Device and method for automatically transferring beheaded and gutted fish from a first processing station to a second processing station

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for transferring fish along a transport path with the head side to the front and the back side facing upwards, comprising a first conveying means (11) for acting on both sides of the fish and for transporting the fish; a second conveying means (12) for engaging into the abdominal cavity of the fish from below and for receiving the fish from the first conveying means and transporting the fish; and a rotationally drivable aligning roller (13) for aligning and centering the fish, wherein the aligning roller is positioned above the second conveying means in such a way that the fish are guided between the aligning roller and the second conveying means and are transported in a centered manner, the aligning roller is pivotably mounted such that the aligning roller can be moved upwards from a waiting position into a centering position by a fish, and the aligning roller comprises a servo drive (15, 30) which is paired with a lever assembly (16, 31) that connects a drive shaft (17, 32) of the servo drive to the aligning roller in order to pilot-control the waiting position of the aligning roller.

Description

[0001] Apparatus and method for automatically transferring beheaded and gutted fish from a first to a second processing station

[0002] The invention relates to a device designed and configured for the automatic transfer of gutted and headed fish from a first processing station, in particular a head-cutting device, to a second processing station, in particular a filleting device, along a transport path with the head side first and the back side upwards in the transport direction T, comprising a first conveyor means designed and configured to engage both sides of the fish and to transport the fish in the transport direction T, a second conveyor means designed and configured to engage from below into the abdominal cavity of the fish and to take over the fish from the first conveyor means and to transport the fish in the transport direction T, and at least one rotatably driven righting roller designed and configured to right and center the fish, wherein each righting roller is arranged above the second conveyor means,such that the fish are guided between the or each erecting roller and the second conveyor and are transported centered in the transport direction T, wherein each erecting roller is pivotally mounted on a frame of the device in such a way that it is designed and arranged to be movable by a fish from a waiting position upwards into a centering position.

[0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for automatically transferring gutted and headed fish from a first processing station, in particular a header, to a second processing station, in particular a filleting device, along a transport path with the head side first and the back side upwards in the transport direction T, comprising the steps of: transporting the fish along a transport path in the transport direction T by means of first and second conveyor means, erecting the fish in the region of the second conveyor means in the transport direction T by means of at least one rotatingly driven erecting roller, in that each fish deflects the or each erecting roller from a waiting position upwards into a centering position, so that the fish are guided and erected between the or each erecting roller and the second conveyor means during transport in the transport direction T.

[0004] Such devices and methods are used in the fish processing industry to transfer already processed, in particular eviscerated and headed fish, in particular whitefish such as cod, haddock, Alaska pollock or pollock, from a first processing station, for example a header, with which the eviscerated fish are headed, to a second processing station downstream in the transport direction T, for example a filleting device, with which the eviscerated and headed fish are filleted. The transfer device is not only intended to transport the fish. Rather, it is of great importance for downstream processing stations, in particular the filleting device, that the fish arrive at or in the second processing station in a defined position, namely head side first, back upwards and in this position upright and as symmetrically as possible.For this purpose, the or each righting roller which cooperates with the second conveying means serves such that the fish are guided and transported in an upright position between the righting roller acting on the back of the fish and the second conveying means acting in the area of ​​the belly.

[0005] To ensure that the fish can be grasped and righted by the or each righting roller, the righting rollers of the known devices are preset to a specific height as a basic setting. This predetermined and fixed height is achieved by a stop element on which the or each righting roller rests with its own weight. However, this basic setting represents a compromise for different fish sizes with regard to the height position. As soon as a fish reaches the or each righting roller, the fish deflects the or each righting roller upwards. By transporting the fish in the transport direction T, the fish are righted and positioned by the righting roller acting on the back of the fish.

[0006] This known solution, however, has a number of disadvantages. The fact that the basic setting is the same for all fish sizes means that the righting roller or each righting roller works differently for different fish sizes. If the basic setting is set for a smaller fish size, the fish will be more difficult to straighten and right as they get bigger. If the basic setting is set for a medium or large fish size, the smaller fish will be more difficult to straighten and right. Because the height position of the righting roller only has one basic setting during operation, this is only suitable to a limited extent for many of the fish due to their different sizes. This leads to the righting roller or each righting roller “jumping” on the fish. In other words, the righting roller lifts off the fish under the righting roller as it is being transported and bounces back down on the fish.On the one hand, this reduces the contact time of the righting roller on the fish, which impairs the quality of the righting and righting process. On the other hand, the impact of the righting roller places stress on the fish and may even damage it. The weight of the righting rollers is particularly detrimental to small fish.

[0007] Another disadvantage of known solutions with two righting rollers and a third righting roller is that both righting rollers are coupled to each other by a common bearing. This results in movements, impulses, or similar effects triggered by the fish from one righting roller being transmitted to the other righting roller and also to the righting roller, potentially negatively affecting them. The coupling of the righting rollers has an overall negative impact on the quality of the fish straightening and righting during transfer from one processing station to another.

[0008] The invention is therefore based on the object of creating a simple and inexpensive device that ensures more precise and reliable raising and lowering of fish, regardless of their size. The object is also to propose a corresponding method.

[0009] This object is achieved by a device mentioned above in that it comprises at least one servo drive to which a lever arrangement is assigned, which connects a drive shaft of the servo drive to the pivotably mounted righting roller for pre-controlling the waiting position of the righting roller. As a result, each righting roller can be moved directly into the waiting position by means of a servo drive before a fish is fed into the effective range of the or each righting roller. With the individual and direct presetting of each righting roller by the servo drive, the duration and quality of the contact time of each righting roller with the fish can be extended and improved. Due to the possibility of direct automatic control of the righting rollers by means of the lever arrangement driven by the servo drive, the fish-size-dependent waiting position of each righting roller can be specified simply and precisely.If, for example, a large fish reaches the device, the righting roller can be moved upwards beforehand so that part of the path of the righting roller is already taken over by the righting roller itself by moving it to a higher position and then being in this higher position when the fish comes in. If a small fish reaches the device, the righting roller can be moved downwards. Adjusting the position of the righting roller to the respective fish size enables reliable and precise straightening and righting of each fish, thus improving the righting result and resulting in fewer incorrect cuts, for example when filleting. The servo drive can be used to actively and individually control the force exerted by the righting roller on the fish, depending on the fish size. The deflection or its amplitude of the righting roller, which is triggered by the fish, can be reduced by pre-controlling the righting roller.Because the righting roller is always in an optimized waiting position for each fish, the "jumping" of the righting roller on the fish can be effectively reduced, particularly in conjunction with the control of the fish-size-dependent force exerted by the righting roller on the fish. The inventive design thus ensures that fish of a wider size range can be transferred in a consistently precise upright position using the device. The device thus enables consistent and high righting quality for all fish fed in, regardless of their size, since the or each righting roller can be individually moved to the optimal height position.

[0010] Advantageously, at least one second righting roller is arranged behind the first righting roller in the transport direction T. This second righting roller is designed and configured to correspond to the first righting roller in terms of its function, namely righting and centering, as well as in terms of pre-control, namely pre-controlling the waiting position. With a second righting roller, which is also assigned a servo drive with a lever arrangement connecting a drive shaft of the servo drive to the pivotably mounted second righting roller, the result of precise righting of the fish during transfer is further improved. It is also possible to provide more than two righting rollers and / or other righting elements.

[0011] Particularly preferably, the first righting roller and the second righting roller are designed and configured to be decoupled from one another with regard to their bearings and / or their drive. The two righting rollers can preferably be driven and driven in rotation independently of one another via a separate drive, for example by means of a drive chain. For this purpose, each righting roller can be mounted, for example, on a shaft driven by the drive chain, wherein the shaft is mounted on an axle. By decoupling the two righting rollers with regard to bearings and drive, the second righting roller in particular can be pre-adjusted even more precisely and sensitively to different fish sizes, in particular small fish sizes, in order to further optimize the righting result. Optionally, it is also possible for the two righting rollers to be driven jointly, so that they are only decoupled with regard to their bearings.In other embodiments, the erecting rollers can be mounted together and driven separately.

[0012] A preferred development is characterized in that a third righting roller is arranged behind the second righting roller in the transport direction T, wherein the third righting roller can be pre-controlled together with the second righting roller. For this purpose, the righting roller can be controlled, for example, by means of a drive belt that transmits the rotation of the second righting roller to the righting roller. With the third righting element in the transport direction T, namely the righting roller, which is preferably significantly smaller in diameter than the upstream righting rollers, the fish can still be guided as they exit the device, thereby maintaining and further improving the righting result.

[0013] Each erecting roller and the erecting roller are expediently arranged on a pivot arm rotatably mounted on the frame of the device, wherein the erecting rollers and the erecting roller are mounted on a shaft on the pivot arm and are driven in rotation. Optionally, the two erecting rollers have separate pivot arms. For this purpose, the pivot arms are mounted on the frame. The preferably cantilevered or offset pivot arm of each erecting roller comprises a hollow shaft on which the erecting roller is mounted. By driving the hollow shaft, the erecting roller mounted thereon or operatively connected to the shaft via a tongue and groove connection can be driven in rotation via drive chains or the like. The hollow shaft itself is mounted and supported on an axle. The independent design and arrangement of the two erecting rollers enable trouble-free erection of the two erecting rollers.In other words, the influence of one erecting roller on the other erecting roller is minimized, thereby improving the erecting quality.

[0014] Advantageously, the righting roller is mounted on the pivot arm of the second righting roller by means of at least one pivot flange. The joint control of the second righting roller and the righting roller in terms of the drive, on the one hand, and / or the arrangement on a common pivot arm, on the other, ensures a more sensitive, fish-friendly, and precise righting function, particularly of the second righting roller, but also of the righting roller. Optionally, the righting roller can also be mounted on its own separate pivot arm. A separate servo drive can also be assigned to the righting roller.

[0015] An advantageous embodiment is characterized in that it comprises two servo drives, wherein the first servo drive is designed and configured by means of the first lever arrangement for pilot controlling the first pivot arm, to which the first erecting roller is assigned, and the second servo drive is designed and configured by means of a second lever arrangement for pilot controlling the second pivot arm, to which the second erecting roller is assigned, and the pivot flange, to which the erecting roller is assigned. The independent and separate pilot control of the erecting rollers relative to one another and of the erecting roller relative to the second erecting roller ensures that influences acting on one of the erecting rollers are kept away from the other, which improves the erecting result and leads to optimized work results in the downstream processing station. The direct coupling of the servo drives to the pivot arms orthe pivot flange by means of the lever arrangement, the servo drives, as so-called servo springs, can transmit the force via the lever arrangement to the righting rollers or the righting pulley. The torque of the respective servo drive is regulated by the current strength in the servo drive, whereby the force can be controlled independently of the position of the lever arrangement. This also allows the force acting on the fish via the righting rollers or the righting pulley to be controlled and, in particular, kept constant over the entire length of the fish. Each lever arrangement expediently comprises at least one lever arm, one end of which is connected to the drive shaft of the servo drive and the opposite end to the pivot arm or the pivot flange. The lever arm can, for example, be a coupling rod that connects the servo drive to the pivot arm.This ensures a simple and direct transmission of the servo drive's movement to the swivel arm or swivel flange, allowing for sensitive pre-control of the erecting rollers or the erecting roll with respect to their height position. Other lever arm designs and constructions are also possible.

[0016] Particularly advantageously, each lever arm comprises at least two lever arm sections connected to one another by an articulated link. This design can be realized, for example, by a steering knuckle connected to a drive shaft of the servo drive as the first lever arm section and a coupling rod, which is mounted at one end on the steering knuckle and at the opposite end on the swivel arm or swivel flange, as the second lever arm section. This further supports the simple and direct transmission of the drive movement of the servo drive to the swivel arm or swivel flange for sensitive pre-control of the erecting rollers or the erecting roll with regard to their height position. Other designs and constructions of the lever arm construction are also possible.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the lever arm assigned to the first servo drive is attached to the first pivot arm with its end facing the first pivot arm on the side of the pivot point of the erecting roller opposite the pivot bearing point of the pivot arm. In other words, the pivot point of the erecting roller lies between the pivot bearing point of the pivot arm on the frame and the bearing and attachment point of the lever arm on the pivot arm. This allows the height position of the first erecting roller to be pre-controlled and adjusted particularly easily and sensitively. However, the position at which the lever arm is attached to the first pivot arm can vary.

[0018] Conveniently, the second lever arm assigned to the second servo drive is attached to the second pivot arm with its end facing the second pivot arm in the area of ​​the pivot point of the erecting roller, and the third lever arm assigned to the second servo drive is attached to the pivot flange with its end facing the pivot flange. This allows the height positions of the second erecting roller and the erecting roller to be pre-controlled and adjusted particularly easily and sensitively. However, the positions at which the second lever arm is attached to the second pivot arm and the third lever arm is attached to the pivot flange can vary.

[0019] In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least one spring element is arranged between the lever arm and the pivot arm or the pivot flange. The or each spring element is preferably designed as a tension and compression spring, so that it can act in both directions. Optionally, the spring element can also be designed as just a tension spring or just a compression spring. Instead of a single spring element, two or more spring elements, in particular spring assemblies, can be provided. The spring element can also be connected at one end directly to the drive shaft and at the other end to the pivot arm or the pivot flange. The or each spring element that forms the connection between the lever arm and the pivot arm orThe swivel flange allows, on the one hand, the preload of the or each spring element to be varied via the servo drive, allowing the force acting on the fish to be adjusted particularly precisely and individually. On the other hand, this design not only reduces the dynamic load acting on the servo drives, but also dampens potential load peaks that can arise, for example, due to incorrect positioning of the fish.

[0020] Advantageously, one end of the spring element is attached to the lever arm, preferably at a free end thereof, while the opposite end is attached to the pivot arm or the pivot flange. The attachment positions of the spring element can vary both on the lever arm and on the pivot arm or pivot flange. With regard to the first pivot arm, the spring element can, for example, also be attached between the pivot bearing point of the pivot arm on the frame and the pivot point of the first erecting roller on the pivot arm. With regard to the second pivot arm, the spring element can, for example, also be attached between the pivot bearing point of the pivot arm on the frame and the pivot point of the second erecting roller on the pivot arm.

[0021] Advantageously, each pivot arm and preferably also each pivot flange is assigned a stop element, which is designed and arranged to limit the pivoting movement of the pivot arms or the pivot flange. The stop element is preferably arranged in a fixed position during operation and, if necessary, adjustable when the device is not in operation. The or each stop element, which can be a simple bolt or the like, can be rigid or spring-loaded as a buffer and prevents the pivot arms from "falling through" downward, thereby preventing, in particular, a collision with the second conveyor.

[0022] A particularly advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the device comprises a control device designed and configured to directly pre-control the pivot arms or the pivot flange into the respective waiting position, particularly depending on the fish size. By means of the control device, the height position of each righting roller or each righting roller can be precisely and directly pre-controlled, particularly depending on the expected fish size. Via the control device, which can be designed, for example, as an HMI (Human-Machine Interface), it is possible to determine how long this (initial) height position of the righting rollers or the righting roller is held before the righting rollers are lowered, particularly into a position that may be below the (initial) height position. This allows the righting of each fish to be controlled individually and precisely.The active and direct control of the pressure of the righting rollers on the fish by the servo drives can be advantageous for different fish sizes and / or qualities as well as for different fish species and different fish consistencies.

[0023] Advantageously, the servo drives are connected to the control system in such a way that the servo drives, via the lever arrangements, allow the swivel arms or the swivel flange to be moved into the respective waiting position. This improves the righting result and the introduction of the fish into downstream transport devices for further processing, which leads, for example, to a higher cut quality when filleting the fish.

[0024] Advantageously, a detection means for detecting the fish size is arranged in front of the first righting roller in the transport direction T, wherein the detection means is also connected to the control device. The detection means can be a measuring means in the first processing station, for example in the form of a measuring roller for determining the head width as a characteristic value for the size of the fish. Preferably, the detection means comprises a centering plate acting from above on the back of the fish, which is designed and configured to be deflected by the fish and interacts with a rotary encoder for determining the fish size. In this way, precise and local determination of the relevant fish data for determining the fish size is ensured and passed on to the control device. Other measuring means, in particular optical sensors orNon-contact measuring elements, for determining fish-relevant information from which conclusions can be drawn about the fish size, can also be used and are variable in terms of their positioning.

[0025] Preferably, the first conveyor comprises two circulating driven conveyor belts, which are aligned in a V-shape relative to each other in cross-section transverse to the transport direction T and have an increasingly greater distance from each other in the transport direction T. In other developments, other conveyor elements can also be used as the first conveyor. The design according to the invention ensures that the fish are fed upright into the area of ​​the or each erecting roller.

[0026] A preferred development is characterized in that the second conveyor means is designed as a rotatingly driven cleat chain, wherein the cleat chain on the one hand comprises sections provided with cleats for engaging in the abdominal cavity, and on the other hand comprises sections provided with support bodies for supporting the fish on the abdominal side, wherein segment groups with the cleats and segment groups with the support bodies are formed alternately. This cleat chain ensures that each fish, by means of the cleats, preferably carrier bodies adapted to the inner contour of the abdominal cavity of fish, engages in the abdominal cavity, on the one hand safely receives the fish from the first conveyor means and, on the other hand, forms a counterbearing for the righting rollers and rollers acting from above on the back of the fish, thereby ensuring safe guiding and transport of optimally righted fish.In other developments, other conveyor elements can also be used as the second conveyor. This task is also achieved by a method with the steps mentioned above, in that each righting roller is moved directly into the waiting position by means of a servo drive before a fish is fed into the effective area of ​​the or each righting roller. This improves the duration and quality of contact between the righting rollers and the fish to be righted and centered. The direct control of the righting rollers by means of the servo drives ensures precise and rapid adjustment of the waiting position to each individual fish size.

[0027] Preferably, each fish is raised by means of two rotatingly driven righting rollers and a rotatingly driven righting roller. The first righting roller is controlled by a first servo drive, and the second righting roller and righting roller are controlled by a second servo drive by means of a control device and moved into a fish-size-dependent waiting position. The independent control and adjustment of each righting roller achieves an improved righting result. The separate control of the righting elements, particularly the two righting rollers, ensures sensitive control of the righting rollers and thus sensitive adjustment of the waiting positions of the righting rollers and the righting roller.

[0028] The servo drives effectively apply a fish-size-dependent force to the righting rollers and the righting roller, against which the fish deflect the righting rollers and the righting roller upwards into the centering position. Because the servo drives act like a servo spring, the "jumping" of the righting rollers and the righting roller is minimized, even when fish enter the device at high speed and hit the righting rollers or the righting roller in the waiting position.

[0029] For this purpose, each servo drive advantageously drives a lever arrangement, with which the pivot arms on which the erecting rollers are mounted, and a pivot flange on which the erecting roller is mounted, are pivoted about a pivot bearing point into the waiting position. By pre-controlling the pivot arms on which the erecting rollers are mounted, a simple, fast, and precise movement of the erecting rollers to the individual height position is ensured. Preferably, the erecting rollers and the erecting roller are deflected by the fish from their waiting position into the centering position against a spring force generated by the servo drives and an additional spring element arranged between the lever arrangement and the pivot arm or pivot flange.The preload of the spring element can be varied by means of the servo drives depending on the fish size, whereby the force applied to the fish can be individually adjusted depending, for example, on the fish quality, the fish species, the fish consistency or other parameters.

[0030] Particularly advantageously, the size of the fish to be transferred is detected in front of the first erecting roller in the transport direction T using a detection device, with the signal being forwarded to the control device for controlling the servo drives. This allows the erecting rollers and the erecting roller to be moved to the desired height position with particular ease and precision.

[0031] The method is particularly preferably carried out with a device according to one or more of claims 1 to 20.

[0032] The advantages resulting from the aforementioned process steps have mostly already been described in detail in connection with the device, so that in order to avoid repetition, reference is made to the relevant passages.

[0033] Further useful and / or advantageous features and developments of the device and method are set out in the dependent claims and the description. A particularly preferred embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows:

[0034] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a device according to the invention in a side view from the front,

[0035] Fig. 2 shows the device according to Figure 1 in plan view, Fig. 3 shows the device according to Figure 1 in a side view from behind with a schematic representation of the servo drives with a first embodiment of the lever arrangements,

[0036] Fig. 4 shows the representation according to Figure 3 in perspective view, and

[0037] Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of the servo drives with another embodiment of the lever arrangements.

[0038] A device illustrated in the drawing serves for the automatic transfer of gutted and headed fish, in particular whitefish, from a header to a filleting device. The invention also relates in a corresponding manner to devices for transferring fish of other species from a first processing station, which need not be a header, to a downstream processing station, which need not be a filleting device.

[0039] The drawing shows a device 10 which is designed and configured for the automatic transfer of gutted and headed fish from a header to a filleting device along a transport path with the head side first and the dorsal side upwards in the transport direction T. This device 10 comprises a first conveyor 11 which is designed and configured to engage both sides of the fish and to transport the fish in the transport direction T, a second conveyor 12 which is designed and configured to engage from below into the abdominal cavity of the fish and to take over the fish from the first conveyor 11 and transport the fish in the transport direction T, and at least one rotationally drivable righting roller 13 which is designed and configured to right and center the fish.Each erecting roller 13 is arranged above the second conveyor 12 in such a way that the fish are guided between the or each erecting roller 13 and the second conveyor 12 and transported in a centered manner in the transport direction T, wherein each erecting roller 13 is pivotally mounted on a frame 14 of the device 10 in such a way that it is designed and arranged to be movable by a fish from a waiting position upwards into a centering position.

[0040] This device 10 is characterized according to the invention in that it comprises at least one servo drive 15, to which a lever arrangement 16 is assigned, which connects a drive shaft 17 of the servo drive 15 to the pivotably mounted erecting roller 13 for pre-controlling the waiting position of the erecting roller 13.

[0041] The features and developments described below represent preferred embodiments, considered individually or in combination with one another. It is expressly pointed out that features which are summarized in the claims and / or the description and / or the figures or described in a common embodiment can also functionally independently develop the device 10 described above.

[0042] In the preferred embodiment according to the drawing, more than one erecting roller 13 is provided. A second erecting roller 18 is arranged behind the first erecting roller 13 in the transport direction T. This second erecting roller 18 is designed and configured to correspond to the first erecting roller 13 in terms of its function, namely erecting and centering, and in terms of its pre-control, namely pre-controlling the waiting position. The two erecting rollers 13, 18 are designed and configured to be decoupled from one another in terms of their bearings and their drive. A third erecting roller 19 is arranged behind the second erecting roller 18 in the transport direction T and is also held in a waiting position, wherein the third erecting roller 19 can be controlled jointly with the second erecting roller 18.Basically, the two erecting rollers 13, 18 and the erecting roller 19 are each arranged on a pivot arm 20, 21 rotatably mounted on the frame 14 of the device 10, wherein the erecting rollers 13, 18 and the erecting roller 19 are mounted on a shaft 22, 23 on the pivot arm 20, 21 in a rotationally driven manner.

[0043] The first erecting roller 13 is assigned to a first pivot arm 20. The first pivot arm 20 is cranked and pivotally mounted on the frame 14. The first pivot arm 20 comprises a shaft 22, which is designed as a hollow shaft. This hollow shaft can be driven in rotation, for example, via a drive belt or a drive chain 24 with suitable drive means, wherein the rotation of the hollow shaft, which is mounted on an axis 25, is transmitted to the erecting roller 13 by means of a tongue and groove connection or the like. The second erecting roller 18 is assigned to a second pivot arm 21. The second pivot arm 21 is cranked and pivotally mounted on the frame 14. The second pivot arm 21 comprises a shaft 23, which is designed as a hollow shaft.This hollow shaft can be driven in rotation, for example via a drive belt or a drive chain 26 with suitable drive means, wherein the rotation of the hollow shaft, which is mounted on an axle 27, can be transferred to the second erecting roller 18 by means of a tongue and groove connection or the like. The erecting rollers 13, 18 can thus each be driven in rotation separately and are each pivotably mounted separately about a pivot point relative to the frame 14. The third erecting roller 19 is mounted on the second pivot arm 21 via pivot flanges 28, preferably in the region of the axle 27. The erecting roller 19 is thus mounted on the second pivot arm 21, but can also be pivoted relative to the second erecting roller 18 by means of the pivot flanges 28. The erecting roller 19 is driven by means of a drive belt 29 or the like, which is designed and arranged to transmit the rotation of the second erecting roller 18 to the erecting roller 19.

[0044] In the preferred and illustrated device 10, this comprises two servo drives 15, 30, wherein the first servo drive 15 is designed and configured by means of the first lever arrangement 16 to pre-control the first pivot arm 20, to which the first erecting roller 13 is assigned, and the second servo drive 30 is designed and configured by means of a second lever arrangement 31 to pre-control the second pivot arm 21, to which the second erecting roller 18 and the erecting roller 19 are assigned. To adjust the height position of the first erecting roller 13, the first lever arrangement 16 connects the drive shaft 17 of the first servo drive 15 to the first pivot arm 20. To adjust the height position of the second erecting roller 18 and also the erecting roller 19, the second lever arrangement 31 connects a drive shaft 32 of the second servo drive 30 to the second pivot arm 21 and the pivot flange 28.Each lever arrangement 16, 31 comprises at least one lever arm 33, 34, 54, one end of which is connected to the drive shaft 17, 32 of the servo drive 15, 30 and the opposite end to the pivot arm 20, 21 or the pivot flange 28.

[0045] Each lever arm 33, 34, 54 preferably comprises two lever arm sections 33.1 and 33.2, 34.1 and 34.2, and 54.1 and 54.2, which are articulated to one another. In the preferred embodiment according to the drawing, the first servo drive 15 is operatively connected to the drive shaft 17, at the free end of which a first steering knuckle 35 is arranged as the first lever arm section 33.1. A first coupling rod 36 as the second lever arm section 33.2 is mounted at one end on this steering knuckle 35. The opposite end of the first coupling rod 36 is attached to the first pivot arm 20 for the first erecting roller 13 (see in particular Figure 3). The rotation of the drive shaft 17 leads to the control of the pivot arm 20, which results in a change in the height position of the erecting roller 13. The second servo drive 30 is operatively connected to the drive shaft 32, at the free end of which a second steering knuckle 37 is arranged as the first lever arm section 34.1.A second coupling rod 38, serving as a second lever arm section 34.2, is mounted at one end on this second axle knuckle 37. The opposite end of the second coupling rod 38 is connected to the second pivot arm 21 for the second erecting roller.

[0046] 18 (see in particular Figure 3). The rotation of the drive shaft 32 leads to the control of the pivot arm 21, which in each case leads to a change in the height position of the erecting roller 18. A third steering knuckle 57 is arranged on the drive shaft 32 of the second servo drive 30 as the first lever arm section 54.1. A third coupling rod 58 as the second lever arm section 54.2 is mounted at one end on this third steering knuckle 57. The opposite end of the third coupling rod 58 is attached to the pivot flange 28 (see in particular Figures 3 and 4). The rotation of the drive shaft 32 leads to the control of the pivot arm 21 or the pivot flange 28, which in each case leads to a change in the height position of the erecting roller 18 or the erecting roller 19.

[0047] The first lever arm 33 assigned to the first servo drive 15 is fastened to the first pivot arm 20 with its end 39 facing the first pivot arm 20 on the side of the pivot point D1 of the righting roller 13 opposite the pivot bearing point S1 of the pivot arm 20. The second lever arm 34 assigned to the second servo drive 30 is fastened to the second pivot arm 21 with its end 40 facing the second pivot arm 21 in the region of the pivot point D2 of the righting roller 18. The third lever arm 54 assigned to the second servo drive 30 is fastened to the pivot flange 28 with its end 55 facing the pivot flange 28. In the embodiment according to Figures 3 and 4, the fish size-dependent force exerted by the righting rollers 13, 18 or the righting roller

[0048] 19 is applied to the fish, generated by the servo drives 15, 30, which are also called servo springs.

[0049] Figure 5 shows an embodiment in which—illustrated using the first pivot arm 20 as an example—at least one spring element 41 is arranged between the lever arm 33, 34, 54 and the pivot arm 20, 21 or the pivot flange 28. As a result, the fish-size-dependent force exerted on the fish by the righting rollers 13, 18 or the righting roller 19 is generated by the servo drives 15, 30 on the one hand and the spring elements 41 on the other hand, wherein the preload of the spring elements 41 is selectable and adjustable by the servo drives 15, 30 with their lever arrangements 16, 31. One end of the spring element 41 is attached to the lever arm 33 or lever arm section 33.1, preferably at a free end 39, 40, 55 thereof, while the opposite end is attached to the pivot arm 20, 21 or the pivot flange 28. The pivot arms 20, 21 are generally mounted on the frame 14 so as to be freely rotatable about the pivot bearing points S1 and S2.The pivot flange 28 is generally freely rotatably mounted on the second pivot arm 21. Preferably, however, each pivot arm 20, 21 or the pivot flange is assigned a stop element, which is designed and arranged to limit the pivoting movement of the pivot arms 20, 21 or the pivot flange 28, in particular downwards, to avoid a collision with the second conveyor 12.

[0050] The illustrated device 10 comprises a control device 43, which is designed and configured to directly pre-control the pivot arms 20, 21 or the pivot flange 28 into the respective waiting position, particularly depending on the fish size. The servo drives 15, 30 are connected to the control device 43 in such a way that the pivot arms 20, 21 or the pivot flange 28, and thus the erecting rollers 13, 18 and the erecting roller 19, are designed and configured to be movable into the respective waiting position by means of the servo drives 15, 30 via the lever assemblies 16, 31.

[0051] As shown particularly in Figures 1 and 2, a detection means 44 for detecting the fish size is arranged in front of the first erecting roller 13 in the transport direction T, wherein the detection means 44 is also connected to the control device 43. The connection between the servo drives 15, 30 and the detection means 50 and the control device 43 can be established via lines 45 or wirelessly, for example, by radio. The control device 43 can also be connected via lines 45 or wirelessly to drive means for the erecting rollers 13, 18 and / or to drive means for the first and second conveyor means 11, 12 and / or to all other controllable and / or regulatable components of the device 10.In the embodiment shown, the detection means 44 comprises a centering plate 46 acting from above on the back of the fish, which is designed and configured to be deflectable by the fish and cooperates with a rotary encoder or the like to determine the size of the fish.

[0052] The fish are transported by means of a conveyor arrangement from an inlet-side feed area in the transport direction T to an outlet-side removal area, specifically with the head area first and the back side facing upwards. The first conveyor 11 of the conveyor arrangement comprises two circulatingly driven conveyor belts 47, 48, which are aligned in a V-shape relative to one another in cross-section transverse to the transport direction T and have an increasingly greater distance from one another in the transport direction T. The conveyor belts 47, 48 are preferably driven synchronously by suitable drive means, wherein the or each drive means for the conveyor belts 47, 48 can be connected to the control device 43.The second conveyor means 12 is designed as a circulatingly driven cleat chain 49, wherein the cleat chain 49 comprises, on the one hand, sections provided with cleats 50 for engaging the abdominal cavity, and, on the other hand, sections provided with support bodies 51 for supporting the fish on the abdominal side. Segment groups with the cleats 50 and segment groups with the support bodies 51 are alternately formed. The cleat chain 49 can be driven circulatingly by means of suitable drive means, which can also be connected to the control device 43.

[0053] Preferably, the second conveyor 12 is movable as a whole, namely, designed to be lowerable downwards and configured to change the distance to the or each erecting roller 13, 18 and / or the erecting roller 19. In the embodiment shown, at least the section of the second conveyor 12 facing the removal area can be pivoted downwards. For this purpose, a rocker arm 52 is provided, which can be deflected by the second erecting roller 18 or a driver 53 arranged on the second pivot arm 21 on which the second erecting roller 18 is mounted. This driver 53 runs on a control cam of the rocker arm 52.

[0054] In the following, the method according to the invention is explained in more detail using the drawing as an example.

[0055] The method is used for the automatic transfer of gutted and headed fish from a header to a filleting device along a transport path with the head side first and the back side upwards in the transport direction T. Firstly, the fish is transported along a transport path in the transport direction T by means of first and second conveyor means 11, 12. During transport, the fish is righted in the region of the second conveyor means 12 in the transport direction T by means of at least one rotatingly driven righting roller 13, by each fish deflecting the or each righting roller 13 from a waiting position upwards into a centering position, so that the fish are guided and righted between the or each righting roller 13 and the second conveyor means 12 during transport in the transport direction T.

[0056] This method is characterized according to the invention in that each erecting roller 13, 18 is moved before a fish is fed into the effective area of ​​the or each erecting roller 13,

[0057] 18 is moved directly into the waiting position by means of a servo drive 15, 30. In other words, each erecting roller 13, 18 is directly pre-controlled into a working position, so that the erecting roller 13, 18 is positioned higher for a large fish, for example. When the large fish then reaches the erecting roller 13, 18, it does so in a higher working position of the erecting roller 13, 18. The fish then only needs to apply a small relative movement to the erecting roller 13, 18.

[0058] When a small fish needs to be transferred, each righting roller 13, 18 is pre-controlled and moved to a lower working position before the small fish hits the righting roller 13, 18. When the small fish then reaches the righting roller 13, 18, it does so in a lower working position of the righting roller 13, 18. The fish then only needs to apply a small relative movement to the righting roller 13, 18.

[0059] Each fish is erected by means of two rotating driven erecting rollers 13, 18 and a rotating driven erecting roller 19, wherein the first erecting roller 13 is driven by a first servo drive 15 and the second erecting roller 18 and the erecting roller

[0060] 19 are controlled by a second servo drive 30 by means of a control device 43 and moved into a fish-size-dependent waiting position. The fish itself then pushes the righting rollers 13, 18 and the righting roller 19 upwards into a centering position, in which the righting rollers 13, 18 and the righting roller 19 roll on the backs of the fish, thereby centering and righting the fish between themselves and the second conveyor 12. By means of the servo drives 15, 30, a fish-size-dependent force is applied to the righting rollers 13, 18 and the righting roller 19, against which the fish deflect the righting rollers 13, 18 and the righting roller 19 upwards into the centering position.

[0061] The servo drives 15, 30 drive a lever arrangement 16, 31, with which the pivot arms 20, 21, on which the erecting rollers 13, 18 and the erecting roller 19 are mounted, are pivoted about a pivot bearing point S1, S2, S3 into the waiting position. Specifically, the drive shafts 17, 32 of the servo drives 15, 30 rotate the steering knuckles 35, 37, on which a lever arm 33 is mounted on the steering knuckle 35 for the first erecting roller 13 and two lever arms 34, 54 are mounted on the steering knuckle 37 for the second erecting roller 18 and the erecting roller 19. By connecting the lever arms 33, 34, 54 with the pivot arms 20, 21 on the one hand and the pivot flange 28 on the other hand, the height position of all erecting elements, namely the erecting rollers 13, 18 and the erecting roller 19, is adjusted independently of one another.

[0062] As described, during the transport and righting of the fish in the transport direction T, a force - the servo drives 15, 30 act as a type of "servo spring" - is applied to the fish via the righting rollers 13, 18 and the righting roller 19. The fish deflects the righting rollers 13, 18 and the righting roller 19 upwards against this spring force. In order to be able to adapt the load on the fish even better, for example depending on the fish size, the fish consistency or other parameters, the righting rollers 13, 18 and the righting roller 19 are deflected by the fish from their waiting position into the centering position against a spring force exerted by the servo drives 15, 30 and an additional spring element 41 arranged between the lever arrangement 16, 31 and the pivot arm 20, 21 or the pivot flange 28. The preload of the additional spring element 41 is varied by means of the servo drives 15, 30 depending on the fish size.

[0063] The control device 43 can receive a signal regarding the fish size, for example, from the upstream header. Optionally, the size of the fish to be transferred is detected in the transport direction T immediately upstream of the first erecting roller 13 by means of a detection means 44. The signal is forwarded to the control device 43 for controlling the servo drives 15, 30, which then move the lever assemblies 16, 31 for moving the erecting rollers 13, 18 and the erecting roller 19 to the desired and individual height position.

[0064] The method is particularly preferably carried out with a device 10 according to one or more of claims 1 to 20.

Claims

1. A device (10) designed and configured for automatically transferring gutted and headed fish from a first processing station, in particular a head-cutting device, to a second processing station, in particular a filleting device, along a transport path with the head side first and the back side upwards in the transport direction T, comprising a first conveyor (11) designed and configured to engage both sides of the fish and to transport the fish in the transport direction T, a second conveyor (12) designed and configured to engage from below into the abdominal cavity of the fish and to take over the fish from the first conveyor (11) and transport the fish in the transport direction T, and at least one rotatably driven righting roller (13) designed and configured to right and center the fish,wherein each erecting roller (13) is arranged above the second conveyor means (12) in such a way that the fish are guided between the or each erecting roller (13) and the second conveyor means (12) and transported centered in the transport direction T, wherein each erecting roller (13) is pivotally mounted on a frame (14) of the device (10) in such a way that it is designed and configured to be movable by a fish from a waiting position upwards into a centering position, characterized in that it comprises at least one servo drive (15, 30) to which a lever arrangement (16, 31) is assigned, which connects a drive shaft (17, 32) of the servo drive (15, 30) to the pivotally mounted erecting roller (13, 18) for pre-controlling the waiting position of the erecting roller (13, 18).

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that in the transport direction T behind the first erecting roller (13) at least one second erecting roller (18) is arranged, which with regard to the function, namely erecting and centering, and with regard to the pre-control, namely pre-control of the waiting position, is designed and configured in a manner corresponding to the first erecting roller (13).

3. Device (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the first erecting roller (13) and the second erecting roller (18) are Bearing and / or their drive are designed and arranged decoupled from each other.

4. Device (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a third erecting roller (19) is arranged behind the second erecting roller (18) in the transport direction T, wherein the third erecting roller (19) can be pre-controlled together with the second erecting roller (18).

5. Device (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that each erecting roller (13, 18) and the erecting roller (19) are each arranged on a pivot arm (20, 21) rotatably mounted on the frame (14) of the device (10), wherein the erecting rollers (13, 18) and the erecting roller (19) are mounted in a rotationally driven manner on a shaft (22, 23) on the pivot arm (20, 21).

6. Device (10) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the erecting roller (19) is mounted on the pivot arm (21) of the second erecting roller (18) by means of at least one pivot flange (28).

7. Device (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises two servo drives (15, 30), wherein the first servo drive (15) is designed and configured by means of the first lever arrangement (16) for pre-controlling the first pivot arm (20), to which the first erecting roller (13) is assigned, and the second servo drive (30) is designed and configured by means of a second lever arrangement (31) for pre-controlling the second pivot arm (21), to which the second erecting roller (18) is assigned, and the pivot flange (28), to which the erecting roller (19) is assigned.

8. Device (10) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that each lever arrangement (16, 31) comprises at least one lever arm (33, 34, 54), one end of which is connected to the drive shaft (17, 32) of the servo drive (15, 30) and the opposite end (39, 40, 55) to the pivot arm (20, 21) or the pivot flange (28).

9. Device (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that each lever arm (33, 34, 54) comprises at least two lever arm sections (33.1, 33.2; 34.1, 34.2; 54.1, 54.2) which are connected to one another in an articulated manner.

10. Device (10) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the first lever arm (33) assigned to the first servo drive (15) is fastened to the first pivot arm (20) with its end (39) facing the first pivot arm (20) on the side of the pivot point (D1) of the erecting roller (13) opposite the pivot bearing point (S1) of the pivot arm (20).

11. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the second lever arm (34) assigned to the second servo drive (30) is fastened to the second pivot arm (21) with its end (40) facing the second pivot arm (21) in the region of the pivot point (D2) of the erecting roller (18), and the third lever arm (54) assigned to the second servo drive (30) is fastened to the pivot flange (28) with its end (55) facing the pivot flange (28).

12. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that at least one spring element (41) is arranged between the lever arm (33, 34, 54) and the pivot arm (20, 21) or the pivot flange (28).

13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that one end of the spring element (41) is fastened to the lever arm (33, 34, 54), preferably to a free end (39, 40, 55) thereof, while the opposite end is fastened to the pivot arm (20, 21) or to the pivot flange (28).

14. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 5 to 13, characterized in that each pivot arm (20, 21) and preferably also each pivot flange (28) is assigned a stop element which is designed and arranged to limit the pivoting movement of the pivot arms (20, 21) or the pivot flange (28).

15. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it comprises a control device (43) which is used for the direct pilot control of the pivot arms (20, 21) or the pivot flange (28) is designed and arranged in the respective waiting position, in particular depending on the size of the fish.

16. Device (10) according to claim 15, characterized in that the servo drives (15, 30) are connected to the control device (43) in such a way that the pivot arms (20, 21) or the pivot flange (28) are designed and arranged to be movable into the respective waiting position by means of the servo drives (15, 30) via the lever arrangements (16, 31).

17. Device (10) according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that a detection means (44) for detecting the fish size is arranged in front of the first erecting roller (13) in the transport direction T, wherein the detection means (44) is also connected to the control device (43).

18. Device (10) according to claim 17, characterized in that the detection means (44) comprises a centering plate (46) acting from above on the back of the fish, which is designed and arranged to be deflectable by the fish and cooperates with a rotary encoder for determining the size of the fish.

19. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the first conveying means (11) comprises two circulating driven conveyor belts (47, 48) which are aligned in a V-shape relative to one another in cross-section transverse to the transport direction T and have an increasingly greater distance from one another in the transport direction T.

20. Device (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the second conveyor means (12) is designed as a circulatingly driven lug chain (49), wherein the lug chain (49) comprises, on the one hand, sections which are provided with lugs (50) for engaging in the abdominal cavity, and, on the other hand, sections which are provided with support bodies (51) for supporting the fish on the abdominal side, wherein segment groups with the lugs (50) and segment groups with the support bodies (51) are formed alternately.

21. A method for automatically transferring gutted and headed fish from a first processing station, in particular a header, to a second processing station, in particular a filleting device, along a transport path with the head side first and the back side upwards in the transport direction T, comprising the steps: - transporting the fish along a transport path in the transport direction T by means of first and second conveying means (11, 12), - erecting the fish in the area of ​​the second conveyor means (12) in the transport direction T by means of at least one rotatingly driven erecting roller (13), - in that each fish deflects the or each erecting roller (13, 18) from a waiting position upwards into a centering position, so that the fish are guided and erected during transport in the transport direction T between the or each erecting roller (13, 18) and the second conveyor (12), characterized in that each erecting roller (13, 18) is moved directly into the waiting position by means of a servo drive (15, 30) before a fish is fed into the effective range of the or each erecting roller (13, 18).

22. Method according to claim 21, characterized in that each fish is erected by means of two rotatingly driven erecting rollers (13, 18) and a rotatingly driven erecting roller (19), wherein the first erecting roller (13) is controlled by a first servo drive (15) and the second erecting roller (18) and the erecting roller (19) are controlled by a second servo drive (30) by means of a control device (43) and moved into a fish-size-dependent waiting position.

23. Method according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that by means of the servo drives (15, 30) a fish-size-dependent force is applied to the righting rollers (13, 18) and the righting roller (19), against which the fish deflect the righting rollers (13, 18) and the righting roller (19) upwards into the centering position.

24. Method according to one or more of claims 21 to 23, characterized in that by means of each servo drive (15, 30) a Lever arrangement (16, 31) is driven, with which pivot arms (20, 21), on which the erecting rollers (13, 18) are mounted, and a pivot flange (28), on which the erecting roller (19) is mounted, are pivoted about a pivot bearing point (S1, S2, S3) into the waiting position.

25. Method according to claim 24, characterized in that the erecting rollers (13, 18) and the erecting roller (19) are deflected by the fish from their waiting position into the centering position against a spring force which is provided by the servo drives (15, 30) and an additional spring element (41) which is arranged between the lever arrangement (16, 31) and the pivot arm (20, 21) or the pivot flange (28).

26. Method according to claim 25, characterized in that the preload of the spring element (41) is varied by means of the servo drives (15, 30) depending on the fish size.

27. Method according to one or more of claims 22 to 26, characterized in that in the transport direction T in front of the first erecting roller (13) the size of the fish to be transferred is detected by means of a detection means (44), the signal being forwarded to the control device (43) for controlling the servo drives (15, 30).

28. Method according to one or more of claims 21 to 27, characterized in that it is carried out with a device (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 20.

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