Abstract: The invention relates to a product and process for blanching or cooking food strands wherein the food strand is conveyed through a blanching tank on a conveyor immersed within the tank, wherein the conveyor includes bearing members for allowing the food strand to hang on a plurality of suspenders of the conveyor while forming a plurality of free suspended loops between each adjacent bearing member when operatively arranged to hang the strand.

Abstract: The invention relates to a product and process for blanching or cooking food strands, wherein the food strand is conveyed through a blanching tank on a conveyor immersed within the tank, wherein the conveyor includes means for allowing the food strand to hang on a plurality of bearing means of the conveyor means while forming a plurality of free suspended loops between each adjacent bearing means when operatively arranged to hang the strand.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for dosing a pattern of food material onto an object e.g. a tray or other food material continuously moved. The apparatus for carrying out the method comprises a dosing assembly comprising a substantially cylindrical tube element having a plurality of circumferential openings defining the pattern and being mounted rotatably; and a hollow core element with at least one supply inlet and at least one discharge orifice, the core element being positioned substantially in the tube element with the discharge orifice facing downwardly, so that when the tube element is rotated about its longitudinal axis the openings are in turn aligned with and brought adjacent to the discharge orifice allowing food material introduced into the core element to be discharged through the opening created.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for dosing a pattern of food material onto an object e.g. a tray or other food material continuously moved. The apparatus comprises a dosing assembly comprising a substantially cylindrical tube element having a plurality of circumferential openings defining the pattern and being mounted rotatably; and a hollow core element with at least one supply inlet and at least one discharge orifice, the core element being positioned substantially in the tube element with the discharge orifice facing downwardly, so that when the tube element is rotated about its longitudinal axis the openings are in turn aligned with and brought adjacent to the discharge orifice allowing food material introduced into the core element to be discharged through the opening created.

Abstract: An apparatus for aligning and uniformly orienting fish includes a shuffle feed device for aligning and discharging fish in a single line and a conveyor having a longitudinal upper run positioned for receiving and conveying aligned and discharged fish in a single line, in which fish are orientated in the longitudinal plane of the conveyor. A sensor including an upper photocell and a lower photocell is positioned at a downstream end of the conveyor such that, in operation, the sensor distinguishes between head-end-first and tail-end-first orientations of fish passing the sensor based upon the sequence of activation of the photocells. Fish passing the sensor are uniformly oriented in the same orientation by control of the sensor.

Abstract: Articles of meat or fish are transported on three successively positioned conveyor belts wherein at least a part of the first conveyor belt forms a load-bearing platform of a weighing machine. A cutting device is positioned for cutting the transported articles into portions between the second and third successive conveyor belts. The cutting device is actuated by a computer which is preprogrammed with a predetermined cut portion weight.

Abstract: Articles of irregular shapes and sizes are stabilized and weighed by being transported by two upstream to downstream successive pairs of adjacent parallel conveyors which are suitable for transporting the articles and which are inclined to one another at their adjacent longitudinal edges so that their upper surfaces form an acute angle, the upstream pair of conveyors forming a stabilizing unit and the downstream pair of conveyors providing a load-bearing platform of a weighing machine to form a weighing unit.

Abstract: A gripping device, which is particularly useful for removing pin bones, particularly from salmonoid fish, has a pair of matable gripping jaws wherein one of the jaws is held in a fixed position relative to a cylinder and the other jaw is pivotally connected to the cylinder such that it is urged to open and close the pair of jaws. The device provides for retracting and extending the gripping jaws.