Abstract: A method for stuffing food product into a tubular food casing by continuously filling a tubular food casing to obtain a predetermined linear rate of movement of stuffed food product; moving a closing device with the food casing at said predetermined linear rate of movement; activating said closing device to apply a closure in the form of a tie or clip to segregate the stuffed food product into links while the stuffed food product continues to move at the predetermined rate; and supporting the filled food casing during the filling and closing by means of a roller table comprising indented rollers and upon which the filled food casing rests, the roller table being provided with opposing link side supports containing bearings which support the rollers and which permit the rollers to freely rotate. The roller table lacks a roller directly beneath the closing device to form a space which permits closing of the food casing.

Abstract: A method for stuffing food product into a tubular food casing at a predetermined linear rate of movement of stuffed food product, closing the stuffed food product to segregate the stuffed food product into links while the stuffed food product continues to move at said predetermined rate. The invention also includes an improved food product stuffing machine which stuffs food product into a tubular food casing at a predetermined linear rate of movement of stuffed food product, a closing device which applies closures to the stuffed food product to segregate the stuffed food product into stuffed food product links while the stuffed food product continues to move at said predetermined rate. After clipping, means is provided for returning the closing device to an original position to repeat the operation after another desired length of casing is stuffed.