IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN Ross Junior of Muchalls in the County of Kincardine, Fish Curer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
" to be as follows:-
OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING FISH FOR CURE
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for preparing
fish for cure and the improved apparatus consists of an endless travelling band
provided with teeth or spikes on which the fish, after having the gut and heads
removed by hand, are placed the said teeth or spikes retaining them in position
whilst the band in travelling along brings them under a series of nozzles or jets
from which issue with force streams of water by which the blood is thoroughly
scoured out from the interior of the fish. The source of water supply may be
simply gravitation where such is available or the water may be ejected through.
the nozzles, by the action of a force pump or equivalent apparatus.
After being cleaned the fish still attached to the band are brought under the
action of a circular knife or knives driven from the main shaft of the machine and
by the said knife or knives the fish are split, which being done they are discharged
or lifted off the endless band.
By this treatment the fish are better cleaned and split, or prepared for cure than
by ordinary methods, and a saving of time may also be effected.

page_text: I, JOHN Ross Junior of Muchalls in the County of Kincardine, Fish Curer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING FISH FOR CURE "and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:—
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for preparing
fish for cure and as seen in side elevation at figure 1, and in plan at figure 2, of
the annexed drawings the improved apparatus consists of a tray or table a, into or
on which the fish, after having the gut and heads removed by hand are placed.
Above the tray or table a, is situated an endless band b, which is caused to
travel by power applied to the axis of one of the rollers c, around which the band
passes. The band is provided at intervals throughout its length with projecting
teeth or spikes d, and the fish are lifted one by one from the tray or table a, and
secured to the band by the said spikes as indicated at figure 2, that is to say, in
such a manner that the short split made for removal of the gut is uppermost.
After being so secured the fish is passed by the band within a casing
open at its ends and is supported on the tray or table a, Within the said casing
and above the band b, a pipe or tube f, is carried which pipe is or may be closed at
the end f¹, and at the other end connected to a pump or other means of forcing
water, or the water supply may in some cases be obtained by gravitation.
which is
At the part of the pipe f, within the casing a series of nozzles, jets, or openings
are made through each of which a stream of water issues with force so as to
thoroughly scour out the blood from the interior of the fish passing beneath it, the
casing e, preventing the water from splashing about.
After being so cleaned the fish still attached to the band, is travelling onward
and brought under the action of a circular knife g, secured on a shaft h, whereon
are also placed fast and loose pulleys i, k. By the action of the said knife g, the
fish is split down to or near to the tail which being done it is travelled onwards
and removed from the band b, for cure.
To render the knife g, automatic in its action and to stop it at the proper time
the apparatus more particularly seen at figure 2, is or may be employed. This
apparatus consists of a wheel l, the periphery of which is formed or furnished with
teeth or spikes. The wheel is carried on a pin centred in a jaw or fork n, made
on one end of a screw o, which screw gears with a similar screw made internally
on a tube p, carried in a bracket or standard r.
Within a casing formed on or secured to the upper side of the wheel 7, and also
situated within the jaw or fork n, a coil spring 8, is placed one end whereof is
connected to the wheel Z, or its centre pin and the other end to a link t, which
· latter is connected to one extremity of a lever u, centred at u¹, and carrying at its
other extremity a belt shifter u³.
In a casing surrounding the tube p, a spiral spring v, is situated one end of
which bears against an end of the casing and its other extremity against a collar or
its equivalent p¹, made on or secured to the tube p.
The effect of this arrangement is that as the fish passes in front of the wheel 1,
by acting on the teeth or spikes thereof it drags the wheel round thereby coiling
or winding up the spring 8, the wheel being always kept up to its work by the
action of the spring v. During this coiling action the knife g, is being rotated by
the belt j, passed round the fast pulley, but when the fish passes beyond the
wheel 1, the extreme reach of which is governed by the screws o, p, the spring 8,

page_text: rebounds and through the action of the link t, and lever u, shifts the belt j, from
the fast to the loose pulley thereby stopping the action of the knife at the proper
point, that is to say, a short distance from the tail of the fish.
The thickest or shoulder part of the next fish in succession then coming opposite
the wheel 1, the wheel is pushed inward against the action of the spring v, and the
said inward movement of the wheel brings a pin or striker w, formed on or secured
to the fork n, against the lever u, whereby the belt is again shifted from the loose
to the fast pulley and the knife g, is thus set in operation to split up the fish acting
on the wheel Z.
A groove x, is or may be made in the length of the band b, immediately under
the cutting part of the knife g, and a guide roller y, similar in arrangement to the
wheel l, is or may be placed on the side of the knife opposite to the wheel to
further ensure that the knife will split at the proper part.
Instead of the apparatus herein before described for automatically regulating the
action of the knife a belt shifter actuated by a treadle, hand lever, or otherwise
may be employed or the belt pulley may be loose on the shaft h, and connected
thereto at the desired times by a clutch actuated by a treadle, hand lever, or
equivalent means.
By the treatment hereinbefore described the fish are better cleaned and split or
prepared for cure than by ordinary methods and a saving of time and waste is also
effected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
In preparing fish for cure the apparatus consisting of the endless travelling band
having spikes or teeth, the water jets or nozzles and the rotating circular knife
operating as a combination of mechanism substantially as and for the purposes
described.