Shrimp cleaner with linked rollers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10159260-B2
Application number	US-201615754027-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2016
Priority date	Sep 3, 2015
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

An improved cleaning device comprises linked rollers that roll over a cleaning surface to remove debris from shrimp or other product. The cleaning device comprises a trough with a cleaning surface, an oscillating shaft within the trough and rollers biased into contact with the cleaning surface. At least some of the rollers are connected through a coupling device, which connects the rollers to the oscillating shaft via a roller connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning device, comprising:
a trough extending longitudinally from a first side to a second side and having a cleaning surface;
an oscillating shaft extending longitudinally through the shaft above the cleaning surface;
a roller connector extending from the oscillating shaft towards the cleaning surface;
a coupling shaft connected to the roller connector;
a first roller mounted on the coupling shaft and contacting the cleaning surface; and
a second roller mounted on the coupling shaft and contacting the cleaning surface.

2. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the roller connector comprises a connecting shaft extending through the oscillating shaft and prongs that attach to the coupling shaft.

3. The cleaning device of claim 2 , further comprising a spring mounted on the connecting shaft for biasing the coupling shaft towards the cleaning surface.

4. The cleaning device of claim 1 , further comprising a third roller mounted on the coupling shaft and contacting the cleaning surface.

5. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the coupling shaft is hexagonal in cross section and includes journals for receiving the roller connector.

6. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the coupling shaft is flexible.

7. The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the first roller and second roller are formed of urethane rubber or peroxide-cured nitrile rubber.

8. A cleaning device, comprising:
a trough extending longitudinally from a first side to a second side and having a cleaning surface;
an oscillating shaft extending longitudinally above the cleaning surface;
a plurality of rollers connected to the oscillating shaft and biased into contact with the cleaning surface; and
a plurality of roller connectors extending from the oscillating shaft and connecting the plurality of rollers to the oscillating shaft, wherein the number of roller connectors is less than the number of rollers in the cleaning device.

9. The cleaning device of claim 8 , further comprising a coupling device for connecting two or more rollers to the roller connector.

10. The cleaning device of claim 9 , wherein the coupling device comprising a flexible shaft.

11. The cleaning device of claim 9 , wherein the coupling device comprising a self-aligning coupler.

12. The cleaning device of claim 8 , wherein each roller connector comprises a lower forked portion for receiving a coupling shaft upon which the rollers are mounted.

13. The cleaning device of claim 8 , wherein the rollers are formed of urethane rubber or peroxide-cured nitrile rubber.

14. The cleaning device of claim 13 , further comprising a coupling device connecting the first roller to the second roller.

15. The cleaning device of claim 14 , further comprising a roller connector for connecting the coupling device to the oscillating shaft.

16. A cleaning device, comprising:
a trough extending longitudinally from a first side to a second side and having a cleaning surface;
an oscillating shaft extending longitudinally above the bottom of the trough;
a first roller coupled to the oscillating shaft and contacting the cleaning surface;
a second roller connected to the first roller and contacting the cleaning surface.

17. The cleaning device of claim 16 , wherein the first roller and second roller are formed of urethane rubber or peroxide-cured nitrile rubber.

Assignees

• Laitram Llc

Inventors

• Falgout Byron M
• Ledet Brent A
• Strayer Barry C

Classifications

• A22C29/021 Primary

  Cleaning operations on shellfish, e.g. evisceration, brushing · CPC title