CA1193312A - Apparatus for the automatic stunning of slaughter cattle - Google Patents

Apparatus for the automatic stunning of slaughter cattle

Info

Publication number
CA1193312A
CA1193312A CA000405000A CA405000A CA1193312A CA 1193312 A CA1193312 A CA 1193312A CA 000405000 A CA000405000 A CA 000405000A CA 405000 A CA405000 A CA 405000A CA 1193312 A CA1193312 A CA 1193312A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
electrodes
conveyors
animal
pendulum
operative
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000405000A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jan B.R. Goossens
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Machinefabriek GJ Nijhuis BV
Original Assignee
Machinefabriek GJ Nijhuis BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Machinefabriek GJ Nijhuis BV filed Critical Machinefabriek GJ Nijhuis BV
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1193312A publication Critical patent/CA1193312A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Landscapes

  • Housing For Livestock And Birds (AREA)
  • Control Of Conveyors (AREA)
  • Feeding And Watering For Cattle Raising And Animal Husbandry (AREA)
  • Non-Mechanical Conveyors (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT
The invention relates to an apparatus for the automatic electric stunning of slaughter cattle, in particular pigs, by making use of two electrodes, placed next to each other in the V-shaped passage formed between two endless conveyors. The electrodes are suspended from a transverse shaft placed high above the conveyors so that the electrodes which function like a pendulum can be pushed aside, in the direction of transportation, by the animal to be stunned and return into the vertical starting position by gravity. The electrodes are arranged preferably close to the outlet of the conveyors with the receiving surface sufficiently low to make sure that a stunned animal does not prevent the return of the electrodes.

Description

~33~
The present invention relates to an apparatus for the automatic electric stunning of slaughter cattle, in par-ticular pigs. The apparatus comprises two endless conveyors having their operative surfaces arranged with respect to each other such that a V-shaped passage is formed. The conveyors run in synchronism and parallel to each other, the apparatus further comprises two elec-trodes insula~ed from each other and extending in~o the V-shaped passage from above in a position nex-t to each other. The elec-trodes are swingabl~ about a horizontal transverse axis mounted above the conveyors. An apparatus of thi~ type is known from the published Dutch Patent Application 7904935.
According to said prior ar-t the electrodes are swingably mounted upon horizontal transverse axes in a carriage which can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the conveyors. The elec trodes are held in position by spxings and can be moved against the springs by the stunned animal. The springs are combined with dampers to en~ure proper contact between the electrodes and the head of the animal. The carriage starts its movement as soon as a sensing current between the electrodes establishes the presence of the correct animalO During the passage of the stunning current relative movements between electrodes and animal's head are avoided.
This known apparatus has an excellent performance and is able to stun a great number of animals per hour without any insuff-icient stunning or damage of the meat.
This known appara-tus, however, is rather complicated and expensive to manufacture.
This invention seeks to provide an apparatus which can be ~r -~ 1 ~

33~

manufactured in a very simple way.
Therefore the invention provides an apparatus for the automatic stunning of animals to be slaughtered, comprising:
two endless conve~ors having their operative surfaces arranged with respect to each other such that a V-shaped passage is formed, the conveyors being parallel to each other, the con~eyors being adap~ed to run synchronously; and two electrodes insulated with respect to each other and ex-tending into -the V-shaped passage from above, said electrodes being swingable about a horizontal trans-verse a~is mounted above the conveyors, the electrodes beingmounted upon a pendulum suspended from the transverse axis placed high above the position where an animal would be located in the V-shaped passage during stunning, the electrodes having an initial position where the pendulum is positioned vertically in a trans-verse plane located closely in front of the transverse plane through the axes of end pulleys of the conveyors at an outlet end of the conveyors so that the animal is permitted to drop from the conveyors to a receiving surface without moving the electrodes to a substantially displaced position, the electrodes being operative to engage the animal's head for stunning, the pendulum being long enough that the electrodes swing through an arc to a displaced position as the animal is carried by the ccnveyors such that vertical mo~ement of the electrodes while engaging the animal's head is not substantial, the pendulum being operative to return to its initial position from said displaced position solely under the force of gravity.
According to the invention the electrodes, in the form
2 -
3:~
of a pendulum, are suspended from a txansverse axis placed high above the conveyors and the animal's head comes into contact with the electxodes and moves the electrodes. The electrodes only give way ayainst their gravity component which is derived from the weight of the entire pendulum. Due to the great length of the pen-dulum the position of the electrodes during the stunning time hard-ly changes its position with respect to the animal's head so that proper stunning can take place. Preferably the two electrodes to-gether are positioned at an angle with respect to each other as to form a V pointing in the direc-tion of movement.
The pendulum should have a length of at least two meters, which is calculated from the centre of the electrodes to the axis at the top of the pendulum.
Preferably the pendulum cooperates with an end switch interrupting the current supply to the electrodes before the elec trodes leave the outer end of the V-shaped passage. This is neces-sary to avoid tension be-tween the electrodes when they move over the body of the stunned animal as well as to avoid contact with personnel outside the restrainer formed by the conveyors.
Preferably the electrodes in the vertical starting posi-tion of the pendulum are present in a transverse plane lying just in front of the transverse plane through the axes of the end pulleys of the conveyors. The lower edges of the conveyors at the outlet end are at a distance of at least 65 cm above a receiving surface.
Locating the position of the electrodes close -to the ~, ~!, ' 3:~
outlet e~d of the conveyor, and the receiving surface at a lower level such that the stunned animal :Ealls down sufficiently -to free the V-shaped passage, ensures that the electrodes have a minimal swinging angle and permits them to return readily into the v~rtical starting position to meet the next animal. Further undesired con~
tact of the electrodes with the other parts of the animal is there fore avoided.
The invention now will be further described with refer-ence to the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a side view, part cross section according to the line I-I of Figure 2 of the apparatus according to the inven-tion; and Figure 2 is a front view of -the appara-tus of Figure 1.
The apparatus shown in the drawings has two endless con-veyors 1 and 2, one of which only being shown in Figure 1. The two conveyors form a so-called restrainer holding the animal at i-ts midriff.
The two electrodes 3 and 4 are rigidly attached to a frame 5 thereby forming a pendulum which is swingably suspended from a transverse axis 6 located hi.gh above the conveyors 1 and 2.
This frame 5 can have a length of two meters or more.
As shown in Figure 1 the electrodes in their vertical starting position can lie in a plane 8 which is close to the plane 9 through the axes of the end pulleys of the two conveyors 1 and 2. An animal st~lnned will move -the electrodes to the left (in the drawing). After the stunning, the animal will fall out of the exit of the conveyors and upon the receiving surface 10. The V-shaped passage is thus immediately free of the stunned -- Dr ~

333l~

animal and the frame S with electrodes 3 and 4 can return immediately to -the pOsitiOIl shown in Figuxe 1 without unnecessary contact with the animal, and in a positlon -to stun the next animal.
The pendulum may cooperate with a switch (not shown) which operates when the pendulum passes the position indicated with -the interrupted line ll. This switch can be made such that upon return of the pendulum from the position shown with line 12 to -the starting position (in ~ull lines shown) the electrodes are put under electric tension again.
The apparatus according to the invention is of a very simple construction.

Claims (14)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An apparatus for the automatic stunning of animals to be slaughtered, comprising:
two endless conveyors having their operative surfaces arranged with respect to each other such that a V-shaped passage is formed, the conveyors being parallel to each other, the conveyors being adapted to run synchronously; and two electrodes insulated with respect to each other and extending into the V-shaped passage from above, said electrodes being swingable about a horizontal transverse axis mounted above the conveyors, the electrodes being mounted upon a pendulum sus-pended from the transverse axis placed high above the position where an animal would be located in the V-shaped passage during stunning, the electrodes having an initial position where the pendulum is positioned vertically in a transverse plane located closely in front of the transverse plane through the axes of end pulleys of the conveyors at an outlet end of the conveyors so that the animal is permitted to drop from the conveyors to a receiving surface without moving the electrodes to a substantially dis-placed position, the electrodes being operative to engage the animal's head for stunning, the pendulum being long enough that the electrodes swing through an arc to a displaced position as the animal is carried by the conveyors such that vertical movement of the electrodes while engaging the animal's head is not substantial, the pendulum being operative to return to its initial position from said displaced position solely under the force of gravity.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pendulum cooperates with an end switch which interrupts the current supply to the electrodes prior to the electrodes leaving the outlet end of the V-shaped passage.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower edge of said conveyors at said outlet end lie above the receiving surface, a distance of at least 65 centimeters.
4. An apparatus for the electric stunning of slaughter animals having gravity biased pendulum mount electrodes, comprising:
two endless conveyors, said conveyors having their operative surfaces arranged to form a substantially V-shaped passageway therebetween, the conveyors being operable at a synchronized rate, the conveyors being generally parallel to each other, the conveyors being adapted to receive an animal to be stunned;
two electrodes, the electrodes being insulated from each other, the electrodes extending side by side into the V-shaped passageway, the electrodes being of such a shape and mounted in such a manner that they are adapted to engage the sides of the head of an animal to be stunned substantially at the same time; and, a pendulum mount for the electrodes, the electrodes being connected to the pendulum mount, the pendulum mount being swingably supported about a transverse axis located above the conveyors, the transverse axis upon which the pendulum mount is supported being located at such a height above the position that an animal's head will occupy during stunning, that when the electrodes operatively engage the animal's head, the electrodes will swing through an arc as the animal is carried by the conveyors during stunning such that vertical movement of said electrodes while engaging the animal's head is not substantial, the electrodes being operative to return to an initial position occupied by the electrodes before engaging the animal's head in response to the force of gravity.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the pendulum mount has a length of at least two meters.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5, the conveyors having an outlet end, further comprising:
a receiving surface located at a distance below a lower edge of said conveyors at the outlet end of the V-shaped passageway, whereby said electrodes begin a stunning operation in an initial vertical position in a transverse plane located in close proximity to the outlet end of the conveyors, said electrodes being operative to engage the animal's head and to move substantially horizontally while the animal is being stunned, said electrodes being operative to continue moving in an arc to leave said passageway, thereby permitting said animal to drop onto said receiving surface so that no part of said animal remains in said arc, said electrodes being further operative to return to said initial position solely under the force of gravity.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said receiving surface is located at least 65 centimeters below the lower edge of the conveyors.
8. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the pendulum mount is rigid.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the electrodes each have an outer edge near an operative surface of one of the endless conveyors, said outer edge being substantially straight, said outer edge being located close to the operative surface of said conveyor to inhibit an animal from placing its nose between said electrode and said conveyor, the electrodes having an opening therebetween to encourage an animal to put its nose between the electrodes.
10. An apparatus for the electric stunning of slaughter animals having gravity biased pendulum mounted electrodes, com-prising:
two endless conveyors, said conveyors having their operative surfaces arranged to form a substantially V-shaped passageway therebetween, said conveyors being operable at a synchronized rate;
a rigid pendulum frame swingably mounted about a transverse axis located above said conveyors, said pendulum frame having a length of at least two meters;
two electrodes both connected to the pendulum frame, said electrodes being insulated with respect to each other and extending side by side into said passageway, said electrodes being of such a shape and mounted in such a manner that they are operative to engage the sides of the head of the animal to be stunned sub-stantially at the same time;

a receiving surface located at least 65 centimeters below the lower edge of said conveyors at an outlet end of said passageway;
said electrodes beginning the stunning operation in an initial vertical position in a transverse plane located in close proximity to the outlet end of said conveyors, said electrodes being operative to engage the animal's head and to move substant-ially horizontally while the animal is being stunned, the length of said pendulum being sufficiently long that the electrodes move through an arc with a sufficiently long radius while an animal is being stunned that the arc is substantially flat, said electrodes being operative to continue moving in an arc and leave said passageway, thereby permitting said animal to drop onto said receiving surface so that no part of said animal remains in said arc, said electrodes being further operative to return to said initial position solely under the force of gravity.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:
an end switch which cooperates with the electrodes, said switch being operative to interrupt the current supply to said electrodes prior to the electrodes leaving said passageway.
12. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the transverse axis upon which the pendulum is supported is located at least two meters above the position that the animal's head will occupy during stunning.
13. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the electrodes are mounted upon a single pendulum mount.
14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are mounted upon a single pendulum.
CA000405000A 1981-06-12 1982-06-11 Apparatus for the automatic stunning of slaughter cattle Expired CA1193312A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
BE889206 1981-06-12
BE889,206 1981-06-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1193312A true CA1193312A (en) 1985-09-10

Family

ID=3861932

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000405000A Expired CA1193312A (en) 1981-06-12 1982-06-11 Apparatus for the automatic stunning of slaughter cattle

Country Status (4)

Country Link
AU (1) AU533052B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1193312A (en)
DK (1) DK156611C (en)
SU (1) SU1233788A3 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AT381839B (en) * 1982-12-07 1986-12-10 Vnii Myasnoi Promy METHOD FOR STUNNING ANIMALS WITH ELECTRICAL DC CURRENT AND DEVICE FOR THIS

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK156611C (en) 1990-02-05
DK264582A (en) 1982-12-13
SU1233788A3 (en) 1986-05-23
AU533052B2 (en) 1983-10-27
DK156611B (en) 1989-09-18
AU8484482A (en) 1982-12-16

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