Apparatus for grading objects such as fish

In an apparatus for grading objects having feeding means, ridged belts, rail guides, grading compartments, and driving means, where the objects are fed onto the feeding means and from there onto the ridged belts, the ridged belts being formed from numerous units of triangular cross-section fastened to each other in continuous belts, the belts being pulled by the driving means over the rail guides which determines the distance between the ridged belts so that the distance is greater at an out-feed end than at an in-feed end of the ridged belts, the improvement wherein the feeding means comprises

• a plurality of interconnected and adjustable feeding stages, each stage being equipped with side panels that divide each stage into one or more channels through which the objects are transported to thereby control the direction of flow of the objects and the velocity of the objects at each stage and onto the ridged belts which transport and grade the objects according to thickness into appropriate grading compartments, wherein said side panels are perpendicular to a bottom area of each individual feeding stage and parallel to the direction of flow of the objects and the number of side panels is the smallest at an in-feed stage at an in-feed end of the feeding means and greatest at an out-feed stage at an out-feed end of the feeding means,
• and wherein sides of the ridged-belt units have elevated waves extending approximately perpendicular to a direction of movement of the ridged belts from the in-feed end to the out-feed end thereof.