Title:
Apparatus for deheading and grading shrimp
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO1992000013
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
A shrimp deheading and grading mechanism which incorporates a shrimp deheading structure forming a shrimp deheading station. A shrimp conveyor and orienter is operative for conveying shrimps oriented in head-up, body down position to the shrimp deheading station. A shrimp deheading wheel having a plurality of flexible or rigid shrimp deheading fingers projecting therefrom is rotatable at the shrimp deheading station and contacts the shrimp heads to remove them from the bodies by means of a "flicking" action. The conveyor incorporates a plurality of pan segments which collectively form a movable trough having a slot at the bottom portion thereof. Shrimps smaller than a preselected size range will fall through the slot while shrimp of the preselected size range will be gripped and supported by the opposed pan segments of the conveyor. The conveyor pans engage the shrimps in a pivotal-like manner thereby permitting the heavier body portions of the shrimps to pivot downwardly such as that each of the shrimps is positioned in head-up, body down relation upon arrival at the deheading station such that the shrimp heads are contacted by the flexible or rigid fingers and removed. Several shrimp deheading machines may be placed in cascading relation with succeeding machines being adjusted for smaller size ranges of shrimps falling from the conveyor of the immediately preceding shrimp deheading machine. The machine is also applicable for grading heads-on shrimp.
Inventors:
STIPE JAMES J (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US1990/003476
Publication Date:
December 10, 1992
Filing Date:
June 19, 1990
Export Citation:
Assignee:
SPEED SHRIMP D HEADER INTL INC (US)
International Classes:
A22C29/00; (IPC1-7): A22C29/00
Foreign References:
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| US2663900A | 1953-12-29 | |||
| US2958896A | 1960-11-08 | |||
| US3281889A | 1966-11-01 | |||
| US3451100A | 1969-06-24 | |||
| US3629904A | 1971-12-28 | |||
| US3698038A | 1972-10-17 | |||
| US3703746A | 1972-11-28 | |||
| US3784007A | 1974-01-08 | |||
| US4016625A | 1977-04-12 | |||
| US4054970A | 1977-10-25 | |||
| US2785435A | 1957-03-19 | |||
| US2794209A | 1957-06-04 |
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