Net rucker
AssigneeBrechteen Co.
InventorMichael J. Sullivan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and method for shirring food stuffing netting onto a net tube utilizing a net rucker head having a plurality of flexible paddles. A net rucker guides the food stuffing netting onto the net tube and reciprocates the net tube up and down through a passage in net rucker head such that the flexible paddles engage the netting to shirr it about the circumference of the net tube.
Claims21
A net rucker head for shirring netting onto a tube having an axis, said net rucker head comprising:
- a support frame, said support frame defining a passage extending through the support frame;
- a plurality of flexible paddles, each of said paddles having a first end and a second end;
- securing means for rigidly securing the first end of each flexible paddle to the support means adjacent to the passage so that the second end of each flexible paddle partially extends into the passage to define an opening for receiving the tube and the netting therein;
- and
- said second end of each flexible paddle extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of the tube for engaging the netting and shirring the netting about the tube during upward travel of the tube relative to the flexible paddles, with the flexible paddle being sufficiently flexible to bend downwardly to permit the tube and the netting to pass during downward travel of the tube relative to the flexible paddles.
The net rucker head of claim wherein each flexible paddle defines a notch extending substantially parallel to the width of the flexible paddles, said notch operable to allow each flexible paddle to flex along the notch.
A net rucker apparatus for shirring food stuffing netting onto a net tube having an axis, said net rucker apparatus comprising:
- a movable platform, said movable platform operable to support the net tube;
- a net rucker head, said net rucker head including a support frame and a plurality of flexible paddles, said support frame defining a passage through which the net tube and the netting pass, said plurality of flexible paddles rigidly secured to the support frame;
- guide means for guiding the netting onto the net tube;
- and
- reciprocating means for raising and lowering the movable platform supporting the net tube, said reciprocating means operable to cause the flexible paddles of the net rucker head to extend substantially perpendicular to the axis of the net tube for engaging the netting and shirring the netting about the net tube during upward travel of the net tube relative to the flexible paddles, with the flexible paddles being sufficiently flexible to bend downwardly to permit the net tube and the netting to pass during downward travel of the net tube relative to the flexible paddles.
A method of shirring a food stuffing netting onto a net tube, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a net tube;
- guiding one end of the netting over the net tube;
- placing the net tube onto a movable platform;
- and
- reciprocating the movable platform upward and downward to carry the net tube and the netting through a passage defined by a net rucker head having a plurality of flexible paddles such that the plurality of flexible paddles allow the net tube and netting to pass as the movable platform moves downward and allows the net tube to pass but engages the netting as the platform moves upward to cause the netting to be shifted about the circumference of the net tube, wherein the flexible paddles are not bent but extend transversely to the net tube during upward travel thereof to thereby engage the netting, with the flexible paddles bending downwardly to permit the netting to slide by the flexible paddles during downward movement of the net tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.