Fish cleaning machine and method

A machine for automatically cleaning fish comprising:

• a plurality of holding means for receiving a fish and holding the same with a belly side up,
• a plurality of stations for sequentially treating the fish disposed in said holding means,
• means for conveying the holding means through said treating stations,
• said treating stations including a first cutting station having a means for making a first cross incision in a lower body portion of the fish approximately along a lower and rear end of gill blades of the fish,
• a belly cutting station including means for cutting the fish lengthwise so as to open the belly thereof,
• a second cutting station arranged after the first cutting station including means for making a second cross incision subsequent to said first cross incision, said means for making said second cross incision being independent of said means for making said first cross incision, said second cross incision cutting the lower end of gill arches and clavigulae approximately where these are joined to the tongue arch of the fish, said means for making said second cross incision includes a chisel, said chisel having a cross-sectional configuration so as to permit the same to pass between the gill cover blades of the fish without causing damage to such blades,
• means for reciprocably mounting the chisel between a retracted position and an advanced position in which the chisel cuts through the gill arches and the clavigulae, and
• a cleaning station including means for removing the gills and entrails from the opened fish.

A method for automatically cleaning fish of the type to be sold with a head of the fish remaining on the fish body, the method comprising the steps of:

• making a first cross incision in a lower body portion approximately along a rear edge of the gill blades of the fish,
• making a second cross incision in a lower head portion of the fish subsequent to said first cross incision so as to cut lower ends of gil arches and clavigulae approximately where joined to a tongue arch or urohyale of the fish,
• providing a longitudinal incision along an underside of the fish body so as to open a belly of the fish, and
• removing the gills and entrails by a suction nozzle moved relatively to the fish lengthwise of the opened belly in operative engagement with the gills and entrails.

A method for automatically cleaning fish of the type to be sold with a head of the fish remaining on a fish body, the method comprising the steps of:

• making a first cross incision in a lower body portion approximately along a rear edge of the gill blades of the fish,
• making a second cross incision in a lower head portion of the fish subsequent to said first cross incision so as to cut lower ends of gill arches and clavigulae approximately where joined to a tongue arch or urohyale of the fish, by moving a chisel through a space between gill cover blades at an acute angle to a length direction of the fish rearward from a head of the fish,
• providing a longitudinal incision along an underside of the fish body so as to open a belly of the fish, and
• removing gills and entrails from an opened belly of the fish by a suction nozzle moved relatively to the fish lengthwise of the opened belly in operative engagement with the gills and entrails.