초록 ▼

Birds are moved through chilled water by bird moving means such as an auger or by a series of paddles. The birds tend to accumulate in a predetermined path in the water. Streams of water that include an antibacterial additive are directed toward the predetermined path and engage and disperse the bir

Birds are moved through chilled water by bird moving means such as an auger or by a series of paddles. The birds tend to accumulate in a predetermined path in the water. Streams of water that include an antibacterial additive are directed toward the predetermined path and engage and disperse the birds, and wash the birds with the streams of water and the antibacterial additive, thereby increasing the rate of heat transfer from the birds and increasing the effectiveness of the antibacterial properties of the agents in the chilled water.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A chiller for reducing the temperature and reducing bacteria of harvested birds, comprising: an elongated tank configured for holding tank water and for receiving birds in the tank water, bird moving means in said tank for moving birds in a first direction along the length of

What is claimed is: 1. A chiller for reducing the temperature and reducing bacteria of harvested birds, comprising: an elongated tank configured for holding tank water and for receiving birds in the tank water, bird moving means in said tank for moving birds in a first direction along the length of the tank in a predetermined path through the tank water, a water circulation system in communication with said tank for chilling the tank water and recirculating tank water through said tank in a counter flow direction with respect to the birds as the birds move in the first direction, at least one nozzle positioned for directing a stream of water into the tank water and toward the predetermined path to impinge against the birds in the predetermined path and disperse at least some of the birds from the predetermined path, and an anti-bacterial mixing means for adding predetermined amounts of anti-bacterial substance to the stream of water that moves through said nozzle and toward the birds in the tank, such that the stream of water tends to wash the birds with the antibacterial substance. 2. The chiller of claim 1 wherein said nozzle comprises a plurality of nozzles positioned at intervals along the length of the tank. 3. The chiller of claim 1, wherein said anti-bacterial mixing means includes a supply of antibacterial liquid and a pump for injecting the antibacterial liquid into the streams of water. 4. The chiller of claim 1, wherein said antibacterial mixing means is configured for adding antibacterial agents into the stream of water at optimum levels for bacterial reduction. 5. The chiller of claim 1, wherein said bird moving means comprises an auger having an auger shaft and series of auger flights, and said nozzle is oriented to direct the stream of water laterally across said tank and beneath the auger shaft. 6. The chiller of claim 5, wherein said at least one nozzle comprises a plurality of nozzles spaced along the length of said tank on one side of the tank. 7. The chiller of claim 1, wherein said bird moving means comprises a series of open mesh paddles, and said nozzle is oriented to direct the stream of water through the paddles. 8. The chiller of claim 7, wherein said at least one nozzle comprises a plurality of nozzles spaced along the length of said tank. 9. A method for reducing the temperature of birds, comprising depositing a plurality of birds in an elongated tank filled with water, reducing the temperature of the water in the tank, urging birds through the water and along the tank, tending to accumulate the birds in a predetermined path as the birds are urged through the water and along the tank, directing a stream of water toward the predetermined path and about the birds as the birds move along the predetermined path and dispersing at least some of the birds with the stream of water toward where there are fewer birds and creating water turbulence about the birds, and adding an antibacterial liquid to the stream of water such that the antibacterial liquid impinges against the birds for reducing the bacteria count of the birds. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of directing a stream of water into the tank comprises directing a plurality of streams of water into the tank at spaced positions along the length of the tank. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of directing the stream of water into the birds includes the step of directing the stream of water below the water level. 12. The method of claim 9, and wherein the step of urging the birds through the water comprises moving the birds with a series of open face paddles through the water, and the step of directing a stream of chilled water toward the predetermined path comprises directing the stream of water through the paddles. 13. A chiller for reducing the temperature of birds comprising: an elongated tank, an auger in said tank, said auger having an auger shaft parallel to the length of said tank and a helical blade having auger flights extending about said auger shaft, said auger flights each having a helical surface such that when the tank is filled with water and birds are placed in the water and the auger is rotated, the helical surface of each said auger flight moves downwardly on a dead side of said tank and upwardly on a pulling side of said tank and tends to advance and lift the birds in the water along the pulling side of said tank such that some of the birds tend to move laterally beneath said auger shaft from said dead side of said tank to the pulling side of said tank and move along a predetermined path in the pulling side of the tank at the level of the water, a series of nozzles positioned at said side wall on said pulling side of said tank and oriented for directing a stream of water laterally into the water in said tank from said pulling side of said tank and below said auger shaft and toward said dead side of said tank to engage the birds in the predetermined path and remove some of the birds from the birds in the predetermined path, and an antibacterial mixing system for adding antibacterial liquid to the stream of water, such that the birds moving along the predetermined path are washed by the stream of water in a mixture of the water and the antibacterial liquid. 14. The chiller of claim 13, wherein said nozzles are configured to recirculate chilled water in said tank. 15. The chiller of claim 13, wherein said nozzles are spaced along the length of said tank, such that the birds are moved progressively from nozzle-to-nozzle. 16. A chiller for reducing the temperature of buoyant birds comprising: an elongated tank having a side wall for containing chilled water, an auger in said tank having an auger shaft parallel to the length of said tank and a helical blade having auger flights extending about said auger shaft toward said side wall for moving the birds along a processing path through the chilled water in said tank, at least one nozzle positioned at said side wall of said tank oriented for directing a stream of water laterally through the processing path and beneath said auger shaft from one lateral side of said auger shaft to the other lateral side of said auger shaft to move the birds through the water laterally beneath the auger shaft, and means for moving a mixture of antibacterial liquid and water though said nozzle, such that the stream of water and antibacterial liquid impinges against the birds moving along the processing path and washes the birds with the antibacterial liquid and urges the birds away from the processing path. 17. The chiller of claim 16, wherein said nozzle is configured to recirculate chilled water in said tank. 18. The chiller of claim 16, wherein said tank has a dead side on one lateral side of said auger shaft and a pulling side on the other side of said auger shaft such that the auger moves birds from the dead side to the pulling side and advances the birds along said pulling side of the tank and masses the birds at the water level on said pulling side in the processing path, said nozzle comprises a plurality of nozzles spaced along said pulling side of said tank and is oriented to direct streams of water from said pulling side to the dead side of said tank and move birds to the dead side of said tank. 19. A chiller for reducing the temperature of birds comprising: an elongated tank for containing chilled water and birds placed in the water, a series of paddles in said tank and movable along said tank, said paddles having an open surface for pushing birds along said tank and allowing water to pass through said paddles as said paddles move the birds along the length of said tank, a series of nozzles positioned along said tank and oriented for directing streams of water into the water in said tank and through said paddles as said paddles move along the length of said tank, an antibacterial mixing system for adding antibacterial liquid to the streams of water, such that the birds moving along the tank at the surface of the paddles are washed by the streams of water in a mixture of the water and the antibacterial liquid.