WO1999044432A1

WO1999044432A1 - Method and apparatus for food processing

Info

Publication number: WO1999044432A1
Application number: PCT/IS1999/000005
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ingolfur Arnason
Original assignee: Ingolfur Arnason
Priority date: 1998-03-05
Filing date: 1999-03-05
Publication date: 1999-09-10
Also published as: IS5610A; NO20004402L; IS4683A; NO20004402D0; AU2955399A; IS1731B

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing food products, such as fish, comprising: a food processing housing having dividing walls forming one or more chambers within the housing. A device is also present for supplying a processing media into the housing and at least partly re-circulating the media therein. Further a continuous conveyor belt extends through the housing from an in-feed area to an out-feed area. The conveyor belt is arranged to travel along a serpentine path within the housing, having plurality of parallel vertically extending flights and the product thereby transported there along through the housing. The conveyor belt is arranged with a plurality of carrying units. These units are elongated beams which the fish is threaded onto and transported thereon through the processing house.

Description

Method and apparatus for food processing

Technical field The invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing food products, such as fish, comprising; a food processing housing having dividing walls forming one or more chambers within the housing. A device is also present for supplying a processing media into the housing and at least partly re-circulating the media therein. Further a continuous conveyor belt extends through the housing from an in-feed area to an out- feed area. The conveyor belt is arranged to travel along a serpentine path within the housing, having plurality of parallel vertically extending flights and the product thereby transported there along through the housing.

Background of the invention Processing food products such as fish with the aim of drying, smoking and / or freezing the food is well known. A number of methods and equipment's have been tested and put on the marked for this purpose. Capelin products intended for human consumption are usually dried in a stationary drying chambers where the flow of air is controlled as needed. The product is placed on frames or shelves one above the other and placed in the chamber for a predefined period of time. The temperature and humidity of the air in the chamber is controlled as needed.

Generally the capelin is forozen into blocks after catch and then thawed out again when the drying process is started. The thawing out and pickling are carried out in fish containers. The capelin is then placed into a pickle where the salt content of the capelin is increased. After pickling the capelin is sorted on a conveyor where defective fishes are removed.

Conventional drying method consists in that the capelin being arranged on supporting units, which are then placed in a drying chamber. When the desired degree of drying has been reached the capelin is removed form the chamber and can be sorted, if desired, or prior to that frozen in a tunnel freezer or freezing room. After the freezing process the capelin is often sorted according to size and then packed and frozen completely. In the conventional methods the main drawback is the great amount of handling necessary. This handling is extremely labour- intensive, besides a certain amount of the products is damaged during the process. Drying in conventional drying chambers takes up a lot of space and the cost of supporting units such as carriages and other equipment requirements are considerable.

On of the biggest problems in using conventional drying chambers is that of achieving uniform drying of the capelin as the flow of air inside the chamber is not the same everywhere in it. Therefore the degree of drying of the capelin varies according to its position inside the chamber. In conventional methods the flow of air into the chamber is directed sideways to the direction of the capelin arrangements on the supporting units and the drying of the capelin is uneven between the side facing the flow of air and the lee side. This results in reduced yield of the product as the necessary drying of that part of the products which gets the least drying is only achieved when the part which receives better drying has become drier than necessary so the weight of the products has been reduced and the raw material yields less than it would if all the capelin received even drying. Furthermore, much handling of the products will damage a certain part of them, resulting in less economical processing. These problems limit the efficiency and economy of the processing.

In US Patent No. 5,253,569 an apparatus and method for processing food products is introduced. The food products are conveyed along a serpetined conveyor path through a processing housing having one or more chambers. In each chamber it is possible to regulate the media supply. Although the apparatus and process introduced in the, 569 patent has many advantage there are still some disadvantage employed with the device which make it desirable to introduce a new and improved apparatus for the purpose of drying food products.

Brief Description of the Invention What characterises the new method and makes it unique is the fact that a pins with the capelin is threaded onto are arranged on a chain conveyor which is moved through a drying chamber in one continuous movement. The movement of the chain is continuous and even and the chain moves along serpentine path forming upward and downward flights in the chambers. The chain is directed across driving wheels that drive and control the chain. Thus the pins with the food product are moved vertically (up- and downward zig zag movement) along the movement of the chain in the chamber so that when the capelin leaves the drying chamber it has been moved through all of it. All the products have been moved equally and received the same process treatment. When the products have been through the drying process they pass through the freezing room with the same continuous movement and obtain thereby evenly frozen.

In the pinning process the capelin is threaded on the pin through its head on the pin. Thus output per employee is multiplied in the pinning process. The employee then places the pin on a chain conveyor where special feeding and fastening devices facilitate the loading of the chain conveyor.

What characterises the chain conveyor and makes it special is that the pins with the capelin are moved at an even speed in one continuous movement through the drying chamber and freezing room so that all handling of the products is minimal. What is also achieved is that all the capelin moves in the same way through the chamber and drying is even and uniform.

Moving the products in this way through the drying chamber makes it easy to divide the drying chamber into separate units or compartments, thus controlling the temperature and humidity of the air at the beginning or the finish of the drying process as different temperature and humidity levels are needed at the beginning and the end of the drying process. Among other things overdrying the products at the beginning of the drying process should be avoided as it will have adverse consequences for the appearance of the capelin as well as cause problems in later processing, making it brittle and fragile.

As the flow of air is directed from above into the drying chamber it is always directed at the head of the capelin, thereby providing its thickest part and stomach content with better drying than in conventional drying chambers where the flow of air is from the side and there is danger of the tail and body of the capelin receiving uneven drying due to the deflection of the flow of air. As the products are fastened to the chain conveyor no handling is necessary to move the products into the freezing room, which can adjoin the drying chamber. After freezing the products working facilities for removing the pins are adequate, as no carriages or other equipment are needed. Handling this part of the process mechanically is easy, if desired, as the products on the pins always emerge in the same spot from the freezing room, being fastened to the chain conveyor with special fastening equipment.

All the products are treated in exactly the same way as they all go the same way through the drying process, therefore making it easy to control the drying and drying percentage of the products and reach maximum efficiency in the production.

The method described above is not limited to the processing of capelin as other products and types of fish can be processed with said method, such as brisling, sardines, anchovies, sand eel or other kinds offish, or meet products if desired.

The invention described above is not limited to the above versions as it can be carried out in various ways. It is not necessary to combine the drying and freezing rooms and the capelin may be sorted immediately after drying, if desired, or frozen independent of drying if conditions demand it. The threading of the products onto the pins of the chain conveyor can be mechanised and it is also possible to use this method in other processes of production, e.g. when smoking herring or in the processing of other kinds of food with other processing methods than the ones described above.

Brief description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows an overall view of the processing system

Figure 2 show the arrangement of the fish onto the pins (beams) and its arrangement on the chain conveyor,

Figure 3 shows the distribution device for arranging the fish onto the pins,

Figure 4 shows the chain and the drive mechanism for chains, 5

Figure 5 and 6 shows the arrangement at the out-feed end of the equipment,

Figure 7 shows the pin removal device, and

Figure 8 shows the pinning arrangement.

More detailed description of the drawings together with one presently preferred exemplary embodiment of the Invention

Figure 1 shows an overall view of the whole process. The flow of product is shown from the in-feeding area (25) where the capeling are sorted after thawing and arranged onto the pins on a pinning station and therefrom transported all the way to the out-feed area (6), where the capelin are removed form the supporting pins. The capelins are threaded onto the pin through the head. This is done manually at the pinning station (26). Thereafter the pins (10) are arranged onto a chain conveyor (4). The drying chamber (1) is divided into three separate compartments (2) and a freezer (21) which can be connected is shown attached thereto.

A distributing device (13) that equalises space between capelin on pins is shown prior to the entering into the processing housing. Within the housing the conveyor chain with the pins is transported along a serpentine path. Fans or blowers (3) are arranged in the housing drying chamber one in each of the three compartments. The fans circulate the processing media (drying air) in the housing. Within the chamber a drying element (22) are arranged to control the temperature and humidity of the air for drying of the capelin. The motion of the chain conveyor always makes the pins with dried capelin emerge from the freezer in the same place. The pins can be detached from the chain automatically, if desired. This is done by a special pin removal device (14). When the capelin has been detached from the pins it is sorted and packed and finally completely frozen in storage. Separate air space that the chain conveyor with the capelin goes through. The drying elements are controlled separately so that they are independent of each other. Separating the compartments in the housing with dividing walls (7) makes it possible to treat the capelin with different degrees of hot and humid air at the beginning than at the end of the drying process, thus achieving maximum economy of raw material. The flow of air from the bottom of the drying chamber is directed through drying element for continued air circulation. Drive mechanism that operates the chain conveyor and controls the chain described. The drive mechanism is positioned outside the chain conveyor and the pins with the capelin so that no axles lie across the path of the movement of the capelin.

Figure 2 show a the arrangement of the pin (10) on the conveyor chain (11). The fish is arranged onto the pin by threding through the head. The ends of the pin (beam) are inserted into apartue (12) through the link of the chain (10). The pins are arranged onto the chain vertically arranged and parallel and transported in direction perpendicular to their arrangement.

Figure 3 shows the distributing device (13) for distributing the fish along the pin (10). A rotating drum (31), rotated in the revers conveying direction is placed in front of the come like channels (32). The distance between the walls forming the channels is increased in the direction of coonveying.

Figure 4 shows the cogwheels (51) that control the chain conveyor and hold it secure. By keeping the drive mechanism of the chain conveyor outside the path of the capelin there is no danger of damage to the capelin due to rubbing against axles or other equipment. It is powered from below and the driving mechanism is designed so that no tension forms in the chain conveyor even though it is very long, thereby preventing possible trouble with the movement of the chain conveyor due to friction in the driving mechanism. The movement of the chain (4) conveyor is continuous upwards and downwards depending on the height of the drying chamber so that all the capelin follows the same route through the chamber. The drive chains form a constant transmission of power with closed chain cycles.

Figure 5 and 6 show the out-feed area (6) where the fish is removed from the pins (10). The pins are transported along the conveyor to the pin removal device (14) where the pinns are gripped in the end and pulled out of the chain.

Figure 7 shows the pin removal device (14). The device is made of telescopic cylinder (35) with a gripping finger (36) capable of gripping the end of the pin (beam) (10). When the finger has reached the pin (10) the cylinder is pulled and the pin removed from the chain (12). As a result the fish arranged onto the pin falls down as well as the pin.

Figure 8 shows how the pins (10) are arranged so that the employee (43) can use both hands when pinning the capelin. With this simple device output per employee is greatly increased when compared to known methods of pinning. The pin goes into a socket (42) in the bracket which points the pin towards the employee who can adjust it at will to a higher or lower position according to body height. After pinning the pins (10) are arranged onto a removal conveyor (41) transporting the pins with fish away.

Claims

8Patent Claims

1. An apparatus for processing food products, such as fish, comprising;

a food processing housing (1), having dividing walls (7) forming one or more chambers (2) within the housing,

a device (3) for supplying a processing media into the housing and at least partly recirculating the media therein,

a continuous conveyor belt (4) extending through said housing from an in-feed area (5) to an out-feed area (6), arranged along a serpentine path within the housing, (having plurality of parallel vertically extending flights,)

characterised in that,

said conveyor belt (4) being arranged with a plurality of carrying units (8), said carrying units (8) being elongated beams (10) arranged in an approximated horizontal and parallel alignment along and supported by the conveyor belt (4) and thereby transporting the food products through the housing form the in-feed end (5) to the out- feed end ( 6).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the conveyor belt (4) being formed of two or more parallel and spaced apart link chains (11).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or2characterised in that a number of links in the chains being equipped with aperture (12) for receiving the end sections of the beam

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that each beam (10) being supported in-between opposite arranged aperture (12) in parallel arranged chains (11).

5. Apparatus according to any one of the claim 1 -4, characterised in that the beams (10) being arranged in parallel relationship forming a horizontal supporting unit for the food product to be processed.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the conveyor belt (4) being equipped with a distribution device (13) for evenly distributing of the food products along the beams as they are conveyed along the in-feed area (4).

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that the distribution device

(13) comprising a come like channels with increased distance between the channels.

8. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the conveyor belt (4), being equipped with a pin removal device (14) in the out- feed area, said pin removal device comprising a pair of gripping fingers (15), arranged on a telescopic arm (16) where the fingers being capable to grip the beams (10) in the end and pull them out of the conveyor chain.

9. A method of processing food products such as fish, comprising the steps of;

arranging the food product onto a of supporting unit, said supporting units being elongated beams arranged horizontally onto a conveyor,

conveying the food product along a serpentine path through a food processing housing, said housing being arranged with one or more processing chamber, 10 regulating the conveying of the food products through the processing chambers,

supplying a processing media to the food products within the housing, said media being temperature and humidity regulated air, said supply is from above and downwardly towards the food products,

monitoring the media supply (volume, temperature and humidity) to each of the processing chambers,

regulating the media supply to each of the processing chamber,

c h a r a c t e ri s e d in that the food product being fish, in particular capelin, where the fish is arranged spaced apart onto and hanging downwards with the head pointing upward so the fish is always facing the processing media supply.

10. A method of drying capelin characterized by the capelin being moved through drying and/or freezing where said method consists of the following steps: capelin is threaded onto a pin which is held secure so that the employee can use both hands for threading, thus achieving increased efficiency in the threading process; said pin with threaded capelin is placed on a chain conveyor where the pin fits into a groove inside a sleeve which directs said pin into a holder in said chain conveyor that has a fixture that holds said pins securely, thus preventing them from dropping off said chain conveyor; said chain conveyor with pins threaded with capelin attached is directed through a drying chamber in one continuous movement, where the movement of the chain is constant and said chain moves upwards and downwards in the chamber where it is directed over the wheels that drive and control the chain; thus said pins with capelin attached move vertically with the movement of the chain along the chamber so that when the capelin leaves the drying chamber it has been routed all around it so that the whole ceiling height of the chamber has been utilized, thus giving all the products the same treatment since they have followed the course of said chain all around said drying chamber; the flow of air is directed into said drying chamber from above so that the head of the capelin always points towards the flow of air as the capelin is threaded onto 11 a pin and the weight of the capelin makes its head always turn upwards against said flow of air even though said pin with threaded capelin turns when the chain that said pin is attached to changes direction when it (the pin) goes across the chain wheels at bottom and top position.

11. Method in accordance with claim 10 which besides is characterized by the fact that said chain conveyor is conducted through a freezing room in continuation of the movement through said drying chamber as the same chain conveyor is used for moving the capelin.

12. Method in accordance with claims 10 and 11 which besides is characterized by the fact that the products to be dried are other fish than capelin.

13. Method in accordance with claims 10 and 11 which besides are characterize d by the fact that the products to be processed are food.

14. Method in accordance with claims 10 and 11 which besides are characterize d by the fact that the processing of the products is other than drying and freezing of capelin.

15. Equipment in accordance with above claims for the drying of capelin and consisting of: a special kind of bracket (see figure 2 with illustrative diagrams) which holds pin securely in a tube in the uppermost part of said bracket and which directs said pin towards the employee so that the employee can use both hands when threading capelin onto the pin, said bracket being height adjustable so that an employee can adjust said pin as needed, thus improving working conditions as desired; a coniform sleeve (see figure 3 with illustrative diagrams) into which said pin with capelin attached is placed, holding it steady until an air jack pushes the pin into a groove in a holder fixed to a chain conveyor; chain conveyor that moves said pins with capelin attached in one continuous movement (see figure 1 with illustrative diagrams) through a drying chamber and/or freezing room, said pins with attached capelin being moved through said drying chamber so that they are routed all around the drying chamber and/or freezing room in one continuous movement without being detached from said chain conveyor; drive 12 mechanism which operates said chain conveyor so that chain cycles which are chains linked in a cycle drive the chain in the chain conveyor (see figure 4 with illustrative diagrams) and prevent the formation of tension due to friction in said drive mechanism which would interfere with its movement.