Method and apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick

An apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick includes an endless circulating body provided with hooks; stick supporting members for supporting a stick at a position below the hooks; a pair of stick-supporting-member actuating devices for moving the stick supporting members toward or away from the stick; and a stick transferring device for transferring the sausage suspended from the hooks onto the stick while removing the stick from the stick supporting members, and for concurrently supplying an ensuing stick onto the stick supporting members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,163,864 and 5,480,346 disclose apparatuses for suspending a sausage from a stick in which the stick is supported by stick supporting hooks which move together with the hooks for suspending the sausage. However, in a case where a stick which is curved in an arcuate shape along its longitudinal direction is used due to such as carelessness in handling, with these known apparatuses, although the stick is supported by the stick supporting hooks, the stick is not supported at a fixed position since the stick is supported over the entire length of the stick. As a result, it is difficult for the stick to be inserted into the loops of a sausage suspended from the hooks. The apparatus disclosed in JP-A-63-219334 concerns a stick supplying apparatus for supplying a curved stick onto stick supporting hooks. With this apparatus as well, since the stick is supported by the stick supporting hooks over the entire length of the stick, the stick is not supported at a fixed position.

In the case of the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,105, the stick is not disposed at a position below the hooks for suspending a sausage linked in the form of a chain at a twisted portion, but the stick is disposed in front of the row of hooks, and the loops delivered from the hooks onto the stick move toward a front end of the stick by sliding on the stick. With this known technique, the supply of an ensuing sausage to the apparatus is possible even if the stick is not removed, but the possibility of the occurrence of untwisting of the twisted portions due to the sliding motion of the sausage is potentially present.

The known apparatuses in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,163,864 and 5,480,346 have hooks for supporting the stick at a position below the hooks for suspending a sausage, and the movement of the sausage toward the front end of the stick is effected in a state in which the sausage is suspended from the hooks. With these apparatuses, the rear end of the stick is not disposed so as to be located in front of a leading loop suspended from the hook, and the stick is supported at a position where its rear end and the leading loop substantially coincide with each other. For this reason, the supply of the ensuing sausage is impossible unless the stick is removed, and the supply of the ensuing sausage must be set on standby until completion of the processing of both ends of the sausage, which is effected before removal of the stick, so that there is a problem in terms of productivity.

The apparatus disclosed in JP-A-63-219334 concerns the apparatus for supplying a curved stick onto stick supporting members, while an apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,346 (FIGS. 66 and 67) is comprised of a loop forming device in which hooks for suspending a sausage and hooks for supporting a stick are provided at upper and lower positions as well as a stick supplying device in which a stick transferring member for supplying the stick onto the stick supporting hooks reciprocates in the lateral direction of the stick between the upper and lower hooks. These known apparatuses do not disclose an apparatus for automatically removing the stick from the stick supporting members. JP-A-63-56245 discloses an apparatus having a device for supplying a stick onto a screw feeder and a stick removing device for moving the stick with sausage suspended therefrom in an upward direction from the screw feeder. This known apparatus requires separate devices for supplying the stick and removing the stick.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention has been devised in view of the above-described aspects, and its object is to provide an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which allows a curved stick supported at a position below the hooks for suspending the sausage to be insertable without an error into sausage loops suspended from the hooks.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which allows the stick to be insertable into sausage loops while the end processing of the sausage is being effected.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which make it possible to automatically remove a stick disposed at a position below the hooks for suspending the sausage and transfer the sausage onto the stick.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which make it possible to reliably supply and remove a curved stick.

A still further object of invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which make it possible to effect both the operation of removing a stick and the operation of supplying a stick and to effect either of the operations, as required.

It is another object of the invention to provide an efficient method and apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which make it possible to discharge and/or supply sticks while operating the hooks for suspending the sausage.

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick, comprising: an endless circulating body which circulatingly moves; hooks provided on the endless circulating body and adapted to suspend the sausage therefrom; and stick supporting means for supporting the stick in such a manner as to dispose the stick at a position below the hooks, wherein the stick supporting means includes stick supporting members provided at a position below the hooks and adapted to support the stick and stick-supporting-member actuating means for causing the stick supporting members to approach and move away from the stick.

With the apparatus in accordance with the above-described first aspect of the invention, since the stick supporting members move toward a front end of the stick while maintaining a state of being spaced apart from the stick, even if the stick has a shape in which it is curved in an arcuate shape along its longitudinal direction, contact between the moving stick supporting members and portions of the stick curved in the arcuate shape can be prevented. Consequently, the insertion of the stick into the sausage loops suspended from the hooks can be ensured.

In the above-described apparatus, each of the stick supporting members may be rotatably provided on the hook, or by disposing a second endless circulating body, which circulatingly moves in synchronism with the endless circulating body, at a position below the endless circulating body, the stick supporting members may be rotatably attached to this second endless circulating body at predetermined pitches. In either arrangement, the support of the stick and the cancellation of the support of the stick by the stick supporting members can be effected in synchronism with the movement of the hooks. Alternately, a plurality of stick supporting members may be rotatably attached to a second endless circulating body which has a different moving path from that of the first endless circulating body. The stick supporting members may be provided on all the hooks, or may be provided not on all the hooks but on every other hook, for example. If the stick supporting members are provided on all the hooks, it is possible to easily cope with a change in the stopping position of the hooks and a change in the length of the stick to be used. The stick-supporting-member actuating means may be provided with a cam member, but may be constituted by a driving device such as an air cylinder instead of the cam member.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick, comprising: an endless circulating body which is wound around and trained between a first rotational center of hooks rotating in such a manner as to intersect the sausage and a second rotational center provided at a distance from the first rotational center, and which circulatingly moves; the hooks provided on the endless circulating body and adapted to form the sausage into loops including a leading loop and a trailing loop and to suspend the sausage therefrom; and stick supporting means for supporting the stick having a rear end in such a manner as to dispose the stick at a position below the hooks, wherein an interval between the first rotational center and the second rotational center is set to a length equal to or longer than a sum of an overall length of the stick and a length of a region of the endless circulating body on which the hooks whereby the sausage has been formed into the loops and from which the sausage is suspended are provided, and the stick supporting means has a portion for supporting the stick so as to dispose the rear end of the stick at a position facing the leading loop.

With the apparatus in accordance with the above-described second aspect of the invention, since the supply of an ensuing sausage can be started while the processing of the ends of the sausage suspended from the hooks is being effected, idle time does not occur. After completion of necessary processing operations (such as the processing of untwisted portions and casing breakage, and the end processing) which are effected with respect to the loops formed by one sausage, the processing-completed loops can be moved to the region of the stick in a state in which they are suspended from the hooks, so that the stick can be automatically inserted into the loops without an error.

In the apparatus in accordance with the above-described second aspect, the interval between the two rotational centers is preferably set to a length between 1.5-fold and 3-fold the overall length of the stick. The stick supporting means preferably has stick supporting members each provided rotatably on the hook and adapted to support the stick.

In addition, in accordance with a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for suspending a sausage from a stick, comprising the steps of: advancing stick reciprocally transferring means provided with removed-stick holding means toward a stick supporting member disposed in front of the removed-stick holding means; transferring from the stick supporting member onto the removed-stick holding means the stick supported by the stick supporting member and disposed in loops of the sausage suspended from hooks; advancing the removed-stick holding means beyond the stick supporting member so as to transfer the sausage suspended from the hooks onto the stick held by the removed-stick holding means; discharging the stick with the sausage suspended therefrom from the removed-stick holding means; and retracting the removed-stick holding means beyond the stick supporting member. The stick held by the removed-stick holding means is movably held at a predetermined position in that means. In this method, by merely moving the stick in the lateral direction of the stick with respect to the inner side of the sausage loop, it is possible to pull out from the hooks the twisted portions of the sausage caught by the hooks.

The above-described method may further comprise the steps of: causing the removed-stick holding means which linearly moves to abut against the stick supported by the stick supporting member, so as to transfer the stick onto the removed-stick holding means; and causing the stick held by the removed-stick holding means to linearly move laterally of the stick to abut against the sausage suspended from the hooks, thereby transferring the sausage onto the stick. According to this method, since the stick is linearly moved laterally of the stick with respect to the inner side of the sausage loop, other twisted portions located downwardly of the twisted portions caught by the hooks can be easily retained by the stick.

Furthermore, in accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for suspending a sausage from a stick, comprising the steps of: supplying a stick to supply-stick holding means provided on stick reciprocally transferring means; advancing the stick reciprocally transferring means to advance the supply-stick holding means beyond a stick supporting member disposed in front of the supply-stick holding means; retracting the stick reciprocally transferring means to transfer the stick held by the supply-stick holding means onto the stick supporting member; and retracting the supply-stick holding means beyond the stick supporting member. The stick held by the removed-stick holding means is movably held at a predetermined position in that means. According to this method, since the stick is transferred beyond the stick supporting member, the stick can be supplied onto the stick supporting member by merely reciprocating the stick reciprocally transferring means.

Furthermore, in accordance with a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for suspending a sausage from a stick, comprising the steps of: supplying a stick to supply-stick holding means provided on stick reciprocally transferring means; advancing the stick reciprocally transferring means provided with removed-stick holding means and supply-stick holding means toward a stick supporting member disposed in front of the removed-stick holding means and the supply-stick holding means; causing the removed-stick holding means to abut against the stick supported by the stick supporting member and disposed in loops of the sausage suspended from hooks, so as to transfer the stick from the stick supporting member onto the removed-stick holding means; advancing the removed-stick holding means beyond the stick supporting member so as to transfer the sausage suspended from the hooks onto the stick held by the removed-stick holding means; discharging the stick with the sausage suspended therefrom from the removed-stick holding means; advancing the supply-stick holding means beyond the stick supporting member; retracting the supply-stick holding means toward the stick supporting member to transfer the stick from the supply-stick holding means onto the stick supporting member by causing the stick held by the supply-stick holding means to abut against the stick supporting member; and retracting the removed-stick holding means and the supply-stick holding means beyond the stick supporting member. In this method, since the stick is transferred beyond the stick supporting member, by merely reciprocating the stick reciprocally transferring means it is possible to remove the stick with the sausage suspended therefrom and supply a stick onto the stick supporting member. This method may further comprise the step of: causing the stick held by the supply-stick holding means to abut against the stick supporting member so as to move the stick supporting member.

If each of the above-described methods of the invention further comprises the steps of: supporting a front portion of the stick; raising the stick supporting member toward the rear portion of the stick and supporting the rear portion of the stick by the stick supporting member; and lowering the other stick supporting member located ahead of that stick supporting member and supporting the rear portion of the stick, it is possible to support only the front portion and the rear portion of the stick, and automatic suspension of the sausage from a curved stick becomes possible. On the contrary, there may be provided stick supporting means for supporting the stick over the entire length thereof by the stick supporting member. Such a stick supporting means is suitable for sticks having small curvatures and straight sticks.

Furthermore, in accordance with a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which includes hooks for suspending a sausage therefrom and a stick supporting member for disposing below the hooks a stick which is to be inserted into loops of the sausage suspended from the hooks, comprising: stick reciprocally transferring means on which removed-stick holding means is provided for holding the stick transferred from the stick supporting member; and stick transferring means for advancing the removed-stick holding means beyond the stick supporting member disposed in front of the removed-stick holding means.

Furthermore, in accordance with a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which includes hooks for suspending a sausage therefrom and a stick supporting member for disposing below the hooks a stick which is to be inserted into loops of the sausage suspended from the hooks, comprising: stick reciprocally transferring means on which supply-stick holding means is provided for holding a stick to be supplied onto the stick supporting member; and stick transferring means for retracting the supply-stick holding means which advanced beyond the stick supporting member disposed in front of the supply-stick holding means.

In the apparatus in accordance with the above-described seventh aspect of the invention, the supply-stick holding means for holding the stick to be supplied onto the stick supporting member may be provided on the stick reciprocally transferring means at a position spaced apart, as viewed in a moving direction of the stick reciprocally transferring means, from removed-stick holding means, and the stick transferring means may have stick-reciprocally-transferring-means driving means for advancing and retracting the stick reciprocally transferring means with respect to the stick supporting member.

In the apparatus in accordance with the above-described aspects of the invention, if the stick reciprocally transferring means is disposed in such a manner as to be inclined diagonally upward toward the stick supporting member, the arrangement is advantageous in transferring the sausage from the hooks onto the stick, and the holding of the stick by the supply-stick holding means or the removed-stick holding means is facilitated. Preferably, the stick reciprocally transferring means consists of a pair of arms serving as rod members provided in parallel to each other in such a manner as to extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the stick. The apparatus having the removed-stick holding means may be provided with removed-stick receiving means for receiving the stick discharged from the removed-stick holding means, or may be provided with stick moving means for moving the stick on the removed-stick holding means in the longitudinal direction of the stick so as to move the stick in its longitudinal direction as well while advancing the stick in its lateral direction. If the stick is caused to abut against the sausage while the stick is being moved in its longitudinal direction, the arrangement is advantageous in the delivery of the sausage from the hooks onto the stick.

Furthermore, a method for suspending a sausage from a stick in accordance with still another aspect of the invention comprises the steps of disposing a stick in loops of a sausage suspended from hooks; disposing a multiplicity of sticks in parallel to the stick in a laterally spaced-apart relation thereto; moving and separating one of the multiplicity of sticks in a lateral direction thereof; disposing the separated stick at a predetermined position with respect to the stick disposed in loops of the sausage; and transferring the stick disposed in loops of the sausage and the separated stick in a lateral direction of the stick while maintaining a predetermined interval therebetween. According to this method, the delivery of the sausage from the hooks onto the stick, the transfer of the stick with the sausage suspended therefrom, and the supply of a stick for an ensuing sausage can be accomplished concurrently, and the space for transferring the stick can be made small.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick, comprising an endless circulating body put around a first rotational axis and a second rotational axis spaced from the first rotational axis; a plurality of hooks provided on the endless circulating body and having hook portions for hooking twisted portions of a sausage to suspend loops, including a leading loop and a trailing loop, of the sausage; a stick supporting means including a stick rear portion supporting means and a stick front portion supporting means for supporting a rear portion and a front portion of a stick such that the stick is disposed below the hook portions of the hooks which are moving from the rear portion to the front portion while suspending the loops; the stick rear portion supporting means being disposed below the hooks for cooperation with the stick front portion supporting means to support the stick inserted through the leading and trailing loops of the sausage suspended from the hooks, the stick rear portion supporting means including: a stick supporting member for supporting the rear portion of the stick as moving along a longitudinal axis of the stick from the rear portion to the front portion of the stick; and a stick rear portion supporting member actuating means disposed between the first and second rotational axes along a longitudinal axis for causing the stick supporting member to move away downwardly from the stick so as to release support of the rear portion when the stick supporting member arrives at a predetermined position of the longitudinal axis.

The stick rear portion supporting member actuating means is provided between the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis so that it is possible to minimize the apparatus along the longitudinal axis.

According to still another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for suspending a sausage from a stick, comprising the steps of supporting a stick by stick supporting members disposed below hook portions of a plurality of hooks such that the stick is inserted through loops of a sausage suspended from the hook portions of the hooks provided on an endless circulating body; advancing a stick reciprocally transferring means disposed at position away from the stick supporting members such that the stick reciprocally transferring means extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stick supported by the stick supporting members to supply a stick to a pair of supplied stick holding means provided on the stick reciprocally transferring means advanced beyond the stick supporting members; retreating the stick reciprocally transferring means toward the stick supporting members such that the stick held by the supplied stick holding means abuts against the stick supporting members so as to be transferred from the supplied stick holding means onto the stick supporting members; and retreating the supplied stick holding means beyond the stick supporting members.

According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick, comprising an endless circulating body; a plurality of hooks provided on the endless circulating body and having hook portions for hooking twisted portions of a sausage so that loops of the sausage are suspended from the hooks; stick supporting members for supporting a stick, which is inserted through the loops of the sausage suspended from the hooks, below the hook portions; a stick reciprocally transferring means disposed at a position apart from the stick supporting members such that the stick reciprocally transferring means is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stick supported by the stick supporting members; a stick reciprocally transferring means driving means for advancing the stick reciprocally transferring means beyond the stick supporting members and then retreating the stick reciprocally transferring means beyond the stick supporting members; and a supplied stick holding means provided on the stick reciprocally transferring means for receiving a supplied stick at an advanced position beyond the stick supporting members and retreating beyond the stick supporting members so that the stick abuts against the supporting members and is transferred to the stick supporting members.

According to the above method and apparatus, the stick reciprocally transferring members advancing beyond the stick supporting members holds no stick so that they can advance at higher speeds than before.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick, comprising an endless circulating body; a plurality of hooks provided on the endless circulating body and having hook portions for hooking twisted portions of a sausage so that loops of the sausage are suspended from the hooks; stick supporting members; a stick transferring means which includes a stick reciprocally transferring means disposed at a position apart from the stick supporting members such that the stick reciprocally transferring means is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a stick supported by the stick supporting members, the stick reciprocally transferring means having a removed stick holding means which advances together with the stick reciprocally transferring means to abut against the stick on the stick supporting members so as to receive and hold the stick; and a stick reciprocally transferring means driving means for advancing the stick reciprocally transferring means beyond the stick supporting members disposed below the hook portions and then retreating it beyond the stick supporting members; and a member for coming into contact with the loops suspended from the advancing stick at a height less than a height of the stick which has engaged with twisted portions, and extending along an arranging direction of the hooks so as to be opposed to a plurality of hooks at a predetermined distance, the hooks being provided on the endless circulating body.

According to this apparatus, it is possible to remove the loops from the hooks by raising the stick even if the links and/or loops of a sausage are difficult to be retained by the stick for their diameter, length, and/or hardness.

In accordance with the invention described above, it is possible to provide a method and an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which allows a curved stick supported at a position below the hooks for suspending the sausage to be insertable without an error into sausage loops suspended from the hooks.

In addition, it is possible to provide a method and an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which allows the stick to be insertable into sausage loops while the end processing of the sausage is being effected.

In addition, it is possible to provide a method and an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which make it possible to automatically remove a stick disposed at a position below the hooks for suspending the sausage and transfer the sausage onto the stick.

In addition, it is possible to provide a method and an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which make it possible to reliably supply and remove a curved stick.

In addition, it is possible to provide a method and an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which make it possible to effect both the operation of removing a stick and the operation of supplying a stick and to effect either of the operations, as required.

Also, it is possible to provide a method and an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick which make it possible to discharge or supply a stick as moving the hooks for suspending the sausage at a high rate of operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, a detailed description will be given of the embodiments of the invention. It should be noted that the invention is not limited to these embodiments.

InFIGS. 1 to 3, reference numeral1denotes an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick. The apparatus1is installed on a floor FL and is comprised of an apparatus frame2; an endless circulating body3consisting of a chain or a belt disposed substantially horizontally on the apparatus frame2; a multiplicity of hooks4provided on the endless circulating body3at predetermined pitches P and having hook portions for hooking the sausage; and a stick supporting means5for disposing the stick at a position below the hook portions of the hooks4. The endless circulating body3disposed on a substantially horizontal plane HP is wound around and trained between a rotating member3A1having a first rotational center3A serving as a first rotational axis and a rotating member3B1having a second rotational center3B serving as a second rotational axis and provided at a distance from the first rotational center3A, and circulatingly moves in the direction indicated by arrow A and arrow B.

Reference numeral6denotes sausage consisting of a multiplicity of links6B formed in a chain and having twisted portions6A. The sausage6is moved in the direction of arrow C by an unillustrated sausage supplying apparatus, e.g., a linking device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,115,668, is formed into loops6C including a leading loop6C1and a trailing loop6C2, and is suspended from the hooks4. Reference numeral7denotes a stick from which the sausage6is suspended for heat treatment, and which consists of a rod member having an overall length D and having various portions including a front portion7A, a rear portion7B, an intermediate portion7C, a front end7D, and a rear end7E. The stick7is detachably supported in a region M (which will be described later) such that the rear end7E of the stick is disposed at a position facing the leading loop6C1by the stick supporting means5.

An interval or distance E between the first rotational center3A and the second rotational center3B of the endless circulating body3is set to a length equal to or longer than the sum of the overall length D of the stick7and the length FF of the region of the endless circulating body3necessary for suspending the loops6C formed by one sausage6. A distance F from the first rotational center3A to the rear end7E of the stick is set in excess of the aforementioned length FF, such that the rear end7E of the stick is disposed at an interval with the leading loop6C1. The stick supporting means5has a stick rear-portion supporting means8provided at a position I for supporting the rear portion7B of the stick as well as a stick front-portion supporting means9provided at a position II for supporting the front portion7A of the stick, and supports the stick7such that the rear portion7B of the stick faces the leading loop6C1. If the interval E is set to a length between 1.5-fold to 3-fold the overall length D of the stick7, the apparatus becomes high in productivity and compact.

Referring toFIG. 3, reference numerals10-1,10-2,10-3,10-4, and10-5denote stick supporting members which are specified for the sake of explanation among stick supporting members10attached to the multiplicity of hooks4provided on the endless circulating body3at the predetermined pitches P. The stick rear-portion supporting means8has the stick supporting member10-4which moves in the moving direction (direction of arrow B) of the hooks4and supports the rear portion7B of the stick, as well as a rear cam member14which is a stick-rear-portion supporting-member actuating means11for moving the stick supporting member10-4away from the stick7laterally in the direction of arrow H. The stick front-portion supporting means9has the stick supporting member10-1which moves in the moving direction (direction of arrow B) of the hooks; a front cam member15which is a stick-front-portion supporting-member actuating means12for causing the stick supporting member10-1to approach the stick7from a lateral direction of the stick7in the direction of arrow G, and supports the front portion7A of the stick; and an abutment member13for abutting against the front end7D of the stick. In this way, the stick front-portion supporting means9prevents movement of the stick7along the longitudinal axis X of the stick7caused by the movement of the stick supporting member10. The stick rear-portion supporting member actuating means11and the stick front-portion supporting member actuating means12are disposed between the first and second rotational centers3A and3B in the longitudinal axis X direction. The stick supporting members10-1and10-4are respectively raised to a stick supporting position III by the front cam member15and the rear cam member14, and support the front portion7A and the rear portion7B of the stick (FIGS. 5 and 6). Numerals10-2and10-5denote the stick supporting members which are respectively in the process of being raised toward the front portion7A and the rear portion7B, respectively, of the stick. Numeral10-3denotes the stick supporting member which has passed the rear portion7B of the stick and moved away to a lowered end position IV laterally from the stick7(FIG. 6).

Referring toFIG. 4, the front portion7A of the stick referred to herein is the section between the front end7D of the stick and the position supported by the stick supporting member10-1, while the rear portion7B of the stick is the section between the rear end7E of the stick and the position supported by the stick supporting member10-4. In this embodiment, the positions supported by the stick supporting member10-1and the stick supporting member10-4are in a region extending from the front end7D to the leading loop6C1and in a region extending from the rear end7E to the trailing loop6C2, respectively. However, the position where the stick is supported by the stick supporting member10may be located between a loop6Ca and a loop6Cb, as shown inFIG. 10which will be referred to later. In the case where the stick7is supported at this position, it is possible to suspend a greater number of loops6C from the stick7.

Referring toFIGS. 5 to 7as well, the stick supporting member10has a stick placing surface10A having a hook shape for supporting the stick7, a rear portion10B which is raised or lowered by the rear cam member14and the front cam member15, and a front end portion10C. The stick placing surface10A rotates in the directions of arrows G and H between the stick supporting position III and the lowered end position IV. The stick supporting member10is rotatably attached by means of a rotating shaft16at a lower position on a right side surface4B11located on a trailing end side (arrow I direction side) of the hook4with respect to a hook portion4C. Since the right side surface4B11moves with a phase difference L with respect to the hook portion4C provided on a left side surface4B12located on the leading end side (arrow B direction side) of the hook4, the intersection between the stick supporting member10and links6B1,6B11, and6B12is inhibited so as to form the loop6C. Since the stick supporting member10which is not supporting the stick is positioned at the lowered end position IV, the front end portion10C is located further away from links6B2,6B21, and6B22than when it is at the stick supporting position III, so that the intersection between the front end portion10C and these links is inhibited, thereby making it possible to insert the stick7into the loop6C without an error.

The rear cam member14is mounted on the apparatus frame2by means of a bracket14B so as to be disposed at the position I. A sliding-guiding surface14A for vertically sliding and guiding a rear portion10-4B of the stick supporting member10-4which reaches and passes the rear portion7B of the stick is formed on the rear cam member14. The front cam member15is mounted on the apparatus frame2by means of a bracket13A so as to be disposed at the position II. A sliding-guiding surface15A for vertically sliding and guiding a rear portion10-1B of the stick supporting member10-1which reaches and passes the front portion7A of the stick is formed on the front cam member15. The abutment member13has a shape complementary to the hook-shaped stick placing surface10A of the stick supporting member10, and is secured to the apparatus frame2by means of the bracket13A so as to be positioned above the stick supporting member10and adjacent to the front cam member15so that the stick placing surface10A passes therebelow.

The hook4shown inFIGS. 6 and 7has an attaching baseplate4A secured horizontally to the endless circulating body3, an arm4B extending downwardly from the attaching baseplate4A, the hook portion4C provided on the arm4B and adapted to catch the twisted portion6A of the sausage6, and a link guiding portion4D extending diagonally downward from the hook portion4C and adapted to guide the sausage6suspended from the hook portion4C. The arm4B has an arm baseplate4B1consisting of a thin plate, as well as an inclined portion4B2consisting of a round rod inclined downward from the attaching baseplate4A. The hook portion4C having a recessed shape is provided on a lower portion4B3of the inclined portion4B2and has a bottom portion4C1and a projecting portion4C2projecting upward from the bottom portion4C1. The link guiding portion4D consists of a first guide portion4D1formed by a thin plate and a second guide portion4D2formed by a round rod, which are disposed in such a manner as to intersect each other at an angle θ. Since the hook4suspends the sausage6with a wide angle by placing the link6B1on the first guide portion4D1and the link6B2on the second guide portion4D2, the stick7can be inserted into the loop6C without an error.

The left side surface4B12of the arm4B substantially sets the position of the link6B1in cooperation with the first guide portion4D1. The second guide portion4D2consists of a straight introducing portion4D21which is a projection located in such a manner as to project upward from the bottom portion4C1, as well as a guide portion4D22located downwardly of the bottom portion4C1. The introducing portion4D21is formed on the trailing end side (arrow I direction side) of the hook4with respect to the bottom portion4C1(FIG. 7), and is located in such a manner as to project from the bottom portion4C1with a projection amount K in a direction (direction of arrow J) perpendicular to the inclined portion4B2(FIG. 6), so as to guide the link6B2caught at the hook portion4C toward the guide portion4D22. The guide portion4D22is formed by being bent in a substantially semicircular shape, and is provided in such a manner as to extend in a direction away from the first rotational center3A with respect to the bottom portion4C1and in a downward direction, so as to substantially set the position of the link6B2. Thus the hook4is arranged such that the inclined portion4B2and the second guide portion4D2are formed by the same member in a continuous shape, while the first guide portion4D1and the second guide portion4D2are formed by separate structures in a discontinuous shape. Therefore, the frictional resistance occurring between the link6B2and the second guide member4D2is reduced. As a result, the sliding of the link6B2on the second guide member4D2is facilitated.

Next, a stick front-portion supporting means50in another example is shown inFIGS. 8 and 9. This stick front-portion supporting means50has a stick front-portion supporting member55that includes a stick placing portion51on which is formed a stick placing surface51A having a recessed shape for placing the front portion7A of the stick thereon to effect positioning, an abutment portion52for preventing the movement of the stick7in the moving direction of the hooks (direction of arrow B) by abutting against the front end7D of the stick, and a bracket53. The stick front-portion supporting means50is fixedly provided on the apparatus frame2so that the hook-shaped stick placing surface10A of the stick supporting member10passes below the stick placing portion51. The stick front-portion supporting member55is disposed at a position II by a predetermined distance from the stick rear-portion supporting member actuating means11in the longitudinal axis X direction so as to be opposed to the stick supporting member10-4that supports the rear portion7B of the stick7. Alternatively, the stick front-portion supporting member55may be made so as to move the stick7, which has completed supporting, toward the front loop6C1hanging from the hook4in the longitudinal axis X direction. The rear portion7B of the stick is supported by the stick supporting member10, the front portion7A of the stick is supported by this stick front-portion supporting means50, and the intermediate portion7C of the stick is not supported, so that the curved stick7can be set to a predetermined position in this example as well. Alternately, the stick supported by the stick front portion supporting means50may be moved toward the leading loop along the longitudinal axis X of the stick.

The apparatus1of this embodiment operates as follows. As shown inFIG. 1, the sausage6is already suspended from the hooks4after being formed into the loops6C. First, the stick7is mounted on the stick supporting members10-1and10-4, the movement of the endless circulating body3is then started, and an ensuing sausage6is concurrently supplied toward the apparatus1in the direction of arrow C by the sausage supplying apparatus. The multiplicity of hooks4move and rotate about the first rotational center3A in the direction of arrow A, consecutively intersect the sausage6and suspend the sausage6in loop form from the hook portions4C, and move in the direction of arrow B. As shown inFIG. 3, the loops6C also move in the direction of arrow B and allow the stick7to be inserted therein. When the supply of the sausage6is finished and the formation of one sausage6into ensuing loops6CC is completed, the movement of the loops6C to the region M has also been finished, and the insertion of the stick7into the loops6C has also been completed, and the movement of the endless circulating body3stops. When the movement of the loops6C is completed, the stick supporting means5supports the stick7that pierces the front and rear loops6C1of the sausage6suspended from the hook4. Since necessary processing operations including the end processing of the chain of loops6C have been effected during their movement, the stick7is lifted up from the stick supporting members10-1and10-4, and the loops6C are removed from the hooks4and are transferred onto the stick7, thereby completing the suspension of the sausage6from the stick7, as shown inFIG. 11. Ensuing loops6CC are already suspended from the hooks4, and an ensuing stick7is mounted on the stick supporting members10-1and10-4for suspending these loops6CC. Then, the supply of the ensuing sausage6is started, and the above-described operation is repeated.

Next, referring mainly toFIGS. 1 and 3, a description will be given of the operation of the stick supporting means5. The stick supporting member10-4, which is located forwardly, as viewed in the moving direction of the hooks, of the leading loop6C1and supports the rear portion7B of the stick, moves in the direction of arrow B as its rear portion10-4B slides on the sliding-guiding surface14A of the rear cam member14. Then, the stick supporting member10-5following the stick supporting member10-4passes the rear end7E of the stick while its stick placing surface10-5A is being raised in the direction of arrow G by the sliding of its rear portion10-5B on the sliding-guiding surface14A, and the stick supporting member10-5abuts against a lower surface of the stick7at the rear portion7B of the stick and supports the rear portion7B. While the stick supporting member10-5moves in the direction of arrow B while supporting the rear portion7B of the stick, the stick supporting member10-4reaches a position where it is dislocated from the sliding-guiding surface14A, and rotates in the direction of arrow H by its own weight, and the stick placing surface10-4A moves away laterally from the stick7. This operation is consecutively repeated, and when the stick supporting member10-4is raised toward the rear portion7B of the stick, and the stick supporting member10-4supports the rear portion7B of the stick, the stick supporting member10-3moving in front of the stick supporting member10-4moves away from the stick7laterally in the direction of arrow H. In this manner, the multiplicity of hooks4from which the loops6C are suspended and the multiplicity of stick supporting members10attached to those hooks4consecutively support the rear portion7B of the stick while consecutively causing the rear portion7B of the stick to be inserted into the loops6C. In this example, since the stick supporting member10-4in its rising process abuts from below against the rear portion7B of the stick, which is curved from a base line N of the stick7by a displacement amount Q (FIG. 4), and supports the rear portion7B of the stick, the stick supporting member10-4is able to support the rear portion7B of the stick without colliding against the rear end7E of the stick.

The stick supporting member10-1supporting the front portion7A of the stick moves toward the front end7D of the stick while supporting the front portion7A, while the stick supporting member10-2following the stick supporting member10-1moves toward the front portion7A of the stick and supports the front portion7A while being raised by the sliding-guiding surface15A of the front cam member15. When the stick supporting member10-2moves while supporting the rear portion7B of the stick, the stick supporting member10-1reaches a position where it is dislocated from the sliding-guiding surface15A, and rotates in the direction of arrow H by its own weight, thereby canceling the support of the front portion7A of the stick.

Thus, in this embodiment, since the stick supporting members10which passed the rear portion7B of the stick are moved toward the front portion7A of the stick while being maintained at the lowered end position IV, when supporting the stick7curved with the displacement amount Q as shown inFIG. 4, the stick supporting means5supports only the front portion7A and the rear portion7B of the stick and does not support the intermediate portion7C of the stick. It should be noted that the support of the front portion7A of the stick is not limited to the support by a single stick supporting member10-1, but may be supported at a plurality of positions on the front portion7A of the stick by two or more stick supporting members10-1. The support of the rear portion7B of the stick is likewise not limited to the support by a single stick supporting member10-4in the same way as the above-described support of the front portion7A of the stick.

Although, in the above-described apparatus1, the stick supporting members10are provided on all the hooks4, the apparatus1may be provided with an arrangement in which hooks4-1not provided with the stick supporting members10are jointly used as shown inFIGS. 8 and 10, e.g., an arrangement in which the hook4provided with the stick supporting member10and the hook4-1not provided with the stick supporting member10are arranged alternately on the endless circulating body3, such that the stick supporting members10are provided at intervals of2P. In the apparatus1thus constructed, the leading loop6C1may be suspended from the hook4-1not provided with the stick supporting member10. Even in such a manner of suspension, the rear end7B of the stick can be inserted into the leading loop6C1without an error. Since the interval of attachment of the stick supporting members10has a twofold length, an interval AA between the stick supporting member10and a stick reciprocally transferring means104can be made large in an apparatus100which will be described later (FIG. 17).

Referring toFIGS. 11 to 13, reference numeral100denotes an apparatus for suspending a sausage from a stick in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. This apparatus100is comprised of the above-described apparatus1and means for automatically effecting the supply of a stick to the apparatus1and the removal of the stick from the apparatus1. Namely, the apparatus100has the apparatus frame2, the endless circulating body3, the hooks4, and the stick supporting means5, all of which are constructed substantially in the same way as those of the apparatus1. In addition, the apparatus100has a stick transferring means101for transferring the stick7toward and away from the stick supporting means5, a stick receiving means102for receiving the stick7discharged from the stick transferring means101and with the sausage6suspended therefrom, and a stick supplying means103for supplying the sticks7one by one onto the stick transferring means101.

Referring toFIG. 14, the stick placing surface10A of each stick supporting member10of the stick supporting means5is provided at a position located at a distance substantially corresponding to the suspended length SS of the link6B2of the sausage6from the bottom portion4C1of the hook4. Consequently, the arrangement provided is such that the stick7on the stick placing surface10A and a twisted portion6A2are disposed below the bottom portion4C1at substantially the same distance therefrom. However, the heightwise position where the stick7is disposed with respect to the twisted portion6A2may be either higher or lower than the twisted portion6A2. In essence, it suffices if the stick7is disposed at such a position that it is capable of reliably retaining the twisted portion6A2while moving in the direction of arrow RA in the process of delivery of the sausage6onto the stick7, which will be described later.

Referring toFIGS. 15 to 17, the stick transferring means101includes a stick reciprocally transferring means104consisting of a pair of elongated plate-like arms (hereafter, the stick reciprocally transferring means104will be referred to as the arm104), on each of which are provided a removed-stick holding means108for holding a removed stick7-1, i.e., the stick7which has been transferred and received from the stick supporting members10-1and10-4, and a supply-stick holding means109for holding a supply stick7-2, which is the stick7to be supplied onto the stick supporting members10-1and10-4; a stick-reciprocally-transferring-means driving means107for reciprocating each arm104between a lowered end position V and a raised end position VI of the arm104by advancing or retracting (in the direction of arrow RA or in the direction of arrow RB) each arm104with respect to each stick supporting member10-1or10-4; and a stick moving means110for moving the removed stick7-1held by the removed-stick holding means108in the moving direction of the hooks4(in the direction of arrow B) along the longitudinal axis X of the stick7-1.

The stick reciprocally transferring means104specifically consist of a front arm105and a rear arm106which are provided in parallel to each other in such a manner as to extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis X of the stick7(FIG. 17). The front arm105and the rear arm106are positioned with respect to the stick7on the stick supporting members10-1and10-4so as to hold the front portion7A and the rear portion7B, respectively, of the stick7. The front arm105and the rear arm106are respectively mounted on a pair of actuating bases112of the stick reciprocally transferring means driving means107, which will be described later, in such a manner as to be inclined toward the stick supporting members10-1and10-4at an angle of inclination □ with respect to a vertical line V, i.e., at 45 degrees in this embodiment (FIG. 13).

The removed-stick holding means108is constituted by a recessed portion108A formed in a front portion104A of the arm104. The recessed portion108A has a stick placing surface108A1which comes into contact with the stick7on the stick supporting members10-1and10-4and receives the stick7(7-1) to place it thereon. The stick placing surface108A1includes a top portion108A2for preventing the backward movement of the stick7-1in the direction of arrow RB, and extends in the direction of arrow RA (FIG. 15). The recessed portions108A are formed in the front arm105and the rear arm106so as to hold the front portion7A and the rear portion7B, respectively, of the stick7-1.

The supply-stick holding means109is constituted by a recessed portion109A formed on the arm104at a position a distance R rearwardly (in the direction of arrow RB) apart from the removed-stick holding means108. The recessed portion109A has a stick placing surface109A1which is set on standby at a stick supplying position VII for receiving the stick7-2from the stick supplying means103to place it thereon. The stick placing surface109A1includes a top portion109A2for preventing the backward movement of the stick7-2in the direction of arrow RB, and extends towards the top portion108A2of the recessed portion108A (FIG. 15). The recessed portions109A are formed in the front arm105and the rear arm106so as to hold the front portion7A and the rear portion7B, respectively, of the stick7-2.

The stick-reciprocally-transferring-means driving means107includes a pair of known rodless cylinders111which are provided in parallel to each other in such a manner as to extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis X of the stick7supported on the stick supporting members10-1and10-4(FIG. 17). The rodless cylinder111has the actuating base112which linearly reciprocates in the directions of arrows RA and RB. The rodless cylinder111is mounted on the apparatus frame2at a position below the stick supporting members10in such a manner as to be inclined toward the stick supporting members10-1and10-4at the angle of inclination α (FIG. 13). As the pair of actuating bases112advance in the direction of arrow RA, the stick-reciprocally-transferring-means driving means107causes the front arm105and the rear arm106respectively secured to the actuating bases112to abut against the front portion7A and the rear portion7B, respectively, of the stick7on the stick supporting members10-1and10-4from diagonally below.

The stick moving means110has a cam member113on which is formed a sliding-guiding surface113A for sliding and guiding the rear end7E of the removed stick7-1which is moved diagonally upward in the direction of arrow RA. The cam member113is fixed to one of a pair of brackets114provided uprightly on the apparatus frame2, such that the sliding-guiding surface113A extends in the direction of arrow RA from a position below the stick receiving means102toward the stick receiving means102, and such that the sliding-guiding surface113A is inclined with respect to the hook advancing direction (direction of arrow B) (FIGS. 13 and 17). At the time of delivering the sausage6from the hooks4onto the stick7-1, the stick moving means110moves the stick7-1held by the removed-stick holding means108in the moving direction of the hooks. Consequently, the twisted portion6A1lifted up by the stick7-1easily moves along the projecting portion4C2of the hook4in the direction of arrow Y (FIG. 7), and is disengaged from the projecting portion4C2.

The stick receiving means102is disposed in the vicinity of the raised end position VI which is the forward end position of the arm104, and has a pair of stick receiving stands115for receiving the removed stick7-1discharged from the removed-stick holding means108which reached the raised end position VI by moving beyond the stick supporting members10(FIG. 16). The stick receiving stands115are formed by angular members respectively having stick placing surfaces115A and115B for placing the front portion7A and the rear portion7B of the removed stick7-1, and are fixed to the brackets114in such a manner as to oppose each other as a pair (FIG. 17).

The stick supplying means103shown inFIGS. 12,13, and16has a sticks accommodating section116for accommodating the plurality of sticks7arranged in parallel with respect to the stick7supported by the stick supporting members10-1and10-4, as well as an accommodated-stick moving means117for moving the sticks7one by one laterally of the stick7in the direction of arrow RC. The accommodated-stick moving means117moves one stick7located at a moving end portion116A of the sticks accommodating section116to the supply-stick holding means109of each arm104. The accommodated-stick moving means117in this embodiment is formed by an inclined surface118. However, the accommodated-stick moving means117may be constructed such that the sticks7are moved one by one in the direction of arrow RC by a known belt or chain.

The apparatus100operates as follows. Referring toFIGS. 11 and 12, the stick7has already been supplied onto the stick supporting means5, and the front portion7A and the rear portion7B of the stick7are supported by the stick supporting members10-1and10-4. The endless circulating body3starts the horizontally circulating movement in the direction of arrow A and in the direction of arrow B, forms the sausage6into the loops6C, suspends them from the hooks4, moves the loops6C into the region of the stick7, and thereby allows the stick7to be inserted into the loops6C, and the movement of the endless circulating body3is then stopped. This operation is the same as with the apparatus1.

Referring toFIGS. 13 to 16, a single stick7is moved from the sticks accommodating section116in the direction of arrow RC to move it to the recessed portions109A. When the supply stick7-2is delivered to the recessed portions109A, the rodless cylinders111are actuated. The arms104at the lowered end position V advance toward the stick supporting members10-1and10-4in the direction of arrow RA.

The recessed portions108A abut against the stick7supported on the stick supporting members10-1and10-4, transferring the stick7from the stick supporting members10-1and10-4onto the recessed portions108A. Each arm104, while holding the removed stick7-1, moves diagonally upward in the direction of arrow RA, and causes the removed stick7-1to abut against an inner side6D of the sausage6. The removed stick7-1moves diagonally upward while pushing up the link6B2, and retains the twisted portion6A2. Since the removed stick7-1after retaining the twisted portion6A2continues to be raised, the twisted portion6A1is dislocated from the projecting portion4C2, thereby delivering the sausage6onto the stick7-1. Since the multiplicity of other stick supporting members10excluding the stick supporting members10-1and10-4are at the lowered end position IV, the timing when the loops6C move away from these stick supporting members10takes place early, with the result that the delivery of the loops6C onto the stick7is made further reliable.

When each arm104rises to the position where the loop6C is delivered onto the stick7-1, the recessed portion109A reaches the vicinity of the position at which the supply stick7-2is caused to abut against the stick supporting members10. As each arm104continues to move diagonally upward, the supply stick7-2moves beyond the stick supporting members10while causing the stick supporting members10located at the stick supporting position III and the lowered end position IV to rotate upward in the direction of arrow G. Then, the stick supporting members10rotate downward (in the direction of arrow H) to return to the stick supporting position III and the lowered end position IV.

When the arms104reach the raised end position VI, the removed stick7-1with the sausage6suspended therefrom is discharged from the recessed portions108A in the direction of arrow RD at the raised end position VI, and is delivered onto the stick receiving stands115. The discharge of the removed stick7-1from the stick receiving stands115may be effected by an appropriate method or means, e.g., manually or by a robot.

When the removed stick7-1with the sausage6suspended therefrom is removed from the arms104, the arms104start to retract in the direction of arrow RB, and the recessed portions109A are lowered toward the stick supporting members10-1and10-4. The supply stick7-2held in the recessed portions109A, when thus lowered, abuts against the stick placing surfaces10A, and as the arms104are subsequently lowered, the supply stick7-2is delivered onto the stick placing surfaces10A. Thus an ensuing stick7for suspending the ensuing sausage6is supplied onto the stick supporting members10-1and10-4. The recessed portions108A and the recessed portions109A are lowered beyond the stick supporting members10, and when the recessed portions109A reach the stick supplying position VII, the arms104stop lowering.

FIG. 18denotes an apparatus200in accordance with another embodiment having a stick transferring means201and a stick supplying means120. The stick transferring means201of this apparatus200has a substantially identical construction to that of the stick transferring means101of the above-described apparatus100excluding a stick reciprocally transferring means (a pair of arms)202and a removed-stick holding means203provided in each arm202. The stick transferring means201has the pair of arms202, the pair of removed-stick holding means203, a pair of supply-stick holding means204, and a pair of stick discharging means205.

The removed-stick holding means203and the supply-stick holding means204are provided on each arm202and are spaced apart at a distance R1therebetween. The removed-stick holding means203has a stick holding hook206attached rotatably to a front portion202A of the arm202. The stick holding hook206has a hook shape, and has a stick placing surface206A for holding the stick7. The stick holding hooks206are disposed as a pair in such a manner as to oppose each other in the longitudinal direction of the stick7, and are adapted to hold the front portion7A and the rear portion7B of the removed stick7-1. The supply-stick holding means204is constituted by a recessed portion207A having a stick placing surface207A1, and its construction and action are substantially identical to those of the recessed portion109A of the apparatus100. The recessed portion207A of the arm202at the lowered end position V is positioned a distance T rearwardly of the stick supplying position VII of the stick supplying means120which will be described later.

The stick discharging means205has a rotationally driving member208constituted by a cam member for rotating the stick holding hook206in the direction of arrow0. The rotationally driving member208is subjected to abutment by the stick holding hook206which rises in the direction of arrow RA, so as to rotate the stick holding hook206. The stick holding hook206abuts against the rotationally driving member208at the raised end position VI and thereby rotates in the direction of arrow0, discharging the removed stick7-1on the stick placing surface206A toward the stick receiving stand115in the direction of arrow U.

The stick supplying means120differs from the above-described stick supplying means103in that it has a supply-stick receiving member121. The supply-stick receiving member121is disposed on a downstream side, as viewed in the stick moving direction (in the direction of arrow RC), of and adjacent to the moving end portion116A of the sticks accommodating section116. The stick supplying means120has a V-shaped supply-stick receiving surface121A for receiving, positioning, and supporting the single stick7, i.e., the supply stick7-2, which has been moved from the stick accommodating section116laterally of the stick7. The recessed portions207A which move diagonally upward in the direction of arrow RA receive the supply stick7-2by abutting against the supply stick7-2on the supply-stick receiving members121, and continue rising toward the stick supporting members10-1and10-4while holding the supply stick7-2.

With the apparatus200having the stick supplying means120, since the interval R1between the stick placing surface206A and the recessed portion207A can be made large, in a case where the loops6C whose suspended length S is long are suspended from the removed stick7-1, the arms202make it possible to complete the transfer of the loops6C onto the removed stick7-1without causing the supply stick7-2to abut against the loops6C.

InFIGS. 19 and 20, an apparatus300is different from the apparatus1in that the stick supporting members10are provided on the second endless circulating body that is disposed below the endless circulating body3. The apparatus300includes the endless circulating body3put around the first rotational axis3A and the second rotational axis3B spaced from the first rotational axis3A by the distance E, the stick supporting means5, hooks301provided on the endless circulating body3, and the second endless circulating body30.

The stick supporting means5includes a stick rear-portion supporting means8having a rear portion cam member14-1serving as a stick rear-portion supporting member actuating means11-1and a stick front portion supporting means9having a front portion cam member15-1serving as a stick front portion supporting member actuating means12-1. The rear and front portion cam members14-1and15-1have sliding guiding surfaces14-1A and15-1A, respectively, for guiding the rear portion10B of a stick supporting member10such that the stick supporting member10swings between the stick supporting position III and the lowered end position IV on a perpendicular line. The stick supporting members10are disposed below the hook portions301C of hooks301. The second endless circulating body302is put around a third rotational axis302A and a fourth rotational axis302B spaced from the third rotational axis302A.

It further includes sprockets303and304disposed on the third and fourth rotational axes302A and302B, respectively, arms305attached to the second endless circulating body302with a predetermined pitch P, shafts306fixed to the arms305to support the stick supporting members10for rotation, a drive shaft302AA to which a sprocket3A1and sprocket303are fixed, a bearing body308for the drive shaft302AA, a motor309attached to the apparatus frame2for driving the drive shaft302AA, and an idler shaft302BB to which a sprocket3B1and a sprocket304are fixed. The third and fourth rotational axes302A and302B are concentric with the first and second rotational axes3A and3B, respectively.

The stick support members10are attached to the second endless circulating body302via the arms305for rotation and, as the stick supporting members10of the apparatus1, moved by the rear portion cam member14-1and the front portion cam member15-1and down in the directions of arrows G and H between the stick supporting positions III and the lowered end position IV. The endless circulating body3and the second endless circulating body302are driven by the drive shaft302AA for synchronous circulation. There is provided a space SP between the hook301and the stick supporting member10so that it is easy to process the end of the loop6C.

InFIG. 21, an apparatus350is different from the apparatus300in that the stick supporting means5is replaced by a stick supporting means40. the stick supporting means40includes the stick rear portion supporting means8and a stick front portion supporting means50to support the rear portion7B of the stick with the stick supporting members10and the front portion7A with the stick front portion supporting means50while not support the intermediate portion7C. The stick supporting members10are spaced from the rear portion7B of the stick so that it is easy to grasp the stick7with the hand where the worker lifts the stick7from the stick supporting members10.

InFIGS. 22 and 23, an apparatus400is different from the apparatus350in that a fourth rotational axis is disposed between the first and second rotational axes3A and3B. The apparatus400includes a second endless circulating body402put around the third rotation axis402A concentric with the first rotation axis3A and the fourth rotation axis402B disposed at a position spaced from the third rotational axis402A by a distance E1, and a driving shaft402AA, and sprockets403and404disposed on the third and fourth rotational axes402A and402B, respectively, and an idler shaft402BB fixed to the apparatus frame2, to which sprockets404is provided. The stick supporting members10are lowered by the rear cam members14in the H direction with respect to the stick7such that the stick supporting members10are removed from the loops6C of the sausage6and then rotated about the fourth rotation axis402B. In this way, the apparatus400includes the second endless circulating body402having the moving path402-1that is different from the moving path3-1of the endless circulating body3. Thus, the apparatus400enables to reduce the number of the stick supporting members10more than the apparatus300.

InFIGS. 24 and 25, an apparatus450is different from the apparatus300in that the third rotational axis is disposed between the first and second rotational axes3A and3B. The apparatus450includes the second endless circulating body452put around the fourth rotational axis452B which is concentric with the second rotational axis3B and the third rotational axis452A disposed at a position spaced from the fourth rotational axis452B by a distance E2, an idler shaft452AA, a driving shaft452BB, and sprockets453and454disposed on the third and fourth rotational axes452A and452B, respectively. The apparatus450also enables to reduce the number of the stick supporting members10. Also, it has no stick supporting members10circulating between the first and third rotational axes3A and452A so that it is easy to process the end of sausage6.

InFIGS. 26-29, an apparatus500is different from the apparatus300in that the third and fourth rotational axes are disposed between the first and second rotational axes3A and3B. The apparatus500includes the second endless circulating body502put around the third rotational axis502A disposed at a position spaced from the first rotational axis3A by a distance E3and the fourth rotational axis502B spaced from the third rotational axis502A by a distance E4, and sprockets503and504disposed on the third and fourth rotational axes502A and502B, respectively. The fourth rotational axis502B is spaced from the second rotational axis3B by a distance E5. Further, it includes a bracket506attached to the apparatus frame2, to which the rear portion cam member14-1, an idler shaft502AA for a sprocket503, and a motor base505are fixed, and a motor507for driving the second endless circulating body502, which has a shaft507A to which a sprocket504is fixed.

The apparatus500is different from the apparatus300in that the stick supporting means5is replaced by a stick supporting means60. The stick supporting means60includes the stick rear portion supporting means8and a stick front portion supporting means61. The rear portion cam member14-1of the stick rear portion supporting means8raises the lowered stick supporting members10, which are moving in the direction of arrow B in the region Z along the longitudinal axis X of the stick7, toward the rear portion7B and then lowers them that are moving in the region Z. Thus, the stick supporting members10enter between the loops6C while moving along the longitudinal axis X of the stick7and come out of the loops6C. Consequently, it is prevented that the stick supporting members10hook the loops6C when they are turned into the region Z by rotation about the third rotational axis502A in the direction of arrow BB or from the region Z by rotation about the fourth rotational axis502B in the direction of arrow CC.

As shown inFIG. 29, the stick front portion supporting means61can be used with a stick transferring means101. The stick front portion supporting means61includes a stick front portion supporting member62for supporting the front portion7A of the stick7, a shaft63for supporting the stick front portion supporting member62for swinging motion in the directions of arrows G and H, a spring65for abutting the stick front portion supporting member62against the stopper64, and a bracket66fixed to the apparatus frame2, to which the shaft63, the stopper64, and the spring65are attached and against which the front end7D of the stick7abuts. The stick front portion supporting member62raised by the supply stick7-2is quickly returned by the spring65to the stick supporting position III.

Another stick front portion supporting means70, which can be used with the stick transferring means101, will be described with reference toFIGS. 30 and 31. The stick front portion supporting means70includes a stick front portion supporting member71, a stick front portion supporting member swinging means72, e.g., rotary actuator73, and a bracket74fixed to the apparatus frame2, to which the means72is attached. The stick front portion supporting member71has a stick placing section75with a stick placing surface75A, and a stick stopper76for abutment against the front end7D of the stick7to stop movement of the stick7in the hook moving direction (arrow B direction). The stick stopper76is fixed to the rotational shaft73of the rotary actuator73. The rotary actuator73rotates in the directions of arrows G and H to raise the stick front portion supporting member71to the upper position VIII before passage of the supply stick7-2and then lower it to the stick supporting position III after the passage of the removed stick7-2. The means72returns the stick front portion supporting member71to the stick supporting position III so quickly that it is possible to shorten the stick supply cycle in the same way as the stick front portion supporting means61.

InFIGS. 32-38, an apparatus600is made up by adding a stick supply means601, a stick transferring means602, a loop retaining force increasing means603, and a stick receiving means102to the apparatus500and replacing the stick supporting means40instead of the stick supporting means60.

InFIGS. 32-34, the stick supply means601includes a stick stock section604for stocking a plurality of sticks7above the endless circulating body3, a stick guide section605extending downward from the stick stock section604in the direction of arrow W to support the sticks7taken out of the stick stock section604, and a stick separation mechanism606provided above the stick guide section605to separate each of the sticks7disposed on the stick guide section605. Since the stick supply means601is disposed above the endless circulating body3, it is possible to make the apparatus smaller in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of the stick.

InFIG. 35, the stick transferring means602includes a stick reciprocally transferring means607having a supplied stick holding means608and a removed stick holding means203, a stick reciprocally transferring means driving means107for reciprocating the stick reciprocally transferring means607between the lower end position V and the upper end position VI, and the stick discharging means205. The stick reciprocally transferring means607is composed of a pair of a front transferring member607A and a rear transferring member607B provided in parallel to each other in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of the stick7supported by the stick supporting means40. The supplied stick holding means608has a pair of recesses608A formed on the front and rear transferring members607A and607B. The recesses608A are spaced rearward from the removed stick holding means203by a distance R2so as to receive the stick from the stick supply means601while the stick transferring means607rests at the upper end position VI.

When the discharged stick7-1is discharged to the stick receiving stand115of the stick receiving means102at the raised end position VI, the supplied stick7-2sliding down in the direction of arrow W is transferred from the stick guide section605to the recesses608A. As shown inFIG. 36, the stick reciprocally transferring means607retreats from the raised end position VI in the direction of arrow RB, and the supplied stick7-2on the recesses608A abuts against and received by the stick placing surfaces10A and51A.

In the apparatus600, the stick7is supplied to the supplied stick holding means608of the stick reciprocally transferring means607which is raised, i.e., advanced beyond the stick supporting member10and the stick front portion supporting member55, and transferred to the stick supporting member10and the stick front portion supporting member55from the supplied stick holding means608which is lowered, i.e., retreated beyond the stick supporting member10and the stick front portion supporting member55. When the stick reciprocally transferring means607is raised (in the direction of arrow RA), since the stick reciprocally transferring means607does not transfer the stick7, the loops6C suspended from the stick7does not come into contact with the supplied stick7-2. Consequently, the distance R2is set smaller than the distance R of the apparatus10and the distance R1of the apparatus200so that it is possible to make the raising and lowering strokes of the stick reciprocally transferring means607shorter than those of the apparatus200and300.

As best shown inFIG. 35, the stick reciprocally transferring means607is disposed such that the rear transferring member607B is raised and lowered in the moving path XX adjacent to the third rotational axis502A between the first rotational axis3A and the third rotational axis502A along the longitudinal axis X of the stick7and the front transferring member607A is raised and lowered in the moving path YY adjacent to the stick front portion supporting member55between the second rotational axis3B and the fourth rotational axis502B in the longitudinal axis X direction of the stick7.

Since the front and rear transferring members607A and607B are raised and lowered outside of the moving region MR of the stick supporting member10of the stick rear portion supporting means8as shown inFIGS. 35 and 36, it is not necessary to stop the endless circulating body3and the second endless circulating body502when the stick reciprocally transferring means607is operated. As a result, it is possible to simultaneously form the loop6C-2of the sausage6and automatically transfer, to the stick7-2, the loop6C-1that has been formed (FIG. 32).

InFIGS. 32-34and37, the loop retaining force increasing means603assures removal from the hook301of the loop6C with a link6B having a filling diameter d much larger than the space ZZ of adjacent hooks301(FIG. 34). The loop retaining force increasing means603has a pressure portion610and a loop pressing member609with a connection section611.

The pressure portion610extends in the arranging direction of hooks301(direction of arrow B) and spaced from the hooks301by a distance TT, and engages the loop6C-1suspended from the stick7that moving upward between the hook3-1and the loop pressing member609. The connection section611has a vertical portion611A and a horizontal portion611B and is formed integrally with the pressure portion610to connect the pressure portion610to the bracket612which is fixed to the apparatus frame2via the stick receiving means102. Since the horizontal portion611B is disposed below the pressure portion610, the stick reciprocally transferring means607can pass through positions adjacent to opposite ends610A and610B of the pressure portion610. The loop pressing member609is composed of the pressure portion610formed as a rod, but it is understood that the loop pressing member may take other shapes. For example, it may be a rectangular body made up of plate member having the pressure portion610and the vertical portion611A as two sides.

As shown inFIG. 38, when the link6B having a large filling diameter d hardly passes through between the hooks301in the raising process of the removed stick7-1by the stick reciprocally transferring means607, the stick7-1, which engages with the twisted portion6A2to pull the loop6C, is disengaged with the twisted portion6A2and raised upward. To prevent this, as shown inFIG. 37, the pressure portion610is disposed at a height SH lower than the height CH of the discharged stick7-1at which it moves upward, pushing up the link6B2and engages with the twisted portion6A2so that it is possible to keep the angles γ of the rear and front links6B2and6B3with respect to the discharged stick7-1within a predetermined range. Thus, the upward movement of the discharged stick7-1removes the loop6C from the hook301without failure.

As best shown inFIG. 33, the loop pressing member609is fixed in a stationary state to the apparatus frame2spaced from the hook portions by a constant distance TT. It may be made to escape from the loops6C at an appropriate time such that the loops6C transferred to the stick7readily pass over the loop pressing member609. For example, the loop pressing member609may be rotated about the horizontal portion611B in the direction of arrow AR or lowered in the direction of arrow AD. According to changes in the size of the link6B or loop6C, the position at which the loop pressing member609is attached to the apparatus frame2may be changed to change the height SH or the distance TT (FIG. 37). If necessary, in association with the upward movement (in the direction of arrow RA) of the removed stick7-1, the loop pressing member609may be rotated in the direction of arrow AQ at an appropriate time so as to increase the loop retaining force.

FIG. 39shows an apparatus650including a stick transferring means with a stick holding means able to work as both the discharged and supplied stick holding means. The apparatus650includes a stick transferring means651, a stick discharging means652, and a stick receiving means653.

The stick transferring means651has a stick reciprocally transferring means654with a stick holding means655. The stick reciprocally transferring means654has a pair of front and rear transferring members654A and654B arranged in parallel in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of the stick7on the stick supporting means60. The stick holding means655is composed of a pair of recesses655A formed on the stick reciprocally transferring means654. After the discharged stick7-1is discharged from the recesses655, the stick holding means655receives on the recesses655A the supplied stick7-2slid down from the stick supply means601in the W direction. Similarly to the supplied stick holding means608, the stick holding means655is lowered beyond the stick supporting member10and the stick front portion supporting member55to transfer the stick7-2to the stick supporting member10and the stick front portion supporting member55.

The stick discharging means652has a pair of arms formed as plate shaped rod members656spaced along the longitudinal axis X for discharging the discharged stick7-1from the stick holding means655to the stick receiving means653while the stick reciprocally transferring means654rests at the raised end position VI. The arms656rotate in the direction of arrow QQ to pick up the front and rear portions7A and7B of the discharged stick7-1so that the discharged stick7-1slides on the arms656toward the stick receiving means653.

The stick receiving means653has a stick receiving stand657for supporting a plurality of discharged sticks7-1for stock. The stick receiving stand657supports the front and rear portions7A and7B of a stick in the same manner as the stick receiving stand115.

FIG. 40shows an apparatus700which includes the second endless circulating body702put around the third rotational axis702A and the fourth rotational axis702B spaced from the third rotational axis702A by a distance E7. The third and fourth rotational axes702A and702B are shifted toward the stick supporting means40by a distance E8with respect to the first and second rotational axes3A and3B. The stick supporting members10of this apparatus are rotatably attached to arms705shorter than the arms305of the above apparatus. The distance E9between the third rotational axis702A and the rear transferring member607B in the passing path XX is smaller than that of the apparatus600so that the stick supporting member10can support the stick7in the rear portion7B at a position closer to the rear end7E than before.

In the apparatus600and700, the third rotational axes502A and702A and the fourth rotational axes502B and702B are disposed closer to the passing path XX between the passing path XX and the second rotational axis3B but, in this invention, the third and fourth axes may be disposed closer to the passing path XX between the passing path XX and the first rotational axis3A along the longitudinal axis X of the stick7such that the stick supporting member10supports the rear portion7B of the stick7.

In the apparatus100, the front and rear arms105and106serving as the front and rear transferring members hold the front and rear portions7A and7B of a stick7, respectively, and, in the apparatuses600and700, the front transferring member607A holds the vicinity of the front portion7A of a stick7and the rear transferring member607B holds the rear portion7B of a stick. In this invention, however, the position at which the stick reciprocally transferring means supports a stick is not specified. As long as the stick is discharged from the stick supporting members stably, it is possible for the stick reciprocally transferring means to support the stick at any two locations of the stick. If necessary, it is possible to support the stick at three or more locations. According to the invention, the stick reciprocally transferring means include at least one pair of arms as serving as stick transferring members.

In the above apparatuses1through700, the endless circulating body3is disposed on a substantially horizontal plane HP, but an apparatus that the endless circulating body3is disposed on a substantially vertical plane VP will be described with reference toFIGS. 41 and 42. The apparatus800is different from the apparatuses1through700in that the endless circulating body3disposed on a substantially vertical plane VP is disposed above the second endless circulating body502. The apparatus800includes the first and second rotational axes3A and3B horizontally disposed on the substantially horizontal plane HP, the endless circulating body3put around the first and second rotational axes3A and3B for moving in directions of arrows A and B, hooks801with hook portions801C for suspending a sausage, and a stick supporting means60having the second endless circulating body502. The endless circulating body3, the first and second rotational axes3A and3B, and the hooks801of the apparatus800may be the chain112, the rotating horizontal shaft115and116, and the hook111of U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,186, respectively.

The endless circulating body3and the second endless circulating body302,404,452,502,602, and702of the apparatus1through800may be a chain, a belt, or a well-known transfer means, and the element around which the transfer means is put may be a sprocket, a pulley, or a well-known transfer rotational body.