Process and apparatus for automated manufacture of link sausages having casings formed of synthetic tubular material

An apparatus for the production of link sausages, comprising:

• a shirring means for receiving an unshirred tubular length of sausage casing material and shirring it, forming folds taken in the axial direction,
• a stuffing horn for receiving forcemeat and delivering the forcemeat into the tubular sausage casing material thereon,
• means for positioning the shirred tubular material on the stuffing horn with the stuffing horn positioned at the location to receive forcemeat and deliver it into the tubular casing material, filling the tubular casing and pulling out the shirring folds,
• and clamping means for closing off the filled sections of the tubular casing to form the separate sausage links,
• the location of the stuffing horn during filling of said shirred tubular casing thereon being spaced from the location at which the shirring means forms a length of shirred tubular casing material, so that a further length of tubular casing material can be shirred by the shirring means while the first said shirred length of tubular casing material is being filled with forcemeat and formed into separate sausage links,
• said shirring means including rollers mounted on a slide member movable toward and away from the stuffing horn at the first location, means for cutting the tube between the stuffing horn and the said rollers, and clamping means for clamping closed the just cut end of the shirred tubular length of casing material on the stuffing horn after the operation of the cutter,
• and including a floating tube supporting the tubular length of casing material as it passes through said rollers, said floating tube being aligned with and movable axially towards and away from the stuffing horn at the first location, whereby the floating tube is movable out of the path of the cutting means during operation of the cutting means.

An apparatus for the production of link sausages, comprising:

• a shirring means for receiving an unshirred tubular length of sausage casing material and shirring it, forming folds taken in the axial direction,
• a stuffing horn for receiving forcemeat and delivering the forcemeat into the tubular sausage casing material thereon,
• means for positioning the shirred tubular material on the stuffing horn with the stuffing horn positioned at the location to receive forcemeat and deliver it into the tubular casing material, filling the tubular casing and pulling out the shirring folds,
• and clamping means for closing off the filled sections of the tubular casing to form the separate sausage links,
• the location of the stuffing horn during filling of said shirred tubular casing thereon being spaced from the location at which the shirring means forms a length of shirred tubular casing material, so that a further length of tubular casing material can be shirred by the shirring means while the first said shirred length of tubular casing material is being filled with forcemeat and formed into separate sausage links,
• and including a transfer means having at least two transfer tubes, each movable at least from a first location at which it receives a shirred tubular casing material from the shirring means, a second location whereat it is positioned to deliver the shirred tubular casing material to the stuffing horn, and a third location separate from and spaced away from the first two locations, so that the length of shirred tubular material on the stuffing horn can be filled with forcemeat at the second location while the other transfer tube is at the first location to receive the next length of shirred tubular casing material.

An apparatus for the production of link sausages, comprising:

• a shirring means for receiving an unshirred tubular length of sausage casing material and shirring it, forming folds taken in the axial direction,
• a stuffing horn for receiving forcemeat and delivering the forcemeat into the tubular sausage casing material thereon,
• means for positioning the shirred tubular material on the stuffing horn with the stuffing horn positioned at the location to receive forcemeat and deliver it into the tubular casing material, filling the tubular casing and pulling out the shirring folds,
• and clamping means for closing off the filled sections of the tubular casing to form the separate sausage links,
• the location of the stuffing horn during filling of said shirred tubular casing thereon being spaced from the location at which the shirring means forms a length of shirred tubular casing material, so that a further length of tubular casing material can be shirred by the shirring means while the first said shirred length of tubular casing material is being filled with forcemeat and formed into separate sausage links,
• and including a transfer means comprising a hollow shell for encasing and thus receiving therein the length of shirred tubular casing material, said hollow shell being movable at least between a first location for receiving a length of shirred tubular casing material therein from the shirring means and a second location whereat it is positioned to deliver the said length of shirred tubular casing material to the stuffing horn.