Patent GB-502291-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in a method of and machine for filleting fish
IPC: A22C25/16
Filed: 1938-03-29
Abstract: 502,291. Dressing fish. FISH MACHINERY CORPORATION. March 29, 1938, No. 9626. Convention date, April 19, 1937. [Class 28 (ii)] In the fish-filleting machine described in Specification 452,688, the belly-slicing knives, being free to move upwardly, sometimes fail to cut, at the region of the tail, completely through to the incisions previously made in the back of the fish. A small strip of flesh and skin is thus left on each side of the tail end of the backbone, which interferes with the subsequent operations of the machine. In the present invention, hook-like members 36 are placed, intermittently, in the path of the fish to bring the tail portion thereof momentarily to rest, and to allow the belly-slicing knives to sink into the fish and meet the incisions previously made in the back. The fishes are, as in the prior Specification, conveyed tails first and bellies upwards by grippers mounted in members 4 on conveyer chains 2, past backslicing knives 5 associated with reciprocating piercing members 20 which act, subsequently, as fish guides by engaging in the back incisions. The belly fins are straightened for presentation to the belly-slicing knives 9 by the means shown diagrammatically at 11. The grippers having released the fish, the conveying motion is continued by spaced revolving traction discs 8 which are positioned under the knives 9 and engage in the back incisions. The knives 9 are journalled in a pivoted lever and are partially supported by a spring. The hooks 36 are formed on levers 40 pivoted on a shaft 34 and connected by a link 44 to a bell-crank lever 43 which is swung clockwise by a camplate 42 secured to the members 20 which are moved towards the knives 5, through linkage 25 ... 27; 30, by the members 4 engaging the arm 24. A lever 29, connected to the linkage, is connected by a link 32 to an arm 33, secured to the shaft 34 and having an upwardly pro. jecting part 33a which is swung, during . the movement of the members 20 towards the knives 5, into the path of the members 4 which thus -swing back the arm 33 and move the members 20 towards the knives 9. The hook levers 40 are swung up by the cam 42 which, at the same time, releases a lever 54 connected by a link 53 to a latch lever 52 pivoted to the arms 40, a step in the lever engaging an abut. ment 46a and maintaining the levers 40 raised. The members 20 assist the movement of the fish to the traction discs 8. While the fish is being pulled by the grippers, it is somewhat elongated, so that when the tail is engaged by the hooks 36, the tail is stopped but the main body of the fish continues to move, the pre. viously elongated parts-being thus contracted. The knives 9 sink into the tail end of the fish and reach the back incisions. This releases the fish from the hooks 36 and the traction discs again move the fish forward, A pair of arms 35, secured to the members 20, carry cam followers 55 which act upon cam surfaces 56 on the levers 40, and depress them after the hooks 36 have functioned, the latch 52 having been released. Edges 36a assist in stripping the flesh from the sides of the backbone during the descent of the hooks 36 which lie subsequently below the skeleton of the fish. A spring 51. is, or may be, arranged around a sleeve on the link 44, a stop 49 on the tube limiting its action so that the spring is compressed only at the end of the counterclockwise movements of the levers 40.. A pair of deflect. ing plates 14, arranged adjacent to the knives 9, guide the fish to ribbing and severing apparatus as described in the prior Specification. In a modification, the ends of the levers 40 are flared outwardly, and when raised are accom. modated in notches in the plates 14. The hook members do not move below the fish skeleton, but ride along the sides of the backbone ; severing the flesh therefrom, which action continues until the rib bones engage the out. wardly flared parts. When small fishes are being treated, the rib structure of the skeleton , will ride along the flared parts without de. pressing the levers 40, but with large fishes, the larger rib structure cannot get past the flared parts and the levers 40 are thereby depressed against the action of the spring 48.