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US 5,395,282 AGranted
Method and apparatus for processing fish fillets
OwnerLane N. Harris, Lloyd D. Ryan, Jr.inventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fish fillet trimming device having a swing arm mounted rotary blade which rides on the surface of a moving conveyor table. The fish fillets are passed between the cutting blade and the conveyor surface for trimming blemished portions of the fillets. The method permits an inspector using an endless belt candling table to detect blemishes in the fillets and orient the fillets on the belt surface so as to pass beneath the trimming knife without removal of the fillets from the processing travel path.
Claims34
A fish fillet cutting apparatus comprising, in combination;
- a conveyor having a generally flat surface for moving serially arranged fish fillets along a travel path, and
- a freely rotatable circular cutting knife located in said travel path supported on and driven for rotation by the surface of said conveyor,
- whereby fish fillets on the surface of said conveyor passing beneath said cutting knife are severed thereby.
Apparatus for processing fish fillets comprising, in combination;
- conveyor means for supporting and moving serially arranged fish fillets in a uniform travel path in a given generally horizontal plane,
- said fillets being arranged in spaced relation on a first surface area of said conveyor means,
- a freely rotatable circular cutting blade,
- mounting means for mounting said cutting blade in overlying relation with said conveyor and in pressured contact with a second surface area thereof defining a cutting point normally out of contact with said fillets,
- said mounting means including swing arm means rotatably connected to said cutting blade at one end for free rotation of said blade,
- whereby said cutting device is supported and normally driven for rotation by the moving conveyor surface and held thereon by the force of gravity, said fillets being cut by passing beneath said cutting device.
3 more elements
Apparatus for processing fish fillets comprising, in combination;
- conveyor means including a rigid frame and a generally horizontally disposed translucent flexible conveyor belt having top and bottom surfaces for supporting and moving serially arranged fish fillets in a uniform travel path in a given generally horizontal plane,
- said fillets being arranged in spaced relation on a first surface area of said conveyor means,
- a freely rotatable circular cutting blade,
- mounting means including an overhead support structure connected to said conveyor frame for mounting said cutting blade in overlying relation with said conveyor in contact with the top surface of said conveyor at a second surface area thereof defining a cutting point normally out of contact with said fillets,
- said mounting means including swing arm means pivotally supported by said overhead structure and rotatably connected to said cutting blade at one end for free rotation of said blade,
- support means contacting the bottom surface of said conveyor belt in the area of contact of said cutting blade to support the weight thereof,
- a light source mounted beneath the bottom surface of said conveyor belt, and
- means mounted between said bottom surface and said light source for casting a shadow line on said conveyor belt visible from the top surface thereof,
- said shadow line being aligned with the longitudinal axis of said conveyor belt and intersecting the point of contact between the cutter blade and the top surface of the conveyor,
- whereby said cutting blade is supported and normally driven for free rotation by the moving conveyor surface and held thereon by the force of gravity, said fillets being cut by passing beneath said cutting blade.
7 more elements
A fish flesh cutting apparatus for cooperation with a moving fish conveyor surface comprising;
- a circular cutting knife blade contacting said conveyor surface,
- mounting means for mounting said blade for free rotation by and support on said conveyor surface,
- first and second circular side drums carried by said mounting means and positioned on opposite sides of said knife blade for rotation therewith,
- each said drum means including a circumferential frusto conical surface axially inclined away from said blade for contacting the surface of a fish fillet,
- annular shoulder means on each said drums remote from said blade, and
- circumferentially spaced spur members on each said shoulder means extending radially outwardly therefrom,
- whereby said spur members engage and prevent movement of a fillet relative to said knife blade and said conveyor surface when passing therebetween.
4 more elements
A method for processing fish fillets for removal of blemishes including the steps of;
- conveying said fillets arranged serially on the top surface of a translucent conveyor candling table in a given normal travel path,
- mounting a cutting blade on the surface of said conveyor spaced from the normal travel path of said fillets,
- inspecting said fillets for blemished areas, and
- diverting fillets with blemished areas from said normal travel path beneath said cutting blade for severing the blemished areas without removal of the fillet from the top surface of said conveyor.
1 more element
A method for processing fish fillets for removal of blemishes including the steps of;
- conveying said fillets on the top surface of a conveyor table in a given normal travel path,
- mounting a cutting blade in pressure contact with the surface of said conveyor spaced from the normal travel path of said fillets,
- inspecting said fillets for blemished areas, and
- diverting fillets with blemished areas from said normal travel path beneath said cutting blade for severing the blemished areas without removal of the fillet from the top surface of said conveyor.
1 more element
A method for trimming fish fillets including the steps of;
- conveying said fillets on the top surface of a conveyor table in a given normal travel path,
- mounting a cutting blade for pressured contact with the surface of said conveyor spaced from the normal travel path of said fillets,
- inspecting said fillets for trimming purposes, and
- diverting fillets to be trimmed from said normal travel path beneath said cutting blade for severing the areas to be trimmed without removal of the fillet from the top surface of said conveyor.
1 more element
A method for cutting fish including the steps of;
- conveying individual fish pieces on the top surface of a conveyor table in a given travel path,
- mounting a freely rotatable circular cutting blade in pressured contact with the surface of said conveyor to be normally rotated thereby,
- passing said fish piece on the conveyor surface beneath said blade to be severed thereby.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.