Patent GB-313335-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in apparatus for splitting open, cleaning and removing the gills from herrings
IPC: A22C25/14
Filed: 1928-07-06
Abstract: 313,335. Baader, R. July 6, 1928. Fish, dressing.-In apparatus for cutting open and removing the gills from herrings, the fish is passed through feeling or gauging tongs which close after the passage of the fish and actuate levers to remove a stop to permit gill removing means to swing into operation, the fish being split and spread open during the swinging of the gill-remover which reaches the operative position at the same time as the gills of the fish. As the tongs, when a large fish is passing, close later than when a small fish is passing, automatic means are provided for imparting an initial swing to the gill-remover to an extent varying with the size of the fish, so as to reduce the swinging-time when a big fish is in the machine. As shown, the fishes are inserted in a horizontal rotary frame 12 with the bellies against members 103 and the tails protruding. A disc 3, of known type, carries a number of double clamping members 5, 6 having a common roller ended cam-operated arm 6<a>. The jaws 10, 11 are pressed downwards by springs 7, 8 and are connected by a pin 11<a> on the jaw 11 engaging a slot in the jaw 10. The jaw 11 on the member 6 is integral with the arm 6<a>, but the member 5 moves in advance thereof to effect a preliminary clamping of the tail of a fish projecting into the disc 3 from the frame 12. The fish is then bent to press the belly against the disc 3 by a spring-loaded abutment 105, and is then further clamped by the jaw 11. This method of double clamping avoids damaging the fish during bending. The fish is now received by the feeling tongs 15, 16 which are opened to receive the fish by a roller 106 on an extension 107 of the jaw 15 engaging the cam rail 4 on the disc 3. The jaws 15, 16, being connected by a spring 19 and levers 17, 18, open and close in unison. The jaw 15 carries a pawl 20 which, when the jaws close after leaving the nose of the fish, actuates a lever 21 on the jaw 16 which lifts a lever 24 pivoted to the frame 1 and removes a stop thereon from the path of a lever 28 which is swung by a spring 108 about the shaft 2.6. The lever 28 is connected by a link 29 to a pivoted member 30, 31, the portion 31 of which abuts against the end 34 of a lever 33, 34, so that as the jaws close, the end 33 is removed from the path of a pivoted arm 55 integral with an arm 54. A stop 52 which normally lies in the path of a stop 51 on a quadrant 50 fast with a shaft 44, is integral with an arm 53 which is connected to the arm 54 bv a spring 57 and is spaced therefrom by a projection 56. A gear wheel 49, driven continuously through gearing from the main drive, is coupled to the shaft by friction clutches 110 which slip when the stop 52 prevents rotation of the shaft 44. When the jaws close, the levers described above release the lever end 33 from the arm 55 and the stop 51 moves the stop 52 against the action of the restoring spring 109. The shaft 44 then starts to rotate, and a continuously rotating milling tool 32 carried on the shaft 44 by a frame 65 is swung towards the disc 3 to reach the operative position synchronously with the gills of the fish. During the swing, the fish passes a disc knife 13 which splits its back alongside the backbone. The knife runs in a slit in a block 14 which spreads the cut fish open and presses it against the disc 3. The knife is journaled in a carrier 35 which is adjustably pivoted on the shaft 26 and is adjusted by an eccentric lever 37 held by an apertured quadrant 36. The block 14 is swung out by a passing fish and the knife 13 is moved by the block to keep the depth of cut uniform. A gear wheel 48 runs continuously on the shaft 26 and drives the knife through a gear wheel 97. Beneath the wheel 48, and having a friction clutch connection therewith, is a cam disc 38 integral with a stop 40 which abuts against an arm 42 of a pivoted member having three arms 41 - - 43. During the swing of the gill-remover an arm 45, adjustable on the quadrant 50, abuts with the arm 43 and swings the arm 42 away from the stop 40, thus allowing the wheel 48 to drive the cam disc 38 through the friction clutch. 'J'he arm 41 then abuts with the cam face 39 and is arrested, also arresting the arm 45 and the gill remover which is then in the operative position. After the passage of the fish, the arm 41 reaches the end of the cam 39, and releases the arm 45 which swings, with the gill-remover, completely around to the starting position in which it is stopped by the stops 51, 52. The lever 28 is re-set by a roller 78 on a, bracket 76 on the lower side of the disc 3, contacting with a cam 27 on the lever 28. To effect a compensating initial swing of the gill-remover for a large fish, a pin 77 on the bracket 76 contacts with a lever 68 pivoted on the shaft 44 and carrying a spring-controlled pawl 70 which engages a lug 66 fast with the shaft 44. The lever 68 is returned by a spring 73 to abut with a stop pin 72 which is adjustable in a slot 71 in the frame 1. When this initial swing is effected, the stop 52 and lever 53 swing against the pull of the spring 57 which is strong enough to prevent such a swing by the clutches 110. With a small fish, the clutches start the swing before the pin 77 contacts with the lever 68. The fish passes from the gill removers to rotary cleaning brushes 74, 75 after which the jaws 10, 11 are released by the cam 9 and the fish falls from the machine. The gills may be removed by tongs instead of by a milling tool.