APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR REMOVING THE HEADS FROM FISH

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the heads from fish comprises means (3, 3, 6, 6 and 8) for moving the fish through the apparatus. In order to achieve a flesh-saving cutting of the fish heads the means (3, 3, 6, 6 and 8) for moving the fish through the apparatus are adapted to move the fish with the longitudinal direction thereof extending generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the moving means. Moreover, the apparatus comprises two rotating circular knives (46, 47), both of which are arranged with their axes of rotation perpendicular to the direction of movement of the moving means. One of the knives (46) is arranged in a plane which is oriented so that a cut is made which extends from the back of the fish and obliquely from the front and rearwardly as seen from the nose of the fish and immediately behind the skull of the head. The other knife (47) is arranged for forming a cut which extends from the ventral side of the fish and obliquely from the front and rearwardly, also as seen from the nose of the fish.

Description: 1 APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR REMOVING THE HEADS FROM FISH. The present invention relates to an apparatus to be used for removing the heads from fish, said apparatus comprising means for moving the fish through the apparatus . Apparatuses . of the kind referred to above are known by means of which the head of the fish is bent rearwardly towards the back of the fish and then the head is moved in the direction away from the tail end of the fish . By such a procedure it is achieved that at least a major portion of the "back-fillets" of the fish and in particular the portion positioned adjacent the head may remain on the fish after the removal of the head . However, it has been proven that the procedure explained above for removing the heads from fish is not always suitable because it is a condition for such a procedure that the fish is newly caught. According to the present invention the apparatus is character¬ ized in that the the means for moving the fish through the apparatus are adapted to move the fish with their longitudinal direction generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the moving means, said apparatus moreover comprising two rotating circular knives both being arranged with their axis of rotation generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the moving means, one of said knives being arranged in a plane which is oriented in such a way that a cut is made which extends from the back of the fish and obliquely from the front and rearwardly as seen from the nose of the fish and immediately behind skull of the head , whereas the other knife is adapted to make a cut which extends from the ventral side and obliquely from the front and rearwardly also as seen from the nose of the fish . Hereby a very flesh-saving cutting of the head and a comparatively simple apparatus are achieved . A particularly advantageous embodiment of the apparatuses according to the invention is characterized by the other knife being pivotable about an axis extending generally parallel with the direction of movement of the moving means and by the pivoting of the other knife being adjusted in such a way with respect to the passage of the fish that the cut made by the other knife extends more than 180° around the fish . Hereby it is achieved that solely by means of the two knifes an almost complete separation of the head and the body of the fish is achieved . However, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention a stationary knife may be arranged after the rotating knifes, as seen in the direction of movement of the moving means, for making a cut in the fish which connects the cuts made by the rotating knifes . Such a stationary knife is a simple tool and such a knife will with certainty cut the flesh fibres which after the operation of the two rotating knives still may connect the fish head and the body. The invention will hereinafter be further explained with reference to the drawings in which Figs. 1A and 1B together show a front view of an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention , Fig . 2 shows a section of the apparatus shown in Figs . 1A and 1B according to section line l l -l l in Fig . 1A, Fig . 3 on an increased scale shows a lateral view of a saddle for the apparatus shown , Fig . 4 the saddle shown in Fig. 3 seen from the left hand side and in two different positions, Fig. 5 shows a top view of the saddle shown in Fig. 3, and Fig . 6 shows a fish, the head of which has been removed by means of the apparatus shown . On the drawing 1 is a frame which supports the parts of the apparatus shown . At each end of the frame a double sprocket wheel 2, 2 and 3,3, respectively, is rotatably mounted and the sprocket wheels are rotatable in the directions of rotation indicated by arrows by means of a motor 4 ( Fig . 2) . The two double sprocket wheels 2,2; 3,3 drive a double endless chain 6,6 acting to move a row of saddles 8 through the apparatus . The structure of the saddles is clearly illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Each saddle 8 consists of a body 9 secured to a sub-plate 10 comprising two end extensions 11 , 11 serving to guide the saddles seing that each of the end extensions 11 , 11 along the major part of the upper run of the chains slides upon a corresponding slide guide 12, 12, each of which has a recess 15 corresponding to the corres¬ ponding end extension 11 . Moreover, the end extensions 11 , 11 are guided by means of two guiding fences 16, 16, each of which is secured to the upper surface of one of the slide guides 12 and 12, respectively. To the lower surface of each sub-plate 10 a support plate 17 is secured which on its lower surface carries two brackets 18 and 18, respectively, by means of which the corresponding saddle is connected with the two chains 6,6. Between the brackets 18, 18 a further bracket 19 is arranged which rotatably carries a cam disc wheel 20. Moreover, each sub-plate 10 comprises a crosswise extending, upright wall 21 wherein two pivot arms 24,24 are pivotally suspended by means of two bolts 22,22 with corresponding distance tubes 23,23. Each of the pivot arms 24,24 carries at the upper end a side guide 25,25, respectively, and moreover, the pivot arms are mutually connected by means of a tension spring 26. Moreover, each pivot arm 24 carries at the lower end a cam disc follower 27 and 28, respectively, which , as it appears from Fig . 3, are offset with respect to each other. Laterally with respect to each of the double sprocket wheels 2,2 and 3,3 two cam discs 70 and 71 (cf. Fig . 3) are secured to the frame 1 for cooperation with the cam disc followers 27,28. Each side guide 25 consists of metal sheet material and is de¬ formed so that the inner surfaces of the side guides are adapted to the sides of the fish to be treated, in particular cod . The front end of each side guide 25 is delimited by an obliquely downwardly and outwardly sloping edge 30 which starts at a notch 31 , the upper side of which is formed by a generally horizontal edge 32 forming the lower surface of a projection 33 serving to secure the part of the fish adjacent the head when a fish is arranged in the saddle. Upon the inner surface said projection is provided with a raised part 35 in order to increase the securing force. To the inner surface of each side guide 25 and at the rear end thereof one of the ends of a supporting rod 36 and 36, respectively, is secured . The supporting rods 36, 36 extends obliquely downwardly and rearwardly . To the upper surface of each body 9 a top plate 37 is secured by means of two screws 38,38 and this top plate supports an up- wardiy and forwardly facing flap 39, to the upper edge of which a comparatively iong and narrow supporting plate 40 is secured . The part of the apparatus explained above operates in the following way: By the movement of a saddle about the pair of sprocket wheels 2,2 each of the two cam followers 28,28 of the saddle in question will run up upon the outer edge of the corresponding cam disc 70 and 71 , respectively. Thereby the upper ends of the pivot arms 24 and, accordingly, the side guides 25 will be pivoted away from each other as indicated by broken lines in Fig . 4. Now a fish may be positioned in the saddle by moving the fish from the left to the right with the tail pointing forwardly, as seen in Fig. 3 into the space between the side guides which have been moved away from each other. During this movement the tail portion of the fish will be supported by the supporting rods 36 which now, as it appears from Fig . 4 by broken lines, occupy a more horizontal position . The fish is positioned with the body upon the inner end of the supporting plate 40 and with the head resting upon the part of the supporting plate 40 projecting to the left in Fig . 3 and the fish is moved to the right in Fig . 3 to such an extent that the edges 30 of the two side guides abut against the cavities existing between the body of the fish and the pectoral fins of the fish . Accordingly, during the positioning of the fish due care is taken in order to secure that each of the pectoral fins is arranged outwardly with respect to the corresponding side guide 25, whereas the body itself is positioned between the side guides 25. When the saddle in question then leaves the cam discs 70,71 , the spring 26 will move the side guides 25 towards each other by pivoting about the two bolts 22,22 and the fish will be safely secured . Due to the fact that cam discs 70,71 are also arranged at the other pair of sprocket wheels 3,3, cf . Fig. 1 A, the side guides of the saddles will successively be moved away from each other for liberating fish bodies as the saddles pass the cam discs 70,71 . The latter pivot movement of the pivot arms 24 is marked at the lower left corner in Fig . 1A by means of double arrows . As it appears from Fig . 3 each slide guide 12 is provided with an angular recess 6' and 6 1 , respectively, for each of the chains 6 and 6, respectively, and is moreover secured to the upper surface of a corresponding U-channel 41 , of which only the upper parts are indicated in Fig . 3. The U -channels face with their flanges towards each other and their lower flanges are secured to a horizontal part of the frame 1 . The U-channels 41 ,41 are also shown in Fig . 2 and the outer side of one of said U-channels 41 is visible in Figs. 1A and I B . Accordingly, it will be understood that the chains 6,6 and saddles are securely controlled during their movement along the upper run of the chains, viz. by means of the slide guides 12,12. Upon its upper surface the frame 1 supports a motor bracket 43, Fig . 2, wherein two motors 44 and 45, each comprising a circular knife 46, 47, respectively, are suspended . The motor 44 is secured to the bracket 43 by means of two mounting plates 47 and 48 in such a way that the motor 44 is adjustable in the direction of the arrows 49 and 50. The shaft of the motor 44 extends generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the upper runs of the chains 6 and extends obliquely downwardly to the left as seen in Fig . 2 in such a way that by means of the knife 46 of this motor a cut may be made in a fish in a saddle such that the cut extends from the rear side of the fish and obliquely downwardly and rearwardly with respect to the nose of the fish . This cut is illustrated in Fig . 6 and designated 51 . The other motor 45 is pivotal ly suspended in the bracket 43 by means of a bearing 52, to the movable part of which a mounting plate 53 is secured upon which the motor 45 may be adjusted in the direction of the arrow 54. Due to the bearing 51 the knife 47 is pivotable as indicated by means of the arrow 55. Normally, the motor 45 is maintained in the position shown in Fig . 2 by means of a spring (not shown) . To the motor 45 a bracket 57 is secured to which one end of a connecting rod 58 is connected . The other end of the connecting rod 58 is connected with one end of a pivot arm 59 which projects laterally with respect to the upper run of the chains. The other end of the pivot arm 59 is bent upwardly and extends through a hoie in the frame 1 and a hole in the lower flange of one of the U-channels 41 and is connected to a rocking lever 61 provided with a cam disc 60. One end of the rocking lever 61 and the cam disc 60 are shown in Fig . 1A, whereas the other end of the rocking lever 61 is shown in 1 B . The other end of the rocking lever 61 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 62 supported by the U-channels 41 . Accordingly, the rocking lever 61 is positioned between the U-channels 41 and may, accordingly , cooperate with the cam disc wheels 20 of the saddles . The cam disc 60 is shaped and arranged in such a way that it cooperates with the cam disc wheels 20 of the saddles when the saddles pass the cam disc 60, viz. in the following way: When the saddle shown at the right hand side of the knife 47 in Fig. 1A is moved to the left by means of the chains, the cam disc wheel 20 of this saddle will start to cooperate with the cam disc 60. By this movement the rocking lever 61 will be pivoted anti-clockwise in Figs . 1A and 1 B about the pin 62, whereby the pivot arm 59, Fig . 2, is moved downwardly carrying the connecting rod 58 therewith , whereby the connecting rod 58 pivots the motor 45 clockwise in Fig . 2 against the force of the spring previously referred to (not shown) . This movement will move the knife 47 from the position shown in Fig . 1A and downwardly to a position wherein the upper part of the knife 47 just clears the lower surface of the supporting plate 40 of the saddle in question , whereafter the knife 47 is again moved to the position shown in Fig . 1A. Accordingly, during the passage of a saddle the knife 47 will make a cut in the fish which extends from the ventral side of the fish and up to the lower surface of the supporting plate 40 and also a distance up over this lower surface but to each side of the supporting plate 40. According¬ ly, a cut is made which extends more than 180° about the backbone of the fish which rests upon the upper surface of the supporting plate 40 and which is cut through by means of the upper knife 46 simultaneously with the formation of the cut 51 . The partly circum- fereπtially extending cut explained above is shown in Fig . 6 and designated 63. After the knives 46,47 a generally horizontal knife 64 is arranged upon the bracket 43. The knife is secured to the bracket 43 by means of a downwardly extending arm 65, but may be adjusted in the direction of the arrow 66. The knife 64 comprises a cutting edge 67 which extends to the right in Fig . 1A and which during the passage of a fish will cut the last meat fibres which may still connect the head and the body of the fish . The knife will , in case the head has not already been separated from the body, form a cut which , in Fig . 6, is designated 68 and which connects the two other cut 51 and 63 previously explained .

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 13 July 1987 (13.07.87) original claim 2 cancelled; claim 1 amended; claim 3 unchanged (1 page)] 1 . (amended) An apparatus to be used by removing the heads from fish , said apparatus comprising means (3,3, 6,6 and 8) for moving the fish through the apparatus , said means being adapted to move the fish with their longitudinal direction generally perpen¬ dicular to the direction of movement of the moving means, said ap¬ paratus moreover comprising two rotating circular knives (46 and 47) both being arranged with their axis of rotation generally perpendicu¬ lar to the direction of movement of the moving means, one of said knives (46) being arranged in a plane which is oriented in such a way that a cut (51 ) is made which extends from the back of the fish and obliquely from the front and rearwardly as seen from the nose of the fish and immediately behind the skull of the head, whereas the other knife (47) is adapted to make a cut (63) which extends from the ventral side and obliquely from the front and rearwardly also as seen from the nose of the fish , c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the other knife (47) being pivotable about an axis (52) extending generally parallel with the direction of movement of the moving means and by the pivoting of the other knife being adjusted in such a way with respect to the passage of the fish that the cut (63) made by the knife (47) extends more than 180° around the backbone of the fish . 2. (cancelled) . 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d by, after the rotating knifes (46, 47) as seen in the direction of movement of the moving means, a stationery knife (64) is arranged for making a cut (68) in the fish connecting the cuts (61 and 63) made by the rotating knives.

Inventors: GROENBECH CARL-ERIK, GROENBECH, CARL-ERIK
Applicants: ESPERSEN AS A, AKTIESELSKABET A. ESPERSEN
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A22C25
IPC codes: A22C25