Patent ID: 6280313
Filing Date: 2001-08-28
Classification: A22C

Abstract:
A device for use in filleting fish that have been decapitated, slit down the middle of the belly and eviscerated, the fish having a back spine and having ribs forming belly nuggets on opposing sides of the slit, the device having a sickle knife to place a slit in a filet before the ribs begin, comprising:a conveyor having a gripping element configured to engage and convey fish along a conveyance path, tail first;a pair of cutting blades positioned to cut the fish just below the dorsal plate, the blades movable between an engaged position in which the blade is proximal to the back spine of the fish when the device is in use, and a disengaged position in which the blade does not contact the fish when the device is in use;a pair of back knives and a pair of belly knives disposed along the conveyance path and positioned to cut along and on opposing sides of the back spine a distance sufficient to separate the back fillets from the spine when the device is in use, the knives positioned so the cut they make intersects the cut made by the cutting blades; anda pelvic fin cutter having a pair of guide levers and a cutting edge, the pelvic fin cutter being located along the conveyance path so that a pelvic fin of a fish positioned on the saddle passes between the levers and engages the cutting blade.