Abstract: A method and apparatus for orienting fish upon a conveyor wherein fish are transported lying in single file past a detection device for determining the orientation of the back, belly or sides of the fish. Fish deviating from a desired orientation are then turned to the desired orientation.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for packaging items, for example herring, sardines or similar fishes in cans, is provided. The fish are conveyed at continuous speed lying on a conveyor with a predetermined longitudinal and transversal orientation. The foremost fish on the conveyor is moved while maintaining its orientation to a first compartment in a line of compartments adjacent the path of the conveyor. The next following fish on the conveyor is moved correspondingly to the next following compartment in the line, until the number of fishes in the compartments equals the number of fishes to be canned in one can. The line of compartments is then shifted away from the conveyor to a can, while the fishes are turned around their longitudinal axis within the compartments to a predefined position. Finally, the fishes are pressed out of the compartments and into the can.

Abstract: The size of a fish is measured and its position is adjusted in a fish processing machine, in which head cutting is carried out in such a way that the best output possible is obtained without loss of valuable parts. The fish is advanced sidewise in a fish box by a conveyor and before the deheader of the machine is partly introduced into a head box, after which the thickness of the fish is measured by sensing the head of the fish at that portion, which is located behind the eyes and has a substantially constant thickness, and the fish is then displaced in its longitudinal direction to the correct cutting position in dependence of the measured thickness.