WO2006043828A1

WO2006043828A1 - Apparatus and method for dividing up fish meat

Info

Publication number: WO2006043828A1
Application number: PCT/NO2005/000395
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christian Gonzalez
Original assignee: Trouw International B.V.; Marine Harvest International B.V.
Priority date: 2004-10-22
Filing date: 2005-10-20
Publication date: 2006-04-27
Also published as: NO20044537L; NO322005B1; NO20044537D0; JP2006115830A

Abstract

Apparatus for producing a portion-size piece (B-M) from a flank (1) of a gutted and headed fish, which has been cut up along the backbone, possibly from a fillet cut from a fish flank (1), where every portion-size piece (B-M) of a defined size class is to exhibit a defined length, thickness and width as the portion-size piece (B-M) is being cut from the fish flank/fillet (1) with a cutting device (3, 5, 7) the apparatus comprising a lower support (9, 44) arranged to receive the fish flank/fillet (1), two opposite side supports (13, 17, 45, 46) defining the lower support (9, 44) and standing substantially perpendicularly on the lower support (9, 44), and an upper support (25, 47) opposite the lower support (9, 44), the supports (9, 13, 17, 25, 44, 45, 46, 47) forming an opening (40, 43). The invention also comprises a method for producing a portion-size piece (B-M).

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DIVIDING UP FISH MEAT

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for producing portion-size pieces of fish meat of an approximately uniform size.

When selling portion-size pieces of fish meat some markets require all the portion pieces in a package to be of relatively equal size. Kirimi, sushi, nigiri and sashimi are such products, which are sold on the Japanese market, among others.

In what follows the following dimensional terms will be used for a portion-size piece cut from a fish flank, that is, a gutted and headed fish which has been cut up along the backbone, and from which the backbone may have been removed; possibly even a fillet which may be a skinned, that is, skinned and cut clean, substantially boneless portion of a fish flank, but also one having bones and being taken from any part of the fish flank:

- length = the largest extent of the portion-size piece, that is, for a whole fish flank substantially from the dorsal line to the ventral line of the fish body or vice versa;

- width = the largest extent from the external surface of the fish to the cut surface through the dorsal line of the fish; - thickness = the distance from a cut surface across the longitudinal direction of the fish flank or fillet to the next.

In what follows, the expressions "flank" or "fish flank" are mainly used, but what is disclosed, is applicable even to a clean fillet in all its variants.

In the ordinary division of a fish flank, there will normally be made parallel cuts, which are, in the vertical plane, substantially perpendicular and, in the horizontal plane, substantially normal to the longitudinal direction of the fish flank. The pieces of meat will then have a length and a width determined entirely by the size of the fish and where on the fish flank they are cut. Naturally, the thickness could be varied as required.

By placing the cut differently from what is mentioned above, portion-size pieces could be obtained, having a relatively uniform size and weight. This is achieved as follows:

• A uniform length is obtained by letting the cutting line be placed at an angle which is varied in the horizontal plane relative to the longitudinal direction of the fish flank. When the cutting line is placed in the widest area of the fish flank, it is placed at approximately right angles to the longitudinal direction of the fish flank. When the cutting line is placed in a tapering area of the fish flank, for example in the tail portion, it is placed at a slant and it is placed at an even greater slant the narrower the fish flank is.

• A uniform width is achieved in a corresponding way by placing the cutting line along an angle, which is varied in the vertical plane relative to the longitudinal direction of the fish flank. When the cutting line is placed in the thickest area of the fish flank, that is, where the fish flank exhibits the largest distance from the external flank surface in to the cut surface made when the fish was divided, that is, divided into two fish flanks, it is placed approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the fish flank. In contrast, when the cutting line is placed in a thinner area of the fish, for example in the tail portion, it is placed to deviate from the perpendicular, and it is placed at a greater slant the thinner a shape the portion of the fish body has.

• A uniform thickness is achieved by placing the cutting line at a defined distance from the cut surface created in the preceding cut.

It is evident that in such cutting, in which two opposite cut surfaces are not parallel due to the varying angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the flank, the magnitudes "length", "width" and "thickness" must be considered from, for example, the maximum measurements or average measurements of the dimensions of the portion-size piece in question. The definitions of magnitudes may be defined in the product requirements of the market or the producer' s product specifications.

According to the prior art, portion-size pieces are cut from freeze-stored fish (t ≤ -18 ⁰C) by means of a band saw or circular saw, or from partially frozen fish (-10 ⁰C < t < -1 ⁰C) by means of a knife, the placing of the cutting line being assessed by the operator and being carried out manually.

The drawback of current techniques is great variation in the dimensions of the portion-size pieces, high production costs due to low efficiency and a large ratio of rejects, and a great safety risk for the operator because the production method exposes the operator to hazardous equipment.

The invention has as its object to remedy or reduce at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

The object is achieved through the features specified in the description below and in the following Claims.

Associated with an apparatus for producing portion-size pieces from a fish flank of a gutted and headed fish having been cut up along the backbone, possibly from a fillet, where the portion-size piece of a defined size class is to exhibit a defined length, thickness and width as the portion-size piece is being cut from the flank of the fish with a cutting device, there are a lower support lying substantially parallel to the cutting direction of the cutting device and being arranged to receive the fish flank, two opposite side supports defining the lower support and extending substantially perpendicularly upwards from the lower support, and an upper support opposite and parallel to the lower support, the supports forming a rectangular opening suitable for receiving the fish flank/fillet.

The distance between the opposite supports is defined by the size specifications for the portion-size piece.

The side supports suitably comprise devices for stepped or infinitely variable adjustment of the spacing of the supports. The upper support similarly comprises devices for stepped or infinitely variable adjustment of the support's distance to the lower support.

Alternatively, the apparatus comprises supports formed by a fixed opening in a plate, there being available a number of plates having different dimensions of said opening, and the apparatus comprises a securing device for the plate in an active position at the cutting device.

Said opening can exhibit different shapes adapted to the shape of the fish flank/fillet or portion-size pieces, for example rectangular, square, oval, circular, semicircular or other suitable shape which is obvious to a person skilled in the art.

The invention also discloses a method for producing portion-size pieces from a fish flank of a gutted and headed fish, every portion-size piece of a defined size class being produced with a defined length, thickness and width, the method comprising the following steps:

- the fish flank is inserted by a first end portion into a passage which is defined on either side by a side support extending perpendicularly up from a lower support, the longitudinal direction of the lower support lying substantially parallel to the cutting direction of a cutting device, and the first end portion projecting from the passage in the direction of the working area of the cutting device; after which

- a second end portion is carried in a horizontal direction for the rotation of the fish flank about a vertical axis substantially coinciding with the lower support of the passage, and is carried in a vertical direction for the rotation of the fish flank about a horizontal axis lying essentially parallel to the lower support of the passage, so that the dorsal line and the ventral line of the fish flank rest on the side supports NO2005/000395

of the passage, and a ventral side and an opposite skin side of the flank of the fish touch respectively the lower support and an upper support which is opposite and parallel to the lower support, or vice versa; and - the cutting device makes a cut through the fish flank immediately outside the passage.

The method according to the invention suitably includes determination of the size of the portion-size piece by

- adjusting the projection of the first end portion beyond the lower and upper supports to the requirement of the thickness of the portion-size piece;

- adjusting the distance between the side supports to the requirement of the length of the portion-size piece; and

- adjusting the distance between the lower and upper supports to the requirement of the width of the portion- size piece.

The mentioned supports are suitably formed by the side edges of a rectangular opening in, for example, a plate, in which the distance between the side edges is fixed. The side edges are parallel or perpendicular to the cutting direction of the cutting device. Whenever there is a need for changing the width and length of the portion-size pieces, there is used a plate with another size of opening adapted as required.

Alternatively, the adaptation of the apparatus for producing another width and length of the portion-size pieces can be carried out by adjusting the distance between the side supports and between the upper and the lower supports.

It is obvious that even though the terms "lower support" and "upper support" are connected with the skin side and the ventral side of the fish flank, it is within the scope of the invention for the "lower support" and the "upper support" to be connected just as well with the dorsal line and the ventral line of the flank when it is suitable to orient the fish flank differently from what has been, described in this document.

In what follows is described a non-limiting example of a preferred embodiment which is visualized in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a basic drawing of a fish flank, in which cutting lines are indicated;

Figure 2 shows a side view of the fish flank, the same cutting lines being indicated;

Figure 3 shows, on a smaller scale, a first exemplary embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention, in which a passage for the insertion of a fish flank/fillet is infinitely variable;

Figure 4 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, in which the passage for the insertion of the fish flank/fillet has a fixed size;

Figure 5 shows the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 4 with a fish flank positioned and ready for cutting.

Figures 1 and 2 shows in a basic drawing and a side view an example of how a fish flank 1 with first and second end portions 2a, 2b, a dorsal line 2c and a ventral line 2d and a ventral side 2f and a skin side 2g can advantageously be divided into portion-size pieces A-M by cutting along cutting lines indicated by lines a-1: 00395

In a first exemplary embodiment, as it appears from Figure 3, the reference numeral 3 identifies a saw blade which is passed through a slot 5 in a table 7. The slot 5 lies parallel to the saw blade 3. The table 7 is horizontally movable in a direction parallel to the slot 5, as is indicated by the arrow R.

At the slot 5 and parallel thereto there is fixed, to the table 7, a lower support 9 extending substantially perpendicularly up from the table 7. The lower support 9 is provided with an upper, straight side edge 11 lying parallel to the table 7.

A first side support 13 is provided with a straight side edge 15 and is rigidly connected to the lower support 9 and extends in the same way perpendicularly up from the table 7.

A second side support 17 is provided with a straight side edge 19 and is releasably secured with the lower support 9 and extends in the same way perpendicularly up from the table 7. The second side support 17 is secured to the lower support 9 by means of a screw (not shown) inserted through a hole 21 in the second side support 17 and through an elongate, horizontal groove 23 in the lower support 9.

An upper support 25 is provided with a straight side edge 27. The upper support 25 is releasably secured to the first and second side supports 13 , 17 by means of screws (not shown) inserted through a hole 29 and a horizontal, elongate groove 31 in the upper support 25 and through vertical, elongate grooves 33, 35 in the first and second side supports 13, 17, respectively. An end portion 37 of the upper support 25 is formed in such a way that it rests on an external side edge 39 of the first side support 13. The side edges 11, 15, 19, 27 form a rectangular opening 40 of a size given by the positions of the side support 17 and the upper support 25 relative to the lower support 7 and the first side support 13, these being movable relative to each other by means of the elongate grooves

23, 31, 33, 35. The size of the opening 40 is adjusted to the requirements of the portion-size pieces to be produced.

In a second exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 4 a plate 41 is provided with a rectangular opening 43 surrounded by a lower portion 44, two opposite side portions 45, 46 and an upper portion 47. The plate 41 is releasably secured in two U-shaped guide rails 48, 49 extending perpendicularly up from the table 7 equidistantly from the slot 5. The guide rails 48, 49 are arranged to grip two opposite, external side edges 50, 51 of the plate 41. The opening 43 exhibits the side edges 52, 53, 54, 55.

A number of plates 41 can be used, having different openings 43 meeting the requirements of the portion-size pieces to be produced.

In production, a fish flank 1 is inserted through the opening 40 or 43, preferably the first end portion 2a extending into the path, represented by the slot 5, of the saw blade 3. The fish flank 1 is rotated in the vertical and horizontal directions, so that the fish flank 1 touches all the side edges 11, 15, 19, 27 of the opening 40, and the side edges 52, 53, 54, 55 of the opening 43, respectively, at the same time, so that the fish flank 1 can be cut along the cutting line a as the table 7 is moved in the direction of the arrow R towards the saw blade 3. The process is repeated until the whole fish flank 1 has been cut up along the cutting lines b-1 indicated in Figures 1 and 2. ^ 00395

Due to their shapes, the portion-size pieces A and possibly M do not meet the requirement for a uniform size and are handled separately. The portion-size pieces B-L, possibly also M, are subjected to further desired processing, for example packing.

Examples of the practicing of the method according to the invention

Example 1:

A metal plate of stainless steel, 30 cm wide, 18 cm high and 3 mm thick, was secured vertically on a movable table. The metal plate was secured parallel to the blade of an ordinary circular saw used for dividing up fish. By moving the table, the secured vertical plate was moved parallel to the saw blade. The distance between the saw blade and the secured vertical plate was 2 mm. At the centre of the secured vertical plate there was a rectangular opening with the dimensions 17 cm x 5 cm. The lower edge of the rectangular opening was 17 cm and lay parallel to the surface of the movable table.

Silver salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) was slaughtered, gutted and headed. The fins were removed, and the fish was then divided up into two fish flanks by division along the backbone as the backbone was being removed. After freezing to about -18 ⁰C the flank was cut into kirimi portion-size pieces according to the invention.

The fish flank with its skin on weighed 1080 g^and was 32 cm long with a largest width of 14 cm and a largest thickness of 3,5 cm.

The fish flank was placed with the skin side up and rested on the lower horizontal side edge of the rectangular opening. The position of the fish flank was adjusted so ^

that the ventral and dorsal lines touched, respectively, the left and right vertical side edges, or vice versa, of the rectangular opening, and so that the skin touched. the upper, horizontal side edge of the opening while the fish flank was still resting on the lower side edge. One end of the fish flank projected from the rectangular opening on the saw blade side of the vertical metal plate.

The movable table with the vertical secured metal plate and the positioned fish flank was then moved towards the saw blade, a portion-size piece of the desired shape being cut from the fish flank as the fish flank passed the saw blade.

After the first cut, the movable table was pulled back into the initial position. Again the fish flank was positioned in such a way that it was touching all four sides of the rectangular opening, wile at the same time the end was projecting from the metal plate. A new piece was cut off by moving the table- in such a way that the fish flank passed the saw blade. This was repeated until, in 8 cuts, the whole flank had been cut into kirimi portion-size pieces. The first piece could not be used for kirimi and was used for another purpose (Kama kirimi) . Thereby, the division of the fish flank according to the invention resulted in 8 sellable kirimi portion-size pieces. The weight of the pieces varied from 90 to 125 g, and the thickness varied between 3,5 and 5 cm. The fish meat exhibited a satisfactory kirimi shape.

Example 2

An ordinary, electric Bosch cutting machine (Bosch MAS 4200, type CNASIlSTl) was used as the cutting device. This cutting machine is provided with a small movable table of plastic. To this movable table a vertical support of plastic was attached parallel to the length of the object to be divided up. At the end of the vertical support ^

located the closest to the ^"cutting disc, there was a vertical protective plate of plastic. The protective plate stood perpendicularly on the support plate and was parallel to the cutting disc. A substantially rectangular opening had been formed in the protective plate. The corners were rounded. The opening had a size of 7 cm x 3 cm. The lower edge of the opening was 3 cm. The distance between the cutting disc and the protective plate was 1 mm. The cut of the cutting machine, that is to say the thickness of the pieces that were cut, could be adjusted in that the horizontal distance between a thickness adjustment plate and the cutting disc could be adjusted. The thickness adjustment plate was placed vertically and parallel to the cutting disc on the opposite side of the cutting disc relative to the protective plate. The distance of the thickness adjustment plate to the cutting disc was adjusted in a manner known in itself. In order to make sashimi, the thickness adjustment plate was adjusted to the maximum opening, 4 mm.

A frozen (-5 ⁰C) fillet of Trim E quality, that is to say a clean, skinless fish fillet, from which the spinal bones, ventral bones, collar bones, pin bones, all fins, ventral flap and all ventral fat and the tail piece have been removed, cut from a rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was divided along the centre line, that is to say where the backbone was, so that two fillets ("loins"), a dorsal fillet and a ventral fillet were produced. The brown muscle was then removed from the dorsal and ventral fillets. The clean trout fillet was divided up into sashimi-shaped slices according to the invention. The temperature in the dorsal fillet was -4,7 ⁰C. The dorsal fillet weighed 381 g and was 33 cm long and had a largest width of 4,5 cm and a largest thickness of 3 cm.

The dorsal fillet was placed in the rectangular opening, resting on the lower horizontal side edge of the opening. The position of the fillet was adjusted so that the skin side and the opposite side were touching, respectively, the left and right side edges, or vice versa, of the rectangular opening, and so that the upper edge of the dorsal fillet was touching the upper, horizontal side edge of the opening while the lower edge of the fillet was still resting on the lower, horizontal side edge of the opening. One end of the fillet projected through the opening on the side of the protective plate facing the cutting disc and bore with its projecting end on the thickness adjustment plate.

The movable table with the secured vertical support plate, the secured vertical protective plate and the positioned fish fillet was then moved towards the cutting disc, so that from the dorsal fillet there was cut a slice of a desired shape as the fillet was passing the cutting disc and the end of the fillet was gliding along the thickness adjustment plate.

After the first cut, the movable table was pulled back into its initial position. Again the fillet was positioned in such a way that it touched all four sides of the rectangular opening while at the same time the end was projecting from the metal plate, so that the end was bearing on the thickness adjustment plate. A new piece was cut off by moving the table with the support plate, the protective plate and the fillet in such a way that the fillet was passing the cutting disc and the end of the fillet was gliding along the thickness adjustment plate. This was repeated until, in 52 cuts, the whole fillet had been cut into sashimi slices. The first two slices and the remaining end piece of the fillet could not be used for sashimi and was used for another purpose. Thereby, the division of the fillet in accordance with the invention resulted in 50 sellable sashimi slices. The weight of the slices varied from 7 to 10 g, and the thickness varied between 2 and 4 mm. The slices of fish meat exhibited a satisfactory sashimi shape.

Claims

C 1 a i m- s

1. An apparatus for producing portion-size pieces (B-M) from a flank (1) of a gutted and headed fish which has been cut up along the backbone, possibly from a fillet cut from a fish flank (1) , wherein every portion-size piece (B-M) of a defined size class is to exhibit a defined, essentially uniform length and width as the portion-size piece (B-M) is being cut from the fish flank/fillet (1) with a cutting device (3, 5, I)₁ c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the apparatus comprises a lower support (9, 44) arranged to receive the fish flank/fillet (1) , two opposite side supports (13, 17, 45, 46) defining the lower support (9, 44) and standing essentially perpendicularly on the lower support (9, 44), and an upper support (25, 47) opposite the lower support (9, 44), the supports (9, 13, 17, 25, 44, 45, 46, 47) forming an opening (40, 43) .

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, c h a - r a c t e r i z e d i n that the lower support (9,

44), the side supports (13, 17, 45, 46) and the upper support (25, 47) are formed by the side edges (52, 53, 54, 55) of an opening (43) in a plate (41) .

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the opening (40,

43) is rectangular.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that the plate (41) is releasably mounted in a quick-coupling device (48, 49) .

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that the distance between the opposite side supports (13, 17) is adjustable.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that the distance between the opposite lower and upper supports (9, 25) is adjustable.

7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d i n that the supports (9, 13, 17, 25, 44, 45, 46, 47) are parallel to the cutting device (3) .

8. A method for producing portion-size pieces (B-M) from a flank (1) of a gutted and headed fish which has been cut up along the backbone, possibly from a fillet cut from a fish flank (1) , wherein every portion-size piece (B-M) of a defined size class is produced with a defined, essentially uniform length and width, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the method comprises the following steps:

- the fish flank/fillet (1) is inserted by a first end portion (2a) into a passage (40, 43) which is defined on either side by a side support (13, 17, 45, 46) standing essentially perpendicularly on a lower support (9, 44), the first end portion (2a) projecting from the passage (40, 43) in the direction of the working area (5) of the cutting device (3) ; after which - a second end portion (2b) is carried in a horizontal direction for the rotation of the fish flank/fillet (1) about a vertical axis essentially coinciding with the lower support (9, 44) of the passage, and is carried in a vertical direction for the rotation of the fish flank/fillet (1) about a horizontal axis lying essentially parallel to the lower support (9, 44) of the passage, so that the dorsal line (2c) and the ventral line (2d) of the fish flank/fillet (1) rest on the side supports (13, 17, 45, 46) of the passage, and a ventral side (2f) and an opposite skin side (2g) of the fish flank/fillet (1) touch respectively the lower support (9, 44) and an upper support (25, 47) opposite and parallel to the lower support (9, 44) , or vice versa; and

- the cutting device (3) makes a cut (a-1) through the fish flank/fillet (1) immediately outside the passage (40, 43) .

The method in accordance with claim 8, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the size of the portion-size piece (B-M) is altered by

- adjusting the projection of the first end portion (2a) beyond the lower (9,44) and upper supports (25, 47) to the requirement of the thickness of the portion-size piece (B-M) ;

- adjusting the distance between the side supports (13, 17, 45, 46) to the requirement of the length of the portion-size piece; and - adjusting the distance between the lower (9, 44) and upper supports (25, 47) to the requirement of the width of the portion-size piece (B-M) .