Equipment for weighing poultry in conveyor lines

Abstract

A device (1) for weighing poultry in a conveyor line (2) comprises carriers (3) for poultry, which are connected to each other by a transmission chain (12) of the conveyor line (2), the conveyor line (2) comprising at least a curved track section (2') and a weighing track section (2"), along which a weighing platform is positioned, the device (1) also comprising a tensioning device in the transmission chain (12) at or near the weighing platform along the weighing track section (2"). A reduced chain (12) tension control mechanism comprising a rotatable wheel (6) which circumferentially follows a curved track section (2') and passes a weighing track section (2"), the rotatable wheel (6) supporting a series of engagement units (5) which engage the chain (12) and / or the carrier (3) at the curved track section (2') to tension the chain (12) and disengage from the chain (12) and / or the carrier (3) at the weighing track section (2") to release the tension in the chain (12).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus for weighing poultry in a conveyor line, the apparatus comprising carriers for the poultry, the carriers being connected to one another by a drive chain, the conveyor line comprising at least a curved track section and a weighing track section, wherein a weighing platform is positioned along the weighing track section, and the apparatus further comprising a chain tension control mechanism which reduces the tension in the drive chain at or near the weighing platform along the weighing track section. Background Art

[0002] GB 2 125 174B and WO 2013 / 154427 disclose such apparatus, these documents being approximately 30 years apart, which demonstrates that the industry is continually searching for improvements to the operation of weighing poultry whilst they are moving in a conveyor line.

[0003] Chain tension control mechanisms are used to reduce inaccuracies during weighing operations caused by chains that can make weight measurements uncertain. As demonstrated in WO 2013 / 154427, the prior art has developed complex and, accordingly, relatively expensive solutions. The structure in WO 2013 / 154427 comprises two continuous pulleys defining a path consisting of two curved track sections running in opposite directions and a weighing track section located between them. This structure can disadvantageously cause undesirable wobbling of the birds, which reduces the accuracy of weight measurements. This also creates a risk of cross-contamination between transported birds, as wobbling birds can cause adjacent birds to come into contact with one another. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to simplify the design of equipment for weighing poultry while they are moving in a conveyor line and to achieve cost-effectiveness without compromising weight accuracy.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to prevent the poultry from continuously swinging while being transported, in particular while passing a weighing table.

[0006] The device of the invention is therefore provided with the features according to one or more of the following embodiments.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the chain tension control mechanism comprises a rotatable wheel whose periphery follows a curved track section and passes through a weighing track section. The rotatable wheel supports a series of engagement units that engage the chain and / or carrier in the curved track section to tension the chain, and disengage from the chain and carrier in the weighing track section to release tension in the chain. This simple solution avoids the complex mechanisms of the prior art without compromising its effectiveness.

[0008] Suitably, the engagement unit is movable in a radial direction of the rotatable wheel to engage and disengage the chain and / or the carrier.

[0009] In a suitable embodiment, the engagement unit is slidably mounted on a shaft provided on the rotatable wheel.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus comprises a fixed guide ring, and the engaging units, supported by rotatable wheels, are each provided with a guide wheel that runs in a track on the fixed guide ring. This enables the track on the fixed guide ring to engage the engaging units with the chain and / or carrier in the curved track section and to disengage them from the chain and carrier in the weighing track section. This is an efficient and reliable way to enable the engaging units to operate precisely on the chain and / or carrier at the desired moment, i.e., when the poultry passes the weighing platform at the weighing track section.

[0011] In order to accommodate any possible curvature that may be applied in the curved track section, it is desirable that the track of the fixed guide ring that causes the radial movement of the coupling unit relative to the rotatable wheel has a first track section and a second track section, wherein the first track section is further away from the rotation axis of the rotatable wheel than the second track section, so that it is arranged that the first track section tensions the chain and the second track section releases the tension in the chain.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the weighing track section is delimited by at least a portion of a curved track section both at its entry section and at its exit section. Since the weighing track section represents the shortest possible distance between curved track sections at the opposite ends of the weighing track section, this measure helps to relieve tension in the chain when this part of the chain is located in the area of ​​the weighing track section.

[0013] In order to support the accuracy of the weight measurement, it is preferred that the weighing track section has no direct connection to the curved track section, in particular when the weighing track section is appropriately provided with a load cell of the weighing platform. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The invention will be further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings of exemplary embodiments of the device according to the invention.

[0015] In the attached figure:

[0016] - Figure 1A and Figure 1B The apparatus of the present invention is shown in an oblique top view and a bottom view, respectively;

[0017] - Figure 2 A chain coupling unit of the device of the present invention is shown;

[0018] - Figure 3 A fixed guide ring is shown for Figure 2 The link coupling unit moves along the radial direction of the guide ring; and

[0019] - Figure 4 Shown are load cells at a weigh track section of the apparatus of the present invention.

[0020] Whenever the same reference numbers are used in the drawings, they refer to the same parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] First go to Figure 1A and Figure 1B , which shows an apparatus 1 for weighing poultry (poultry is not shown, but a person skilled in the art is generally familiar with what poultry looks like) which can be transported in a conveyor line 2 on carriers 3, which are generally embodied with a T-shaped track. However, this is not necessary. The carriers 3 are supported by wheels 4 running in the track of the conveyor line 2 and the carriers 3 are connected to each other by a transmission chain 12. The conveyor line 2 comprises at least a curved track section 2' and a weighing track section 2", which are Figure 3 As shown in Figure 4 As depicted in FIG, the weighing platform and the load cell 14 of the weighing platform are positioned along the weighing track section 2". Figure 4 It is also shown in FIG. 2 that the weighing track section 2 ″ does not have any direct connection to the curved track section 2 ′.

[0022] The apparatus 1 of the present invention comprises a chain 12 tension control mechanism which reduces the tension in the drive chain 12 in the portion of the chain 12 located at or near the weighing platform along the weighing track section 2".

[0023] According to the invention, the chain tension control mechanism comprises a rotatable wheel 6 which has its periphery 6' following a portion of the curved track section 2' and also passes through the weighing track section 2 where the weighing platform is located (see Figure 1B and Figure 3The rotatable wheel 6 supports a series of engaging units 5 which are movable due to the rotation of the wheel 6 and which are also movable radially relative to the wheel 6 in order to engage the chain 12 or the carrier 3 in the curved track section 2' and thereby tension the chain 12, and to disengage the chain 12 and the carrier 3 in the weighing track section 2" and thereby release the tension in the chain 12. This effect is preferably achieved by providing that the device comprises a fixed guide ring 11 (see Figure 3 ), and the joining units 5 supported by the rotatable wheel 6 are each provided with a guide wheel 10 that runs in a track 13 of a fixed guide ring 11.

[0024] Figure 3 The track 13 for radially moving the coupling unit 5 relative to the rotatable wheel 6 is shown to have a first track section 13' and a second track section 13", wherein the first track section 13' is further away from the rotation axis 8 of the rotatable wheel 6 than the second track section 13", so that it is arranged that the first track section 13' tensions the chain 12, while the second track section 13" releases the tension in the chain 12. Thus, the track 13 of the fixed guide ring 11 enables the coupling unit 5 to engage the chain 12 and / or the carrier 13 in the curved track section 2' and to disengage from the chain 12 and the carrier 13 in the weighing track section 2".

[0025] The weighing track section 2″ is delimited both at its entry section and at its exit section by at least a portion of a curved track section 2′. Since the weighing track section 2″ represents the shortest possible distance between curved track sections 2′ at the opposite ends of the weighing track section 2″, this helps to relieve tension in the portion of the chain 12 that is located in the region of the weighing track section 2″. This also applies if the weighing track section 2″ is curved.

[0026] Figure 2 It is shown that the coupling unit 5 can slide on the shaft 7, which is mounted at one end to a support 15 on the rotatable wheel 6. However, this is not necessary. Other ways of mounting the coupling unit 5 on the rotatable wheel 6 are also conceivable.

[0027] During use, the device 1 of the present invention operates as follows.

[0028] When the carrier 3 is conveyed along the conveying direction T, the carrier 3 reaches the curved track section 2' of the conveying line 2. The chain 12 is driven by a drive device (not depicted) as known in the art to convey the carrier 3 along the track. The curved track section has a radius R1. When the carrier 3 reaches the curved track section 2', the carrier 3 is engaged by the engaging unit 5. As described above, the engaging unit 5 is slidably mounted on the shaft 7 on the rotatable wheel 6. Therefore, the engaging unit 5 is conveyed along the curved track section 2' by rotating about the rotation axis 8 of the rotatable wheel 6, and also moves radially relative to the shaft 8 by sliding on the shaft 7.

[0029] If combined Figure 2 and Figure 3 It is clear that the guide rail 13 of the fixed guide ring 11 guides the joining unit 5 via the wheels 10 of the joining unit 5 running in the guide rail 13. The first guide rail section 13' has a radius R2, and the second rail section 13" adjacent to the weighing rail section 2" is closer to the axis 8, for example, because it has a radius R3 that is smaller than R2. In different embodiments, the second rail section 13" can be straight.

[0030] As described above, the carrier 3 is coupled to the drive chain 12 so that the carrier 3 moves in the direction T toward the beginning of the curved track section 2'. There, the chain coupling unit 5, which rotates with the rotatable wheel 6, engages the chain 12 and / or the carrier 3 via the coupling means 9 of the chain coupling unit 5. The rotatable wheel 6 is arranged to rotate because the chain 12 drives the coupling unit 5 when the coupling unit 5 is in contact with the carrier's chain. This means that a separate actuator is not required to drive the wheel 6, but a separate actuator can be added as long as the rotational movement of the coupling unit 5 about the axis 8 of the rotatable wheel 6 is synchronized with the movement of the carrier 3.

[0031] While the joining units 5 are being transported, their guide wheels 10 move along the tracks 13 of the fixed guide rings 11. The joining units 5 follow a curved path over the curved track section 2'. However, as soon as the units 5 reach the weighing track section 2", the joining units 5 slide radially towards the axis 8 of the rotating wheel 6, since the radius R3 of the track 13 close to the position of the weighing track section 2" is smaller than the radius R2 of the track 13 following the curved track section 2'. Due to the radial inward movement of the joining units 5, the chains 12 are released from the joining means 9 of the joining units 5 at the weighing track section 2".

[0032] When the wheels 4 of the individual carriers 3 reach the weighing track section 2″, the load sensors 14 measure the weight of the carriers 3 transporting the poultry. Since the tension is released from the chain 12 at the weighing track section 2″, the distortion of the weight measurement is reduced due to the tension in the chain 12. As soon as the individual carriers 3 leave the weighing track section 2″, the engaging unit 5 is again moved radially away from the axis of rotation 8 of the rotatable wheels 6 and the engaging means 9 of the engaging unit 5 again engage the chain 12 or its carriers in order to provide tension to the chain 12.

[0033] Embodiments of the present invention may include any combination of features disclosed herein independently of one another. Although the present invention has been discussed hereinabove with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to that specific embodiment, which may vary in many ways without departing from the present invention. Therefore, the exemplary embodiment discussed should not be used to interpret the appended claims strictly in accordance with the exemplary embodiment discussed. On the contrary, the embodiments are intended only to interpret the wording of the appended claims and are not intended to limit the claims to that exemplary embodiment. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted solely in light of the appended claims, wherein possible ambiguities in the wording of the claims should be resolved using that exemplary embodiment.

[0034] Variations and modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the present invention is intended to cover all such modifications and equivalents in the appended claims. The entire disclosures of all references, applications, patents, and publications cited above are incorporated herein by reference. Unless specifically stated above as "essential," none of the various components or the relationships between the various components are essential for the operation of the present invention. Instead, the desired results can be achieved by replacing the various components and / or reconfiguring the relationships between the various components.

Claims

1. A device (1) for weighing poultry in a conveyor line (2), the device (1) comprising carriers (3) for the poultry, the carriers (3) being connected to each other by a transmission chain (12), the conveyor line (2) comprising at least a curved track section (2') and a weighing track section (2"), wherein: A weighing platform is positioned along the weighing track section (2"), and the device (1) also includes a chain tension control mechanism, which reduces the tension of the transmission chain (12) at or near the weighing platform along the weighing track section (2"), characterized in that the chain tension control mechanism includes a rotatable wheel (6), the periphery of which follows the curved track section (2') and passes through the weighing track section (2"), the rotatable wheel (6) supporting a series of coupling units (5), the coupling units (5) engaging the transmission chain (12) and / or the carrier (3) in the curved track section (2') to tension the transmission chain (12), and the coupling units (5) disengaging from the transmission chain (12) and the carrier (3) in the weighing track section (2") to release the tension in the transmission chain (12).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The engaging unit (5) is movable in a radial direction of the rotatable wheel (6) to engage and disengage with the transmission chain (12) and / or the carrier (3).

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The engaging unit (5) is slidably mounted on a shaft (7) provided on the rotatable wheel (6).

4. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The device comprises a fixed guide ring (11), and the joining units (5) supported by the rotatable wheels (6) are each provided with a guide wheel (10) running in a track (13) of the fixed guide ring (11).

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that The track (13) of the fixed guide ring (11) is arranged so that the engaging unit (5) engages the transmission chain (12) and / or the carrier (3) in the curved track section (2') and disengages from the transmission chain (12) and / or the carrier (3) in the weighing track section (2").

6. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that The track (13) for radially moving the coupling unit (5) relative to the rotatable wheel (6) comprises a first track section (13') and a second track section (13"), wherein the first track section (13') is further away from the axis of rotation (8) of the rotatable wheel (6) than the second track section (13"), so that the arrangement is such that the first track section (13') tensions the drive chain (12) and the second track section (13") relieves the tension in the drive chain (12).

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 2 and 5 to 6, characterized in that The weighing track section (2") is delimited at its entry section and at its exit section by at least a portion of the curved track section (2').

8. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 2 and 5 to 6, characterized in that The weighing track section (2") is not directly connected to the curved track section (2').

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 2 and 5 to 6, characterized in that The weighing platform is provided with a load sensor (14).

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