US 5,026,318 A · Method and apparatus for gutting non-decapitated fish

Abstract

In a method and an apparatus for gutting non-decapitated fish, in particular breeding fish such as trout, it is characteristic for the processing that the fish are conveyed with their tails leading in longitudinally aligned conveyor troughs, and the treatment of the fish comprises the processing steps of slitting the belly cavity from the anus up to the region of the belly cavity; spreading the belly flaps and tearing open of the bloodstream; collecting and sucking off the entrails; and tearing off the gullet in the area of the mouth cavity. This processing can selectively be combined with the removal of the gills. For correctly performing this process, the cutting tool for slitting the belly cavity is provided with lateral knife blades, which sever the intestine in the anal region, while the suction nozzle is designed as a clamping mechanism in order to tear off the gullet.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for processing non-decapitated fish, in particular breeding fish such as trout, by gutting, the method comprising the steps of

(a) opening the belly cavity of said fish through slitting the belly walls surrounding the belly cavity, beginning in the anal region, along the belly seam;
(b) simultaneously with said opening of said belly cavity, releasing the intestine of said fish in the region of the anus from the belly walls;
(c) removing the entrails through a sucking action while continuously collecting them from the anus towards the head of said fish;
and
(d) seizing in a clamping manner and tearing off in the region of the mouth cavity of said fish, its gullet and, selectively, its gills.

2 more elements

An apparatus for processing non-decapitated fish, in particular breeding fish such as trout, by gutting by means of opening the belly cavity of said fish through a slitting action of the belly walls surrounding the belly cavity, beginning in the anal region, along the belly seam;

releasing the intestine of said fish in the region of the anus from the belly walls simultaneously when opening the belly cavity;
removing the entrails through a sucking action while continuously collecting them from the anus towards the head of said fish;
and removing the gullet and, selectively, the gills of said fish by seizing them in a clamping manner and tearing them off in the region of the mouth cavity;
said apparatus comprising
(a) conveyor means, including at least one fish receptacle for the fish to be processed, which supports said fish at least by its back and pushes it with the tail thereof leading in a conveying direction;
and
(b) processing means, which can be moved in a controlled manner with regard to the path of the fish for the purpose of processing the fish according to said method, said processing means including
(ba) a cutting tool, which is driven to rotate, for opening the belly cavity in the area between the anus and the gill cavity, said cutting tool comprising a circular knife defining a cutting edge and knife flanks, and knife blades associated with said knife flanks and extending essentially radially up to the vicinity of said cutting edge;
(bb) a spreader for spreading said belly walls;
(bc) a scraping tool for at least partially opening the bloodstream of said fish arranged downstream of said cutting tool;
and
(bd) entrail removing means for removing the entrails by a suction effect, which entrail removing means include a suction nozzle having a suction opening, which is directed against said conveying direction of said fish.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for gutting non-decapitated fish

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for gutting non-decapitated fish

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20