REEL WITH TWINE FOR MACHINE ABLE AUTOMATICALLY TO TIE AND KNOT MEAT PACKED IN CASINGS

Abstract: The reel makes it possible to avoid unwinding the twine by inertia in its phase of descent within the suitable guide housing. The two heads (2,2′) are square in shape and carry, in the vicinity of each vertex, a rolling element (3, 4, 5, 6 or 3′ , 4′ , 5′ , 6′). The hub, carrying the twine, in turn rotates on bearings with respect to the head (2, 2′). The unwound twine not having to be rewound, the speed of the machine can increase by 25-35%.

Description: This invention has as its object a reel with twine or the like for a machine able automatically to tie and knot meat packed in casings according the preamble of the claim. There is known from a previous Swiss patent of the same holder, a "Machine for automatically tying by twine or the like, with a knot, meat packed in casings" (patent CH No. 587. 610, filed October 29, 1975 corresponding FR patent No. 2, 297, 002), a machine comprising a reel with twine -- mobile in a large cylindrical guide housing during its phase of tying and knotting the meat packed in a casing -- which goes through the housing in an axial direction. A drawback in the use of said machine has been noted: the outside heads of the reel, which are circular, touching the inside walls of the housing during the phase of descent of the twine to resume its initial position after having made a knot, rotate by friction causing an undesirable unwinding of the twine from the reel, an unwinding that increases the lenght of the amount of twine that must be rewound before starting the making of a new knot. This leads to a considerable loss of time which lowers by 25-35% the working speed of the machine, with a serious loss at the end of a working day (consider that the machine can produce 32-50 knots the first minute!). The reel according to the invention completely eliminates said drawback. It is characterized in that each of the heads has a square or equivalent shape and carries in the vicinity of each vertex a rolling element touching the inside of the guide housing whereby avoiding unwinding of the twine by inertia in the phase of descent of the reel within the guide housing. The accompanying drawing represents: in figure 1, the perspective view of a reel according to the prior embodiment, exhibiting said drawbacks; in figure 2, the diagrammatic perspective view of a preferred nonlimiting, nonbinding embodiment according to the invention; in figure 3, the axial section of the reel of figure 2; in figure 4, the lateral view of the reel of figure 3. With reference to figure 1: the reel, of known type, comprises two circular heads A and B, connected by hub C to two walls as B′ connected together by rolling elements D. The drawback presented by said reel consists in the fact that in the phase of descent of the reel itself within its cylindrical guide housing (not represented), flanges A and B, touching the inside walls of said housing, are put in rotation. In addition, inside part C with B′ carrying the twine, either by the frictions of rolling elements D or by the inertia of inside part C with B′, is put into rotation so as to unwind the twine, which is lengthened by a certain amount, causing a discrete loss of time to rewind it at the beginning of a new knot. On the other hand, the reel according to the invention exhibits (figure 2, 3, and 4) two heads 2, 2′ (figure 2), square in shape, and carrying in the vicinity of each vertex a rolling element 3, 4, 5, 6, or 3′, 4′, 5′, 6′. Thanks to this configuration, rotation of the two heads 2, 2′ by friction along the inside walls is prevented. Bearings 8 and 9, placed between hub 7 and the two flanges 2, 2′, thus allow the rotation of hub 7, carrying the twine (not represented), only when a knot is made, and not accidentally. The speed of the machine, on which the reel is mounted, according to the invention can therefore be increased considerably as indicated above. The shape of the various parts constituting the reel can vary in line with what is claimed, without going outside the scope of protection of the patent.

Claims: Reel with twine or the like for a machine able automatically to tie and knot meat packed in casings, comprising two heads (2,2′) connected by a hub (7) rotatable on bearings with respect to the heads (2,2′) the reel being movable in a cylindrical guide housing of the machine during its phase of tying and knoting the meat packed in said casings which goes through the housing in an axial direction, characterized in that each of the heads (2, 2′ figure 2) has a square or equivalent shape and carries in the vicinity of each vertex a rolling element (3, 3′, 4, 4′, 5, 5′, 6, 6′) touching the inside of the guide housing wherebey avoiding unwinding of the twine by inertia in the phase of descent of the reel within the guide housing.

Inventors: PEDROIA, LUIGI
Applicants: PEDROIA, LUIGI
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A22C11
IPC codes: A22C11