Sizer adapter apparatus and method for creating substantially evenly and incompletely filled casings

A device adapted for mounting adjacent the discharge end of a tubular material casing stuffing horn presenting an internal diameter for substantially evenly spreading a portion of material along the length of a casing applied over the horn, where the material portion has a volume less than the volume of the casing, whereby the casing is incompletely filled, said device comprising:

• tunnel-defining structure presenting an inlet end and an outlet end and including a pair of elongated, spaced apart, opposed, casing-conveying members, said inlet end having an initial contact point where said casing first engages the inlet end after passage from said horn discharge end;
• and
• means mounting said tunnel-defining structure with the inlet end thereof closely adjacent said horn discharge end for receiving said casing having material therein as the casing is discharged from said horn, and for spreading said material along the entire length of the casing as the casing passes through the tunnel-defining structure, the distance between said discharge end of said horn and said initial contact point being less than said internal diameter of said horn,
• the length of said casing-defining members being substantially greater than the distance therebetween and sufficient for spreading said material evenly throughout the length of the casing.

A method for substantially evenly spreading a discrete portion of material throughout substantially the entire length of an elongated casing where the casing has an internal volume greater than the volume of said discrete portion in order to accommodate the latter while remaining incompletely filled, said method comprising the steps of:

• placing said casing over the discharge end of a tubular stuffing horn having an internal diameter;
• passing said discrete portion through said horn and out the discharge end thereof, said material being received within said causing and serving to pull the casing off of said horn as it emerges from said discharge end;
• and
• directing said casing into and through a casing-engaging tunnel presenting an inlet end and a pair of spaced apart, opposed, casing-conveying member, said tunnel inlet being located closely adjacent the discharge end of said horn for spreading said material along the length of the casing during passage thereof through the tunnel, said inlet end having an initial contact point where said casing first engages the inlet end after passage from said horn discharge end, said directing step including the step of locating said inlet end such that the distance between said discharge end of said horn and said initial contact point is less than said internal diameter of said horn,
• said tunnel having a length substantially greater than the distance between said casing-conveying members.

Sizing apparatus for handling flowable material and discharging the same as a discrete portion encased within an incompletely filled casing, said sizing apparatus comprising:

• an elongated, tubular stuffing horn presenting an internal diameter, a rearward material input end, and a forward discharge end adapted for receiving a casing thereover permitting the casing to receive said flowable material;
• a pump operably coupled with said horn input end for delivery of a discrete portion of said material to and out of said discharge end,
• said casing having an internal volume greater than the volume of a discrete portion of said material in order to accommodate said discrete portion while remaining incompletely filled, said casing having a maximum potential expanded diameter if completely filled with said material which is greater than said horn internal diameter;
• and
• means for substantially evenly spreading said discrete portion of said material within said casing receiving the same, and for preventing complete filling of a section of said casing while leaving other sections thereof substantially unfilled, said spreading means including:
• tunnel-defining structure presenting an inlet end and an outlet end and comprising a pair of elongated spaced apart, opposed, casing-conveying members, each of said casing-conveying members including a plurality of adjacent rollers;
• and
• means mounting said tunnel-defining structure with the inlet end thereof closely adjacent the discharge end of said horn for receiving said casing having material therein as the casing is discharged from said horn, and for spreading said material along the entire length of the casing as the casing passes through the tunnel-defining structure,
• the distance between said casing-conveying members being less than the maximum potential expanded diameter of said casing,
• the length of said casing-conveying members being substantially greater than the distance therebetween and sufficient for spreading said material evenly throughout the length of said casing.

Sizing apparatus for handling flowable material and discharging the same as a discrete portion encased within an incompletely filled casing, said sizing apparatus comprising:

• an elongated, tubular stuffing horn presenting an internal diameter, a rearward material input end, and a forward discharge end adapted for receiving a casing thereover permitting the casing to receive said flowable material;
• a pump operably coupled with said horn input end for delivery of a discrete portion of said material to and out of said discharge end,
• said casing having an internal volume greater than the volume of a discrete portion of said material in order to accommodate said discrete portion while remaining incompletely filled, said casing having a maximum potential expanded diameter if completely filled with said material which is greater than said horn internal diameter;
• and
• means for substantially evenly spreading said discrete portion of said material within said casing receiving the same, and for preventing complete filling of a section of said casing while leaving other sections thereof substantially unfilled, said spreading means including:
• tunnel-defining structure presenting an inlet end and an outlet end and comprising a pair of elongated spaced apart, opposed, casing-conveying member;
• and
• means mounting said tunnel-defining structure with the inlet end thereof closely adjacent the discharge end of said horn for receiving said casing having material therein as the casing is discharged from said horn, and for spreading said material along the entire length of the casing as the casing passes through the tunnel-defining structure, said mounting means including structure for selectively varying the distance between said casing-conveying member,
• the distance between said casing-conveying members being less than the maximum potential expanded diameter of said casing,
• the length of said casing-conveying members being substantially greater than the distance therebetween and sufficient for spreading said material evenly throughout the length of said casing.

A device adapted for mounting adjacent the discharge end of a tubular material casing stuffing horn for substantially evenly spreading a portion of material along the length of a casing applied over the horn, where the material portion has a volume less than the volume of the casing, whereby the casing is incompletely filled, said device comprising:

• tunnel-defining structure presenting an inlet end and an outlet end and including a pair of elongated, spaced apart, opposed, casing-conveying member, said casing-conveying members each including a plurality of adjacent rollers;
• and
• means mounting said tunnel-defining structure with the inlet end thereof closely adjacent said horn discharge end for receiving said casing having material therein as the casing is discharged from said horn, and for spreading said material along the entire length of the casing as the casing passes through the tunnel-defining structure,
• the length of said casing-defining members being substantially greater than the distance therebetween and sufficient for spreading said material evenly throughout the length of the casing.

A device adapted for mounting adjacent the discharge end of a tubular material casing stuffing horn for substantially evenly spreading a portion of material along the length of a casing applied over the horn, where the material portion has a volume less than the volume of the casing, whereby the casing is incompletely filled, said device comprising:

• tunnel-defining structure presenting an inlet end and an outlet end and including a pair of elongated, spaced apart, opposed, casing-conveying members;
• and
• means mounting said tunnel-defining structure with the inlet end thereof closely adjacent said horn discharge end for receiving said casing having material therein as the casing is discharged from said horn, and for spreading said material along the entire length of the casing as the casing passes through the tunnel-defining structure, said mounting means including structure for selectively varying the distance between said casing-conveying members,
• the length of said casing-defining members being substantially greater than the distance therebetween and sufficient for spreading said material evenly throughout the length of the casing.