Collagen film and netting packaging system and method

Apparatus for simultaneously advancing discrete products, placing a collagen film from a flat sheet of collagen film about the outside circumference of the products and placing netting about the outside circumference of the collagen film and products, the apparatus comprising:

• a base;
• an axial slide assembly mounted to the base;
• a product chamber on the slide assembly;
• a product chamber ram extending into the product chamber, on the slide assembly;
• a center product discharge tube extending from the product chamber through which the products advance under action of the ram;
• collagen forming collar means for forming the flat sheet into a cylindrical shape;
• the collagen forming collar means concentric with the discharge tube and mounted in association therewith to the base;
• a discharge horn extending along a portion of the discharge tube away from the product chamber and mounted in association with the discharge tube, the discharge horn concentric with and outside the portion of the discharge tube, the collagen film advancing along the outside of the discharge horn after leaving the collagen forming collar means;
• a netting support cylinder concentric with and outside at least a second portion of the discharge tube and discharge horn;
• the netting support cylinder and discharge horn, away from the product chamber, terminating substantially coterminally, the netting support cylinder mounted in association with the discharge tube and discharge horn to the base;
• whereby products are introduced through the manifold assembly and driven through the product discharge tube, and a collagen film and netting are simultaneously placed about the products as the products exits the product discharge tube.