Drive belt retainer for picker apparatus

Abstract

A picker apparatus for defeathering or plucking of poultry and other avian in a food processing facility includes a universal mount picker assembly including a belt drive system for driving a plurality of rotatable picker members with a drive motor disposed centrally in relation to the picker members, and a quick release positioning adjustment for the operating components of a picker apparatus. A belt retainer operates to maintain driving engagement between a belt and drive pulley.

1 . A mechanism for assisting in retaining a drive belt, the drive belt having a drive belt thickness, and the drive belt being in driving engagement with a drive pulley, the mechanism comprising: 
 a retainer including a concave belt surface for accommodating the drive pulley such that the concave belt surface and the drive pulley cooperate to form a belt channel within which the drive belt moves.    
     
     
         2 . The mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein the retainer further includes first side and second side concave surfaces for providing sufficient clearance between the retainer and first and second pulley members located substantially adjacent to the drive pulley.  
     
     
         3 . The mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein the belt channel comprises a belt channel width having sufficient clearance between the belt and belt surface allowing the belt to move through the belt channel without substantially contacting the belt surface during normal operation.  
     
     
         4 . The mechanism according to  claim 3  wherein the belt surface is arcuate.  
     
     
         5 . The mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein the belt surface extends approximately one-quarter of a circumference of the drive pulley.  
     
     
         6 . The mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein the belt surface extends approximately one-third of a circumference of the drive pulley.  
     
     
         7 . The mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein the belt surface flares to widen the belt channel at ends of the belt channel.  
     
     
         8 . The mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein the belt channel comprises a channel width, and the belt channel width is approximately equal to the belt thickness.  
     
     
         9 . The mechanism according to  claim 1  wherein the belt channel comprises a channel width, and the channel width is less than the belt thickness.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for plucking feathers from poultry and other avian, the apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a set of picker members disposed in lateral alignment for abrading the feathers from poultry and other avian placed within and carried through the apparatus,    (b) a drive system for operating the set of picker members, the drive system comprising a drive belt, a drive pulley, and a plurality of pulley members, wherein the picker members are coupled with the pulley members, the drive belt being adapted to engage the drive pulley and the pulley members in a serpentine relationship, and    (c) a drive belt retaining mechanism including a retainer having a center concave surface for accommodating the drive pulley such that the center concave surface and the drive pulley cooperate to form a belt channel within which the drive belt moves.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the retainer further includes first side and second side concave surfaces for providing sufficient clearance between the retainer and first and second pulley members located substantially adjacent to the drive pulley.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the drive belt retainer comprises plastic.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the drive belt retainer center concave surface comprises a low friction surface.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the first side and second side concave surfaces comprises low friction surfaces.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the center surface extends at least approximately three inches over the circumference of the drive pulley.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein the center surface extends for at least approximately one-quarter of the circumference of the drive pulley.  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for plucking feathers from poultry and other avian, the apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a set of picker members disposed in lateral alignment for abrading the feathers from poultry and other avian placed within and carried through the apparatus,    (b) a drive system for operating the set of picker members, the drive system comprising a drive belt, a drive pulley, and a plurality of pulley members, wherein the picker members are coupled with the pulley members, the drive belt being adapted to engage the drive pulley and the pulley members in a serpentine relationship, whereby movement of the drive belt about the pulley members effects opposite relational rotation between adjacent pulley members, and    (c) a drive belt retaining mechanism including—
 1. a retainer having a center concave surface for accommodating the drive pulley such that the center concave surface and the drive pulley cooperate to form a channel within which the drive belt moves, and further having first side and second side concave surfaces for providing sufficient clearance between the retainer and first and second pulley members located substantially adjacent to the drive pulley, and  
 2. a retainer bar and one or more fasteners for securing the retainer to a surface adjacent to the drive pulley.  
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17  wherein the retainer presents one or more first through-holes and the retainer bar presents a corresponding number of second through-holes, with the first and second through-holes being alignable for receiving the one or more fasteners.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 17  wherein the retainer presents an outward surface having a recess for receiving the retainer bar.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19  wherein the recess allows the retainer bar to be at least flush with the outward surface.