Butchering – Crustacean
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-06
2001-02-20
Little, Willis (Department: 3643)
Butchering
Crustacean
C452S012000, C452S173000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190247
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to shellfish and crustacean processing apparatus and methods. In particular, it relates to an automated apparatus for cleaning the shells of crab and other crustaceans and shellfish, specifically for removal of barnacles and other like encrusted debris.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Crustacean meat and in particular crab leg meat is commonly sold for human consumption in an “the shell” form. It is important from a marketing perspective that the exterior surfaces of the shell be cleaned and free of debris. The upper sides of crab legs, i.e., the side that faces upwardly when the crabs are in their normal crawling position, normally is red in color. This color is imparted by a relatively delicate layer on the crab shell, which is easily abraded away during cleaning and processing. It is important from a commercial perspective that the red layer be left substantially intact and unblemished, and that it also be clean and free of slime, slub and other debris.
Applicants' co-pending Canadian Patent application numbers 2,206,678 and 2,234,034 relate to apparatus for cleaning the shells of crustaceans, and in particular for cleaning crab legs. This apparatus is substantially fully automated, whereby an operator positions individual crabs on a conveyor apparatus, with the crabs being suspended from hooks. The crab legs are automatically cleaned as they are conveyed through a cleaning station having a pair of elongate, counter-rotating brushes between which the crab legs are passed. The brushes described in applicants' said co-pending applications comprise generally conventional bristle-bearing brushes, which are affective for removal of most foreign objects and debris from the other crab leg sections. However, the shells of crab and other crustaceans frequently have encrusted on them barnacles or other like foreign objects which very firmly adhere to the shells and cannot be removed by conventional brushes. Barnacles in particular are difficult to dislodge but must be removed if the seafood is to be saleable. Barnacles represent a particular problem in some catch locations. Crab legs are typically contaminated with barnacles on the upper (red) sides of the legs, and this presents both a commercial imperative to remove the barnacles from this most visible of locations, and a technical challenge to remove the barnacles without abrading or otherwise damaging the relatively delicate red layer. The barnacles can vary in size from approximately 2 mm to 10 mm in diameter. The concentration of barnacles that are attached to the shell varies depending on catch location.
The current method for removal of barnacles and the like consists simply of manual removal with a knife or other scraping tool. In this method, the barnacles are normally removed one at a time, and the method is correspondingly slow, labor intensive and expensive.
The cleaning apparatus of applicants' co-pending Canadian applications remove a portion of barnacles from crab leg shells. Typically, between three and five percent of barnacles are removed by this apparatus. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an effective automated barnacle removal apparatus.
Various cleaning apparatus have been proposed for removal of debris from crustacean and shellfish shells. For example, Canadian Patent 2,015,863 (Tillion) discloses an apparatus for cleaning mussel shells, with the cleaning being performed by an array of abrasive rollers that also serve to transport the mussels between components of the system. Canadian Patent 1,205,963 (Lockerby) discloses apparatus for cleaning crab shells by means of an array of chain-mounted brushes that brush debris from the crab bodies.
The present invention relies for its operation on the convenient fact that barnacle shells are relatively hard and brittle, while crab shells are relatively resilient. Accordingly, a percussive force may be used to shatter or break off a barnacle from a crab shell, while leaving the crab shell substantially undamaged. Properly applied, a percussive force is capable of removing all or substantially all barnacle shells from crab shells, while causing minimal damage or abrasion to the crab shells.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
While the present invention is specifically adapted for use with crab leg or body sections, it will be seen that with suitable modifications, the invention may be used to remove barnacles or other hard encrustations from the shells of other crustaceans or shellfish, provided such crustaceans or shellfish have a shell that is relatively resilient in comparison with typical barnacle shells.
The present invent has as its object the provision of an improved apparatus and method for removing barnacles and other encrusted debris from crab and other crustacean and shellfish shells. It is a further object to provide an automated apparatus that employs percussive force against the debris to shatter or dislodge the debris.
These and other objects will be clarified and fully disclosed by way of the examples described herein.
The present invention comprises in one aspect a processing apparatus for removing barnacles or other like encrusted relatively hard debris from crustacean shells. The apparatus may be used to clean shells that are resilient relative to the barnacles.
The apparatus comprises in its broadest aspect:
retention means for holding a selected crustacean or part thereof; and
percussive impact means for applying a repeated percussive force against the crustacean shell, sufficient to substantially dislodge or shatter the debris while leaving the crustacean shell substantially undamaged.
Preferably, the percussive impact means comprises a rotatably driven shaft, drive means for rotating the shaft, and at least one elongate flexible flail attached to the shaft for repeated impact against said shells. The flail is characterized by an array of hard, smooth members for impacting against and shattering or dislodging the debris upon rotation of the shaft.
The flail may comprises a chain comprised of links or connecting beads.
Conveniently, the retainer means comprises a conveyor for retaining crustaceans and conveying the crustaceans through a cleaning station which incorporates the impact means. Crustacean shells are conveyed forwardly and upwardly by the conveyor for progressive cleaning from an upper region of the crustacean to a lower region thereof.
The invention comprises in a further aspect a method for removal of barnacles or other hardened debris from crustacean or shellfish shells, comprising the steps of:
selecting barnacle or debris-encrusted crustaceans, whereby the crustacean shell is resilient relative to the barnacles or other debris;
fixedly supporting the crustacean or shellfish by means of a retaining means; and imparting a repeated percussive force against the debris with percussive impact means, whereby the barnacles or other like debris are shattered or dislodged and the crustaceans remain substantially undamaged. The retainer means and percussive impact means are preferredly as characterized above.
Preferably, the method is specifically adapted for removing barnacles from crab legs featuring an upper red side, and whereby the percussive means contact only the red sides of the crab legs. The method and apparatus may also be adapted for contacting both the upper and lower sides of the crab legs. The lower, white side will typically also bear a few barnacles, although in substantially lower numbers.
The term “crustacean” as used herein also includes shellfish that meet the criteria identified above.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3495293 (1970-02-01), Tolley
patent: 4073041 (1978-02-01), Davis et al.
patent: 4199840 (1980-04-01), Crane
patent: 4293981 (1981-10-01), Smith
patent: 4446601 (1984-05-01), Carruthers
patent: 4479284 (1984-10-01), Tolley et al.
patent: 4503586 (1985-03-01), Lockerby et al.
patent: 4710999 (1987-12-01), Brunner et al.
patent: 4715093 (1987-12-01), Lapeyre et al.
patent: 4752988 (1988-06-01), Guglielmo et al.
patent: 5209176 (1993-05-01), Pompei et al.
patent:
Hearn Paul
Reimer Ernest M.
Canpolar East Inc.
Fincham McFadden
Little Willis
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