Patent GB-954811-A (GB)
Title: Manufacture of cooked sausage-like products
Inventor: SASSEN BERNARD
IPC: A22C11/00
Filed: 1960-06-20
Abstract: 954,811. Heating foodstuffs by passage of current. EMHART MANUFACTURING CO. June 20, 1960, No. 21530/60. Heading H5H. [Also in Division B5] In the continuous production of cooked skinless sausage-like products, e.g. frankfurters, a charge of raw comminuted meat and water at a predetermined temperature is fed into a mould, an electric current passed through the charge to rapidly impart the total heat input required to cook the charge and heat the same to a cooking temperature in the range 150‹ to 200‹ F., the charge retained in the mould without further application of heat until an equilibrium temperature and permanent form are attained by the product, and then the product ejected from the mould and temperature differentials between the subsequent charge and the mould suppressed by cooling the mould internally with a fluid immediately prior to feeding the subsequent charge into the mould. The charge is fed to the mould under pressure at a temperature of 50 ‹ to 55 ‹ F. and maintained in the mould at a pressure of at least 50 p.s.i. The current passes for a period of between <SP>1</SP>/ 16  and ¢ sec. and the total retention time in the mould after heating is 10 to 60 sees. The apparatus used comprises a hopper 10 from which meat E is fed by a screw pump 11 and a highpressure positive displacement pump 13 via a pipe 14 to a stuffing nozzle 61 and into one of a number of moulds 65 mounted on a rotatable turret 60. The moulds 65 are caused to pass in turn through a number of stations which, in the case of frankfurters, comprise a stuffing station, a cooking station, thirty-three holding stations, a preeject station, an ejection station, a pre-wash station, a washing station, and a pre-stuff station. Each mould 65 is closed at one end by a plunger 95, the end of which opposite the mould acts as a piston 97 movable in a cylinder 72. In the pre-stuff station, the plunger 95 is moved as far as possible to the right by piston 97, being forced to the left at the stuffing station by the entry of the meat E through the stuffing nozzle 61 (Fig. 9). This leftward movement is terminated by the flange 98 contacting the disc stop 140. Further rotation of the turret 60 brings the filled mould 65 to the cooking station (Fig. 10) where an electric current is passed from an electrode 102 of nickel or silverimpregnated graphite on the plunger 95 to a grounded plug electrode 185 of similar material in the front plate 63 of the apparatus. The electrode 185 is urged inwardly by a spring 187. The electrode 102 is connected for application of current to the product P by a bush contact 190 which engages the plunger 95. After passing through the holding stations, the holding pressure applied by piston 97 is relieved at the pre-eject station to prevent premature ejection of the product as the mould 65 moves into alignment with an ejection part 175 in the front plate 63 at the ejection station where the plunger 95 ejects the product P on to a conveyer 400 formed by rollers 403 connected between link chains 402. At the pre-wash station, pressure is applied to retain plunger 95 against plate 63 for cleaning of the electrode face as the turret rotates to the washing station where water is introduced into the mould to clean and cool it as the plunger 95 is forced back. The wash water is expelled from the mould at the pre-stuff station by plunger 95 being positioned ready for the commencement of the next cycle. The electric and hydraulic systems employed in the automatic control of the apparatus are described.