Patent Publication Number: US-6659854-B1

Title: Method and means for rapid loading of casing-bearing sleeves on a sausage making machine

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a division of U.S. Ser. No. 10/210,122 filed Aug. 1, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,464 and is a CIP of Ser. No. 10/160,931 May 31, 2002, now pending. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Stuffing sausages with emulsion normally involves pumping emulsion through a hollow stuffing tube towards a discharge end of the tube. A hollow tubular casing material is slidably mounted on the outside of the tube with an otherwise open end extending just beyond the discharge end of the tube. The open end of the casing is then closed in any convenient manner. The emulsion extruded out of the stuffing tube enters the casing which becomes filled, with the pressure on the pumped emulsion slidably moving the casing off of the sleeve. The filled casing is then formed into links through conventional means. This process works well with artificial casings which can be shirred or telescopically compressed so that a casing thirty feet or so in length can be compressed into a shirred condition of slightly more than a foot in length, thus allowing many sausages to be made before a new shirred casing is placed on the tube. 
     However, in the case of natural casings comprised of the intestines of certain animals, the sausage making process is substantially slowed because the natural casings vary in length and are substantially shorter than artificial casings. As a result, the natural casings have to be replaced at a high frequency, thus creating substantial down time for the machine and casings are filled at a slow frequency. 
     It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a method and means for rapid loading of casing-bearing sleeve on a sausage machine. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide a method and means for stuffing natural casings with sausage emulsion which will greatly accelerate the stuffing of natural casings by preloading the casings on a quickly positioned sleeve so that the preloaded sleeve can be instantly placed on the primary stuffing tube without manually inserting the natural casing over the end of the stuffing tube, at the time the casing is to be filled, and by mounting a plurality of sleeves on a delivery mechanism for rapid sequential filling of casings one after another. 
     A still further object of this invention is to provide a convenient arrangement for the sleeve to be automatically removed from the stuffing tube and the delivery system after the natural casing has been filled with emulsion upon leaving the outer surface of the sleeve. 
     A still further object of the invention is to provide a sleeve carousel that can carry a plurality of preloaded casing sleeves that can individually be movably positioned for filling the casing as soon as the casing on a preceding sleeve has been filled. 
     A still further object of this invention is to provide a system whereby a sleeve that is free from a casing thereon that has been filled can be easily removed from the machine for further similar use. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a method and means for rapid loading of casing-bearing sleeves on a sausage making machine which is economical and efficient to use. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A method of stuffing sausage casings with sausage material involves taking a plurality of casings of different lengths; pre-loading each of the casings on elongated hollow open ended sleeves shorter than the casings and having a diameter less than the casings by telescoping the casing on the outer surface of the sleeves; slidably sequentially mounting the sleeves on the open end of a stuffing tube of a sausage making machine via a rapid loading system; extruding emulsion through the stuffing tube into the casing mounted on the sleeve until the casing is slidably removed from the sleeve caused in part by the movement of emulsion entering the casing; removing the sleeve from the stuffing tube; repeating the use of the sleeve by preloading the sleeve with another natural casing; and sequentially filling the casings on the remaining preloaded sleeves with emulsion via the rapid loading system in accordance with the foregoing steps. 
     A sausage making machine has a frame, an emulsion pump, and a hollow stuffing tube connected to the pump and having a discharge end. A hollow open-ended sleeve is slidably mounted on the stuffing tube and has a discharge end registering with the discharge end of the stuffing tube. The sleeve is preloaded with a length of casing which extends over at least a portion of the length of the sleeve with its end being located just beyond the discharge ends of the stuffing tube and the sleeve. A plurality of casing loaded sleeves are mounted on a rapid delivery system so that the sleeves are sequentially positioned on the stuffing tube so that a radial flange on the end of the sleeve opposite the discharge end thereof abuts a radial flange on the stuffing tube to automatically insure that the discharge end of the sleeve and tube register with each other. 
     After the preloaded sleeve is in place on the stuffing tube, the tube is conventionally moved longitudinally forwardly towards a twisting and linking mechanism. When the casing is filled, the tube with the sleeve thereon is longitudinally moved away from the twisting and linking mechanism and the sleeve automatically drops from the loading system to a suitable container for reuse without having to be handled by the machine operator. The loading system thereupon delivers another casing loaded sleeve to position of alignment with the stuffing tube so that the process can be repeated. 
     While the foregoing method and apparatus of preloading sleeves with casings substantially enhances the filling of casings with emulsion, the present invention facilitates the process even further by providing a method and means for loading a plurality of sleeves bearing casings on a sausage making machine and serially moving them to a sausage filling position immediately after the casing on a preceding sleeve has been filled. The method specifically provides for placing the preloaded sleeves on a feeder mechanism and selectively and sequentially moving the sleeves into registering position with the discharge end of an emulsion stuffing tube; sequentially moving the stuffing tube into each of the sleeves and extruding emulsion through the stuffing tube into the casing mounted on the sleeve until the casing is slidably removed from the sleeve caused in part by the movement of emulsion entering the casing. 
     The apparatus has a fixture suitably movably mounted on the machine with a plurality of preloaded sleeves thereon for sequential movement for selective alignment of the sleeves with the stuffing tube for sequential filling of the casings with emulsion. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sausage making machine showing the conventional components; 
     FIG. 2 is a large scale perspective view at an enlarged scale showing a sleeve preloaded with a casing thereon; 
     FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a first embodiment of the invention showing a carousel mounting unit; 
     FIG. 4 is an end elevational view thereof as seen from the righthand end of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a frontal perspective view of the carousel mounting unit with respect to a withdrawn stuffing tube; 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 but shows the preloaded sleeves mounted on the carousel; 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention using a laterally extending magazine to mount the preloaded sleeves; 
     FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the righthand end of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the interrelation of the stuffing tube, and the magazine and a preloaded sleeve; 
     FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of a third embodiment of the invention showing a vertically positioned magazine for modified preloaded sleeves with a release mechanism for the sleeves; 
     FIG. 11 is an end elevational view of FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 11A is a sectional view taken on line  11 A— 11 A of FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view at an enlarged scale showing the modified preloaded sleeve with the magazine of FIG. 10 showing the interrelation of the sleeve with its conventional stuffing tube and the conventional twister mechanism; and 
     FIG. 13 is an enlarged scale perspective view of the magazine of FIGS.  10 - 12 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to FIG. 1, a conventional sausage making machine  10  has a frame  11 , a pump  12  connected to a source of emulsion (not shown), a slidable stuffing tube  14 , a twisting mechanism  16 , a linking mechanism  18 , a discharge horn  20 , and a conveyor  22 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 2,  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 , a carousel plate assembly  24  is comprised of spaced apart plates  26  and  28  which are rotatably mounted with shaft  30 . The plates  26  and  28  are spaced in parallel relation by any convenient spacer elements (not shown). Shaft  30  has a center axis  31  (FIG. 6) parallel to the center axis of stuffing tube  14 . Semi-circular notches  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  are cut in the plates  26  and  28  at three o&#39;clock, six o&#39;clock, nine o&#39;clock and twelve o&#39;clock positions. The numeral  40  (FIG. 4) designates the centers of the semi-circular notches  32 - 38 . The numeral  42  designates the center axis of the stuffing tube  14 . 
     With reference to FIG. 2, sleeve  44  has a circular thin flange  46  at one of its ends opposite to the discharge end  48 . A casing  50  normally is preloaded on the sleeve  44  and an end  52  of the casing  50  which extends beyond the discharge end  48 . 
     In operation, the structure of FIGS. 2,  3  and  4  is operated as follows: sleeves  44  with natural casings  50  mounted thereon, as described above, are inserted between space plates  26  and  28  in semi-circular notches  32  and  34 ; respectively and extend outwardly from the carousel plate assembly  24  as best shown in FIG.  3 . The sleeves  44  are detachably held within the semi-circular notches  32  and  34  by means of the inner portion of flanges  46  extending between the space plates  26  and  28 , with that space being substantially equal to the thickness of the flanges  46 . 
     The carousel plate assembly  24  is thereupon rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 so that the sleeve  44  in the semi-circular notch  34  then moves from a twelve o&#39;clock position to a nine o&#39;clock position to register in alignment with the stuffing tube  14 . This is done while the stuffing tube  14  is in a withdrawn position at a location to the left of the carousel plate assembly  24  as viewed in FIG.  3 . The stuffing horn  14  is thereupon conventionally moved in a forward direction to insert its discharge end  15  into the hollow sleeve  44  as best shown in FIG.  3 . The pump  12  is then actuated to extrude emulsion through stuffing tube  14  as the emulsion exits stuffing tube  14  and proceeds to the discharge end  48  of the sleeve  44 , the casing  50  begins to fill, and the pressure of the emulsion pulls the casing  50  off of the outer surface of the sleeve  44  and into the twisting mechanism  16  and thence into the linking mechanism  18 . Contemporaneous with the casing  50  leaving the outer surface of the sleeve  44 , the pump is stopped so that further emulsion is not extruded, and tube  14  is withdrawn to the left as seen in FIG. 3 so that it no longer penetrates the interior of the sleeve  44 . 
     When carousal plate assembly  24  rotates in a counterclockwise direction (FIG.  5 ), the semi-circular notches  32  on the carousel plate assembly were moved from a three o&#39;clock position as seen in FIG. 4 to the twelve o&#39;clock position. Similarly, the semi-circular notches  38  in the carousel plate assembly as seen in FIG. 4 moved from the six o&#39;clock position to the three o&#39;clock position. A newly preloaded sleeve  44  with a casing  50  thereon, is thereupon mounted within the notches  38 , now located at the three o&#39;clock position. When the sleeve on flange  44  in notch  34  has completed its casing filling operation as described heretofore, the carousel plate assembly  24  is rotated another ninety degrees as seen in FIG. 4 so as to move the sleeve  44  in notch  34  to the nine o&#39;clock position in registry with the withdrawn stuffing tube  14 . This rotation takes place through any convenient power means (not shown) connected to shaft  30 . When this takes place, the “empty” sleeve  44  in notch  34  moves to the six o&#39;clock position and drops vertically downwardly to a suitable container where it can be reloaded with a new casing  50  for further use. 
     The foregoing steps are continually repeated so that sleeves at the three o&#39;clock and twelve o&#39;clock positions are sequentially moved to the nine o&#39;clock position, thence filled with emulsion as described above, and thence rotated a further 90 degree increment so that the sleeve remaining from the filled casing at the nine o&#39;clock position falls away from the carousel plate assembly when it reaches the six o&#39;clock position. The rotation of the carousel plate assembly  24  is coordinated with the withdrawal and thence the penetration of the stuffing tube  14  as described above. As previously indicated, the tube  14  needs to be withdrawn from the sleeve in the nine o&#39;clock position to permit rotation of the carousel assembly in a further 90 degree increment to allow the next sleeve  44  to be in alignment with the stuffing tube. At that stage, the stuffing tube is then moved to a penetrating position within the sleeve  44  at the nine o&#39;clock position so that the process can be repeated. 
     Also, as previously indicated, whenever an empty slot appears at the three o&#39;clock position, it is again loaded with a pre-loaded sleeve  44  so that the process can continue without interruption. 
     In regard to the alternate form of the invention in FIGS. 7,  8  and  9 , an elongated rack  54  is provided and is comprised of a pair of spaced plates  56 . An elongated rack element  57  is located between the plates and is rigid with the plates. A pair of semi-circular notches  58  and  60  are provided in the upper edges of the plates opposite the rack  57  which are similar to the semi-circular notches appearing in the previous embodiment in FIG.  4 . 
     Teeth  62  are provided in rack  57 . A conventional pinion  64  rotatably mounted with pin  66  is located directly below the rack  57  and the conventional teeth on the pinion mesh with the teeth  62  on the rack so that the rotation of pinion  64  will cause the longitudinal displacement in either a right hand or left hand direction of the rack  54  as best shown in FIG.  8 . The pinion  64  is rotated by any suitable conventional means. 
     The operation of rack  54  serves to sequentially register notches  58  or  60  with the tube  14 , FIGS. 7 and 9, with the flange  46  on the sleeve  44  holding the sleeves  44  in an outwardly projecting position with respect to the rack, in much the same way that the sleeves  44  extended outwardly from the carousel plate assembly  24  in FIG.  3 . The pinion  64  is rotated a sufficient distance to align notch  58  with the axis of stuffing tube  14  (FIG. 7) whereupon the then withdrawn tube  14  will be actuated to enter the center of sleeve  44  (FIG. 7) so that the filling of casing  50  can take place just as it did when sleeves  44  were mounted on the carousel plate assembly  24  in FIG.  3 . 
     When the sleeve  44  in one of the notches  58  and  60  has had the casing  50  thereon filled and removed from the outer surface of the sleeve  44 , the stuffing tube  14  is withdrawn; the pinion  64  advances the rack  54  so that the sleeve  44  in the other semi-circular notch aligns itself with tube  14 , and the process is repeated. As the semi-circular notches  58  and  60  have the casings thereon filled, they are replaced with additional preloaded sleeves so that the process with the longitudinal rack can be continuously repeated. 
     With reference to a further alternative embodiment of the invention in FIGS. 10-13, a gravity feed mechanism  68  is provided and is comprised with a pair of spaced vertical bars  70  having a release mechanism  72  at the lower ends thereof. The release mechanism is comprised of a pair of opposite pivotal jaws  74  (FIGS. 11 and 13) which are pivotal on pins  76 . With reference to FIG. 12, a special sleeve  78  is provided which has a pair of spaced flanges  80  on one of its ends which are spaced sufficiently to be slidably stacked between the vertical bars  70  (see FIG.  11 A). The interaction of the flanges  80  with the bars  70  maintains the sleeve  78  at right angles to the feed mechanism  68  (FIG.  10 ). The hollow bore of sleeve  78  is slightly tapered at  82  adjacent its inlet end as best shown in FIG.  11 A. 
     The purpose of gravity feed mechanism  68  is to sequentially allow the lowermost sleeve  78  to drop between the jaws  74  so that the center line of the sleeve  78  is in alignment with the center line of the stuffing tube  14 . The discharge end  15  of the tube  14  must be inserted into, and thence withdrawn during the casing filling operation just as was the case in the prior two embodiments. 
     When the casing  50  on the lowermost sleeve  78  is filled, in the manner described above, and when the stuffing tube  14  is withdrawn from the tapered inlet end  82  of the sleeve  78 , the jaws  74  are moved to an outer position, thus releasing the lowermost sleeve  78  which is dropped from the feed mechanism  68  into a suitable container for subsequent use. When the jaws  74  are moved back to their normally closed position, the next sleeve  78  drops into position, and the process is repeated. Additional, preloaded sleeves can be dropped into the upper end of the feed mechanism  68  as sleeves  78  are dropped from the lower end of the mechanism by the open jaws  74 . 
     The inventions disclosed herein are useful for stuffing a variety of casings, including natural casings. Also, the casings normally are stuffed with meat emulsion, but other plastic food emulsions can be used. 
     It is therefore seen that this invention will permit the rapid loading of the preloaded sleeves wherein the objects of the inventions will be fully accomplished.