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US 4,700,547 AGranted
Method for instantly killing and cooling fish, and an apparatus for carrying out this method
OwnerTakeshi Hayashiinventor
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OwnerTakeshi Hayashiinventor
Estimating the term…
A method is provided for killing and preserving fish in a fresh state or a two stage procedure. In the primary or instant cooling stage, fish are killed instantly by the shock of emersion in a rapid cooling fluid. This fluid subjects the surface layer of each fish to a temperature below that at which they will be stored. In the secondary or storage stage, individual fish are either passively cooled on the inside by their low temperature surface layer, or else they are cooled inside and out by external means. An apparatus is also provided for this method and is comprised of the following: a rapid cooling hopper to deliver fish into the system, a primary rapid cooling tank to instantly kill fish, and a device connected to the primary rapid cooling tank to discharge fish to the secondary stage cold storage tank. Live fish are introduced to the system through the rapid cooling hopper, killed by the shock of instant cooling in the primary rapid cooling tank, and subsequently delivered to the secondary stage cold storage tank by the discharge device.
A method for instantly killing and cooling fish which comprises a primary or instant cooling stage in which the fish are instantly killed by dipping them into a rapid cooling fluid at a temperature below 0 degree C. and at the same time the body surfaces of the fish are cooled to a temperature below that of the inner portion of the fish, and a secondary or storage stage at a temperature higher than the freezing point of the fish body in which, after the primary or instant cooling stage, the fish are kept cool in a temperature above the freezing point of the fish body and above that of the rapid cooling fluid.
An apparatus for instantly killing and cooling fish comprising a rapid cooling hopper means into which fish are to be introduced, a rapid cooling tank means for receiving fish from the rapid cooling hopper means and containing rapid cooling fluid for instantly cooling fish in a primary or instant cooling stage, a cold storage tank means for receiving fish from the rapid cooling tank means and for cooling fish in a secondary or storage stage, a separator means connected to the rapid cooling tank means for separating fish from the rapid cooling fluid, a discharge means for transferring fish and fluid from the rapid cooling tank means to the separator means, a cold tub means for holding rapid cooling fluid from the separator means, a return line means for transferring rapid cooling fluid from the cold tub means to the rapid cooling hopper means and/or the rapid cooling tank means, and a cooling means for cooling the rapid cooling fluid;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.