TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a shackle/product carrier/chicken leg lock for suspending poultries at abattoirs, during the processing of the carcasses. The invention also provides a locking pin for use in the shackle/product carrier/chicken leg lock of the invention. More specifically the invention relates to a particular product carrier/shackle and a related locking pin, made from a detectable, composite plastic material.

BACKGROUND ART

Shackles or product carriers are chicken leg locks used for suspending poultry at abattoirs, during the processing of the carcasses. Devices widely used in the industry for conveying and accommodating slaughtered animals have been described in e.g. W09313671, US2005061621, and further refined in W02018065430.

Such product carriers may comprise additional means for connection to, and for rotation around, a trolley of a conveying line. One such adjustable connection means is known as a "Maltese cross" (see e.g. W09313671, bottom of page 6).

These devices for use in the slaughterhouse industry preferably are made from plastic materials, which are approved for use in the food industry, i.e. food grade materials. Food-grade materials include plastics like polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), high- and low-density polyethylene (HDPE/LDPE) and polycarbonate (PC).

Although approved as a food contact substance, this substance should not contaminate the food product during processing, and if plastic-material is in fact lost, it is important that is can later be retrieved.

Similar issues are known from other areas of technology, where plastic objects are part of the manufacture of food or pharmaceuticals.

US6177113 describes a method for detecting plastic or other elastomeric materials, which are used in conjunction with food processing, and more particularly, to materials that have metal particulates embedded therein for easy detectability during or subsequent to the food processing.

W02006026823 describes a method for detecting a physical contamination from food products or pharmaceutical products in a product flow, by subjecting the product to metal or magnetic field detecting equipment.

WO2012134981 describes a plastic packaging component formed of a resin containing an electromagnetic spectrally detectable additive mixed with the resin. WO2017096366 describes X-ray and metal detectable thermoset composites for use in food or pharmaceutical processing or manufacturing.

However, the product carrier described herein, for use at abattoirs for suspending poultries, and the related locking pin, has not been disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A particular problem associated with use of a chicken leg lock/shackle of the type described above in the slaughterhouse industry, is the wear to which the leg lock is exposed. This applies to all parts of the product carrier that are made from plastic materials, and that are subjected to wear and tear and exposed to mechanical impact. A particular issue is represented by the abrasion directed to the specific locking pin (2).

The locking pin ensures that the leg lock remains closed during the following processing, and wear of the locking pin greatly increases the risk for the locking pin being expelled, reinforced by the built-in spring mechanism (3), which causes the risk of the lock ending up as an unwanted pollution in the final meat product.

Therefore, in its first aspect, the invention provides a product carrier, such as a shackle, for use at abattoirs for suspending poultries, which product carrier is made from a composite material, made up of a matrix or carrier food-grade base plastic material, comprising of from 10 to 12% of detectable metal fibres.

In another aspect, the invention provides a locking pin (2) for use in a product carrier/shackle that is used at abattoirs for suspending poultries, which locking pin is made of a harder and more resistant material, thereby reducing the risk of spoiling the lock, and which locking pin, moreover, is also traceable, in case the product ends up in the production.

The locking pin (2) of the invention may be characterised as consisting of a composite material, made up of a matrix or carrier food-grade base plastic material, comprising of from 10 to 12% of detectable metal fibres.

In this concentration, the locking pin (2) of the invention exhibits an appropriate hardness without being too porous, when compared to a non-composite plastic material, and at the same time holds sufficient metal fibres to make the lock, and even smaller pieces of the locking pin (2), detectable, thereby making it possible to retrieve the product in case it is lost during processing.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a method for producing the product carrier/shackle and locking pin of the invention, which method may be characterised by comprising the subsequent steps of: a. providing the base (matrix, carrier) plastic material in the form of a granulate, for processing in an injection moulding machine; b. in an injection moulding machine, designed for moulding the product carrier

(1) of the invention, or a part hereof, including the locking pin (2) of the invention, heating up the base plastic material to a suitable temperature, where the plastic material becomes sufficiently liquid for mixing and distribution of metal fibres to be added; c. adding of metal fibres, and mixing and distribution of the added metal fibres until they are distributed evenly in the base material; d. pressing the heated (hot) composite material into the injection mould, designed according to the design of the product carrier of the invention (1), or a part hereof, or of the locking pin (2) of the invention; and e. ejection of the moulded product carrier/shackle (1), or a part hereof, or the moulded locking pin (2).

In a yet further aspect, the invention relates to a method, for use in at abattoirs, for detecting the presence of the product carrier of the invention, or a part hereof, or of the locking pin (2) of the invention, or a part hereof, in a poultry meat product, which method may be characterised by comprising the subsequent steps of: a. scanning of the outgoing meat product (substrate) using a metal detector for detecting any the presence of the product carrier or of the locking pin, or a part hereof; and b. if the product carrier or any part hereof, or a locking pin, or any part hereof, is identified, discarding the meat product, or part hereof, in question.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to the person skilled in the art from reading the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

Any combination of two or more of the embodiments described herein is considered within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is further illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows the locking pin (2) of the invention, composed of a lock head (2A), an actuator connecting piece (2B), which actuator connecting piece holds a lock radius (2C).

Fig. 2 shows the product carrier/shackle (1) of the invention, frequently used for suspending poultries at abattoirs, which product carrier/shackle comprises the locking pin

(2) of the invention, attached to the product carrier (1) via a spring (3), having a base element (4) with two hooks attached (5) (i.e. a right hook and a left hook), which hooks are inter-connected via an axle (7), on which the hooks can rotate, and which product carrier/shackle comprises further comprises a release shaft/handle (6), that can release the product (poultry) from the product carrier;

Fig. 3 shows another view of the product carrier/shackle (1) of the invention, which product carrier/shackle comprises the locking pin (2) of the invention, attached to the product carrier (1) via a spring (3), having a base element (4) with hooks inter-connected via the axle (7), on which the hooks can rotate; and

Fig. 4 shows yet another view of the product carrier/shackle (1) of the invention, which product carrier/shackle comprises the locking pin (2) of the invention, attached to the product carrier (1) via a spring (3), having a base element (4) with two hooks attached (5) (i.e. a right hook and a left hook), which hooks are inter-connected via an axle (7), on which the hooks can rotate, and which product carrier/shackle comprises further comprises a release shaft/handle (6), that can release the product (poultry) from the product carrier; and

Fig. 5 shows yet another view the product carrier/shackle (1) of the invention, which product carrier/shackle comprises base element (4) with two hooks attached (5)

(i.e. a right hook and a left hook), which hooks are inter-connected via an axle (7), on which the hooks can rotate, and which product carrier/shackle comprises further comprises a release shaft/handle (6), that can release the product (poultry) from the product carrier, and the connection means/"Maltese cross" (8), which connection means is rotatably connected to the base element (4) via the axle (7).

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The product carrier of the invention

In its first aspect, the invention relates to product carrier, such as a shackle, for use at abattoirs for suspending poultries. The product carrier of the invention may be characterised by being made from a composite material, made up of a matrix or carrier food-grade base plastic material, comprising of from 10 to 12% of detectable metal fibres.

In one embodiment, the product carrier of the invention made from a composite material wherein the base plastic material is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), high- and low-density polyethylene (HDPE/LDPE) or polycarbonate (PC).

In another embodiment, the base plastic material is polypropylene (PP).

In a third embodiment, the base plastic material is polypropylene, comprising of from 10 to 11.5% of metal fibres, or of from 10 to 11% of metal fibres.

In a fourth embodiment, the metal fibres are made from stainless steel having electrical and magnetic properties. In a fifth embodiment, the metal fibres are made from ferritic stainless steel, AISI 430 or 440.

In a further embodiment, the invention provides a product carrier, such as a shackle, for use at abattoirs for suspending poultries, and which product carrier comprises the locking pin of the invention.

The locking pin of the invention

In another aspect, the invention provides a locking pin (2) for use in a product carrier/shackle (1), designed for use in abattoirs for suspending poultries. The locking pin of the invention may be characterised by being a composite material, made from a food-grade, base (matrix) plastic material, comprising of from 10 to 12% of detectable metal fibres.

The base material for use according to the invention may e.g. be polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), high- or low-density polyethylene (HDPE/LDPE), or polycarbonate (PC).

In one embodiment, the base material for use according to the invention is polypropylene (PP).

In another embodiment, the composite locking pin of the invention is made from polypropylene (as base material), comprising of from 10 to 11.5% of metal fibres, or of from 10 to 11% of metal fibres, e.g. 10.5% of metal fibres.

In a further embodiment, the composite locking pin of the invention is made from polypropylene (as base material), comprising stainless steel having electrical and magnetic properties.

In a yet further embodiment, the composite locking pin of the invention is made from polypropylene (as base material), comprising ferritic stainless steel, AISI 430 or 440.

Manufacture of the locking pin

In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for manufacture of the locking pin (2) of the invention.

The method of producing the locking pin of the invention may be characterised by comprising the subsequent steps of: a. providing a base (matrix, carrier) plastic material in the form of a granulate, suitable for being processed in an injection moulding machine; b. in an injection moulding machine, heating up the base plastic material to a suitable temperature, where the plastic material becomes sufficiently liquid for mixing and distribution of metal fibres to be added; c. addition of metal fibres, and mixing and distribution of the added metal fibres until they are distributed evenly in the base material; d. pressing the heated (hot) composite material into an injection mould, configured to the design of the locking pin (2) of the invention; and e. ejection/liberation of the moulded locking pin (2).

The base (matrix, carrier) plastic material for use in the method of the invention may be any of the base (matrix, carrier) plastic materials described above.

Injection moulding is a manufacturing process for producing parts by injecting molten material into a mould.

The injection moulding machine for use in the method of the invention may be any conventional machine, also known as an injection press, that produces plastic products by the injection moulding process.

The injection mould for use according to the invention may be designed to produce one or more locking pins (units) in one processing step, i.e. a multi-unit injection mould. A multi-unit injection mould for use according to the invention may be designed to produce of from 2 to 20 units (locking pins) in one press, e.g. of from 4 to 15 units (locking pins) in one press, or from 6 to 12 units (locking pins) in one press, e.g. 10 units (locking pins) in one press.

The temperature suited for moulding, where the plastic material becomes sufficiently liquid for mixing and distribution of metal fibres to be added, greatly depends on the composition in question, i.e. the nature of the base material as well as the content of metal fibres, will be apparent to the person skilled in the art.

The metal fibres for use in the method of the invention may be any commercially available metal fibres, that should be added in the above stated concentrations.

Method for detecting wear and abrasion of product carrier

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a method, for use at abattoirs, for detecting wear and abrasion of product carriers according to the invention, made from composite materials, comprising detectable metal fibres.

The method of the invention may be characterised by comprising the subsequent steps of: a. scanning of the outgoing meat product (substrate) using a metal detector for detecting any the presence of fragments or pieces of the product carrier of the invention; and b. if a fragment or piece of product carrier is identified, discarding the meat product, or part hereof, in question.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a method, for use at abattoirs, for detecting the presence of the locking pin of the invention, or any part hereof, in a poultry meat product. In this embodiment, the method of the invention may be characterised by comprising the subsequent steps of: a. scanning of the outgoing meat product (substrate) using a metal detector for detecting any the presence of the locking pin, or a part hereof; and b. if a locking pin, or any part hereof, is identified, discarding the meat product, or part hereof, in question.

The metal detector for use according to the invention may in particular be a low frequency detector.

In another embodiment, a metal detector with a low frequency of about 3-20 kHz is used.

The detector for use according to the invention should be placed near the conveyor, transporting the meat products.

List of reference signs

This is a listing of various elements relating to the present invention and shown in the appended figures. Alternative/synonymous designations are separated by slashes.

1. Product carrier/shackle for suspending poultry at abattoirs

2. Locking pin 2A. Lock head

2B. Actuator connecting piece 2C. Lock radius

3. Spring

4. Plane base

5. Hook

6. Release shaft/handle

7. Axle

8. Connection means/"Maltese cross"