Patent GB-1487540-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for skinning block fillets
IPC: A22C25/17
Filed: 1976-04-01
Abstract: 1487540 Skinning fish fillets NORDISCHER MASCHINENBAU RUD BAADER I April 1976 13147/76 Heading A2U Apparatus for removing skin from fish fillets, comprises a rotatably mounted circular disc member 1. provided with two circumferentially extending symmetrical side surface portions 16, 17 which are each cancave curved in cross-section and which converge towards the circumference of the circular disc member, a rim portion of the circular disc member being provided with a groove 13 of generally trapezoidal cross-section and having a rounded surface portion defining the base of the groove, a flexible endless member 3 arranged to enter the groove and to extend around a portion of the circumference of the disc member, a portion of the endless member immediately adjacent a region in which the endless member enters the groove being so guided as to follow a substantially linear portion of a feed path for such fillets, drive means for imparting such displacement to at least one of the disc member and the endless member that, in use, a fish fillet disposed on the linear portion of the feed path is fed in a given direction around a curved feed path extending from said linear portion to between the endless member and the rim of the disc member, guide means 41 extending in the general direction of the feed path from the linear portion thereof and adapted to deflect each of two half portions of such fillet about the rim of the disc member and to urge the respective half portions of such fillet against the respective curved side surface portions of the disc member, two rotatable circular knives 21, 22 each disposed downstream of the guide means in the given fillet feed direction and each adapted to sever the skin from the flesh of a respective half portion of such fillet, each circular knife being disposed adjacent a respective one of the curved side surfaces of the disc member, the two circular knives being mutually spaced apart in the given fillet feed direction, each circular knife being rotatable about an axis of rotation intersecting the plane of symmetry of the side surface portions at a point of intersection, a notional straight line in said plane of symmetry -defined by orthogonal projection of that portion of the axis of rotation of the respective circular knife which extends from the respective one of said points of intersection towards the respective circular knife - including at the respective point of intersection an acute angle with both a second notional straight line extending radially outwardly from said point of intersection and with a third notional straight line perpendicular to said radial line and extending in said plane of symmetry upstream of said point of intersection with respect to the given feed direction. In the embodiment shown the two half portions of the fillet are pressed about the rim of the disc by roller 51. Cutters 61 and 62 which are sharpened on their lower edges sever the flesh fibres still remaining above the leathery skin of the fillet. Rollers 71 and 72 press the fillets back against the rim of the disc and circular knives 21 and 22 skin the fillets.