Patent GB-671315-A (GB)
Title: Fish-filleting apparatus
IPC: A22C25/16
Filed: 1949-12-20
Abstract: 671,315. Filleting fish. INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES MACHINERY CO., Inc. Dec. 20, 1949 [Feb. 9,1949], No. 32577/49. Class28(ii). In cutting off fillets from a fish the initial impalement cuts on each side of the backbone are made by two adjacent rows of closely spaced 'knives carried by a lower endless belt after which the fish backbone becomes wedged between the knife of the lower belt rows and is thus carried along for further cuts to be made by a similar upper endless belt of knives and later by ribbing knives. Fig. 27 shows the filleting cuts made by the lower and upper knives 72. In Fig. 28 the fish is gripped on end between the lower knives 72 and the stationary ribbing knives 454 have almost severed the left over fillet attachment along the line of the backbone extending from the tail up to the beginning of the ribs. Fig. 29 shows the second and outer pair of ribbing knives 455 which have almost completely shaved off the fillet attachment to the ribs. The first filleting cuts in the previously gutted and beheaded fish are made upwards through the fish while lying on its back (and tail leading) in guides by two rows of closely spaced knives 72 on driven endless belts 70, the knives cutting into the fish up to the vertebrµ on each side of the lower spine which thus become wedged between the knives whereby the fish becomes gripped and carried along to a similar upper set of spaced knives which cut down from the upturned belly to the back bone. The fillets which are then attached only to a line along the backbone and to the ribs, pass to stationary but self aligning knives which follow the curve of the ribs in cutting the fillets therefrom and then to final knives which separate the remaining attachments along each side of the backbone. Each fish in a shoot 240 is propelled therefrom by driven rolls 289 and 270, Figs. 16 and 12, which engage the belly and the back of the fish at each side clear of the fins, the back fins passing through the flared lower fin guides 290. The rolls 289 are floating (being mounted on a pivoted lever 293) and fall down to a stop position when no fish is passing. The fish then passes in succession through gate 308, rolls 386 and gates 310 to 316 each comprising flaring pairs of spring closing sides. The gates 310 to 316 may be mounted on either fixed or an up-and-down moved table 322. Their sides are coupled to open equally so that the fish remains centred. Upper tail and belly fin guides 422, 400 and 394 (not shown) are also provided to ensure correct presentation of the fish to the upper belt of knives as it leaves the rolls 386. The fish is maintained belly up by gates 310, 312, 314 and 316, Fig. 2, during cutting by the lower knives. The fish is then gripped, after cutting, in the gap between the lower knives and is so conveyed into contact with the upper belt of knives moving at a relatively different speed. After the fish has been slit as in Fig. 27 the flesh is cut away from the ribs by ribbers comprising knife blades 454 and 455 hinged together at 456 and having a continuous cutting edge 457. The stationary ribber blade 454 separates the fillets still connected along the line of the backbone, Fig. 28, as the fish is still being conveyed by the chain of knives. The succeeding ribber blades 455 are hinged at 456, Fig. 7 (not shown), to the previous ribber blades 454 and are spring yielding outwardly to follow the contour of the ribs so that they sever the flesh from the ribs with a. minimum of loss as in Fig. 29, as the fish is pulled past them. The cutting edges 457 of the ribbers 455 are directed outwardly as in Fig. 29, while the cutting edge 457, Fig. 28, of the previous ribbers are directed inwardly as in Fig. 28. The ribbers are also pivotable from one end up and down under spring control so that as the fish passes between them it bears down on their top cutting edges which are at an incline to the present horizontal travel of the fish as gripped by its conveyer chain. Thus the ribbers can yield up and down to the pressure of the fish during cutting. The second ribbers 455 thus have a combined motion i.e. up and down and sideways to cut closely to the varying contour of the ribs. After complete severing the fillets drop off at the circular end of the lower knife belt into a container. The skeleton is loosened from its grip between the lower knives 72 at the divergence of the upper and lower belt and is thrown. out as the belt travels fast round its rear sprocket. The gripping of the fish between the lower knives can be improved by automatically raising the table 322 when the fish enters and opens the first spring gate 308. The fish is retarded in passing through the gate 310, 312 &c. so that as the fish is cut with a slicing action by the lower knives the drag exerted by the knives acts on the now released table 322 to start it moving down again against spring 498 so that the fish is rammed into the gripping space between the knives as the gates 310, 312 &c. open to release their clamping grip. As the gates 310 to 316 are opened by the thickness of the fish, this opening action controls the time of lowering of the table to press the fish firmly into grip between the knives 72; as the fish is then carried forward between the knives the table 322 is spring returned to raised position to receive the succeeding fish between its gates 310 to 316 which have been closed by the weak spring 370. The succession of gates each act by their opening to a fish to control and release latching mechanism for the lowering and raising of the table 322. The table however may be arranged to remain in a fixed position.