Device and method for cutting a slaughtered poultry carcass, suspended by the legs and already cut free in the area of the cloaca to create a cloaca opening

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10), designed and configured for cutting a slaughtered poultry carcass (14), suspended by the legs (11) and already cut free in the area of the cloaca (12) in order to form a cloaca opening (13), comprising a support device (15) for holding and positioning the poultry carcass (14) during the cutting, a stretching device (16) with a stretching means (17) for stretching abdominal skin (18) of the poultry carcass (14), as well as a separating device (19) comprising at least one separating blade (20) which is used to make a longitudinal cut (Ls, Gs) in the stretched abdominal skin (18) of the poultry carcass (14) between the cloaca opening (13) and the tip (21) of a sternum (22) of the poultry carcass (14), which is characterised in that the stretching means (17) is formed as a blade carrier (23), on which the separating blade (20) is pivotally mounted in order to form a unit (24) with the blade carrier (23), wherein the separating blade (20) is designed and configured to be moveable with respect to the blade carrier (23), from a waiting position in which the separating blade (20) is arranged completely covered within the blade carrier (23), into a cutting position in which the separating blade (20) protrudes at least partially from the blade carrier (23) and to be moved back. The invention also relates to a corresponding method.

Description

[0001] Baader Food Systems Denmark A / S, Vestermollevej 9M, 8380 Trige, Denmark

[0002] Device and method for cutting open a slaughtered poultry carcass suspended by its legs and already cut free in the area of ​​the cloaca to form a cloaca opening

[0003] Description

[0004] The invention relates to a device designed and configured for cutting open a slaughtered poultry carcass suspended by its legs and already cut free in the region of the cloaca to form a cloaca opening, comprising a support device for holding and positioning the poultry carcass during cutting open, a tensioning device with a tensioning means for tensioning abdominal skin of the poultry carcass, and a separating device with at least one separating knife designed and configured to make a longitudinal cut in the tensioned abdominal skin of the poultry carcass between the cloaca opening and a tip of a breastbone of the poultry carcass.

[0005] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for cutting open a slaughtered poultry carcass which is suspended by the legs and has already been cut open in the region of the cloaca to form a cloaca opening, comprising the steps of: holding and positioning a poultry carcass fed into a device for cutting open the poultry carcass by means of a supporting device, stretching abdominal skin of the poultry carcass by means of a tensioning means of a tensioning device by increasing the distance between the abdominal skin and viscera located in an abdominal cavity of the poultry carcass, and making a longitudinal cut in the stretched abdominal skin of the poultry carcass between the cloaca opening and a tip of a breastbone of the poultry carcass by means of a separating knife of a separating device.

[0006] Such devices and methods are used in the poultry processing industry to prepare slaughtered poultry, especially slaughtered chickens, for visceral removal. For this purpose, the slaughtered poultry carcasses are transported by a conveyor system, suspended by the legs in shackles. To prepare for automatic visceral removal, and in particular to create sufficient space for the insertion of the appropriate tools for automatic visceral removal, it is first necessary to remove the poultry's cloaca. In other words, the cloaca must be detached from the abdominal wall (through the so-called "vent-opening cut").To do this, the cloaca is excised in such a way that the connection between the intestine and the cloaca is cut out of the abdominal wall, leaving the free end of the intestine with the cloaca hanging from the opened poultry carcass, while the other end of the intestine still hangs on the viscera package. Cutting free the cloaca creates the cloacal opening, which allows access to the abdominal cavity. However, this cloacal opening is not yet large enough to allow the tools for automatic visceral removal to be inserted into the abdominal cavity, so the cloacal opening must be enlarged.

[0007] This is what the generic device is used for. In the devices known from the prior art, for example according to EP 1 413 204 A1, the poultry carcass to be processed, with the legs still hanging in shackles, is held in the correct position by the support device. For this purpose, the poultry carcass is aligned and fixed with its back to the device, head downwards and tail upwards. Due to the gravity of the hanging poultry carcass, the abdominal skin is loaded vertically by the entrails underneath, which means that the abdominal skin lies closely against the entrails. The tensioning device is designed to be inserted into the cloaca opening. Using the tensioning device, the abdominal skin can be tensioned from the inside, for example by lifting it upwards to create a distance from the entrails.A knife is then used to cut the meat open, penetrating the abdominal skin from above and outside into the abdominal cavity to make a longitudinal incision between the cloacal opening and the tip of the sternum. There is a risk that the viscera located beneath the abdominal skin in the abdominal cavity, or parts of them, may be injured by the cutting knife penetrating the abdominal cavity from the outside - partly due to insufficient clearance between the abdominal skin and the viscera and / or different sizes of the poultry carcasses being processed. In other words, the cutting direction of the cutting knife, towards the viscera, endangers their integrity. Cutting into or opening the viscera is the main reason for contamination of the poultry carcass, which often results in the entire poultry carcass having to be rejected from processing.It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose a device for cutting open the abdominal skin to enlarge the cloacal opening, which, regardless of the size of the poultry carcass, ensures an improved longitudinal incision of the abdominal skin that is gentle on the viscera (which include the organs). Furthermore, the invention aims to propose a corresponding method.

[0008] This object is achieved by a device with the features mentioned at the outset in that the clamping means is designed as a knife carrier on which the separating knife is pivotally mounted to form a unit with the knife carrier, wherein the separating knife is designed and configured to be movable relative to the knife carrier from a waiting position in which the separating knife is arranged completely covered within the knife carrier, into a cutting position in which the separating knife protrudes at least partially from the knife carrier, and back again. By combining the separating knife with the knife carrier as a clamping means and the possibility of completely covering the separating knife within the knife carrier, the unit can be safely inserted into the abdominal cavity, the abdominal skin can be safely stretched and then the stretched abdominal skin can be cut open from the inside, i.e. with a cutting direction away from the intestines.“Safe” means that the sharp edges of the separating knife are covered by the arrangement within the knife holder, so that injury to the entrails is safely and reliably ruled out both during immersion and clamping. “Completely” means that at least all areas / edges etc. of the separating knife designed and suitable for separating / cutting are covered by the knife holder. Preferably, the knife holder covers all areas of the separating knife when the separating knife is in the waiting position. Because the abdominal skin is cut open from the inside out, poultry carcasses can be cut open regardless of their size without exposing the entrails to the risk of injury. This creates a device that ensures safe and easy cutting open of the abdominal cavity of poultry carcasses regardless of their size.

[0009] A preferred development of the device is characterized in that the unit designed and configured for tensioning and cutting the abdominal skin is designed and configured for insertion into an abdominal cavity through the cloacal opening, and the separating knife is in the waiting position during insertion of the unit into the abdominal cavity and during tensioning of the abdominal skin by means of the knife carrier, and the separating knife can be moved into the cutting position when the knife carrier reaches a final tensioning position. As a result, the immersion of the unit and tensioning by means of the unit can take place safely and quickly, since the separating knife is inoperative during these steps, namely is completely covered. The final tensioning position can vary. For example, it can be reached when the knife carrier, starting from the cloacal opening, reaches the tip of the sternum and is raised upwards to maximize the distance between the abdominal skin and the viscera.Once this final position is reached, the separating knife can be moved out of the knife carrier, whereby the separating knife pierces the abdominal skin and cuts open the connection between the cloacal opening and the tip of the sternum.

[0010] Particularly preferably, the unit, and in particular the cutting knife, is designed and configured to make the longitudinal cut from the inside of the abdominal skin, starting from the tip of the sternum and extending to the cloaca opening. This cutting path, predetermined by the design, from the inside and starting from the tip of the sternum toward the cloaca opening, ensures precise and product-friendly cutting of poultry carcasses of various sizes in the required number of pieces.

[0011] Advantageously, the knife carrier is substantially L-shaped with a longer leg and a shorter leg, wherein at least in the shorter leg there is a slot in which the separating knife is positioned. The L-shaped design of the knife carrier makes it easy to completely conceal the separating knife in the knife carrier for inserting the knife carrier with the separating knife into the abdominal cavity and for tensioning the abdominal skin, and to release the separating knife for cutting open the abdominal skin. In a starting position (position in which the device waits for a poultry carcass to be processed) of the knife carrier, the longer leg is aligned substantially vertically. In the starting position, the shorter leg extends substantially horizontally to the longer leg.

[0012] Particularly preferably, the two legs are aligned at an angle ß between 5° and 45° to the vertical. In the starting position, the knife carrier is positioned above the poultry carcass to be processed, between the legs. For processing, the knife carrier is first lowered. Due to the angled design of the knife carrier, the shorter leg or its free end of the knife carrier enters the cloaca opening at an angle of 5° to 45° to the vertical, which ensures both the safe and reliable insertion and the safe and reliable movement of the knife carrier within the abdominal cavity, namely in particular starting from the cloaca opening towards the tip of the sternum.

[0013] In an advantageous development of the device, the slit extends longitudinally from the free end of the short leg to the area of ​​the long leg, with the severing knife being rotatably mounted within the slit in the area of ​​the long leg. This allows for improved leverage from the severing knife to enable safe cutting of the abdominal skin to sever the connection between the tip of the sternum and the cloacal opening when the severing knife is moved from the waiting position to the cutting position.

[0014] A preferred embodiment of the device is characterized in that the longer leg of the knife carrier is arranged with an end opposite the shorter leg on an actuating arm mounted on a sliding sleeve. This design allows for a simple up-and-down movement of the knife carrier in a vertical direction. Optionally, the knife carrier can also be arranged directly on the sliding sleeve via the longer leg.

[0015] Advantageously, the severing knife is designed to be movable relative to the knife carrier by means of a control roller guided within a control cam from the waiting position, in which the severing knife lies completely within the slot, to the cutting position, in which the severing knife is located outside the slot with at least one free tip of the free end of the severing knife, and back again. The control roller, in operative connection with the control cam, ensures simple, robust, and reliable control of the severing knife. Any other control body can be used instead of the control roller. Optionally, the severing knife can also be controlled by means of a pneumatic drive / pneumatic cylinder or the like. In a particularly preferred development of the device, the longer leg is arranged on the actuating arm so as to be rotatable about its longitudinal axis.For example, the hollow leg is then mounted on a rotating axle and can be rotated about its longitudinal axis by means of suitable actuating elements. This creates an additional degree of freedom for the knife carrier, which in particular ensures and improves the scraping action required to loosen the connection between the abdominal skin and the fat layer and / or between the fat layer and the viscera. A gear-and-rack construction, for example, can be used as the actuating element for rotating the knife carrier about the longitudinal axis. Optionally, a control roller with a corresponding control cam can also be provided. A pneumatic drive / pneumatic cylinder, servo motors, stepper motors, or similar devices can also be used for control.Optionally, the actuating arm can also be mounted on the sliding sleeve with a ball joint or the like in order to ensure the degrees of freedom to move the knife carrier back and forth within the abdominal cavity, on the one hand starting from the cloacal opening in the direction of the tip of the sternum and back and / or on the other hand laterally within the abdominal cavity - namely transversely to an imaginary connecting line between the cloacal opening and the tip of the sternum.

[0016] In order to effectively support the injury-free sliding of the knife carrier within the abdominal cavity on the one hand and the scraping process described above on the other, a preferred development of the device is characterized in that the knife carrier is flattened at least in the region of the shorter leg on an upper side facing the inside of the abdominal skin. Advantageously, the knife carrier is semicircular in cross-section on a lower side facing away from the upper side. This design of the knife carrier, particularly in the region of the shorter leg intended for use within the abdominal cavity, ensures that the connection between the fat layer and the abdominal skin and / or the fat layer and the intestines and / or the fat layer and the organs (as part of the intestines), in particular the gallbladder and / or the stomach, is scraped free and / or released in a particularly reliable and product-friendly manner.

[0017] Advantageously, the knife carrier is designed and constructed to be movable vertically up and down by means of a first control roller guided within a control curve for immersing it in the cloaca opening and re-emerging from the abdominal cavity, and is designed and constructed to be movable horizontally within the abdominal cavity between the taut abdominal skin and the intestines, starting from the cloaca opening in the direction of the tip of the sternum and back, by means of a second control roller guided within a control curve. The first control roller is preferably arranged on a sliding sleeve. The second control roller is preferably arranged on the actuating arm. Any other control body can be used instead of the control rollers. Optionally, the knife carrier can also be controlled by means of a pneumatic drive / pneumatic cylinder or the like.

[0018] A preferred embodiment of the device is characterized in that the knife carrier, which comprises a scanning head at a free end of the shorter leg, is vertically controllable such that the scanning head can be positioned optionally above or below the layer of fat located between the abdominal skin and the viscera. The scanning head, which is preferably hemispherical on the underside and flat on the upper side, is designed and configured on the one hand to scrape along the inside of the abdominal skin and to displace the layer of fat and / or the viscera and on the other hand to palpate the tip of the sternum in order to be able to precisely make a straight cut starting from the tip of the sternum in the direction of the cloacal opening up to the end of the separating knife on the side opposite the separating knife tip. Instead of a straight cut, a curved cut is also possible.For this purpose, the blade carrier and the cutting blade have a curved, sickle-shaped design, with the slot in the blade carrier also having a corresponding curvature to accommodate the curved cutting blade. A curved slot can also be formed in a linearly designed and aligned blade carrier.

[0019] The support device is designed and configured to hold and position the poultry carcass and can have different embodiments. The support device can be designed in one piece or in multiple parts. The support device can form one support point or several support points on the poultry carcass. An embodiment is particularly preferred which is characterized in that the support device comprises a support ring which can be moved at least vertically up and down and can be pulled over the tail region of the poultry carcass from above between the legs, and two support hooks which can be moved at least vertically up and down and rest from below in the region of the hips. The support ring is designed and configured to enclose and rest all the way around the poultry carcass in the region of the belly and comprises two lateral support brackets which are connected via an arrow-shaped connecting rod.The support ring serves, on the one hand, to hold and fix the poultry carcass in the desired cutting position and, on the other hand, to cooperate with a support plate described below to press the tail of the poultry carcass into its original position, which provides free access to the cloacal openings. The support hooks are designed and arranged to rest on the thighs of the poultry carcasses in the hip area and can be controlled individually or, preferably, together, separately from the support ring. The support ring can be moved from an upper position downwards into the support position and back again. The or each support hook can be moved from bottom to top into the support position and back again.

[0020] Preferably, the support ring, on the one hand, and the or each support hook, on the other hand, are each designed and configured to be movable by means of a control roller guided within a control cam. Preferably, the support ring is arranged on a sliding sleeve. The control roller, in turn, is arranged on the sliding sleeve. The support hooks, which are arranged on a common sliding sleeve on which the corresponding control roller is located, are designed accordingly. Instead of the control rollers, any other control body can also be used. Optionally, the support ring and the support hooks can also be controlled by means of a pneumatic drive / pneumatic cylinder or the like.

[0021] A device is particularly advantageous which is characterized in that a support plate is arranged in the region of the support device, which support plate is designed and configured to be movable from a waiting position into a supporting position and back. The support plate is designed and configured in particular to interact with the previously described support ring in order to press the poultry carcass horizontally outwards - i.e. away from the device. Because the support ring rests against the poultry carcass in the upper region of the belly and holds the poultry carcass, the support ring forces the tail into a position which is also directed outwards (corresponds to the original position of the tail), so that access to the cloaca opening is free from above.

[0022] The support plate is conveniently located in the area of ​​the support hooks and can be moved from the waiting position toward the poultry carcass to be processed to the support position and back by means of a control roller guided within a control curve. An actuating arm is assigned to the support plate, at the free end of which the control roller is located. Any other control element can be used instead of the control roller. Optionally, the support plate can also be controlled by a pneumatic drive / pneumatic cylinder or similar.

[0023] An advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the support device and the unit formed by the clamping device and the separating device are arranged on a substantially vertically oriented slide bar. Particularly preferably, two slide bars are provided, on or around which the sliding sleeves are movably arranged.

[0024] The support device with the unit formed from the clamping device and the separating device can be designed and configured as a single device, e.g. permanently installed along the transport path of the poultry carcasses. A device is particularly preferred which is characterized in that at least one support device and at least one unit formed from the clamping device and the separating device are arranged via the respective slide rod(s) on a carousel conveyor which can be driven to rotate about a substantially vertically oriented axis of rotation, wherein fixed control cams for the control rollers are arranged between two carousel discs which are arranged at a distance from one another and to which the or each slide rod is fastened. The carousel discs are driven in rotation. The slide rods are arranged fixedly but detachably on the carousel discs.By moving the carousel discs with their attached support devices and units, the control rollers run in the (stationary) control cams, thereby controlling the knife carrier, the cutting knife, the support ring, the support hooks, and the support plate. It is even more advantageous if several support devices with the corresponding units are attached to the circumference of the carousel conveyor, or more precisely, to the carousel discs.

[0025] A preferred development is characterized in that the entire arrangement, consisting of the carousel conveyor and each support device, as well as each unit formed by the clamping device and the separating device, is designed and configured to be vertically movable up and down. This allows the entire device to be easily and quickly adapted to different sizes of poultry carcasses.The object is also achieved by a method with the steps mentioned at the outset, which is characterized in that the separating knife together with a knife carrier as a tensioning means are introduced together as a unit through the existing cloaca opening into the abdominal cavity, wherein the separating knife is located within the knife carrier in a waiting position completely covered by the knife carrier during the insertion movement of the unit into the abdominal cavity, the abdominal skin is tensioned by means of the unit by moving the unit with the completely covered separating knife upwards in order to increase the distance between the abdominal skin and the viscera, and then the longitudinal cut is made from the inside into the tensioned abdominal skin for cutting open the poultry carcass between the cloaca opening and the tip of the sternum by moving the separating knife from the waiting position into a cutting position in which the separating knife protrudes at least partially from the knife carrier.

[0026] Advantageously, the unit is first lowered substantially vertically downward through the cloacal opening into the abdominal cavity so that the unit is located below the abdominal skin and above the viscera. The unit is then moved substantially horizontally from the cloacal opening toward the tip of the sternum until the free end of the unit reaches the tip of the sternum. In other words, the unit is immersed, at least with its free end, into the abdominal cavity from above through the cloacal opening and is then moved within the abdominal cavity below the abdominal skin toward the tip of the sternum. Preferably, the free end of the unit meets the tip of the sternum.

[0027] Preferably when the tip of the sternum is reached, the separating knife is moved from the waiting position to the cutting position, whereby the separating knife pierces the abdominal skin in the area of ​​the tip of the sternum and cuts open the abdominal skin starting from the tip of the sternum in the direction of the cloacal opening. To do this, the separating knife pivots around a bearing point on the knife carrier. This creates a straight longitudinal cut through the abdominal skin. Optionally, a curved cut can also be made, for example to prevent cutting into abdominal fat that is located between the abdominal skin and the intestines, particularly in the area of ​​the stomach. The unit or a free end of it can be inserted vertically into the cloacal opening. The free end of the unit preferably enters the cloacal opening at an angle ß of between 5° and 45° to the vertical.

[0028] It is particularly preferable to move the unit upward while cutting the abdominal skin. This further increases the tension of the already stretched abdominal skin, making cutting easier. It is particularly advantageous to perform the tensioning and cutting in a superimposed movement. However, it is also possible to stretch the abdominal skin, then cut it open, and only after the abdominal skin has been completely cut open between the tip of the sternum and the cloacal opening is the unit moved upward again out of the abdominal cavity.

[0029] In a particularly preferred method, the unit is additionally moved back and forth laterally within the abdominal cavity, namely transversely to an imaginary connecting line between the cloacal opening and the tip of the sternum. This means that at least its free end of the unit is lowered through the cloacal opening into the abdominal cavity, preferably either between the abdominal skin and a layer of fat or between the layer of fat and the viscera, then moved towards the tip of the sternum, and before reaching the tip, the lateral movement to the left and / or right is performed in order to scrape away the tissue connections between the layer of fat and the abdominal skin and / or the viscera, thereby reducing the resistance when removing the viscera from the abdominal cavity.By means of the lateral scraping movement, the fat layer remaining on the poultry carcass in the area of ​​the abdominal skin or on the intestines, especially on the stomach, can be determined and selected in a targeted and precise manner.

[0030] Advantageously, before the unit is inserted into the cloaca opening, the poultry carcass is pressed horizontally away from the device by means of a support plate and against a support ring of the support device in order to move the tail of the poultry carcass out of the area of ​​the cloaca opening. In other words, the position of the cloaca opening is controlled with respect to the position of the free end of the unit by the support ring holding the poultry carcass and the support plate applying a force to the poultry carcass in the direction against the support ring. Particularly preferably, the device as a whole is adjustable in height in order to be able to process poultry carcasses of different sizes. This adjustment takes place when the device is set up for a changed size of the poultry carcasses to be processed.The adjustment not only adjusts the support device and the unit consisting of the clamping device and the separating device, but also a carousel conveyor on which the or each support device and the or each unit are located. The carousel conveyor also includes control cams in which control rollers are guided to control the individual components. With the described adjustment of the device as a whole, the control cams are also adjusted in terms of their vertical position.

[0031] The method is particularly preferably carried out with a device according to one or more of claims 1 to 20.

[0032] Further advantages resulting from the individual process steps have already been described in connection with the device, which is why reference is made to the corresponding passages to avoid repetition.

[0033] Further useful and / or advantageous features and developments of the device and the corresponding method are set out in the dependent claims and the description. Particularly preferred embodiments are explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawing shows:

[0034] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of the device according to the invention with a unit formed by a separating device and a clamping device in the starting position, in which the separating knife is arranged within the knife carrier, in a side view,

[0035] Fig. 2 the device according to Figure 1 with the separating knife in cutting position,

[0036] Fig. 3 the device according to Figure 1 in front view,

[0037] Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the unit according to Figure 1,

[0038] Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the unit according to Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of a poultry carcass to be processed in partial section.

[0039] The device shown and according to the invention serves for cutting open a slaughtered poultry carcass which is suspended by its legs and has already been cut free in the area of ​​the cloaca to form a cloaca opening, and which is positioned and fixed in the area of ​​the device with its back to the device, head downwards and tail upwards.

[0040] The device 10 shown in the drawing is designed and configured for cutting open a slaughtered poultry carcass 14 which is suspended by legs 11 and has already been cut free in the region of the cloaca 12 to form a cloaca opening 13. It comprises a support device 15 for holding and positioning the poultry carcass 14 during cutting open, a tensioning device 16 with a tensioning means 17 for tensioning the abdominal skin 18 of the poultry carcass 14, and a cutting device 19 with at least one cutting knife 20 which is designed and configured to make a longitudinal cut Ls, Gs in the tensioned abdominal skin 18 of the poultry carcass 14 between the cloaca opening 13 and a tip 21 of a breastbone 22 of the poultry carcass 14. The poultry carcass 14 is directed with its back 23 towards the device 10. During the cutting of the abdominal skin 18, the relative speed between the poultry carcass 14 to be processed and the device 10 orParts thereof, namely in particular the support device 15, the clamping device 16 and the separating device 19, preferably zero.

[0041] This device 10 is characterized according to the invention in that the clamping means 17 is designed as a knife carrier 23 on which the separating knife 20 is pivotally mounted to form a unit 24 with the knife carrier 23, wherein the separating knife 20 is designed and arranged to be movable relative to the knife carrier 23 from a waiting position in which the separating knife 20 is arranged completely covered within the knife carrier 23, into a cutting position in which the separating knife 20 protrudes at least partially from the knife carrier 23, and back.

[0042] The features and developments described below represent preferred embodiments, considered individually or in combination with one another. It is expressly pointed out that features which are summarized in the claims and / or the description and / or the drawing or described in a common embodiment can also functionally independently develop the device 10 described above.

[0043] Instead of one separating knife 20, two or more separating knives 20 can also be provided. Optionally, the relative movement between the separating knife 20 and the knife carrier 23 can also be generated in another way, e.g., by means of a linearly movable knife that can be controlled by a pneumatic cylinder or the like. The term "longitudinal cut" describes all cuts that extend essentially from the cloacal opening 13 to the tip of the sternum 22, or vice versa. Straight longitudinal cuts Ls and curved longitudinal cuts Gs are expressly considered longitudinal cuts within the meaning of the invention.

[0044] The unit 24, designed and configured for tensioning and cutting the abdominal skin 18, is designed and configured for insertion into an abdominal cavity 25 through the cloacal opening 13. The unit 24 is a multifunctional unit 24 and, as such, is designed and configured for tensioning the abdominal skin 18 and for cutting it open, and optionally also for scraping within the abdominal cavity 25. The separating knife 20 is in the waiting position when the unit 24 is inserted into the abdominal cavity 25 and when the abdominal skin 18 is tensioned by means of the knife carrier 23 or the unit 24. For this purpose, at least all areas of the separating knife 20 designed and / or suitable for cutting / separating are concealed, i.e., covered, within the knife carrier 23 (see in particular Figures 1 and 4). Only when the knife carrier 23 has reached a final tensioning position can the separating knife 20 be moved into the cutting position (see in particular Figures 2 and 5).The final clamping position can vary. Ideally, this is achieved when the unit 24 is positioned with a free end 26 in the region of the tip 21 of the sternum 22. In Figure 1, the dashed line indicates the movement path Bv of the free end 26 of the unit 24. The position of the unit 24 shown in Figure 1 is an example of the final clamping position. Alternatively, the final clamping position can also be reached before or after this. In Figure 2, the dashed line for the movement path BV schematically shows that upon reaching the final / optimal clamping position, the severing knife 20 is designed to be movable relative to the knife carrier 23. The unit 24, and in particular the severing knife 20, is designed and configured to make the longitudinal incision from the inside of the abdominal skin 18, starting from the tip 21 of the sternum 22 and extending to the cloaca opening 13.Figure 6 schematically shows that the unit 24 can be inserted into the cloacal opening 13 at least with its free end 26 and moved beneath the abdominal skin 18 in the direction of the tip 21 of the sternum 22. During this movement, the separating knife 20 is shielded and protected within the knife carrier 23. The separating knife 20 has a sharp cutting edge 27 for cutting on the side facing away from the knife carrier 23, which cutting edge preferably extends over a longer section of the free end 26 of the unit 24. Preferably, the free end 28 of the separating knife 20 is also sharp-edged and / or pointed in order to be able to penetrate the abdominal skin 18 from the inside. The cutting edge 27 can also be blunt, e.g. rounded or the like, while retaining the sharp / pointed end 28 of the separating knife 20.The cutting edge 27 and the free end 28 of the separating knife 20 are covered within the knife carrier 23 in the waiting position or shielded by the knife carrier 23.

[0045] The knife carrier 23 can take on different shapes and designs and is preferably substantially L-shaped with a longer leg 29 and a shorter leg 30, wherein at least in the shorter leg 30 a slot 31 is formed, in which the separating knife 20 is positioned. In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, the slot 31 extends from the free end 26 of the unit 24 or the short leg 30 in the longitudinal direction into the region of the long leg 30. The separating knife 20 is positioned within the slot 31, wherein the separating knife 20 has a corresponding or adapted L-shape. The separating knife 20 is rotatably mounted about a rotation axis D within the slot 31 in the region of the long leg 29.

[0046] The legs 29, 30 can be connected to one another in an articulated manner. Preferably, the legs 29, 30 are rigidly connected to one another and formed in one piece. Finally, the shorter leg 30 can be aligned at any angle to the longer leg 29. A clear L-shape is also possible, such that the angle ß to the vertical is 90°. Preferably, the two legs 29, 30 are aligned to one another at an angle ß between 5° and 45° to the vertical. The longer leg 29 is aligned substantially vertically. The shorter leg 30 particularly preferably runs at an angle ß of 45° to the vertical thereto. The knife carrier 23 can be arranged directly on a carrier or the like of the device 10 or preferably on a sliding rod 32 or several sliding rods 32 of the device 10.Preferably, the longer leg 29 of the knife carrier 23 is arranged with an end opposite the shorter leg 30 on an actuating arm 33 which is mounted on a sliding sleeve 34. The sliding sleeve 34 is designed to be linearly movable along the or each sliding rod 32. The actuating arm 33 and thus also the knife carrier 23 are designed to be movable in at least two degrees of freedom, such that the knife carrier 23, together with the separating knife 20 mounted on the knife carrier 23, can be moved up and down (in the y direction) and back and forth (in the x direction) in a vertical plane (spanned by the x and y axes according to Figure 1). For vertical adjustability, the actuating arm 33 is arranged on the sliding sleeve 34. The fastening of the actuating arm 33 to the sliding sleeve 34 can be effected, for example, by means of a joint 35, which ensures a pivoting movement about a pivot axis S for the horizontal adjustability.

[0047] The knife carrier 23 is movable vertically up and down by means of a first control roller 36, which is guided within a control cam 37, for immersing it in the cloacal opening 13 and re-emerging from the abdominal cavity 25. For this purpose, the control roller 36 is arranged on the sliding sleeve 34. The course of the control cam 37 and the guidance of the control roller 36 in the control cam 37 enable the vertical adjustment of the knife carrier 23 (in the y-direction). By means of a second control roller 38, which is guided within a control cam 39, the knife carrier 23 is designed and configured to be movable horizontally within the abdominal cavity 25 between the taut abdominal skin 18 and the viscera 40, starting from the cloacal opening 13 in the direction of the tip 21 of the sternum 22 and back. For this purpose, the control roller 38 is arranged on the actuating arm 33 on the end opposite the joint 35.The horizontal adjustment of the knife carrier 23 (in the x-direction within the plane spanned by the x- and y-axes) can be realized by the course of the control cam 39 and the guidance of the control roller 38 in the control cam 39.

[0048] In addition to the degrees of freedom of the knife carrier 23 with the separating knife 20, the separating knife 20 is designed to be movable relative to the knife carrier 23 from the waiting position, in which the separating knife 20 lies completely within the slot 31 (see in particular Figures 1 and 4), into the cutting position, in which the separating knife 20 is located outside the slot with at least a free tip 43 of the free end 28 of the separating knife 20, and back again (see in particular Figures 2 and 5). For this purpose, an actuating arm 44 is provided, which on the one hand is connected to the separating knife 20 in the region of the bearing of the separating knife 20 on the knife body 23, and which on the other hand has the control roller 41 at an end opposite the separating knife 20.

[0049] The connection between the knife carrier 23 and the actuating arm 33 can be fixed and rigid. Optionally (and not shown), the knife carrier 23 can also be designed to be movable relative to the actuating arm 33. For example, the longer leg 29 of the knife carrier 23 can be arranged on the actuating arm 33 so that it can rotate about its longitudinal axis. This means that the knife carrier 23 with the separating knife 20 is adjustable in an additional degree of freedom, such that the knife carrier 23 with the separating knife 20 is movable in a horizontal plane (inter alia in Figure 1 and in Figure 6 in the plane spanned by the x and z axes). In other words, the additional degree of freedom enables the knife carrier 23 with the separating knife 20 to be moved laterally back and forth within the abdominal cavity 25, for example to oscillate back and forth between points A, B and C within the abdominal cavity 25.

[0050] The knife carrier 23 can have different designs and shapes. Preferably, and as shown in the drawing, the knife carrier 23 is flattened at least in the region of the shorter leg 30 on an upper side facing the inner side of the abdominal skin 18. The flattening, i.e. a flat surface, can extend into the region of the longer leg 29 and into this. On an underside of the knife carrier 23 facing away from the upper side, the knife carrier 23 is preferably semicircular in cross-section. At a free end of the shorter leg 30, the knife carrier 23 comprises a probe head 45. The probe head 45 is hemispherical and is designed to palpate the tip 21 of the sternum 22. The height at which the probe head 45 is movable within the abdominal cavity 25 can, for example,by means of the control roller 36, so that the scanning head 45 can be positioned optionally above or below the fat layer located between the abdominal skin 18 and the intestines 40.

[0051] During processing of a poultry carcass 14, it is positioned and held by means of the support device 15. For this purpose, the support device 15 preferably comprises a support ring 46 that can be moved at least vertically up and down and can be slipped from above between the legs 11 over the tail region of the poultry carcass 14, and two support hooks 47, 48 that can be moved at least vertically up and down and rest from below in the region of the hips. The support ring 46 is arranged on a sliding sleeve 49 that is guided on the or each sliding rod 32. A control roller 50 is arranged on the sliding sleeve 49 and is guided in a control cam 51. The support ring 46 is designed to be closed starting from the sliding sleeve 49 and is designed to rest all the way around the poultry carcass 14, preferably just below the tail 52 (see in particular Figures 4 and 5).The support hooks 47, 48 are preferably arranged on a common sliding sleeve 53, which is guided on the or each sliding rod 32. A control roller 54 is arranged on the sliding sleeve 53 and is guided in a control cam 55. The support hooks 47, 48 can be arranged directly on the sliding sleeve 53. Preferably, the support hooks 47, 48 are arranged on a support flange 56. Elongated holes 57 are formed in the support flange 56, in which the support hooks 47, 48 are adjustably arranged and releasably secured.

[0052] In the area of ​​the support device 15, preferably between the support hooks 47, 48, a support plate 58 is arranged, which is designed and configured to be movable from a waiting position (shown in dashed lines in Figures 1 and 2) into a supporting position (shown in Figure 1) and back. By means of the support plate 58, the poultry carcass 14 - preferably just below the tail 52 - can be subjected to a force, specifically against the resistance of the support ring 46, such that the tail 52 can be moved towards the device 10, or more precisely towards the sliding sleeve 49 of the support ring 46, to release the cloaca opening 13. The support plate 58 arranged in the area of ​​the support hooks 47, 48 can be moved by means of a control roller 59, which is guided within a control cam 60, from the waiting position in the direction of the poultry carcass 14 to be processed into the supporting position and back.For this purpose, an actuating arm 61 is provided, one end of which is arranged on the support plate 58 and the control roller 59 is arranged at its opposite end. The support plate 58 is pivotally mounted in the region of the support flange 56, spaced from the sliding sleeve 53, such that the support plate 58 is oriented substantially vertically in its support position, while in the standby position it is inclined obliquely from its bearing point toward the device 10.

[0053] As already described, the support device 15 and the unit 24 formed by the clamping device 16 and the separating device 19 are arranged on at least one substantially vertically oriented sliding rod 32, preferably via their respective sliding sleeves 34, 49, 53. At least one support device 15 and at least one unit 24 formed by the clamping device 16 and the separating device 19 are arranged via the or each respective sliding rod 32 on a carousel conveyor 62 that can be driven to rotate about a substantially vertically oriented axis of rotation, wherein the stationary but adjustable and / or exchangeable control cams 37, 39, 42, 51, 55, 60 for the control rollers 36, 38, 41, 50, 54, 59 are arranged between two spaced-apart carousel discs 63, 64, to which the or each sliding rod 32 is attached. The relative mobility of the individual components relative to the or each slide rod 32 has already been described.Optionally, however, the entire arrangement consisting of the carousel conveyor 62 including the carousel discs 63, 64 and the control cams 37, 39, 42, 51, 55, 60 and each support device 15 as well as each unit 24 formed by the clamping device 16 and the separating device 19 is also designed and arranged to be vertically movable up and down by means of a drive not explicitly shown.

[0054] The method according to the invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawing.

[0055] To carve up a slaughtered poultry carcass 14 suspended by the legs 11 and already cut free in the region of the cloaca 12 to form a cloaca opening 13, the poultry carcass 14, which is fed to a carving device 10, is held and positioned by means of a support device 15, specifically such that the poultry carcass 14 is positioned with the head downward, tail 52 upward, and back 65 facing the carving device 10. The abdominal skin 18 of the poultry carcass 14 is then tensioned by means of a tensioning means 17 of a tensioning device 16, by increasing the distance between the abdominal skin 18 and the viscera 40 located in an abdominal cavity 25 of the poultry carcass 14.As soon as there is sufficient distance, a longitudinal incision is made in the taut abdominal skin 18 of the poultry carcass 14 between the cloacal opening 13 and a tip 21 of a breastbone 22 of the poultry carcass 14 using a cutting knife 20 of a cutting device 19. Holding and positioning is achieved, for example, by supporting the poultry carcass 14 entering the area of ​​the device 10 by the support device 15 by lowering a support ring 46 from above between the legs 11 of the poultry carcass 14 and over the tail (area) 52, so that the support ring 46, on the one hand, encloses the belly of the poultry carcass 14 and, on the other hand, rests against the insides of the legs 11. Support hooks 47, 48 are moved upwards from below in the hip area of ​​both legs 11, so that the poultry carcass 14 is fixed and positioned in all directions.

[0056] This method is characterized according to the invention in that the separating knife 20, together with a knife carrier 23 as tensioning means 17, is introduced as a unit 24 through the existing cloaca opening 13 into the abdominal cavity 25, wherein the separating knife 20 is located within the knife carrier 23 in a waiting position completely covered by the knife carrier 23 during the insertion movement of the unit 24 into the abdominal cavity 25. As soon as the unit 24 is located with its free end 26 below the abdominal skin 18, i.e. the unit 24 has been immersed through the cloaca opening 13 into the abdominal cavity 25, the abdominal skin 18 is tensioned by means of the unit 24 in that the unit 24 with the completely covered separating knife 20 is moved upwards in order to increase the distance between the abdominal skin 18 and the intestines 40.When the abdominal skin 18 is sufficiently taut, the longitudinal cut is made from the inside into the taut abdominal skin 18 to cut open the poultry carcass 14 between the cloaca opening 13 and the tip 21 of the sternum 22 by moving the cutting knife 20 from the waiting position to a cutting position in which the cutting knife 20 protrudes at least partially from the knife carrier 23. After cutting, the unit 24 is moved back to its starting position to be ready for use with the next poultry carcass 14.

[0057] To cut open the poultry carcass 14, the unit 24 is first lowered substantially vertically downwards (in the direction of the y-axis) through the cloacal opening 13 into the abdominal cavity 25, so that the unit 24 is located below the abdominal skin 18 and above the viscera 40. The position of the unit 24 and in particular of the free end 26 of the unit 24 can be precisely controlled, for example to a height at which the free end 26 is positioned below the abdominal skin 18 and above a layer of fat separating the abdominal skin 18 from the viscera 40, or to a height at which the free end 26 of the unit 24 is positioned between the layer of fat and the viscera 40.When the final height of the unit 24 within the abdominal cavity 25 is reached - optionally also shortly before or shortly after - the unit 24 is then moved essentially horizontally (in the direction of the x-axis) from the cloacal opening 13 towards the tip 21 of the sternum 22 until the free end 26 of the unit 24 has reached the tip 21 of the sternum 22. In doing so, the flat upper side of the unit 24 glides and scrapes along the inside of the abdominal skin 18 or along the fat layer, while the curved and rounded underside optionally displaces the fat layer and / or the viscera 40. When the tip 21 of the sternum 22 is reached - optionally also before, i.e. superimposed on the horizontal movement - the unit 24 can be moved upward to further tension the abdominal skin 18. However, the incision can also be fully completed before the unit 24 is moved upward again.An exemplary movement path Bv of the free end 26 of the unit 24 is shown in dashed lines in Figures 1 and 2.

[0058] Upon reaching the tip 21 of the sternum 22 - optionally also somewhat later - the severing knife 20 is moved from the waiting position into the cutting position, whereby the severing knife 20 pierces the abdominal skin 18 in the area of ​​the tip 21 of the sternum 22 with its tip 43 and subsequently with its cutting edge 27 and cuts open the abdominal skin 18 starting from the tip 21 of the sternum 22 in the direction of the cloacal opening 13. Due to the pivoting movement of the severing knife 20 about the rotation axis D, the severing knife 20 moves increasingly further upwards out of the knife holder 23, whereby - optionally coupled with the upward movement of the unit 24 as a whole - a longitudinal cut controlled from the interior of the abdominal cavity 25 away from the viscera 40 severs the connection of the abdominal skin 18 starting from the tip 21 of the sternum 22 up to the cloacal opening 13. The support device 15 holds the poultry body 14 in position.

[0059] Although the unit 24 descends vertically into the abdominal cavity 25 from the direction of movement, the angled design of the knife carrier 23 ensures that the unit 24, with its free end 26, enters the cloacal opening 13 at an angle ß between 5° and 45° to the vertical. The size of the angle is variable by adjusting and coordinating the movements linearly up and down along the or each sliding rod 32 (in the x-direction) and pivoting around the rotation axis D (in the y-direction).

[0060] In addition to the movement of the unit 24 in the y-direction and in the x-direction, a movement in the z-direction can also be provided. Preferably, the unit 24 is also moved laterally back and forth within the abdominal cavity 25, namely transversely to an imaginary connecting line between the cloacal opening 13 and the tip 21 of the sternum 22. The lateral movement in the plane spanned by the x- and z-axes serves to (free) scrape the connections between the abdominal skin and the fat layer and / or between the fat layer and the viscera 40. In other words, the unit 24 is designed and configured, depending on the position of the unit 24 within the abdominal cavity 25, to leave the fat layer optionally on the poultry carcass 14 in the area of ​​the abdominal skin 18 or on the viscera 40 and in particular the stomach. The possible lateral movements of the free end 26 of the unit 24 can be seen in particular in Figure 6. The unit 24 can, for example,Starting from the cloacal opening 13, it can first be moved linearly in the x-direction to point A, and then pivoted to the right to point C. From point C, the free end 26 can then be moved to the tip 21. From point A, the free end 26 can also be pivoted to the left to point B, in order to be moved from point B to the tip 21. Other movements of the free end 26 within the abdominal cavity 25 are of course feasible due to the at least three degrees of freedom.

[0061] A preferred development provides that, before inserting the unit 24 into the cloaca opening 13, the poultry carcass 14 is pressed horizontally away from the device 10 and against a support ring 46 of the support device 15 by means of a support plate 58 in order to move the tail 52 of the poultry carcass 14 out of the region of the cloaca opening 13. For this purpose, the support plate 58 is pressed below the tail 52 against the back 65 of the poultry carcass 14, whereby the tail 52 is pressed into its natural starting position so that the cloaca opening 13 is freely accessible.

[0062] One possibility for the longitudinal incision between the tip 21 of the sternum 22 and the cloacal opening 13 is to execute it linearly, i.e. along the cutting line Ls according to Figure 6. Another possibility is a curved cutting line Gs according to Figure 6. The curved cutting line Gs can also be achieved by (laterally) moving the unit 24 with the cutting knife 20 in the z-direction. Optionally, a curved, sickle-shaped cutting knife 20 can also be used to create the cutting line Gs. The curved cut serves in particular to cut around the area of ​​the stomach in which the majority of the fat layer lies, so that the fat layer remains on the stomach during cutting, thus facilitating the removal of the viscera bundle.

[0063] The device 10 is fundamentally configured to process one size or a range of poultry carcasses 14. However, the device 10 can be adjusted in height overall to enable processing of poultry carcasses 14 of different sizes or ranges of sizes. The method is particularly preferably carried out using a device 10 according to one or more of claims 1 to 20.

Claims

Claims 1. Device (10), designed and equipped for cutting open a slaughtered poultry carcass (14) suspended by its legs (11) and already cut free in the area of ​​the cloaca (12) to form a cloacal opening (13), comprising a support device (15) for holding and positioning the poultry carcass (14) during cutting, a clamping device (16) with a clamping means (17) for stretching the abdominal skin (18) of the poultry carcass (14), and a cutting device (19) with at least one cutting knife (20) designed and equipped for making a longitudinal cut (Ls, Gs) in the stretched abdominal skin (18) of the poultry carcass (14) between the cloacal opening (13) and a tip (21) of a breastbone (22) of the poultry carcass (14), which is designed and equipped to carry out a longitudinal cut (Ls, Gs) in the stretched abdominal skin (18) of the poultry carcass (14) between the cloacal opening (13) and a tip (21) of a breastbone (22) of the poultry carcass (14), which is characterized by the clamping means (17) being designed as a knife carrier (23) on which the The separating knife (20) is pivotably mounted to form a unit (24) with the knife carrier (23),wherein the separating knife (20) is designed and configured to be movable relative to the knife carrier (23) from a waiting position in which the separating knife (20) is completely covered within the knife carrier (23) to a cutting position in which the separating knife (20) protrudes at least partially from the knife carrier (23) and back again.

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the unit (24) designed and configured for stretching and cutting the abdominal skin (18) is designed and configured for insertion into an abdominal cavity (25) through the cloacal opening (13) and the cutting blade (20) is in the waiting position when the unit (24) is inserted into the abdominal cavity (25) and when the abdominal skin (18) is stretched by means of the blade carrier (23), and the cutting blade (20) can be moved into the cutting position when a final tension position of the blade carrier (23) is reached.

3. Device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the unit (24) and in particular the cutting blade (20) for carrying out the longitudinal cut from the inside of the abdominal skin (18) starting from the tip (21) of the sternum (22) up to the cloacal opening (13) is formed and arranged.

4. Device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the knife carrier (23) is essentially L-shaped with a longer leg (29) and a shorter leg (30), wherein at least in the shorter leg (30) a slot (31) is formed in which the cutting knife (20) is positioned.

5. Device (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the two legs are aligned to each other at an angle β between 5° and 45° to the vertical.

6. Device (10) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the slot (31 ) extends from the free end (26) of the short leg (30) in the longitudinal direction to the area of ​​the long leg (29), wherein the separating knife (20) is rotatably mounted within the slot (31 ) in the area of ​​the long leg (29).

7. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the longer leg (29) of the knife carrier (23) is arranged with an end opposite the shorter leg (30) on an adjusting arm (33) which is mounted on a sliding sleeve (34).

8. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the separating knife (20) is designed to be movable relative to the knife carrier (23) from the waiting position, in which the separating knife (20) lies completely inside the slot (31), to the cutting position, in which the separating knife (20) is at least with a free tip (43) of the free end (28) of the separating knife (20) is outside the slot (31), and back again by means of a control roller (41) which is guided within a control cam (42).

9. Device (10) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the longer leg (29) is rotatably arranged on the adjusting arm (33) about its longitudinal axis.

10. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the knife carrier (23) is flattened at least in the area of ​​the shorter leg (30) on an upper surface facing the inside of the abdominal skin (18).

11. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the knife carrier (23) is formed in a semicircular cross-section on a lower side facing away from the upper side.

12. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the knife carrier (23) is vertically movable up and down for immersion into the cloacal opening (13) and re-emergence from the abdominal cavity (25) by means of a first control roller (36) which is guided within a control cam (37) and is designed and configured to be movable horizontally within the abdominal cavity (25) between the taut abdominal skin (18) and the viscera (40) starting from the cloacal opening (13) towards the tip (21) of the sternum (22) and back by means of a second control roller (38) which is guided within a control cam (39).

13. Device (10) according to claim 12, characterized in that the knife carrier (23), which comprises a probe head (45) at a free end (26) of the shorter leg (30), is vertically controllable in such a way that the probe head (45) can be positioned either above or below the layer of fat located between the abdominal skin (18) and the viscera (40).

14. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the support device (15) has a support ring that is movable at least vertically up and down and can be placed over the tail region of the poultry body (14) from above between the legs (11). (46) and comprises two support hooks (47, 48) that can be moved at least vertically up and down and that rest against the hips from below.

15. Device (10) according to claim 14, characterized in that the support ring (46) on the one hand and the or each support hook (47, 48) on the other hand are each designed and arranged to be movable by means of a control roller (50, 54) which is guided within a control cam (51 , 55).

16. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that a support plate (58) is arranged in the area of ​​the support device (15), which is designed and configured to be movable from a waiting position to a support position and back.

17. Device (10) according to claim 16, characterized in that the support plate (58) is arranged in the area of ​​the support hooks (47, 48) and can be moved from the waiting position towards the poultry carcass (14) to the support position and back by means of a control roller (59) which is guided within a control cam (60).

18. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the support device (15) and the unit (24) formed from clamping device (16) and separating device (19) are arranged on a substantially vertically oriented sliding rod (32).

19. Device (10) according to claim 18, characterized in that at least one support device (15) and at least one unit (24) formed from a clamping device (16) and a separating device (19) is arranged via the respective sliding rod (32) on a carousel conveyor (62) which is driven to rotate about a substantially vertically oriented axis of rotation, wherein stationary control cams (37, 39, 42, 51, 55, 60) for the control rollers (36, 38, 41, 50, 54, 59) are arranged between two spaced-apart carousel disks (63, 64) to which the or each sliding rod (32) is attached. Device (10) according to claim 19, characterized in that the entire arrangement consisting of the carousel conveyor (63) and each support device (15) as well as each unit (24) formed from a clamping device (16) and a separating device (19) is designed and configured to be vertically movable up and down. Method for cutting open a slaughtered poultry carcass (14) suspended by its legs (11) and already cut free in the area of ​​the cloaca (12) to form a cloacal opening (13), comprising the steps: - Holding and positioning a poultry carcass (14) fed into a device (10) for cutting up the poultry carcass (14) by means of a support device (15), - Stretching the abdominal skin (18) of the poultry body (14) by means of a stretching device (17) of a stretching apparatus (16), by increasing the distance between the abdominal skin (18) and the viscera (40) located in an abdominal cavity (25) of the poultry body (14), and - Making a longitudinal cut in the taut abdominal skin (18) of the poultry body (14) between the cloacal opening (13) and a tip (21) of a breastbone (22) of the poultry body (14) by means of a separating knife (20) of a separating device (19), that - the separating knife (20) together with a knife carrier (23) as a clamping device (17) is inserted as a unit (24) through the existing cloacal opening (13) into the abdominal cavity (25), wherein the separating knife (20) is in a waiting position inside the knife carrier (23) during the insertion movement of the unit (24) into the abdominal cavity (25), - the abdominal skin (18) is stretched by means of the unit (24) by moving the unit (24) with the fully covered separating knife (20) upwards to increase the distance between the abdominal skin (18) and the internal organs (40), and - then the longitudinal incision from the inside into the stretched abdominal skin (18) to cut open the poultry body (14) between the cloacal opening (13) and the tip (21) of the sternum (22) is achieved by moving the separating knife (20) from the waiting position into a cutting position in which the separating knife (20) protrudes at least partially from the knife carrier (23).

22. Method according to claim 21, characterized in that the unit (24) is first lowered substantially vertically downwards through the cloacal opening (13) into the abdominal cavity (25), so that the unit (24) is located below the abdominal skin (18) and above the viscera (40), wherein the unit (24) is then moved substantially horizontally from the cloacal opening (13) towards the tip (21) of the sternum (22) until the free end (26) of the unit (24) has reached the tip (21) of the sternum (22).

23. Method according to claim 22, characterized in that upon reaching the tip (21) of the sternum (22) the separating knife (20) is moved from the waiting position to the cutting position, whereby the separating knife (20) penetrates the abdominal skin (18) in the region of the tip (21) of the sternum (22) and cuts the abdominal skin (18) starting from the tip (21) of the sternum (22) in the direction of the cloacal opening (13).

24. Method according to one or more of claims 21 to 23, characterized in that the unit (24) with its free end (26) immerses into the cloacal opening (13) at an angle β between 5° and 45° to the vertical.

25. Method according to one or more of claims 21 to 24, characterized in that the unit (24) is moved upwards during the cutting of the abdominal skin (18).

26. Method according to one or more of claims 21 to 25, characterized in that the unit (24) is additionally moved laterally within the abdominal cavity (25), namely transversely to an imaginary connecting line between the cloacal opening (13) and the tip (21) of the sternum (22). A method according to one or more of claims 21 to 26, characterized in that the unit (24) is selectively lowered with its free end (26) either between the abdominal skin (18) and a layer of fat or between the layer of fat and the viscera (40). A method according to one or more of claims 21 to 27, characterized in that, prior to the insertion of the unit (24) into the cloacal opening (13), the poultry carcass (14) is pressed horizontally away from the device (10) and against a support ring (46) of the support device (15) by means of a support plate (58) in order to move the tail (52) of the poultry carcass (14) out of the area of ​​the cloacal opening (13). A method according to one or more of claims 21 to 28, characterized in that the device (10) is adjusted in height as a whole in order to be able to process poultry carcasses (14) of different sizes.Method according to one or more of claims 21 to 29, characterized in that it is carried out with a device (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 20.

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