Abstract: A separating device is provided for separating portions of elongate casings filled with food mixture, in particular sausage portions of alginate casings filled with sausage meat. The separating device includes two circulating transport elements; at least one crimping element, each having a fastening section, a crimping section, and a counter holder. According to the invention, the counter holder is flexible such that it applies a preloading force to the crimping element arranged on the opposite transport element to improve the separating effect of the crimping elements.

Abstract: A cutting machine includes a cutting device and a co-operating conveyor device for conveying food products in a conveying direction. The conveyor device includes at least one conveyor unit having a conveyor belt which is guided by at least one deflection roll and which comes into contact with the food products in the contact area and having at least one guide means for guiding the conveyor belt. The at least one guide means has a first support portion for supporting the conveyor belt at a first height and a second support portion for supporting it at a second height, these heights being spaced apart in a direction extending perpendicularly to the conveying direction, and at least one recess arranged between the first height and the second height, in which the conveyor belt can give way at least partly due to contact with a food product.

Abstract: An ejector device is provided for food portions, and in particular for sausages. A food portion in a conveying area between two conveyor belts is engaged in a conveying mode and can be conveyed in the conveying direction. It is proposed that the ejector device has at least one adjustment mechanism for ejecting a food portion in an ejection area, which is so designed that the distance of the conveyor belts from each other in the conveying area can be partially varied. A method of ejecting food portions is also provided, in which it is proposed that the food portions be taken out of engagement with the conveyor belts as described above.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for separating individual bowls from a stack of bowls for receiving foodstuffs. The apparatus includes a machine frame for fixing components of the apparatus, a holding device for holding the stack, a separating device for separating individual bowls from the stack, having a separating element, and a drive device. The holding device has at least one bottom carrier element that is mounted in the region of a bottom of a lowermost bowl of the stack moveably by the device such that it temporarily carries the bowl from below and can be moved away from the region of the bottom of the lowermost bowl so that the lowermost bowl can be separated from the stack in a downward direction while the stack remains in the holding device. In addition, a corresponding method is provided of separating a bowl from a stack of bowls for receiving foodstuffs.

Abstract: Portioning devices and methods for portioning and conveying elongate casings stuffed with a mass. Circulating conveyor belts are arranged adjacent to each other for conveying the stuffed casings. Each conveyor belt has a conveying area which in operation is moved in a conveying direction, and a return area, wherein the stuffed casing is introduced between the conveying areas of the two conveyor belts and can then be conveyed in the conveying direction. At least one divider is arranged on each conveyor belt and projects laterally from the conveyor belt. The dividers of the adjacent conveyor belts cooperate in the conveying areas in such a way that the stuffed casing is constricted. The divider has a constriction portion for engaging with the stuffed casing and which extends, in operation, substantially at a slant relative to a plane defined as perpendicular to the conveying direction.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a suspension apparatus (1) for hanging up and transporting at least one sausage string (2) including a transport device (6) for transporting the at least one sausage string (2), that has at least one carrier hook (8) for carrying the sausage string (2), the hook being movable along a path of movement (10) by means of a guide and drive device. The apparatus further includes a spreading device (14) arranged stationarily relative to the transport device (6) for spreading the sausage string (2). The spreading device has at least one spreading element (16) which is arranged adjacent to the path of movement (10) of the carrier hook (8) and which in operation acts on the sausage string (2) carried by the carrier hook (8) in such a way that the sausage string (2) is spread.

Abstract: Casing holding device for filling tubular cases with a pasty foodstuff material. A casing brake, in a portioning position, is in contact with a case drawn on to a filling tube and produces a pressing force between case and filling tube. An adjusting device is configured for moving the casing brake between the portioning position and a casing change position in which the casing brake is uncoupled from the filling tube. The adjusting device has a guide linkage which has a plurality of links and which is adapted for the casing brake in at least a first phase of the movement out of the portioning position into the casing change position to be moved substantially axially relative to the longitudinal axis of the filling tube and to be pivoted in at least a second phase of the movement relative to the longitudinal axis of the filling tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a foodstuff material is provided, specifically for producing sausage products from sausage meat. The apparatus includes a stationary housing which has a wall and which can be connected in fluid-conducting relationship to a conveyor pump, and has a discharge opening for delivery of the foodstuff material. Arranged within the housing is an element for partially swirling the foodstuff material within the housing, which is rotatable relative to the wall and along which in operation at least a partial amount of the foodstuff material to be conveyed flows. The rotatable element ends within the housing before the discharge opening for delivery of the foodstuff material. The apparatus can produce a string with a substantially cylindrical outer contour from a foodstuff material like sausage meat.

Abstract: An apparatus for closing pasty-substance-filled tubular casings to form products, in particular for closing sausage-meat-filled casings is disclosed. The apparatus includes a filling tube with an outlet opening, having a brake and having clipper blades, which can be moved toward one another in a direction transverse to a filling direction, and which includes a measuring device, which establishes the caliber of the products in a contactless.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus for conveying and processing foodstuffs such as meat is provided. The conveyor apparatus includes a filling device, a mincer which can be coupled to the filling device and having an inlet and an outlet, a closure element which can be mounted to the outlet, a signaling device associated with the closure element, and at least one signal line device for the transmission of signals of the signaling device from the closure element to the filling device. The provision of the signaling device and the signal line device allows for prevention of operation of the cutting elements of the mincer when the closure element is not detected to be in a closed position, thereby making maintenance and repair safer to conduct. A method of conveying foodstuffs in accordance with the apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing a foodstuff comprises a closed conveyor path, a conveyor device, and a treatment chamber. The conveyor path includes an inlet and an outlet. The conveyor device is positioned within the closed conveyor path and configured to receive the foodstuff from the inlet. The conveyor device is further configured to convey the foodstuff along the closed conveyor path toward the outlet. The treatment chamber is positioned within the closed conveyor path downstream of the conveyor device for receiving the foodstuff from the conveyor device. The treatment chamber includes a rotatably driven first kneading shaft configured to collide the foodstuff within the treatment chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus for orient sausages and methods of orienting sausages. The apparatus has at least one conveyor device with a moveable, in particular circulating, conveyor element on which individual sausages can be placed and transported in a conveyor direction along a path of movement. Two orientation devices are spaced from each other transversely relative to the conveyor direction and which are arranged above the moveable conveyor element, and each having at least one respective guide for laterally guiding the sausages.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for the grouped arrangement, orientation and packaging of stacked food products like patty stacks. The method includes feeding a food product by a first feed belt in the direction of a first X-axis, and then ejecting the food product onto a second feed belt to form stacked food products. The method also includes transporting the stacked food products by the second feed belt along a Y-axis generally perpendicular to the X-axis and in the direction of an orientation mask which is arranged above the second feed belt. The stacked food products are oriented by contacting the orientation mask. The oriented food products may therefore be grouped together in oriented rows for packaging when further moved along the Y-axis by the second feed belt. The method and apparatus enable rapid orienting of various types of food products that are typically stacked and packaged.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for dividing up tubular cases which are filled with a pasty material such as sausage meat. The dividing apparatus includes two circulating transport elements arranged on mutually opposite sides of the case, and the transport elements respectively include one or more dividing elements and a plurality of guide parts, and at least one drive device for the transport elements. The dividing elements are so arranged at the transport elements and are so guided along the case that only one pair of dividing elements can be simultaneously brought into engagement with the case. The dividing apparatus can create various lengths of filled cases with minimal complexity.

Abstract: A method is provided for equipping at least one filling tube of an apparatus for filling tubular cases with a gathered tubular case. The method includes opening at least one gripping element of a case gripping device, feeding a gathered tubular case into a region of the at least one gripping element of the case gripping device, and closing at least one gripping element for fixing and axially centering the case. The method also includes moving the filling tube and the gripping device relative to each other towards each other for introducing the filling tube into an interior space of the case, partially opening at least one gripping element, and moving the filling tube and the gripping device relative to each other towards each other, such that the filling tube entrains the case and the case is guided by the gripping elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling tubular cases with a pasty material, such as gathered sausage skin casings with sausage meat, is provided. The apparatus includes at least one filling tube, which is rotatable and drivable about its longitudinal axis and on to which a case which can be filled with the material can be pulled, a receiving portion at which the filling tube is rotatably received, and a drive unit for driving the filling tube. The apparatus advantageously includes a magnetic coupling for making and breaking an at least force-locking torque transmission between the drive unit and the filling tube, which has a drive rotor and a driven roller that is displaceable relative to the drive rotor in the longitudinal direction of the filling tube. Thus, the positioning during filling is reliable and performed with simplified structure. A filling machine including the apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for filling tubular cases with a pasty material, in particular gathered sausage skin casings with sausage meat. The filling apparatus includes at least one filling tube on to which a case which can be filled with the material can be pulled, a receiving portion receiving a first end of the filling tube, a casing braking unit which is associated with the oppositely disposed second open end and which can be brought into operative connected relationship with the case which has been pulled over the filling tube, and a support device arranged at the receiving portion for the filling tube. The support device has at least one support portion which is variable in spacing relative to the receiving portion and which is adapted to be brought into contact with a gathered case on the filling tube for receiving transverse forces.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for orienting a plurality of sausages with respective curvatures. A conveyor device is configured to transport the sausages along a conveyor path. The conveyor device includes a conveyor element on which the sausages can be placed at mutual spacings and with their longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to a conveyor direction of the conveyor element. A turning device is arranged over the conveyor element. The turning device is configured to be brought into contact with each of the sausages and to orient the sausages oriented approximately transversely relative to the conveyor direction of the conveyor element in identical relationship in respect of the curvatures of the sausages.

Abstract: A filling apparatus for and method of filling gathered tubular cases is provided. The filling apparatus includes a filling tube onto which a gathered tubular case can be pushed, and a moveable receiving portion which accommodates a first end of the filling tube and which is adapted to move the filling tube into a charging position in which the case can be put on to the filling tube and into a filling position in which the case can be filled. The filling apparatus also includes a pushing-on device which is moveable axially relative to the filling tube longitudinal axis for pushing the case on to the filling tube in the charging position, an axially moveable entrainment ring arranged on the filling tube, and a sensing device for ascertaining the position of the entrainment ring and/or the pushing-on device.

Abstract: An equipping apparatus for and method of equipping a filling tube is provided. The equipping apparatus includes a feed device for feeding a gathered tubular case to a case gripping device, and a case gripping device having gripping elements for gripping and orienting a gathered tubular case. The equipping apparatus further includes a pushing-on member moveable axially relative to a filling tube longitudinal axis for pushing the case on to a filling tube. A detecting device is associated with the gripping elements for sensing the position of at least one of the gripping elements.