U.S. patent application number 10/309449 was filed with the patent office on 2003-12-04 for method and means for rapid loading of casing-bearing sleeves on a sausage making machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to Townsend Engineering Company. Invention is credited to Hamblin, David S., Hardy, Michael J., Hergott, Steven P..
Application Number | 20030224714 10/309449 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29272682 |
Filed Date | 2003-12-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030224714 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hergott, Steven P. ; et
al. |
December 4, 2003 |
METHOD AND MEANS FOR RAPID LOADING OF CASING-BEARING SLEEVES ON A
SAUSAGE MAKING MACHINE
Abstract
A method for rapid loading of casing-bearing sleeves on the
stuffing tube of a sausage machine, provides for placing the
preloaded sleeves on a feeder mechanism and selectively and
sequentially moving the sleeves into registering position with the
discharge end of an emulsion stuffing tube; sequentially moving the
stuffing tube into each of the sleeves and extruding emulsion
through the stuffing tube into the casing mounted on the sleeve
until the sleeve is slidably removed from the tube caused in part
by the movement of emulsion entering the casing. The apparatus has
a fixture suitably movably mounted on the machine with a plurality
of preloaded sleeves thereon for sequential movement for selective
alignment of the sleeves with the stuffing tube for sequential
filling of the casings with emulsion.
Inventors: |
Hergott, Steven P.; (West
Des Moines, IA) ; Hamblin, David S.; (Norwalk,
IA) ; Hardy, Michael J.; (West Des Moines,
IA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ZARLEY LAW FIRM P.L.C.
CAPITAL SQUARE
400 LOCUST, SUITE 200
DES MOINES
IA
50309-2350
US
|
Assignee: |
Townsend Engineering
Company
Des Moines
IA
|
Family ID: |
29272682 |
Appl. No.: |
10/309449 |
Filed: |
December 4, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10309449 |
Dec 4, 2002 |
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10210122 |
Aug 1, 2002 |
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6572464 |
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10309449 |
Dec 4, 2002 |
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10160931 |
May 31, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
452/33 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A22C 11/0218 20130101;
A22C 11/0227 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
452/33 |
International
Class: |
A22C 011/00 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A method of stuffing natural casings with sausage emulsion,
comprising, taking a plurality of natural casings of different
lengths, preloading each casing on elongated hollow open ended
sleeve shorter than the casing and having a diameter less than the
casing by telescoping the casing on the outer surface of the
sleeve, placing the preloaded sleeves on a feeder mechanism and
selectively and sequentially moving the sleeves into registering
position with the discharge end of a stuffing tube, and
sequentially moving the stuffing tube into each of the sleeves and
extruding emulsion through the stuffing tube into the casing
mounted on the sleeve until the casing is slidably removed from the
sleeve caused in part by the movement of emulsion entering the
casing.
2. The method of claim 1 providing the further step of sequentially
dropping the sleeves from the feeder mechanism as the casing on
each sleeve is filled with emulsion.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of preloaded sleeves
are mounted on a selectively rotatable carousel plate, and the
stuffing tube is selectively extendable and withdrawable into and
from each sleeve as the sleeves are moved into registering position
with the stuffing tube when it is withdrawn, and wherein the
stuffing tube is moved into one of the sleeves slidably mounted
thereon toward a twisting and linking station for extruding
emulsion into the casing to fill the casing then on the stuffing
tube, then withdrawing the stuffing tube from the sleeve then
mounted thereon when the casing thereon is filled and then
sequentially rotating the carousel plate to repeat the foregoing
steps in regard to the remaining preloaded sleeves on the
carousel.
4. A sausage making machine having a frame, an emulsion pump, and a
hollow stuffing tube with an open discharge end for discharging
emulsion from the pump, comprising, a selectively rotatable
carousel plate mounted on the machine, means connected to the
carousel plate for selectively rotating the same, a plurality of
hollow open ended elongated sleeves mounted on the carousel plate
and having open discharge ends, each sleeve being preloaded with a
natural casing having a diameter and length greater than that of
the sleeve, the casing being in telescopic condition on the outer
surface of the sleeve, means for longitudinally selectively moving
the stuffing tube into and out of each sleeve as the sleeves are
moved into registering position with the stuffing tube when it is
longitudinally moved to a withdrawn position, a twisting and
linking station located on the machine downstream from the stuffing
tube so that when the stuffing tube is moved longitudinally to
penetrate a sleeve, the sleeve will be moved toward the twisting
and linking station and the casing thereon will be filled with
emulsion extruded from the discharge end of the stuffing tube and
wherein longitudinal movement of the stuffing tube in the opposite
direction will withdraw the stuffing tube from the sleeve, and
wherein further rotation of the carousel plate will register
another preloaded sleeve with the stuffing tube to permit
penetration of the sleeve by the stuffing tube to sequentially fill
the casing thereon.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of pre loaded sleeves
are mounted on a transverse rack is positioned for longitudinal
movement to selectively register the preloaded sleeves on the rack
with the stuffing tube, selectively moving the stuffing tube
longitudinally and selectively moving the rack transversely so that
the stuffing tube can sequentially penetrate the sleeves on the
rack for filling the casings thereon with emulsion.
6. A sausage making machine having a frame, an emulsion pump, and a
hollow stuffing tube with an open discharge end for discharging
emulsion from the pump, comprising, a transverse rack mounted on
the machine, a plurality of hollow open ended elongated sleeves
mounted on the rack and having open discharge ends, the sleeves
being preloaded with a sausage casing having a diameter and length
greater than that of the sleeve, the casing being in telescopic
condition on the outer surface of the sleeve, power means for
selectively longitudinally transversely moving the rack to
sequentially register the sleeves thereon into registering position
with the stuffing tube when the stuffing tube is moved to a
withdrawn position, power means for selectively longitudinally
moving the stuffing tube being capable of moving the stuffing tube
into and out of the sleeves as the sleeves are moved into
registering position with the stuffing tube when it is
longitudinally moved to a withdrawn position, a twisting and
linking station located on the machine downstream from the stuffing
tube so that when the stuffing tube is moved longitudinally to
penetrate a sleeve, the sleeve will be moved toward the twisting
and linking station and the casing thereon will be filled with
emulsion extruded from the discharge end of the stuffing tube and
wherein longitudinal movement of the stuffing tube in the opposite
direction will withdraw the stuffing tube from the sleeve, and
wherein further transverse movement of the rack will sequentially
register other preloaded sleeves on the rack with the stuffing tube
to permit sequential penetration of the sleeves by the stuffing
tube to fill the casings thereon.
7. The machine of claim 6 wherein a pinion means is associated with
the rack for moving the rack longitudinally.
8. A sausage making machine having a frame, an emulsion pump, and a
hollow stuffing tube with an open discharge end for discharging
emulsion from the pump, comprising, a sleeve supporting plate
movably mounted on the machine, means connected to the plate for
selectively sequentially moving the same, a plurality of hollow
open ended elongated sleeves mounted on the plate and having open
discharge ends, the sleeves being preloaded with a sausage casing
having a diameter and length greater than that of the sleeve, the
casing being in telescopic condition on the outer surface of the
sleeve, means for longitudinally selectively moving the stuffing
tube into and out of each sleeve as the sleeves are moved into
registering position with the stuffing tube when it is
longitudinally moved to a withdrawn position, a twisting and
linking station located on the machine downstream from the stuffing
tube so that when the stuffing tube is moved longitudinally to
penetrate a sleeve, the sleeve will be moved toward the twisting
and linking station and the casing thereon will be filled with
emulsion extruded from the discharge end of the stuffing tube and
wherein longitudinal movement of the stuffing tube in the opposite
direction will withdraw the stuffing tube from the sleeve, and
wherein further sequential movement of the plate will register
another preloaded sleeve with the stuffing tube to permit
penetration of the sleeve by the stuffing tube to sequentially fill
the casing thereon.
9. A method of stuffing sausage casings with emulsion, comprising
taking a plurality of casings of different lengths, preloading 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 surface of the sleeve; placing
the preloaded sleeves in a gravity feed mechanism having a bottom
end registering with an open end of a stuffing tube of a sausage
making machine, moving the stuffing tube into a sleeve at the
bottom end of the gravity feed mechanism, extruding emulsion
through the stuffing tube into the casing mounted on the bottom end
of the gravity feed mechanism until the casing is removed from the
sleeve caused in part by the movement of emulsion entering the
casing, removing the sleeve from the bottom of the gravity feed
mechanism, allowing another preloaded sleeve to move by gravity to
the bottom end of the gravity feed mechanism, and sequentially
repeating the foregoing steps to fill the casings mounted on the
remaining sleeves in the gravity feed mechanism.
10. A sausage making machine having a frame, an emulsion pump, and
a hollow stuffing tube with an open discharge end for discharging
emulsion from the pump, comprising, a gravity feed mechanism for
hollow sleeves preloaded with sausage casings on the frame, and
having a bottom end registering with the discharge end of the
stuffing tube, a plurality of sleeves preloaded with sausage
casings supported by the gravity feed mechanism with one of the
sleeves being at the bottom end of the gravity feed mechanism,
removal means on the bottom of the gravity feed mechanism for
selectively releasing the sleeve at the bottom of the gravity feed
mechanism when the casing thereon has been filled and removed
therefrom, whereupon the next succeeding preloaded sleeve above the
removed sleeve will fall by gravity to the bottom end of the
gravity feed mechanism.
11. The machine of claim 10 wherein release means associated with
the gravity feed mechanism are located at the bottom end of the
gravity release mechanism and are comprised of a pair of opposite
pivotal jaws capable of selectively releasing a sleeve and then
retaining a sleeve falling by gravity in place of the removed
sleeve.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No.
10/160,931, filed May 31, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Stuffing sausages with emulsion normally involves pumping
emulsion through a hollow stuffing tube towards a discharge end of
the tube. A hollow tubular casing material is slidably mounted on
the outside of the tube with an otherwise open end extending just
beyond the discharge end of the tube. The open end of the casing is
then closed in any convenient manner. The emulsion extruded out of
the stuffing tube enters the casing which becomes filled, with the
pressure on the pumped emulsion slidably moving the casing off of
the sleeve. The filled casing is then formed into links through
conventional means. This process works well with artificial casings
which can be shirred or telescopically compressed so that a casing
thirty feet or so in length can be compressed into a shirred
condition of slightly more than a foot in length, thus allowing
many sausages to be made before a new shirred casing is placed on
the tube.
[0003] However, in the case of natural casings comprised of the
intestines of certain animals, the sausage making process is
substantially slowed because the natural casings vary in length and
are substantially shorter than artificial casings. As a result, the
natural casings have to be replaced at a high frequency, thus
creating substantial down time for the machine and casings are
filled at a slow frequency.
[0004] It is therefore a principal object of this invention to
provide a method and means for rapid loading of casing-bearing
sleeve on a sausage machine.
[0005] A further object of this invention is to provide a method
and means for stuffing natural casings with sausage emulsion which
will greatly accelerate the stuffing of natural casings by
preloading the casings on a quickly positioned sleeve so that the
preloaded sleeve can be instantly placed on the primary stuffing
tube without manually inserting the natural casing over the end of
the stuffing tube, at the time the casing is to be filled, and by
mounting a plurality of sleeves on a delivery mechanism for rapid
sequential filling of casings one after another.
[0006] A still further object of this invention is to provide a
convenient arrangement for the sleeve to be automatically removed
from the stuffing tube and the delivery system after the natural
casing has been filled with emulsion upon leaving the outer surface
of the sleeve.
[0007] A still further object of the invention is to provide a
sleeve carousel that can carry a plurality of preloaded casing
sleeves that can individually be movably positioned for filling the
casing as soon as the casing on a preceding sleeve has been
filled.
[0008] A still further object of this invention is to provide a
system whereby a sleeve that is free from a casing thereon that has
been filled can be easily removed from the machine for further
similar use.
[0009] Another object of this invention is to provide a method and
means for rapid loading of casing-bearing sleeves on a sausage
making machine which is economical and efficient to use.
[0010] These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in
the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] A method of stuffing sausage casings with sausage material
involves taking a plurality of casings of different lengths;
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 casing on the outer surface of the
sleeves; slidably sequentially mounting the sleeves on the open end
of a stuffing tube of a sausage making machine via a rapid loading
system; extruding emulsion through the stuffing tube into the
casing mounted on the sleeve until the casing is slidably removed
from the sleeve caused in part by the movement of emulsion entering
the casing; removing the sleeve from the stuffing tube; repeating
the use of the sleeve by preloading the sleeve with another natural
casing; and sequentially filling the casings on the remaining
preloaded sleeves with emulsion via the rapid loading system in
accordance with the foregoing steps.
[0012] A sausage making machine has a frame, an emulsion pump, and
a hollow stuffing tube connected to the pump and having a discharge
end. A hollow open-ended sleeve is slidably mounted on the stuffing
tube and has a discharge end registering with the discharge end of
the stuffing tube. The sleeve is preloaded with a length of casing
which extends over at least a portion of the length of the sleeve
with its end being located just beyond the discharge ends of the
stuffing tube and the sleeve. A plurality of casing loaded sleeves
are mounted on a rapid delivery system so that the sleeves are
sequentially positioned on the stuffing tube so that a radial
flange on the end of the sleeve opposite the discharge end thereof
abuts a radial flange on the stuffing tube to automatically insure
that the discharge end of the sleeve and tube register with each
other.
[0013] After the preloaded sleeve is in place on the stuffing tube,
the tube is conventionally moved longitudinally forwardly towards a
twisting and linking mechanism. When the casing is filled, the tube
with the sleeve thereon is longitudinally moved away from the
twisting and linking mechanism and the sleeve automatically drops
from the loading system to a suitable container for reuse without
having to be handled by the machine operator. The loading system
thereupon delivers another casing loaded sleeve to position of
alignment with the stuffing tube so that the process can be
repeated.
[0014] While the foregoing method and apparatus of preloading
sleeves with casings substantially enhances the filling of casings
with emulsion, the present invention facilitates the process even
further by providing a method and means for loading a plurality of
sleeves bearing casings on a sausage making machine and serially
moving them to a sausage filling position immediately after the
casing on a preceding sleeve has been filled. The method
specifically provides for placing the preloaded sleeves on a feeder
mechanism and selectively and sequentially moving the sleeves into
registering position with the discharge end of an emulsion stuffing
tube; sequentially moving the stuffing tube into each of the
sleeves and extruding emulsion through the stuffing tube into the
casing mounted on the sleeve until the casing is slidably removed
from the sleeve caused in part by the movement of emulsion entering
the casing.
[0015] The apparatus has a fixture suitably movably mounted on the
machine with a plurality of preloaded sleeves thereon for
sequential movement for selective alignment of the sleeves with the
stuffing tube for sequential filling of the casings with
emulsion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sausage making machine showing
the conventional components;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a large scale perspective view at an enlarged
scale showing a sleeve preloaded with a casing thereon;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a first
embodiment of the invention showing a carousel mounting unit;
[0019] FIG. 4 is an end elevational view thereof as seen from the
righthand end of FIG. 3;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a frontal perspective view of the carousel
mounting unit with respect to a withdrawn stuffing tube;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 but shows the
preloaded sleeves mounted on the carousel;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the
invention using a laterally extending magazine to mount the
preloaded sleeves;
[0023] FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the righthand end of FIG.
7;
[0024] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the
interrelation of the stuffing tube, and the magazine and a
preloaded sleeve;
[0025] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of a third
embodiment of the invention showing a vertically positioned
magazine for modified preloaded sleeves with a release mechanism
for the sleeves;
[0026] FIG. 11 is an end elevational view of FIG. 10;
[0027] FIG. 11A is a sectional view taken on line 11A-11A of FIG.
11;
[0028] FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view at an enlarged scale
showing the modified preloaded sleeve with the magazine of FIG. 10
showing the interrelation of the sleeve with its conventional
stuffing tube and the conventional twister mechanism; and
[0029] FIG. 13 is an enlarged scale perspective view of the
magazine of FIGS. 10-12.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0030] With reference to FIG. 1, a conventional sausage making
machine 10 has a frame 11, a pump 12 connected to a source of
emulsion (not shown), a slidable stuffing tube 14, a twisting
mechanism 16, a linking mechanism 18, a discharge horn 20, and a
conveyor 22.
[0031] With reference to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, a carousel plate
assembly 24 is comprised of spaced apart plates 26 and 28 which are
rotatably mounted with shaft 30. The plates 26 and 28 are spaced in
parallel relation by any convenient spacer elements (not shown).
Shaft 30 has a center axis 31 (FIG. 6) parallel to the center axis
of stuffing tube 14. Semi-circular notches 32, 34, 36 and 38 are
cut in the plates 26 and 28 at three o'clock, six o'clock, nine
o'clock and twelve o'clock positions. The numeral 40 (FIG. 4)
designates the centers of the semi-circular notches 32-38. The
numeral 42 designates the center axis of the stuffing tube 14.
[0032] With reference to FIG. 2, sleeve 44 has a circular thin
flange 46 at one of its ends opposite to the discharge end 48. A
casing 50 normally is preloaded on the sleeve 44 and an end 52 of
the casing 50 which extends beyond the discharge end 48.
[0033] In operation, the structure of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 is operated
as follows: sleeves 44 with natural casings 50 mounted thereon, as
described above, are inserted between space plates 26 and 28 in
semi-circular notches 32 and 34; respectively and extend outwardly
from the carousel plate assembly 24 as best shown in FIG. 3. The
sleeves 44 are detachably held within the semi-circular notches 32
and 34 by means of the inner portion of flanges 46 extending
between the space plates 26 and 28, with that space being
substantially equal to the thickness of the flanges 46.
[0034] The carousel plate assembly 24 is thereupon rotated in a
counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 so that the sleeve
44 in the semi-circular notch 34 then moves from a twelve o'clock
position to a nine o'clock position to register in alignment with
the stuffing tube 14. This is done while the stuffing tube 14 is in
a withdrawn position at a location to the left of the carousel
plate assembly 24 as viewed in FIG. 3. The stuffing horn 14 is
thereupon conventionally moved in a forward direction to insert its
discharge end 15 into the hollow sleeve 44 as best shown in FIG. 3.
The pump 12 is then actuated to extrude emulsion through stuffing
tube 14 as the emulsion exits stuffing tube 14 and proceeds to the
discharge end 48 of the sleeve 44, the casing 50 begins to fill,
and the pressure of the emulsion pulls the casing 50 off of the
outer surface of the sleeve 44 and into the twisting mechanism 16
and thence into the linking mechanism 18. Contemporaneous with the
casing 50 leaving the outer surface of the sleeve 44, the pump is
stopped so that further emulsion is not extruded, and tube 14 is
withdrawn to the left as seen in FIG. 3 so that it no longer
penetrates the interior of the sleeve 44.
[0035] When carousal plate assembly 24 rotates in a
counterclockwise direction (FIG. 5), the semi-circular notches 32
on the carousel plate assembly were moved from a three o'clock
position as seen in FIG. 4 to the twelve o'clock position.
Similarly, the semi-circular notches 38 in the carousel plate
assembly as seen in FIG. 4 moved from the six o'clock position to
the three o'clock position. A newly preloaded sleeve 44 with a
casing 50 thereon, is thereupon mounted within the notches 38, now
located at the three o'clock position. When the sleeve on flange 44
in notch 34 has completed its casing filling operation as described
heretofore, the carousel plate assembly 24 is rotated another
ninety degrees as seen in FIG. 4 so as to move the sleeve 44 in
notch 34 to the nine o'clock position in registry with the
withdrawn stuffing tube 14. This rotation takes place through any
convenient power means (not shown) connected to shaft 30. When this
takes place, the "empty" sleeve 44 in notch 34 moves to the six
o'clock position and drops vertically downwardly to a suitable
container where it can be reloaded with a new casing 50 for further
use.
[0036] The foregoing steps are continually repeated so that sleeves
at the three o'clock and twelve o'clock positions are sequentially
moved to the nine o'clock position, thence filled with emulsion as
described above, and thence rotated a further 90 degree increment
so that the sleeve remaining from the filled casing at the nine
o'clock position falls away from the carousel plate assembly when
it reaches the six o'clock position. The rotation of the carousel
plate assembly 24 is coordinated with the withdrawal and thence the
penetration of the stuffing tube 14 as described above. As
previously indicated, the tube 14 needs to be withdrawn from the
sleeve in the nine o'clock position to permit rotation of the
carousel assembly in a further 90 degree increment to allow the
next sleeve 44 to be in alignment with the stuffing tube. At that
stage, the stuffing tube is then moved to a penetrating position
within the sleeve 44 at the nine o'clock position so that the
process can be repeated.
[0037] Also, as previously indicated, whenever an empty slot
appears at the three o'clock position, it is again loaded with a
pre-loaded sleeve 44 so that the process can continue without
interruption.
[0038] In regard to the alternate form of the invention in FIGS. 7,
8 and 9, an elongated rack 54 is provided and is comprised of a
pair of spaced plates 56. An elongated rack element 57 is located
between the plates and is rigid with the plates. A pair of
semi-circular notches 58 and 60 are provided in the upper edges of
the plates opposite the rack 57 which are similar to the
semi-circular notches appearing in the previous embodiment in FIG.
4.
[0039] Teeth 62 are provided in rack 57. A conventional pinion 64
rotatably mounted with pin 66 is located directly below the rack 57
and the conventional teeth on the pinion mesh with the teeth 62 on
the rack so that the rotation of pinion 64 will cause the
longitudinal displacement in either a right hand or left hand
direction of the rack 54 as best shown in FIG. 8. The pinion 64 is
rotated by any suitable conventional means.
[0040] The operation of rack 54 serves to sequentially register
notches 58 or 60 with the tube 14, FIGS. 7 and 9, with the flange
46 on the sleeve 44 holding the sleeves 44 in an outwardly
projecting position with respect to the rack, in much the same way
that the sleeves 44 extended outwardly from the carousel plate
assembly 24 in FIG. 3. The pinion 64 is rotated a sufficient
distance to align notch 58 with the axis of stuffing tube 14 (FIG.
7) whereupon the then withdrawn tube 14 will be actuated to enter
the center of sleeve 44 (FIG. 7) so that the filling of casing 50
can take place just as it did when sleeves 44 were mounted on the
carousel plate assembly 24 in FIG. 3.
[0041] When the sleeve 44 in one of the notches 58 and 60 has had
the casing 50 thereon filled and removed from the outer surface of
the sleeve 44, the stuffing tube 14 is withdrawn; the pinion 64
advances the rack 54 so that the sleeve 44 in the other
semi-circular notch aligns itself with tube 14, and the process is
repeated. As the semi-circular notches 58 and 60 have the casings
thereon filled, they are replaced with additional preloaded sleeves
so that the process with the longitudinal rack can be continuously
repeated.
[0042] With reference to a further alternative embodiment of the
invention in FIGS. 10-13, a gravity feed mechanism 68 is provided
and is comprised with a pair of spaced vertical bars 70 having a
release mechanism 72 at the lower ends thereof. The release
mechanism is comprised of a pair of opposite pivotal jaws 74 (FIGS.
11 and 13) which are pivotal on pins 76. With reference to FIG. 12,
a special sleeve 78 is provided which has a pair of spaced flanges
80 on one of its ends which are spaced sufficiently to be slidably
stacked between the vertical bars 70 (see FIG. 11A). The
interaction of the flanges 80 with the bars 70 maintains the sleeve
78 at right angles to the feed mechanism 68 (FIG. 10). The hollow
bore of sleeve 78 is slightly tapered at 82 adjacent its inlet end
as best shown in FIG. 11A.
[0043] The purpose of gravity feed mechanism 68 is to sequentially
allow the lowermost sleeve 78 to drop between the jaws 74 so that
the center line of the sleeve 78 is in alignment with the center
line of the stuffing tube 14. The discharge end 15 of the tube 14
must be inserted into, and thence withdrawn during the casing
filling operation just as was the case in the prior two
embodiments.
[0044] When the casing 50 on the lowermost sleeve 78 is filled, in
the manner described above, and when the stuffing tube 14 is
withdrawn from the tapered inlet end 82 of the sleeve 78, the jaws
74 are moved to an outer position, thus releasing the lowermost
sleeve 78 which is dropped from the feed mechanism 68 into a
suitable container for subsequent use. When the jaws 74 are moved
back to their normally closed position, the next sleeve 78 drops
into position, and the process is repeated. Additional, preloaded
sleeves can be dropped into the upper end of the feed mechanism 68
as sleeves 78 are dropped from the lower end of the mechanism by
the open jaws 74.
[0045] The inventions disclosed herein are useful for stuffing a
variety of casings, including natural casings. Also, the casings
normally are stuffed with meat emulsion, but other plastic food
emulsions can be used.
[0046] It is therefore seen that this invention will permit the
rapid loading of the preloaded sleeves wherein the objects of the
inventions will be fully accomplished.
* * * * *