Patent GB-645806-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to fish dressing machines
IPC: A22C25/00
Filed: 1948-10-19
Abstract: 645,806. Fish-dressing machines. ROWTON, H. S. Oct. 19, 1948, No. 27162. [Class 28(ii)] In a fish-dressing machine in which a fish is pulled tail first by grippers on a conveyer 10 past a decapitating device 14 the fish first passes between pivoted feelers 26 which when held apart by the fish body, hold the decapitating device out of operation but when the fish body has passed the spring closure of the feelers releases means for actuating the decapitating device. To provide for decapitating a longer head in the case of a longer fish, the feelers 26 remain stationary for a time equivalent to the passing through of a normal length fish and then the feelers move back away from the fish passing through, to accelerate relatively the remainder of the passage through of the fish so that after this proportionate delay the feelers can close together and allow the decapitator to actuate and cut off the longer head. The decapitator comprises a pair of spaced pivoted blades 38 which are pulled toward each other by a spring 56 across the conveyer to cut off the head. The machine also includes, thereafter, a pair of wheels 59 for cutting off a narrow strip at the tip of the belly, a rough edged wheel 64 to clear out the remaining guts, a pair of slitting wheels 71 to make guiding cuts from tail to vent, and a pair of inclined boning wheels 81 to cut out the bone from the cleaned belly, and a final stationary cleaning brush 22. Any of these devices may be put out of action to give a beheaded fish with the long gut only pulled out as attached to the head, or to give a filleted boned fish with all the entrails removed. The pivoted feelers 26 position the fish in relation to the decapitating knife, being urged together by a spring. The feelers can close and open equally by means of geared segments 32. They are mounted on a sliding cross head 27 actuated by a cam 35. The decapitating blades 38 are held apart by a spring released lock 43 movable into position between arms 39 by a cam 44 on a shaft 45. When a fish body opens the feelers 26, the blade 38 are locked against closing and cutting. After the feelers close a certain amount in accordance with the diminishing thickness of the fish body and therefore indirectly in accordance with its length, the blades are released and close on each other by a spring 56. These hold the head while the conveyer grippers pull the fish body away from the head and some of the guts attached thereto thus beheading and partially degutting in one operation. Further degutting or cleaning is done by first slitting a thin strip out of the belly portion by a pair of co-operating rotary disc knives 59 which are raised to operating position. They can also be raised further to clear the fish altogether if slitting is not wanted. These knives are floating, being suspended from a spring 61. The belly flaps are then spread out by a plough-shaped guide 63 entering the cavity following the belly flap supports 62 to allow an abrasive disc 64 to clean the cavity. The disc 64 is moved into contact with the fish by a cam 67 whereby the disc is lifted clear of the preceding tail of the fish and is then lowered into the belly cavity. Lateral guides 63a press the belly flaps against the sides of the disc 64 to clean the flap also. The disc 64 thus removes any remaining entrails including the milts, roes and black inner skin lining, all of which are washed away by water. The next guide arrangement 19 has inwardly urged pivoted guide flaps 69 to squeeze out any gut remaining in the belly. Boning. A pair of close spaced rotating slitting wheels 71 moved up and down by a cam 74 enter the fish on each side of the backbone at the tail and slit up to the vent, the cuts being entered and held up in position by hinged guides 76 which are fixed at any desired height above the conveyer 10. These guides are spring urged downwardly. The slitting wheels 71 are driven preferably through a disconnectible clutch. Further similar hinged guides 60 can rise parallel to the boning wheel assembly 21, 81. The guides 76 and 80 enter the slits and guide the flesh on each side of the back bone past the pair of inclined boning wheels 81, Fig. 15. These guides rise up out of the cuts at the end of the cut (at the vent) and enter the belly cavity and hold the belly flaps clear of the boning wheels 81. The wheels 81 co-operating with a gouging tool 82 remove the back bone from the fish. The boning wheels 81 can be pivoted up and held out of action by a locking quadrant 85.