Abstract: An apparatus and method for inflating a casing enclosing a sausage stick is disclosed, wherein the apparatus includes a holder configured to receive the sausage stick enclosed in the casing and move together with the sausage stick thereby received from an inflation starting position to an inflation end position, and an inflating needle configured to penetrate the casing of the sausage stick received by the holder and to follow the holder immoveably relative to the holder moving together with the sausage stick from the inflation starting position to the inflation end position to inflate the casing between the inflation starting position and the inflation end position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a composite casing shirred to a caterpillar, said process comprising steps of pulling an outer casing over the inner casing, and optionally a net between the inner and outer casings, or over the outer casing, and finally shirring the composite casing thus obtained to give a compact tube, which is cut to yield caterpillars.

Abstract: Methods for combining a tubular net with a carrier casing are disclosed. Air is blown into a carrier casing so that it is inflated to have a circular diameter. The inflated carrier casing is pulled in the direction of a tubular net toward a pleating head. The tubular net has holes and an open end of the tubular net is attached to a clamp. The inflated carrier casing is fed into the tubular net while pulling the net inside out over itself. The inflated carrier casing covered by the tubular net is pulled through the pleating head (which constricts the carrier casing) toward a shirring machine that includes the shirring mandrel. Air is blown from inside the shirring mandrel at a pressure that forces at least some areas of the carrier casing between the holes of the net to form protruding bulges, and the net/carrier casing combination is shined.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a composite casing shirred to a caterpillar, said process comprising steps of pulling an outer casing over the inner casing, and optionally a net between the inner and outer casings, or over the outer casing, and finally shining the composite casing thus obtained to give a compact tube, which is cut to yield caterpillars.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a shirred food casing covered by a net, and a method for combining a net with a surface of a carrier casing, said method comprising steps wherein air or an inert gas is blown into the carrier casing, the carrier casing inflated/pressurized to be round is pulled in the direction of the tubular net towards a pleating head attached to one end of the tubular net, said net being attached at the open end thereof to a clamp centralized with a shirring mandrel, the carrier casing being thus folded into the tubular net while pulling the net inside out over itself, followed by pulling the carrier casing through the pleating head to the shirring machine where the pressure of air or an inert gas blown from inside of the shirring mandrel forces the areas of the carrier casing between the meshes of the net to form bulges, and finally the net/carrier casing combination is shirred by the shirring machine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method for detaching a fibrous casing from the surface of a cured processed meat product, preferably a sausage, especially when the outer surface of the fibrous casing has been provided with a substantially inextensible net with a view to form protuberances on the surface of the processed meat mixture. The device is used for blowing compressed air between the fibrous casing and the surface of the cured processed meat mixture, so that the fibrous casing is detached from the surface of the processed meat mixture and skin removal is facilitated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method for detaching a fibrous casing from the surface of a cured processed meat product, preferably a sausage, especially when the outer surface of the fibrous casing has been provided with a substantially inextensible net with a view to form protuberances on the surface of the processed meat mixture. The device is used for blowing compressed air between the fibrous casing and the surface of the cured processed meat mixture, so that the fibrous casing is detached from the surface of the processed meat mixture and skin removal is facilitated.