Patent ID: 8574041
Filing Date: 2013-11-05
Classification: A22C

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for deheading shrimp, the shrimp having a head portion, a tail portion, a body portion having a sixth thoracic section, and a dorsal side comprising: a) an entrance groove having a plurality of shrimp disposed therein, wherein the shrimp are queued one after the other, wherein the shrimp are oriented in a head forward orientation, wherein shrimp enter said front of said deheading station by being moved along said entrance groove, the entrance groove having an outlet from an end portion of said entrance groove, said entrance groove sloping downwardly to said outlet; b) a stop bar disposed adjacent and spaced from said outlet of said end portion of said entrance groove, wherein the shrimp is stopped by said stop bar in a user selected position in the said entrance groove; c) a head clamp bar disposed adjacent and above said outlet of end portion of said entrance groove having fingers for capturing each shrimp stopped by said stop bar; d) a swing assembly comprising first and second severing blades each having a half-moon notch facing each other reciprocating laterally in opposite directions to each other disposed between said stop bar and said head clamp bar for coming together to trap the head of each shrimp in a hole formed by said notches, said stop bar being mounted on said swing assembly; e) said swing assembly including a rotatable axle for rotating back and forth to drive operation of said reciprocating severing blades; and f) means for pivoting said swine assembly such that said stop bar and blades with a head of a shrimp trapped therebetween are moved away from said outlet to allow a remaining body portion of said shrimp to drop out of said entrance groove and fall onto to a tail exit trough, said trapped head of said shrimp being released onto a head exit plate upon separation of said blades, said remaining body portion including a picon which had been extending into said head of the shrimp from the sixth thoracic section thereof.