A METHOD FOR OPERATING A POULTRY DEFEATHERING APPARATUS AND A PICKING BANK FOR USE IN A POULTRY DEFEATHERING APPARATUS

摘要

The invention relates to a method for operating a poultry defeathering appara- tus, where a drive mechanism is used for rotating a plurality of picking heads of a picking bank and to such a picking bank. Each picking head is mounted at an outer side of a cover member on an axle projecting through an opening in the cover member and supported by a bearing. The drive mechanism is arranged on an inner side of the cover member opposite the picking heads. To protect the drive mechanism from deterioration, a gas or air is caused to flow along an inlet path on the inner side of the cover member and onwards to the drive mechanism. The gas or air has a lower relative humidity than the air surrounding the picking heads, when the apparatus is in operation, thus venti- lating any moisture entering the picking bank away.To further reduce the in- gress of water it is preferred that the flow of gas or air is so as to cause an over-pressure on the inner side of the cover member,which is, preferably at all times, higher than the pressure on the outer side.