Abstract: A machine and method for encasing sausages by having a stuffing tube that is vertically disposed in order to allow gravity to help in the sausage making process. A conical shaped restricting device is attached to the stuffing tube to help facilitate the movement of the casing into a twisting mechanism and to ensure bunching in the casing is reduced. The casing is then fed through the twisting mechanism and into a linker.

Abstract: A filtering system used on a meat injection machine that injects pickling into meat products. The filter consists of a tank and a first and second rotary filter. The first rotary filter uses a wedge wire wound cylinder and augers having flutes that rotate to catch and push away solid particles toward the second filter. The second filter then uses more wedge wire in a whirlpool effect to ensure all solid materials and foam are in the outside of the filter. Injector fluid is then taken from the center of the inside volume of the second filter to be used in injection needles.

Abstract: A method of stuffing natural casings with emulsion involves placing a follower against an upstream end of the natural casing to slide the natural casing forwardly along a hollow meat stuffing tube. The follower is mounted on the stuffing tube and advances the natural casing towards a discharge end of the stuffing tube, where sausage emulsion is injected into the natural casing. The follower pushes the filled casing through a hollow conical-shaped restricting device adjacent the discharge end which limits the outer diameter of the filled natural casing to ensure the uniform shape of the casing as it enters the twisting mechanism. The follower is connected to a longitudinally movable shaft that is parallel to the stuffing tube. A machine includes the foregoing components to accomplish this method.

Abstract: A method of stuffing natural casings with emulsion involves placing a follower against an upstream end of the natural casing to slide the natural casing forwardly along a hollow meat stuffing tube. The follower is mounted on the stuffing tube and advances the natural casing towards a discharge end of the stuffing tube, where sausage emulsion is injected into the natural casing. The follower pushes the filled casing through a hollow conical-shaped restricting device adjacent the discharge end which limits the outer diameter of the filled natural casing to ensure the uniform shape of the casing as it enters the twisting mechanism. The follower is connected to a longitudinally movable shaft that is parallel to the stuffing tube. A machine includes the foregoing components to accomplish this method.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that uses safety apparel that has an identification element so that a sensor on a machine may detect the presence of the identification element. Upon detecting the presence of the identification element, the sensors electronically activate a series of switches and relays that allow the machine to operate. A plurality of relays can be set up so that when certain operational parameters occur, or do not occur, the machine is shut down. This includes a timing circuit to ensure the machine is being properly operated. Once the machine shuts down the operator must repeat the procedure of placing the identification element in communication with the sensors.

Abstract: A method of filling a natural hollow elongated casing with meat emulsion involves placing a natural casing on an elongated meat emulsion stuffing tube having a meat emulsion discharge end, closing an extended end of the natural casing over the discharge end of the stuffing tube so that meat emulsion exiting the discharge end will push the natural casing longitudinally by pumping meat emulsion through the stuffing tube for expansive discharge into the natural casing at a sufficient volume and velocity to provide the primary energy within the natural casing to move the natural casing forwardly off of the discharge end of the stuffing tube. The casing is extended through a hollow chuck. A resilient brake element in the chuck is extended around the casing to impede its longitudinal movement. A thrust collar is slidably mounted on the stuffing tube and is intermittently manually pushed against the casing to limit the length thereof but is insufficient to create compression pressure thereon.

Abstract: A stuffing tube for a meat encasing machine that has a hollow stuffing tube. The hollow stuffing tube also has an inner chamber that is fluidly linked to the exterior of the hollow tube by a series of openings located in the wall of the stuffing tube. The openings and chamber allow water connected to a water source to be pumped into the stuffing tube. This causes a lubricating water surface to accumulate on the exterior of the stuffing tube providing lubrication for a sausage casing. This lubrication facilitates the sliding movement of the casing longitudinally along the stuffing tube.

Abstract: A method of advancing a sausage casing mounted on a stuffing tube into a twisting mechanism includes placing a hollow natural sausage casing on the outside surface of a stuffing tube and engaging the casing with a roller. The roller then forces the casing to slide toward the discharge end of the stuffing tube. The roller may be attached to an arm that has its height controlled by the rotation of a cam. By controlling the arm height the cam controls the feed pattern of the casing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for evacuating pockets of injected fluid in meat products involves the structure and use of a machine which has a longitudinal movable conveyor surface on the machine; a fluid injection station on the machine for injecting fluid into a meat product on the conveyor surface; a second station on the machine downstream of the fluid injection station; the second station comprising an assembly for applying compressive pressure to the injected meat and penetrating the meat with a plurality of projecting elements to create a plurality of fluid conduits in the injected meat wherein the compressive pressure will force fluid out of the injected meat through the fluid conduits when the projecting elements penetrate the pockets of fluid.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method of injecting a brine solution into a meat product. The process includes the steps of providing high concentration brine to a brine source connected to injection heads designated for fat areas and low concentration brine to the brine source connected to injection heads designated for lean areas, and injecting the meat product with fluid in accordance with the location of lean and fat areas.

Abstract: A method of creating curved sausage links involves extruding an elongated sausage strand having linear protein fibers therein out of an elongated hollow meat emulsion extrusion tube. The flow of meat emulsion through the tube is partially restricted by a restrictor element within the tube which permits a portion of the meat emulsion to pass thereover in a substantially uninterrupted manner, but which requires a separate layer of meat emulsion to have its movement through the tube inhibited by engaging the restrictor element and having to move thereover to exit the tube. When the sausage strand is subjected to heat, the uninterrupted portion is inclined to have more lengthwise shrinkage in the presence of heat than the other layer, thus causing the sausage link to assume a curved configuration. The machine for practicing this method has a stuffing tube with the restrictor element therein as described heretofore.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method of injecting a brine solution into a meat product. The process includes the steps of providing high concentration brine to a brine source connected to injection heads designated for fat areas and low concentration brine to the brine source connected to injection heads designated for lean areas, and injecting the meat product with fluid in accordance with the location of lean and fat areas.

Abstract: A method of filling a natural hollow elongated casing with meat emulsion involves placing a natural casing on an elongated meat emulsion stuffing tube having a meat emulsion discharge end, closing an extended end of the natural casing over the discharge end of the stuffing tube so that meat emulsion exiting the discharge end will push the natural casing longitudinally by pumping meat emulsion through the stuffing tube for expansive discharge into the natural casing at a sufficient volume and velocity to provide the primary energy within the natural casing to move the natural casing forwardly off of the discharge end of the stuffing tube. The casing is extended through a hollow chuck. A resilient brake element in the chuck is extended around the casing to impede its longitudinal movement. A thrust collar is slidably mounted on the stuffing tube and is intermittently manually pushed against the casing to limit the length thereof but is insufficient to create compression pressure thereon.

Abstract: A method of filling a natural hollow elongated casing with meat emulsion involves placing a natural casing on an elongated meat emulsion stuffing tube having a meat emulsion discharge end, closing an extended end of the natural casing over the discharge end of the stuffing tube so that meat emulsion exiting the discharge end will push the natural casing longitudinally by pumping meat emulsion through the stuffing tube for expansive discharge into the natural casing at a sufficient volume and velocity to provide the primary energy within the natural casing to move the natural casing forwardly off of the discharge end of the stuffing tube. The casing is extended through a hollow chuck. A resilient brake element in the chuck is extended around the casing to impede its longitudinal movement. A thrust collar is slidably mounted on the stuffing tube and is intermittently manually pushed against the casing to limit the length thereof but is insufficient to create compression pressure thereon.

Abstract: A method for injecting fluid into meat products comprises taking a plurality of hollow fluid injection needles having sharpened discharge ends, and connecting the needles to a source of pressurized liquid; penetrating the sharpened ends of the needles into the product and thence withdrawing the same while discharging fluid into the product and vibrating the needles for a period of time while they are within the product to enlarge the size of a penetration hole within the product caused by the penetration of the needles to a size greater than the size of the needles to create at least a partial space around the needles to permit fluid from the needles to migrate into the spaces around the needles. The needles have a roughened outside surface.

Abstract: A transport apparatus for lying transport of elongated meat products has at least one endless displacing member for advancing product carriers. The displacing member is moved in a frame by a driver. The endless displacing member is driven at two separate positions. Tensing elements are placed between the separate positions of the drives.

Abstract: A method of stuffing natural casings with emulsion involves slidably mounting a collar element on the stuffing tube of the machine adjacent an end of the stuffing tube opposite to the discharge end thereof. The collar is slidably advanced towards the discharge end of the tube to telescope the casing into a shirred condition while leaving a non-shirred portion downstream thereof. The non-shirred portion of the casing is progressively advanced while the casing is filled with emulsion from the tube. A sensor is placed in the proximity of the non-shirred portion of the casing to detect whether shirred or non-shirred casing is present. The sensor is connected to a controller so that the collar will be advanced to slide the casing material on the tube when the non-shirred casing is detected, and the advance of the collar is stopped when shirred casing material is detected. A machine includes the foregoing components to accomplish the method.

Abstract: A device for positioning separately supplied elongate meat products, comprises two driven endless aligning conveyors running with the transport 5 paths substantially parallel to each other, which transport paths together form a support for the meat products for transporting such that, at the position where the transport paths are mutually adjacent, they are in a lower position than when at a greater mutual distance. This structure also relates to a method for positioning separately supplied elongate meat products.

Abstract: A casing hopper for sausage encasing machines includes a hopper. The hopper is adjustable for different sized casings by a single control.

Abstract: A method and structure of stuffing natural casings with sausage material involves taking a plurality of natural casings of different lengths and diameters; pre-loading each of the casings on elongated hollow open ended sleeves shorter than the casings and having a diameter less than the casings by telescoping the casings on the outer surfaces of the sleeves, slidably mounting the sleeves on the open end of a meat stuffing tube of a sausage encasing machine; extruding meat emulsion through the stuffing tube into the casing mounted on the sleeve until the sleeve is slidably removed from the tube, removing the sleeve from the stuffing tube, repeating the use of the sleeve by preloading the sleeve with another natural casing.