US 4,525,984 A · Process and device for production of an end closure on a shirred length of tubular material, especially synthetic casing for sausage manufacture

Abstract

A method and device to close an open end of a length of shirred casing material. A shaft mounted on a housing is moved against the said opened end to engage the same and then turn about its axis to tighten an end portion of the casing material onto the shaft means. The shaft is then retracted, pulling some additional casing material outwardly from the shirred casing material until substantially no portion of the shaft means remains inside of the shirred casing material and the shaft no longer maintains pressure against the casing material. Then, the shaft is again turned in the same first direction to form a double walled twist, the free end of which wanders into the shirred casing material. When the twist has reached a predetermined length the turning movement in this first direction is stopped, and a further rod coaxial with the shaft pushes that twist fully into the interior of the shirred casing material, thereby tearing the tightened end of the casing material from the shaft. Separate drive means are provided from the shaft and the rod, all of which are mounted on a housing which is slideably mounted on a base. The housing and base are mounted adjacent a mechanism which holds and positions the length of shirred casing material.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method of closing off an end of a length of shirring casing material, such as synthetic casing material used for making sausages, comprising the steps of:

moving a shaft means coaxially relative to the said length of shirred casing material against the last shirrs of the shirred material at an open end thereof, wherein the largest cross-sectional dimension of the shaft means is smaller than the outer diameter of the length of shirred casing material and larger than the inside diameter of the length of shirred casing material,
maintaining the pressure of the shaft means against the casing material and turning the shaft means for as many revolutions as are required to tighen an end portion of the casing material onto the shaft means, and then stopping the turning of the shaft means in said first direction,
retracting the shaft means relative to the length of shirred casing material, until substantially no portion of the shaft means remains inside of the length of shirred casing material, and the shaft means no longer maintains pressure against the casing material,
starting the turning movement of the shaft means again in said first direction to form a double walled twist, stopping the turning movement in said first direction, and,
then pushing the casing material coaxially back into the length of shirred casing material,
and retracting the shaft means from the shirred length of casing material.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process and device for production of an end closure on a shirred length of tubular material, especially synthetic casing for sausage manufacture

Life of this patent

Process and device for production of an end closure on a shirred length of tubular material, especially synthetic casing for sausage manufacture

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24