Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PPARATUS FOR FILLETING FISEI
Th~ invention relates to an apparatus for filleting
fish comprising a saddle upon which the eviscerated fish
are placed astride and a pair of rotating circular
knives between the blades of which the said saddle is
displaceable for the purpose of filleting the fish.
An apparatus of this kind is described and
illustrated in German OS 2,521,272. The eviscerated and
beheaded fish, in this case, is placed upon a cross-
sectionally T-shaped saddle in such a manner that the
tail is at the rear as the saddle advances. The fish,
thus held, is first placed between two spring-loaded
guides, the purpose of which is to align it centrally
for the following operating procedures. The guides are
followed by a cutting station comprising an upper and
lower pair of circular knives, the distance between the
-~blades of each pair being fixed. The backbones are
separated from the fillets in a subsequent filleting
station with two initially parallel and then diverging
plates.
A similar apparatus is described in German AS
1,454,082. In this case, ~he eviscerated fish is placed
tail-first upon a saddle and is passed to a back-
filleting-blade plate and to a belly-filleting-blade.
Prior to filleting, the bones are cut free with two
incisions extending in the abdominal-cavity area, on
each side o~ the fish, almost to the lower vertabral
extensions. Available for this purpose are two pairs of
circular knives adapted to pivot inwardly and outwardly
in synchronism, the blades of which are adapted to
rotate about a vertical axis. ~he blades of all of
these knives are at a fixed distance from each other.
The invention is directed to the provision of an
~35 apparatus of the type mentioned above in such a manner
-~ that the distance between the circular knives
corresponds to the thickness of the ~ish placed upon the
saddle wherein the saddle is also to be adapted to the
thickness o~ the fish.
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In accordance with the present invention, there is
provided an apparatus for filleting fish, comprising a
saddle upon which the eviscerated fish are placed
astride and a pair of rotating circular knives, between
the blades of which the saddle is displaceable
longitudinally for the purpose of filleting the fish,
the distance between the circular knives being variable.
By providing the distance between the circular
knives variable, it is possible to use saddles of
different thicknesses, depending upon the size of the
fish.
It is desirable, in this connection, for each
circular knife to be mounted upon a lever adapted to
pivot about a vertical axis. This design makes it
possible to attach, to each pivoting lever, a sensing
arm, the free end of which carries a sensing roller
bearing against a lateral surface of the saddle. This
has the advantage that the distance between the circular
knives is adapted automatically to the thickness of the
saddle.
In order to ensure that the fish rests securely
upon the saddle during the filleting operation,
pressure elements are provided above the saddle and on
each side thereof. These elements may be in the form of
rollers bearing against the ~ish.
However, it is also po~sible for the saddle to
comprise suction-elements which draw the ~ish to the
surfaces of the said saddle.
It is desirable to provide, in front of the
circular knives, as s en in the operating direction, and
above the- saddle, a bladP lying in the longitudinal
plan thereof. This blade cuts the fish in the middle of
the back down to the backbone. Two subsequent elements
then deflect the incised flesh to the side before the
two circular knives carry out the filleting operation.
In this way the flesh above the backbone, of which there
is a considerable amount when the backbone is wide, does
not go to waste.
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Further characteristics and advantage~ of the
invention may be gathered from the sub-claims and from
the following description of the example of embodiment
illustrated in the drawing attached hereto, wherein:
S Figure 1 is a diagrammatical side elevation of an
apparatus according to the invention; and
Figure 2 is a diagrammatical plan view of the
apparatu~ according to Figure 1.
Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates
diagrammatically a baseplate 10 having a longitudinal
guide for a saddle 12 in the form of a plate which is
adapted to move longitudinally in the direction of the
double arrow. The drive for this movement is not shown.
Saddle 12 may be replaced in order to adapt it to the
si2e of the fish 14 to be filleted. The eviscerated
fish is place astride the saddle 12 with the tail 16
directed forwardly. In order to ensure that the fish is
well supported upon the saddle 12, the surface o the
latter carries transverse incisions 18 and has a
step-like stop 20 in the vicinity of the tail 16.
Located in front of saddle 12, as seen in the
direstion of feed, are two circular knives 22 arranged
substantially in parallel with each other, each of them
mounted upon a lever 24 adapted to rotate about a
horizontal axis. The drive for the circular knives is
also not shown. Levers 24 are mounted upon baseplate 10
in such a manner as to be pivotable about a vertical
a~is 26.
Secured to each lever 24 is a sensing arm 28, the
free end of which extend6 to saddle 12 and carries a
sensing roller 30 bearing against a lateral surface 32
of the said saddle. Also provided arP pressure-elements
34 which are in the form of compression springs urging
the sensing rollers towards lateral surfaces 32 of the
saddle 12.
As a result of this arrangement, the distance
between circular knives 22 matches thickness d of saddle
12, in such a manner that the distanc~ is only slightly
greater than the thickness. The piece ~f flesh cut from
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the fish during filleting, and containing the bones, is
therefore as thin as possible.
While saddle 12, carrying fish 14, is advancing
between circular knives 22, rollers 36, bearing
resiliently against the sides of the fish, ensure that
the fish adheres closely to the saddle 12. The same
purpose is served by a pressure-roller 38 bearing
resillently upon the fish from above.
Figure 1 also shows that suction-holes 40 are
provided in the vicinity of the upper edge of saddle 12,
the holes 40 being connected, through a suction-line 42,
to a suction-source, not shown. In this design, the
suction-holes also ensure that the fish adheres closely
to lateral surfaces 32 of saddle 12.
The thickness d of the saddle 12 which is used is
determined by the width of the backbone of the fish to
be fillsted~ In the case of large fish in particular,
`~ there is a large amount of flesh above the backbone. In
order not to lose this flesh during ~illeting with the
two circular knives, a blade ~4 is provid~d, ahead of
the circular knives and above the saddle, in the
longitudinal central plane of the latter. The blade 44
may be in the form of a rotating knife or a stationary
blade. As shown in Figur~ 1, the blade 44 is preferably
vertically adjustable by means of a screw 46, so that
the longitudinal incision in the back of the fish
extends to the backbone. As the saddle 12 advances, two
lateral, wedge-shaped elernents 48 de~lect the cut ~lesh
laterally away before it reaches circular knives 22.
This arrangement provides a further increase in the
yield during filleting.
In summary of thi~ disclosure, the present
; invention provides a novel fish ~illeting apparatus
which is able to a~commodate variable sizes of fish.
Modi~ications are possible within the scope of this
; inventionS
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