Solid pack fish canning machine

Abstract

A fish-canning machine having two adjacent parallel rotary turrets each having fish-receiving forming pockets in the periphery thereof. The turrets are positioned to align two of the pockets with each other to form a single combined pocket which is then filled with fish from a corresponding large size feed chute of increasing cross-sectional area. The fish in the pockets is severed between the turrets and the turrets are rotated by different amounts to move the filled pockets laterally out of alignment with each other. The fish in both filled pockets is formed into the shape of a can and ejected endwise from the pockets into two separate cans. Spaces between the turrets and the housing provide for plate inserts and variation in the thickness of the forming elements so as to accommodate a variety of pack sizes and characteristics. The plate inserts include studs which extend through the housing with attachment spacers to engage attachment bars. Various spacer sizes provide adjustment to the positions of the plate inserts. Shims may also be used to position the plate inserts. Forming pocket guides and forming shoes are associated with the turrets which extend beyond the turret plate widths to define, with the immediately adjacent plate inserts, the forming pockets.