A NET STOCKING ASSEMBLAGE, A METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE ASSEMBLAGE, AND APPARATUS FOR CARRYING OUT THE METHOD

Abstract: A net stocking assemblage comprises a length of net stocking which is taken from a net stocking web having a length dimension which is many times greater than its width dimension and from which, such as when packaging meat, a suitable length of net stocking is separated and sealed at both ends thereof, and from which lengths of net stocking are successively removed. The assemblage is characterized in that net stocking (1) is combined with a tubular body (4) to form a cassette or cartridge (3), a pre-pack, in which the tubular body is encased by the length of net stocking. The invention also relates to a method and apparatus for producing an assemblage according to the invention.

Description: A net stocking assemblage, a method for producing the assemblage, and apparatus for carrying out the method The present invention relates to a net stocking assemblage from net stocking material which has a length that is many times greater than its width and which is intended to be separated in to suitable stock¬ ing lengths, which are subsequently sealed at both ends thereof, the net stocking being intended to provide a large multiple of successive¬ ly separated stocking lengths. The invention also relates to a method for producing a net stocking assemblage, and to apparatus for carrying out the method. Net stockings of the kind intended here are used, inter alia, for pack- agi.ngr i meat, such as large pieces of pork cutlet, primarily on an in- dustrial scale. The net stocking is fitted onto a steel tube or like mandrel through which the meat is continuously passed. Subsequent to filling a suttbale length of stocking, the stocking is drawn from the tube such as to enclose the meat, whereafter the stocking is cut and the ends of the stocking length sealed in a suitable manner. The task of fitting net stocking to the aforesaid tube or mandrel Is en¬ cumbered with serious problems. For example, the task is extremely time consuming and is difficult to carry out effectively with regard, Inter alia, to fitting the stocking onto and drawing the stocking along the cy¬ lindrical mandrel. These problems are solved by 'means of a net stocking assemblage according to the invention. The invention also provides a method and apparatus for producing the Inventive net stocking assemblage. Thus, the present invention relates to a net stocking assemblage compris¬ ing a length of net stocking the length dimension of which is greater than the width dimension thereof, and which, such as when packaging meat, Is taken from a net stocking web of considerable length and sealed at both ends thereof, and in which the net stocking web is intended to pro- vide successively a plurality of such separated stocking lengths. The net stocking assemblage Is especially characterized in that the net stock¬ ing Is fitted onto a tubular body such as to form a cassette, a pre-pack, with the tubular body encased by the net stocking. The invention also relates to a method for producing a net stocking as- se blagein which the length dimension of the stocking is many times greater than its width dimension and in which, such as when packaging meat, a suitable length of stocking is separated from a net stocking web and sealed at both its ends, and In which the net stocking web Is Intended to provide successively a multiple of such separated stocking lengths. The method is characterized by fitting the net stocking onto and around a tubular body such as to form a cassette or cartridge, a pre-pack, with the tubular body enclosed by the net stocking. Further, the invention relates to an apparatus for producing a net stock- ϊng assemblage comprising net stocking having a length dimension which is many times greater than its width dimension and in which such as when packaging meat, said net stocking length Is separated from a net stock¬ ing web and sealed at both ends thereof, said net stocking web being in¬ tended to provide a multiple of such successively separated stocking lengths. The apparatus is characterized by devices for combining net stocking with a tubular body such as to form a cassette, a pre-pack, in which the tubular body is encased by a net stocking length, and by de¬ vices for fitting the net stocking onto and around the tubular body. An exemplifying embodiment of the invention will now be described In more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates schematically a first embodiment of net-stocking entraining and fitting means, said means being arranged on a partially illustrated carrier device I k and being shown in the entraining or dogging direction, Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line A-A in Figure 1, Figure 3 Is a schematically illustrated side view of a first embodiment of a drum according to the invention, Figure k illustrates schematically a first embodiment of apparatus for carrying out the method according to the Invention, Figure 5 Is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a first embodiment of a cassette according to the Invention, Figure 6 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of part of an arrange¬ ment for packing meat when using a cassette according to the invention, and Figure 7 illustrates schematically an assemblage comprising meat packaged in a length of net stocking. In Figure h the reference 1 designates a net stocking web which has a length that Is many times greater than Its width and from which, when used to package meat 2 as i 1 lustrated .schematical ly in Figures 6 and 7 » there is cut a suitable stocking-length 1' which is subsequently sealed at both ends 1" thereof, the net stocking web being intended to provide a plurality of successively separated stocking lengths I 1 . The apparatus illustrated In Figure k for producing a net stocking assemb lage is supplied with net stocking from a magazine not shown. The maga- zine may consist of a reel on which the net stocking web is wound in mu¬ tually superimposed turns, such that the longitudinal axis of the stock¬ ing web extends in the peripheral direction of the reel. The apparatus is intended to form a cassette or cartridge 3, a pre-pack, Figures k, 5 and 6, which comprises a length of net stocking 1 applied to a separate tubular body k , such as a hollow paper or plastics cylin¬ der, such that the tubular member k is enclosed by the net stocking. A device Is provided for fitting the stocking to the tubular body. In the, embodiment illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and k, the stocking-fitting de¬ vice is referenced 5 and is arranged to co-act with the stocking material at several locations around the periphery of the stocking, and is arrang¬ ed to move reciprocatingly In the direction of the longitudinal axis of the net stocking as illustrated by the arrow 6 in Figure 1, although the magnitude of this reciprocating movement is not explicitly shown. The illustrated stocking-fitting device is intended to hook into the stocking material as the device 5 Is moved towards a region in which a length of stocking has previously been fitted to the tubular body, or some corres¬ ponding region, i.e. in a downwards direction as seen in Figure , there¬ with to draw the stocking down and along the tubular member 4, and is drawn out of engagement with the stocking during the return movement of said device. The illustrated apparatus includes a drum-like member 8 which has grooves 7 extending therealong, parallel with the longitudinal axis of the drum, the stocking 1 being fitted over the drum in the manner shown. In this re¬ gard the stocking-fitting device 5 preferably comprises fingers, tongues, or like promontories which are inclined towards a region where stocking material has already been fitted, or towards some corresponding region, such that the stocking will slide off said promontories when the de¬ vice 5 Is moved away from.said region and such that said promontories will engage the stocking material when the device is moved towards said fitted region, each of said promontories incorporating an outfer..- part 5 1 which enters a respective groove 7 for guided co-action there¬ with. Figures 1-4 Illustrate a preferred embodiment of the drum-like member 8. The Illustrated drum-like member 8 has a well rounded leading end 9 at which the net stocking is introduced to the drum-like member. Locat- ed between the leading end 9 and a preferably substantially cylindrical feed section 10 of the drum, from which net stocking fitted to the drum 8 Is fed to the tubular body k by means of the device 5, Is a flared drum-section 11 which Is of substantially conical configuration and which widens towards the cylindrical drum-section 10. The ci rcumferen- tial dimension of the cylindrical feed-section of the drum is preferably greater than the circumferential dimension of the net stocking in Its re¬ laxed state, It being assumed that the net stocking Is sufficiently stretchable and elastic In this regard. The embodiment Illustrated in Figure h includes two drum-like members 8, which may extend vertically for example, and which enable two cassettes or cartridges 3 to be produced simultaneousl . Located adjacent the out¬ put end 12 of a drum-like member 8 Is a frame structure 13 which carries a tubular body k upon which a length of net stocking Is fitted by means of the stock!ng-fittϊng device 5, the device of the illustrated e bodi- ment being located on a carrier device 14 which is driven by a pneumati¬ cally or hydraul ical ly operated piston-cylinder device 15 for recipro¬ cating movement In the aforesaid manner. The method according to the invention and also the manner in which the illustrated apparatus operates will be apparent from the aforegoing. Thus, net stocking Is placed on a tubular body and then fitted, paoked, around the body so as to produce a cassetteor cartridge, a pre-pace. In the illustrated embodiment, the net stocking is fitted to the hollow bo¬ dy k through the intermediary of a drum-like body provided with grooves 7 which are bridged by the net fabric or the like of the stocking, where- with the devices 5 can be moved past the net fabric when the devices have an inclined surface S ' ~ in contact therewith, such that the net fab- ric slides off the devices 5, and wherewith the devices 5 hook into and entrain the fabric, since the configuration of the devices 5 pre¬ vent the net fabric from sliding off therefrom. The approximate po¬ sition of the net fabric 1'" has been shown in a dotted line in the 5 lower right hand quadrant of Figure 1, where parts of the net fabric extending peripherally around the drum-like member 8 has been shown. The cassette, the pre-pack, is intended to be arranged on said mandrel, through which the meat or other goods to be packagedare meant to be passed, as showfi in Figure 6. It is preferred that by means of primari- ly the devices 5 the net stocking already fitted on body k will be expanded in the circumferential direction to a certain extent at the part turned to the devices 5, more net stocking being added by means of a stroke by the devices 5. In this way the net stocking will be very compactly packed on the body. The net stocking will be arranged in se- veral concentric "layers". It will be evident from the aforegoing that the invention affords con¬ siderable advantages over prior art techniques. For example, the use of a cassette represents a considerable saving in time, while the method and apparatus for carrying out the method enable cassettes to be produced in a highly favourable- manner. The Invention has been described in the aforegoing mainly with refere- rence to one embodiiment thereof. It will be understood, however, that more than one embodiment of the invention is conceivable and that minor modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the in- ventive concept. For example, the tubular body need not have a substantially circular cross-section. The tubular body may be made of paper, plastics or metal for example. Furthermore, the number of peripherally arranged stocking-fitting de- vices 5 may vary within wide limits. For example the number of devices may be far fewer than the number illustrated in Figure 1. The purpose of the stocking-fitting devices may be achieved in several ways. For example, such devices may be arranged for movement in the radial direc¬ tion of the drum-like member, In which case the devices are moved to- wards the drum for hooking co-action with the stocking when being Inten¬ ded to dog and fit the stocking, and for movement out of contact with the stocking when the devices are moved away from a region in which stock¬ ing has already been fitted. With regard to the arrangement 13, 14, 15 for carrying a tubular body or bodies 4 and progressively fitting net stocking thereto, it will be understood that this arrangement may also be formed in several ways. In accordance with one embodiment there Is provided a stop device 16 against which the tubular body 4 supports and which in the initial stages of a stocking-fitting operation is located contiguous with the drum-like member 8, at which stage part of the tubular body extends in- to the drum-like member. Although not shown the support device can be displaced axrally away from the drum, against the action of a retarding force or some like retarding faci 11ty, "1 such that the supporting device will be moved stepwise away from the drum-like member under the force exerted by the drum-like member during a stocking fitting operation, during which the stocking is fitted progressively onto the tubular body 4. The invention is not restricted to the aforedescribed embodiments and modifications can be made within the scope ! o " f the following claims.

Claims: C l a ims 1. A net stocking assemblage comprising a length of net stockings the length dimension of which is greater than the width dimension thereof, and which, such as when packaging meat, is taken from a net stocking web of considerable length and sealed at both ends thereof, and in which the net stocking web is intended to provide successively a plurality of such separated stocking lengths, characterized in that the net stocking (1) is fitted onto a tubular body (4) such as to form a cassette (3), a pre-pack, with the tubular body encased by the net stocking (1). 2. An assemblage according to claim 1, characterized in that the net stocking (1) Is fitted around the body (4) by means of stocking-fitting devices (5) which co-act with the stocking at a multiple of locations peripherally therearound, and in that said devices are arranged for reciprocating movement in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said body. 3. An assemblage according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said tubular body is made of paper or a plastics material. 4. A method for producing a net stocking assemblage in which the length dimension of the stocking is many times greater than its width dimension and in which, such as when packaging meat, a sui.table length of stocking is separated from a net stocking web and sealed at both its ends, and In which the net stocking web is intended to provide successively a mul¬ tiple of such separated stocking lengths, characterized by fitting the net stocking onto and around a tubular body (4) such as to form a cassette or cartridge (3), a pre-pack, with the tubul-ar body enclosed by the net stocking. 5. A method according to claim 4, characterized by fitting the net stocking (1) onto and around the tubular body (4) by means of devices (5) which are arranged ci rcumferential ly around the net stocking and which are arranged to co-act with said stocking at a plurality of loca¬ tions around the circumference of the stocking and to move reciprocating- ly in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular body. 6. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that the devices (5) engage the net stocking (l) by hooking thereinto when said devices are moved in a direction towards a region in which net stockinghas al¬ ready been fitted, or some corresponding region, for stocking-dogging and stocking-fitting purposes, and in that said devices (5) are out of gripping and dogging engagement with the stocking when moved in the opposite direction. 7. A method according to claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the net stocking (1) Is fitted through the intermediary of a drum-like member (8) which Is provided with longitudinally extending grooves (7) over which the net stocking moves and which are substantially para lel with the longitudinal axis of the tub * :lar^body, said devices (5) consisting of fingers, tongues or like promontories which are inclined in a direc¬ tion towards a region where net stocking has already been fitted, such that the net stocking will slide off said devides when said devices move away from a fitted region and so that the devices will hook into the stocking when the devices are moved towards said fitted region, - SiStd devices co-acting with said grooves (7). 8. Apparatus for producing a net stocking assemblage comprising net . stocking having a length dimension which is many times greater than Its width dimension and in which such as when packaging meat, said net stocking length Is separated from a net stocking web and sealed at both ends thereof, said net stocking web being intended to provide a multiple of such successively separated stocking lengths, characterized by de¬ vices (5, 8, 13, 15) for combining net stocking (1) with a tubular body (4) such as to form a cassette (3), a pre-pack, in which the tubular bo- dy Is encased by a net stocking length, and by devices (5 . 8, 13, 15) for fitting the net stocking onto and around the tubular body. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized by devices (5) which are Intended to fit the net stocking (1) onto and around the tubular body (4) and which are Intended to co-act with the net stocking ata mul- tiple of locations circumferentlally around the stocking,and to move re- ciprocattngly Inthe direction of the longitudinal axis of the tubular body. 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 > characterized in that the devices (5) are arranged to engage the net stocking by hooking thereinto when said devices are moved in a direction towards a region in which the net stocking has already been fitted, or some corresponding region, for the purpose of dogging and fitting the net stocking, and in that said devices have a construction such as to prevent the devices from en¬ gaging the net stocking when moved in the opposite direction. 11. Apparatus according to claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized by a drum- 5 like body (8) which is provided with.longItudinal ly extending grooves (7), said grooves preferably extending parallel with the longitudinal axis of said tubular body, said drum-like body (8) serving as an in¬ termediary device for fitting said net stocking onto said tubular mem¬ ber. 10 12. Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the drum- like member (8) has a well rounded leading end (9) by means of which net stocking (1) is introduced onto the drum-like member; and in that a substantially conical drum section (11) extends from the leading end (9) of the drurl-like member and merges with a substantially cylindrical 5 stocking-feed section (1Q) of said drum-like member, said cylindrical drum section being intended to feed the net stocking onto said tubu¬ lar body (4), and in that the substantially cylindrical drum section ' (10) preferably has a circumferential dimension which pronouncedly ex- • ceeds the circumferential extension of the net stocking in the relaxed 0 state of said stocking. 13. Apparatus according to:.c1aim 9, 10, 11 or 12, characterized in that said stocking-fitting devices (5) comprise fingers, tongues or like promontories which are inclined in a direction towards a region in which net stocking has already been fitted, or a corresponding region; 5 and in that each such device (5) has an outer part (5 ') whixh engages a respective groove (7), such that. the net stocking will slide off said devices when said devices are moved away from a stocking-fitted region and will hook into the net stocking when said devices are moved In a direction towards said stocking-fitted region, said devices being intended to co-act with said grooves (7).

Inventors: PETTERSSON STIG, PETTERSSON SVEN, PETTERSSON, STIG, PETTERSSON, SVEN
Applicants: GRUNDSTENEN 39725 AB, AB GRUNDSTENEN 39725
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B65B9
IPC codes: B65B9