Method and apparatus for harvesting livers and hearts
US8172652B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 2, 2007 |
| Grant date | May 8, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 5, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA22C21/06
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for harvesting livers and hearts from a giblet package comprising an infeed pinch roller assembly, a slide assembly, an indexer assembly, an intestine pull down and a liver and heart separator assembly, for harvesting livers and hearts with an increased yield. The steps of the process include loading a load viscera pack into a feed chute that channels the pack to a pair of counter rollers. The viscera pack is captured by infeed pinch rollers thereby forcing the package into and between the rollers with only the gizzard remaining on top of the roller body. The liver and heart is isolated and separated by a pull down stripper assembly and a stripper arm assembly.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.