[0001] The present invention relates to a device for picking up plucking fingers or narrow and elongated articles.

[0002] It is known that the industrial removal of poultry feathers takes place by means of special machines which provide to pluck each head of cattle.

[0003] In a known arrangement of such apparatuses, chickens or turkeys are, so to speak, "caressed" by a plurality of fingers mounted in a radial position, integrally rotating on motorized rollers, so that the plumage is separated from the chicken or turkey through the rotary motion of the fingers.

[0004] For example, fingers of a known type are discussed in publications GB945869A or GB938140A.

[0005] This removal operation, however, is extremely deteriorating for the fingers, so that they need to be replaced periodically when they break or otherwise become ineffective.

[0006] However, the replacement of the fingers in the machine takes place in conditions that are difficult for the operators, so that the manual removal operation requires many hours/man.

[0007] The present invention therefore falls within the foregoing context, aiming to provide a device that is capable of rapidly and effortlessly removing mainly the plucking fingers and optionally also components of elongated shape of a different type.

[0008] Such an object is achieved by a device according to claim 1. The dependent claims describe preferred embodiment variants.

[0009] The object of the present invention will now be described in detail, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] - figures 1, 2, 3 respectively show a top perspective view, a side view and a partially sectional side view of a picking device object of the present invention, according to a possible embodiment;

[0011] - figures 4 and 5 respectively show an enlargement of a working portion of the device in figure 1, in the absence of the protective casing, and an exploded view of the working portion;

[0012] - figure 6 shows a detail of the gripping members of the device in figure 4;

[0013] - figures 7a to 7f show a pick-up sequence of the device object of the present invention, according to a possible embodiment.

[0014] Reference numeral 1 denotes, as a whole, a device for picking plucking fingers 10, or more generally narrow and elongated articles. For example, such a finger/article may be at least partially made of an elastomeric material.

[0015] Such a device 1 comprises a working portion 2, at least a pair of gripping members 8, 12 and motor means 14.

[0016] According to an embodiment, this device is a portable gun device.

[0017] It should be noted that the term "portable" refers to a device that is sufficiently compact and of a reasonably reduced weight as to be lifted from the ground (with one or two hands), so as to be directed towards the desired area of use.

[0018] The working portion 2 delimits an inner compartment 4 that extends along a prevailing extension axis X to at least partially accommodate the finger/article 10 (for example: substantially complete), and a distal opening 6 for inserting such a finger 10 into the inner compartment 4.

[0019] In the illustrated embodiments, the working portion 2 comprises a device body 46 of substantially tubular shape .

[0020] According to an embodiment, the device body 46 may be at least partially made of metal.

[0021] It is specified that, in the present description, the term "proximal" will be referred to the parts positioned or directed towards the motor means, and therefore towards the user of the present device. On the contrary, the term "distal" denotes the parts positioned or directed towards the end of the working portion 2 opposite to the motor means 14, and thus towards the plucking finger 10 or the article.

[0022] Again with regard to the terminology used, the terms "axial" or "radial" will always refer to the prevailing development axis X, unless otherwise specified.

[0023] At least one of the pair of gripping members 8, 12 is movable between an insertion position (for example shown in figure If) of the finger 10, wherein the movable gripping member 8 is spaced apart from the other gripping member 12, and a holding position (figure 7a), wherein such gripping members 8, 12 cooperate to hold the finger 10 in the inner compartment 4, and vice versa.

[0024] According to an embodiment, in the insertion position the gripping members 8, 12 delimit a gap 44 therebetween which is sufficiently large to allow the introduction of the finger, or of the article, therebetween .

[0025] According to an embodiment, in the holding position the movable gripping member 8 is adjacent to the other gripping member 12. [0026] More precisely, in the holding position, working surfaces 48, 22 delimited by the gripping members 8, 12 work in the form of a vice on the finger 10 or article.

[0027] According to the embodiments shown, in the transitions between the insertion position and the holding position, the other gripping member 12 remains fixed, i.e. substantially integral with the device body 46 of the working portion 2.

[0028] One or both gripping members 8, 12 are further movable between a rest position (see for example figure 7b) and a pick-up position (figure 7d) , wherein the at least one gripping member 8, 12 is moved proximally - according to the above definition - in the inner compartment 4, and vice versa.

[0029] According to the embodiments shown, both gripping members 8, 12 are movable proximally towards the pick-up position, or distally towards the rest position, with an alternating motion.

[0030] The motor means 14 therefore provide for the movement of the movable gripping member 8 from the insertion position to the holding position, and for the movement of one or both gripping members 8, 12 from the rest position to the pick-up position of the plucking finger 10 or of the article.

[0031] According to an embodiment, the motor means 14 comprise a single motor unit 42 for both such movements, that is to say, for moving the movable gripping member 8 from the insertion position to the holding position (and vice versa) , and for moving the at least one gripping member 8, 12 from the rest position to the pick-up position of the finger 10 (and vice versa) .

[0032] According to an embodiment, the motor means 14 comprise a motor unit 42 with a linear actuator 50, or with a rotary actuator activated hydraulically, mechanically or pneumatically.

[0033] In the illustrated embodiments, the motor unit 42 is driven pneumatically or hydraulically.

[0034] In this regard, according to an embodiment, a supply duct 56 - for example schematised and visible in figure 1 - may be connected to an inlet port 58 (figure 2) of the motor unit 42 in order to fluidically supply the latter.

[0035] According to an embodiment, the linear actuator 50 or the rotary actuator may protrude partially in the inner compartment 4.

[0036] According to an embodiment, the motor means 14 comprise a gripping portion 52 for lifting and orienting the device 1.

[0037] According to an embodiment, the gripping portion 52 is fixed to a casing 54 of the motor unit 42.

[0038] According to an embodiment, the working portion 2 comprises a free edge 16 which delimits an abutment surface 18, for example of an annular shape.

[0039] According to this variant, this surface 18 is used to provide an abutment between the working portion 2 and a surface 80, for example of a plucking machine not shown, which at least partially surrounds the finger 10 or the article.

[0040] According to an embodiment, the abutment surface 18 partially circumscribes the distal opening 6.

[0041] According to an embodiment, the motion of the gripping member 8, 12 towards the pick-up position occurs while moving away from the abutment surface 18.

[0042] According to an embodiment, the motor means 14 may be controlled - for example mechanically - so that the gripping member 8, 12 is moved towards the pick-up position only upon reaching the holding position, and therefore only after that the gripping members have firmly engaged the finger or the article.

[0043] According to an embodiment, the movable gripping member 8 is rotatably mounted (about a rotation axis Rl) to a guide element 20 of the working portion 2, between the holding position and the insertion position.

[0044] According to an embodiment, the guide element 20 is slidably mounted along the prevailing development axis X.

[0045] According to an embodiment, the guide element 20 is slidably mounted integrally with the gripping member 8, 12 towards the pick-up position and, of course, also in the opposite direction towards the rest position.

[0046] According to an embodiment, the guide element 20 comprises a substantially cylindrical body 32 defining a cylinder compartment 34, for example arranged coaxially with the inner compartment 4.

[0047] According to an embodiment, the substantially cylindrical body 32 identifies in its thickness at least one longitudinal slit 36 (for example visible in the exploded view in figure 5) through which the gripping member 8 is movable between the insertion position and the holding position.

[0048] According to an embodiment, the working portion 2 comprises a guide element 20 which delimits a working surface 22 of the other gripping member 12.

[0049] According to an embodiment not shown, the working surface is substantially planar or concave with its own concavity facing the movable gripping member.

[0050] According to an embodiment, the working surface 22 may be moved proximally in the inner compartment 4 in a manner integral with the guide element 20.

[0051] It follows that, in this variant, both gripping members 8, 12 with the respective working surfaces are movable towards the pick-up position. [0052] According to an embodiment, the guide element 20 delimits a concave surface 24 within which the working surface 22 is at least partially received.

[0053] According to an embodiment, the working surface 22 is semi-cylindrical with a semi-cylinder axis C substantially orthogonal to the prevailing development axis X discussed above.

[0054] According to an embodiment, the guide element 20 is received in a sliding/translatable manner in the inner compartment 4, specifically between a distal positioning (figure 7b; corresponding to the rest position) and a proximal positioning (figure 7d; corresponding to the pick-up position) .

[0055] According to an embodiment, the guide element 20 is moved between the rest position and the pick-up position, and vice versa, through an axial movement A of the motor means 14.

[0056] According to an embodiment, the guide element 20 is kinematically connected to the motor means 14 through the movable gripping member 8.

[0057] More precisely, the guide member 20 may be hinged (about the axis of rotation Rl) at one end 24 to the guide element 20 and may be hinged (about the axis of rotation R2, for example parallel to Rl) at another end 26 to the motor means 14 by means of one or more optional transmission elements 28, 30.

[0058] According to an embodiment, the guide element 20 delimits a distal access opening 38 through which the finger 10 can be introduced into a cylinder compartment 34 delimited by said element 20 to be retained by the gripping members 8, 12.

[0059] It follows that the holding in this variant takes place inside or at the element 20.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the longitudinal slit 36 partially houses the movable gripping member 8 and at least one transmission element 28 for the movement of the motor means 14.

[0061] According to an embodiment, a pair of transmission elements 28 are provided, mutually side by side and which delimit an intermediate space 60 in which the movable gripping member 8 is partially housed.

[0062] For example, one or the pair of transmission elements 28 may be hinged distally to the gripping member 8 (around the aforementioned axis R2 ) , and may advantageously be hinged proximally (around a rotation axis R3) to the linear actuator 50 or rotary actuator.

[0063] Optionally, between the linear actuator 50 or the rotary actuator and the transmission element 28, a further transmission element 30 may be mounted proximally on the actuator and hinged distally to the transmission element 28 or to the plurality thereof.

[0064] According to an embodiment, the movable gripping member 8 projects partially out of the inner compartment 4, in particular in a radial direction.

[0065] According to an embodiment, the working portion 2 comprises a protective casing 40 alongside the inner compartment 4 and in which the gripping member 8 is movable or slidable at least between the rest position and the pick-up position.

[0066] Innovatively, the device according to the present invention allows solving the drawbacks complained in relation to the prior art.

[0067] In particular, this device provides a motorized system for the extraction of the plucking fingers from the relative machine, guaranteeing a speed of extraction (and therefore of replacement) of said components which was previously unexpected.

[0068] Advantageously, the device object of the present invention allows obtaining a substantially zero extraction effort for the operator, by virtue of the release of the tractive forces along the working portion.

[0069] Advantageously, in the device object of the present invention the attainment of the various operating positions are essentially ensured by the effective grip of the finger or article between the gripping portions. [0070] Advantageously, the device object of the present invention has a compact size and weight, which make it extremely manageable even in the most difficult or cramped working conditions.

[0071] Advantageously, the device object of the present invention is extremely safe to use, since the moving parts are substantially inaccessible from the outside.

[0072] Advantageously, the device object of the present invention allows easy extraction of the fingers or article, with a simple and malfunction-proof mechanism.

[0073] Advantageously, the device object of the present invention may be operated only with a fluid intake, that is, in the absence of an availability of electrical energy .

[0074] A man skilled in the art may make several changes or replacements of elements with other functionally equivalent ones to the embodiments of the above device in order to meet specific needs.

[0075] Also such variants are included within the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.

[0076] Moreover, each variant described as belonging to a possible embodiment may be implemented independently of the other variants described.