Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1091405
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
l. Fleld of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of filleting
of flsh comprising the ~teps of conveying the fish tall
S forwards and cuttlng free the fillets by performing belly
filleting cuts, back fllletlng cuts, and rlb cuts and
sev~rlng the ~illets thus cut free from the bone ~keleton
of the fi~h by mean~ of severing cuts, and to a fllleting
machlne for performing the process, comprising conveyor
means to convey flsh tail forward~, belly filleting knife
means, a back fllletlng knlfe means, of rlb cuttlng knlfe
means, first severlng knife means for severing through
flesh of the fish, second severing knife means for
severlng the fish at the tail root thereof.
2. Description of Prior Art
In known pracesses for fllletlng fish, rlb cuts
~tart at the abdominal cavity end at the slde of the
tall and leave a trough-llke depresslon at thls polnt
ln every flllet. The plece of flesh cut out of the fillet
remains on the bone skeleton and represents a measurable
1088 of flesh yleld. The trough-like depresslon comes lnto
being through the parts of the fish connected with the
back-bone through a respective tape of flesh, whlch
remalns uncut laterally beside the vertebrae of the
back-bone between belly filleting knives, and back-
fllletlng knive~, dl~posed closely behlnd the end of
the abdominal cavlty, do not let themselve~ be raised
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~09140S
exastly into the planes of ~lle rib knives. German Letters
Patent 943 612 diQcloses a fish filletin~ machine comprlsing
a severing apparatus arranged behind the rib knives
severing through these flesh tapes. However, this severing
S apparatus is arranged behind the rib knives, 80 that these
have to cut into the un-qevered band or strlp of flesh to
the sldes of the vertebral column.
SUMMA~Y OF THE INVENTION
3. Object of the Invention
It 18 an essential object of the present inventior~
to enable a defined severing of the fillets to the sides
of the vertebrae closely up to the vertebral appendage~
ln the rêgion of the end of the abdominhl cavlty in the
fllleting of fish.
Accordlng to one aspect of the present inventlon
there 1~ provlded a method of fllletlng flsh, ¢omprlslng
the steps of conveying the flsh tall forwards and cuttlng
free the fillets by performing belly fllletinq cuts,
back fllleting cuts, rib cuts and severlng the fillets
thu~ cut free from the bone skeleton of the fish by
means of severing cuts, the fillets, after the
performance of the belly filleting cuts and the back
filletlng cuts, being detached ln the region of the
abdominal cavity end by severlng through a flesh strip
I25 connecting the fillets with the vertebrae, and being
Icut free from the lateral vertebral projections
(or appendages) and ribs in the region of the abdomlnal
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10914~S
cavity by means of the rib cuts and thereafter campletely
~evered from the bone skeleton by severlng through the
fle~h strip from the tail root to the place of detachment
behing the abdominal cavity.
S By such relatively 8hort flrst detachment cuts merely
ln the region of the abdominal cavlty end of the flsh
the flllets are no longer obstructed again~t deformatlon,
and the rlb knlves can therefore produce a ~mooth cut.
The thUS achleved re~ult i~ a greater flesh yleld.
According to another aspect of the present lnventlon
there is provided a fllleting machlne comprislng conveyor
means to convey flsh tall forward~, belly fllletlng knives,
back fllletlng knives, rib cutting knlve~, flr~t severlng
knlves for severing trough flesh of the f i~h, second
sev rlng kni~es for severlng the flsh at the tail~root
thereof, clo~ed gulde ~eans for guidlng the backbone
of the fish and dlsposed between the seGond severlng
kniv 8 and at least one of the fllletlng knlves and the
back filleting knlves, the fir~t ~everlng knlve~ bolng
dl~po8ed between the rlb knlves and at least one of the
belly fllleting~and the back fllletlng knlves and belng
connected wlth control means actuable synchronously wlth
the conveyor means to dispose the flrst severing knlves
at a po~ltlon at which they traverse the gulde means
before arrival of the abdominal cavity end of the fish.
Wlth such a fllleting machine lt 18 posslble to
maXe short sev~rlng or detachment cuts merely ln the
reglon of the belly cavity end ~o as to let the rib cuts
10914(~5
extend smoothly and without depression in prolongation
o~ the bely filleting cuts and thus to attain an lncreased
yield in fish flesh.
Preferably the first severing knives may be
displaceable against a spring force in the conveying
direction of the fish. This enables the flesh band to
be severed through up to the last vertebral projections
at the abdominal cavity end.
The conveyor means may expediently be provided with
lo spaced entraining elements or push saddles each adapted
to engage a re5pective fi8h. This enables control of the
first severing knives to be facilitated and such control
means to be simple.
Advantageously the rib knives may comprise ~craping
or 8having tool8. This enables the rib cuts to be performed
smoothly and flesh to be saved especially since the fillets
connected with the fish skeleton at the tail root are held
in a stretched condition.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Other and further objects of the present invention
will be apparent from the following description and claims
and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which by
way of illustration shows a preferred embodiment of the
present invention and the principles thereof and what now
are considered to be the best modes contemplated for
applying these principles. Other embodiments of the
invention embodying the same or equivalent princlples
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10914(~5
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may be used and structural changes may be made as desired
by those skilled in the art without departing from the
present invention and the scope of the appended claims.
The drawing shows an axonometric lllustratlon of
part of a fish filleting machine embodying the present
lnvention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the accompanylng drawing, deflectlng
wheels of an endless conveyor l are journalled ln a frame
(not shown) and are driva~le ln the directlon of the arrow.
The conveyor 1 carrles push saddles 9 on whlch flsh saddled
by thelr abdominal cavities can be transported at flxed
spacings. ~he push saddles 9 are advanced by the conveyor 1
in a guide path or track 2 which, in a known manner,
comprlses two upper and two lower bone guldes ~not de~ignated)
and ~erves for the passage of the vertebral column of the
flsh. At the start of the guide track 2 and underneath the
same a palr of belly filleting knlves 3 are arranged at its
upstream end and a palr of rlb knlves 5 at lt~ downstream end.
Above the gulde track 2, a pair of back fllleting knlves 4
are arranged in the proximity of the belly fllleting knlves 3
and a pair of severing knives 7 at the down~tream end of
the gulde track 2 for the severlng of the flllet~ from
the bone skeleton ln their tall reglon. A pair of severing
knives 6 which are like a gravlng, chisel or planing tool
and which are raisable and lowerable for severing through
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109140S
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the flesh strips are arranged above the guide track 2
between the back filleting knives 4 and rib knives 5
and connected with control means 8 so as to be driven
synchronously with the conveyor.
The method of operation of the filleting machlne
is as follows:
A fish, opened at least in its abdominal cavity
and degutted, is ~o saddled by its abdominal cavlty on
one of the push saddles 9 that lts tail points in the
direction of motion of the conveyor 1. When the flsh 18
fed by guide means (not shown) to the belly filleting
knlves 3, these produce two lncisions to both side~ of
the belly spokes of the bone structure and extendlng
from the abdominal cavity end up to th~ end of the
abdom~nal cavlty. At the same time, the back filleting
knlves 4 also produce lncisions, extendlng from the tail
root up to the neck, to both sldes of the back spokes.
After the passage of the tail end part of the flsh and
before the abdominal cavlty end of the fish reaches
the severing knives 6, these are moved downwardly and
cross the path of motion 2 of the flsh. They penetrate
by their polnts both the flesh bands not severed by the
belly fllleting knives 3 and the back fllletlng knlves 4
and thus connecting the fillets with the spinal column
and sever the~e through up to the end of the abdomlnal
cavlty. A~ter reaching the abdominal cavity, they are
deflected upwardly by the lateral vertebral projections
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and prolong the incisions made in the fish by the back
filleting knives 4, onto the upper sides of the lateral
vertebral projections. On reaching the rib knlves 5,
known per se spreaders or cutting supports, disposed
before ~he cutting edges of the rib knive~, steer both
the fillets upwardly in the region of the abdominal
cavity end, and the rib knives 5 ~ever the flllets off
from the lateral vertebral projections and rib8 without
their cutting edges penetrating lnto the fillets and
producing a depression each time. On reaching the
sever1ng knlves 7, the fillets are then severed at
their tail root and to both sldes of the back bone.
The above described embodiment of the present
lnvention enables fillets to be producéd with a greater
~lesh yield and smoother appearance than hitherto~
