Abstract: A food processing system includes a food processing chamber for processing a food product, such as meat products such as hot dogs, sausages, poultry, fish, and other food items. A high speed serial to parallel loading station delivery system is provided. The food product is loaded onto a conveyor in the processing chamber having a plurality of two-piece food product cradles having openings receiving the food product at the loading station and discharging the food product at the unloading station and having gaps between food product carriers distally oppositely spaced from the openings and defining food product cavities therebetween, the width of the openings varying during traversal of the conveyor through the chamber from the loading to the unloading stations.

Abstract: A food processing system includes a food processing chamber for processing a food product, such as meat products such as hot dogs, sausages, poultry, fish, and other food items. A high speed serial to parallel loading station delivery system is provided. The food product is loaded onto a conveyor in the processing chamber having a plurality of two-piece food product cradles having openings receiving the food product at the loading station and discharging the food product at the unloading station and having gaps between food product carriers distally oppositely spaced from the openings and defining food product cavities therebetween, the width of the openings varying during traversal of the conveyor through the chamber from the loading to the unloading stations.

Abstract: A food processing system includes a food processing chamber for processing a food product, such as meat products such as hot dogs, sausages, poultry, fish, and other food items. A high speed serial to parallel loading station delivery system is provided. The food product is loaded onto a conveyor in the processing chamber having a plurality of two-piece food product cradles having openings receiving the food product at the loading station and discharging the food product at the unloading station and having gaps between food product carriers distally oppositely spaced from the openings and defining food product cavities therebetween, the width of the openings varying during traversal of the conveyor through the chamber from the loading to the unloading stations.

Abstract: A food processing system includes a food processing chamber for processing a food product, such as meat products such as hot dogs, sausages, poultry, fish, and other food items. A high speed serial to parallel loading station delivery system is provided. The food product is loaded onto a conveyor in the processing chamber having a plurality of two-piece food product cradles having openings receiving the food product at the loading station and discharging the food product at the unloading station and having gaps between food product carriers distally oppositely spaced from the openings and defining food product cavities therebetween, the width of the openings varying during traversal of the conveyor through the chamber from the loading to the unloading stations.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing and processing a strand of sausage or foodstuff has a sausage producing machine which produces a linked strand of sausage for deposit of loops of the strand on the hooks of a continuous conveyor. The conveyor picks up the loops of the strand at a loading station immediately adjacent the discharge end of the machine, and conveys the loops to a processing station for smoking or the like. The conveyor then moves the loops to an unloading station for removal of the strand from the conveyor, whereupon the conveyor downstream of the unloading station returns to the loading station to pick up additional product. A conveyor take-up mechanism is located immediately downstream from the loading station to permit the conveyor to cease movement at the loading station (while the casing on the machine is being replenished) while the conveyor can continue movement in the processing area. Sensors and controls interconnect the machine and the conveyor to coordinate the operational functions of each.

Abstract: A conveyor for moving the strand from a sausage making machine has J-hooks extending downwardly from a continuous chain conveyor. The conveyor picks up the loops of the strand at a loading station immediately adjacent the discharge end of the machine, and conveys the loops to a processing station for smoking or the like. The conveyor then moves the loops to an unloading station for removal of the strand from the conveyor, whereupon the conveyor downstream of the unloading station returns to the loading station to pick up additional product. A conveyor take-up mechanism is located immediately downstream from the loading station to permit the conveyor to cease movement at the loading station (while the casing on the machine is being replenished) while the conveyor can continue movement in the processing area. Sensors and controls interconnect the machine and the conveyor to coordinate the operational functions of each.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing and processing a strand of sausage or foodstuff has a sausage producing machine which produces a linked strand of sausage for deposit of loops of the strand on the hooks of a continuous conveyor. The conveyor picks up the loops of the strand at a loading station immediately adjacent the discharge end of the machine, and conveys the loops to a processing station for smoking or the like. The conveyor then moves the loops to an unloading station for removal of the strand from the conveyor, whereupon the conveyor downstream of the unloading station returns to the loading station to pick up additional product. A conveyor take-up mechanism is located immediately downstream from the loading station to permit the conveyor to cease movement at the loading station (while the casing on the machine is being replenished) while the conveyor can continue movement in the processing area. Sensors and controls interconnect the machine and the conveyor to coordinate the operational functions of each.