DEVICE FOR THE AUTOMATIC SUPPLYING OF FISH PROCESSING MACHINES

DISPOSITIF D'ALIMENTATION AUTOMATIQUE DE MACHINES POUR TRAITER LE POISSON

English Abstract

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a device for the automatic supplying
of fish uniformly aligned with respect to their belly-back and
head-tail position to fish processing machines. The object of
the invention comprises the improvement of a known construction
including a feeding channel, a positively effective conveyor for
the fish, an uprighting station with a toothed roller and a guiding
element as well as a discharge channel. It is the objective to
make the known device suitable for processing a greater quality
tolerance. To achieve this it is suggested that the conveyor is
deflected out of engagement only shortly upstream of the uprighting
station which effects the engagement of the head flank of the fish
head on the bottom surface of the feeding channel which is neces-
sary for a troublefree righting of the fish.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:



1. A device for the automatic supplying of fish of a pre-
determined range of sizes defined by a smallest and a largest fish
to be handled to fish processing machines, said fish having a
longitudinal extension defined by a head end, a rump portion and a
tail portion, a height extension determined by a belly and a back
defining the lower and upper sides of said fish, respectively, and
a pair of shoulder girdle bones situated in a part of said rump
portion close to said head end, said device comprising at least one
belly-back aligning section for aligning said fish into uniform
belly-back position according to said height extension and
conveying said fish in a conveying direction, wherein
1) said aligning section comprises
a. feeding channel means defining a path for said fish,
guiding said fish head end first, singly, one behind
the other, having bottom surface means and including
conveyor means for a positive conveying of said fish,
b. an uprighting station for said fish including driven
toothed roller means defining a toothed circumfer-
ential surface between an upper and a lower front
side, and guiding means which define a guiding
surface, lie opposite said circumferential surface of
said toothed roller means and are resiliently
deflectable, and
c. discharge channel means downstream of said uprighting
station and having discharge bottom surface means;


-11-

2) said conveyor means
a. form at least one part of said bottom surface means
and
b. comprise endlessly rotating driven conveying belt
means equipped with spike means emerging into said
feeding channel means near an upstream end thereof;
3) said conveying belt means are deflected near said toothed
roller means to diverge from said bottom surface of said
feeding channel; and
4) said spike means are arranged at a pitch distance to each
other which is greater than the length of said largest
fish to be handled.



2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein stopping flap
means are provided close to the position where said spike means
emerge into said feeding channel means, said stopping flap means
being positioned to extend into said path of said fish from above
opposite said emerging position of said spike means such that each
fish is gripped conveyingly in the region shortly behind said
shoulder girdle bones.



3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spike means
are arranged inclined in said conveying direction.



4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guiding means
include first bevel means pointing away from said circumferential
surface of said toothed roller means on its lower edge facing said

bottom surface means, which first bevel means end in the region of

- 12 -



the greatest proximity of said guiding surface to said circumfer-
ential surface,



5. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said guiding means
include first bevel means pointing away from said circumferential
surface of said toothed roller means on its lower edge facing said
bottom surface means, which first bevel means end in the region of
the greatest proximity of said guiding surface to said circumfer-
ential surface.



6. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said guiding means
include first bevel means pointing away from said circumferential
surface of said toothed roller means on its lower edge facing said
bottom surface means, which first bevel means end in the region of
the greatest proximity of said guiding surface to said circumfer-
ential surface.



7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a guide member is
arranged opposite said guiding surface in the region of said
feeding channel means, which guide member forms a funnel-shaped
inlet with said guiding surface, and wherein second bevel means
facing outwards are positioned on the lower edges of said guide
member and said guiding means facing said bottom surface, which
second bevel means run out in the region of said circumferential
surface of said toothed roller means.




8. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a guide member is
arranged opposite said guiding surface in the region of said

- 13 -


feeding channel means, which guide member forms a funnel-shaped
inlet with said guiding surface, and wherein second bevel means
facing outwards are positioned on the lower edges of said guide
member and said guiding means facing said bottom surface, which
second bevel means run out in the region of said circumferential
surface of said toothed roller means.



9. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein a guide member is
arranged opposite said guiding surface in the region of said
feeding channel means, which guide member forms a funnel-shaped
inlet with said guiding surface, and wherein second bevel means
facing outwards are positioned on the lower edges of said guide
member and said guiding means facing said bottom surface, which
second bevel means run out in the region of said circumferential
surface of said toothed roller means.



10. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a guide member is
arranged opposite said guiding surface in the region of said
feeding channel means, which guide member forms a funnel-shaped
inlet with said guiding surface, and wherein second bevel means
facing outwards are positioned on the lower edges of said guide
member and said guiding means facing said bottom surface, which
second bevel means run out in the region of said circumferential
surface of said toothed roller means.



11. A device as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein said
toothed roller means have roller bevel means defining a peripheral

surface around said lower front side facing said discharge bottom

- 14 -

surface means, said peripheral surface being toothed corresponding
to said circumferential surface.



12. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3, 4 and 7,
wherein said toothed roller means have roller bevel means defining
a peripheral surface around said lower front side facing said
discharge bottom surface means, said peripheral surface being
toothed corresponding to said circumferential surface.



13. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said discharge
channel means together with said toothed roller means are inclined
downwardly in said conveying direction of said fish, and said
feeding channel means are arranged essentially horizontally, and
wherein deflecting surface means are associated to said upper front
side of said toothed roller means.



14. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said discharge
channel means together with said toothed roller means are inclined
downwardly in said conveying direction of said fish, and said
feeding channel means are arranged essentially horizontally, and
wherein deflecting surface means are associated to said upper front
side of said toothed roller means.



15. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said discharge
channel means together with said toothed roller means are inclined

downwardly in said conveying direction of said fish, and said
feeding channel means are arranged essentially horizontally, and


- 15 -

wherein deflecting surface means are associated to said upper front
side of said toothed roller means.



16. A device as claimed in claims 5 or 6, wherein said
discharge channel means together with said toothed roller means are
inclined downwardly in said conveying direction of said fish, and
said feeding channel means are arranged essentially horizontally,
and wherein deflecting surface means are associated to said upper
front side of said toothed roller means.



17. A device as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15
wherein said guiding means have upper bevel means facing away from
said circumferential surface of said toothed roller means, which
upper bevel means are arranged along an upper edge of said guiding
means facing said deflecting surface means and end in the region of
the greatest proximity of said guiding surface to said circumfer-
ential surface.



18. A device as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15,
wherein said deflecting surface means are formed as a cover disc
attached to said upper front side of said toothed roller means and
rotating with the latter.



19 A device as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15,
wherein said guiding means have upper bevel means facing away from

said circumferential surface of said toothed roller means, which
upper bevel means are arranged along an upper edge of said guiding
means facing said deflecting surface means and end in the region of

- 16 -





the greatest proximity of said guiding surface to said
circumferential surface, and wherein said deflecting
surface means are formed as a cover disc attached to
said upper front side of said toothed roller means
and rotating with the latter.

20. A device for the automatic supplying
to fish processing machines of fish of a predetermined
range of sizes, said fish having a longitudinal extent
defined by a head end, a rump portion and a tail portion,
a height extent determined by a belly and a back
defining the lower and upper sides of said fish,
respectively, and a pair of shoulder girdle bones
situated in a part of said rump portion close to said
head end,
said device comprising at least one belly-
back aligning section for aligning said fish into
uniform belly-back position according to said height
extent and conveying said fish in a conveying direction,
said belly-back aligning section comprising:
a. a feeding channel having a bottom
surface for receiving said fish head
end first, singly, one behind the
other, and guiding said fish along
a path in said conveying direction,
said bottom surface having a longi-
tudinal slot therein,
b. an uprighting station for said
fish downstream of said feeding channel
and communicating therewith,
c. an endless belt conveyor for positively
conveying said fish along said
bottom surface of said feeding channel
to said uprighting station, and

17



d. a discharge channel downstream of
said uprighting station and communicating
therewith, and having a discharge
bottom surface,
said uprighting station including a
driven toothed roller having a toothed circumferential
surface between an upper and a lower side, and
resiliently-deflectable guiding element having a guiding
surface disposed opposite said circumferential surface
of said toothed roller,
said conveyor including spaced deflection
rollers mounting an endlessly rotating driven conveying
belt forming at least one part of said bottom surface of said feeding channel
and having spikes projecting therefrom and positioned to extend through
said longitudinal slot in said bottom surface into said feeding channel,
said deflection rollers being positioned to cause said
spikes to enter said longitudinal slot in said feeding
channel bottom surface at a point proximate to an
upstream end of said feeding channel, and to be deflected
angularly proximate to said toothed roller and to
diverge from said bottom surface of said feeding channel
at a point proximate to said toothed roller, whereby to
press the head flank of the fish firmly against said
bottom surface of said feeding channel in the vicinity
of said toothed roller,
said spikes being arranged at a pitch
distance to each other which is greater than the length
of the largest fish in said range of fish sizes,
said bottom surface of said feeding
channel being arranged at an acute angle with said
discharge bottom surface of said discharge channel.

21. A device as claimed in claim 20,
wherein stopping flap means are provided proximate to the
point at which said spikes enter said slot in said

18



feeding channel bottom surface, said stopping flap means
being positioned to extend from above into said path of
said fish in line with the point at which said spikes
emerge into said feeding channel, whereby said each
fish is gripped conveyingly in the region shortly
behind said shoulder girdle arcs.

22. A device as claimed in claim 20,
wherein said spikes are arranged at an inclined angle
in conveying direction.

23. A device as claimed in claim 20,
whrerein said guiding element includes first bevel means
pointing away from said circumferential surface of said
toothed roller on its lower edge facing said bottom surface,
said first bevel means ending in the region of the closest
proximity of said guiding surface to said circumferential
surface.

24. A device as claimed in claim 21,
wherein said guiding element includes first bevel means
pointing away from said circumferential surface of said
toothed roller on its lower edge facing said bottom surface,
said first bevel means ending in the region of the closest
proximity of said guiding surface to said circumferential
surface.

25. A device as claimed in claim 22,
wherein said guiding element includes first bevel
means pointing away from said circumferential surface of
said toothed roller on its lower edge facing said bottom
surface, said first bevel means ending in the region of
the closest proximity of said guiding surface to said
circumferential surface.

19



26. A device as claimed in claim 20,
wherein a guide member is arranged opposite said guiding
surface in the region of said feeding channel, said
guide member forming a funnel-shaped inlet with said
guiding surface, and wherein second bevel means facing
outwards are positioned on the lower edges of said guide
member and said guiding means facing said bottom
surface, which second bevel means end in the region of
said circumferential surface of said toothed roller.

27. A device as claimed in claim 21,
wherein a guide member is arranged opposite said guiding
surface in the region of said feeding channel, said
guide member forming a funnel-shaped inlet with said
guiding surface, and wherein second bevel means facing
outwards are positioned on the lower edges of said guide
member and said guiding means facing said bottom surface,
which second bevel means end in the region of said circum-
ferential surface of said toothed roller.

28. A device as claimed in claim 22,
wherein a guide member is arranged opposite said guiding
surface in the region of said feeding channel, said
guide member forming a funnel-shaped inlet with said
guiding surface, and wherein second bevel means facing
outwards are positioned on the lower edges of said guide
member and said guiding means facing said bottom surface,
which second bevel means end in the region of said
circumferential surface of said toothed roller.

29. A device as claimed in claim 23,
wherein a guide member is arranged opposite said guiding
surface in the region of said feeding channel, said guide
member forming a funnel-shaped inlet with said guiding
surface, and wherein second bevel means facing outwards





are positioned on the lower edges of said guide member
and said guiding means facing said bottom surface,
which second bevel means end in the region of said
circumferential surface of said toothed roller.

30. A device as claimed in claim 20,
wherein said toothed roller bevel means defining a peripheral
surface around said lower side facing said discharge bottom
surface, said peripheral surface being toothed corres-
ponding to circumferential surface.

31. A device as claimed in claim 21, wherein
said toothed roller includes roller bevel means defining a
peripheral surface around said lower side facing said
discharge bottom surface, said peripheral surface being
toothed corresponding to said circumferential surface.

32. A device as claimed in claim 22,
wherein said toothed roller bevel means defining a peri-
pheral surface around said lower side facing said discharge
bottom surface, said peripheral surface being toothed
corresponding to said circumferential surface.

33. A device as claimed in claim 23,
wherein said toothed roller includes roller bevel means
defining a peripheral surface around said lower side
facing said discharge bottom surface, said peripheral
surface being toothed corresponding to said circum-
ferential surface.

34. A device as claimed in claim 26, wherein
said toothed roller bevel means defining a peripheral
surface around said lower side facing said discharge bottom
surface, said peripheral surface being toothed corresponding to
said circumferential surface.

21



35. A device as claimed in claim 20,
wherein said discharge channel together with said toothed
roller are inclined downwardly at an acute angle in
said conveying direction of said fish, and said feeding
channel is arranged substantially horizontally, and
wherein deflecting surface means are associated to
said upper side of said toother roller.

36. A device as claimed in claim 21,
wherein said discharghe channel together with said
toothed roller are inclined downwardly at an acute angle
in said conveying direction of said fish, and said feeding
channel is arranged substantially horizontally, and wherein
deflecting surface means are associated to said upper side
of said toothed roller.

37. A device as claimed in claim 25,
wherein said discharge channel together with said
toothed roller are inclined downwardly at an acute angle
in said conveying direction of said fish, and said feeding
channel is arranged substantially horizontally, and
wherein deflecting surface means are associated to
said upper side of said toothed roller.

38. A device as claimed in claim 35, wherein
said guiding element has upper means facing away from
said circumferential surface and said toothed roller,
said upper bevel means being arranged along an upper edge
of said guiding element facing said deflecting means and
end in the region of the greatest proximity of said
guiding surface to said circumferential surface.

39. A device as claimed in claim 38, wherein
said deflecting surface means are formed as a cover disc
attached to said upper side of said toothed roller and
rotating with the latter.

22

Description

`` ~2~84~2
-- 1 --


The present invention concerns a device
for the automatic supplying of fish to fish processing
machines.
A device of this type is known from DE-PS
1 454 092. In this device the fish already aligned
head first are guided in a timed manner to an uprighting
station by a conveying wheel equipped with needles in that
the needles penetrate the bottom surface of the feeding
channel in the region of the highest point of their
orbit, the timed sequence of the fish corresponding to
that of the needles. The kinetic energy imparted
to the fish in this way effects its further transport
into the uprighting station, which consists of a driven
toothed roller extending above the bottom surface of
the feeding channel. The guiding surEace of a guiding
element is arranged resiliently at a distance opposite
the circumferential surface of the toothed roller,
the front end of the guiding element being twisted.
The ~ ~




........... . .


feeding channel is arranged very steeply inclined and runs into a
discharge channel of less inclination in the region in f~ont of the
toothed roller.
The practical use of this arrangement has proved that a
satisfactory manner of working, i.e. sufflciently high functional
security and therefore the desired rationalising effect is only
guaranteed if the fish coming to be processed are of high quality.
A clear dependence of the working results on the undesired
additional catch in the form of extremely small and larges sizes,
the amount of damages and distortions caused hy the catch or the
intermediate storage, on the consistency of the fish as well as on
changes of body contour or fish shape due to the time of year the
catch is made, e.g. if the catch occurs in spawning time, can be
seen. The security of the manner of working of the device depends
on the fish reaching the passage between the circumferential
surface of the toothed roller and the guiding element with their
head flank lying fla~, since this is a prerequisite for the orderly
uprighting of each fish. The different inclination of the feeding
channel and discharge channel represents very well a feature
effective in this sense. However, it has become apparent that a
fur~her improvement is necessary. Fur-thermore, this feature is
responsible for the de~ice being built undesirably high and
therefore difficult to inspect from the operator's stand arranged
on the subsequent machine. Apart from that the fish must be lifted
to this level by a corresponding lifting conveyor and platforms or
steps are necessary to enable access.


~2~



It is therefore an essential object of
the invention to simplify the known device. It is a
further object of the invention to suggest a device
suitable for processing fish of a larger quality
tolerance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention,
there is provided a device for the automatic supply.ing
of fish of a predetermined range of sizes defined by
a smallest and a largest fish to be handled to fish
processing machines, said fish having a longitudinal
extension defined by a head end, a rump portion and a
tail portion, a height extension determined by a belly
and a back defin.ing the lower and upper sides of said
fish, respectively, and a pair of shoulder girdle
bones situated in a part of said rump portion close
to said head end, said device comprising at least
one belly-back aligning section for aligning said fish
into uniform belly-back position according to said
height entension and conveying said fish in a conveying
direction, wherein
1~ said aligning section comprises
a. feeding channel means defining a
path for said fish, guiding said
fish head end first, singly,
one behind the other, having
bottom surface means and including
conveyor means for a positive
3~ conveying of said fish,
b. an uprighting station for said
fish including driven toothed
roller means defining a toothed
circumferential surface between

~2~8~


an upper and a lower frontside,
and guiding means which defir~e a
guiding surface, lie opposite
said circumferential surface
of said toothed roller means and
are resiliently deflectable, and
c. discharge channel means downstream
of said uprighting station and having
discharge bottom surface means;
2) said conveyor means
a. form at least one part of said
bottom surface means and
b. comprise endlessly rotating driven
conveying belt means equipped
with spi~e means emerging
into said feeding channel means
near an upstream end thereof;
3) said conveying belt means are deflected
near said toothed roller means to
?O diverge from said bottom surface of - -
said feeding channel; and
4) said spike means are arranged at a
pitch distance to each other which
is greater than the length of said
largest fish to be handled.
It is expedient that a stopping flap
be provided in the region - -

~Z~ LU2
of the place where the spikes emerge into the feeding channel, the
stopping flap being positioned to extend into the path of the fish
Erom above opposite the emerging position of the spikes such that
each fish is gripped conveyingly in the region shortly behind the
shoulder girdle. In other words, the stoppiny flap is arranged at
a distance downstream of said emerging position of the spikes,
which distance corresponds at least to the distance between the
front end of the ~ish head and the shoulder girdle of the largest
fish coming to be handled. It is safeguarded thereby that the head
flank of the fish is brought to rest on t~e bottom surface of the
feeding channel since the spikes are deflected at their disappear-
ing point with increasing inclination in the direction of movement
which effects that the fish head is forced towards the bottom
surface. This effect can be heightened by arranging the spikes
inclined in the conveying direction. To achieve a similar effect
or even to increase the same the guiding element can have a bevel
pointing away from the circumferential surface of the toothed
roller on its lower edge facing the bottom surface of the feeding
channel, which bevel ends or runs out in the reglon of the greatest
proximity of the guiding surface of the guiding element to the
circumferential surface.
Since the fish are fed in an undefined manner with respect to
their belly-back position it is expedient if a guide member is
arranged opposite the guiding element in the region of the feeding
channel, which guide member forms a funnel-shaped inlet with the
guiding surface of the guiding element, and if a bevel pointing
outwards is positioned on the lower edges of the guide member and
the guiding element facing the bottom surface, which bevel runs out
-- 4 --


- ~.z~a z
or ends in the region of the circumferential surface of the toothed
roller.
In order to safeguard the conveying engagement of the toothed
roller shortly before the uprighting the toothed roller can have a
bevel on its front face pointing towards a bottom surface of the
discharge channel, the peripheral surface of this bevel being
toothed corresponding to the circumferential surface.
A device of even ]ower construction is achieved lf the dis-
charge channel and the toothed roller are inclined downwardly in
the direction of passage of the fish and the feeding channel is
arranged essentially horizontally, and if a deflecting surface is
associated to the upper front side of the toothed roller. Thereby
it is also possible to interrupt the bottom surface in the region
of the uprighting station so that additional catch and other
foreign bodies and impurities may fall out. By forming the de-
flecting surface as a cover disc attached to the upper front side
of the toothed roller and rotating with the latter, the conveying
of the fish in the uprighting station can be so improved that the
danger of the fish being obstructed at this position can be further
reduced.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other and further objects of the present invention will be
apparent from the -following description and claims and are illus-

2S trated in the accompanying drawings, which by way of illustrationschematical~y show preferred embodiments of the present invention
and the principles thereof and what now are considered to be the
best modes contemplated for app~ying these principles. Other
-- 5


:~L2~ 2

embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent
pxinciples 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.




Fig. 1 shows a view in partial section of the device in
simplified representation,
Fig. 2 shows a top view of the device according to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 shows a variation of the device with an overhead
deflecting surface; and
Fig. 4 shows an axonometric representation of the device seen
from the sectional line I-I in Fig. 2.




DETAILED DESCRIPTION ~F THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Several elongate guide paths are arranged, preferably side by
side, in a frame of a device not shown in detail for aligning fish
directed head first i~ uniform belly-back position, along which
paths the fish are supplied. For reasons of better clarity only
one guide or supplying path ~ is shown partially. It comprises
essentially an inclined supplying or feeding channel 2 an~ a
horizontal elongate discharge channel 3. ~ toothed roller 4 is
positioned in the region of that end of the discharge channel 3
which is remote from the machine to be supplied, which roller 4
rotates, laterally offset, about an axis 5 essentially perpen-
dicular to a bottom surface 5 o~ the discharge channel 3. The
driving of the toothed roller 4 ensues such that its circumfer-
ential surface 7 projecting into the discharge channel 3 is moved
-- 6



in the direction of the named end according to the arrow shown in
Fig. 2. The transitional area between the circumferential surface
7 and a front face 8 of the toothed roller 4 facing the bottom
surface 5 is formed by a bevel 9. A guiding element 10 pivotal
about an essentially vertical pivot axis ll positioned next to the
discharge channel 3 and upstream of the toothed roller ~ when seen
in the direction of movement of the fish lies opposite the circum-
ferential surface 7. The guiding element lO together with the
circumferential surface 7 of the toothed roller 4 forms an essen-

tially parallel passage l2 which can be enlarged by displacementagainst the force of a spring l3. The guiding element lO ends in a
twisted portion continued via the place of the guide element's
greatest proximity to the circumferential surface 7 and with its
lower edge forms a gap l4 with respect to the bottom surface 5.
The feeding channel 2 changes over into the discharge channel 3
shortly upstream of the toothed roller 4, the inclination of the
feeding channel 2 to the discharge channel being about 15. A
bottom surface l5 of the feeding channel 2 has a gap l6. A con-
veyor l7 is driven continuously to rotate essentially underneath
the bottom surface l5 and at least partly in the gap l6. The
conve~or 17 comprises an endless conveying belt l~ which carries
spikes or needles 19, which penetrate the ~ap l6. The spikes 19
are arranged at a distance to each other which is greater than the
length of the largest fish coming to be processed~ The conveying
belt 18 is deflected about two ~eflection wheels or rollers 20 so
that in the region of a stopping flap 21 displaceable against the
force of a spring 31 above the bottom surface l5 the spikes l9
appear above the bottom surface l5 and disappear in the region of
- 7 -



2~ 2
the transition between the feeding channel 2 and the dischargechannel 3.
According to the embodiment of FigO ~ a guide member 29 is
arranged in the inlet region of the toothed roller 4, which member
29 forms a side wall of the feeding channel 2 in its end part and a
~unnel-shaped inlet with the yuiding element 10 lying opposite.
Both the guide member 29 and the guiding element 10 have bevels 30
extending outwardly on their lower edges pointing towards the
bottom surface 15, which bevels 30 run out near the circumfe.rential
surface 7 of the toothed roller 4.
The embodiment according to Fig. 3 shows a modified structure
in which the feeding channel 2 lies essentially horizontally. A
discharge channel 22 inclined at about 15 follows downstream
thereof, a toothed roller 24 having an upper face 26 over the
bottom surface 23 of the discharge channel 22, which toothed roller
24 rotates about an axis 25 essentially perpendicular to the bottom
surface 23. The toothed roller 2~ carries a deflecting surface 27
at its upper front face 26, which deflecting surface rotates with
the toothed roller. ~s described above the guiding element 1~ is
opposed to the circumferential surface of the toothed roll~r 24,
the arrangement of the guiding element 10 being such that the
deflec-ting surface 27 forms the basis and not the bottom surface 5
(as in ~ig. 1). The bottom surface 15 of the feeding channel 2
ends shortly in front of the toothed roller 24 and leaves a free
opening 28.
The method of operation of the de~ice is described as follows:
Coming from a suitable head-tail aligning section the fish
reach the bottom surface 15 of the feeding channel 2 in side
-- 8 --


``- 12~
position, singly and head first, and are first of all held back by
the stopping flap 21. Each fish stays there until one of the
spikes 19 of the conveyor 17 penetrates the bottom surface 15 and
entrains the fish, penetrating the belly wall shortly behina the
shoulder girdle. The fish is thus guided to the uprighting
station. Before it reaches the latter the conveyor 17 is deflected
by the left one of the deflection wheels 20 so that the spike 19
disappears under the bottom surface 15. Its inclination in the
conveying direction thus increases which has the consequence that
the fish head is forced onto the bottom surface 5 of the discharge
channel 3 before the spike 19 disengages from the fish. The
inherent kinetic energy of the latter effects its penetration into
the passage between the guiding element 10 and the circumferential
surface 7 of the toothed roller 4. Due to the drop-shaped
cross-section of the fish body with burr-li~e belly contour
according to its position the fish with this contour either runs
under the bevel 9 o~ the toothed roller 4 or penetrates the gap 14
between the bottom surface 5 and the lower edge of the guiding
element 10. The pressure exerted on the guiding element 10 by
means of the spring 13 effects that the fish rights itself into the
swimming position by displacement of the guiding element 10. From
this position it is then turned into uniform side position by means
of the twisted portion of the guiding element 10.
As described above it is necessary for a secure uprighting of
the fish that the head lies with its head flank on the bottom
sur~ace 15. According to Fig. 4 this is safeguarded in that the
lower jaw side of the head runs under the bevel 30 of either the
guiding element 10 or the guide member 29O Due to the width of the

_ g _

. .


cranium no guiding occurs in the respective bevel 30 lying opposite
so that, in addition to the forcing down of -the head Elank on the
bottom surface 15, an uprighting moment about the longitudinal axis
of the fish is produced already in this area of the device.
In the embodiment according to Fig. 3 the structure is such
that the fish, due to its inherent energy, is guided at an acute
angle against the deflecting surface 27 inclined downwards with
respect to the direction of movement of the fish. The repulsing
force acting upon the fish in that process also effects the
necessary engagement of the head flank and safeguards that the fish
is righted which means its turning into the belly upward position
in this embodiment of the device.




-- 10 --