Abstract: A cutting tool for cutting netting used for encasing meat products comprises a blade and a guard. A control circuit is electrically connected to the blade, and configured to maintain the temperature of the blade at a cutting temperature in the range of 300° C. to 500° C. The guard defines an interior cavity surrounding the blade and further comprises a slot exposing a portion of the blade. The guarding is further shaped to define a funnel at a distal end of the cutting tool leading to the slot such that in use the funnel guides a netting to be cut towards the blade. The cutting tool may be provided as a hand tool or in a bench mounted form.

Abstract: A double tube encasing apparatus and methods of encasing for encasing meat products in a double casing including a film (e.g. collagen film) and a net in which a first tube is loaded with a height reduced shirred film and a second coaxial tube which supports a shirred netting. In one embodiment a casing tube is placed over a meat stuffing horn and is preloaded with a loose shirred film. A second casing tube which supports the netting is pushed or placed over the loose shirred film, and causes a reduction in diameter of the loose shirred film for example by forcing the vertically pleated shirred film to layback.

Abstract: An encasing apparatus for encasing meat products in a double casing including a combined film and a net is described. A casing tube is placed over a meat stuffing horn and is preloaded with a shirred film and net casing for double casing meat exiting the meat stuffing horn. To reduce the risk of tearing of the collagen as it is deshirred and stuffed, the casing tube is oversized with respect to the meat stuffing horn and has a first outer diameter within 10-20% of the diameter of the expanded collagen casing.

Abstract: An improved tubular openwork fabric or net for food products, the openwork fabric including a plurality of filament assemblies. Each filament assembly is formed from one or more filaments and the filament assemblies are knitted as alternating conjoined and intermediate members. Each intermediate member includes a single filament assembly and each conjoined member includes a pair of filament assemblies that are worked together. The openwork fabric further includes an extension limiting member to limit a longitudinal extension of the openwork fabric.

Abstract: An improved tubular openwork fabric or net for food products, the openwork fabric including alternating cojoined and intermediate members, each intermediate member including a filament assembly and each cojoined member including a pair of filament assemblies that are worked together, the filament assemblies being extensible and the open work fabric being extensible in both longitudinal and transverse directions.

Abstract: An improved tubular openwork fabric or net for food products, the openwork fabric including a plurality of filament assemblies. Each filament assembly is formed from one or more filaments and the filament assemblies are knitted as alternating cojoined and intermediate members. Each intermediate member includes a single filament assembly and each cojoined member includes a pair of filament assemblies that are worked together. The openwork fabric further includes an extension limiting member to limit a longitudinal extension of the openwork fabric.

Abstract: A double tube encasing apparatus and methods of encasing for encasing meat products in a double casing including a film (e.g. collagen film) and a net in which a first tube is loaded with a height reduced shirred film and a second coaxial tube which supports a shirred netting. In one embodiment a casing tube is placed over a meat stuffing horn and is preloaded with a loose shirred film. A second casing tube which supports the netting is pushed or placed over the loose shirred film, and causes a reduction in diameter of the loose shirred film for example by forcing the vertically pleated shirred film to layback.

Abstract: An encasing apparatus for encasing meat products in a double casing including a combined film and a net is described. A casing tube is placed over a meat stuffing horn and is preloaded with a shirred film and net casing for double casing meat exiting the meat stuffing horn. To reduce the risk of tearing of the collagen as it is deshirred and stuffed, the casing tube is oversized with respect to the meat stuffing horn and has a first outer diameter within 10-20% of the diameter of the expanded collagen casing.

Abstract: An improved tubular openwork fabric or net for food products, the openwork fabric including alternating cojoined and intermediate members, each intermediate member including a filament assembly and each cojoined member including a pair of filament assemblies that are worked together, the filament assemblies being extensible and the open work fabric being extensible in both longitudinal and transverse directions.

Abstract: The invention is a restrainer for a spool (10) of thread to prevent the thread (13) from being freely drawn off of the spool (10). It comprises a resilient element (12) that extends around the circumference of the outer surface (14) of the spool (10) so that the thread (13) being drawn from the spool (10) must pass between the outer surface of the spool (10) at the inner surface of the resilient element (12) there by impeding the free removal of the thread (13). The invention prevents excessive thread being jerked from the spool.

Abstract: A device for filling tubular casings with edible material is disclosed. The device includes a tube upon which the casing can be shirred onto, a tube inlet, a tube outlet and tube support means. The support means allows the device to be supported for the manual insertion of edible material into the tube inlet and furthermore the manual forcing of this edible material through the tube and out of the tube outlet.