Apparatus for deheading shrimp

An apparatus for deheading shrimp comprising:

• a holding tank having a front and rear walls divided into a first portion having high water level adapted to contain a plurality of shrimp and a second portion having a lower water level, said first and second portions being separated by an intermediate high wall;
• a screen covered drum having a plurality of internal paddles rotatably mounted on an axis, said axis being positioned in said first portion of said tank parallel to said intermediate wall so as to partially submerge said drum;
• pumping means for removing water from said low water level portion of said tank adapted to pump said water through a plurality of orifices in said high water level portion of said tank to set up a circulation in said water and cause said drum to rotate on said axis, and further adapted to cause said water and shrimp to flow over said intermediate wall;
• a shrimp elevator in said low water portion of said tank, said elevator being equipped with a plurality of catch pockets for lifting shrimp and adapted to carry shrimp from said tank to a shaker table;
• an inclined mesh surface extending from the top of said intermediate wall downward toward said elevator adapted to allow shrimp to roll downward and be caught in said catch pockets;
• an inclined shaker table having at least one convergent longitudinal channel, said channel adapted to receive shrimp at its upper end from said catch pockets, said table being impelled to oscillatory motion by a prime mover;
• an inclined transfer trough, whose upper end engages the lower end of said shaker table, adapted to pass shrimp to a timing means;
• a timing means comprising a curved metal strip operatively mounted on an axis and adapted to selectively release one shrimp at a time from said transfer trough into the upper end of an orienting chute;
• control means for synchronizing the movement of said shrimp through the apparatus;
• a vertical orienting chute, whose upper end is proximate said timing means, comprising a fixed wall and a moveable wall pivotably mounted at its upper end, said chute being adapted to catch shrimp by the head when said chute is closed so the shrimp will be oriented tail down in the chute, said moveable wall further being responsive to said control means to selectably open said chute to allow said shrimp to fall tail first out of said chute;
• a shrimp inverter wheel beneath the lower end of said vertical chute having an opening adapted to receive said tail first shrimp from said chute, said wheel being rotatably mounted on an axle responsive to said control means and adapted to rotate and deposit said shrimp head first into a transfer chute;
• a transfer chute whose upper end is proximate said inverter wheel and whose lower end is proximate the center of a pair of rollers, said chute being adapted to present said shrimp head first to the junction of said rollers;
• and
• a pair of counter rotating rollers proximate said lower end of said transfer chute adapted to grip and pass the head of said shrimp while not passing its body, said grip being sufficient to sever said head from said body.