C l a i m s
1. A device (1) for killing birds (22), particularly poultry, in which the bird's (22) neck portion (24) is placed on a support (2) , and in which a sharp object
5 (6, 16, 30) is moved relative to the support (2) so that the bird's (22) head (26) is severed from the bird's (22) body, and in which the support (2) is provided with a guide (10) fitting complementarily around the bird's (22) neck (24) just behind the head (26), o the width of the opening of the guide (10) being smaller than the width of the bird's (22) head (26), c ha r a c t e r i z e d i n that the sharp object (6, 16, 30) is provided with a hammer (34) projecting from the sharp object (6, 16, 30) and being arranged s to contact, during the cutting operation, the bird's
(22) head (26) before the sharp object (6, 30) reaches the neck (24) .
2. The killing device (1) in accordance with claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the guide (10) is o U-shaped with a first cutting edge (12) at its lower portion.
3. The killing device (1) in accordance with claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the guide (10) is keyhole-shaped with a first cutting edge (12) at its 5 lower portion.
4. The killing device (1) in accordance with claim 1, c ha r a c t e r i z e d i n that the sharp object (6) is constituted by a rotatable lever (16) including a second cutting edge (18) facing the bird (22) .
5. The killing device (1) in accordance with claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the sharp object (6) is constituted by a knife (30) .
6. The killing device (1) in accordance with claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the sharp object (6) is driven by a pneumatic actuator. |
A DEVICE FOR KILLING BIRDS
This invention relates to a device for killing birds. More particularly, it relates to a device for killing birds, especially poultry, in which the bird's neck portion is placed on a support and in which a sharp object is moved relative to the support, so that the bird's head is severed from the bird's body. The support is provided with a guide fitting complementarily round the neck just behind the bird's head, the opening of the guide being smaller than the width of the bird' s head.
For a number of years, the killing of poultry has been carried out mainly by poultry slaughterhouses in a manner satisfactory relative to the effective regulations. However, a situation has arisen, in which the poultry slaughterhouses cannot take care of, for example, all the laying hens which are to be replaced.
Therefore, the poultry farmer has to take care of the killing and disposal of laying hens himself, which may easily, without suitable equipment available, be carried out in a not very gentle manner, and can hardly meet the effective regulations for killing.
The invention has as its object to remedy or reduce at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.
The object is achieved in accordance with the invention through the features which are specified in the description below and in the claims that follow.
A device for killing birds, particularly poultry, in accor- dance with the invention, in which the bird's neck portion is placed on a support, and in which a sharp object is moved relative to the support, so that the bird's head is severed from the bird's body, is characterized by the support being provided with a guide which fits complementarily around the bird's neck just behind the bird's head, the opening of the guide having a smaller width than the bird's head.
Thereby, the guide prevents the bird, after the head has been placed in the guide, from pulling its head out of the guide before cutting of the bird's neck has taken place.
By holding the bird's head against the guide during the cutting operation it is also ensured that the neck is cut close to the head.
The guide may be, for example, U-shaped with a first cutting edge at its lower portion and open upwards. It may also have a keyhole shape with a first cutting edge at its lower portion, the bird's head being passed through the circular upper portion of the guide before the neck is moved down into the lower portion of the guide.
It may also be practical to form the guide in such a way that it provides side support for the head.
The sharp object may be constituted by a rotatable lever which includes a second cutting edge facing the bird and which, by a movement resembling clipping, cuts the neck between its second cutting edge and the first cutting edge of the guide.
Alternatively, the sharp object may be constituted by a knife which is moved in leads at the guide.
With advantage the knife is provided with a hammer which projects from the knife and, during the cutting operation, is arranged to contact the bird's head before the knife reaches the bird's neck.
As the sharp object is advanced relatively fast towards the bird's head, the bird will be knocked unconscious before the neck is cut.
A pneumatic cylinder is a suitable actuator for the knife, an actuator of this kind being able to impart the necessary speed to the hammer and knife, while at the same time being easy to keep clean and having a reliable function.
In what follows is described a non-limiting example of a pre- ferred embodiment which is visualized in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a side view of a killing device according to the invention;
Figure 2 shows a section I-I of Figure 1, but in which also the bird's head is shown;
Figure 3 shows a plan view of the killing device of Figure 1; and
Figure 4 shows a killing device in an alternative embodiment.
In the drawings the reference numeral 1 denotes a killing de- vice which includes a support 2 which is connected to a base 4, and a sharp object 6 in the form of a knife.
The support 2 is provided with a guide 10 in the form of a U- shaped through recess in the support 2. The recess width of
the guide 10 is indicated in Figure 3 by the reference a. At its lower portion the guide 10 is provided with a first cutting edge 12.
The knife, called the sharp object 6, is constituted in this preferred exemplary embodiment by a lever 16 rotatable about an axle 14. At its one end portion the lever 16 is formed with a second cutting edge 18 cooperating with the first cutting edge 12. At its opposite end portion 20 the lever 16 is rotatably connected to a pneumatic actuator not shown.
When a bird 22 is to be killed, the bird's 22 neck 24 is placed in the guide 10 with the bird's 22 head 26 facing the side of the support 2 where the lever 16 is arranged, see Figures 2 and 3.
The width b of the bird's 22 head 26 is larger than the open- ing a of the guide 10. Thereby the bird 22 is prevented from pulling its head 26 out of the guide 10.
When the actuator, not shown, is operated, the lever 16 rotates about the axle 14, whereby the second cutting edge 18 together with the first cutting edge 12 clips off the neck 24, see dashed lines in Figure 1.
The bird 22 may, with advantage, be unconscious before it is placed in the killing device.
In an alternative embodiment, see Figure 4, the guide 10 is formed as a keyhole-shaped opening 28, in which the bird's 22 head 26 is moved through the upper circular portion of the keyhole-shaped opening 28 before the neck 24 is placed in the lower U-shaped portion.
The second cutting edge 18 is on a movable knife 30 running in leads 32 to the support 2.
A pneumatic actuator, not shown, is connected to the knife 30, moving it between an upper idle position and a lower active position in which the second cutting edge 18 cooperates with the first cutting edge 12.
The knife 30 is provided with a hammer 34 projecting somewhat from the second cutting edge 18, the hammer 34 being arranged, when the knife 30 is moved towards the bird 22, to strike against the bird's 22 head 26 before the second cutting edge 18 contacts the bird's 22 neck 24.
Thereby, the bird 22 is knocked unconscious before its neck 24 is cut.