Did You Know...
...that in 1800 ether was first used by partyers as a fun diversion? Sniffing the gas led to hilarious and raucous laughter as people watched each other become more and more intoxicated and silly. Several doctors independently realized the value ether would have to anesthetize surgery patients. Of those who claimed rights to the "discovery," none had a happy ending. One had a seizure and died defending his rights. Another spent his life in an asylum because he had been denied acclaim. A third became addicted to chloroform and, in a New York City jail, he soaked a cloth in the drug, severed an artery and bled to death.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8187062 | Shackle with pivot feature and log chain drive mechanism A device for retaining an animal on a transport system for moving the animal in a forward direction includes a lower portion operable to retain the animal and an upper portion operable for conveyance by the transport system. The upper portion is attachable to the lo... | 05/29/2012 |
| 8137168 | Shackle with pivot feature & conveyor system therefor A device (10) for retaining and associating an animal with a transport system during transport to and through one or more processing operations along a processing line. The device (10) includes a pivot mechanism (12) for reliably controlling the... | 03/20/2012 |
| 7789739 | Shackle with pivot feature A device (10) for retaining and associating an animal with a transport system during transport to and through one or more processing operations along a processing line. The device (10) includes a pivot mechanism (12) for reliably controlling the... | 09/07/2010 |
| 7347772 | Conveyor system with pivotable hooks A conveyor system for linked sausage strands having a frame with an operating platform. The platform has opposite first and second ends, opposite sides, a top surface, and a wall extending along the sides and ends. A channel is formed in the top surface and a convey... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7226351 | Small game gambrel A low cost, compact, lightweight gambrel is disclosed. The gambrel can have a coupler, a cable, a spreader bar, and six swage sleeves. The coupler can be affixed to a limb of a tree or any other point that is semi rigid and to a loop of the gambrel formed by folding... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7226349 | Process to electronically automate the sorting of chicken feet in the category of edible or inedible Photoelectric and inductive sensors are placed along a picking and eviscerating chicken lines. The sensors detect the location of a chicken bird in a shackle and its associated feet, also in a shackle. The sensors communicate this information to a programmable logic... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7186175 | Hanging element A hanging element that may include an extended body with a lower insertion body and an upper closure head forming a matrix of hanging elements joined to each other via the side projections. Each insertion body extends into a wire which ends as a Y joint where the re... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7175519 | Elastic band for tying chickens and like animals to be cooked The invention concerns an elastic band (11) for tying chickens (31) and other animals to be cooked, which band has an “8”-shape where a first and smaller loop (13) and a second and larger loop (15) are defined, the first and smaller l... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7159772 | Apparatus and method for mounting an RF tag on a conveyor trolley A system for mounting an RF tag to a conveyor trolley wherein the tag is embedded in a block of material shaped to fit within an annular recess formed between the hub and outer rim of the trolley wheel. The shaped block is secured to the wheel. ... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7134956 | Automated feet-gripping system A system and method for transferring live objects, such as chickens, to a shackle line are presented. The system and method include introducing a plurality of live objects to a singulator. The singulator isolates the individual live objects and places them in a pall... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7133742 | Device and method for processing slaughter animals and/or parts thereof provided with a transportation system A device for processing slaughter animals or parts thereof, for example poultry, comprises a transport system with an endless track and a chain of chain elements which can be moved along the track, wherein a plurality of chain elements are set up as carriers to carr... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7125330 | Overhead conveyor for poultry The invention relates to an overhead conveyor for poultry, for example chickens, having a conveyor line, and along the conveyor line movable hooks suspended therefrom with holders for the ends of the poultry's legs. The hooks are rotatable about a substantially vert... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7125331 | Small game skinning and cleaning aid A small game skinning and cleaning aid that bears resemblance to a beam balance, or a mobile, has a beam that is suspended from a firmly tied-off top line. The beam extends between spaced outer retention points from where respective drop lines are retained. As well ... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7115030 | Apparatus for automatically removing a tail from poultry The invention relates to an apparatus for automatically removing a tail from poultry. An overhead conveyor moves the poultry or part of a bird suspended by the legs, and a guiding device is disposed underneath the overhead conveyor for supporting and guiding the pou... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7070492 | Automated support member positioning and removing systems and related devices and methods Methods, systems, and associated devices for supplying support members to a product loading station and automatically removing loaded members therefrom include: (a) advancing in serial order and spaced apart relationship, a plurality of elongated support members hav... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7018283 | Apparatus for transferring poultry carcasses Apparatus for transferring poultry carcasses from a first overhead conveyor to a second overhead conveyor, including a transfer wheel rotatable about a shaft and disposed between the first and the second overhead conveyors. The apparatus also includes a receipt poin... | 03/28/2006 |
| 6997797 | Device for processing slaughtered animals or parts thereof A device for processing slaughtered animals or parts thereof, having a first station and a second station, comprises a conveyor which extends between the first station and the second station. The conveyor comprises at least one slot which is designed to carry and su... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6830508 | Rotary shackle with lock collar The shackle assembly (10) has a lock gear (22) non-rotatably mounted to the shackle (11). Lock collar (45) has inwardly projecting lock collar teeth (51) that engage with the lock gear teeth (28A-28D). When the lock c... | 12/14/2004 |
| 6811480 | Telescopic poultry shackle A shackle assembly for transporting a poultry carcass suspended by its legs along a processing path and over a weighing scale for weighing the carcass. The shackle assembly includes a trolley support, a trolley mounted to the trolley support for engaging the weighin... | 11/02/2004 |
| 6764393 | Self realigning rotary shackle A shackle assembly (10) transports poultry carcasses along a poultry processing line. Turning block (50) turns the stirrups (18) of the shackle in response to engagement with turning pins (75) that are located along the processing path, s... | 07/20/2004 |
| 6383069 | Methods and apparatus for performing processing operations on a slaughtered animal or part thereof Apparatus and methods for performing multiple automated poultry processing operations upon a slaughtered animal or a part thereof via a single machine is described. The machine contains at least two rotary processors in a single frame. A covering surround... | 05/07/2002 |
| 6375560 | Hanger for poultry Device for hanging conveyance of poultry, comprising a hanger, which is possibly provided with means for attachment to an overhead conveyor, in which the hanger is provided with at least one accommodation space for a leg of the poultry, which accommodatio... | 04/23/2002 |
| 6277021 | Carrying hook for poultry A carrying hook for suspending poultry by the legs and conveying it, having two channels, each capable of receiving one leg. The channels are open at both ends. Optionally the channels are widened in the middle, and are provided with channel walls that ca... | 08/21/2001 |
| 6254472 | Apparatus for suspending poultry with the legs from a hanging conveyor An apparatus for suspending poultry by the feet from an overhead conveyor has pairs of cooperating strings for gripping the poultry by the feet in an upside-down hanging position. Check means are applied to check the position of the feet with respect to t... | 07/03/2001 |
| 6231436 | Method and apparatus for uniformly positioning legs of slaughtered poultry The invention relates to a method and apparatus for uniformly positioning legs of slaughtered poultry. Initially the legs are rotated in such a way that their knees end up pointing sideways in relation to a vertical plane passing through the overhead conv... | 05/15/2001 |
| 6190250 | Method and apparatus for performing processing operations on a slaughtered animal or part thereof Apparatus and methods for performing multiple automated poultry processing operations upon a slaughtered animal or a part thereof via a single machine is described. The machine contains at least two rotary processors in a single frame. A covering surround... | 02/20/2001 |
| 6179701 | Overhead conveyor system for slaughtered chickens or other poultry An overhead conveyor system for slaughtered chickens or other poultry comprises a track (2) supported above the floor, a number of suspension hooks (4) which are movable along the track and are positioned one after the other, each having two brackets (6) ... | 01/30/2001 |
| 6179702 | Rotary shackle with position lock The rotary bird hanger 30 includes a turning gear 38 having on its upper surface a lock collar 42, with lock notches 50 formed at intervals about the lock collar 42. The non-rotatable hanger support 32 includes a cam lock 62 movably supported by the hange... | 01/30/2001 |
| 6017269 | Carrier and conveyor system for holding and transporting poultry and the like The present invention is directed to a carrier for holding and transporting a product along a conveyor. The carrier includes a block having a lower surface and a footprint defined by a width and a length. A shackle has an upper end proximate the block and... | 01/25/2000 |
| 6010398 | Shackle device for holding poultry carcasses In a poultry-processing machine a suspension conveyor is provided, with the aid of which poultry carcasses are guided individually through processing stations. The poultry carcasses are held for this purpose on shackles fastened to the suspension conveyor... | 01/04/2000 |
| 5875738 | Tiltable poultry shackle The poultry shackle assembly (10) includes an upper hanger rod (11) and a lower carcass hanger (12). The legs (44 and 45) of a poultry carcass (46) are inserted into the leg recesses (42 and 43) of the carcass hanger. Guide rods (66, 67 and 68) tilt the c... | 03/02/1999 |
| 5676594 | Apparatus for processing poultry suspended from their legs The invention relates to an apparatus for processing poultry suspended from their legs and includes a processing device and a positioning brace provided for engagement between the legs of the poultry. A plate section is mounted onto the positioning brace ... | 10/14/1997 |
| 5672100 | Method for suspending live poultry by the legs and an apparatus, catching means and slaughter shackle for carrying out the method Live poultry is caused to face in a desired direction prior to engagement of the poultry legs by a leg catching device by dropping the poultry one-by-one off the terminal end of a moving conveyor onto a lower conveyor having poultry leg engaging devices a... | 09/30/1997 |
| 5505657 | Device for conveying slaughtered animals, in particular birds Device for conveying slaughtered animals or a part thereof, having a number of leg carriers, each of which is connected by way of a rotatable connecting element to a trolley of a conveyor, and runs through a track past at least one processing station. Eac... | 04/09/1996 |
| 5487700 | Poultry shackle with rotatable stirrups An improved poultry shackle assembly for suspending poultry carcasses by their hocks from an overhead conveyor system for movement along a poultry processing line comprises a support frame from which a pair of spaced stirrups depend. Each of the stirrups ... | 01/30/1996 |
| 5299976 | Apparatus for retaining poultry Apparatus for retaining poultry suspended with its legs from a suspension conveyor while submitting the poultry to a processing operation. The apparatus comprises two horizontally spaced apart retaining plates receiving the poultry therebetween. The plate... | 04/05/1994 |
| 5108345 | Apparatus and method for loading live fowl onto a conveyor Apparatus and method for mechanizing the loading of live fowl onto shackles of an overhead conveyor used in poultry processing. Live fowl are placed on a moving conveyor belt moving alongside the shackles. A succession of bird loading stations move with t... | 04/28/1992 |
| 5037351 | Process for weighing poultry, and conveyor hook for carrying out this process A method of weighing poultry includes: conveying a plurality of birds which are closely adjacent to each other toward a weighing station; disentangling the wings of the birds from each other and separating the birds from each other by turning the birds; a... | 08/06/1991 |
| 4870718 | Apparatus for suspending or securing objects A device for suspending and securing animals, particularly live poultry, or for suspending and securing objects which have an elongated portion such as tools or janitorial implements. The device comprises a generally "U"-shaped frame with an object graspi... | 10/03/1989 |
| 4745658 | Poultry holding mechanism with improved wing hooks A stretching mechanism of a device for cutting slaughtered poultry, said mechanism being provided with a support member with a support face for the bird, with means to hang the bird by the legs, with fixed hooks for the wings of the bird and with movable ... | 05/24/1988 |
