US 11,937,610 B2
System and method for operating a poultry stunning facility
Terry B. Geertman, West Olive, MI (US)
Assigned to Midway Machine Technologies, Inc., Zeeland, MI (US)
Filed by Midway Machine Technologies, Inc., Zeeland, MI (US)
Filed on Jul. 15, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/929,822.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/874,096, filed on Jul. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0015111 A1, Jan. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. A22B 7/00 (2006.01); A01K 45/00 (2006.01); A22B 3/08 (2006.01); A22B 5/02 (2006.01)
CPC A22B 7/002 (2013.01) [A01K 45/005 (2013.01); A22B 3/086 (2013.01); A22B 5/02 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A poultry processing system comprising:
a receiving module for receiving and unloading a poultry transport vehicle and defining a transport vehicle drive path;
a poultry stunning system for irreversibly stunning poultry;
a stunned poultry hanging station configured for retrieval and processing of stunned poultry for transfer to a slaughter facility;
a conveyor system configured to convey poultry from said receiving module to said poultry stunning system to said poultry hanging station;
a plurality of poultry cage pushing apparatuses disposed on one side of said drive path; and
a plurality of shuttle conveyors disposed on an opposite side of said drive path and configured to (i) receive poultry cages pushed by said poultry cage pushing apparatuses and (ii) convey the received poultry cages from said receiving module toward said poultry stunning system.