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: 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: The present invention; in its primary intention, is a system wherein a refillable tamale masa container has motivating means for moving masa through the container and out to the underside of a masa spreading trowel that is in communication with the masa in the container, thus effecting a more sanitary and motion reducing spreading of tamale masa dough onto a corn husk. The husk with the masa spread on it is called a tamale blank. The system has several embodiments that vary in how the system decreases human contact and motions and efforts necessary to make many tamale blanks. The system can be used to spread other viscous materials on various surfaces.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for producing a string from a pasty material comprising at least an extrusion head which has at least one conveyor conduit for the pasty material to be shaped into a string, wherein the conveyor conduit has an inlet and an outlet, and which has a receiving chamber for a casing material to be applied to the string, wherein the receiving chamber has an entry for the casing material and an exit for applying the casing material to the string surface. Arranged downstream of the extrusion head in the conveyor direction is a deflection device adapted to put the string covered with casing material into a predetermined curvature. The pasty material is pressed to form a string of predetermined length and then the string is covered at least with a pasty material, wherein the string covered with the casing material is deflected through a predetermined angle.

Abstract: An improved processing assembly having a meat emulsion pump connected to a stuffing horn. The stuffing horn positioned to fill casings with meat emulsion which form a strand of processed meat that is received by a twister, then a linker, and subsequently deposited on a conveyor.

Abstract: An improved processing assembly having a meat emulsion pump connected to a stuffing horn. The stuffing horn positioned to fill casings with meat emulsion which form a strand of processed meat that is received by a twister, then a linker, and subsequently deposited on a conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for a sausage-casing-sensitive division of stuffed sausage strands, having at least one pair of dividing elements for dividing the stuffed sausage strand and at least two guide elements between which the stuffed sausage strand is conveyed in the conveying direction. The distance between the guide elements can be adjusted in dependence upon the sausage caliber.

Abstract: A shaping device and a method of forming rounded tips on the ends of sausages and of tying off and/or parting into individual portions a continuously produced sausage skein filled with paste material, with two oppositely located displacement assemblies, which move towards one another and between which the filled sausage skein can be moved in the transport direction, wherein the displacement assemblies are formed such that two opening sections are formed, which widen out in the transport direction, respectively opposite the transport direction, in a tying off and/or parting position between the two displacement assemblies.

Abstract: A suspension loop for a portion pack, consisting of a tubular sleeve, sealed on its ends by clips, in particular sausages, is attached to the end of a tubular sleeve drawn together to form a string of sausages by a twist knot formed from the suspension loop. The suspension loop, kept ready, clamped in rectangular shape, is pulled through the loop around the string with the aid of a swivelable looping finger. The device suitable for this additionally has a holding fork and a movable clamping fork, both of which are two-pronged. The device can be swiveled into the sealing device when the tubular sleeve is sealed with clips.

Abstract: A device and a method for the manufacture of sausages from paste mass, in particular sausage meat, with a coextrusion head for coextruding the paste mass and a sausage casing, wherein the coextrusion head comprises a filling tube for the ejection of the paste mass as well as an extrusion die assigned to the filling tube with an extrusion gap for ejecting the casing material. In order to produce strong sausage casings, the filling tube protrudes by a distance X beyond the annular gap so that the casing material is extruded through the annular gap onto the filling tube and solidifies along the filling tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing chains of linked food products such as sausages with twisted portions and having a plurality of stuffing tubes, includes a plurality of stuffing tubes 2 provided at equal intervals about a rotational axis Xo; a stuffing tube moving body 4 which rotates through predetermined angles about the rotational axis Xo so that the respective stuffing tubes 2 sequentially move to a filling position III; and a stuffed casing conveying means 50 which conveys in a suspended state a stuffed casing C formed by the stuffing tube 2 positioned at the filling position III.

Abstract: A suspension loop for a portion pack, consisting of a tubular sleeve, sealed on its ends by clips, in particular sausages, is attached to the end of a tubular sleeve drawn together to form a string of sausages by a twist knot formed from the suspension loop. The suspension loop, kept ready, clamped in rectangular shape, is pulled through the loop around the string with the aid of a swivelable looping finger. The device suitable for this additionally has a holding fork and a movable clamping fork, both of which are two-pronged. The device can be swiveled into the sealing device when the tubular sleeve is sealed with clips.

Abstract: A method for filling a natural hollow elongated casing with meat emulsion that involves placing a natural casing on an elongated meat emulsion stuffing tube and longitudinally 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. The method also involves providing a casing hopper that can be pivoted from a forward operating position to a rearward inoperative position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the manufacture of a strand of a pasty mass, in particular sausage meat, with an extrusion head 2, comprising means 27 for coextruding the pasty mass and a casing surrounding the pasty mass, a solidification means 3 for solidifying the casing, and a wring-off means 4. The invention is characterized in that a conveyor means 5 is arranged downstream of the wring-off means 4, the coextrusion means 27 and a strand guide 41 of the wring-off means 4 on the one hand and the conveyor means 5 on the other hand can be rotated relatively to one another.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing foodstuffs such as sausages includes: a stuffed-casing forming and rotating device for forming a stuffed casing by discharging meat emulsion or ground meat as a stuffing material into an unstuffed casing formed of a natural intestine, and for rotating the stuffed casing via the unstuffed casing in a direction R about an axis X; a stuffed-casing constriction-forming and conveying device for producing a twisted portion in the stuffed casing by causing the stuffed casing formed by the stuffed-casing forming and rotating device and rotating in the direction R to be consecutively squeezed and constricted at a predetermined interval, and for conveying the stuffed casing, in which the twisted portion has occurred, in a direction A; and a cutting device for consecutively separating at the twisted portions the stuffed casing which has been formed by the stuffed-casing constriction-forming and conveying device.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for manufacturing sausages as chain-like food products is comprised of: a stuffing nozzle (5) over which an unstuffed natural intestine casing (2) is fitted and which is adapted to continuously discharge a fixed amount of meat (M) as a stuffing material from a distal end (5a) into the unstuffed natural intestine casing (2) so as to form a stuffed natural intestine casing (4) forwardly of the distal end (5a), and is rotated so as to rotate the stuffed natural intestine casing (4) about an axis (X) in the direction of (A) by means of the fitted unstuffed natural intestine casing (2); and two pairs of pincher members (6a), (6b) and (7a), (7b) for consecutively pinching the stuffed natural intestine casing (4) in predetermined cycles and adapted to circulatingly move in the direction of (C) to move the pinched stuffed natural intestine casing (4) from a position forward of the distal end (5a) of the stuffing nozzle (5) further downstream (in the direction of (B)).

Abstract: A twister mechanism for sausage encasing has a first housing member (12) having a center bore. A rotatable ring (22) has a center bore (26) concentric with the center bore of the housing. A rotatable sleeve (24) is mounted on the ring and forms the center bore of the ring and being rotatable with the ring. A second housing member (14) is secured to the first housing member and has a center bore receiving the sleeve. A bearing member extending around the sleeve and extending radially to engage a surface of the second housing member. The ring includes a circular disk (28) extending outwardly from the center bore, and has an outer peripheral edge. A plurality of radially spaced vanes (32A) are on the disk extending outwardly therefrom. The vanes are spaced from the second housing member and the bearing to enhance the cooling of the mechanism when the ring is rotated.

Abstract: A casing lock mechanism, for a sausage stuffing machine, which reduces the risk of damage to a sausage casing during a sausage extruding operation. The casing lock mechanism includes a chuck member that holds a pair of jaws having jaw holes that surround a nozzle or stuffing horn. The chuck member is connected to the nozzle so that it rotates at the same time, in the same direction, and at the same speed as, the nozzle. The chuck member holds the jaws so that when rotated it imparts a centrifugal force to the jaws thereby causing them to move radially outward to lock a sausage casing to the outside of the nozzle. Because the nozzle does not rotate during an extruding portion of the sausage stuffing cycle, no centrifugal force is imparted to the jaws which thus assume a free state wherein they do not lock the sausage casing to the nozzle. Therefore, pressure on the sausage casing during the extruding cycle is reduced, thereby reducing the tendency to overstress and tear the sausage casing.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for filling casings for a machine for filling sausage casings, with a filling pipe (14) driveable and rotatable around its longitudinal axis (12), onto which pipe a casing (8) fillable through the filling pipe (14) is pulled, and a casing take-along apparatus (30) that is rotatable simultaneously with the filling pipe (14) for rotating the casing (8). According to the invention, the casing take-along apparatus (30) is arranged so as to be axially movable relative to the filling pipe (14) and, for transmitting a torque, is coupled to the filling pipe (14) in an essentially interlocking manner.

Abstract: An automatic control for terminating the filling of a sausage casing on a sausage casing machine has a sensor on the machine to detect when the rearward end of a telescopic casing is closely adjacent the discharge end of a meat stuffing tube. The sensor is connected to the meat emulsion pump for stopping the pump under such conditions. A timer or pulse counter is associated with the computer on the machine to "measure" when the rearward end of the casing substantially reaches the discharge end of the stuffing tube. The timer or counter is operatively connected to the power system for rendering the machine inoperative after a predetermined amount of time or pulses. The sensor and timer are connected to the above stated respective components through a computer so that the computer can automatically compensate for the operating time of the second cycle to accommodate for speed changes imposed on the power system in the second cycle.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing chain-like food products such as sausages or the like includes a stuffing nozzle over which a natural intestine is fitted and a pinching device for pinching and conveying a stuffed natural intestine in the forward direction of the stuffing nozzle. A stuffing material is discharged from a distal end of the stuffing nozzle into a straightened natural intestine portion of the natural intestine to form a stuffed natural intestine portion. The stuffed natural intestine portion is nipped, and is pulled. The stuffed natural intestine portion being rotated and moved is pinched to form a twist. The discharge of the stuffing material into the straightened natural intestine portion is effected while the stuffed natural intestine portion and the straightened natural intestine portion are being moved.

Abstract: A machine for linking sausage has a pump, a stuffing tube, a casing on the stuffing tube, and a pair of linking chains downstream from the outlet end of the stuffing tube. A scale is located downstream of the discharge end of the stuffing tube and is operatively connected to the pump to increase or decrease the output speed of the pump as the weight of the encasing product decreases or increases, respectively from a predetermined target weight. The linking chains have spaced apart linking elements. A proximity sensor monitors the linking chains as they are rotating and senses variations in the distance between the linking elements as compared to a predetermined distance to determine stretching of the chains. A mass flow sensor is located on the machine adjacent the outlet of the pump to measure the mass of meat emulsion exiting the pump.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing chain-like food products such as sausages or the like includes a stuffing nozzle over which a natural intestine is fitted and a pinching device for pinching and conveying a stuffed natural intestine in the forward direction of the stuffing nozzle. A stuffing material is discharged from a distal end of the stuffing nozzle into a straightened natural intestine portion of the natural intestine to form a stuffed natural intestine portion. The stuffed natural intestine portion is nipped, and is pulled as it is moved forwardly of the distal end of the stuffing nozzle to reduce the diameter of the straightened natural intestine portion so as to cause the straightened natural intestine portion to come into contact with an outer periphery of the stuffing nozzle. The stuffing nozzle with which the straightened natural intestine portion is brought into contact is rotated to rotate the stuffed natural intestine portion.

Abstract: A linking and link cutting assembly for sausage encasing machines has a pair of endless linking chains having portions which are parallel and which are laterally spaced. They carry spaced pinching blocks which register during the parallel movement, and pinch a sausage rope moving longitudinally therebetween to form links in the rope. A cutting knife is incorporated into one of the registering blocks and is actuated by a cam block having a cam surface that engages the knife to selectively move the knife to cut the desired link. The linking chains are conventionally driven and are adaptable for operative connection to the typical drive shaft of a conventional linking apparatus of a sausage encasing machine. The method of separating cutting links in a sausage rope while the rope is moving longitudinally. The knife which cuts the links is a part of the blocks on the linking chain that forms the links, and is actuated by a cam block.

Abstract: The machine of the invention comprises downstream a squeezing device defining portions (P), successive pairs of first and second plates (1), 1') disposed parallel inside which the portions (P) are engaged. The first and second plates (1, 1') of each pair move forward in the machine by keeping their spacing and remaining longitudinally in coincidence, whilst moving transversally at the same speed but in opposite directions so as to make the portion (P) they enclose rotate. Secondly, the transversal movement directions are alternate between the first successive plates (1) and between the successive second plates (1'). Consequently, the continuous filled-up casing (B) driven by the pairs (1, 1') advances inside the machine in the form of successive portions (P) between which a twist is formed.

Abstract: A casing holding device for a machine for filling and twisting off sausages includes a filling tube rotatable along its longitudinal axis, onto which a slug can be pulled, and which, on its free end, is equipped with an output opening for the output of sausage fill, and a casing brake which is equipped with a braking ring which surrounds the free end of the filling tube and which essentially rests against this under contact pressure, and a clamping member to secure the slug to the filling tube so as to rotate the slug with the filling tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a chain of linked sausages or the like includes a nozzle having a material-discharging end for discharging meat serving as a material; a material-supplying device for intermittently supplying a substantially fixed amount of the material into the nozzle; a braking member for braking the release of a sheep intestine fitted over the nozzle from the material-discharging end; a rotation-imparting device for rotating the nozzle; a determining device for determining the position of a twisted portion occurring in the sheep intestine which contains the material discharged from the material-discharging end and is released from the material-discharging end; a removing device for removing from a vicinity of the material-discharging end the sheep intestine containing the meat and released from the material-discharging end; and a controlled-pusher device for pushing a trailing end of the sheep intestine fitted over the nozzle toward the material-discharging end in a controlled state.

Abstract: The apparatus for rotating the strand of meat product has an elongated barrel with a plurality of bores therein, with each bore having a tube rotatably mounted therein. An elongated strand of extruded meat product is inserted into one of the elongated tubes, whereupon the strand is cut and clipped into a closed condition at the inlet end of the tube. The tube is then selectively rotated, and a drive gear is provided for indexing the barrel for an incremental amount of rotation to align the incoming strand with a second of the tube members. While the second tube member is being loaded with an elongated strand of meat product, the elongated strand in the first tube is removed therefrom and is introduced into a conventional linking means while it is still rotating from the action of the first tube member. A first alternative apparatus introduces the elongated strand of meat product into one of two elongated tubes arranged in a serpentine configuration.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for forming loops on a stuffed-casing-product sealing machine. For this purpose a loop former is provided which, in conjunction with a line guide and a deflector, forms loops, which can be subsequently tied and separated by a known tying head. The apparatus can easily be fitted in situ to a sausage clipper.

Abstract: A method for introducing liquid smoke or the like to the interior surface of a stuffed sausage made on a sausage stuffing machine involves placing a liquid on at least a portion of the exterior surface of a stuffing horn of such machine, placing an enclosed casing on the stuffing horn, and simultaneously moving the casing towards an open end of the stuffing horn and extruding meat emulsion from the stuffing horn into the casing whereby the liquid will be deposited on the interior surface of the casing before the meat emulsion is extruded into the casing. An apparatus for applying liquid to the interior of a casing or a sausage encasing machine as an elongated hollow stuffing horn having an inlet end, an outlet end and an exterior surface. A pump is connected to the stuffing horn for moving meat emulsion through the stuffing horn in a direction towards the outlet end. An elongated groove appears in the exterior surface of the stuffing horn.

Abstract: A chuck for a meat encasing machine has an elongated body having an inlet end and a discharge end. The body has an elongated hollow bore extending therethrough and an exterior cylindrical surface. A plurality of radially extending flutes are in the bore of the body for purposes of grasping and imparting rotational motion to a filled meat casing. An annular groove extends around the exterior cylindrical surface of the body member. A resilient O-ring is mounted in the groove and slightly projects outwardly from the groove to frictionally engage a socket into which the chuck is inserted.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for manufacturing sausages or the like including a nozzle for stuffing a material such as a meat emulsion into a casing for sausages or the like, a pump for supplying the material into the nozzle, and a casing engaging member having a portion for engaging with the casing and adapted to rotate while braking the casing. The apparatus includes a device for driving the casing-engaging member, the device including a housing, a rotary member accommodated rotatably inside the housing and adapted to rotate the casing-engaging member with the casing-engaging member fixed therein, a bearing for rotatably supporting the rotary member, a sealing device for preventing the entrance of a foreign substance such as the material into the bearing, and a rotation transmitting device for driving the rotary member, the bearing having a sealing member for sealing a lubricant for the bearing in the bearing.

Abstract: In a method for making sausages, in which the sausage meat exiting from a filling machine is filled into a sausage skin pulled off a skin caterpillar to form a sausage rope and the rope is then divided into individual sausages by twisting it between every two adjacent sausage portions, the improvement wherein the spacing in the skin between each two adjacent sausage portions in the rope is increased by pulling the leading sausage portion forwards together with the sausage skin at a speed greater than the sausage meat expulsion speed during the dividing operation.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for making sausages in the form of a continuous string with subsequent separation thereof into individual sausages or into groups of interconnected sausages, means are provided for varying the separating operating in a simple manner according to the length of the sausage and the number of interconnected sausages in groups thereof desired, while still ensuring an accurated separating perfomance. In the spearating operation separator elements are mounted opposite one another on either side of the string that revolve synchronously in the conveying direction along respective opposite circular paths, their revolving speed being variable over the non-operative sector of their revolutions relative to the operative sector where their speed is compatible with the sausage conveying speed.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for supplying casings to a stuffing device having a stuffing tube for stuffing a content into a casing. The apparatus includes a supplying member having an arranging surface for arranging thereon a plurality of casings between an upstream portion and a downstream portion and having a restricting portion for preventing the casing to be fitted over the stuffing tube from moving in a downstream direction; and an axis extending at a distance from, and along a longitudinal direction of, the restricting portion. The supplying member is rotatable about the axis between a position in which the casing located at the restricting portion is aligned with the stuffing tube on the one hand, and another position on the other.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for manufacturing sausages or the like including: a nozzle for stuffing a material such as a meat emulsion into a casing for sausages or the like; a pump for supplying the material into the nozzle; a chuck for rotating the casing stuffed by the nozzle; and a linking device for clamping the stuffed casing discharged from the chuck and forming the casing stuffed with the material into the form of a chain in cooperation with the chuck. A motor for driving the pump, a motor for driving the chuck, and a motor for driving the linking device are provided separately and independently of each other, and the respective numbers of revolutions of the pump, the chuck, and the linking device rotatively driven by the respective motors are individually changeable.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for manufacturing sausages or the like having a nozzle for stuffing a material such as a meat emulsion into a casing for sausages or the like, a pump for supplying the material into the nozzle, a chuck for rotating the casing stuffed by the nozzle, and a linking device for clamping the stuffed casing discharged from the chuck and for forming the casing stuffed with the material into the form of a chain in cooperation with the chuck. The apparatus includes a device for driving the chuck, the device including a housing, a rotary member accommodated rotatably inside the housing and adapted to rotate the chuck with the chuck inserted and fixed therein, a bearing for rotatably supporting the rotary member, a sealing device for preventing the entrance of a foreign substance such as the material into the bearing, and a rotation transmitting device for driving the rotary member, the bearing having a sealing member for sealing a lubricant for the bearing in the bearing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dividing into individual sausages a sausage strand exiting from a filler machine, wherein the sausage strand is rotated about its longitudinal axis and constricted by revolving constrictor elements, the thus divided sausages being provented from being further rotated, in which the apportioned size and length of the sausages can be varied by varying the revolving speed of the constrictor elements during the inoperative phase of their revolution relative to their revolving speed during their engagement with the sausage strand by providing the constrictor elements with a separate electric drive mechanism, the rotational speed of which is controlled by an electronic contol unit during its revolution.

Abstract: An apparatus for encasing a product in a curved casing and the like and which includes an encasing machine having a stuffing tube including a discharge end which has a plurality of apertures, and wherein a product to be encased in pumped through the stuffing tube and exits the discharge end and moves generally normally relative to the longitudinal axis of the stuffing tube, and a selectively rotatable chuck assembly is borne by the encasing machine and includes a first end having a unitary wall which is substantially circular in shape, and a second end which is discontinuous, and wherein a curved collagen casing to be filled, upon exiting the chuck assembly, moves generally radially outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the chuck whereby the collagen casing is maintained in a proper attitude such that the casing is filled with the product to be encased, and wherein the stuffing tube is adapted to fold the product being encased against the wall of the collagen casing being filled such that the deleter

Abstract: A chuck for a meat encasing machine has an elongated body having an inlet end and a discharge end. The body has an elongated hollow bore extending therethrough and an exterior cylindrical surface. A plurality of radially extending flutes are in the bore of the body for purposes of grasping and imparting rotational motion to a filled meat casing. An annular groove extends around the exterior cylindrical surface of the body member. A resilient O-ring is mounted in the groove and slightly projects outwardly from the groove to frictionally engage a socket into which the chuck is inserted.