The present invention concerns a method for suspending animals to be slaughtered, particularly chickens, and of the kind indicated in the preamble of claim 1.

Suspending or re-suspending animals to be slaughtered, especially broilers, for exam- ple after water chiller, in transport shackles in a poultry slaughterhouse, is a heavy and monotonous work which may be very straining, both physically and mentally. Be- sides, by the work with suspending or re-suspending poultry there may occur serious work environment problems as the hard and monotonous work is known to give strain damages to arms and back.

The invention has the purpose of indicating an improved method of suspending slaughtered poultry and which makes possible considerably facilitating the monoto- nous and heavy lifting work so that also the risk of strain damages may be reduced correspondingly.

The method according to the invention is characterised in that the chickens, for ex- ample from water chiller, preferably via belt conveyor, are delivered at the centre of a rotating distributing table surface, at which there are means arranged for successively pushing the chickens outward toward a rim area of said distributing table surface which is formed with positions along said rim area each arranged to accommodate one chicken that is placed and partly fixed in such a way that at least one leg of each chicken projects from the edge of the rim area so that at least one leg may be gripped by a transport shackle of said overhead conveyor with ascending extension and in a synchronised way pass close to one or more of said positions along the rim area of the rotating distributing table surface.

Hereby, by means of simple technical measures, there may be achieved a considerable facilitating of both the physically hard and mentally straining monotonous work with suspending of. for example, slaughtered chickens in transport shackles, as the person-

nel can stand in a good working posture and assist with pushing/sliding the chickens in place into said positions along the rim area of the rotating distributing table surface, i. e. the personnel completely avoids lifting each chicken.

Suitably, the method according to the invention may be modified in such a way that there is used a stationary plate spiral for successively pushing the chickens outward toward said rim area of the rotating distributing table surface.

By the method according to the invention, in said positions along the rim area of the distributing table surface there are preferably used fit pieces arranged to accommodate the breast or back side of a chicken and means arranged for fixing the chickens later- ally, preferably by engagement between the legs of the chickens.

The invention also concerns an apparatus for suspending chickens according to the indicated method, which apparatus is characterised in that it comprises a rotating dis- tributing table surface with a preferably central receiving position for chickens sup- plied successively by belt conveyor, means arranged for successively pushing the chickens outward toward a rim area of said distributing table surface comprising posi- tions along said rim area arranged for accommodating and partly fixing a chicken in such a way that at least one leg of each chicken project out from the edge of the rim area so that at least one leg is allowed to be gripped by a transport shackle of an over- head conveyor with ascending extension, and which in a synchronised way passes close to one or more of said positions along the rim area of the rotating distributing table surface.

Suitably, the apparatus according to the invention is designed so that said means for successively pushing the chickens outward toward said rim area of the rotating dis- tributing table surface is constituted by a stationary plate spiral, the centre of which is placed approximately in said central receiving position.

Preferably, the apparatus according to the invention is further designed so that said positions along the rim area of the distributing table surface are provided with fit

pieces arranged for accommodating the breast or back side of a chicken and compris- ing means arranged to fix the chickens laterally and longitudinally, preferably by en- gagement between the chickens or between the legs of the chickens.

Besides, it may be advantageous that the apparatus according to the invention outside said positions along the rim area of the rotating distributing table surface along the substantial part of its circumference it comprises a stationary, curved rail serving to keep the personnel away from the protruding legs of the chickens.

The invention is explained more closely in the following in connection with the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a view from above of an embodiment of an apparatus for performing the method according to the invention, and Fig. 2 shows a side view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

The suspending apparatus 2 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a mainly horizontal, circular distributing table surface 4 which is continually rotated counterclockwise and the height of which is adjusted to standing personnel, but which alternatively may be adjusted according to the height suitable for sitting personnel.

Via a belt conveyor 6 slaughtered poultry, preferably chickens 8, are supplied, for ex- ample from water chiller to the centre of the distributing table surface 4. Because of the rotation of the distributing table surface, a stationary, plate-shaped spiral 10 causes successive pushing of the chickens 8 outward toward a rim area of the distributing table surface 4 where the standing personnel without having to lift each chicken 8 eas- ily push/slide the chickens 8 in place at specially arranged positions 12 along the pe- riphery of the distributing table surface 4.

Each of the positions 12 are provided with a fit piece, which may be designed in thin steel plate or e. g. moulded in plastic, and which is arranged to accommodate the breast

or back side of a chicken 8 in such a way that at least one leg of each chicken 8 proj- ects outside the periphery of the distributing table surface 4. In practice, the said rim area of the distributing table surface 4 is constituted by an outer, sloping surface in the shape of a frustum of a cone whereon said fit pieces are mounted. Besides, each of said positions 12 are provided with a suitable guide preferably engaging between the chickens or between the legs of a single chicken, i. e. providing for correct lateral and longitudinal fixing of each chicken 8.

Along the main part of the circumference of the distributing table surface 4 there is fitted a stationary, curved rail 14 at a short distance from its periphery, primarily serving to keep the personnel away from the projecting legs until they shortly after running off the rail 14 at position A are gripped by transport shackles 16 of an over- head conveyor 18 with ascending extension, the speed of which, of course, is syn- chronised with the rotational speed of the distributing table surface 4.

Finally, it shall be emphasised that the method and the apparatus, respectively, accord- ing to the invention more generally may be used for semi-automatic suspension of animals to be slaughtered, e. g. rabbits or poultry not yet killed, but possibly stunned.