Importance

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Abstract

The invention relates to an egg breaking apparatus and a method of feeding eggs to an egg breaking apparatus, where eggs are fed to a plurality of egg breaking devices by means of a feed conveyor. Each egg breaking device receives one egg at a time and all egg breaking devices are mounted on a common drive conveyor, where the egg breaking devices are moved in relation to the feed conveyor in a first direction following a substantially vertical first axis at the area of the feed conveyor. The feed conveyor feeds eggs to the egg breaking devices along a substantially horizontal second axis. When near a position at the feed conveyor, the egg breaking devices are tilted about a third axis, which is substantially perpendicular to the first and second axes, in a second direction substantially opposite to said first direction. In a preferred embodiment the egg breaking devices are brought back into their initial, untilted position before or during a period of emptying of the broken egg and after the yolk has left the eggshell upon breaking of the egg, the egg breaking device is preferably tilted downwards in relation to the initial, untilted position, preferably to an angle of approximately 45 degrees below a horizontal plane. During a period of emptying of the egg the egg breaking device may be moved in an uneven pattern, e.g. serrated or corrugated, pattern, causing a vibration of the egg breaking device. It is also preferred, that the egg breaking device performs a second tilting at the end of the period of emptying of the egg. Guiding rail may be provided for guiding the egg breaking devices along a particular track, each egg breaking device preferably being provided with a projecting member capable of interacting with the guiding rail(s).

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First Claim