Abstract: A shrimp shell separation and cleaning device for Euphausia superba comprises a hollow main body; a screening cylinder installed rotationally inside the main body and having a bottom installed with a filter screen; a stirring assembly provided rotationally inside the main body and comprising a cylindrical cam installed inside the screening cylinder, wherein a sleeve frame is sleeved over the cylindrical cam, stirring rods are provided on the sleeve frame in an array mode and rotationally installed on the sleeve frame through driving grooves, the driving grooves run through the sleeve frame and each have one end, which penetrates through the sleeve frame, rotationally installed in one driving groove of the cylindrical cam, and the sleeve frame is arranged in self-rotating manner; a feeding port installed fixedly on communicating with the main body; and a spray head arranged fixedly inside the main body for spraying water into the screening cylinder.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for a handheld tool having a handle on one end along with a blunt ended probe-like arcuate shaped portion on the opposite end which probe is inserted into the shrimp for simultaneously peeling and deveining the shrimp. The handle is designed for being grasped in the hand of a user. The probe has a base-like ricasso portion which acts as a stop for the body of the shrimp so that when the body of the shrimp is pushed against the ricasso the meat is removed from the shrimp by separating the meat from the shell of the shrimp. In operation, the device or tool is inserted along the back of the shrimp at the dorsal portion of the shell and the shrimp is pushed forward and pinched at the same time so that the shrimp is peeled and deveined simultaneously.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for processing sea cucumbers having stages for orienting/aligning, cutting, splitting, flattening, eviscerating and cleaning the sea cucumber, and for collecting the eviscerated innards. A method for the automated splitting and evisceration of sea cucumbers using the apparatus of the present disclosure. A flattening plate and trough during the orienting/aligning step relax the sea cucumber and discourage its defence mechanisms. A wedge shaped flattening plate splits and flattens the sea cucumber immediately after the incision. Pronged discs maintain positioning of the sea cucumber during an aggressive wash and brush cleaning cycle, which may be repeated. Optionally, a vacuum may suction off a portion of the innards prior to cleaning.

Abstract: Systems and methods for insulating superconducting magnets, such as a cryogen vessel of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system having therein one or more superconducting magnets are provided. One system includes a thermal insulator having a first plurality of reflector layers and a non-deformed spacer layer between adjacent layers in the first plurality of reflector layers. The thermal insulator further includes a second plurality of reflector layers and a deformed spacer layer between adjacent layers in the second plurality of reflector layers.

Abstract: A shrimp processing system to wash, peel and devein the shrimp includes a housing, a conveyor system affixed to the housing and having a pathway to receive the shrimp, a motor connected to the conveyor system to transport the shrimp through the pathway, a pair of blades affixed to the housing on opposing sides of the pathway to score the shell proximate the tail portion of the shrimp, a cutter affixed to the housing to slice the shrimp to expose the vein, a high-pressure washing station connected to the housing to direct water at the shrimp to wash out the vein and loosen the shell, and a pair of cylindrical brushes connected to the motor and secured to the housing on opposing sides of the pathway to enable the removal of the shell from the shrimp.

Abstract: A shrimp processing system to wash, peel and devein the shrimp includes a housing, a conveyor system affixed to the housing and having a pathway to receive the shrimp, a motor connected to the conveyor system to transport the shrimp through the pathway, a pair of blades affixed to the housing on opposing sides of the pathway to score the shell proximate the tail portion of the shrimp, a cutter affixed to the housing to slice the shrimp to expose the vein, a high-pressure washing station connected to the housing to direct water at the shrimp to wash out the vein and loosen the shell, and a pair of cylindrical brushes connected to the motor and secured to the housing on opposing sides of the pathway to enable the removal of the shell from the shrimp.

Abstract: A deveining device efficiently removes veins from shrimp while preserving the meat of the shrimp in both appearance and quantity. The deveining device comprises a channel having a blade extending along a section of the channel for cutting the back of the shrimp as it rolls through the channel to expose a vein. A downstream vein remover severs the exposed vein from the shrimp body. Nozzles spray fluid into the channel to propel the shrimp through the channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a shrimp body, the shrimp body having a tail portion that includes a plurality of tail sections connected by joints. A motorized driving mechanism mounted inside a housing drives a cutting mechanism mounted outside the housing. The cutting mechanism includes a rotating cutting disk and a holding and carrying mechanism configured to securely hold the shrimp body and carry the shrimp body past the rotating cutting disk. The holding and carrying mechanism is configured to position the shrimp body in relation to the rotating cutting disk so that when the cutting disk cuts the shrimp body, the cutting disk leaves intact, a first joint at a head end of the tail portion and a last joint at a tail end of the tail portion, while cutting at least one intermediate joint between the first and last joints.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for mechanically belly-cutting shrimp to precise depths for shrimp of various sizes. The apparatus includes a motorized circular cutting blade; a curved guide channel adjacent the circular cutting blade for receiving a shrimp body and guiding the shrimp body to the circular cutting blade; and motorized flexible disks adjacent to the blade and the guide channel for gripping the shrimp body and propelling the shrimp body along the guide channel. The curvature of the guide channel longitudinally stabilizes the shrimp body while a V-shaped cross-section laterally stabilizes the body, ensuring that the body arrives at the blade in the proper orientation. The guide channel may be adjusted to provide belly-cuts to desired depths on shrimp of various sizes.

Abstract: A freshwater shrimp product is provided by cutting the tail portion of the shrimp along the dorsal region thereof to expose the vein for removal. The cut is made to a depth of at least about one-half the thickness of the tail portion. This not only permits easy removal of the vein, but permits the flesh of the tail portion to be spread apart and exposed prior to being individually quick frozen. This facilitates cooking the shrimp by means other than boiling, and makes them particularly well-suited for cooking by means of dry heat, such as grilling or broiling.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for mechanically belly-cutting shrimp to precise depths for shrimp of various sizes. The apparatus includes a motorized circular cutting blade; a curved guide channel adjacent the circular cutting blade for receiving a shrimp body and guiding the shrimp body to the circular cutting blade; and motorized flexible disks adjacent to the blade and the guide channel for gripping the shrimp body and propelling the shrimp body along the guide channel. The curvature of the guide channel longitudinally stabilizes the shrimp body while a V-shaped cross-section laterally stabilizes the body, ensuring that the body arrives at the blade in the proper orientation. The guide channel may be adjusted to provide belly-cuts to desired depths on shrimp of various sizes.

Abstract: A crustacean shelling tool is employed to quickly and easily crack the underside of the tail shell of a crawfish, for example, to expose the meat contained therein for removal without damage and without loss of the associated succulent juices. The key-like tool includes a handle and an elongate rod extending therefrom. A longitudinal slit extends inwardly from a distal end of the rod to define upper and lower rod forks. An optional finger ring is attached to the handle of the tool by way of a short tether to prevent dropping or misplacement of the tool during the time required to remove and/or eat the meat from one shelled crawfish and to ready the next crawfish for shelling. In use, the lower rod fork of the tool is inserted into the open end of the tail shell such that the underside of the shell is guided into the longitudinal slit a desired distance.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provided herein may include a system and method for opening shellfish shells and extracting items therefrom, including a body having a first end, a second end and a middle portion therebetween, wherein the first end includes a first and second protuberance in spaced relation to each other to facilitate the opening of a shellfish shell, and wherein the second end comprises a probe portion configured to facilitate extracting items from the shellfish.

Abstract: A timing mechanism for a shrimp processing machine including a cam wheel having a recess therein adapted to receive an end of a cutter bar to which a cutting blade is rotatably mounted. Rotation of the cam wheel causes the cutter bar, and the cutting blade to move. The cutter bar and blade are positioned proximate a main gear wheel to which shrimp are mounted, such that movement of the cutter bar and cutting blade causes the cuts to be placed into each shrimp. The timing mechanism includes mating gear teeth on the cam wheel and indexing gear mounted proximate the cam wheel. The cam wheel and indexing gear are held into engagement by the biasing force of a spring. The indexing gear may be disengaged from the cam wheel to allow the cam wheel to be rotated to change the timing of the cutting blade.

Abstract: A shrimp processor removes the undesirable sand vein from a desirable shrimp meat portion and peels away a selectively cut shell. The shrimp processor includes a series of aligned conveyor roller pairs carried within its housing a spaced relation for conveying a headless shrimp from an entrance end of the housing to a downstream exit end. A high speed rotating saw tooth styled cutting blade having a knife edge is carried by the housing and positioned downstream the entrance end between adjacent conveyor roller pairs for cutting a {fraction (1/16)}″ wide strip into the dorsal side of the shrimp along the longitudinal axis for exposing the sand vein. In combination with the dorsal strip cut, a second cutting blade cuts through the ventral side of the shrimp for severing the shell into opposing shell sections. A brush positioned further downstream sweeps the sand vein from the cut shrimp.

Abstract: A shrimp processing machine and method of processing shrimp are described. A reciprocating meat picking assembly powered by a main drive wheel of the machine rotates a cam wheel to cause a cam arm of the meat picking assembly to reciprocate relative to the drive wheel. Meat picking tines mounted to the cam arm reciprocate with respect to the drive wheel to retrieve a shrimp from the drive wheel upon each rotation of the cam wheel. A deveining brush having a substantially v-shaped cross sectional profile removes a vein from a processed shrimp. The cutting assembly of the machine is provided with a leaf spring which is aligned with the cutter arm of the assembly to ensure that the cutter arm is biased toward the drive wheel, but is done so in a manner which avoids off-axis loading of the cutter arm.

Abstract: A shrimp processing machine and method of processing shrimp are disclosed. The machine uses a reciprocating meat picking assembly which employs power generated by a main drive wheel of the machine to rotate a cam wheel positioned to cause a cam arm of the meat picking assembly to reciprocate relative to the drive wheel. Since meat picking tines are mounted to the cam arm, the meat picking tines move toward and away from, and thus retrieve a shrimp from, the drive wheel upon each rotation of the cam wheel. The machine further includes a deveining brush having a substantially v-shaped cross sectional profile to optimize the operation of removing a vein from a processed shrimp. Moreover, the cutting assembly of the machine is provided with a leaf spring which is aligned with the cutter arm of the assembly to ensure that the cutter arm is biased toward the drive wheel, but is done so in a manner which avoids off-axis loading of the cutter arm.

Abstract: A cutting implement particularly useful for manually deveining shrimp or other crustaceans includes a blade with a cutting edge, a handle attached to the cutting implement, and a vein-removal brush mounted on the cutting implement. The user exposes the intestinal cavity of the crustacean with the cutting edge, and then laterally rotates the cutting implement such that the vein-removal brush is adjacent to the cavity. The user then sweeps the intestinal cavity with the vein removal brush such that the crustacean is cleaned of intestinal debris.

Abstract: A shrimp deveining apparatus includes a housing with an entrance opening for receiving a shrimp and an exit opening for ejecting the shrimp from the housing after having the shell cut and deveined. Within the housing, a partition extends upwardly from a base and has an arcuate surface for slidably receiving a shrimp thereon. Opposing lever arms are rotatably attached to and carried on opposing sides of the partition for rotation about an axis. Each of the lever arms have their distal end radially extending beyond the arcuate surface of the partition for cradling the shrimp onto the arcuate surface. As the distal ends are rotated downstream the entrance opening, the distal ends are biased against the shrimp for securing the shrimp therebetween while the shrimp slides along the arcuate surface past dorsal and ventral cutting blades.

Abstract: A shrimp processor removes the undesirable sand vein from a desirable shrimp meat portion and peels away a selectively cut shell. The shrimp processor includes a series of aligned conveyor roller pairs carried within its housing a spaced relation for conveying a headless shrimp from an entrance end of the housing to a downstream exit end. A high speed rotating saw tooth styled cutting blade having a knife edge is carried by the housing and positioned downstream the entrance end between adjacent conveyor roller pairs for cutting a {fraction (1/16)}″ wide strip into the dorsal side of the shrimp along the longitudinal axis for exposing the sand vein. In combination with the dorsal strip cut, a second cutting blade cuts through the ventral side of the shrimp for severing the shell into opposing shell sections. A brush positioned further downstream sweeps the sand vein from the cut shrimp.

Abstract: A shrimp deveining apparatus includes a housing with an entrance opening for receiving a shrimp and an exit opening for ejecting the shrimp from the housing after having the shell cut and deveined. Within the housing, a partition extends upwardly from a base and has an arcuate surface for slidably receiving a shrimp thereon. Opposing lever arms are rotatably attached to and carried on opposing sides of the partition for rotation about an axis. Each of the lever arms have their distal end radially extending beyond the arcuate surface of the partition for cradling the shrimp onto the arcuate surface. As the distal ends are rotated downstream the entrance opening, the distal ends are biased against the shrimp for securing the shrimp therebetween while the shrimp slides along the arcuate surface past dorsal and ventral cutting blades.

Abstract: A powered shrimp deveining assembly includes a motor coupled to an output and a secondary shaft both housed in a removable enclosure, the output shaft and the secondary shaft extending through an adapter to turn a cutter against the rotation of a pair of guide disks. The adapter is provided with a boss in which one end of a bell crank is engaged, the other end of the bell crank extends in a threaded projection through an arcuate slot formed in a cover that is mounted on the adapter to shield the cutting mechanism. An idler roller on the bell crank is thus pivotally spaced from the guide disks to direct shrimp bodies against the cutter, the same bell crank fixing mechanism also retaining the cover in place.

Abstract: A shrimp deveining machine for cutting and deveining shrimp comprises a motorized driving mechanism inside a housing and a cutting mechanism outside the housing. An upper pair of rotating flexible disks grasps the top side of shrimp bodies and propel them past a cutting disk which slices the sand vein from the back of the shrimp. A lower pair of flexible disks is mounted on an adjusting shaft which may be positioned to adjust the depth of cut on the shrimp. The lower pair of flexible disks grasps the bottom side of the shrimp bodies and dynamically adjusts the position of the shrimp bodies in relation to the cutting disk, thereby achieving a more uniform depth of cut on shrimp of different sizes. The flexible disks also prevent longitudinal rotation of the shrimp bodies, and enable the deveining machine to make a butterfly cut on the shrimp bodies.

Abstract: A shrimp tray adapted for use in a shrimp processing machine has a stripe located contiguous to one end of the tray that allows an operator to visually orient a shrimp in the tray by locating the first segment of the shrimp in the tray relative to the stripe. A detent or ridge is disposed atop the stripe and permits an operator to further tactilely orient the shrimp in the tray by moving the shrimp along the tray length until the detent engages the shrimp segment.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting and deveining shrimp comprises a motor driving means inside a housing and a cutting mechanism outside the housing. A pair of rotating flexible disks grasp shrimp bodies and propel them past a cutting disk which slices the sand vein from the back of the shrimp. An idler roller is mounted on an adjusting shaft which may be positioned to adjust the depth of cut on the shrimp. An improved adjusting mechanism and external crank arm on the adjusting shaft enables adjustment of the idler roller while completely sealing the motor housing from any debris from the cutting operation. Polyurethane flexible disks reduce the growth of surface bacteria.

Abstract: Adjusting apparatus for a shrimp processing machine to adjust the depth of a rotary cutting blade relative to a shrimp clamping assembly in which a plurality of different width shims, each adapted to be moved independently of the other shims, are rotatably fixed to a pin extending from a mounting bracket attached to a machine frame post. The shims can be moved from an operative to inoperative position to permit varying depths of cut for the shrimp cutter blade.

Abstract: A cam adjusting assembly for a rotary cutter blade in a shrimp peeling machine. The assembly includes a retention member disposed for movement in a slot in a retention gear with a cam means being selectively positioned along the length of the slot and maintained in a desired position by a biasing means which connects the cam member to the retention member thereby permitting the shrimp cutting blade to be adjusted as to the location where the blade enters a shrimp to be cut.

Abstract: A shrimp processing machine provides an apparatus to shell and devein a fresh (headless) shrimp. The machine comprises a motor housing, a carrier wheel bearing a plurality of tine elements, a guide member, a feed member, a blade member, and a shrimp extractor member. The carrier wheel is preferably turned about its axis by a small motor in the motor housing, and carries the shrimp past the blade for shell and vein removal.

Abstract: A hand manipulable device for removing the intestine or "vein" from the tall of crustaceans such as shrimp or the like. The device includes means to pierce the body or "tail" of the shrimp, blocking means to prevent overpenetration, pressing means, gripping means for gripping the vein of the shrimp, and handle means for gripping the device. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention is in the general form a pincer for gripping and lifting the vein from the shrimp tail. A new and unique method of deveining crustaceans utilizes a heretofore undisclosed pulling action, as compared to the pushing action disclosed in the prior art. The present invention teaches a superior device and method which work with any size shrimp, will not mutilate the shrimp, can be used with shelled or unshelled shrimp, and remove the whole vein in a consistent manner from uncooked shrimp with ease.