Abstract:
Suspension devices for suspending strings of sausages in loops. The suspension device may include hooks configured for carrying a loop of the string of sausages and a guide and drive device coupled with the hooks. The guide and drive device is configured for guiding and driving the hooks along a path of movement. The guide and drive device has a drivable circulating drive element for spaced receiving of the hooks and for driving the hooks. The suspension device may include a height-altering device that alters the height of the hooks during the movement of the hooks along the path of movement.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention concerns a suspension device for suspending strings of sausages in loops. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Small sausages are usually produced with known sausage filling machines in the form of long portioned sausage strings. In that case, two adjacent sausage cases are respectively separated from each other by a twist-off location. The filled and divided sausage cases are placed in loops and suspended from a suspension device known in the state of the art. A smoking bar or rod is pushed through the loops of the sausages, which are hanging in the suspension device. The string of sausages is then suspended in that form on a smoking cart, which is then moved into a smoker chamber. 
         [0003]    While the suspension machine is operating, faults may occur, for example, due to so-called skin splits (defective sausage case or damage to the sausage case), by virtue of sausage cases of differing lengths, or the like disruptions. In response to a fault, the normal working process has to be interrupted and the defective sausages have to be stripped out of the string. The sausage case is knotted and thereafter the sausages can be subjected to further processing again in the proper fashion. 
         [0004]    Known filling machines and accessory devices have a filling height of between about 1000 mm and 1200 mm. The suspension devices are generally adapted in respect of their height to the filling height of the filling machines and accessory devices, and in many cases that represents a very low working height for the operator of the suspension device. 
         [0005]    Raising the filling machine and a corresponding accessory device and, thus, the suspension device is not really appropriate because the operating problem is only shifted as a result. 
         [0006]    The use of intermediate belts to compensate for the working height is detrimental as the intermediate belts signify additional complication and expenditure, in regard to operation, maintenance, spare part stocking and demand for power. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The object of the present invention is to provide a device for suspending sausage strings, which in a simple fashion permits adaptation of the working height to filling machines of differing heights, in particular a change in the working height of the suspension device for the operator, and which reduces the above-mentioned disadvantages. 
         [0008]    According to an embodiment of the invention, that object is attained by a device for suspending strings of sausages in loops comprising a guide and drive device for guiding and driving hooks along a path of movement, which has a drivable circulating drive element for spaced receiving and for driving a plurality of hooks, a plurality of hooks which are connected to the drive element for carrying a loop of the string of sausages, and a device for altering the height of the hooks during the movement of the hooks along the path of movement. 
         [0009]    The suspension device according to this embodiment of the invention, which is equipped with a device for altering the height of the hooks during the movement, has the advantage that the working height of the suspension device can be easily adapted to the needs of an operator. That is advantageous, for example, when stripping out defective sausages, when wrapping around the freely hanging sausages or also when taking off the sausages with a smoking stick (lance). 
         [0010]    In a preferred embodiment, the device for altering the height of the hooks has at least one guide rail, preferably a plurality of guide rails, along which a hook is additionally displaceable in respect of height, that is to say vertically, during the movement along the path of movement. In that way, the hooks can be easily displaced in respect of their heightwise position. 
         [0011]    It is advantageous if the at least one guide rail can be fastened to at least one drive element, preferably to two drive elements, of the guide and drive device and is movable together therewith. That permits the suspension device according to an embodiment of the invention to be of a simple structure. 
         [0012]    In a preferred embodiment, the at least one guide rail is oriented substantially vertically and perpendicularly to the path of movement of the hooks. Thus, the hooks are displaced vertically without their mutual spacing for further processing being changed. 
         [0013]    Advantageously, the guide rail has two fixing elements which fasten the guide rail to the drive elements. In that way, the guide rail can be easily fastened to the drive elements, in particular in the form of belts. 
         [0014]    The guide rail may have a lower sliding portion and an upper sliding portion which co-operate with an upper and a lower edge respectively of a wall of the guide and drive device in such a way that the guide rail is guided along the path of movement. 
         [0015]    A particularly preferred embodiment provides that the device for altering the height of the hooks has a sliding link control, by means of which the hooks are vertically displaceable. In that way, a plurality of different curve/height configurations of the hooks can be easily set. 
         [0016]    In a preferred embodiment, the sliding link control has a slot extending along a wall of the suspension device, and the hook has a fastening unit with a pin, the pin engaging into the slot. In that respect, it is particularly advantageous if the configuration of the slot along the wall of the suspension device has at least portion-wise a predefined and in particular constant gradient. 
         [0017]    In an alternative embodiment, the sliding link control has a guide bar along the path of movement of the hooks and the hook has a fastening unit with a guide groove, the guide bar engaging into the guide groove. In that respect, it is particularly advantageous if the configuration of the guide bar along the path of movement of the hooks has at least portion-wise a constant gradient. 
         [0018]    In an alternative embodiment of the suspension device, the device for altering the height of the hooks has at least one guide path which at least portion-wise has a constant gradient, wherein the drive element is guidable along the guide path. 
         [0019]    In that respect for a simple structure of the device for altering the height of the hooks, it is advantageous if the hooks are fastened to the drive element, for example a chain. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    Preferred embodiments by way of example of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a machine for producing sausage articles comprising a filling machine, an accessory device and a suspension device in accordance with a first embodiment, 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the suspension device of  FIG. 1 , 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is perspective view of a device for displacing the hooks in accordance with the first embodiment with one hook, 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the device for displacing hooks of  FIG. 3  in use with a plurality of hooks, 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 3  that details a sliding link guide of a hook, 
           [0026]      FIG. 6   a  is a perspective view of a first arrangement of a hook guide, 
           [0027]      FIG. 6   b  is a perspective view of a second arrangement of a hook guide, 
           [0028]      FIG. 6   c  is a perspective view of a third arrangement of a hook guide, 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a suspension device in accordance with a second embodiment, 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the suspension device of  FIG. 7  in which a guide path is visible, and 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged view of a portion of the device of  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]      FIG. 1  shows a machine  10  for producing and processing sausage goods  12  comprising a filling machine  14 , an accessory device  16 , and a suspension device  18 . 
         [0033]    The sausage material is filled into a sausage case in known manner in the filling machine  14 , and divided up. Then, the filled and divided sausage cases are suspended in freely hanging mutually juxtaposed relationship on a loop in the suspension device  18 . For that purpose, as can better be seen from  FIG. 2 , provided on the suspension device  18  are hooks  20 , on which the sausages can be hung. 
         [0034]    The suspension device  18  according to the invention has a guide and drive device  6  for guiding and driving hooks  20  along a path of movement, having at least one drivable, circulating drive element  28   a,    28   b  for spacedly receiving and driving a plurality of hooks  20 . The hooks  20  connected to the drive element  28   a,    28   b  serve for carrying a loop of the sausage string  12 . The drive elements of the guide and drive device  6  are in the form of two mutually spaced belts  28   a  and  28   b.  Both belts  28   a,    28   b  are driven in the same direction by a shaft  30 , which is shown in  FIG. 2  and which is driven by a motor  6  with a transmission. 
         [0035]    The suspension device  18  further has a device  21  for altering the height of the hooks  20  during the movement of the hooks along the path of movement, that is to say for vertical displacement of hooks  20  substantially perpendicularly to the path of movement of the hooks  20 , which is described in greater detail hereinafter. Each hook  20  arranged on the guide rail  24  by means of the fastening element  22  is displaceable substantially between two sliding portions  26   a,    26   b  along the guide rail  24  in a vertical direction. 
         [0036]    As can be seen from  FIG. 3 , each hook  20  is movably fastened to a guide rail  24  by means of a fastening element  22  and is displaceable along the guide rail. The guide rail  24  has, at each of its upper and lower ends, a respective lower and upper sliding portion  26   a,    26   b  with a hook-shaped projection. The sliding portions  26   a,    26   b  co-operate with an upper and a lower edge  32   a,    32   b,  respectively of a wall  2  of the guide and drive device  6  in such a way that the guide rail  24  is guided with hooks  20  along the path of movement. 
         [0037]    Disposed in adjacent relationship with the outer edges of the belts  28   a,    28   b  is the respective upper and lower edge  32   a,    32   b  of the wall  2  of the guide and drive device  6 . The spacing of the upper and lower edges  32   a,    32   b  or the length of the guide rail  24  respectively is so selected that a lower and an upper sliding portion  26   a,    26   b  co-operate in positively locking relationship with the upper and lower edges  32   a,    32   b  respectively in order slidably to fasten the guide rail  24  to the suspension device  18 . In this case, the guide rail  24  is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the direction of movement, illustrated by the double-headed arrow, of the belts  28   a  and  28   b  and substantially vertically. 
         [0038]    A sliding link control is provided for controlling the vertical displacement of the hooks  20 . The sliding link control includes a slot  34  in a wall of the suspension device  18  between the two belts  28   a  and  28   b.  As can best be seen from  FIG. 5 , a pin  36  on the fastening element  22  of the hook  20  engages into the slot  34 . The slot  34  is portion-wise of a gradient which is constant but alternatively it may also be portion-wise different. 
         [0039]    When the belts  28   a,    28   b  move in a direction indicated by the double-headed arrow in  FIG. 4  the hooks  20  are guided along the slot  34 . When the hooks  20  pass into the region of the gradient of the slot  34 , the hooks  20 , in addition to the main direction of movement, are also displaced vertically along the guide rail  24 . When the belts  28   a,    28   b  move in the clockwise direction, the hooks are displaced upwardly along the guide rail  24  by virtue of the device for displacing the hooks  20 . When the belts  28   a,    28   b  move in the opposite direction, the hooks  20  are guided downwardly by virtue of the device for displacement of hooks  20 , along the guide rail  24 . 
         [0040]    As can be seen from  FIGS. 6   a  through  6   c,  the configuration of the slot  34  along the suspension device  18  and thus the guide curve for the hooks can be adapted to the needs wanted by the operator such as for example working height. 
         [0041]    Instead of the slot in the wall, as an alternative, it is possible to use for example a guide bar which is arranged along the path of movement of the hooks and which presets the heightwise movement of the hooks. A slot, groove or the like can be provided on a hook, into which the guide bar engages. In that way, the hook is then guided along the guide bar during the movement in the suspension device. If the configuration of the guide bar has a gradient, the hooks can be displaced vertically when passing along the gradient. 
         [0042]    It will be appreciated that, instead of the sliding link control, it is also possible to envisage other control arrangements in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0043]      FIGS. 7 through 9  show an alternative embodiment of a suspension device  118 . The device  121  for altering the height of the hooks  120  includes a substantially horizontally oriented guide path  140  which is of a rail configuration and which has a portion  142  with a rising gradient. A circulating drive element in the form of a chain  128  is guided along the guide path  140 . The hooks  120  are fastened at a spacing from each other on the chain  128 . 
         [0044]    When the chain  128  is guided along the guide path  140 , the hooks  120  fastened to the chain  128  are displaced upwardly in the portion  142  of rising gradient so that the hooks are displaceable in respect of height in that way. The degree of heightwise displaceability of the hooks  120  can be established by way of the degree and the length of the gradient in the portion  142  of rising gradient. 
         [0045]    It will be appreciated that, instead of a guide path  140 , it is also possible to envisage a plurality of guide paths for example with different degrees of gradient and different lengths of gradient to achieve different working heights for the hooks on a suspension device.