GB1246886A - Method and apparatus for extracting the flesh of edible crustacea from their shells - Google Patents

Abstract

1,246,886. Extracting flesh from shells of crustacea. J J. S. NISBET. 10 Aug., 1970 [9 May, 1969]. No. 23759/69. Heading A2U. The flesh of edible crustacea such as Norwegian lobsters is extracted by centrifugal force, the lobsters from which the heads have been removed being mounted in carriers which are loaded into a drum rotatable about a vertical axis. In one form of carrier, shown in cross-section in Fig. 2b, a row of headless lobsters is gripped between a projection 19 and a downwardly facing rubber pad on a hinged lid 18 so that the open ends of the shells face, but are spaced from, a curved wall 17. Carriers are loaded into a cylindrical container with their walls 17 facing radially outwardly, and the container secured in a drum which is rotated by an electric motor at e.g. 1000 r.p.m. for 10-15 secs. The drum may also be vibrated, in which case a lower speed of rotation suffices. A modified carrier comprises a frame with a number of horizontal rows of pins 37, Fig. 4, on which the tails of the lobsters are impaled, the position of the frame relative to a tray 34 in which it is received being adjustable by screws 35 so that different sizes of crustacea may be accommodated. Eight such trays are mounted in a rotary drum with their pins 37 directed inwardly so that the lobster flesh, loosened by centrifugal force, slides down the vertical walls of the trays as the drum is brought to rest, and any liquid is retained in the trays by lips 38. An arrangement of two drums driven by Vee-belts from a single electric motor is described. The drums are fitted with vibrators energised through slip rings and are individually controlled by clutches and brakes so that they may operate alternately.