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US 4,991,260 AGranted
Stuffing method and apparatus
AssigneeViskase Corporation
InventorJoseph A. Nausedas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stuffing method and apparatus utilizing a trio of stuffing horns mounted on a turret. Two of the horns are in stuffing positions and the production of stuffed products alternates between these two horns wherein stuffed casing from one horn is closed while casing is being stuffed at the other. The third horn is available for receiving a supply of casing and is moved into a stuffing position by indexing the turret.
Claims20
A method of producing encased food products utilizing a stuffing machine having at least three stuffing horns comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning first and second stuffing horns of said machine in a stuffing position with a supply of casing on each wherein the first horn has a shorter casing supply than the second horn;
- (b) cycling the flow of a food product to each horn in said stuffing position, first through one of said horns and then through the other to alternately draw forward and stuff casing from the supplies on said first and second horns;
- (c) closing the stuffed casing from one of said supplies concurrent with the stuffing of casing from another of said supplies so that the production of encased products alternates between said first and second horns in said stuffing position;
- (d) moving the first horn out of the stuffing position when its supply of casing is substantially exhausted;
- (e) moving the second horn and its remaining supply of casing from its stuffing position and into the stuffing position vacated by the first horn;
- and
- (f) moving a third horn having a supply of casing into the stuffing position vacated by the second horn.
4 more elements
A stuffing method comprising:
- (a) locating a first shirred supply of casing at a first stuffing position;
- (b) repeating a sequence of stuffing, gathering and closing a portion of the casing contained in said first shirred supply to produce a plurality of stuffed products without exhausting the casing contained in said first shirred supply;
- (c) severing the last stuffed product from the remaining unstuffed portion of the first supply;
- (d) moving said remaining unstuffed portion of the first supply of shirred casing to a second stuffing position;
- and then
- (e) continuing at said second stuffing position, the repetitive stuffing, gathering and closing of casing from the first supply until it is substantially exhausted.
3 more elements
A method of producing encased food products comprising the steps of:
- (a) utilizing at least three stuffing horns and positioning a first horn at a first stuffing position, a second horn at a second stuffing position and a third horn at a load position;
- (b) disposing a supply of shirred casing on each horn wherein the supply on said second stuffing horn contains a shorter length of casing than the supply on either said first and third stuffing horns;
- (c) cycling a continuous flow of food product under pressure back and forth between the stuffing horns at said first and second stuffing positions to alternate the drawing forward and stuffing of casing from the supply of shirred casing on said first and second stuffing horns;
- (d) closing the stuffed casing drawn forward at one of said stuffing positions concurrent with the stuffing of casing at the other stuffing position so that the production of encased products alternates between said stuffing positions;
- (e) continuing said cycling step (c) and closing step (d) until the supply of shirred casing on said second stuffing horn is about to expire, and then terminating said continuous flowing of food product to the stuffing horns at said stuffing positions;
- (f) indexing said stuffing horns to place said first stuffing horn at said second stuffing position, said second horn at said load position and said third horn at said first stuffing position;
- and thereafter
- (g) repeating steps (c) through (f).
5 more elements
A stuffing machine comprising:
- (a) a valve having an inlet for pressurized food product, a pair of outlets and a gate for communicating said inlet to one or the other of said outlets;
- (b) a pump for continuously flowing a food product under pressure to said inlet;
- (c) a movable support;
- (d) a trio of stuffing horns carried by said support and arranged thereon such that any single horn defines a load position and the remaining pair of horns communicate with said outlets and define a first and a second stuffing position, each of said horns adapted to receive a supply of casing for stuffing;
- (e) motor means for indexing said support to move each of said stuffing horns in a stepwise sequence initially from said load position, then to said first stuffing position, then to said second stuffing position, and then to said load position;
- (f) drive means connected to said valve gate for cycling the continuous flow of food product first through one of said outlets and then the other thereby to alternately draw forward and stuff casing from the supply of casing on horns in said first and second stuffing positions;
- (g) closure means associated with each of said first and second stuffing positions for gathering and closing stuffed casing;
- and
- (h) control means coordinating the operation of said drive means and closure means such that closure means associated with one of said stuffing positions is operated to close stuffed casing concurrent with the stuffing of casing at the other of said stuffing positions.
6 more elements
A stuffing machine comprising:
- (a) a movable first stuffing horn adapted to receive a first shirred casing;
- (b) valve means having an inlet for food product under pressure, two outlets, and a gate for selectively communicating said inlet to one or the other of said outlets;
- (c) motor means for moving said first stuffing horn initially to a first stuffing position in communication with one of said outlets and then to a second stuffing position in communication with the other of said outlets;
- and
- (d) control means operatively connected to said motor means for initiating the movement of said stuffing horn to said second stuffing position when a portion of a said shirred casing has been stuffed at said first stuffing position.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.