US 12,474,197 B2
Apparatus for weighing poultry moving in a conveyor line
Jan Willem Hagendoorn, Oostzaan (NL); Aloysius Christianus Maria Van Steijn, Oostzaan (NL); Izzet Ozkan, Oostzaan (NL); Patrick Keesman, Oostzaan (NL); Eric De Jong, Oostzaan (NL); and Nico Willem Van Vliet, Oostzaan (NL)
Assigned to Meyn Food Processing Technology B.V., Oostzaan (NL)
Filed by Meyn Food Processing Technology B.V., Oostzaan (NL)
Filed on Jun. 12, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/208,408.
Claims priority of application No. 2032142 (NL), filed on Jun. 13, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0400345 A1, Dec. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. G01G 17/08 (2006.01); G01G 19/18 (2006.01)
CPC G01G 17/08 (2013.01) [G01G 19/18 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for weighing poultry in a conveyor line, comprising:
carriers for the poultry, which carriers are linked to each other by a driving chain;
a curved track section and weighing track section forming at least part of the conveyor line;
a weighing station located along the weighing track section;
a chain tension control mechanism that alleviates tension in the driving chain at or near the weighing station along the weighing track section, wherein the chain tension control mechanism comprises a rotatable wheel having its circumference following the curved track section and pass the weighing track section, which rotatable wheel supports a series of engaging units that engage the chain, the carriers, or both, in the curved track section to tension the chain and is disengaged from the chain and the carriers in the weighing track section to release tension in the chain.