Note : Les revendications sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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;
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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