Patent GB-340748-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for removing heads and entrails from fishes, and, if desired, for removing the bones, fins and tails and for cutting the fishes into lengths
IPC: A22C25/00
Filed: 1929-12-13
Abstract: 340,748. Dressing fish. BAADER, R., 33, Wakenitzmauer, Lubeck, Germany. Dec. 13, 1929, No. 38241. [Class 28 (ii).] In a machine for dressing fish, the fishes are attached to conveying means which moves them in a horizontal plane, and the tools arranged on both sides of the parts of the fishes are adapted either to cut off the belly strip, brush out the belly cavity, cut out the back bone and if desired the rib bones, decapitate the fish and cut it into lengths, or, to cut through the back bone at the back of the head and then to draw the head away from the body with the entrails attached, after which the fish may be cut into lengths. As shown in plan in Fig. 2, the conveying belt or chain 7 is provided with spikes 8 which are impaled in the heads and is trained around pulleys 1, 5, 6 in a triangular path. Tools 13, 14 may be provided to remove the tail and back fins, whilst the belly strip may be removed by a knife 9 to permit the entrails to be removed bv a brush 12. Disc knives 10, 11 may remove the back bone and rib bones. The devices 9 .. 14 are known and need not be used in the operation of the machine. The fish rests on ledges 19 on the disc 1 the ledges being slotted to permit the passage of the cutting tools. The pulley or disc 1 carries a number (three on Fig. 2) of sets of cutters and grippers, which each act as follows. A cutter 20'and grippers 32, 33 descend into contact with the fish simultaneously. The cutter 20 severs the head whilst the grippers 32, 33 keep the fish securely in position on its ledge 19. Disc knives 49, 50 then descend and sever the fish into lengths. If the devices 9 .. 14 are inoperative, the cutter 20 severs the back bone behind the head, whereupon the head travels tangentially to the disc 1 upon which the body of the fish is retained by the grippers 32, 33. The head and entrails attached are thus pulled away, and are eventually detached from the spike 8 by an inclined surface 42. The body portions of the fish are ejected from the shelves by an abutment. Figs. 4, 12 show the mechanism for gripping and cutting the fish. Thedisc 1 is revoluble about a sleeve 15 in which a rod 26 is vertically slidable. The sleeve has external cam roller-tracks 36, 47 and the rod 26 carries sections 39, 58 which, when the rod 26 is suitably positioned, register with and form parts of the tracks 36, 47. The rod 26 is reciprocated by cam means. The track 36 is engaged by a roller 43 on the end of a lever 23 pivoted on a bracket 25 on the disc 1. The decapitating knife 20 and the grippers 32, 33 are operated by the lever 23 which is swung by the movable track section 39 and a stationary cam. The grippers are urged against the fish by a spring 35. The disc knives 49, 50 are actuated by the movable track section 58 swinging a lever 45 having forked ends 46 in which shafts 48, 54 are journalled. The knives are carried on the shaft 48 and are geared to the shaft 54. They are arranged radially to the disc 1 necessitating ball-joints 51, 53 in the shafts 48, 54. The gear wheel 56 on the shaft 54 meshes with a fixed quadrant rack, so that the knives are revolved as they are swung down towards the fish.