Poultry front half processing apparatus and method
A poultry front half processing module is shown and described. The module includes a rotatable wing bracket for securely engaging the wings of the front half to allow more accurate processing and easier deboning and transfer operations.
1. A poultry front half deboning apparatus, comprising:
a horizontal loading module including a wing bracket;
a shoulder cutting element;
a wishbone cutting and removal system;
a wing bracket rotator; and
a counter-directional transfer line positioned above the wing bracket rotator, the transfer line comprising end effectors to securely attach to a pair of wings on the poultry front half after the wings have been rotated into a lifting position by the wing bracket rotator.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the counter-directional transfer line is capable of removing the wings and a breast meat portion from the poultry front half while the poultry front half remains on the horizontally positioned loading module.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the horizontal loading module is rotatable around a vertical axis.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the loading module is capable of rotating about 90 degrees away from a machine direction.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a skin removal system.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a tendon cutting and tender removal system capable of operating while the front half remains on the horizontally positioned loading module.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wing bracket comprises a central element and a plurality of arms, said arms being directionally pivotable around an axis of the central element.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the arms terminate in a plurality of hooks, said hooks being rotatable around an axis of the arms.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein wing bracket comprises a plurality of arms terminating in a plurality of hooks, said hooks being rotatable around an axis of the arms.
10. A method for deboning a poultry front half, comprising the steps of:
a. providing a poultry front half having wings, breasts, tenders and a ribcage;
b. loading the poultry front half onto a horizontal loading module comprising a wing bracket;
c. securing the wings onto the rotatable wing bracket;
d. conveying the horizontal loading module in a first direction;
e. creating a shoulder cut under each breast of the poultry front half while the front half remains in a horizontal position and is conveyed in the first direction;
f. cutting and removing a wishbone from the poultry front half while the front half remains in the horizontal position and is conveyed in the first direction;
g. the wings into a lifting position by rotating the wing bracket while the front half remains in the horizontal position and is conveyed in the first direction;
h. lifting and removing the wings and breasts from the ribcage by attaching the wings in the lifted position into an end effector of a counter-directional transfer line gantry moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction, while the ribcage and tenders remain on the horizontal loading module.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
i. conveying the ribcage and tenders on the horizontal loading module to a tendon cutting and tender removal system to cut and remove the tenders from the ribcage.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the horizontal loading module rotates about 90 degrees prior to being conveyed to the tendon cutting and tender removal system.
13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising a skin removal system.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein after the wings are secured in the wing bracket, the horizontal loading module rotates around a vertical axis to be conveyed in the first direction.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the horizontal loading module rotates about 90 degrees after the poultry front half is loaded onto the module.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein loading the poultry front half includes sliding a chest cavity of the front half breast-side up onto a loading end of the horizontal loading module and securing the wings in the wing bracket.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein securing the wings in the wing bracket includes pivoting the wing bracket to engage the wings.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the wing bracket comprises a plurality of hooks, further comprising the step of rotating the hooks to securely engage the wings onto the wing bracket.
19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising the step of adjusting the width of the wing bracket to secure the wings in the wing bracket.
20. A poultry front half module, comprising a body and a wing bracket, wherein the wing bracket is pivotably mounted to the body, said wing bracket comprising a hook for engaging a poultry wing on an end of the wing bracket, wherein the hook is capable of a sliding engagement with an overhead effector.
21. The module of claim 20 , wherein the overhead effector comprises a slot through which the hook may be slidingly engaged.
22. The module of claim 20 , comprising a plurality of hooks.
23. The module of claim 20 , wherein the effector may be mechanically opened and closed.
24. The module of claim 20 , comprising a plurality of effectors.
25. The module of claim 20 , wherein the wing bracket comprises an actuator by which the wing bracket may be pivoted.