Albert Beeksma and Cees De Heer Jr., both of Aa Oostzaan in the Netherlands, developed the conveyor.
According to the details registered with the
US Patents Office, the invention relates to the simpler construction of an overhead conveyor with less strict tolerance requirements. The increased tolerance, however, does not result in any concessions in regard to the desired direction of movement. The new design also enables the operator to control whether or not the poultry are treated during movement.
The patent information reads: “The invention offers the surprising result that much higher conveyor line speeds can be reached. In the prior art, this maximum speed is approximately 6000 chickens per hour, while the apparatus according to the invention makes it possible to achieve a maximum conveyor speed of at least 8000 chickens per hour.â€
The inventors were issued U.S. Patent No. 7,125,330.