Patent GB-526493-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to processes and apparatus for the manufacture of artificial sausage skins
IPC: A22C13/00
Filed: 1939-03-17
Abstract: 526,493. Moulding artificial sausage skins. HUCKFELDT, G. P., and HUCKFELDT, G. J., (trading as Huckfeldt und Thorlichen). March 17, 1939, Nos. 8603 and 8604. Convention dates, March 17, 1938 and Feb. 15, 1939. [Class 87 (ii)] [Also in Group IV] Artificial sausage casings are made by forcing into a forming tube from one end so as to fill the cross section of the tube, a pasty mass of an albuminous substance e.g. a swollen mass of underskin and water, capable of solidifying or drying off on the surface of the tube, which is composed of material absorbent to the liquid vehicle of the pasty mass, and at the same time passing the tube through a constriction while forcing air into the tube from the opposite end so as to inflate the tube immediately it leaves the constriction and to cause the deposit of pasty mass to form a continuous skin around the tube. The skin is allowed to dry and solidify in position in the inflated tube and is then stripped by withdrawing it from the tube. The constriction may be adjustable in width. The carrier tube may be of parchment paper, cellulose paper, regenerated cellulose, cellulose acetate, artificial resin which swells in water, or hardened gelatine or other albuminous substance. One or more further layers of filmforming material may be applied over the first layer. The first layer may contain a hardening agent such as formaldehyde, and hardening may be assisted by warming the tube. This process may be stopped by the use of gaseous ammonia which converts the excess of formaldehyde into hexamethylene-tetramine. The tube with the first layer may then be passed again through the coating device and an albuminous layer not containing any hardening agent may be applied over the first layer. As shown in Fig. 1, the swollen mass is forced from a container 1 through a tube 3 into the interior of a carrier tube 4 which is accumulated in folds over the tube 3. The tube 4 and the swollen mass pass through a constriction formed between two rigid bars 5, 6 adjustable to and from each other by screws 10. The other end of the tube 4 is secured to a compressed air pipe 7 and is thus inflated on leaving the constriction. The swollen mass forms a thin layer 8 on the inner surface of tube 4. After the tube has been coated, the two ends are tied up and the inflated tube is suspended. if desired with application of gentle heat until the layer 8 has hardened and dried. A string line is attached to one end of the sausage skin still in the interior of the carrier tube, the string is passed through the tube and pulled so as to strip the skin from the tube. As shown in Fig. 5, the constricting device comprises a pair of rollers 1<SP>1</SP>, 2<SP>1</SP>, the distance between which is adjusted by means of the screw 8<SP>1</SP>. Roller 1<SP>1</SP> is mounted in arms 7<SP>1</SP> pivoted at 7<SP>11</SP>. Arms 6<SP>1</SP>, 7<SP>1</SP> are urged towards each other by a spring 10<SP>1</SP>. As shown in Fig. 6, roller 2<SP>1</SP> is oscillated in an axial direction by means of the eccentric 5<SP>1</SP> and the spring 3<SP>1</SP>. The sides of the flattened tube are thus subjected to lateral movement and the distribution of the swollen mass is rendered more uniform. The compressed air pipe may be a flexible tube in order that it may be passed over pulleys. The carrier tube may be provided with rigid, preferably screwed jointing sleeves for fastening it at its ends to the container for the swollen mass, and to the compressed air pipe.