Claims
- 1. A gas stunning apparatus for rendering poultry unconscious, comprising:
- a) a stun vessel, the stun vessel being substantially gas tight except for an entrance and an exit;
- b) a conveyor running through the stun vessel for transporting the poultry through the stun vessel;
- c) a source of CO.sub.2 ;
- d) a line for providing a flow of CO.sub.2 from the source to the stun vessel;
- e) a blower connected to the line for combining air and CO.sub.2 for delivery to the stun vessel; and
- f) a return line operatively connected to the stun vessel and the blower, wherein the CO.sub.2 is recycled.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mixer operatively connected to line, wherein the CO.sub.2 and the air are mixed prior to entry to the stun vessel.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the stun vessel having first, second and third sections, said first section inclined downward to the second section and the third section inclined upward from the second section.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
- a) a control valve operatively connected between the source of CO.sub.2 and the line;
- b) a CO.sub.2 gas analyzer operatively connected to the stun vessel to sample a level of CO.sub.2 ; and
- c) a controller for operating the control valve in response to the CO.sub.2 gas analyzer.
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 08/788,850 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,637 filed Jan. 27, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (20)
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
788850 |
Jan 1997 |
|