bird holding means are supported for substantially horizontal movement through the cutting stations. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the reorientation means rotate the bird holding means about substantially 
     
     
        horizontal axes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22.  Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the bird holding means are supported for substantially horizontal movement through the cutting stations, and the reorientation means rotate the bird holding means about substantially horizontal axes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the reorientation means includes means for rotating the bird holding means in response to movement of the bird holding means in the machine direction. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein each bird holding means is operable to release cut portions of the bird after the bird holding means has moved through the cutting stations. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein each bird holding means includes means for pressing against the upper side of the bird's rumps. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the reorientation means is operable to place a bird at an orientation where said knife at one cutting station cuts the breast, a knife at another cutting station cuts the bird lengthwise into two halves, a knife at another cutting station cuts a second wing, a knife at another cutting station cuts the legs, and a knife at another cutting station cuts the lower legs from the ramps. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.27.  A method of cutting slaughtered poultry into separate pieces, said method being performed on a machine which has a plurality of bird holders and a plurality of cutting stations, said method including the following steps: holding birds at fixed orientations on and with respect to said bird holders,   moving said bird holders and the birds thereon along a path which extends through a plurality of said cutting stations,   cutting said birds at the cutting stations while their respective bird holders are moved therethrough, said cutting steps being performed by moving the birds on the bird holders into contact with cutting knives which are located at said cutting stations,   reorienting the birds when they are located between successive cutting stations, said reorienting step being performed by rotating the bird holders to change their orientation with respect to said path. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. A method according to claim 27 wherein each of the bird holders includes a support member, leg-engaging members for suspending a bird at a position in front of the support member, and holding elements for holding a bird against the support member, said cutting step being performed when a bird is positioned against the support member and is engaged by said   
     
     
        holding elements and said leg-engaging members. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29.  A method according to claim 28 wherein the holding elements are engaged with the wings of a bird. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. A method according to claim 27 wherein the pieces of a bird are held on the respective bird holder until the bird holder has moved through all said cutting stations, and said pieces are then released from the bird holder. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. A method according to claim 27 wherein the bird holders are moved in a horizontal path which extends through the cutting stations. .Iaddend. .Iadd.32. A method according to claim 27 wherein the step of reorienting the birds is performed by rotating the bird holders about substantially horizontal axes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. A method according to claim 27 wherein the bird holders are moved in a horizontal path which extends through the cutting stations, and the step of reorienting the birds is performed by rotating the bird holders about substantially horizontal axes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34. A method according to claim 27 wherein said reorienting step is performed in response to and during movement of the 
     
     
        bird holders between said cutting stations. .Iaddend. .Iadd.35.  A method according to claim 27 wherein the birds are stretched when they are held on the bird holders. .Iaddend. .Iadd.36. A method according to claim 35 wherein the birds are stretched between leg engaging members and wing engaging members. .Iaddend. .Iadd.37. A method according to claim 27 including the step of moving wing clamps against the wings of the birds to hold the wings of the birds on the respective support members. .Iaddend. .Iadd.38. A method according to claim 27 including the step of pressing against the upper side of the bird's rumps when the bird's legs are cut from the bird. .Iaddend. .Iadd.39. A method according to claim 27 wherein the reorienting steps are performed so that a knife at one cutting station cuts the breast, a knife at another cutting station cuts the bird lengthwise into two halves, a knife at another cutting station cuts a second wing, a knife at another cutting station cuts the legs, and a knife at another cutting station cuts the lower legs from the rump. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.40.  A method of cutting slaughtered poultry into separate pieces in a machine which has a plurality of bird holders, each of which has a support member, a plurality of cutting stations which are spaced apart, each of said cutting stations having a cutting knife, said machine also having a drive means and a reorientation means, said method including the following steps: holding birds on the bird holders at fixed orientations with respect to the support members,   moving birds on the bird holders in a machine direction to carry the birds successively through said cutting stations, each said bird holder being rotatable to change the orientation of a bird thereon with respect to the machine direction,   operating said drive means to move the bird holders in said machine direction to carry them through said cutting stations, said drive means moving the birds on said bird holders in a path which brings them into contact with the cutting knives at the cutting stations,   using said reorientation means while the bird holders are located between successive cutting stations to rotate the bird holders to change the orientation of the birds thereon relative to the machine direction. .Iaddend.