The present invention relates to a method and a device for batching fish into cooling devices. The method and the device can be used for receiving fish after bleeding and gutting freshly caught fish on board a fishing vessel and batching the fish into cooling devices. The batching and cooling apparatus and method may be used to increase the value of the fish by shortening the time from the fish is caught until the fish is chilled for storing.

A cutting machine for cutting up meat strands whose cross section varies over a longitudinal extension into weight precise slices as fast as possible, and a method for slicing such meat strands. Two or more strands may be received adjacent to each other in a respective form tube and pushed against a separately adjustable stop plate, which is assigned to each form tube, independently from each other by a controlled longitudinal press plunger. The strands may be compressed in the longitudinal direction and a cross section of the form tubes may be reduced in a first transversal direction jointly and in a second transversal direction independently from each other. Thus, the respective meat strand may be transversally compressed to a constant cross section for slicing.

A cutting machine for cutting up meat strands whose cross section varies over a longitudinal extension into weight precise slices as fast as possible, and a method for slicing such meat strands. Two or more strands may be received adjacent to each other in a respective form tube and pushed against a separately adjustable stop plate, which is assigned to each form tube, independently from each other by a controlled longitudinal press plunger. The strands may be compressed in the longitudinal direction and a cross section of the form tubes may be reduced in a first transversal direction jointly and in a second transversal direction independently from each other. Thus, the respective meat strand may be transversally compressed to a constant cross section for slicing.

A method for automatically detecting surface defects of curved articles of the food processing industry includes: conveying the articles in a conveying direction by a conveyor belt, illuminating the articles by a line laser light source above the belt such that the laser line is oriented transverse to the conveying direction, line-by-line detection of backscattered light while the articles are being conveyed, using a camera above the belt, by recording a line profile in each case, determining raw line height data representing the cross-sectional heights, from the line profile recorded, determining raw surface height data by compiling the raw line height data determined in the conveying direction, determining smoothed surface height data by filtering the raw line height data and/or the raw surface height data using at least one filter criterion, and determining differential height data by subtracting the smoothed data from the raw data. An apparatus is also provided.

A machine for filleting fish includes a filleting station with two circular, rotating cutting blades arranged to perform plane cutting of the fish. To increase yield, the cutting blades are movable towards or away from each other by a linear actuator.

A machine for filleting fish includes a filleting station with two circular, rotating cutting blades arranged to perform plane cutting of the fish. To increase yield, the cutting blades are movable towards or away from each other by a linear actuator.

An apparatus to cut free flank bones of beheaded, slaughtered fish, which preferably have opened abdominal cavities and are transported tail-first in transport direction T with their backbone resting on transport saddles, includes: an upper bone guide to guide the backbone from the dorsal side; a lower bone guide to guide ventral spokes of the fish, which spokes are formed in the region from the tail to the abdominal cavity; and a separating unit for detaching fillets from the flank bones surrounding the abdominal cavity. The separating unit includes a separating means having a corresponding counter unit and can be brought from a standby into a working position and vice versa. A detaching device is located in the upper bone guide region to loosen the bone connection between the flank bones and backbone of at least some of the flank bones. A corresponding filleting machine and method are provided.

An apparatus to cut free flank bones of beheaded, slaughtered fish, which preferably have opened abdominal cavities and are transported tail-first in transport direction T with their backbone resting on transport saddles, includes: an upper bone guide to guide the backbone from the dorsal side; a lower bone guide to guide ventral spokes of the fish, which spokes are formed in the region from the tail to the abdominal cavity; and a separating unit for detaching fillets from the flank bones surrounding the abdominal cavity. The separating unit includes a separating means having a corresponding counter unit and can be brought from a standby into a working position and vice versa. A detaching device is located in the upper bone guide region to loosen the bone connection between the flank bones and backbone of at least some of the flank bones. A corresponding filleting machine and method are provided.

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.

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.