A method and apparatus for filleting fish to produce high yielding fillets from relatively short bodied fish in the size range of about 600 grams to about 3.5 kilograms dependent on species. The method and apparatus are designed to be capable of handling salmon, tilapia, trout, arctic char, barramundi, snappers, walleye pike, striped bass and similar species where the rib follows the contour of the belly cavity. Further, the method and apparatus incorporate belly opening and eviscerating components prior to subjecting the fish to a backbone removal system so that the fish need only be headed, but not gutted, before introduction into the machine.

A method and apparatus for filleting fish to produce high yielding fillets from relatively short bodied fish in the size range of about 600 grams to about 3.5 kilograms dependent on species. The method and apparatus are designed to be capable of handling salmon, tilapia, trout, arctic char, barramundi, snappers, walleye pike, striped bass and similar species where the rib follows the contour of the belly cavity. Further, the method and apparatus incorporate belly opening and eviscerating components prior to subjecting the fish to a backbone removal system so that the fish need only be headed, but not gutted, before introduction into the machine.

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.

A separating machine separates a food source material into first and second food portions. A separating arrangement includes a roller assembly and a belt assembly including a belt to be driven by the roller assembly. The separating arrangement includes a drum assembly arranged proximate to the belt assembly to define a separation area. The separating arrangement includes an inlet assembly configured to receive the food source material and a feeding wheel assembly positioned proximate to or within the inlet assembly and configured to direct the food source material into the separation area. The belt assembly is arranged relative to the belt assembly such that the food source material is pressed by the belt against the outer surface of the drum and the first food portion is pressed through the holes while the second food portion remains outside of the drum interior, thereby separating the first and second food portions.

A separating machine separates a food source material into first and second food portions. A separating arrangement includes a roller assembly and a belt assembly including a belt to be driven by the roller assembly. The separating arrangement includes a drum assembly arranged proximate to the belt assembly to define a separation area. The separating arrangement includes an inlet assembly configured to receive the food source material and a feeding wheel assembly positioned proximate to or within the inlet assembly and configured to direct the food source material into the separation area. The belt assembly is arranged relative to the belt assembly such that the food source material is pressed by the belt against the outer surface of the drum and the first food portion is pressed through the holes while the second food portion remains outside of the drum interior, thereby separating the first and second food portions.

Filleting apparatus for cutting fish fillets from flank bones. The fish fillets been processed by a ventral knife assembly and a dorsal knife assembly. A conveying apparatus, transporting fish tail-first in transport direction, having an endlessly circulating transport conveyor with at least one transport saddle receiving/securing a fish, a flank knife assembly with two flank knife units, opposing each other on both sides of the transport conveyor in the region of a transport saddle guide. Each flank knife unit has a rotatably drivable circular knife and counter-surface arrangement Circular knife is arranged at a distance from the counter-surface arrangement to form a cutting gap and a control device moves flank knife units relative to the transport conveyor from standby position into working position and back. The counter-surface arrangements vary the size of the cutting gap controllably during the processing operation.

A separating machine separates a food source material into first and second food portions. The separating machine a separating arrangement with a roller assembly; a belt assembly including a belt; a drum assembly including a drum, and holes extending between the surfaces of the drum. The drum assembly is arranged proximate to the belt assembly to define a separation area. The belt assembly is arranged relative to the belt assembly such that the food source material delivered by the inlet assembly into the separation area is pressed by the belt against the outer surface of the drum and the first food portion is pressed through the holes into the drum interior, thereby separating the first and second food portions. The separating machine further includes a belt tensioning device configured to reposition at least a portion of the roller assembly to adjust a tension of the belt.

A separating machine separates a food source material into first and second food portions. The separating machine a separating arrangement with a roller assembly; a belt assembly including a belt; a drum assembly including a drum, and holes extending between the surfaces of the drum. The drum assembly is arranged proximate to the belt assembly to define a separation area. The belt assembly is arranged relative to the belt assembly such that the food source material delivered by the inlet assembly into the separation area is pressed by the belt against the outer surface of the drum and the first food portion is pressed through the holes into the drum interior, thereby separating the first and second food portions. The separating machine further includes a belt tensioning device configured to reposition at least a portion of the roller assembly to adjust a tension of the belt.

A pin bone removal apparatus is provided for removing pin bones in fish fillets while a conveyor conveys the fish fillets at a first conveying speed. A plurality of pin bone removal units is provided, each having a pin bone roller for pulling the pin bones from the fish fillets. The apparatus includes a closed-loop rail structure on which the pin bone removal units are slideable attached, where the closed-loop rail structure comprises a processing section and a returning section. The processing section is where at least one of the plurality of pin bone removal units is moved parallel to the fish fillets at a second conveying speed and engages with the surface of the fish fillets. After the pin bone removal the at least one pin bone removal unit is recirculated along the returning section.

A pin bone removal apparatus is provided for removing pin bones in fish fillets while a conveyor conveys the fish fillets at a first conveying speed. A plurality of pin bone removal units is provided, each having a pin bone roller for pulling the pin bones from the fish fillets. The apparatus includes a closed-loop rail structure on which the pin bone removal units are slideable attached, where the closed-loop rail structure comprises a processing section and a returning section. The processing section is where at least one of the plurality of pin bone removal units is moved parallel to the fish fillets at a second conveying speed and engages with the surface of the fish fillets. After the pin bone removal the at least one pin bone removal unit is recirculated along the returning section.