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Title:
A MACHINE FOR SCRAPING FISH FRAMES
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2012/167787
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The invention relates to a machine for scraping fish frames (F) in particular salmon frames, where the head, the tail and the two fillets (side pieces) have been cut off from the fish beforehand, and where it is solely the backbone with the side bones and belly bones attached thereto and the meat appendage which is present between the bones, and which is not cut off during the filleting, which are left of the fish. The purpose of the scraping is to free the last residue of meat from the fish frame for use of this meat for human consumption, for instance as salmon pate. The machine according to the invention is characterized by being composed of a plane, oblong base plate (1) with a free deposit place (8) for the fish frame (F) at one end, and a drive chain (3) recessed longitudinally in the base plate and driven by a gear motor (4) and provided with a plurality of carrier links (29, 30), which project relative to the upwardly facing side of the base plate. Moreover, the machine comprises a hold-down plate (2), which is arranged at an adjustable height above the base plate and is spring-activated in a direction down toward the base plate, as well as four spoon-shaped scraper knives (6a, 6b, 6x, 6y) arranged in an adjustable height and angle position relative to the base plate and the hold-down plate (2). The scraper knives are disposed in pocket-shaped cutouts (1a,1b, 2a,2b), partly in the base plate, partly in the hold-down plate (2).The fish frame (F) is deposited manually on the deposit place (8) of the base plate with the head end facing forwards in the direction of feed (15) of the chain, and is moved inwardly below the hold-down plate (2), where the drive chain grips the fish frame with the toothed carrier links (29, 30). Under the action of the gear motor, the fish frame is now pulled longitudinally through the machine, while the scraper knives process their respective sides of the frame. During this procedure, the remaining fish meat is scraped off from the tail bone and the backbone of the fish frame. The fish meat is collected in containers arranged below the machine.

Inventors:
ANDREASEN JOERGEN B (DK)
JENSEN BJARNE NORMANN (DK)
Application Number:
PCT/DK2012/000063
Publication Date:
December 13, 2012
Filing Date:
June 06, 2012
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
UNI FOOD TECHNIC AS (DK)
ANDREASEN JOERGEN B (DK)
JENSEN BJARNE NORMANN (DK)
International Classes:
A22C25/16
Domestic Patent References:
WO2000011960A12000-03-09
WO2000011960A12000-03-09
Foreign References:
EP0286468A11988-10-12
US5232396A1993-08-03
US4219907A1980-09-02
GB825728A1959-12-23
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
LARSEN & BIRKEHOLM A/S SKANDINAVISK PATENTBUREAU (P.O. Box 362, Copenhagen V, DK)
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Claims:
PATENT CLAIMS

1. A machine for scraping fish frames (F), in particular salmon frames, where the head, the tail and the two fillets (side pieces) have been cut off from the fish beforehand, and where it is solely the backbone with the side bones and belly bones attached thereto and the meat appendage which is present between the bones, and which is not cut off during the filleting, which are left of the fish, and where the scraping serves to free the last residue of meat from the fish frame,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d by substantially comprising:

- a base plate (1) with a free deposit place (8) for the fish frame (F),

- in extension of the deposit place, a drive chain (3) which is recessed longitudinally in the base plate and is provided with a plurality of carrier links (29), which project relative to the upwardly facing side of the base plate, - a hold-down plate (2), which is arranged at an adjustable distance above the base plate (1) and is present substantially in parallel with the base plate and in extension of the deposit place (8), said hold-down plate being spring- activated in a direction down toward the base plate, and

- a plurality of spoon-shaped scraper knives (6a, 6b, 6x, 6y) arranged in an adjustable position, partly from above relative to the base plate (1), partly from below relative to the hold-down plate (2), and wherein pocket-shaped cutouts (2a, 2b) are provided in the hold-down plate (2) for use for the scraper knives (6a, 6b) inserted from above, and corresponding pocket- shaped cutouts (1a, 1b) in the base plate (1) for use for the scraper knives (6x, 6y) inserted from below.

2. A machine according to claim ^ c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the base plate (1 )/ is formed by an oblong, substantially rectangular, plane, horizontal plate, and that the drive chain (3) extends longitudinally of the base plate in the central line (1x) thereof.

3. A machine according to claim ^ characterized in that the drive chain (3) is driven by a gear motor (4) mounted in a machine frame (7), which carries the base plate (1). 4. A machine according to claim ^ cha racte rized by comprising two introduction auxiliary flaps (5a, 5b), which are mounted pivotally on the base plate (1) immediately in front of the hold-down plate (2), wherein one flap (5a) extends from one side of the base plate inwardly toward the centre thereof mounted in a hinge link (16), which is arranged at the side edge concerned of the base plate with its pivot axis oriented in parallel with the side edge, and wherein the other flap (5b), in the opposite manner, extends from the opposite side of the base plate inwardly toward the centre thereof and is correspondingly hinged in a hinge link (16) arranged at the side edge concerned, and such that both introduction auxiliary flaps (5a, 5b) are movable independently of each other by pivoting up from the base plate during the deposit and the introduction of the fish frame (F) into the machine.

5. A machine according to claim 4, cha racte rized in that the two introduction auxiliary flaps (5a, 5b) together form a hopper-shaped introduction gate (18) in front of the hold-down plate (2) with rounded and/or tapering side edges, and that each of the introduction auxiliary flaps is spring-activated in a direction down toward the base plate. 6. A machine according to claim ^ characte rized in that each of the said scraper knives (6a, 6b, 6x, 6y) consists of a spoon-shaped knife head (19) with a stem (19a), said stem being mounted in a height-adjustable and angle-adjustable adapter (19b), which is fixed above the base plate (1) with the knife head (19) in a downwardly facing position, or below the base plate with the knife head (19) in an upwardly facing position.

7. A machine according to claim 6, characterized in that chutes or hoppers for the meat mass freed from the fish frame (F) during the scraping process are arranged in connection with the scraper knives, said meat mass being collected below the machine in containers or vessels provided for the purpose.

8. A machine according to claim ^ cha racterized in that each of the carrier links (29) of the drive chain (3) is provided with a projecting, toothed cam (30), that the chain is recessed in a milled track (22) in the up- per side of the base plate (1) with the toothed cams projecting relative to the upper side, and that the machine is equipped with a gear motor (4), by means of which the drive chain is driven.

9. A machine according to claim ^ characterized in that at least two of the scraper knives (6a and 6x) are mounted vertically movably between free positions in which the knife heads (19) of the scraper knives are pulled out of the engagement with the fish frame (F), and working positions in which the knife heads (19) are in scraping engagement with the fish frame, and that these up and down movements are generated by means of pneumatic cylinders or cylinder guide units (21), or by means of corresponding electric actuator units.

10. A machine according to claim 9, c h a ra cte r i ze d in that the scraping process is controlled by one or more photocells arranged along the path of the fish frame through the machine, as well as an encoder coupled to the drive chain for current recording of the position of the fish frame during a passage, and that the encoder and the photocells are connected to a PLC, which is programmed to control the up and down movements of the scraper knives during the passage.

Description:
A machine for scraping fish frames

The present invention relates to a machine for scraping fish frames, and more particularly of the type defined in the introductory portion of claim .

Processing of salmon and a number of other edible fish often includes filleting of the fish, where the sides of the fish are cut free from the backbone. The cut sides - called fillets - are used for human consumption in various forms. Prior to the filleting, the head and the tail have usually been cut off from the fish. The remaining part of the fish, i.e. the fish frame, consists of the backbone with associated side bones and belly bones as well as the fish meat which is present between the bones, and which is not cut off during the filleting. Where low value species of fish, such as cod and pollack, are involved, the attached meat is discarded together with the fish frame and ends up as animal fodder, for instance mink fodder. Where, on the other hand, more expensive species of fish are involved, such as salmon and trout, the meat left between the bones on the fish frame represents a relatively high value, which may advantageously be used in the fishing industry, for instance for the production of salmon or trout pate.

It is known to scrape the meat from the bones by means of a spoon-shaped implement. The scraping work, which can only be performed manually today, is a cumbersome, time-consuming and physically strenuous operation. The profits of the sale of the fish mass for further processing as pate or an- other finished product bear no comparison with the labour costs associated with the scraping, and, therefore, most salmon frames today end up as mink fodder.

It has been attempted to mechanize the scraping work by using various forms of machines developed for the purpose. For instance, PCT Patent Application WO 00/11960 discloses a machine of the type concerned for the scraping of fish frames for the recovery of meat residues from the frame.

The machine comprises a base part in the form of a guide plate with a de- posit place for the fish frame, a hold-down plate arranged at an adjustable distance above the guide plate, and two serrated drive wheels arranged in extension of the guide plate. The hold-down plate is spring-loaded in a direction down toward the guide plate. The guide plate is configured with a longitudinal central trough, which serves as a guide for the backbone of the fish frame. Moreover, the machine comprises two upper and lower scraper blades disposed in extension of the guide plate and the drive wheels. After the scraper blades, the base part and the hold-down plate are formed by two guide rails arranged at a distance above each other to form a guide channel for the backbone of the fish frame. The scraper blades are ar- ranged adjustably relative to the guide plate and the guide rails. A sensor activates the scraper blades during the passage of the fish frame.

The serrated drive wheels serve to pull the fish frame longitudinally through the machine with the backbone of the fish frame guided in the longitudinal central trough formed by the guide plate. During the passage of the scraper blades, these are activated, so that the cutting edges are caused to contact the fish frame. The scraper blades cause the meat residues left on the backbone and bones of the fish frame to be scraped off. The meat residues are collected in a container arranged below the machine.

In practice, however, the intended effect is not achieved. The circumstance that the two sets of scraper blades are arranged such that the uppermost scraper blades are present immediately above the lowermost scraper blades, means that the fish frame is not supported by a fixed stop opposite the scraper blades in the scraping zone itself. The fish frame, which is flexible and resilient per se, will therefore yield to the scraper blades. The result is that the expected scraping of meat mass from the fish frame is achieved only to a very limited extent.

Another problem is the drive system which, in the area opposite the scraper blades where a considerable driving force is needed indeed to ensure an effective processing of the fish frame, only has a single set of drive wheels. The drive wheels are in engagement with the fish frame with a very limited portion of their circumference, i.e. with relatively few teeth. As the fish frame is soft and resilient, the grip by the drive wheels in the fish frame will be to- tally insufficient to ensure that the fish frame is pulled effectively through the scraping zone. The result is that a fish frame will get jammed in the machine, and that the intended scraping effect is missing.

For many purposes, it is undesirable that fish bones are included in the meat mass which is scraped from the fish frame. If the scraping is performed as disclosed in the description of WO 00/11960, the relatively loosely attached bones, which are present in the belly zone of the fish, i.e. from the head until approximately the middle of the belly, will follow the meat mass during the scraping. To avoid these fish bones, it is necessary in the use of the known machine to keep the scraper blades free from the fish frame when the belly zone passes the scraper blades, i.e. during the entire first half of the length of the fish frame. The amount of fish meat lost by this method is considerable. To remedy the above-mentioned defects and drawbacks of the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved machine of the present type for the recovery of meat residues from the frame of a filleted fish. More particularly, the object is to provide a machine which enables an effective machine scraping of the fish frames, so that the manual work in connection with the scraping is reduced to a simple deposit of the fish frames one by one in the machine. The greatest possible degree of recovery is also desired, without the scraped fish meat being mixed with fish bones from the fish frame.

According to the invention, the object is achieved by a machine which is characterized by having a plane, oblong base plate with a free deposit place for the fish frame at one end of the base plate, and a drive chain recessed longitudinally at the opposite end which is driven by a gear motor and is provided with a plurality of carrier links, which project relative to the upwardly facing side of the base plate. Moreover, the machine comprises a hold-down plate, which is arranged at an adjustable height above the base plate at the end provided with the drive chain and is spring-activated in a direction down toward the base plate. Further, the machine is provided with two spoon-shaped, downwardly facing scraper knives arranged at an adjustable height and position above the base plate, and two other oppositely facing, i.e. upwardly facing, scraper knives arranged at an adjustable distance below the hold-down plate.

The scraper knives are arranged in pocket-shaped cutouts in the hold-down plate and the base plate, respectively, and, with the scraping edges, face from above down toward the base plate and from below up toward the lower side of the hold-down plate, respectively. The scraper knives are arranged in a staggered manner relative to each other, so that a fixed plate stop is provided opposite each scraper knife, which is formed either by the base plate or the hold-down plate, depending on whether the downwardly facing or the upwardly facing scraper knives are involved. In this manner, all the scraper knives will have a fixed stop to work up against, so that the fish frame pulled forwards between the edge of the scraper knife and the stop receives an effective processing, resulting in the greatest possible yield of meat.

The fish frame is deposited manually on the deposit place of the base plate with the tail end facing forwards in the direction of feed of the chain, and is moved inwards below the hold-down plate, where the drive chain grips the fish frame from below with its carrier links. The hold-down plate ensures that the frame is kept tightly down against the base plate and the drive chain during the drive movement, so that the carrier links of the chain will grip the soft fish frame effectively.

Under the action of the gear motor, the fish frame is now pulled longitudinally through the machine, while the four scraper knives process their re- spective sides of the frame, partly from above, partly from below, during the passage of the fish frame. Seen in relation to the drive direction, the scraper knives have inclined scraper edges, which means that the meat is almost "ploughed" off the bones during the forward movement of the fish frame. The inclined scraper edges also cause the freed meat to be pushed out to the sides, said meat being collected via hoppers or chutes in vessels or containers provided for the purpose below the machine.

In a preferred embodiment, at least two of the scraper knives are arranged movably up and down between a free position in which the scraper knives concerned are lifted free from the fish frame, and a working position in which the scraper knives are lowered or raised to a position in which the scraper edges are in engagement with the fish frame. The movement is achieved by means of pneumatic cylinders or electric actuators. The lifting movements of the scraper knives are used for lifting the scraper knives concerned free from the fish frame, thereby avoiding processing the part of the fish frame which extends from the head until approximately the middle of the belly. The purpose of this is to prevent the scraper knives from carrying along loosely attached belly bones from the belly zone of the fish. Such belly bones, which occur solely on one side of the fish frame, (but of course on both sides of the fish corresponding to the belly of the fish), are undesirable in the scraped meat mass. The method ensures the greatest possible yield of meat, i.e. high degree of recovery, and also fish meat of a high quality without any content of fish bones. To facilitate the manual deposit and introduction of the fish frame below the hold-down plate, it is expedient according to the invention to provide the machine with two opening introduction auxiliary flaps, cf. claim 4. These auxiliary flaps, which are mounted on the base plate immediately in front of the hold-down plate, contribute to keeping the fish frame in a correctly ori- ented position on the deposit place of the base plate immediately before the frame is inserted inwards below the hold-down plate. The introduction auxiliary flaps together form a hopper-shaped introduction opening and are formed with suitable rounded side edges and corners. In a preferred embodiment, the scraper knives are mounted in respective articulated, adjustable arms, which, with the associated pneumatic cylinders, are arranged in connection with a machine frame, and so that a recess is provided for each scraper knife, in the form of an open pocket in the respective plate (base plate / hold-down plate). This means that pockets are milled in the hold-down plate for the two scraper knives operating from above, and pockets are milled in the base plate for the two scraper knives operating from below.

According to the invention, the carrier links of the drive chain may advan- tageously be provided with projecting, sawtooth-shaped teeth to achieve the best possible grip of the fish frame. This ensures effective feeding of the fish frame through the scraping zone of the machine and thereby an extremely reliable function. In an embodiment defined in claim 10, in which the machine is controlled by one or more photocells arranged along the path of the fish frame through the machine, as well as an encoder coupled to the drive chain, it is possible currently to record the position of the fish frame during the passage. The photocells and the encoder are connected to a PLC, and this is programmed to control the up and down movements of the scraper knives during the feeding of the fish frame and its passage past the scraper knives. An expedient automatization of the scraping process is ensured in this manner. The task of the machine operator is then solely to deposit the fish frames on the base plate of the machine, and to ensure correct introduction into the scraping zone of the machine. The result is a rational, la- bour-saving working procedure, which ensures a high machine productivity.

The invention will be explained more fully below with reference to the drawing, in which fig. 1 shows a machine according to the invention in a lateral view, fig. 2 shows the same machine seen from above,

fig. 3 shows a horizontal section along the line A-A in fig. ,

fig. 4 shows a vertical section along the line B-B in fig. 2,

fig. 5 shows a cross-section along the line C-C in fig. 1 , shown in an enlarged view,

fig. 6 shows a cross-section along the line D-D in fig. 1 , shown in an enlarged view,

fig. 7 shows a scraper knife with an associated vertical guide device, seen from the side in an enlarged view,

fig. 8 shows the same scraper knife seen from the front,

fig. 9 shows a section of the drive chain of the machine shown with toothed carrier links, and

fig. 10 shows a fish frame from a filleted salmon, with an indication of the zones which are scraped (tail zone and dorsal zone).

In the embodiment shown in figs. 1 - 6 of the drawing, the machine essen- tially consists of a plane, substantially rectangular base plate 1 , a hold- down plate 2 arranged at a distance above this, a drive chain 3 with associated drive 4, a set of introduction auxiliary flaps 5, and two sets of scraper knives 6a, 6b, 6x, 6y.

The base plate 1 is supported in a horizontal position by a machine under- frame 7. The base plate is divided into a free introduction end with a deposit place 8 for the fish frame F, two processing zones (scraping zones) 9 and 10, one at each side of the machine, and an outlet end 11. The two proc- essing zones 9, 10 are arranged staggered relative to each other seen in the longitudinal direction of the machine. An open pocket 1a and 1 b, respectively, is milled in the base plate 1 opposite each processing zone 9 and 10. The pockets extend from the respective side edge on the base plate and inwardly toward the central line 1x of the plate, see fig. 3. Corre- spondingly, pockets 2a and 2b are milled in the hold-down plate 2, which likewise extend from the respective side edge on the hold-down plate and inwardly toward its centre. The pockets 2a and 2b are arranged staggered in the direction of feed relative to the pockets 1a and 1 b, see fig. 2. The hold-down plate 2 covers the base plate 1 in the rear half thereof. The rear half of the base plate comprises the two processing zones 9 and 10 and the outlet end 11. The hold-down plate is controlled relative to the base plate by two vertical control pins 12 at each side of the base plate. These control pins also serve as adjustable stop bolts, which restrict the displace- ment of the hold-down plate downwardly toward the base plate 1 , said hold- down plate being under the action of a spring device 31 mounted above the hold-down plate. The spring force of the spring device is adjustable by means of finger screws 14. The stop bolts ensure that there will always be a smallest (adjustable) distance between the hold-down plate and the base plate, which facilitates the introduction of the fish frame F between the base plate and the hold-down plate. The direction of feed of the machine is indicated by an arrow 15 in figs. 2 and 4. Two introductory auxiliary flaps 5a and 5a are mounted immediately in front of the hold-down plate 2 seen in the direction of feed, one at each side of the machine. Each of these flaps is mounted pivotally upwardly by pivoting in a hinge link 16, which is mounted along the respective side edge of the base plate, and whose pivot axis is parallel with the side edge. Each hinge link 16 is provided with springs (not shown), which keep the introduction auxiliary flaps resiliently downwardly toward the base plate. An adjustable strop screw 17 inserted on each auxiliary flap serves to keep the aux- iliary flap at a suitable distance above the base plate, so that the fish frame F may easily be introduced below the introduction auxiliary flaps. These are formed with rounded sides and edges, so that, together, they form a hopper-shaped introduction opening 18. As mentioned above, and like the base plate 1 , the hold-down plate 2 is provided with milled pockets 2a and 2b, which extend from the side edges of the hold-down plate and inwardly toward the centre of the plate. The pockets 2a and 2b are arranged opposite the processing zones 9 and 10. Relative to the corresponding pockets 1a and 1 b of the base plate 1 , the pockets of the hold-down plate are staggered rearwardly in a direction toward the deposit place 8 on the base plate 1 , i.e. opposite the direction of feed 15 of the machine. The two sets of pockets are positioned mutually such that the pockets do not cover each other (or just to an inconsiderable extent).

The pockets 2a and 2b in the hold-down plate 2 serve to make room for the two uppermost scraper knives 6a and 6b, which are inserted from above with their knife heads 19 facing downwards and at an adjustable distance above the base plate 1. The scraper knives are carried by carrier arms (not shown), which form part of the machine frame 7. The knife heads 19 of the scraper knives are shaped as oval, spoon-shaped scraping tools, whose concave sides face opposite to the direction of feed 15.

Correspondingly, the pockets 1a and 1 b in the base plate 1 make room for the two scraper knives 6a and 6y inserted from below, which, with their knife heads 19, face upwardly toward the lower side of the hold-down plate 2. The distance between the knife heads and the hold-down plate is adjustable.

It applies to all the scraper knives that, because of the staggered arrange- ment of the two sets of pockets relative to each other (uppermost and lowermost), the knives will operate with their cutting edges in engagement with the opposed plate (the base plate or the hold-down plate). The intended scraping processing of the fish frame F is achieved in this manner, when the fish frame, under the action of the drive chain 3, is pulled past the scraping zones pressed together between the base plate and the hold- down plate.

Each knife head 19 is provided with an upwardly directed stem 19a. The stem is fixed in an adapter 19b, which allows vertical adjustment and ad- justment of the angular position of the knife head relative to the direction of feed 15. The knife heads 19 will normally be set in an inclined working position relative to the direction of feed 15, so that the scraped meat mass from the fish frame F is pressed out to the sides to be collected in containers arranged below the base plate 1. The containers are not shown in the drawing.

The scraper knives 6a, 6b, 6x, and 6y are separately mounted with the adapter 9b on a standard guide unit 21 (FESTO type DFM), which, with an incorporated pneumatic cylinder, is intended to move the scraper knife 19 concerned up and down relative to the base plate 1 in an automatic working cycle during the passage of the fish frame F through the scraping zones. The drive chain 3 is guided in a milled track 22 in the processing zone of the base plate, i.e. in the part of the upper side of the base plate 1 which is present below the hold-down plate 2, see figs. 4 and 6. The milled track 22 extends in the longitudinal direction of the machine and is present approxi- mately in the centre of the plate, i.e. in the central line 1x of the plate, see fig. 3. The drive chain 3, which is endless, is passed through the track 22 and around two chain wheels 23 and 24, one at each end of the drive path, and is supported on the extent between the two chain wheels below the base plate 1 by two support wheels 25 and 26. The drive chain 3 is driven by the mentioned gear motor 4, which is incorporated in the machine frame 7, and which drives the one chain wheel 24 via another chain drive 27.

The drive chain 3, which is shown in an enlarged view in fig. 9, is provided with carrier links 29, each of which is provided with an outwardly directed (upright) toothed cam 30. These toothed cams project relative to the upper side of the base plate 1 , when the chain moves through the guide track 22 between the two chain wheels 23 and 24.

The fish frame F (see figs. 2 and 10) is deposited manually on the deposit place 8 of the base plate and is moved - likewise manually - inwardly below the two spring-loaded introduction auxiliary flaps 5a and 5b until the drive chain 3 grips the fish frame F. Then, the feed through the processing zone of the machine will take pace automatically under the action of the drive chain, whose toothed, projecting cams ensure an effective grip of the backbone 31 of the fish frame. During the passage through the machine, the fish frame F is subjected to the scraping action of the scraper knives 19, as described, whereby the fish meat present between the backbone 32 and the tail bone 33 of the fish is scraped free. To prevent the relatively loosely attached belly bones 34 of the fish (see fig. 10) from being scraped free during the scraping process, whereby unde- sired fish bones are mixed into the meat mass, it is expedient to lift the respective scraper knives 6a and 6x free from the fish frame during the passage of the belly zone. This may take place automatically by equipping the machine with a plurality of photocells and an encoder (not shown in the drawing). The encoder is coupled to the drive chain. The position of the fish frame relative to the scraping zones may be recorded currently by means of the photocells and the encoder, and the pneumatic cylinder guide units 21 may be guided up and down with an incorporated PLC control in accordance with the position of the fish frame in the machine. The operator of the machine may then concentrate entirely on placing the fish frames on the base plate one by one. The produced meat mass is collected via chutes or hoppers (not shown) in collection containers arranged below the base plate 1 opposite the individual scraping zones. It is envisaged that the use of the machine may be extended to other fields within the fishing industry than the one stated, e.g. for the filleting of mackerel, the filleting of herring, etc.