GB533649A - Improvements in or relating to a method and means for gutting fish - Google Patents

Abstract

533,649. Gutting fish. BUNDHEIM, E. Aug. 17, 1939, No. 23780. Convention date, Sept. 16, 1938. [Class 28 (ii)] A method of gutting fish, such as herrings, consists in holding the fish body in a retaining device, gripping the gill carriers lying between the gill covers by grippers and drawing them somewhat away from the remainder of the body, then with the parts in this position causing a separating blade to enter between the gill carriers and the mouth of the herring and sever the gill carriers (and with them the gills) from the lower jaw, then drawing the grippers and the fish apart, whereby the guts are drawn out, and finally pulling away any part which may remain hanging out and unremoved by the grippers. The fish are placed by hand from a table 32 into troughs 23, which are arranged in spaced relationship around a rotary disc 22 driven from a motor 12 and are provided with side walls hinged together. An equal number of pairs of grippers 21 (one pair only shown) are mounted on a disc 20, which is rotated at the same speed as the disc 22 but in the opposite direction. As each trough 23 approaches the disc 20, its side walls are rocked together by a cam 26 acting on a lever 24, and pins on the side walls enter the eyes of the fish and hold it firmly in position. As the gill carrier of the fish reaches approximately the horizontal position between the discs 20, 22, the grippers 21 are closed upon it by means of a fixed cam disc 36, and as the fish is carried downwards the grippers 21 move away from the trough 23 and draw out the gills &c., while a fixed pointed blade 37 enters the gill carrier and severs it from the mouth, the drawn out parts being released from the grippers by the cam 36 at a position over a discharge shoot 33. The remaining parts of the guts hanging out from the opening in the fish are gripped by a clamping device 30a, 31 operated by a rod 29 from a cam 30, and are thus removed, the fish being then released from the trough 23 by the cam 26 and allowed to drop out.