CA2720956C - Fish rodding apparatus - Google Patents
Fish rodding apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2720956C CA2720956C CA2720956A CA2720956A CA2720956C CA 2720956 C CA2720956 C CA 2720956C CA 2720956 A CA2720956 A CA 2720956A CA 2720956 A CA2720956 A CA 2720956A CA 2720956 C CA2720956 C CA 2720956C
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- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- fish
- gill
- rod
- feeding device
- rodding
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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- 241000251468 Actinopterygii Species 0.000 claims abstract description 182
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 80
- 230000001154 acute effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 31
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 15
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 claims 2
- 235000019688 fish Nutrition 0.000 description 142
- 235000019514 herring Nutrition 0.000 description 9
- 241000252203 Clupea harengus Species 0.000 description 8
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 7
- -1 for example Inorganic materials 0.000 description 7
- 241000894007 species Species 0.000 description 6
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 5
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 description 5
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 4
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 3
- 230000000391 smoking effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229920002799 BoPET Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 241000555825 Clupeidae Species 0.000 description 2
- 239000005041 Mylar™ Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000779 smoke Substances 0.000 description 2
- 241001454694 Clupeiformes Species 0.000 description 1
- 239000004677 Nylon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004743 Polypropylene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 241000269821 Scombridae Species 0.000 description 1
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012467 final product Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000020640 mackerel Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920001778 nylon Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 230000000149 penetrating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920001155 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000915 polyvinyl chloride Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004800 polyvinyl chloride Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004321 preservation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009938 salting Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
- A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
- A22C25/00—Processing fish ; Curing of fish; Stunning of fish by electric current; Investigating fish by optical means
- A22C25/10—Devices for threading fish on strings or the like
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
- A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
- A22C25/00—Processing fish ; Curing of fish; Stunning of fish by electric current; Investigating fish by optical means
- A22C25/12—Arranging fish, e.g. according to the position of head and tail
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A40/00—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production
- Y02A40/80—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in fisheries management
- Y02A40/81—Aquaculture, e.g. of fish
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
- Zoology (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Processing Of Meat And Fish (AREA)
Abstract
A fish rodding apparatus is provided. A rod holding mechanism for holding a rod oriented along a first direction is mounted to a support frame. A feeding device mounted to the support frame holds a fish such that a gill on one side of the fish is facing the rod and such that the fish is oriented along a second direction with the second direction being at a predetermined acute angle to the first direction. A gill opening device mounted to the support frame opens the gill of the fish. An actuating mechanism is interposed between the support frame and at least one of the rod holding mechanism and the feeding device. The actuating mechanism provides relative movement between the feeding device and the rod such that the rod enters the fish through the opened gill and exits the fish through its mouth.
Description
FISH RODDING APPARATUS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of commercial fish processing operations, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for rodding fish.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Smoking of fish such as, for example, herring for preservation and/or flavouring is a common practice and generally performed in medium to large scale commercial fish processing operations. The smoking is typically performed by "rodding" the fish, i.e.
mounting a plurality of fish to a long rod, and disposing the rod with the fish in a smoke house, for example, by placing the rods on respective brackets inside the smoke house.
The rodding of the fish - especially larger fish such as herring - is still a manual process where the rod is inserted into the head of the fish through the gill and exited through the mouth of the fish. This manual process of rodding causes no or only minor damage to the flesh and ensures an appealing appearance of the fish after smoking. Unfortunately, this process is very time consuming and labour intensive. Furthermore, this process requires a high level of concentration to ensure that the rod is properly guided through the head of the fish for the rod to exit through the mouth. Improper guidance causes substantial damage to the head of the fish.
State of the art automatic rodding machines use rigid steel rods or spears which are thrust through the head of the fish. Unfortunately, this type of rodding technique is only applicable for rodding small fish such as, for example, sprats and kilka, and causes substantial damage to the head of the fish resulting in an undesirable appearance of the final product.
It is desirable to provide an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method for rodding larger fish such as, for example, herring.
Page 1 of 15 It is also desirable to provide an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method that causes no or only minor damage to the head of the fish.
It is also desirable to provide an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method that is capable of rodding fish at a high rate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method for rodding larger fish such as, for example, herring.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method that causes no or only minor damage to the head of the fish.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method that is capable of rodding fish at a high rate.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fish rodding apparatus. A
rod holding mechanism for holding a rod oriented along a first direction is mounted to a support frame. A feeding device mounted to the support frame holds a fish such that a gill on one side of the fish is facing the rod and such that the fish is oriented along a second direction with the second direction being at a predetermined acute angle to the first direction.
A gill opening device mounted to the support frame opens the gill of the fish. An actuating mechanism is interposed between the support frame and at least one of the rod holding mechanism and the feeding device.
The actuating mechanism provides relative movement between the feeding device and the rod such that the rod enters the fish through the opened gill and exits the fish through its mouth.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a method for rodding a fish. A rod oriented along a first direction is provided. A feeding device holds a fish such that a gill on one side of the fish is facing the rod and such that the fish is oriented along a second direction with the second direction being at a predetermined acute angle to the first Page 2 of 15 direction. A gill opening device opens the gill of the fish. Relative movement between the feeding device and the rod is provided such that the rod enters the fish through the opened gill and exits the fish through its mouth.
The advantage of the present invention is that it provides an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method for rodding larger fish such as, for example, herring.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method that causes no or only minor damage to the head of the fish.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method that is capable of rodding fish at a high rate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 a is a simplified block diagram illustrating a perspective view of a fish rodding apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure lb is a simplified block diagram illustrating a perspective view of an actuating mechanism and a fish loading mechanism of the fish rodding apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure lc is a simplified block diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of the actuating mechanism according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figures 2a and 2b are simplified block diagrams illustrating perspective views of a feeding device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Page 3 of 15 Figures 3a and 3b are simplified block diagrams illustrating perspective views of a gill opening device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figures 4a to 4d are simplified block diagrams illustrating perspective views of a section of the fish rodding apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the invention for illustrating various stages of the fish rodding process; and, Figures 5a and 5b are simplified block diagrams illustrating perspective views of a positioning mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs.
Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described.
While embodiments of the invention will be described for rodding herring for the sake of simplicity, it will become evident to those skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto, but are also applicable for rodding various other species of fish of similar size such as, for example, mackerel and alewives, as well as species of fish of different size such as, for example, sprats and kilka. Furthermore, the embodiments of the invention are employable for rodding whole fish as well as split fish. Yet further, the embodiments of the invention are adaptable to accommodate wooden rods as well as metal rods of various cross sections - size and shape - and lengths.
Referring to Figures 1 a to 1 c, a fish rodding apparatus 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is provided. The fish rodding apparatus 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a support frame 102 for supporting various components of rodding section 104. Attached to the rodding section 104 are: fish conveyor 106 for conveying Page 4 of 15 fish such as herrings from previous processing steps such as, for example, salting and splitting to the rodding section 104; and rod conveyor 108 for providing rods to the rodding section 104. The fish conveyor 106 is, for example, a standard fish conveyor used in fish processing plants and adapted for providing the fish at a predetermined speed suitable for the rodding process and having a predetermined orientation. The rod conveyor 108 is, for example, a conventional conveying mechanism adapted to provide rods in a fashion suitable for being picked up by respective gripping tools disposed in the rodding section 104. The filled rods are removed for further processing using rod removal mechanism 105 comprising, for example, standard gripping and transport tools. Preferably, the various components of the fish rodding apparatus 100 are controlled using controller 103 communicating with the various components using one or a combination of electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic communication lines.
Disposed in the rodding section 104 and preferably mounted to the support structure 102 is fish loading mechanism 114 for loading the fish 10 from the fish conveyor 106 onto feeding device 112 of actuating mechanism 110, as illustrated in Figure lb. Preferably, the fish 10 are provided disposed on one side and oriented in a same fashion in transport trays of the fish conveyor 106 for accurate provision of the fish 10 to the fish loading mechanism 114.
Further preferably, the loading mechanism 114 comprises a gripping arm for engaging the upper side of the fish 10 when the fish is at a predetermined location - i.e. aligned with the feeding device 112 - and for sliding the fish to a predetermined position on the feeding device 112 of the actuating mechanism 110.
Preferably, the actuating mechanism 110 comprises 4 feeding devices 112 which are movable between a bottom level for receiving the fish 10 and a top level for providing the fish 10 for rodding. The feeding devices 112 are connected to respective chain drives 116A
and 116B
disposed on a left hand side and a right hand side of the feeding devices 112.
The chain drives 11 6A, 116B form a carousel and are moved - as indicated by the arrows - with the chain drive 116A, 116B being directed using sprocket wheels 118 rotatable mounted to the support frame 102. The chain drives 11 6A, 11 6B are actuated using an electric drive mechanism driving one or more of the sprocket wheels 118. Alternatively, a pneumatic or hydraulic drive mechanism is employed. Further alternatively, belt drives such as V-belt drives or toothed belt drives are employed. The feeding devices 112 are guided using respective feeding device guiding Page 5 of 15 mechanisms 120A, 120B disposed on the left hand side and the right hand side of the feeding devices 112, as illustrated in Figures 1 b and 1 c.
Referring to Figures 2a and 2b, a preferred embodiment of the feeding device 112 is provided.
The feeding device 112 comprises an L-shaped feeding device body structure 122 having on each side 3 feeding device guiding rollers 124A, 124B, and 124C rotatable mounted thereto for engaging respective surfaces of the feeding device guiding mechanisms 120A, 120B. For example, for guiding the feeding device 112 during vertical movement the feeding device guiding rollers 124A and 124B are engaged with respective surfaces of the feeding device guiding mechanisms 120A, 120B while for guiding the feeding device during horizontal movement all three guiding rollers 124A, 124B, and 124C are engaged - with the guiding rollers 124B and 124C engaging a respective upper surface of the feeding device guiding mechanisms 120A, 120B while the guiding rollers 124A engage a respective lower surface of the feeding device guiding mechanisms 120A, 120B. Preferably, the feeding device body structure 122 is made of a suitable metal such as, for example, aluminum or stainless steel.
The guiding rollers are mounted to the feeding device body structure 122 using, for example, screw threaded bolts for fastening the same to respective screw threaded bores disposed in the feeding device body structure 122 and having a cylindrical portion for being accommodated in respective bores of the guiding rollers. The guiding rollers are made of a non-corroding metal such as, for example, aluminum or stainless steel or a suitable plastic material such as for example, Polypropylene, Polyvinyl Chloride, or Nylon. The feeding device 112 has mounted thereto drive connectors 123A, 123B for being mounted to the respective chain drives 116A, 116B. The drive connectors 123A, 123B comprise, for example, screw threaded portions for being fastened to respective screw threaded bores disposed in the feeding device body structure 122.
The feeding device 112 further comprises a fish support plane 132, preferably having a predetermined size and orientation for supporting the fish 10 having a predetermined orientation during the rodding process as will be described herein below. Fish holding mechanism 126 is pivotally movable mounted to the feeding device body structure 122 and movable between a holding position and a loading/release position. Preferably, the fish holding mechanism 126 is spring loaded holding the fish holding mechanism 126 in the holding position for engaging the upper side of the fish while the opposite lower side of the fish is engaged by the fish support Page 6 of 15 plane 132. The spring loading is designed such that it is sufficient for holding the fish during transport in the actuating mechanism 110 and during a first portion of the rodding process while enabling release of the fish at a later stage of the rodding process as will be described herein below. The fish holding mechanism 126 further comprises a fish holding mechanism lever 128 for opening and holding the fish holding mechanism 126 in the loading/release position when the feeding device 112 is in the bottom position for receiving the fish 10. When the feeding device 112 is in the bottom position the fish holding mechanism lever 128 engages a respective opening structure mounted to the support frame to open the fish holding mechanism 126 and disengages the same after loading of the fish, i.e. after moving the feeding device horizontally a predetermined distance.
The feeding device 112 further comprises a head lifting device 130 having a fish head abutting portion 130A for abutting a portion of the head of the fish in a predetermined position.
Preferably, the head abutting portion 130A comprises a flat surface disposed at a predetermined angle /3 to a longitudinal direction of the feeding device 112, as indicated by the dashed lines in Figure 2a. The angle is determined in dependence upon the species and the typical size of the fish to be processed. For example, for herring an angle between 20 and 25 is suitable. The head lifting device 130 further comprises a fish head lifting portion 130B which is preferably a flat surface disposed at a predetermined angle to the fish support plane 132. The angle is determined in dependence upon the species and the typical size of the fish to be processed. For example, for herring an angle between 12 and 18 is suitable. Lifting the head of the fish facilitates breaking the seal around the gill of the fish as will be described herein below.
Preferably, the head lifting device 130 is made of a suitable plastic material such as, for example, Mylar, and removable mounted to the feeding device body structure 122 using, for example, a holding pin mounted to the feeding device body structure and a respective bore 131 disposed in the head lifting device 130. Removable mounting of the head lifting device 130 enables simple adjustment of the feeding device 112 for different species of fish.
For opening the gill 14 of the fish 10 a gill opening device is provided.
Preferably, the gill opening device comprises gill opening hammer 134 for repeatedly striking the head 12 of the fish 10 in order to break the seal around the gill 14 of the fish 10. The gill opening hammer 134 Page7of 15 comprises, for example, a hammer head 134A made of a suitable metal such as, for example, aluminum or stainless steel, or a suitable plastic material such as, for example, Mylar for engaging the head 12 of the fish. The hammer head is mounted to a first end portion of a hammer arm 134B which is pivotally movable mounted to the support frame 102 and connected to a hammer actuator 134C at a second opposite end portion, as illustrated in Figures 3a and 3b. The hammer actuator comprises, for example, a pneumatic, a hydraulic, or an electric drive mechanism. Preferably, the opening hammer 134 is placed such that the head 12 of the fish 10 is engaged as soon as the feeding device 112 reaches the upper level, as illustrated in Figure 1 c.
Preferably, the gill opening hammer 134 is operated in a continuous fashion.
Alternatively, the gill opening hammer 134 is operated only when the head 12 of the fish 10 is in proximity to the hammer head 134A controlled, for example, by a switching mechanism for switching the operation ON and OFF in dependence upon the position of the feeding device 112. As described herein above, the breaking of the seal and the opening of the gill is facilitated by lifting the head 12 of the fish using the head lifting device 130.
Preferably, the gill opening device further comprises fluid supply mechanism 136 mounted to the support frame 102 such that a fluid flow is directed towards the gill 14 of the fish at the time the head 12 of the fish is engaged by the opening hammer 134 and prior to the insertion of the tip 139 of the rod 138 into the gill 14 as will be described herein below. The fluid flow facilitates opening of the gill 14 and maintains the gill 14 in an opened position. The fluid supply mechanism 136 comprises, for example, a pipe or tube mounted to the support structure and connected to a fluid supply providing a fluid such as, for example, compressed air, water, or a water solution. Optionally, a nozzle is disposed at the end of the pipe for directing the fluid flow.
Further optionally, the fluid supply mechanism 136 is disposed such that its end is aligned with the rod 138, as illustrated in Figure 4a. Preferably, the fluid supply mechanism 136 is operated in a continuous fashion. Alternatively, the fluid supply mechanism 136 is operated only when the head 12 of the fish 10 is in proximity to the fluid supply mechanism 136 controlled, for example, by a switching mechanism for switching the operation ON and OFF in dependence upon the position of the feeding device 112.
When in the upper level, the feeding device 112 is moved substantially horizontally along direction 142, as indicated by the dashed line and block arrow in Figure 4a.
The rod 138 is Page 8 of 15 disposed along direction 140 forming an acute angle a to the direction 142 such that the tip 139 of the rod 138 is disposed in proximity to the upper surface of the fish 10 absent engaging the same and such that the tip 139 is inserted into the opened gill 14 when the same reaches the tip 139, as illustrated in Figures 4a and 4b. Suitable angles a for various sizes and species of fish as well as different types of rods are easily determined in an empirical fashion.
Further movement of the feeding device 112 in the direction 142 results in the rod 138 penetrating the fish's head 12 towards the fish's mouth 16 where the rod exits the fish's head 12, as illustrated in Figures 4b and 4c. Further movement of the feeding device 112 along the direction 142 moves the fish's head along the rod 138, i.e. pulls the fish's head 12 upwards along the direction 140, until the feeding device 112 reaches the end of the upper level of feeding device guiding mechanism 120A, 120B and is moved downward in a vertical direction to the loading position, as indicated by the block arrow in Figure 4d. At this point the pulling force acting on the fish 10 is sufficient to overcome the spring loading of the fish holding mechanism 126 for releasing the fish 10.
During this process the front portion of the rod 138 is clamped by rod holding mechanism 144B
disposed in proximity to the end of the upper level of feeding device guiding mechanism while a similar holding mechanism is employed for clamping the rod 138 in proximity to a rear end portion thereof.
After the fish 10 is released the front portion of the rod 138 is clamped closer to the tip 139 using rod holding mechanism 144A in order to enable moving the fish 10 further along the rod 138.
Preferably, the fish is moved along the rod 138 to a predetermined position using positioning mechanism 146, as illustrated in Figures 5a and 5b. The positioning mechanism 146 is linearly movable along positioning rail 148 which is oriented substantially parallel to the rod 138 and mounted to the support frame 102. The positioning mechanism 146 comprises a positioning rod 150 movable mounted thereto between a retracted position and an extended position. In operation, the positing rod 150 is extended using, for example, a pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric drive mechanism and moved along the underside of the rod 138 by moving the positioning mechanism 146 along the positioning rail 148. During the movement the positioning rod 150 engages a predetermined portion of the fish's head 12 in proximity to the mouth 16. The movement of the positioning mechanism 146 is stopped when the positioning mechanism 146 has reached a predetermined position along the positioning rail 148 which corresponds to the Page 9 of 15 predetermined position of the fish 10 along the rod 138. The positioning mechanism 146 is moved along the positioning rail 148 using, for example, a pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric drive mechanism.
Preferably, the rod holding mechanisms 144A and 144E each comprise a pair of clamping arms 152 having a first end portion for clamping the rod 138 and being rotatable mounted at pivot 154 to rod holding support 153. An opposite second end portion of each clamping arm 152 is accommodated in a V-shaped guide 156 of actuating mechanism 158. Vertical movement of the actuating mechanism 158 between a lower position and an upper position moves the clamping arms 152 between an open position and a clamping position, respectively. The actuating mechanism 158 is moved using, for example, a pneumatic, a hydraulic, or an electric drive mechanism.
Empty rods are provided to the rod holding mechanisms from the rod conveyor and filled rods are removed using automated gripping and transport tools known to one skilled in the art.
Alternatively, the empty and filled rods are handled manually.
Preferably, the fish rodding apparatus 100 is operated in a continuous fashion, i.e. the various operations of: loading the fish 10 onto the feeding device 112; transporting the fish from the lower level to the upper level of the feeding device guiding mechanism 120;
opening the gill 14 of the fish and inserting the rod; and moving the empty feeding device 112 to the lower level of the feeding device guiding mechanism 120, are performed simultaneously. The simultaneous execution of the various steps of the rodding process enables rodding at a rate of approximately 1 fish per second. Typically, 15 to 20 fish are disposed on one rod, but as is evident the fish rodding apparatus 100 is adaptable to dispose various other numbers of fish on a rod depending on the size of the fish and the size of the rod.
Alternatively, relative movement between the fish 10 and the rod 138 is realized by holding the fish 10 in a stationary position oriented along the direction 142 and moving the rod 138 along the direction 140.
The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferred embodiments. However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can Page 10 of 15 be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein.
Page 11 of 15
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of commercial fish processing operations, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for rodding fish.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Smoking of fish such as, for example, herring for preservation and/or flavouring is a common practice and generally performed in medium to large scale commercial fish processing operations. The smoking is typically performed by "rodding" the fish, i.e.
mounting a plurality of fish to a long rod, and disposing the rod with the fish in a smoke house, for example, by placing the rods on respective brackets inside the smoke house.
The rodding of the fish - especially larger fish such as herring - is still a manual process where the rod is inserted into the head of the fish through the gill and exited through the mouth of the fish. This manual process of rodding causes no or only minor damage to the flesh and ensures an appealing appearance of the fish after smoking. Unfortunately, this process is very time consuming and labour intensive. Furthermore, this process requires a high level of concentration to ensure that the rod is properly guided through the head of the fish for the rod to exit through the mouth. Improper guidance causes substantial damage to the head of the fish.
State of the art automatic rodding machines use rigid steel rods or spears which are thrust through the head of the fish. Unfortunately, this type of rodding technique is only applicable for rodding small fish such as, for example, sprats and kilka, and causes substantial damage to the head of the fish resulting in an undesirable appearance of the final product.
It is desirable to provide an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method for rodding larger fish such as, for example, herring.
Page 1 of 15 It is also desirable to provide an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method that causes no or only minor damage to the head of the fish.
It is also desirable to provide an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method that is capable of rodding fish at a high rate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method for rodding larger fish such as, for example, herring.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method that causes no or only minor damage to the head of the fish.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method that is capable of rodding fish at a high rate.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fish rodding apparatus. A
rod holding mechanism for holding a rod oriented along a first direction is mounted to a support frame. A feeding device mounted to the support frame holds a fish such that a gill on one side of the fish is facing the rod and such that the fish is oriented along a second direction with the second direction being at a predetermined acute angle to the first direction.
A gill opening device mounted to the support frame opens the gill of the fish. An actuating mechanism is interposed between the support frame and at least one of the rod holding mechanism and the feeding device.
The actuating mechanism provides relative movement between the feeding device and the rod such that the rod enters the fish through the opened gill and exits the fish through its mouth.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a method for rodding a fish. A rod oriented along a first direction is provided. A feeding device holds a fish such that a gill on one side of the fish is facing the rod and such that the fish is oriented along a second direction with the second direction being at a predetermined acute angle to the first Page 2 of 15 direction. A gill opening device opens the gill of the fish. Relative movement between the feeding device and the rod is provided such that the rod enters the fish through the opened gill and exits the fish through its mouth.
The advantage of the present invention is that it provides an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method for rodding larger fish such as, for example, herring.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method that causes no or only minor damage to the head of the fish.
A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides an automatic fish rodding apparatus and method that is capable of rodding fish at a high rate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 a is a simplified block diagram illustrating a perspective view of a fish rodding apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure lb is a simplified block diagram illustrating a perspective view of an actuating mechanism and a fish loading mechanism of the fish rodding apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure lc is a simplified block diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of the actuating mechanism according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figures 2a and 2b are simplified block diagrams illustrating perspective views of a feeding device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Page 3 of 15 Figures 3a and 3b are simplified block diagrams illustrating perspective views of a gill opening device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figures 4a to 4d are simplified block diagrams illustrating perspective views of a section of the fish rodding apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the invention for illustrating various stages of the fish rodding process; and, Figures 5a and 5b are simplified block diagrams illustrating perspective views of a positioning mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs.
Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described.
While embodiments of the invention will be described for rodding herring for the sake of simplicity, it will become evident to those skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto, but are also applicable for rodding various other species of fish of similar size such as, for example, mackerel and alewives, as well as species of fish of different size such as, for example, sprats and kilka. Furthermore, the embodiments of the invention are employable for rodding whole fish as well as split fish. Yet further, the embodiments of the invention are adaptable to accommodate wooden rods as well as metal rods of various cross sections - size and shape - and lengths.
Referring to Figures 1 a to 1 c, a fish rodding apparatus 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is provided. The fish rodding apparatus 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a support frame 102 for supporting various components of rodding section 104. Attached to the rodding section 104 are: fish conveyor 106 for conveying Page 4 of 15 fish such as herrings from previous processing steps such as, for example, salting and splitting to the rodding section 104; and rod conveyor 108 for providing rods to the rodding section 104. The fish conveyor 106 is, for example, a standard fish conveyor used in fish processing plants and adapted for providing the fish at a predetermined speed suitable for the rodding process and having a predetermined orientation. The rod conveyor 108 is, for example, a conventional conveying mechanism adapted to provide rods in a fashion suitable for being picked up by respective gripping tools disposed in the rodding section 104. The filled rods are removed for further processing using rod removal mechanism 105 comprising, for example, standard gripping and transport tools. Preferably, the various components of the fish rodding apparatus 100 are controlled using controller 103 communicating with the various components using one or a combination of electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic communication lines.
Disposed in the rodding section 104 and preferably mounted to the support structure 102 is fish loading mechanism 114 for loading the fish 10 from the fish conveyor 106 onto feeding device 112 of actuating mechanism 110, as illustrated in Figure lb. Preferably, the fish 10 are provided disposed on one side and oriented in a same fashion in transport trays of the fish conveyor 106 for accurate provision of the fish 10 to the fish loading mechanism 114.
Further preferably, the loading mechanism 114 comprises a gripping arm for engaging the upper side of the fish 10 when the fish is at a predetermined location - i.e. aligned with the feeding device 112 - and for sliding the fish to a predetermined position on the feeding device 112 of the actuating mechanism 110.
Preferably, the actuating mechanism 110 comprises 4 feeding devices 112 which are movable between a bottom level for receiving the fish 10 and a top level for providing the fish 10 for rodding. The feeding devices 112 are connected to respective chain drives 116A
and 116B
disposed on a left hand side and a right hand side of the feeding devices 112.
The chain drives 11 6A, 116B form a carousel and are moved - as indicated by the arrows - with the chain drive 116A, 116B being directed using sprocket wheels 118 rotatable mounted to the support frame 102. The chain drives 11 6A, 11 6B are actuated using an electric drive mechanism driving one or more of the sprocket wheels 118. Alternatively, a pneumatic or hydraulic drive mechanism is employed. Further alternatively, belt drives such as V-belt drives or toothed belt drives are employed. The feeding devices 112 are guided using respective feeding device guiding Page 5 of 15 mechanisms 120A, 120B disposed on the left hand side and the right hand side of the feeding devices 112, as illustrated in Figures 1 b and 1 c.
Referring to Figures 2a and 2b, a preferred embodiment of the feeding device 112 is provided.
The feeding device 112 comprises an L-shaped feeding device body structure 122 having on each side 3 feeding device guiding rollers 124A, 124B, and 124C rotatable mounted thereto for engaging respective surfaces of the feeding device guiding mechanisms 120A, 120B. For example, for guiding the feeding device 112 during vertical movement the feeding device guiding rollers 124A and 124B are engaged with respective surfaces of the feeding device guiding mechanisms 120A, 120B while for guiding the feeding device during horizontal movement all three guiding rollers 124A, 124B, and 124C are engaged - with the guiding rollers 124B and 124C engaging a respective upper surface of the feeding device guiding mechanisms 120A, 120B while the guiding rollers 124A engage a respective lower surface of the feeding device guiding mechanisms 120A, 120B. Preferably, the feeding device body structure 122 is made of a suitable metal such as, for example, aluminum or stainless steel.
The guiding rollers are mounted to the feeding device body structure 122 using, for example, screw threaded bolts for fastening the same to respective screw threaded bores disposed in the feeding device body structure 122 and having a cylindrical portion for being accommodated in respective bores of the guiding rollers. The guiding rollers are made of a non-corroding metal such as, for example, aluminum or stainless steel or a suitable plastic material such as for example, Polypropylene, Polyvinyl Chloride, or Nylon. The feeding device 112 has mounted thereto drive connectors 123A, 123B for being mounted to the respective chain drives 116A, 116B. The drive connectors 123A, 123B comprise, for example, screw threaded portions for being fastened to respective screw threaded bores disposed in the feeding device body structure 122.
The feeding device 112 further comprises a fish support plane 132, preferably having a predetermined size and orientation for supporting the fish 10 having a predetermined orientation during the rodding process as will be described herein below. Fish holding mechanism 126 is pivotally movable mounted to the feeding device body structure 122 and movable between a holding position and a loading/release position. Preferably, the fish holding mechanism 126 is spring loaded holding the fish holding mechanism 126 in the holding position for engaging the upper side of the fish while the opposite lower side of the fish is engaged by the fish support Page 6 of 15 plane 132. The spring loading is designed such that it is sufficient for holding the fish during transport in the actuating mechanism 110 and during a first portion of the rodding process while enabling release of the fish at a later stage of the rodding process as will be described herein below. The fish holding mechanism 126 further comprises a fish holding mechanism lever 128 for opening and holding the fish holding mechanism 126 in the loading/release position when the feeding device 112 is in the bottom position for receiving the fish 10. When the feeding device 112 is in the bottom position the fish holding mechanism lever 128 engages a respective opening structure mounted to the support frame to open the fish holding mechanism 126 and disengages the same after loading of the fish, i.e. after moving the feeding device horizontally a predetermined distance.
The feeding device 112 further comprises a head lifting device 130 having a fish head abutting portion 130A for abutting a portion of the head of the fish in a predetermined position.
Preferably, the head abutting portion 130A comprises a flat surface disposed at a predetermined angle /3 to a longitudinal direction of the feeding device 112, as indicated by the dashed lines in Figure 2a. The angle is determined in dependence upon the species and the typical size of the fish to be processed. For example, for herring an angle between 20 and 25 is suitable. The head lifting device 130 further comprises a fish head lifting portion 130B which is preferably a flat surface disposed at a predetermined angle to the fish support plane 132. The angle is determined in dependence upon the species and the typical size of the fish to be processed. For example, for herring an angle between 12 and 18 is suitable. Lifting the head of the fish facilitates breaking the seal around the gill of the fish as will be described herein below.
Preferably, the head lifting device 130 is made of a suitable plastic material such as, for example, Mylar, and removable mounted to the feeding device body structure 122 using, for example, a holding pin mounted to the feeding device body structure and a respective bore 131 disposed in the head lifting device 130. Removable mounting of the head lifting device 130 enables simple adjustment of the feeding device 112 for different species of fish.
For opening the gill 14 of the fish 10 a gill opening device is provided.
Preferably, the gill opening device comprises gill opening hammer 134 for repeatedly striking the head 12 of the fish 10 in order to break the seal around the gill 14 of the fish 10. The gill opening hammer 134 Page7of 15 comprises, for example, a hammer head 134A made of a suitable metal such as, for example, aluminum or stainless steel, or a suitable plastic material such as, for example, Mylar for engaging the head 12 of the fish. The hammer head is mounted to a first end portion of a hammer arm 134B which is pivotally movable mounted to the support frame 102 and connected to a hammer actuator 134C at a second opposite end portion, as illustrated in Figures 3a and 3b. The hammer actuator comprises, for example, a pneumatic, a hydraulic, or an electric drive mechanism. Preferably, the opening hammer 134 is placed such that the head 12 of the fish 10 is engaged as soon as the feeding device 112 reaches the upper level, as illustrated in Figure 1 c.
Preferably, the gill opening hammer 134 is operated in a continuous fashion.
Alternatively, the gill opening hammer 134 is operated only when the head 12 of the fish 10 is in proximity to the hammer head 134A controlled, for example, by a switching mechanism for switching the operation ON and OFF in dependence upon the position of the feeding device 112. As described herein above, the breaking of the seal and the opening of the gill is facilitated by lifting the head 12 of the fish using the head lifting device 130.
Preferably, the gill opening device further comprises fluid supply mechanism 136 mounted to the support frame 102 such that a fluid flow is directed towards the gill 14 of the fish at the time the head 12 of the fish is engaged by the opening hammer 134 and prior to the insertion of the tip 139 of the rod 138 into the gill 14 as will be described herein below. The fluid flow facilitates opening of the gill 14 and maintains the gill 14 in an opened position. The fluid supply mechanism 136 comprises, for example, a pipe or tube mounted to the support structure and connected to a fluid supply providing a fluid such as, for example, compressed air, water, or a water solution. Optionally, a nozzle is disposed at the end of the pipe for directing the fluid flow.
Further optionally, the fluid supply mechanism 136 is disposed such that its end is aligned with the rod 138, as illustrated in Figure 4a. Preferably, the fluid supply mechanism 136 is operated in a continuous fashion. Alternatively, the fluid supply mechanism 136 is operated only when the head 12 of the fish 10 is in proximity to the fluid supply mechanism 136 controlled, for example, by a switching mechanism for switching the operation ON and OFF in dependence upon the position of the feeding device 112.
When in the upper level, the feeding device 112 is moved substantially horizontally along direction 142, as indicated by the dashed line and block arrow in Figure 4a.
The rod 138 is Page 8 of 15 disposed along direction 140 forming an acute angle a to the direction 142 such that the tip 139 of the rod 138 is disposed in proximity to the upper surface of the fish 10 absent engaging the same and such that the tip 139 is inserted into the opened gill 14 when the same reaches the tip 139, as illustrated in Figures 4a and 4b. Suitable angles a for various sizes and species of fish as well as different types of rods are easily determined in an empirical fashion.
Further movement of the feeding device 112 in the direction 142 results in the rod 138 penetrating the fish's head 12 towards the fish's mouth 16 where the rod exits the fish's head 12, as illustrated in Figures 4b and 4c. Further movement of the feeding device 112 along the direction 142 moves the fish's head along the rod 138, i.e. pulls the fish's head 12 upwards along the direction 140, until the feeding device 112 reaches the end of the upper level of feeding device guiding mechanism 120A, 120B and is moved downward in a vertical direction to the loading position, as indicated by the block arrow in Figure 4d. At this point the pulling force acting on the fish 10 is sufficient to overcome the spring loading of the fish holding mechanism 126 for releasing the fish 10.
During this process the front portion of the rod 138 is clamped by rod holding mechanism 144B
disposed in proximity to the end of the upper level of feeding device guiding mechanism while a similar holding mechanism is employed for clamping the rod 138 in proximity to a rear end portion thereof.
After the fish 10 is released the front portion of the rod 138 is clamped closer to the tip 139 using rod holding mechanism 144A in order to enable moving the fish 10 further along the rod 138.
Preferably, the fish is moved along the rod 138 to a predetermined position using positioning mechanism 146, as illustrated in Figures 5a and 5b. The positioning mechanism 146 is linearly movable along positioning rail 148 which is oriented substantially parallel to the rod 138 and mounted to the support frame 102. The positioning mechanism 146 comprises a positioning rod 150 movable mounted thereto between a retracted position and an extended position. In operation, the positing rod 150 is extended using, for example, a pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric drive mechanism and moved along the underside of the rod 138 by moving the positioning mechanism 146 along the positioning rail 148. During the movement the positioning rod 150 engages a predetermined portion of the fish's head 12 in proximity to the mouth 16. The movement of the positioning mechanism 146 is stopped when the positioning mechanism 146 has reached a predetermined position along the positioning rail 148 which corresponds to the Page 9 of 15 predetermined position of the fish 10 along the rod 138. The positioning mechanism 146 is moved along the positioning rail 148 using, for example, a pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric drive mechanism.
Preferably, the rod holding mechanisms 144A and 144E each comprise a pair of clamping arms 152 having a first end portion for clamping the rod 138 and being rotatable mounted at pivot 154 to rod holding support 153. An opposite second end portion of each clamping arm 152 is accommodated in a V-shaped guide 156 of actuating mechanism 158. Vertical movement of the actuating mechanism 158 between a lower position and an upper position moves the clamping arms 152 between an open position and a clamping position, respectively. The actuating mechanism 158 is moved using, for example, a pneumatic, a hydraulic, or an electric drive mechanism.
Empty rods are provided to the rod holding mechanisms from the rod conveyor and filled rods are removed using automated gripping and transport tools known to one skilled in the art.
Alternatively, the empty and filled rods are handled manually.
Preferably, the fish rodding apparatus 100 is operated in a continuous fashion, i.e. the various operations of: loading the fish 10 onto the feeding device 112; transporting the fish from the lower level to the upper level of the feeding device guiding mechanism 120;
opening the gill 14 of the fish and inserting the rod; and moving the empty feeding device 112 to the lower level of the feeding device guiding mechanism 120, are performed simultaneously. The simultaneous execution of the various steps of the rodding process enables rodding at a rate of approximately 1 fish per second. Typically, 15 to 20 fish are disposed on one rod, but as is evident the fish rodding apparatus 100 is adaptable to dispose various other numbers of fish on a rod depending on the size of the fish and the size of the rod.
Alternatively, relative movement between the fish 10 and the rod 138 is realized by holding the fish 10 in a stationary position oriented along the direction 142 and moving the rod 138 along the direction 140.
The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferred embodiments. However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can Page 10 of 15 be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein.
Page 11 of 15
Claims (17)
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A fish rodding apparatus comprising:
a support frame;
a rod holding mechanism mounted to the support frame, the rod holding mechanism for holding a rod oriented along a first direction;
a feeding device mounted to the support frame, the feeding device for holding a fish such that a gill on one side of the fish is facing the rod and such that the fish is oriented along a second direction with the second direction being at a predetermined acute angle to the first direction;
a gill opening device mounted to the support frame, the gill opening device for opening the gill of the fish; and, an actuating mechanism interposed between the support frame and at least one of the rod holding mechanism and the feeding device, the actuating mechanism for providing relative movement between the feeding device and the rod such that the rod enters the fish through the opened gill and exits the fish through its mouth.
a support frame;
a rod holding mechanism mounted to the support frame, the rod holding mechanism for holding a rod oriented along a first direction;
a feeding device mounted to the support frame, the feeding device for holding a fish such that a gill on one side of the fish is facing the rod and such that the fish is oriented along a second direction with the second direction being at a predetermined acute angle to the first direction;
a gill opening device mounted to the support frame, the gill opening device for opening the gill of the fish; and, an actuating mechanism interposed between the support frame and at least one of the rod holding mechanism and the feeding device, the actuating mechanism for providing relative movement between the feeding device and the rod such that the rod enters the fish through the opened gill and exits the fish through its mouth.
2. A fish rodding apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the gill opening device comprises a fluid supply mechanism for providing a fluid flow directed towards the gill such that the gill is maintained in an opened position.
3. A fish rodding apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the gill opening device comprises a gill opening hammer movable mounted to the support frame for repeatedly engaging the head of the fish.
4. A fish rodding apparatus as defined in claim 3 comprising a head lifting device for bending the head of the fish.
5. A fish rodding apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the head lifting device is disposed on the feeding device such that the head of the fish is oriented along a direction other than the second direction.
6. A fish rodding apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the fluid supply mechanism is designed for providing one of compressed air and water.
7. A fish rodding apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the rod is held in a stationary position and wherein the actuating mechanism is designed for moving the feeding device.
8. A fish rodding apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein the actuating mechanism is designed for moving the feeding device substantially parallel to the second direction.
9. A fish rodding apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the feeding device comprises a movable fish holding mechanism capable of releasing the fish.
10. A fish rodding apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the fish holding mechanism is spring-loaded.
11. A fish rodding apparatus as defined in claim 7 comprising a positioning mechanism mounted to the support frame for engaging a predetermined portion of the head of the fish and for moving the fish to a predetermined position along the rod.
12. A method comprising:
providing a rod, the rod being oriented along a first direction;
providing a feeding device, the feeding device holding a fish such that a gill on one side of the fish is facing the rod and such that the fish is oriented along a second direction with the second direction being at a predetermined acute angle to the first direction;
providing a gill opening device;
using the gill opening device to open the gill of the fish; and, providing relative movement between the feeding device and the rod such that the rod enters the fish through the opened gill and exits the fish through its mouth.
providing a rod, the rod being oriented along a first direction;
providing a feeding device, the feeding device holding a fish such that a gill on one side of the fish is facing the rod and such that the fish is oriented along a second direction with the second direction being at a predetermined acute angle to the first direction;
providing a gill opening device;
using the gill opening device to open the gill of the fish; and, providing relative movement between the feeding device and the rod such that the rod enters the fish through the opened gill and exits the fish through its mouth.
13. A method as defined in claim 12 comprising providing a fluid flow directed towards the gill such that the gill is maintained in an opened position.
14. A method as defined in claim 13 comprising breaking a seal around the gill of the fish.
15. A method as defined in claim 14 comprising bending the head of the fish to facilitate the opening of the gill.
16. A method as defined in claim 12 comprising releasing the fish from the feeding device.
17. A method as defined in claim 16 comprising moving the fish to a predetermined position along the rod.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2720956A CA2720956C (en) | 2010-11-12 | 2010-11-12 | Fish rodding apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2720956A CA2720956C (en) | 2010-11-12 | 2010-11-12 | Fish rodding apparatus |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2720956A1 CA2720956A1 (en) | 2012-05-12 |
| CA2720956C true CA2720956C (en) | 2017-11-28 |
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Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2720956A Active CA2720956C (en) | 2010-11-12 | 2010-11-12 | Fish rodding apparatus |
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| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2720956C (en) |
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2010
- 2010-11-12 CA CA2720956A patent/CA2720956C/en active Active
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| CA2720956A1 (en) | 2012-05-12 |
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