Finger holder for a poultry plucker

Abstract

The invention relates to a finger holder for a plucker, said finger holder being intended to be rotated about an axis of rotation (X) and comprising a plate having fastening means for fixing the plate to a shaft of the plucker, a cover which caps a front face of the plate and has a plurality of bores, where each bore is intended to receive a finger of the plucker, and a locking system distinct from the fastening means and which alternately takes a locking position in which it locks the cover on the plate or an unlocking position in which it does not lock the cover on the plate.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a finger holder for a poultry plucker, as well as a poultry plucker comprising at least one such finger holder. PREVIOUS STATE OF THE ART

[0002] To pluck poultry, a plucker is commonly used. A plucker is a machine with multiple finger holders, each equipped with multiple fingers. Each finger is typically made of a flexible material and can take various shapes.

[0003] For each finger holder, the plucker has a shaft to which the finger holder is attached. Thanks to a motorized system, each shaft is driven in rotation, and the contact between the poultry and the rotating fingers plucks the feathers from the poultry.

[0004] Currently, a finger holder takes the form of a circular plate with multiple bores and a central recess whose shape matches the shape of the shaft to ensure the plate fits onto the shaft. The plate is then fixed to the shaft with a screw.

[0005] When a finger is worn, it needs to be replaced. With the finger holders currently in use, this requires removing the finger holder from its shaft, removing the worn finger, installing a new one, and then reassembling the plate. Disassembling and reassembling the plate are relatively time-consuming operations during which the plucker is out of service.

[0006] In addition, the face of the plate that is opposite the fingers has many crevices, particularly due to the bores, in which debris gets stuck and cleaning then also requires dismantling each plate.

[0007] It is therefore necessary to find an arrangement that saves time, particularly for replacing worn fingers.

[0008] Document US-A-7,066,805 discloses a state-of-the-art finger holder. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a finger holder for a plucker, where the finger holder comprises a plate and a cover which holds the fingers and is removably fixed to the plate.

[0010] To this end, a finger holder for a plucker is proposed, said finger holder being designed to rotate around an axis of rotation and comprising: a plate comprising fastening means for fixing the plate to a shaft of the plucker, a cover which caps a front face of the plate and has a plurality of bores, where each bore is intended to receive a finger of the plucker, and a locking system separate from the fastening means and which alternately takes a locking position in which it locks the cover onto the plate or an unlocking position in which it does not lock the cover onto the plate, where the cover has a dome which covers the front face of the plate and sides extending perpendicularly to the dome, and where the plate has for each side a recess in which said side fits.

[0011] Advantageously, the locking system is a drawer which slides in a direction of movement to move from the unlocked position to the locked position, the plate has a tunnel through and extending perpendicularly to the axis of rotation, the cover has two housings, each housing is located at one end of the tunnel, and in the locked position, the first end fits into the first housing, the second end fits into the second recess and the central part fits into the tunnel.

[0012] Advantageously, each dwelling is integrated into a wall.

[0013] Advantageously, the first housing consists of two peripheral grooves made in a first panel, for each peripheral groove, the first end of the drawer has a rib which fits into said peripheral groove, and the second housing consists of a window made in a second panel.

[0014] Advantageously, the finger holder has a disengageable locking system which locks the drawer relative to the plate in the locked position.

[0015] Advantageously, the locking system includes: two flexible arms with a first end and a second end, where the first end is fixed to the drawer, where the second end extends in the direction of movement from the first end, and the two second ends move apart from each other from the first ends and along the direction of movement, for each arm, a stop fixed to the plate, where in the locked position, each second end is constrained against a stop, and a pulling means provided to allow the drawer to be pulled in a direction opposite to the direction of movement.

[0016] Advantageously, each second end carries a hook attached to the second end and in the unlocked position, each hook comes to rest against the stop associated with said second end.

[0017] The invention also proposes a poultry plucker comprising at least one shaft, a motorization system driving each shaft in rotation, for each shaft, a finger holder according to one of the preceding variants, where the plate is fixed to said shaft by the fixing means, and for each bore, a finger inserted into said bore. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The features of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will become clearer upon reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which: [ Fig. 1 ] is a perspective view of a finger holder according to the invention, [ Fig. 2 ] is a side view of a finger according to an example embodiment, [ Fig. 3 ] is an exploded view of the finger holder according to the invention, [ Fig. 4 ] is a rear view of the finger holder according to the invention, [ Fig. 5 ] is a cross-sectional view through plane V of the Fig. 1 of the finger holder according to the invention, and [ Fig. 6 ] is a cross-sectional view by plane VI of the Fig. 4 . DETAILED EXPLANATION OF IMPLEMENTATION METHODS

[0019] There Fig. 1 shows a 100 finger holder according to the invention for a poultry plucker.

[0020] The finger holder 100 comprises a plate 102, a cover 104 and a locking system 106.

[0021] There Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the finger holder 100 and the Fig. 4 shows a rear view of the finger holder 100.

[0022] In use, the plate 102 is attached to a plucker shaft using mounting means, and the shaft is driven to rotate around its axis by a motor system. The plate 102 is then driven to rotate around an axis of rotation X corresponding to the axis of the shaft after assembly.

[0023] In the embodiment of the invention presented here, to prevent the rotation of the plate 102 relative to the shaft, the plate 102 has, on one rear face, a sleeve 402 whose internal hollow shape, here triangular, is complementary to the shape of the shaft. Thus, the sleeve 402 fits onto the shaft, and the complementarity of the internal shape of the sleeve 402 and the external shape of the shaft prevents the rotation of the plate 102 relative to the shaft. As shown more particularly in the Fig. 6 To ensure the attachment of the plate 102 to the shaft 604 of the plucker, the plate 102 has a well 302 which passes through the plate 102 parallel to the axis of rotation X and extends the internal hollow shape of the sleeve 402, allowing the installation of a screw 602 which screws onto the end of the shaft 604 housed in the sleeve 402 and whose head bears against a shoulder 501 of the well 302. Of course, other means of attachment are possible between the shaft 604 and the plate 102.

[0024] Thus, in the embodiment of the invention presented here, the fastening means include locking means which prevent the rotation of the plate 102 relative to the shaft and fastening means which fix the plate 102 to the shaft 604. Here, the locking means are the sleeve 402 and the fastening means are the well 302, the shoulder 501 and the screw 602.

[0025] The cover 104 caps a front face of the plate 102 and has a plurality of bores 108, where each bore 108 receives a finger 110.

[0026] The front face of the plate 102 is the face opposite the rear face and here it is perpendicular to the axis of rotation X. The front face is the face from which the fingers 110 will extend.

[0027] The cover has an inner face 304 oriented towards the front face of the plate 102 and an outer face 112 oriented in the opposite direction. The front face of the plate 102 is thus covered by the cover 104.

[0028] There Fig. 2 This shows an example of a finger 110 which has a circular groove 206 that separates the finger 110 into a shoe 202 and a rod 204. The finger 110 is made of a flexible material and the installation of the finger 110 consists of inserting the free end of the rod 204 into the bore 108 from the inner face 304 until the edges of the bore 108 are forced into the circular groove 206. The shoe 202 is then on the side of the inner face 304 and the rod 204 on the side of the outer face 112.

[0029] The locking system 106 alternately takes a locking position in which it locks the cover 104 onto the plate 102 or an unlocking position in which it does not lock the cover 104 onto the plate 102 and the cover 104 can then separate from the plate 102.

[0030] Thus, when a finger 110 needs to be changed, it is simply a matter of moving the locking system 106 to the unlocked position to release the cover 104, removing the finger 110 from the cover 104, placing a new finger 110 on the cover 104, then repositioning the cover 104 on the plate 102 and moving the locking system 106 to the locked position. All these operations are carried out while leaving the plate 102 fixed to the shaft, which simplifies the technician's work. Therefore, in the invention described here, the fastening means and the locking system 106 are separate and independent components.

[0031] In addition, by making a molded plate 102 without roughness and without drilling to receive the fingers 110, the rear face, the one which here carries the sleeve 402 can be smooth to avoid the deposit of waste, which facilitates cleaning at the rear of the finger holder 100.

[0032] To limit the risks of rotation of the cover 104 relative to the plate 102, the cover 104 includes a cap 114 which covers the front face of the plate 102 and sides 116 attached to the cap 114 and extending generally perpendicularly to the cap 114, that is to say parallel to the axis of rotation X to form a skirt around the cap 114.

[0033] The plate 102 then includes, for each pan 116, a recess 306 in which said pan 116 is housed.

[0034] The 116 facets are here on the periphery of the cap 114 and the recesses 306 consist of reductions in the diameter of the plate 102.

[0035] THE Figs. 5 And 6 show cross-sections of the 100 finger holder.

[0036] In the embodiment of the invention presented here, the locking system 106 takes the form of a drawer 307.

[0037] The plate 102 includes a tunnel 308 which is through, which extends perpendicularly to the axis of rotation X and in which the drawer 307 slides.

[0038] The cover 104 has two housings 502 and 504 and each housing 502, 504 is located at one end of the tunnel 308.

[0039] The drawer 307 has a first end 310, a second end 312 and a central part 314 between the first end 310 and the second end 312.

[0040] Thus, when the drawer 307 is put in the locking position, the first end 310 fits into the first housing 502, the second end 312 fits into the second recess 504 and the central part 314 fits into the tunnel 308, thus ensuring the locking of the cover 104 onto the plate 102.

[0041] The movement of the drawer 307 between the locking position and the unlocking position is thus a translation perpendicular to the axis of rotation X.

[0042] Housings 502 and 504 are diametrically opposed here with respect to the axis of rotation X. In the embodiment of the invention presented here, each housing 502, 504 is integrated into a panel 116.

[0043] The first housing 502 here consists of two peripheral grooves 502a-b made in a first face 116 and between which the drawer 307 passes, and for each peripheral groove 502a-b, the first end 310 of the drawer 307 has a rib 310a-b which fits into said peripheral groove 502a-b.

[0044] The second housing 504 here consists of a window made in a second panel 116 and through which passes the second end 312 of the drawer 307.

[0045] In the embodiment of the invention presented on the Fig. 5 The transition from the unlocked position to the locked position is a translation along a direction of movement T, here from the first housing 502 to the second housing 504. Conversely, the transition from the locked position to the unlocked position is a translation along a direction opposite to the direction of movement T.

[0046] To ensure that the drawer 307 is blocked in translation when it is in the locked position and thus prevent an undesired movement of said drawer 307 towards the unlocked position, the finger holder 100 includes a locking system 506 which locks the drawer 307 relative to the plate 102 and which can be disengaged to allow movement towards the unlocked position.

[0047] In the embodiment of the invention presented here, the locking system 506 comprises two flexible arms 508 with a first end and a second end, where the first end is integral with the drawer 307, and more particularly here with the central part 314, and for each arm 508, a stop 512 integral with the plate 102 and with which the second end of the arm 508 cooperates to lock the drawer 307 in the locked position.

[0048] In the embodiment of the invention shown in the Fig. 5 , each abutment 512 is constituted by an end of a tunnel wall 308.

[0049] For each arm 508, the second end extends in the direction of displacement T from the first end, and the two second ends move away from each other from the first ends and along the direction of displacement T.

[0050] In the rest position of the arms 508, the distance between the two second ends is greater than the distance between the two stops 512. As they move apart, each arm 504 comes to rest against one of the stops 512, thus providing friction that stops the drawer 307 when no sufficient force is applied to the drawer 307. Thus, in the locked position, each second end is constrained against a stop 512.

[0051] To allow the movement from the locked position to the unlocked position, the locking system 506 also includes a pull means 514 that allows a technician to pull the drawer 307 in the opposite direction to the translational direction T to move it from the locked position to the unlocked position. Thus, by pulling on the drawer 307, the technician forces the two second ends together and moves the drawer 307 to the unlocked position with the ribs 310a-b extending from the peripheral grooves 502a-b and the second end 312 extending from the second recess 504, allowing the cover 104 to be removed.

[0052] The 514 pull means here is a cavity into which a tool, such as a screwdriver, can be inserted, but it is also possible to provide a handle that can be gripped directly by the technician.

[0053] To prevent the loss of the drawer 307, when it is in the unlocked position, each second end carries a hook 510 attached to the second end which, in the unlocked position, comes against the stop 512 associated with said second end and prevents the complete removal of the drawer 307.

[0054] For complete removal of drawer 307, the technician simply needs to pinch the two arms 508 to release the hooks 510.

[0055] In the embodiment of the invention shown in the Figs., the plate 102 and the cover 104 each take the general form of a cylinder of revolution, but other forms are conceivable.

Claims

1. Finger holder (100) for a plucker, said finger holder (100) being designed to rotate about an axis of rotation (X) and comprising: - a plate (102) having fastening means for fixing the plate (102) to a shaft of the plucker, - a cover (104) which caps a front face of the plate (102) and has a plurality of bores (108), where each bore (108) is intended to receive a finger (110) of the plucker, and - a locking system (106) separate from the fastening means and which alternately assumes a locked position in which it locks the cover (104) onto the plate (102) or an unlocked position in which it does not lock the cover (104) onto the plate (102), where the cover (104) has a cap (114) which covers the front face of the plate (102) and flats (116) extending perpendicularly to the cap (114), and where the plate (102) comprises for each face (116),a recess (306) in which the said panel (116) is housed.

2. Finger holder (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The locking system (106) is a drawer (307) that slides along a direction of movement (T) to move from the unlocked position to the locked position, in that the plate (102) includes a tunnel (308) passing through and extending perpendicularly to the axis of rotation (X), in that the lid (104) has two housings (502, 504), in that Each dwelling unit (502, 504) is located at one end of the tunnel (308), and in that in the locked position, the first end (310) fits into the first housing (502), the second end (312) fits into the second recess (504) and the central part (314) fits into the tunnel (308).

3. Finger holder (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that each dwelling (502, 504) is integrated into a panel (116).

4. Finger holder (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the first housing (502) consists of two peripheral grooves (502a-b) made in a first panel (116), in that for each peripheral groove (502a-b), the first end (310) of the drawer (307) has a rib (310a-b) which fits into said peripheral groove (502a-b), and in that the second dwelling (504) consists of a window made in a second section (116).

5. Finger holder (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the finger holder (100) has a disengageable locking system (506) which locks the drawer (307) relative to the plate (102) in the locked position.

6. Finger holder (100) according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in thatThe locking system (506) comprises: - two flexible arms (508) with a first end and a second end, where the first end is fixed to the drawer (307), where the second end extends in the direction of travel (T) from the first end, and the two second ends move apart from each other from the first ends and along the direction of travel (T), - for each arm (508), a stop (512) fixed to the plate (102), where in the locked position, each second end is constrained against a stop (512), and - a pulling means (514) provided to allow the drawer (307) to be pulled in a direction opposite to the direction of travel (T).

7. Finger holder (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that each second end carries a hook (510) attached to the second end and in thatin unlocked position, each hook (510) comes to rest against the stop (512) associated with said second end.

8. Poultry plucker comprising at least one shaft (604), a drive system driving each shaft (604) in rotation, for each shaft (604), a finger holder (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plate (102) is fixed to said shaft (604) by the fixing means, and for each bore (108), a finger (110) inserted into said bore (108).