GB2179540A - Fish conveying apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Conveying apparatus for the conveying of fish one at a time head first and oriented in lateral position comprises a feed chute for the fish (10) to be conveyed, an outlet chute (11) for the conveyed fish, a catching flap (16) arranged opposite to this and displaceable against a resilient bias, and a cyclic conveying device which comprises a rotationally driven wheel (2) with at least one entraining member (3) for penetrating the downstream end region of the feed chute (10) and the upstream end region of the outlet chute (11) so as to seize the fish substantially in the region of their heads. The entraining member (3) is provided with a gripping surface (8), the leading part of which has a projecting shoulder (5), which is oriented transversely to the direction of rotation of the wheel (2) and has a narrow support edge (6). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fish conveying apparatus The present invention relates to fish conveying apparatus.

In conveying apparatus disclosed in DE-PS 1454 092, fish are supplied in a fi at trough and held up by abutment at a spring-loaded catchingflap, from where they are conducted cyclicaliy by means of a rotationally driven cycling wheel provided with needles at its circumference. The needles at the time ofthe highest point of their rotation penetrate the base surface ofthe trough and seize any fish therein, the cyclic sequence of the fish corresponding to that of the needles. The fish thus seized is drawn forward belowthe catching flap and transferred to a guide channel which is arranged tangentially to the cycling wheel, so that the needles travelling on a circular path gradually move out of engagement with the fish.

In orderto ensure entrainment ofthe fish, the association of cycling wheel, trough and catching flap is such that the puncturing bythe needles takes place intherump-side region ofthefish gillcavity, thus in the region ofthe abdominal cavity end atthe head. In that case, care is taken that the puncture extends substantially perpendicularly, which is achieved by appropriate inclination ofthe needles in the conveying direction.However, this arrangement has the con sequencethatthe needles, while moving out of engagement with the fish, have this inclination so that damaging ofthefish in the puncture zone is unavoidable. A fu rther disadvantage of such needles is the high inertia force ofthefish coupled with the retaining force oftheflap, againstwhichforcesthefish has to be accelerated from its rest position in a very short time interval.

The inevitable damage is visible in any obtained fillet,sothatan undesirable reduction in quality results. There is thus a need for apparatus which provides secure entrainment ofthe fish without causing damage ofthe kind described.

Accordingtothe present invention there is provided fish conveying apparatus comprising an inlet chute for fish to be conveyed, an outlet chute for conveyed fish, a resiliently deflectablefish engaging element above the outlet chute, and a cyclic conveying device provided with an entraining member and rotatable in a given direction to periodically move the member through a downstream end region ofthe inlet chute and upstream end retion ofthe outlet chute to entrain individual fish fed head first along the inlet chute and singly advancesuctz entrained fish along the outlet chute,the entraining member being provided with a gripping surface portion and a leading end thereof with a projection extending transversely to said direction and defining an edge disposed proud of the surface portion.

In a preferred embodiment, in which fish are conveyed head forward and oriented in lateral posi tion, the apparatus comprises a feed chute for the fish to be singled, an outlet chute forthe singled fish, a catching flap arranged to lie opposite to this and displaceable against spring force, and a cycling device for the singling of the fish and comprising at least one rotationally driven entraining conveyor with at least one entraining member penetrating the end region of the feed chute and at leastthe initial region ofthe outlet ch ute a nd seizing the fish substantially in the region oftheir heads.To take advantage of the fact that the gill cover with its horny edge supplies a natural point of engagement for the introduction of accelerating forces, the entraining member is pro videdwith a gripping surface, the leading part of which has a shoulderwhich projects beyond the same in the region of a few millimetres and is oriented transversely to the direction of rotation oftheentrain- ing conveyor, with a narrow support edge. This enables a positive entrain ment to take place with utilisat,on of external anatomic features ofthe fish.

In that case, it is advantageous in adaption to the cross-sectional outline ofthefish flank if the support edge of the shoulder is concave.

The gripping surface of the entraining member can be formed by pins inclined in the direction of movement, so thatthe conveying engagement of the fish remains even when the shoulder has freed the fish.

An embodimentofthe present invention will now be more particularly described bywayofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of fish conveying apparatus embodying the invention,with a catching flap omitted forthe sake of clarity; and Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-section ofthe apparatus of Fig. 1, showing a fish after seizing by cycling means ofthe apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown conveying apparatus comprising an entraining con veyor 1,which is mounted in aframe (notshown) and driven in suitable manner in the arrow direction, the conveyor 1 comprising a cycling wheel 2 at the circumference of which is fastened at entraining member 3. The member is produced from a narrow sheet metal strip 4which at its leading end has an upwardly projecting shoulded 5 produced by bending.

The shoulded 5 ends in a support edge 6, which extends parallel to the axis of the wheel 2 and is concave.

Asegment7withagrippingsurface8,which is formed by wire pins 9 inclined in the direction of rotation ofthewheel 2, is disposed behind the shoulder 5 as seen in the direction of rotation ofthe wheel 2, i.e. on the outer surface of that part of the member 3 which is fastened on the wheel. The support edge6Oftheshoulder5 projects a shortdistance beyond the surface 8 defined by the heads or tips of the pins 9. The support edge 6 and the pins 9 penetrate the bases 12and 13 of a feed chute 10 and an outlet chute 11, which are arranged in the region above the circumference ofthe wheel 2. In orderto makethis penetration possible, the bases 12 and 13 of both chutes are slotted, the feed chute 10in its downstream end region 14 and the outlet chute 11 in its upstream end region 15. Disposed above the base 13 ofthe chute 11 isa catching flap 16, which is fastened on a drag lever 17 to be pivotable about an axis 18 fixed relative tothe frame, the lever being held by means of a spring 19 against an abutment 20.

In use, afterfeeding a fish oriented head first and lying on its side by way of the feed chute 10, which is driven oscillatorily for enhancement ofthis process the head ofthe fish runs below the flap 16 and as a rule is braked by this into the rest position. The entraining member 3, meanwhile, is in circulation and has freed a previously seized fish through dipping down out ofthe outlet chute 11. After passing through a rotationai angle of about 240", the support edge 6 penetrates the base 11 of the feed chute 10 and contacts the fish 21 in the rest position. In that case, the support edge 6 slides along the supported flank ofthe fish, while this is pressed in by reason ofthe counterpressure exerted bytheflap 16. That edge ofthe supported gill cover, which follows this deformation albeit to a lesser extent, thereby raises off relative to the flank ofthe fish and is finally reached bythe shoulder 5. As a result, a positive engagement ofthe fish takes place and has the effect thatthe retaining force oftheflap 16 is overcome and the fish is entrained. Afterthe shoulder 5 has dipped down below the base 12 of the outlet chute 1 1,the segment 7 in substantially frictionlocking manner still effects conveying ofthe fish, which is then conducted by way ofthe outlet chute 11 for further handling.

Claims (4)

1. Fish conveying apparatus comprising an inlet chuteforfish to be conveyed, an outlet chutefor conveyed fish, a resiliently deflectable fish engaging element above the outlet chute, and a cyclic conveying device provided with an entraining member and rotatable in a given direction to periodically move the memberthrough a downstream end region ofthe inlet chute and upstream end region ofthe outlet chute to entrain individual fish fed head first along the inlet chute and singly advance such entrained fish along the outlet chute, the entraining member being provided with a gripping surface portion and at a leading end thereof with a projection extending transversely to said direction and defining an edge disposed proud ofthe surface portion.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support edge is concave.

3. Apparatus as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the surface portion comprises a plurality of pins inclined in said direction.

4. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.