Latch Release System for Poultry Carriers

This invention relates generally to the load release operation of poultry carriers of the type disclosed in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,132,373, 3,291,303 and 3,781,946, by way of example.

In poultry carriers of the foregoing type, the latch element slidably mounted on the pivotally suspended rod-like carrier body is displaced upwardly on one side of the carrier body to release the hook for downward pivotal displacement on the other side of the body in order to effect load drop off. An upward force was accordingly applied to the latch release arm of the latch element by a signal-controlled piston or armature plunger. In such arrangements, the moments produced on the carrier body by the upward release force and the shifting load on the hook during load drop off, are both in the same body tilting direction augmenting load drop off. It was therefore deemed necessary to locate the latch release plunger mechanism on the same side of the carrier body as the latch element and to operate the mechanism so as to produce an upward operating force directly applied to the release arm of the latch element.

However, it is sometimes desirable to locate the latch release plunger mechanism on the same side of the carrier body from which the hook projects opposite the latch element. Such relative relocation for the release mechanism is preferred, for example, in an installation as disclosed in my prior copending application Ser. No. 158,922, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,258, filed June 2, 1980. In such an installation, two laterally spaced carrier bodies are pivotally suspended by offset side suspension links for simultaneous travel along a common conveyor path. The hooks associated with each pair of carriers project from the two carrier bodies toward each other opposite the latch elements so that the associated power operated release mechanisms may be positioned on the remote sides of the carrier bodies. The space between each pair of carriers must therefore be sufficient to avoid load drop off interference between the confronting hooks. To reverse the orientation of the carriers would avoid drop off interference, but would create a problem with the mounting of the power operated release devices between the carriers.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a novel latch release system for poultry carriers of the aforementioned type whereby the power operated release mechanism may be located on the same side of the carrier bodies from which the hooks project without any adverse effect on the tilting of the body during load drop off.

In accordance with the present invention, the elongated rod-like body of a poultry carrier pivotally suspended from an overhead conveyor pivotally mounts a force transfer lever element vertically spaced above the carrier hook pivotally mounted therebelow by the body. The release arm of the latch element, which is slidably mounted externally on the carrier body and positioned on one side of its longitudinal axis, is engaged by one end portion of the lever element through which an upward displacing force is exerted on the latch element. The other end portion of the lever element is in alignment with the plunger of the signal-controlled, power operated release mechanism located at each load drop off station on that side of each carrier body opposite the latch element. The plunger of the power operated release mechanism is downwardly displaced during a power stroke to exert a downward operating force on the other end portion of the lever element in a direction parallel to the axis of the rod-like carrier body, producing a moment tending to tilt the carrier body in the same angular direction as displacement of the hook by the load when released from the latched position.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a view transverse to the conveyor path of a poultry conveyor system at a load drop off station, showing a typical installation for the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation view of a carrier as viewed from a plane indicated by line 2--2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial section view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 3--3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial section view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 4--4 in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail FIG. 1 illustrates a pair of similar poultry carriers 10 and 10A pivotally suspended from a common overhead conveyor 12 for simultaneous travel along a single conveyor path through one or more drop off stations at which the carriers are supported on fixed track sections 14 by means of roller assemblies 16. Side suspension links 18 pivotally interconnect the carriers with the conveyor through the roller shafts 20 associated with the roller assemblies and the pulling links 22 coupled to the conveyor chain by a bar 24. Such an arrangement is disclosed in our prior copending application Ser. No. 158,922, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,258, aforementioned.

Each carrier includes an elongated, rod-like body 26 on which a latch element 28 is slidably mounted, externally, by means of upper and lower loops 30 and 32. The latch element is gravitationally biased to a downward latched position as shown with its lower end 34 received within a notch 36 of a counterweight plate 38 pivotally mounted on the carrier body by a pivot 40. A hook 42 is connected to the counterweight and projects laterally from the geometrical axis of the carrier body 26 at an upward incline as shown, to support a load thereon. A release arm 44 projects laterally from the upper end of the latch element on the side of body 26 opposite the hook 42. The latch element is displaced upwardly by a force applied to release arm 44 in order to withdraw end 34 from notch 36 and permit the hook to pivot downwardly under load about pivot 40. The load will therefore slide off the hook during a load drop off operation as is well-known in the art. Such load drop off produces a moment on the carrier body because of the upward latch releasing force applied to the latch element 28 through arm 44 and the downward pivoting of hook 42. This load drop off moment tends to tilt the carrier body in the same angular direction as displacement of hook 42 so as to accelerate and insure drop off of the load.

Associated with each load drop off station are signal-controlled power operated plunger mechanisms 48. Each mechanism 48 includes a fluid cylinder or electromagnetic device 50 that is fixedly mounted in laterally spaced relation to the common conveyor path. Because of space limitation and mounting requirements, the power operated devices 50 are located on the outside of the carriers 10 and 10A rather than between the carriers. Further, the devices 50 are operatively aligned so that the plungers 52 engage force transfer elements 54 pivotally mounted by pivots 56 on the carrier bodies. During a power stroke, each plunger 52 is displaced downwardly to apply an operating force to the element 54 in a direction parallel to the axis of body 26 along with the latch element is displaceable on the opposite side of the body.

The force transfer element 54 is a lever having opposite end portions 58 and 60 respectively engaging the latch release arm 44 and the plunger 52. It will therefore be apparent that a downward operating force applied by plunger 52 to the lever element 54 will be transmitted to the latch element as an upward latch releasing force to effect load drop off. A moment is produced by such downward operating force on the carrier body through the intermediate pivot 56 of lever element 54 in the same angular displacement of hook 42 from its latched position. The pivot 56 of element 54 and pivot 40 of hook 42 substantially intersect the axis of body 26 perpendicular thereto, as does the pivot 62 between the body 26 and the side suspension link 18. Thus, the orientation of the carriers 10 and 10A with the latch elements on confronting sides of the carrier bodies and the downward direction of the operating forces will effect load drop off without any adverse tilting affect.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.