A pin bone removal system involves automatically removing a pin bone area of a fish fillet when conveyed by a conveyor after undergoing a cutting process, and includes at least two side by side arranged conveyor belts extending from a first end for receiving a fish fillet to a second end. The internal arrangement of the side by side arranged conveyor belts is such that the spacing varies among first end the conveyor belts along their length. The transversal position of the fish fillet in relation to the first end is adjusted when the fish fillet arrives at the downstream position such that the position of the cut pin bone area is such that the cut pin bone area falls through the space while the remaining part of the fish fillet remains on the first and/or second conveyor belts.

A pin bone removal system involves automatically removing a pin bone area of a fish fillet when conveyed by a conveyor after undergoing a cutting process, and includes at least two side by side arranged conveyor belts extending from a first end for receiving a fish fillet to a second end. The internal arrangement of the side by side arranged conveyor belts is such that the spacing varies among first end the conveyor belts along their length. The transversal position of the fish fillet in relation to the first end is adjusted when the fish fillet arrives at the downstream position such that the position of the cut pin bone area is such that the cut pin bone area falls through the space while the remaining part of the fish fillet remains on the first and/or second conveyor belts.

Methods and systems for processing fish, such as salmon, are provided which enable filleting of the fish in a particular efficient manner. An example method includes exposing a backbone of a fish from a belly side of the fish, positioning the backbone of the fish on a conveyor device, and conveying the fish with the backbone in contact with the conveyor device. The conveyor may be a spiked chain, and positioning the backbone of the fish on the conveyor device may include engaging the backbone of the fish with the spiked chain such that the fish straddles the spiked chain as the fish is transported. The method may further include cutting the fish from the dorsal side on each of opposing sides of a central plane of the fish to a location adjacent a connection of the pinbones of the fish with the vertebrae of the fish while the fish is conveyed with the backbone in contact with the conveyor device, and subsequently peeling the ribs and ventral spines from fillets of the fish.

The present invention relates to a fish bone removal apparatus comprising a frame (1), a picking member (9) rotatably mounted in relation to the frame about a rotational axis (3), and an actuator arranged to rotate the picking member in a rotational direction. The picking member comprises a first and a second rotating element (10, 12) arranged to form a wedge-shaped gap (24) between them for receiving a bone. The wedge-shaped gap is tapered in a direction opposite the rotational direction of the picking member. The first rotating element is disc shaped and has two parallel radial surfaces and an outer circumferential surface (11c). The second rotating element (12) comprises a bent elongated body having a periphery with a bending radius corresponding to the bending radius of a periphery of the first rotating element, two radial surfaces and an outer circumferential surface (22). The radial surfaces of the first rotating element are arranged in parallel with a plane perpendicular to the first rotational axis, and the radial surfaces of the second rotating element are arranged angled to said plane, so that the outer circumferential surface (22) of the second rotating element is tapered in the rotational direction of the picking member. The first and second rotating element are disposed so that one of the radial surfaces of the first rotating element faces one of the radial surfaces of the second rotating element, and so that the periphery of the first rotating element and the periphery of the second rotating element are positioned on the same distance from the first rotational axis.

A pin bone removal system involves automatically removing a pin bone area of a fish fillet when conveyed by a conveyor after undergoing a cutting process, and includes at least two side by side arranged conveyor belts extending from a first end for receiving a fish fillet to a second end. The internal arrangement of the side by side arranged conveyor belts is such that the spacing varies among first end the conveyor belts along their length. The transversal position of the fish fillet in relation to the first end is adjusted when the fish fillet arrives at the downstream position such that the position of the cut pin bone area is such that the cut pin bone area falls through the space while the remaining part of the fish fillet remains on the first and/or second conveyor belts.

A pin bone removal system involves automatically removing a pin bone area of a fish fillet when conveyed by a conveyor after undergoing a cutting process, and includes at least two side by side arranged conveyor belts extending from a first end for receiving a fish fillet to a second end. The internal arrangement of the side by side arranged conveyor belts is such that the spacing varies among first end the conveyor belts along their length. The transversal position of the fish fillet in relation to the first end is adjusted when the fish fillet arrives at the downstream position such that the position of the cut pin bone area is such that the cut pin bone area falls through the space while the remaining part of the fish fillet remains on the first and/or second conveyor belts.

The invention is a Y-bone fish fillet knife, a specialized Y-bone fish fillet knife blade and methods of using same to debone fish having Y-bones. Features of the novel Y-bone fish fillet knife and its specialized knife edge include an intentionally unsharpened, or rounded edge, notched groove and an arcuate cutting edge. The rounded notched groove tracks and slides along the Y-bones during cutting. The cutting edge may have other shapes and be dual-edged according to other embodiments. The knife and its handle are designed for ambidextrous use.

The invention is a Y-bone fish fillet knife, a specialized Y-bone fish fillet knife blade and methods of using same to debone fish having Y-bones. Features of the novel Y-bone fish fillet knife and its specialized knife edge include an intentionally unsharpened, or rounded edge, notched groove and an arcuate cutting edge. The rounded notched groove tracks and slides along the Y-bones during cutting. The cutting edge may have other shapes and be dual-edged according to other embodiments. The knife and its handle are designed for ambidextrous use.

The present invention relates to a fish bone removal apparatus comprising a frame (1), a picking member (9) rotatably mounted in relation to the frame about a rotational axis (3), and an actuator arranged to rotate the picking member in a rotational direction. The picking member comprises a first and a second rotating element (10, 12) arranged to form a wedge-shaped gap (24) between them for receiving a bone. The wedge-shaped gap is tapered in a direction opposite the rotational direction of the picking member. The first rotating element is disc shaped and has two parallel radial surfaces and an outer circumferential surface (11c). The second rotating element (12) comprises a bent elongated body having a periphery with a bending radius corresponding to the bending radius of a periphery of the first rotating element, two radial surfaces and an outer circumferential surface (22). The radial surfaces of the first rotating element are arranged in parallel with a plane perpendicular to the first rotational axis, and the radial surfaces of the second rotating element are arranged angled to said plane, so that the outer circumferential surface (22) of the second rotating element is tapered in the rotational direction of the picking member. The first and second rotating element are disposed so that one of the radial surfaces of the first rotating element faces one of the radial surfaces of the second rotating element, and so that the periphery of the first rotating element and the periphery of the second rotating element are positioned on the same distance from the first rotational axis.

This invention relates to a cutting system for cutting food products while the food products are conveyed by a conveyor. An arc-shaped system and a cutting means are provided, where the cutting means is adapted to be connected to the arc-shaped system. The arc-shaped system is adapted to be positioned above a surface area of the conveyor on which said food products are resting during the cutting such that the center of the arc-shaped system is around the surface area. A control unit operates the position of the cutting means within the arc-shaped system based on image data.