Method and apparatus for packing product in a tubular casing

A method of packing product in a tubular casing, the method comprising:

• a) providing a continuous length of tubular casing, the tubular casing having a casing upstream end;
• b) providing an expansion plug within the tubular casing, the expansion plug having a casing discharge end, the casing upstream end located proximate the casing discharge end;
• c) grasping the casing upstream end with a casing grabber;
• d) moving the casing grabber, with the grasped casing upstream end, away from the expansion plug towards an outlet end of a product feed conduit, the casing grabber holding the casing upstream end open;
• e) feeding product from the outlet end of the product feed conduit in a downstream direction through the casing upstream end into the tubular casing, while the casing upstream end is held open by the casing grabber, and
• f) cutting the tubular casing at a cutting position downstream of the product to sever an upstream casing segment from the remaining continuous length of tubular casing.