US1373812A - Sardine-turning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

F. HEATH.

SARDINE TURNING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14, 1919.

1,373,231 2. Patented Apr. 5, 1921. v

' 2 JNVENTZ? fiA/v/r HEATH A TTORNEYS.

-zen of the United States, tional City, in the county of San Diegoand areer snares stares same name, or NATIONAL our, cmmonma.

SABDINE-TURNING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I FRANK HEATH, a c1t1- residing at Naforemost and turn on to their backs and the.

objects of my invention are: first, to provide a device of this class which gives frictional contact with the sardines above and below for turning them so that they move head foremost; second, to provide such an apparatus in combination with a means for turning said sardines on their backs; third, to provide such an apparatus which prevents the sardines from rolling over and over when on an inclined plane and started sidewise; fourth, to provide an apparatus of this class which tends to hold the sardines in their course head foremost and fifth, to prorvide an apparatus of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, durable, easy to install, which is auto-' matic in its action and which will not readily deteriorateor get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention 0011- sists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter de-' scribed-in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon which form a art of this application, in which:

igure 1 is a plan view of a unit of my device showing some sardines in position thereon; Fig. 2 1s a sectional view through 2-2 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is a sectional view through 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The inclined surface member 1, supporting frame 2, support 3, sup orts 4, chains 5, grooves 6, and spray pipe constitute the principal parts and portions of my sardine turning apparatus.

The inclined surface member 1 is preferably an inclined metallic member of suflicient inclination so that the sardines will move along said inclined surface by gravity Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed August 14, 1919. Serial No. 317,405.

of suflicientspeed that will not be easily retarded. This inclined surface. is supported by the framework 2 which may be' any particular construction desired (it beingnopart of my present invention). The lower end of this surface member 1 is provided with a plurality of inclined, downwardly, differently and gradually curved bottomed chutes 6 with their walls converging toward the lower end. At the sides of said apparatus are provided side members 1 uponwhich is supported a cross bar 3 at the upper end and this cross bar 3 is provided with a plurality of posts 3 to which one end -of the chains 5 are secured and mounted in the surface member 1 in certain spaced relation conforming with the space on the posts 3 which is slightly shorter than the length of the sardines to be turned are a series of posts 4 to which the other end of the chains,

5 are secured. It will be here noted that these chains 5 are so supported and with sufficient slack in the chains. so that they.

rest on the inclined member 1 and move sidewise slightly. The upper surface of the inclined member 1 is preferably provided with a small quantity of water b means of the pipe 7 which is provided wit a plurality of sprays for spraying the upper surface of said inclined member.

Though I- have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement but desire to include in the purview of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially asset forth in the appended claims.

Theoperation of my apparatus is as follows: The sardines are released in bulk form turned in miscellaneous directions on to the upper surface of the inclined member 1 and gravitate over the upper surface contacting with the upper surface of the memher 1, and the chains 5 contactwiththe upper portion of the sardines and with their sides causing them-to be'turned head foremost by reason of the frictional engagement of the sardines with the surface and chains. The frictional engagement of the chains being equal and the gravity of heads and tails being unequal cause them to gravitate to a position head foremost and said chains tend to hold them in a given course. When they have reached the lower side of the. surface member 2 they are then moving head foremost and enter the grooves 6, the lower grooved surface of which changes gradually and the walls of the sides gradually converging cause the sardines to turn gradually on their backs while moving in the groove, the back and head being the heavy portion of the sardine, so that after they have moved suflicient distance in the chutes 6 they are positioned on their backs and ready for other action such as beheading, scaling, sizing and the like.

Having thus described my invention what I claim' as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a sardine turning apparatus, an inclined imperforate member and a plurality of flexible sardine engaging and retarding members extending in the directiomof inclination over the top surface of said in- I clined imperforate member.

2. In a sardine turning apparatus, an inaeaaem clined imperforate member, a plurality of flexible sardine engaging and retarding members extending in the direction of incliof inclination over the top surface of said inclined member and a plurality of downwardly extending gradually deepening curved bottomed chutes with their walls converging downwardly connected therewith.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego, California this 8th day of August, 1919.

FRANK HEATH.

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