Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for automatically packaging fish at high speeds into horizontally oriented cans. Speeds of approximately 600 cans per minute may be obtained with the preferred configuration of the present invention, wherein two incoming streams of fish are split into eight lanes, to achieve canning speeds of approximately twice the speed of prior art machines. Each incoming stream of fish is split into four separate processing streams or channels, primarily to reduce the operational speeds of the equipment components. Each incoming stream of fish is split by a first dividing knife into two forming chambers carried by an intermittently moving turning wheel. The fish is split again by knives located at second and third work stations of the rotating turning wheel. Four fish cakes are formed simultaneously at the second and third work stations and simultaneously discharged downwardly into horizontally oriented cans.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for automatically packaging fish at high speeds into horizontally oriented cans. Speeds of approximately 600 cans per minute may be obtained with the preferred configuration of the present invention, wherein two incoming streams of fish are split into eight lanes, to achieve canning speeds of approximately twice the speed of prior art machines. Each incoming stream of fish is split into four separate processing streams or channels, primarily to reduce the operational speeds of the equipment components. Each incoming stream of fish is split by a first dividing knife into two forming chambers carried by an intermittently moving turning wheel. The fish is split again by knives located at second and third work stations of the rotating turning wheel. Four fish cakes are formed simultaneously at the second and third work stations and simultaneously discharged downwardly into horizontally oriented cans.

Abstract: A fish-canning machine having two adjacent parallel rotary turrets each having fish-receiving forming pockets in the periphery thereof. The turrets are positioned to align two of the pockets with each other to form a single combined pocket which is then filled with fish from a corresponding large size feed chute of increasing cross-sectional area. The fish in the pockets is severed between the turrets and the turrets are rotated by different amounts to move the filled pockets laterally out of alignment with each other. The fish in both filled pockets is formed into the shape of a can and ejected endwise from the pockets into two separate cans. Spaces between the turrets and the housing provide for plate inserts and variation in the thickness of the forming elements so as to accommodate a variety of pack sizes and characteristics. The plate inserts include studs which extend through the housing with attachment spacers to engage attachment bars.

Abstract: A fish-canning machine having two adjacent parallel rotary turrets each having fish-receiving forming pockets in the periphery thereof. The turrets are positioned to align two of the pockets with each other to form a single combined pocket which is then filled with fish from a corresponding large size feed chute of increasing cross-sectional area. The fish in the pockets is severed between the turrets and the turrets are rotated by different amounts to move the filled pockets laterally out of alignment with each other. The fish in both filled pockets is formed into the shape of a can and ejected endwise from the pockets into two separate cans. Turret shoes and forming shoes are associated with the turrets which extend beyond the turret plate widths to define, with the immediately adjacent plate inserts, the forming pockets. The width of the shoes employed may easily be altered depending on the desired thickness of the pack.

Abstract: This invention relates to a machine to ensure that the amount of food product in a can meets the volume and weight standards without altering the natural characteristics of the product necessary for the market. The invention encompasses a combination of scrapers or sweepers and a primary pocket turret assembly and including a rotating cylinder body having sweeper blades positioned thereon in a helical form so the amount of food product in associated cavities in the rotating table meets weight, volume, and product appearance standards. In addition, pneumatic cylinders and cam-driven cylinders from below compress the product in the device prior to the final leveling accomplished by the rotating helical sweepers.

Abstract: A can star drive for a fish-canning machine in which a turret 11 and can star 75 are separately driven, with the can star 75 being rotated through its 120.degree. advance in each cycle during half again as much time as it takes for the turret 11 to advance through its 120.degree. advance. The slower rate of rotation of the can star 75 reduces the exit velocity of the filled cans as they are discharged from the machine to avoid ejection of fish from filled cans. In addition, the can star 75 rotates through its 120.degree. continuously in a one-step advance, rather than through a two-step advance with an intermediate stop as in prior machines.