METHOD AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR DRIVING AN ELONGATED FORMATION OF FOOD PRODUCT AT THE END OF A SAUSAGE FILLING MACHINE

Abstract: In a method and in a related equipment, the elongated formation of food product at the end of a sausage filling machine, like sausages and alike products, is driven forwarding a fluid in a substantially gaseous phase, compressed in a tubular cylinder for the sliding of the individual sausages in order to establish a thin gap enveloping the latter, gauging them on substantially constant diameters and possibly conditioning them with aromatics and/or acid coagulating substances for stabilising the surface of the sausages, which may even be produced uncased.

Description: METHOD AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR DRIVING AN ELONGATED FORMATION OF FOOD PRODUCT AT THE END OF A SAUSAGE FILLING MACHINE DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a method and an equipment for driving an elongated formation of sausages or similar products at the end of a sausage filling machine, rendering the former evenly gauged on near- constant diameters and on standardised lengths, by means of the massaging and compacting action of a fluid under an overpressure. In particular, the equipment according to the present invention is of pneumatic and mechanical type, apt to form selected sausages of preset dimensions, preferably with a pleasant surface conditioning. For similar products are intended e.g. filled sausages differing from the traditional sausages but sharing several common production modes therewith, like salami, etc., filled with meat or other food product. Sausage filling machines are knwon, preset to form sausages, or similar products, separated by a natural or synthetic casing. The latter is filled with the corresponding mix of finely minced meat, i.e., a sausage mix, into elongated portions of sausages. Among the individual portions a twist rotation of the casing and/or the application of metal clips takes place, the former being divided thereamong by the latter. Thus, a continuous line of reels of filled sausages is generated, the latter being subsequently separable therefrom, e.g., for the automatic packaging of a number of sausages. The above does not always take place satisfactorily with regard to the quality of the filling, and, therefore, with an unsatisfactory presentation of the product to the consumers . For instance, the model application DE 29 90 7219 Ul teaches a device for filling natural or synthetic casings aimed at improving the product formed at the end of a driving pipe . Said device, during the filling process, inlets a layer of water into the driving pipe . Such an application of liquid inletted into the driving pipe does not ensure the quality of the filled product and triggers a fouling of the water to be outletted, unsuitable to a precise production and surely unwelcome in a working environment . Moreover, the liquid employed is unsuitable as a means for aromatizing the product, instead exerting a sort of scouring action thereon which might be detrimental to the organoleptical features thereof. Hence, from a technical/operative viewpoint as well as from one of environmental safety, the device leaves something to be desired, thereby exhibiting several faults in the overall application thereof. Precisely here the known devices fail. The task of the present invention is to carry out a method and an equipment allowing, in a simple and innovative way, an utmostly precise filling of the sausages appearing at the end of the tubular slide cylinder with a markedly improved quality level in the evenness of the weight, of the lengths and of the constant gauges thereof, and with a customised aroma selectable at will . The inventive concept underlying the present invention is to set up a method for forming sausages perfectly gauged and standardised therebetween, method according to which the conditions causing ruptures, or even the tiniest tearing in the enveloping casings, be ruled out, and during which a specific aroma may be conferred to the product . Said task is attained by virtue of a method as hereto specified, comprising the step of forwarding a fluid in a substantially gaseous phase, compressed in a tubular cylinder for the sliding of the individual sausages so as to form a thin gap enveloping the latter and gauging them on substantially constant diameters. According to the same inventive principle, an equipment for filling and treating the elongated formation of food product as sausages and the like at the end of a sausage filling machine, preferably sausages and the like, comprises : * a sausage slide tubular duct having a grooved end section; and * a pneumatic unidirectional control unit actuating the emission under overpressure of a fluid in a substantially gaseous phase to originate a thin gap of a fluid in a gaseous and compressed phase, enveloping the sausage in the tubular duct while the latter is driven towards the grooved discharge end. The advantages of the method and of the equipment hereto set forth, by means of an original solution, provide remarkable economical benefits to the producer and ensure the provision of filled food products of high sensorial and organoleptical qualities to the consumers. A further advantage of the present invention is that of providing a method apt to : * reduce the incidence of manual intervention, since the operative steps are of simple and safe functionality; * attaining a substantial technological renewal in the forming of sausages, or of similar filled food products . Moreover, the equipment is capable of automatically adjusting to any variation of the gauge, i.e. of the diameter of the produced sausages, hence needing no intervention from operators slaved to the former at the varying of the gauged envelopes of the casings to be filled. Last but not least, a further object is to have the equipment operative with an extremely low power consumption. Hence, the task underlying the invention consists in indicating a method and in implementing a pneumatic- mechanical equipment, with which the drawbacks and the disadvantages associated to the current provisions and hereto mentioned with reference to the known art be generally overcome. The present invention concerns a method for driving a formation of food product, appearing in a strand of filled reels separated thereamong by twist linking, at the end of a sausage filling machine. Said method comprises the forwarding of compressed air into the sausage slide tubular cylinder, at the sausage discharge end section, to establish a thin enveloping gap of a fluid in a mainly gaseous phase easing the end sliding and gauging onto near-constant diameters the sausages, advantageously rendering the latter of a standardised length, at least one atomized aromatic being inletted in said gaseous phase . Said overpressure values of the compressed air are set as a function of various types of filling with natural or synthetic casings, related to the diameters thereof, as well as to the weights and lengths thereof. Said values substantially oscillate within a range from 0.1 to 1.0 bars . The method further includes the feeding of air under overpressure with values oscillating within a pulsed and vibrating oscillatory range; said pulsed oscillation on advantageously piloted preset values is generated by the circuit control unit by means of known pneumatic timers . The oscillating overpressure values of the air, evolving instantwise into the thin gap of gaseous fluid enveloping the sausage along the end discharge tubular cylinder, are gauged in real time with at least one pressure gauge, preferably a capillary bulb pressure gauge, to set said oscillating values of air overpressure to the values preset in the central control unit and instantly locking the sausage filling machine upon gauging by a pressure gauge of a sudden variation in the pressure of the thin gap of gaseous fluid enveloping the sausage . For 'aromatic', any essence or oil, or the like, having an aroma apt to be combined with the manufactured food product, i.e., an aromatic essential liquid with which a surface treatment of the sausages is carried out, the latter being coated by a film of such liquid, a surface- adhering film of aromatic and perfumed essential oils for alimentary use provided with a good aroma or anyhow with pleasant smells, quite often well-liked by consumers, is to be understood. The method of the present invention further includes the forwarding, in presence of uncased sausage-shaped elongated portionings, of a compressed emulsion of a gaseous fluid and an acid liquid solution having a proteic coagulating action, providing the surface stability of the sausage, analogously to the filling with natural and/or synthetic casings. The present invention further includes the sausage mix, finely minced and compressed in filled reels produced according to the abovedescribed method and equipment . The invention will hereinafter be detailed according to two embodiments thereof, given without limitative purposes in the drawings of the attached tables, wherein: * figure 1 is a sectional view of a representative portion of a first embodiment of the equipment according to the invention, with a circuit diagram of a pneumatic unit for the controlled emission under overpressure of the fluid in a substantially gaseous phase ; * figure 2 is a front view of the equipment of figure 1; * figure 3 is a sectional view of a representative portion of a second embodiment of the equipment according to the invention, with a circuit diagram of a pneumatic unit for the controlled emission under overpressure of the fluid in a substantially gaseous phase ; and * figure 4 is a sectional view of a detail of said equipment of figure 3. For the sake of clarity, the devices and the mechanisms, operating in mutual cooperation with the pneumatic- mechanical equipment at issue, are not illustrated and accordingly are not described in the operation thereof as already known to the art, and also since they are superfluous for an understanding of the operation of the present invention. Thus, e.g., the sausage discharge device at the end of the tubular cylinder, the traditional conveyor mechanism, as well as the motor drive of the filling are not shown, hence the generator and the air and/or compressed fluid feed equipment and the circuit details are not shown, nor described, as those may be carried out in any one embodiment known to the art . For the sake of conciseness, in the figures corresponding parts or equivalent functions are designated with identical reference characters. Moreover, for the sake of clarity, the devices and the mechanisms operating in mutual cooperation with the pneumatic-mechanical equipment at issue, are not illustrated, and therefore not described in the operation thereof as already known and also since they are superfluous for understanding the operation of the present invention. Thus, e.g., the sausage discharge device at the end of the tubular cylinder, the traditional conveyor mechanism, as well as the motor drive of the filling are not shown, hence the generator and the air and/or compressed fluid feed equipment and the circuit details are not shown, nor described, as those may be carried out in any one embodiment known to the art . In the two different embodiments, analogous parts are indicated with the same reference numbers. With particular reference to figures 1 and 3, the elongated formation of sausage-type food product or similar product is indicated with 1, preferably filled into the natural or synthetic casings preset in a stack reservoir 4 about a feed duct 6 of finely minced meat 5 advancing advantageously driven by a sausage filling machine made integral to the duct 6. A mechanical lock 3, of known type, has a clutch and gearings advantageously preset to activate the twist linking of the individual sausages 1, preparing the latter to be driven in a tubular slide cylinder 2, i.e., in the grooved end discharge end section 8 enabling a grip sufficient to block the rotation of the sausages 1 during the operative phases whereat the twist linking is activated. A structural flange 10 is made integral to the tubular cylinder 2 and is connected to a pneumatic control unit 12 programmable by an operator via a traditional data input unit, e.g., a keyboard 41 (figure 2), in order to set and control the values of the operative parameters of the overpressure of a compressed fluid 30, inletted in continuous feeding by a feed piping 13. At the end of the pneumatic unit 12 said resulting compressed operative fluid 30 assumes a preset physical state of temperature, composition and overpressure, advances and expands into the tubular cylinder 2 establishing a thin enveloping gap 7 about the individual sausages 1, which are massaged, frictioned and compacted at near-constant gaugings . In particular, the pneumatic control unit 12 comprises a wrapper structure 14 containing a pneumatic line unit consisting of: a lubricator or liquid phase batcher 15; a first pressure regulator or first pressure regulator valve 16, preferably without washout; a first gauge 17 and a filter 18, components of traditional type with reference to the field of applied pneumatics. The function of the lubricator or batcher 15 is to forward in said fluid in a substantially gaseous phase a compressed emulsion of gaseous fluid and of acid liquid solution having a proteic coagulating action for the surface stabilisation of the sausages or the like. The pneumatic unit further comprises a line gauge 21, preferably of the capillary bulb type, allowing continual overpressure gaugings of the film of fluid 7 enveloping the sausage 1, in real time, instantwise, transmitted in the pneumatic unit 12 and displayed to the operator via a display board, e.g., a display 11. The pneumatic unit 12 further comprises: a pneumatic valve 19 preferably of the adjustable neck type, continuously driven and slaved by the electronic processing of the pneumatic unit 12, acquiring and processing the data transmitted by the line gauge 21 which detects instantwise the overpressure values of the fluid film 7; and a pneumatic timer valve 22, adjustable in the energising and/or deenergising period to generate the desirable pulsed oscillation of the overpressure values advantageously set according to the type of filling or sausage to be produced. With reference to figures 3 e 4, in a second embodiment of the equipment the flange 10 is further connected to means to atomize an aromatic in said operative fluid, i.e., in the gaseous phase of the latter. Such atomizing means, generally indicated with 28, comprises a substantially cup-shaped container 26, containing any one aromatic 35, in a liquid phase. The walls of the container 26 are advantageously transparent and onto the free surface of the aromatic 35 there is a floating member, apt to allow the gauging of the level of aromatic inside of the container. The container 26 is capped by a lid structure 40, a duct being formed in the body thereof providing a first inlet section 25 and a second outlet section 32, subdivided by a neck 38 whereat the lid structure 40 comprises means to adjust the width of the transit port, in this embodiment consisting of an adjustment screw 33. At the inlet section 25, the structure 40 comprises a step-shaped narrowing 39, whereat, in case of fluid transit, a negative pressure is generated. Hence, at the narrowing 39 the lid structure 40 comprises a suction duct 36 which opens the inlet section 25 on the inside of the container 26, thereby allowing the transit of the aromatic 35. Downstream of the neck 38 the lid structure 40 comprises a second balancing duct 37, whose functionality will hereinafter be made apparent . Said atomizing means 28 further comprises, downstream of the second section 32, a second pressure regulator or second pressure regulator valve 24 and a second gauge 23, as well as a second pneumatic valve 27, preferably of the adjustable neck type, continually driven and slaved on the basis of the data transmitted by the line gauge 21; and a second pneumatic timer valve 29. The operation of the pneumatic-mechanical equipment of the invention, highlighted in the figures of the attached tables, will be evident in both of the examples set forth, the latter being of the utmost simplicity. The pneumatic-mechanical equipment at issue is rendered operational. Therefor, the overpressure value of the fluid 30 to be forwarded into the tubular cylinder 2 by means of the pressure regulator valve 16 is preset. The first gauge 17 indicates the value set out by the operator who learns said overpressure data from the display 11. In the meantime, and concomitantly the operator may activate at will the insertion of the first pneumatic timer valve 22, generating the pulsed oscillation of the overpressure values which are advantageously driven on preset values determined by the production experience. Concomitantly, the lubricator 15 is fed. In the first embodiment of the equipment, the lubricator may contain a liquid aromatic which will determine, with said fluid in a gaseous phase, an emulsion capable of aromatizing the final food product. For uncased-type sausages, the lubricator 15 may contain an acid liquid solution having a coagulating action capable of stabilising the surface of the sausages, with evident advantageous practical effects. Concerning instead the second embodiment, concomitantly and likewise, also the circuit related to the means to atomize an aromatic is fed. The operative fluid 31 employed may be the same or not, possibly selectable on the basis of a compatibility with the aromatic at issue. The negative pressure generated by the transit of the operative fluid at the narrowing 39 causes the suction of an amount of aromatic 35 via the suction duct 36. The overall amount of the container 26 is balanced by the transfer, via the second balancing duct 37, of a fraction of the operative fluid 31 from the second section 32. Since the operative fluid 31 is in a gaseous phase, the floating member will sink with the level of the aromatic. In case of pulsed overpressure, also the negative pressure at the narrowing will be pulsed, determining sudden suctions during which the liquid and the gaseous phases in the container 26 will intermingle. At the flange 10 the aromatic 35, carried by the operative fluid thereof, mingles at the gaseous phase of the fluid film 7 which envelopes the fillings as the sausages are formed. The latter will appear to the consumer as a nice-smelling aromatized and odorous product. Preferably, the liquids employed in the atomizing means 28 are aromatic oils prepared with essences of aromatic herbs and/or of perfumed spices. In this case as well, to the aromatic an acid liquid solution having a proteic coagulating action rendering the same elongated sausages 1 surface stable to the consumer's use, may be added. The combined use of the lubricator 15 and of the atomizing unit allows the separate and independent employ of aromatics and of acid liquid solutions, in order to concomitantly attain the aromatization and the surface stabilisation of the sausage. As soon as the line gauge 21 gauges a sudden variation in the pressure in the thin gap 7 of enveloping fluid, the sausage 1 activates via the pneumatic control unit 12 the quiescing of the sausage filling machine, the locking of the pneumatic valve 22 and the concomitant release of the pneumatic valve directly pressurising the gaseous fluid with the tubular cylinder 1 in order to eliminate a cause of gagging by accidental rupture of the individual sausage 1. Obviously, the invention hereto proposed with an original solution is not limited merely to the embodiment of this pneumatic-mechanical equipment, which was abovedisclosed by way of example; on the contrary, it encompasses all the variations thereof deriving from the same concept and that may differ thereamong in various embodiments. Apparently, all of the technically equivalent solutions, in particular as to the implementation of the means actuated to originate the constant and/or pulsed overpressure around preset values fall within the scope of the invention. To the abovedescribed method and equipment for filling and treating the elongated formation of food products a person skilled in the art, in order to satisfy further and contingent needs, may effect several further modifications and variants, all however falling within the protective scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method for driving an elongated formation of food product at the end of a sausage filling machine, as sausages and alike products, comprising the step of forwarding a fluid in a substantially gaseous phase, compressed in a tubular cylinder for the sliding of the individual sausages so as to establish a thin gap enveloping the latter and gauging them on substantially constant diameters . 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the overpressure values of the compressed air are set as a function of various types of filling, with natural or synthetic casings with regard to the diameters, to the weights and to the lengths thereof to produce selected sausages of preset dimensions. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fluid in a gaseous phase is compressed air. 4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the overpressure values of the compressed air substantially oscillate in the range of 0.1 to 1.0 bars. 5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the air under overpressure is fed at values oscillating in a pulsed oscillatory range respectively vibrating in order to massage in microfloating positions the same sausages, progressively frictioning them along the entire course of the end discharge tubular cylinder. 6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of : * generating the pulsed oscillation of the overpressure values of the compressed air; * gauging, with at least one pressure gauge, the oscillating overpressure values of the air inside of the thin gap of gaseous fluid enveloping the sausage along the end discharge tubular cylinder; * set the oscillating overpressure values of the air on gauged values; and * lock the sausage filling machine as soon as the pressure gauge gauges a sudden variation in the pressure of the thin gap of gaseous fluid enveloping the sausage. 7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a step of atomizing at least one aromatic in said fluid in a gaseous phase. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein a surface film adhering to the sausage of essential aromatic and perfumed oils for alimentary use is produced. 9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a step wherein in said fluid in a substantially gaseous phase a compressed emulsion of gaseous fluid and of acid liquid solution having a proteic coagulating action for stabilising the surface of sausages or the like is forwarded. 10. An equipment for filling and treating the elongated formation of food product like sausages and the like at the end of a sausage filling machine, preferably sausages and the like, comprising: * a tubular duct (2) for the sliding of the sausages having a grooved end section (8) ; and * an unidirectional pneumatic control unit (12) actuating the emission under overpressure of a fluid in a substantially gaseous phase to generate a thin gap (7) of fluid in a gaseous and compressed phase, enveloping the sausage in the tubular duct (7) , while the sausage itself is driven towards the discharge grooved end . 11. The equipment according to claim 10, further comprising means to atomize (28) at least one aromatic (35) and/or an acid liquid solution having a proteic coagulating action in said gaseous phase. 12. The equipment according to claim 10, comprising: * at least one pressure gauge (21) which operates gauging instantwise the overpressure value of the fluid in a gaseous phase enveloping the sausage which slides inside of the tubular cylinder (2) ; and * one or more pneumatic line timers (22) generating a pulsed oscillation of the overpressure values advantageously piloted on preset values. 13. The equipment according to claim 11, wherein the atomizing means comprises: * a container (26) containing the liquid aromatic (35) and/or an acid liquid solution having a proteic coagulating action; * a duct (25, 32) having a neck (38) determined by a narrowing (39) upstream of the neck; * a suction duct (36) connecting said narrowing (39) to the container (26) ; and * a further balancing duct (37 connecting said duct (25, 32) and said container (26) downstream of the neck (38) . 14. The equipment according to claim 13, wherein said container (26) contains a floating member (34) signalling the level of the aromatic (35) and/or an acid liquid solution having a proteic coagulating action. 15. The equipment according to claim 10, wherein the pneumatic control unit (12) comprises a lubricator or a liquid phase batcher (15) , the function thereof being that of forwarding in said fluid in a substantially gaseous phase a liquid aromatic and/or a compressed emulsion of gaseous fluid and of an acid liquid solution having a proteic coagulating action for the surface stabilisation of the sausages or the like. 16. An elongated formation of food product, in particular sausages of meat finely minced and compressed in filled reels, characterised in that the latter are produced according to the method and/or with the equipment of claims 1 to 15.

Inventors: RIGHELE GIOVANNI BATTISTA, RIGHELE, GIOVANNI, BATTISTA
Applicants: RIGHELE GIOVANNI, RISCO SPA, RIGHELE, GIOVANNI, BATTISTA, RISCO S.P.A.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A22C11
IPC codes: A22C11