Clipping apparatus

In apparatus for stuffing a casing with a sausage material, said apparatus of the type including a mounting assembly, a hollow stuffing horn for discharge of sausage material, said horn supported by the assembly, said horn defining a substantially cylindrical, constant outside diameter tube for receipt of shirred casing;

• said apparatus also including a clipper apparatus positioned on the mounting assembly axially with respect to the discharge end of the stuffing horn for application of clips to close casing from the horn;
• the improvement comprising:
• enlarged discharge tube means-for controlling the release of casing from the tube, said enlarged means including an enlarged diameter outside end portion of the tube fixed at the discharge end of said tube said end diameter enlarged relative to the outside diameter remainder of the tube;
• an axially translatable brake assembly supported by the mounting assembly and encircling the tube and casing on the tube, said brake assembly positioned over the tube adjacent the enlarged diameter outside end and upstream from the outside end;
• said brake assembly including an inwardly projecting, flexible ring member positioned for braking engagement with the casing whenever the brake assembly is axially positioned to align the ring member over the enlarged diameter outside end portion of the tube, and positioned for disengagement from braking of the casing whenever otherwise axially positioned upstream from the end and over the tube;
• and
• means for axially positioning and maintaining the brake assembly over the tube and casing thereon by moving the assembly along the length of the tube toward and away from the enlarged end portion of the tube and for retarding withdrawal of casing from the enlarged end portion by compression between the ring and outside end as the ring is moved toward the outside end.