Abstract:
A shiftable and article-releasable shackle for use with a trolley-supported handling system to facilitate processing, such as the evisceration of poultry, which utilizes a multiplicity of vertically suspended shackle elements suspended at upper ends from the trolley system and having adjacent the lower extremities thereof retaining elements for interconnection of the suspended articles. In operation and functional structure, an abutment and/or deflection elements are fixedly mounted at a point or points in the course of travel of the shackles for striking against and preferably camming the shackles and particularly the retaining elements in such a way as to release the articles which then drop with the aid of gravity.