Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for cutting free the flank bones of decapitated, slaughtered fish with opened abdominal cavities which are transported on transport saddles as supporting bodies for securely receiving the fish in their abdominal cavities, comprising an upper bones guide, a lower bones guide and a separating assembly for releasing fish fillets from the flank bones, wherein the separating assembly, which can be brought from a standby position into a working position and vice versa, comprises a separating device having cutting edges and with a corresponding counter-surface, which is characterized in that a covering element, for covering regions of the cutting edge of the separating device located in the effective region of the separating device inside the fish, is assigned to the separating device, and the covering element is designed and configured such that it can be automatically adjusted with respect to its position in relation to the separating device.

Abstract: A fish feed-in device (1) for feeding fish (9) to a fish processing device (7) comprises a delivery conveying means (3) which is equipped with a controllable positioning drive (35) and a controllable conveying drive (36). The delivery conveying means (3) can be moved by the controllable positioning drive (35) into a first state (301) released by the fish (9) in a deposit space (11), into a second state (302) for grasping, centered holding and conveying of the fish (9) accessing said fish in the deposit space (11) and, in cooperation with the controllable conveying drive (36), into a third state (303) which releases the fish (9) after conveying at a fish delivery point (42) which is defined by a controlled delivery time with associated controlled fish delivery speed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detecting the prone/supine position of fish (12) conveyed by means of a conveying device (13), comprising conveying the fish (12) by means of the conveying device (13) in the longitudinal direction (11) of the fish, optically scanning the ventral side (15) and dorsal side (16) of the fish (12) as a pair in order to determine a first brightness value profile of a first side and a second brightness value profile of a second side of a respective fish (12) by means of optical scanning means (14), determining a first ordered data series and a second ordered data series by ordering brightness values of the first brightness value profile and of the second brightness value profile according to a predefined ordering criterion, determining a first median from the first ordered data series and a second median from the second ordered data series, determining at least one differential value from the first median and the second median, and determining the prone/supine position

Abstract: The invention relates to a drive belt connecting device for the tension-resistant connection of fiat drive belt end sections (93, 94), which drive belt connecting device comprises a multi-part connecting body (41), which has connecting parts (1, 2, 3) and a connecting chamber (42), which accommodates the drive belt end sections (93, 94), which have at least one first belt flat side having a belt surface profile (911) in an overlapping arrangement for tension-resistant connection. A first outer connecting part (1) and a second outer connecting part (2) bound the connecting chamber (42), in which an inner connecting part (3) having inner connecting surfaces (301, 302) is arranged. The inner connecting surfaces and outer connecting surfaces (101, 201) of the outer connecting parts (1, 2) can be placed onto the drive belt end sections (93, 94). A fastening means (5) fastens the outer connecting parts (1, 2) to each other at a limited fixed distance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a suction tool (10), configured and adapted for gutting fish (11) opened at the abdominal cavity, comprising a suction pipe (13) forming a main channel (12), wherein the suction pipe (13) has a connection (14) for a vacuum unit (15) at a free end and a suction opening (16) at the opposing end facing the abdominal cavity in the operating state, wherein the suction opening (16) laterally passes out of the suction pipe (13) and is thereby oriented radially in relation to the central axis M of the suction pipe (13), characterized in that an additional pipe element (23) for forming an auxiliary air channel (24, 31) is arranged in the region of the suction opening (16) of the suction pipe (13), wherein the pipe element (23) is arranged and adapted in such a way that a continuous suction air volume flow is maintained in the operating state of the suction tool (10). The invention also relates to an apparatus (17) and a method for gutting fish (11) opened at the abdominal cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing pin bones from fish fillets includes at least one pin bone removal device and a conveying device designed to convey the fish fillets past the at least one pin bone removal device. The pin bone removal device includes a rotationally driven profiled roller having a counter-bearing element forming a clamping gap, the roller and the counter-bearing element being designed to grasp the pin bones in the clamping gap by clamping and to remove the bones from the fish fillets by applying tensile force. The counter-bearing element and the roller are designed to be controllably moved with respect to each other by a controller.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transporting station (10), designed and configured for transporting fish transverse to their longitudinal extent in a transport direction T, comprising a conveying device (11) for transporting individual, separated fish in a lying position along a transport path TL from an entry region E of the conveying device (11) to an exit region A of the conveying device (11), wherein the conveying device (11) comprises a rotationally driven transport element (12) which is characterised in that the conveying device (11) is assigned a change-over device (13) which is designed and configured and is in operative connection with the conveying device (11), in such a manner that the fish can be transferred automatically from the lying position on the transport path TL of the conveying device (11) into a suspended position on a transport path TH of the change-over device (13).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a fish feed-in device (10) which is designed to supply fish (13) to a plurality of fish-processing devices and comprises a transverse conveyor (14) designed to convey the fish (13) transversely to their head-tail orientation in a transverse conveying direction (15), wherein the transverse conveyor (14) comprises a plurality of receptacles (17) each designed to individually hold one of the fish (13), and the transverse conveyor (14) has a controllable drive unit (19), at least one feeder device (11) designed to supply fish to the receptacles (17) of the transverse conveyor (14), a plurality of transfer devices (16) which are designed to selectively transfer the fish (13) from the transverse conveyor to longitudinal conveyors (12) arranged upstream of the respective fish-processing devices, wherein the longitudinal conveyors (12) are designed to convey the fish (13) in their head-tail orientation to the fish-processing machines, and a control device which is designed to control th

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for optical inspection of the opened abdominal cavity (10) of gutted fish (11), comprising a conveying device (12) configured for conveying the fish (11) along a processing line in the longitudinal direction, pivotable ventral flaps holding elements (17) configured for holding open the abdominal cavity (10) of the fish, at least one optical imaging system (21, 22, 23) arranged along the processing line, said optical imaging system being designed and configured to take at least one sequence of images of abdominal cavity regions of one of the fish (11) in each case, said sequence comprising a plurality of single images, at least one illumination device (24, 25) configured for illuminating the abdominal cavity regions in each case with light of a predetermined spectral composition, in each case at the times the single images are taken, an evaluation unit (26) configured to evaluate the image sequence according to prescribed quality parameters, said evaluation unit be

Abstract: The present invention relates to a conveying and distributing apparatus for delivering fish slaughtered by means of a plurality of slaughtering machines to at least one distributing device, comprising longitudinal conveyors downstream of each of the slaughtering machines, which are configured to receive the slaughtered fish longitudinally in a head to tail orientation, wherein each of the longitudinal conveyors comprises a weighing device for detecting the weight of the slaughtered fish, at least one first transfer device is arranged on each of the longitudinal conveyors, which are designed and configured to transfer the slaughtered fish to at least one transverse conveyor, wherein the at least one transverse conveyor is adapted to receive the slaughtered fish transversely with respect to the head to tail orientation, a feed device arranged on the end of the transverse conveyor, which is designed and configured to remove the slaughtered fish from the transverse conveyor and to feed the same to a distributing

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for monitoring a meat processing machine having a meat processing unit for processing input meat products fed thereto into output meat products, an input sensor unit, and a control unit for controlling the meat processing unit, wherein the control unit is connected to the input sensor unit, comprising the steps: feeding input meat products to the meat processing unit, acquiring input product data, in particular geometric data and/or weight data, of the input meat product fed to the meat processing unit by means of the input sensor unit, and determining a tolerance variable for a yield-relevant processing parameter by means of a mathematical model or a database, in each case depending on the acquired input product data. The invention further relates to a meat processing machine for performing the method.

Abstract: A fish processing device and method of use, the device including: a channel; a sensor located within or adjacent to the channel; a barrier, the barrier to assist in preventing a fish passing through the channel; and a control system, wherein the control system controls the barrier in response to an output of the sensor. The method including the steps of: detecting that a fish is incorrectly orientated in a channel; and controlling a barrier to assist in preventing the fish from passing through the channel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically recovering flesh from beheaded and gutted fish, comprising a transport device for transporting the fish tail-first along a transport path in transport direction T, and a separating device (14) for separating the flesh from the bone structure, wherein the separating device has at least two rotatably driven and controllable circular knives arranged at a distance from each other on mutually opposing sides of the transport path in order to form a gap S. The two circular knives are designed to be pivoted about an axis I, II that differs from a horizontal orientation, wherein the axes I, II are oriented in such a way that, by pivoting the circular knives about the axes I and II, the point P of the smallest gap size between the circular knives can be positioned differently from the lowest knife point M of the two circular knives.

Abstract: A crab butchering machine removes the carapace, mandibles and tail from a crab by timing actuation of tools depending upon the measured dimensions of the carapace. A measuring tool determines the location of the front and rear of the carapace relative to the saddle, securing and advancing the crab through the machine. The positions of the ends of the tools that operate on the crab are known. After measuring, the crab is advanced into a calculated position relative to a first tool, whereby an arm moves upwards, separating the carapace from the crab. The crab is next advanced past a 10 second tool that lifts the carapace away from the crab carcass, allowing a third tool to move upwards, separating the carapace and tail from the carcass when the saddle is in a second calculated position. The remaining leg clusters are separated and released from the saddle for further processing.

Abstract: A fish stunning apparatus comprises a fish feed-in device, a fish receiving space, which is loadable with fish in the head first position, a fish positioning means, which engages on the fish head and, for the purpose of stunning the fish, defines a releasable temporary stop position of the fish, said apparatus also comprises a stunning means for acting on the fish head, a trigger device for determining the stop position and for activating the stunning means, and further comprises a control device for controlling operation. Locations on the fish head which come to rest in the fish receiving space, depending on the size of the head and/or body of the fish, should be positioned optimally for the purpose of stunning.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for mechanically recovering flesh from fish, in which by introducing incisions, the dorsal bones and the ventrally directed bones are cut free from the laterally located fillets without separating the pin bones from the spine and the separating gaps formed by the incisions are then expanded, thereby moving the lateral fillets away from the spine of the fish in the lateral direction transverse to the dorsal bones, wherein the fillets are peeled away from the pin bones extending laterally out from the spine or the flank bones, and a corresponding apparatus for mechanically recovering the flesh of fish.

Abstract: A processing system (10) and corresponding method (158) are provided for processing workpieces (WP), including food items, to cut and remove undesirable components from the food items and/or portion the food items while being conveyed on a conveyor system (12). An X-ray scanning station (14) is located on an upstream conveyor section (20) to ascertain size and/or shape parameters of the food items as well as the location of any undesirable components of the food items, such as bones, fat or cartilage. Thereafter the food items are transferred to a downstream conveyor (20) at which is located an optical scanner (102) to ascertain the size and/or shape parameters of the food items. The results of the X-ray and optical scanning are transmitted to a processor (18) to confirm that the food item scanned by the optical scanner is the same as that previously scanned by the X-ray scanner.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (10), designed and configured to acquire and analyse product-specific data for products (12) of the food processing industry, comprising a conveyor (11), which is gap-free in the transport plane, for transporting separated products (12) in transport direction T from an intake end to a discharge end, an X-ray unit (13) having at least one X-ray source (14) and at least one X-ray camera (15) for acquiring product-specific data, wherein X-ray source (14) and X-ray camera (15) are assigned to the conveyor (11) in such a manner that the products (12) can be guided along between the X-ray source (14) and the X-ray camera (15), as well as a control unit (16) which is connected to the X-ray unit (13) and is designed and configured to receive and analyse the product-specific data, forming a first data set, acquired by said X-ray unit (13), which is characterised in that at least one optical camera (17) is assigned to the same conveyor (11) between its intake end and discharge end,

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for removing a surface layer including the skin from fish fillets, comprising a feeding device, a dispatching device and a separating arrangement having a driver roller, which is rotationally driven, and a main blade arranged in the region of the driver roller for removing the surface layer, wherein the main blade is arranged at a distance from the driver roller to form a cutting gap (S) and is designed to be deflectable relative to the driver roller, wherein the apparatus has a measuring arrangement, comprising at least one detection element which is designed and configured to determine size-relevant data of the fish fillets, and an evaluation and control unit, the evaluation and control unit being connected by means of signal lines to the detection element and to the main blade for automatically controlling the size of the cutting gap between the main blade and the driver roller depending on the previously determined fish fillet size.