SHELLFISCH PROCESSING

摘要

Apparatus for processing shellfish (10) particularly scallops having a shell (11) with a general centre line (19) and an edible portion (13) located laterally relative to the general centre line (19). Shell engaging means (20) engages with and holds the shell (11) and relatively rotates the shell (11) about a rotation axis (22) passing through the shell (11). Lateral movement means (30) moves the shellfish (10) laterally relative to the rotation axis (22) by a variable extent depending upon the location of the edible portion (13) relative to the general centre line (19) and so that the shell engaging means (20) engages with the shell (11) such that the rotation axis (22) passes through the edible portion (13). The lateral movement means (20) is operative to relatively move the shellfish (10) towards an engagement line (31) from a starting position in which the general centre line (19) is along a common start line (32) regardless of the size of the particular shellfish (10) being processed whereby a smaller shellfish (B) will be moved to a greater extent than a larger shellfish (A) in movement of the edible portion (13) to the engagmeent line (31). The lateral movement means (30) comprises a guide track (34) which is angled in two orthogonal directions whereby as the shell fish (10) is relatively moved along the guide track (34), the shellfish (10) is caused to move simultaneously in two orthogonal directions. At least one inclined projection (42) is arranged to be engaged by an edge (17) of the shell fish (10) as the shell fish (10) is advanced along the guide track (34) a distance inversely related to the size of the shell fish (10).