SE2030210A1 - Method and installation for flat fish processing - Google Patents

Abstract

An installation (1) for flat fish processing, where the head is removed. The invention relates to, that there is provided an installation, which may use larger pulling forces than installations according to prior art, whereby also larger flat fish may be processed. The side fin (7) of the flat fish (11) and small bones are removed by the processing.

Description

1 Processing method and installation for flatfish processinG The present invention relates to a processing method capable of extractingand removing both fins and smaller bones located between the flatfish'sspine and the flatfish's outermost and most fat parts closest to the side finssuch that only the spine remains. ln addition, the invention relates to an installation for carrying out this processing method.

By the oldest known processing methods, the fines are cut off, but such thatthe small bones are left at the collarbone and along the sides of the fish,which renders the flatfish a less sought-after product, which it does not payto process and sell in larger quantities.

This problem is not the case by the use of the installation, which is describedin DK0663/95. This installation tiers off the fins and removes also the small bones and most fat parts at the fins.

The installation described in DK0663/95 has a round or v-formed belt, whichis mounted around and between two wheel-discs, a left and a right, whichholds the driving belt firm and stretched and at the same time rotates thedriving belt by means of an electric unit at variable speed. The installationconsists also of a scraper formed with an arm that slides over the driving beltwhen the driving belt rotates.

The round or v-formed belt rests horizontally over and around the felloe ofthe two wheel-discs, such that the driving belt forms a circumference, whichis hold in place by means of the distance between the wheel-discs, whichalso rotates the driving belt by means of an electric unit, that is connected tothe right wheel-disc's axis. Lowest by the inner side of the circumference ofthe driving belt the scraper is mounted. lt removes the fish waste in the formof fins and bones from the driving belt. 2 By arranging and keeping a flatfish firm, such that one side fin is pressed inbetween the driving belt and the turning disc, and by moving the flatfish inthe rotation direction tangentially with the fixing point of the flat fish at thedriving belt, the fin and attached bones are teared off, whereas the most fatparts of the flat fish remain. This installation is, however, only suited for small flat fish, where it is not required to use large forces to tear off a side fin.

An installation and processing method for processing larger flat fish, wheremost fat parts are kept, is therefore desired.

The solution to the above problem is an installation of the stated type of theknown part of claim 1, which is characterized by that the installation inaddition comprises a table for processing placed such that the driving beltduring operation runs along the side of the surface of the table for fishprocessing in a horizontal distance of about 3 to 7 mm from the surface andin a vertical distance of about 3 to 7 mm over the upper edge of the surfaceof the table for fish processing, and in the longitudinal direction past the leftwheel-disc, whereby a flat fish, which is placed, such that the side fin duringoperation is brought in between the driving belt of the pulling installation andthe felloe of the wheel-disc, is forced to keep the same horizontal level,whereby the side fins and the small bones together with the fat parts arepulled out of and removed from the flat fish at the first point of contact on thewheel-disc, between the flat fish, the driving belt, and the felloe of the wheel- disc.The small bones are pulled out all the way to the spine itself.lf the installation is adapted with a stronger squeeze pull, one can exert a such high tear force, that side fin and small bones may be withdrawn evenon larger flat fish. 3 The flat fish is processed along both side fins. One side at a time.

Other suitable embodiments of the installation are as stated in claim 2, wherea cogwheel is applied as wheel-disc (2 and 5) and a chain as driving belt.Other embodiments are claimed in claim 3 to 8.

A method for removing side fin and small bones all the way to the spine on aflat fish is claimed in claim 9 or 10. ln order that the invention may be more easily understood some non-limiting examples on embodiments will now be described in detail withreference to the figures in which: Fig. 1 shows the principle by processing a flat fish on an installationaccording to prior art.

Fig. 2 shows an installation according to the invention seen from above andnext to the side to the left mounted on a mounting plate with a fish processingtable and with a mounted scraper and an electric driving unit.

Fig. 3 shows the installation in Fig. 2 seen from the side of processingmounted on a mounting plate with a fish processing table with a mounted scraper and an electric driving unit.

Fig. 4 shows an installation according to the invention, where the driving belt is a chain and the wheel-discs have teeth.

Detailed description.

Fig. 1 shows the principle by processing a flat fish on an installation accordingto prior art. The installation is shown in Fig. A in DK066395. The installationcomprises a left and a right wheel-disc (not shown), a driving belt for this, ascraper for removing side fin from the driving belt and an electric driving unitassociated with the right wheel-disc. A flat fish is kept in the hand as shownin Fig. 1, and the side fin is guided in between the driving belt and the felloeof the left wheel-disc. lt is only suitable for small fish.

Fig. 2 shows also an installation (1) according to the invention also mountedwith a left wheel-disc (2) and a right wheel-disc (5), which is driven by anelectric driving unit (8) associated the right wheel-disc's axis. On the leftwheel-disc (2) is a driving belt (3). After the left wheel-disc (2) in the directionof the driving belt there is a scraper (4). These elements are also on aninstallation according to prior art, see DK066395. Opposite the installationaccording to prior art the installation shown in Fig. 2 is mounted on amounting plate (6) by means of a fork. The electric driving unit (8) is alsomounted on this. The scraper (4) is in Fig. 2 also mounted on the mountingplate (6) such that it is at the bottom by the downside of the driving belt's (3)circumference in the middle of the wheel-discs (2 and 5), and such that theinner side of the driving belt (3) in its whole width glides below the downsideof the scraper's (4) arm (10). A processing table (9) is adapted to, that a flatfish (11) may be placed there, the fin (7) of which is brought in between thedriving belt (3) and the felloe (12) of the wheel-disc (2). On an installation ofthe invention there is mounted a fish processing table (9), such that thedriving belt (3) runs ahead/to the left along the side of the surface of the processing table (9).

The two wheel-discs (2 and 5) and the scraper (4) on the installation (1) in Fig. 2 are made from Stainless steel, but it may also be made from anothersuitable material. The driving belt (3) is a belt made from a suitable non-elastic material for example a chain, in which case the wheel-disc (2, 5) hasteeth. ln the example the radius of the wheel-discs (2, 5) are about 100 mmand the breath of the felloe (12) about 10 mm, whereas the length of thedriving belt/chain (3) is about 900 mm with a breath/diameter of about 9 mm,but all suitable lengths may be applied. ln the example in Fig. 2 there is anelectric unit (8) connected to the axis of the right wheel-disc (5) and a fork isconnected to the axis ofthe left wheel-disc (2). Both wheel-discs are mountedfirm on a mounting plate (6), on which the fish processing table (9) also aremounted, such that the driving belt (3) runs fon/vard/towards the left along theside of the surface of the fish processing table/table plate, in a horizontaldistance of about 5 mm from the table plate and in a vertical distance of 5mm over the upper edge of the table plate. Distances of 3 to 7 mm aresuitable dependent on the thickness of the flat fish. The scraper (4) ismounted firm to the mounting plate (6), such that it is at the lower by thedownside of the circumference of the driving belt, in the middle between thewheel-discs (2, 5), and such that the inner side of the driving belt in all itsbreath glides beneath the downside of the scraper's (4) arm (10). The electricunit (8) runs the right wheel-disc (5) and herewith the whole installation (1),that facilitates that the driving belt (3) runs forwards along the side of the surface of the processing table (9). lf there is used a driving belt (3) the felloe (12) on the wheel-discs (2,5) havea recess, where the non-elastic belt (3) is mounted, which causes, that thefin (7) gets stuck and is torn from the fish together with the small bones, whichsticks to the fin, which causes that the fish except from the spine to becomecomplete free from bones. By this processing method on this installation it ispossible to filets small fish and some a little larger flat fish, whereas evenlarger flat fish requires, that even larger pulling forces for removing the flat fish may be applied.

Fig. 2 shows also the fin (7) of the flat fish (11) pushed in between the drivingbelt (3) and the recess in the felloe (12) of the wheel-drives (2, 5). Thedistances between the fish processing table (9), the driving belt (3), and thewheel-disc (2, 5) are visible.

Fig. 3 shows a layout drawing of an installation according to the invention,where the driving belt (3) is a chain (13), and where the wheel-disc (2, 5) hasteeth (14). The installation comprises in addition the same elements as the installation shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows an installation according to the invention, where the driving beltis a chain, and where the wheel drive has teeth. The installation comprises in addition the same elements as the installation shown in Fig. 2.

A yet other embodiment comprises in addition a knife mounted arranged tocut over a flat fish's fin along the side fin, if the skin has not previously been removed.

A suitable processing method for removing a side fin and small bones all theway into the spine is as described in claim 9, that the side fin after that thehead has been cut off and the fish's skin has optionally been taken off, islead out over the edge of the table in front of the knife in the direction of thedriving belt (3), such that the fish if the skin of the side has not been removed,is cut through and followingly seized between the installation's driving belt(3) and the felloe (12) on the rotating left wheel-disc (2), whereby the side finwith the edge of processing table (9) as counter holder for the flat fish,because the flat fish's is squeezed firmly on the wheel-disc (2), is pulledstrongly down such that the side fin (7) and small bones are pulled out of thefish and continues between the driving belt (3) and the left wheel-disc's (2) felloe (12) onwards to the scraper (4), which removes the side fin (7) together 7 with the small bones from the driving belt (3), while the fish stays on the processing table (9).

By the invention the side fins and small bones are removed on even lagerfish than by methods according to prior art, that cannot even remove the sidefins and thus do not work on larger flat fish, because the pulling force is toolittle. The new installation and processing method will make it moreeconomical to catch and process many different flat fish, as the processingcosts are small.

Reference number description. 1. Installation which removes side fins and small bones fromflat fish 2 Left wheel-disc 3 Driving belt 4 Scraper/belt cleaner . Right wheel-disc (driving unit)6 Mounting plate 7 A side fin of the flat fish 8 Electric driving unit 9. Fish processing table . Arm on scraper 11. Flat fish 12. Felloe of the wheel-disc 13. Axis of the wheel-disc 14. Teeth of a chain

Claims (10)

1. An installation (1) which is arranged for a processing method whichpulls the side fin out and the small bones together with the fat partson the small bones out of a flat fish (1 1), followingly that this has beenfreed for head and possible skin, comprising a driving belt (3) forexample round or v-formed, which has been mounted around andbetween two wheel-discs (2 and 5), a left and a right, which havebeen placed horizontally a distance from each other and adapted tohold the driving belt (3) firm and possibly stretched out and for at thesame time to be driven round as for example by an electric drivingunit (8) characterized by that the installation (1) in additioncomprises a table for processing (9) placed such that the driving belt(3) during operation runs along the side of the surface of the table forfish processing (9) in a horizontal distance of about 3 to 7 mm fromthe surface of the table for fish processing (9) and in a verticaldistance of 3 to 7 mm over the upper edge of the surface of the tablefor fish processing (9), and that the fish processing table in thelongitudinal direction extends so long past the first point of contactbetween the driving belt (3) and the felloe (12) of the left wheel-disc(2), that a flat fish, which is placed, such that the side fin gets inbetween the driving belt (3) of the wheel-disc's (2) felloe (12), isforced to keep the horizontal position, while the flat fish is pushed inthe moving direction of the upper part of the driving belt (3) graduallyas new side fin runs in between the driving belt (3) and felloe (12)during a processing method, whereby side fin and the small bonestogether with most fat parts are pulled out all the way into the spinebone itself by or just after the flat fish's (11) first point of contactbetween the driving belt (3) and the felloe (12) of the wheel-disc (2). 9 An installation (1) according to claim 1, wherein the driving belt (3) is a chain, and the wheel-discs (2, 5) have teeth. An installation (1) according to claim 1, wherein the driving belt (3) isa standard non-elastic driving belt (3), and the wheel-discs (2, 5) hasa felloe (12)with a recess. An installation (1) according to any of the claims 1 to 3 where theinstallation in addition comprises a scraper (4) mounted with an arm(10) mounted on a mounting plate (6) such that the scraper (4) islowest by the downside of the driving belt's (3) circumference in themiddle between the wheel-discs (2 and 5), and such that thedownside of the driving-belt (3) in its whole width glides below thedownside of the scraper's (4) arm (10) so adapted that it can removeside fin and small bones which during operation have beentransported forward to the scraper (4) on the inner side of the drivingbelt (3). An installation (1) according to any of the claims 1 to 4, wherein therein front, defined by the moving direction of the driving belt, said firstcontact point between the driving belt (3) and left wheel-disc's (2) felloe (12) is placed a knife to cut a possible skin through. An installation (1) according to any of the claims 1 to 5, wherein said horizontal distance of is 5 mm and said vertical distance is 5 mm. An installation (1) according to any of the claims 1 to 6, wherein saidinstallation (1), and optionally also if the driving belt (3) is a chain(13), the chain, and/or the table for processing (9) is made fromstainless steel. An installation (1) according to any of the claims 3 to 7, wherein saidinstallation (1), in addition, is arranged such that the left wheel-disc(2) is mounted to the mounting plate (6) by means of a fork mountedto the mounting plate (6), and where the right wheel-disc (5) ismounted to the mounting plate (6) by means ofan electric driving unit(8) which is firmly fixed to the mounting plate with a distance betweenthe two wheel-discs (2 and 5), which hold the driving belt (3) firmlystretched around and firm down in a recess in the felloe (12) on thetwo wheel-discs (2 and 5), and where the electric driving unit (8),which has been connected to the right axis on the right wheel-driveis adapted to lead the driving belt (3) round, such that the driving belt(3) can run forward to the left along the side of the surface of the tablefor fish processing in a horizontal distance of a 3 to 7 mm preferably5 mm, from the surface of the fish processing table (9) and in avertical distance of 3 to 7 mm, preferably 5mm, over the upper edgeof the surface of the table for fish processing (9). A processing method for removing side fin and small bones all theway into the spine of a flat fish after that said has been freed from thehead and skin characterized by, that the side fin of the flat fish islead out over the edge of a processing table (9) in order to be seizedbetween a running driving belt (3) and a felloe (12) on a verticalrotating wheel-disc (2), that creates a such strong pull that the sidefin with the horizontal edge as counter holder by or after contactbetween the flat fish and driving belt (3) is pulled down such that theside fin (7) and small bones are pulled out of the fish all the way intothe spine. 11 10. A process according to claim 9, wherein the withdrawn side fin (7)and withdrawn small bones continue on the inner side of the drivingbeit (3) to a scraper (4) mounted downstream after the wheel-disc (2), which pushes side fin and the small bones off the inner side ofthe driving beit (3).