FINGER HOLDERS FOR A POULTRY PLUCKER

Abstract

FINGER HOLDER FOR A POULTRY PLUCKER The invention relates to a finger holder (100) for a plucker (10) comprising a plate (102) fixed to a shaft (50) of the plucker (10) and having an edge (103) forming a cylindrical surface around the axis of rotation (X) between a rear face (102a) and a front face (102b), and a cover (104) having a disc (106) and a skirt (107), wherein the disc (106) covers the front face (102b), and wherein the skirt (107) is cylindrical and extends from the disc (106) towards the plate (102) covering the edge (103), wherein the disc (106) is pierced with a plurality of holes (108) where each receives a finger (110), and wherein an inner surface of the skirt (107) and the edge (103) cooperate by the intermediate of threads (120) coaxial with the axis of rotation (X). Fig. 3

Description

Title of the invention: FINGER HOLDERS FOR A POULTRY PLUCKER 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. PRIOR TECHNOLOGY

[0002] To pluck poultry, it is known to use a plucker. A plucker is a machine that has a plurality of finger holders, and each finger holder is equipped with a plurality of fingers. Each finger is typically made of a flexible material and can take different shapes.

[0003] For each finger holder, the plucker has a shaft to which the finger holder is attached. By means of a motorization 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 through which a plurality of holes pass and which has in the center an indentation whose shape corresponds to the shape of the shaft to ensure that the plate is fitted onto the shaft. The plate is then fixed to the shaft by a screw.

[0005] When a finger is worn, it must be replaced. With the finger holders currently in use, each finger has a circular groove that clips around the edge of the corresponding hole. It is necessary to remove the finger holder from its shaft, remove the worn finger by cutting it with a tool or knife, install a new finger by inserting it into the corresponding hole, clip it in place by hand or using a pneumatic tool, and then reassemble the plate. Disassembling and reassembling the plate are relatively time-consuming operations during which the plucker is immobilized.

[0006] In some installations, it is also possible to change the fingers without dismantling the plates, but the operation requires the use of knives and cutting tools in precarious conditions inside the plucker, which makes the operation difficult and dangerous.

[0007] In addition, the face of the plate which is opposite the fingers has many crevices, in particular due to the holes and grooves, in which debris gets stuck and cleaning then also requires dismantling each plate.

[0008] When the turntables are not disassembled for finger changes, the face of the turntable opposite the fingers remains inaccessible and is not disinfected. directly, which can lead to a high risk of bacterial contamination.

[0009] It is therefore necessary to find an arrangement which saves time, in particular for replacing worn fingers, and which, according to a particular embodiment, solves the problem of fouling and bacterial growth in the food environment. Description of the invention

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a finger holder for a plucker, wherein the finger holder comprises a plate and a cover which holds the fingers and is removably fixed on the plate while covering it so as to prevent the introduction of waste between them.

[0011] To this end, a finger holder for a plucker is proposed, said finger holder being designed to be rotated around an axis of rotation and comprising:

[0012] - a plate intended to be fixed to a shaft of the plucker, where the plate has a edge forming a cylindrical surface around the axis of rotation between a back face and a front face, and

[0013] - a cover having a disc and a skirt, where the disc covers the front face of the plate and where the skirt is cylindrical and extends from the disc towards the plate covering the edge of said plate, where the disc is pierced with a plurality of holes where each is intended to receive a finger of the plucker, and where an inner surface of the skirt and the edge cooperate via coaxial threads with the axis of rotation.

[0014] According to a particular embodiment, the edge has a thread and the inner surface of the cover has a tapped hole.

[0015] According to a particular embodiment, the edge has a tapping and the inner surface of the cover has a thread.

[0016] The invention also proposes a poultry plucker comprising a shaft, a motorization system driving the shaft in rotation around the axis of rotation, a finger holder according to one of the preceding variants, where the plate is fixed to said shaft by fastening means, and for each hole in the disc, a finger inserted into said hole.

[0017] Advantageously, each finger comprises a shoe and a stem with a truncated cone base which widens at the junction with the shoe, where the shoe is clamped between the plate and the disc. 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:

[0019] [Fig-1] is a perspective view of a finger holder according to the invention,

[0020] [Fig.2] is a side view of a finger according to an exemplary embodiment, and

[0021] [Fig.3] is a cross-sectional view through an axial plane of the finger holder according to the invention.

[0022] DETAILED STATEMENT OF IMPROVEMENTS

[0023] Figure 1 shows a finger holder 100 according to the invention for a poultry plucker. The finger holder 100 is rotatable about an axis of rotation X. Figure 3 shows the finger holder 100 in cross-section through an axial plane passing through the axis of rotation X.

[0024] The finger holder 100 comprises a plate 102 and a cover 104. The plate 102 is circular and coaxial with the axis of rotation X, and it has an edge 103 forming a cylindrical surface around the axis of rotation X between a rear face 102a and a front face 102b of the plate 102. The rear face 102a is on the side of the plucker 10 and the front face 102b is on the opposite side. The rear faces 102a and front faces 102b are, in this case, generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation X.

[0025] In use, the plate 102 is fixed to the shaft 50 by means of fastening means. In the embodiment of the invention shown in [Fig. 3], the plate 102 is fitted onto a shaft 50 of the plucker 10. The shaft 50 is driven in rotation around its axis by a motorization system of the plucker 10 and the plate 102 is then driven in rotation around the axis of rotation X corresponding to the axis of the shaft 50 after assembly.

[0026] The plate 102 here has a bore 401 that is through and coaxial with the X axis to allow it to be fitted onto the shaft 50. The bore 401 thus extends between the rear face 102a and the front face 102b.

[0027] In the embodiment of the invention presented here, to fix the plate and prevent the rotation of the plate 102 relative to the shaft 50, the plate 102 has, at its front face 102b and around the bore 401, a recess 402 whose internal hollow shape, for example rectangular, is complementary to the shape of a washer 404 arranged inside the recess 402 and fixed in said recess 402, here by tightening a clamping screw 406 tightened in the shaft 50. The washer 404 is thus sandwiched between the shaft 50, the bottom of the recess 402 and the head of the clamping screw 406.

[0028] The cover 104 has a disc 106 which has an inner face 106a oriented towards the front face 102b of the plate 102 and an outer face 106b oriented in the opposite direction. The disc 106 is thus positioned opposite the front face 102b of the plate 102 and covers it. The disc 106 is coaxial with the axis of rotation X.

[0029] The disc 106 is pierced with a plurality of holes 108, where each hole 108 receives a finger 110.

[0030] The front face 102b of the plate 102 is the face from which the fingers 110 will extend.

[0031] Figure 2 shows an example of a finger 110 which includes a shoe 202 and a stem 204 with a truncated cone base which widens at the junction with the shoe 202. 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 hole 108 from the inner face 106a until the truncated cone is forced into the hole 108. The shoe 202 is then on the side of the inner face 106a, and it is clamped between the front face 102b of the plate 102 and the inner face 106a of the disc 106, and the rod 204 on the side of the outer face 106b.

[0032] This design ensures the holding of the head of the finger 110 and the sealing of the assembly between the plate 102 and the disc 106 and prevents the introduction of waste between the finger 110 and the hole 108 due to the absence of the circular groove present in the case of the prior art.

[0033] The cover 104 has a skirt 107 which is cylindrical and which extends from the disc 106 towards the plate 102 so as to cover the edge 103 of said plate 102. The skirt 107 thus has an inner surface which is thus around the edge 103.

[0034] To ensure the attachment of the cover 104 to the plate 102, the inner surface of the skirt 107 and the edge 103 cooperate via threads 120 coaxial with the axis of rotation X. In the embodiment of the invention shown in [Fig.3], the edge 103 has a thread and the inner surface of the cover 104 has a tapped hole, but an inverse arrangement is possible.

[0035] According to a particular embodiment, the direction of the threads 120 for unscrewing is reversed with respect to the direction of rotation of the shaft 50 to prevent loosening of the plate 102 during the operation of the plucker 10.

[0036] Thus, after inserting the fingers 110 into the holes 108 of the cover 104, the latter can be fixed onto the plate 102 by tightening around the axis of rotation X. Disassembly is carried out in the reverse manner.

[0037] The thread fixing 120 between the cover 104 and the plate 102 ensures easy installation and good sealing by preventing the introduction of waste between them.

[0038] Furthermore, in the embodiment described here, the clamping of the shoe 202 between the plate 102 and the disc 106 produces a compression of the shoe 202 and ensures the creation of friction forces between the shoes 202 and the plate 102, which prevents the loosening of the cover 104.

Claims

Demands

1. A finger holder (100) for a plucker (10), said finger holder (100) being designed to rotate about an axis of rotation (X) and comprising: - a plate (102) for being fixed to a shaft (50) of the plucker (10), wherein the plate (102) has an edge (103) forming a cylindrical surface about the axis of rotation (X) between a rear face (102a) and a front face (102b), and - a cover (104) having a disc (106) and a skirt (107), wherein the disc (106) covers the front face (102b) of the plate (102) and wherein the skirt (107) is cylindrical and extends from the disc (106) to the plate (102), covering the edge (103) of said plate (102), wherein the disc (106) is pierced with a plurality of holes (108), where each is intended to receive a finger (110) of the plucker (10), and where an inner surface of the skirt (107) and the edge (103) cooperate via threads (120) coaxial with the axis of rotation (X).

2. Finger holder (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the edge (103) has a thread and the inner surface of the cover (104) has a tapped hole.

3. Finger holder (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the edge (103) has a tapping and the inner surface of the cover (104) has a thread.

4. Poultry plucker (10) comprising a shaft (50), a drive system driving the shaft (50) in rotation about the axis of rotation, a finger holder (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plate (102) is fixed to said shaft (50) by fastening means, and for each hole (108) of the disc (106), a finger (110) inserted into said hole (108).

5. Poultry plucker (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that each finger (110) comprises a shoe (202) and a shaft (204) with a truncated cone base which widens at the junction with the shoe (202), where the shoe (202) is clamped between the plate (102) and the disc (106).

Images