1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and improved clamp for poultry thighs and to the cartridge for shipping and handling the same. More particularly, the invention relates to a wire clamp used in poultry processing to secure the thighs in folded relationship against the carcass and further to a cartridge of cardboard or the like for a quantity of clamps to facilitate retaining the clamps in juxtaposed position during transportation and storage and to facilitate processors removing each clamp as it is being used.
2. Description of Related Art
Wire clamps bent to engage the hocks of poultry have been widely used in the poultry processing industry. Typical clamps of this nature are shown in Volk U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,515 and Volk et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,977. The present invention comprises an improvement in such clamps by forming in each leg thereof a concave bend immediately below the convex bend thereof. The convex stretch fits alongside the outside of the thigh in trussed position while the concave stretch fits along the inside of the thigh, the two curved stretches more securely engaging the thigh so it is not displaced from position during processing and transportation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,083 shows a cartridge or rack for storing multiple clamps in nested relationship formed of a sheet of cardboard or similar material bent into at least three longitudinal folds or bends to define at least four sheet sections. The present invention is used with a cartridge of V-shape having only two sides. Each clamp of the present invention fits alongside a juxtaposed clamp in nested relationship with the central portion of the clamp in the vertex of the V-shaped cartridge, the convex curved portion of the leg extending from the inside of each side of the cartridge over the side edge thereof and the concave wire sections extend along the underside of the cartridge side. The clamps are secured in position by means of a simpler cartridge and are more easily removed, one at a time, by the poultry processor.