Patent Publication Number: US-7722447-B2

Title: Automatic rack loader

Description:
PRIORITY 
   This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/252,327, filed Oct. 17, 2005, and also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/696,005, filed on Jul. 1, 2005, the disclosures of both of which applications are incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to the field of loading material onto racks. Specifically, this invention relates to loading sausages, whole-muscle meats such as hams, or other items onto racks for further processing, such as smoking or cooking. The invention will be described as used for sausages, but can be used for any items that are loaded onto a rack. 
   Sausages are made by filling a casing with a pasty product in a tubular shape. The pasty product is usually a mixture of minced meat and seasonings, but can also be completely or partially made of vegetarian products. The pasty product is conveyed to a filler which pumps the pasty product through a product horn and into a casing. The casing, sometimes made of an edible material such as collagen, can be made in a tubular shape or can be formed into tubes from flat sheets. As the pasty product fills the tubular casing at the end of the product horn, the sausage forms and pushes the tubular casing off the product horn. (Often, the tubular casing is itself wrapped in netting, during the same process.) When the sausage gets to the appropriate length, separators of a double clipper, such as iris gates, clamp the extruded product, apply two clips, and sever in between the two clips. One clip becomes the end of the completed sausage and the other clip becomes the beginning of the next sausage. (A stuffer can be a separate apparatus from the clipper, or both can be pati of the same machine.) The sausage is then processed by smoking, cooking, steaming, or other finishing operation. The netting is usually left on the sausage during the finishing operation and may or may not be removed prior to sale to the consumer. 
   Illustrative processes and devices for making sausages are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,041 to Urban, Process for Filling Tubular Casings and United States Published Patent Application No. 2005/0087075 A1 to Mysker, Apparatus and Method to Net Food Products in Shirred Tubular Casing, the disclosures of both of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
   As the sausages are produced by, for example, an apparatus as described in the &#39;041 patent or the &#39;075 publication, they are extruded onto a table or onto a conveyor belt. Workers are employed to lift the sausages off the table and place the sausages. on a tray of a rack. A rack is a framed device, with numerous trays attached to the frame. Racks are usually about six feet in height, to be able to fit into a standard smokehouse, but can vary between different sausage manufacturer&#39;s facilities. Racks are usually on wheels and are pushed on a floor from the sausage-making machine to the smokehouse. Some racks are suspended from overhead rails. Once a worker has filled up every tray of a rack with newly-made sausages, the rack is moved into a smokehouse for finishing. 
   Problems arise in this method of manufacture of sausages. Sausages are raw when initially made and not particularly stiff at that time. Accordingly, it is difficult for a worker to keep a sausage completely straight, as a worker who supports a, for example, three-foot-long sausage with two hands will often find the sausage bending or sagging in the middle. Bending and sagging create unsightly blemishes in the collagen casing, displeasing to consumers. Additionally, the manual nature of the operation means some percentage of sausages will be dropped and therefore ruined. The manual nature of the operation also requires quite a bit of stooping and stretching by a worker, as the lowest tray of a rack is just inches off the floor and the highest level is often six feet off the floor. 
   Automated methods of accomplishing loading of sausages onto a rack are complicated by the orientation of the various parts of a sausage-making system. The discharge of a stuffer/clipper is conventionally about three-feet off the floor and is fixed in height. The trays of a rack range from the lowest rack, just inches off the floor, to the highest rack, often six feet off the floor. Accordingly, sausages extruded from the stuffer/clipper have to be lowered, lifted, or moved horizontally, depending on what tray is being filled. Additionally, even within a single sausage-making facility, the sizes and types of racks vary. 
   Accordingly, a need exists for an automated apparatus and method to load freshly-made sausages directly onto a rack than can be then moved for further processing. A need also exists for an automated rack loader that can be universally used with different sizes and shapes of racks. The present invention meets these needs. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is an automatic rack loader used within a system that can include a manufacturing device such as a sausage stuffer/clipper and a rack for carrying manufactured items such as sausages. In one embodiment, the invention includes a stuffer/clipper for making sausages, a belt conveyor for receiving a sausage from the stuffer/clipper and conveying the sausage to a rotary conveyor, the rotary conveyor comprising a plurality of stages and having a loading side for receiving a sausage and an unloading side for discharging a sausage, a rack comprising a frame supporting a plurality of trays, a positioner to align the rack with the unloading side, a controller to cause the rotary conveyor to align a one of the plurality of stages on the loading side with the belt conveyor to receive a sausage from the stuffer/clipper and to rotate the rotary conveyor to align the one of the plurality of stages on the unloading side with a one of the plurality of trays, and a load pusher to discharge the sausage off the one of the plurality of stages and onto the one of the plurality of trays, the pusher comprising a plurality of tabs extending on a rotatable arm. In another embodiment, the present invention can be used with any manufacturing device for making items. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The organization and manner of the structure and operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the unloading side of the automatic rack loader system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the loading side of the automatic rack loader system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention 
       FIG. 3  is a partially-cutaway perspective view of the unloading side of the automatic rack loader system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a partially-cutaway perspective view of the loading side of the automatic rack loader system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the unloading side of the automatic rack loader of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the loading side of the automatic rack loader of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of a channel support of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7B  is a side elevation view of a channel support of the preferred embodiment of the present invention 
       FIG. 7C  is a side elevation view of a channel support of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7D  is a bottom plan view of a channel support of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 8A ,  8   b , and  8 C are side, top perspective, and bottom perspective views of the cascading loader of another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the cascading loader shown as mounted next to the automated loader of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the cascading loader. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
   While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein. 
   The preferred embodiment of the system  20  has an automatic rack loader  120 , a device for manufacturing sausages, being in the illustrated embodiment a sausage stuffer/clipper  220 , a movable rack  320 , and a rack positioner  420 . Since, in the preferred embodiment, the system is intended to be used in a food-manufacturing environment, all components are made of stainless steel, plated metal, plastic, or other easily-cleaned and easily-sanitized material. 
   The sausage stuffer/clipper  220 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , is preferably capable of encasing pasty products into fibrous, collagen, or plastic casing. A filling machine, not shown, mixes meat, spices, and fillers into a pasty product and extrudes that product to a filling horn of stuffer/clipper  220 , as described in the &#39;041 patent or the &#39;075 publication referenced above. The clipping section of stuffer/clipper  220 , which is preferably a Poly-clip System Corp ICA 8700 automatic double clipper, forms a sausage  22  and conveys the completed sausage  22  onto a belt conveyor  222 , which conveys the completed fresh sausage  22  to automatic rack loader  120 . 
   In the preferred embodiment, stuffer/clipper  220  is making sausages  22 . However, automatic rack loader  120  can also be used with a machine processing whole-muscle meats such as hams, or with any apparatus making or processing food or non-food items for placement on a rack. 
   The rack  320 , shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , has a frame  322  carrying a plurality of trays  324   a ,  324   b ,  324   c  etc. A rack  320  conventionally is rectangular in shape and accordingly has a right side  326 , a left side  328 , a front side  330 , and a back side  332 . The present invention will work with square racks as well, however. 
   The invention will be described for a rack  320  carrying six sausages  22  on each of nine trays  324   a  through  324   i  (a “6×9 load pattern”). However, the rack loader  120  can be programmed for use with racks  320  having other load patterns, other numbers of trays, and of varying heights and widths. For example, a typical bologna loader is only two sausages wide. 
   All components are connected to and controlled in the preferred embodiment by a PLC controller  520 . PLC controller has an indexer  522 , preferably a Commander SK AC drive with LogicStick, such as one sold by Control Techniques division of Emerson Electric Co. The LogicStick provides PLC functionality and is preferably programmed using a PC/laptop computer with SyPTLite software and a CT Comms Cable connecting lead. 
   Rack loader  120 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , has a frame  122  carrying a motor  124  and a rotary conveyor  126 . Rotary conveyor  126  is preferably a double-chain conveyor rotating on upper axle  128  and lower axle  130 , as driven by motor  124 , as shown in cutaway view in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Motor  124  is preferably a two horsepower AC motor powering a Camco roller gear index with gearbox and IOC clutch with an SK VFD drive. A series of stages  132   a ,  132   b ,  132   c , etc., are created on rotary conveyor  126  by channel supports  134 , as hereinafter described, which project perpendicularly from rotary conveyor  126 . 
   Axles  128  and  130  are separated by a space approximately equal to the height of the largest rack  320  that will likely be used with rack loader  120 , with axle  128  positioned preferably above the height of the largest such rack and axle  130  positioned just above the base  136  of frame  122 , which normally sits on the floor of the sausage-making room, but high enough so that channel supports  134  clear the floor as rotary conveyor  126  rotates. Accordingly, rotary conveyor  126  has a flat right side, or unloading side  138 , and a flat left side, or loading side  140 . 
   Channel support  134  is shown in perspective view in  FIG. 7A , end elevation view in  FIG. 7B , side elevation view in  FIG. 7C , and bottom plan view in  FIG. 7D . Each channel support  134  has a projecting portion  150  being a flat panel sized, in the preferred embodiment, 60 inches long by 4.5 inches high. An attachment portion  152 , of the same length but, preferably, 2.75 inches wide, connects to a first side  154  of the projecting portion  150  at a 90-degree angle. A containing portion  156 , of the same length but, preferably, 1.5 inches wide, connects to a second side  158  of the projecting portion  154  at a 90-degree angle. Four holes  160  in the attachment portion  152  are used to bolt channel supports  134  to the two chains  162 ,  164  of rotating conveyor  126 . Channel supports  134 , when bolted back-to-back to chains  162 ,  164 , form a series of stages  132  closed on three sides but, since containing portion  156  is less wide than attachment portion  152 , an opening  166  is formed between each pair of channel supports  134 . 
   In the preferred embodiment, stages  132  are 5.5 inches wide (twice the width of attachment portions  152 ) and 4.5 inches high (the width of projecting portions  150 ), with an opening  166  2.5 inches wide to accommodate a pusher tab  170  as will hereinafter be described. Accordingly, loader  120  of the preferred embodiment can accommodate sausages up to 4.5 inches in diameter (or width) and up to 60 inches in length, as well as whole-muscle meats or other objects of similar dimensions. Loader  120  can be programmed through PLC controller  520  to accommodate a rack  320  of various sizes and accordingly can be used with any size rack  320  without physical modifications to the rack loader  120 . 
   Rack loader  120  has a pusher assembly  172  to move the completed sausages off stages  132   a ,  132   b ,  132   c , etc. and onto the trays  324   a ,  324   b ,  324   c , etc. of rack  320 . Pusher assembly  172  has an arm  174  that rides on rails  176 ,  178 , which extend between the proximal portion  180  (toward the stuffer/clipper  220 ) and the distal portion  182  (away from the stuffer/clipper  220 , or close to rack  320 ) of frame  122 . Arm  174  moves between a retracted position, adjacent to the proximal portion  180  of frame  122 , to an extended position, adjacent to the distal portion  182  of frame  120 . An actuator  184 , such as an air cylinder, preferably an Origa OSP P50 pneumatic cylinder, moves arm  174  back and forth between the retracted position and the extended position. Alternatively, other means to move arm  174 , such as a belt drive, a chain drive, a screw drive, another type of hydraulic cylinder, a linkage to a motor, or other device can be used to move arm  174  back and forth. 
   Arm  174  also rotates in the plane parallel to the base  136  of frame  122 . Pusher tabs  170   a ,  170   b ,  170   c , etc., extend laterally from arm  174 . A rotary actuator  186 , preferably a Festo DSR rotary actuator, rotates arm  174 . When arm  174  is in its retracted position, pusher tabs  170   a ,  170  b,  170   c , etc., extend away from stages  132   a ,  132   b ,  132   c , etc. Before actuator  184  begins to move arm  174  from the retracted position to the extended position, rotary actuator  186  first rotates arm  174  180-degrees so that pusher tabs  170   a ,  170   b ,  170   c , etc., extend through openings  166  and into stages  132   a ,  132   b ,  132   c , etc. When actuator  184  returns arm  174  from the extended position to the retracted position, rotary actuator then rotates arm  174  back 180-degrees so that pusher tabs  170   a ,  170   b ,  170   c , etc., no longer extend into stages  132   a ,  132   b ,  132   c , etc. 
   Rack positioner  420  is configured to move rack  320 , placed adjacent the distal portion of frame  180  of automatic rack loader  120 , in a direction perpendicular to rack loader  120 . In a first embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , rack  320  is placed on carriage  422 , which moves on support  424 . As illustrated, carriage  422  slides on rails  426 ,  428 , but carriage  422  can move on a belt or chain conveyor, on wheels, or on any other system allowing carriage  422  to move in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of conveyor belt  222 . Carriage  422  moves preferably by air-actuated cylinders  430 ,  432 , but can also be moved by a belt drive, chain drive, screw drive, linkage to step motor, or other similar device. 
   In a second embodiment, rack positioner  420  has a stop rail  440  positioned along the distal portion  182  of frame  122 , a positioning rail  442  extending perpendicularly to stop rail  440  at the ride side  452  of stop rail  440 , and a holding rail  456  extending perpendicularly from the left side  454  of stop rail  440 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 5 . Positioning rail  442  is supported at its distal end  444  by wheel  446  and at its proximal end  448  by attachment to stop rail  440 . A servo and screw drive  450 , such as a THK ball screw made by Technico Inc., moves positioning rail  442  laterally from the right side  452  of stop rail  440  to the left side  454  of stop rail  440 . Alternatively, a VFD gearmotor and Acme drive can be used. When a rack  320  is placed against stop rail  422  and positioning rail  442  is oriented alongside rack  320 , movement of positioning rail from the right side  1452  toward the left side  454  will move rack  320  in the same direction. Holding rail  456 , which is attached to stop rail  440 , is also supported by wheel  458 . Holding rail  456  keeps rack  320  from rolling away from positioner  420 . 
   The operation of the automatic rack loader system will now be described. An empty rack  320  is placed at the distal end  182  of rack loader  120 , and positioned so that the left side  328  of rack  320  is aligned with unloading side  138  of rotary conveyor  126  of rack loader  320 . Rack positioner  420  is placed so that positioning rail  442  is adjacent to the right side  326  of rack  320 . Sausages  22  are made in a conventional manner by mixing meat and spices as previously described. The pasty product is extruded through a product horn and encased in film and, optionally, netting, A hook may be applied to the clip on one end of each sausage  22 . As each sausage  22  is completed, it is conveyed out of stuffer/clipper  220  on conveyor belt  222 . 
   An indexer  522  in PLC controller  520  causes motor  124  to rotate rotary conveyor  126  to place an empty stage  132   a  in front of belt conveyor  222 . At this point, arm  174  is in its retracted position, so pusher tabs  170   a ,  170   b ,  170   c , etc. point away from the unloading side  138  of conveyor  126 . Conveyor belt  222  moves a completed sausage  22  into the empty stage  132   a . PLC controller  520  determines that a sausage  22  is completely inside stage  132   a  and rotates conveyor  126  until the next stage,  132   b , is in front of conveyor belt  222 , whereupon a second sausage  22  is conveyed into stage  132   b . This process repeats until a predetermined number of sausages  22  have been loaded in stages  132 . 
   In the preferred embodiment, the predetermined number of sausages  22  is two. More sausages could be placed on rotary conveyor  126 , and most efficiently the number of sausages  22  placed in stages  132  would be equal to the number of trays  324  on rack  320 , which is nine in the illustrated embodiment. However, large sausages are heavy and the force required to move nine large sausages  22  off stages  132  and onto rack  320  would require an extremely large actuator  184 . The system  20  of the present invention is intended, however, to be used with compressed air that is commonly available in many food-manufacturing operations. Accordingly, loading two or three large sausages at a time represents the best balance between a reasonably-sized actuator  184  and an efficient device. But the predetermined number of sausages can vary from one up to the number of stages  132  on rotary conveyor  126  without departing from the present invention. For smaller and lighter sausages, more can be loaded at a time. The description of the operation will proceed for loading two large sausages at a time, but the same basic operation is used for larger numbers and PLC controller  520  is easily programmed to accommodate different numbers. 
   When two sausages  22  have been placed in stages  132   a  and  132   b , PLC controller  520  directs drive motor  124  to continue to rotate rotary conveyor  126  until the two stages  132   a  and  132   b  are on the unloading side  138  of rotary conveyor  126 . PLC controller  520  controls the rotation so that stage  132   b  is aligned with the top tray  324   a  and stage  132   a  is aligned with the second-to-the-top tray  324   b . PLC controller  520  directs rotary actuator  186  to rotate 180-degrees to turn pusher tabs  170  through openings  166 . When pusher tabs  170  project into stages  132 , they contact the back end  24  of a sausage  22 . PLC controller  520  then directs actuator  184  to move arm  174  from its retracted to its extended position. As arm  174  moves from the proximal portion  180  to the distal portion  182  of frame  122 , pusher tabs  170   a  and  170   b  push the two sausages  22  out of stages  132   b  and  132   a  and onto trays  324   a  and  324   b.    
   PLC controller  520  next directs actuator  184  to return arm  174  to its retracted position, and for rotary actuator  186  to move pusher tabs  170  out of stages  132 . Simultaneously, stuffer/clipper  220  makes another sausage  22 , which is extruded onto conveyor belt  222  and then into the next available empty stage  132 . When two sausages  22  have been loaded in adjacent stages  132 , PLC directs motor  124  to rotate to align those two stages with trays  324   c  and  324   d . Rotary actuator  186  rotates to move pusher tabs  170  into stages  132  and actuator  184  moves arm  174  from its retracted position to its extended position, thereby moving the two sausages  22  onto trays  324   c  and  324   d . This process continues until each tray  324   a  through  324   i  carries a sausage  22  on the left side  328 . Please note that, in the illustrated embodiment, rotary conveyor  126  will have to make five trips to fill the left side  328 , with the last trip carrying only one sausage  22 , because rack  320  as illustrated has nine trays  324  and loader  120  is loading two sausages  22  at a time. 
   When rack  320  has its left column filled with sausages, PLC controller  520  directs screw drive  450  to move positioning rail  442  a distance equal to the width of the sausages  22  being made. This movement moves rack  320  a corresponding distance. Loader  120  then continues as described above, until each tray  324  has two sausages  22 . Rack positioner  420  moves rack  320  another distance to the left and loader  120  continues as described above, until rack  320  has six sausages  22  on each tray  324 . PLC creates an alert signal, which can be audible, visual, or a combination of the two. A worker then removes full rack  320  and replaces it with an empty one, whereupon the process continues. 
   In another embodiment, arm  174  is movable not only between its retracted position and its extended position, but also up and down. Actuator  184  in this embodiment must be a dual-motion actuator. In this embodiment, pusher tabs  170  are removable, and only the number of pusher tabs  170  corresponding to the number of sausages to be loaded per trip are used. In the illustrated embodiment, then, only the bottom two pusher tabs  170   h  and  170   i  are used. When two sausages  22  are in stages  132   a  and  132   b  and aligned with trays  324   a  and  324   b  of rack  320 , actuator  180  first lifts arm  174  until pusher tabs  170   h  and  170   i  are aligned with stages  132   a  and  132   b . Rotary actuator  186  turns arm  174  to swing pusher tabs  170   h  and  170   i  through openings  166 , actuator  184  moves arm  174  from its retracted position to its extended position, and the two sausages  22  are pushed onto trays  324   a  and  324   b . The process repeats, only on the second trip, actuator  184  raises arm  174  until pusher tabs  170   h  and  170   i  and stages  132  are aligned with trays  324   c  and  324   d . The process continues as described above. 
   Since the pusher tabs  170  are only used on two stages at a time, this embodiment has the advantage that the other stages  132  can contain sausages at the same time. For example, loader  120  can load nine sausages  22  onto stages  132   a  through  132   i . Rotary conveyor  126  carries those sausages  120  to the loading side  140 , where they are pushed two at a time onto trays  324   a  through  324   i  (with, in the illustrated embodiment, of course, only one sausage  22  at a time pushed off on the last actuation). 
   In another embodiment, a cascading loader  620  is used to load sausages  22  onto automated rack loader  120 . Instead of stuffer/clipper  220  discharging sausages  22  directly onto a stage  132  of automated rack loader  120 , as described above, stuffer/clipper discharges sausages onto cascading loader  620 , which then rolls sausages  22  onto a stage  132 . 
   Cascading loader  620  has a series of tiers  622 , preferably three tiers  622 A,  622 B, and  622 C, as shown in side view in  FIG. 8A  and in perspective view in  FIGS. 8C and 8C . Each tier  622  has a stationary platform  624  and a movable platform  626 , which are connected by one or more hinges  628 . Both stationary platform  624  and movable platform  626  are rectangular members, having a length approximately equal to the length of stages  132 , and having a width approximately two-thirds the diameter of the largest sausages  22  that are expected to be loaded. The platforms  624 ,  626  are preferably made of smooth stainless steel. In another embodiment, platforms  624 ,  626  are coated with a material such as is sold under the brand name Teflon™. 
   The stationary platforms  624  of tiers  622 A,  622 B, and  622 C are mounted to frame member  628 , which is mounted to legs  630 . Legs  630  can sit on the floor next to frame  122  on loading side  140  of rotary conveyor  126 . Alternatively, legs  630  can be secured to frame  22 , or can be an extension of frame  122 . Frame member  628  has angular struts  630 , so that each successive tier  622  is slightly lower than the preceding tier  622 . As illustrated, tier  622 A is higher than tier  622 B, which is higher than tier  622 C. 
   Each movable platform  626  moves from a first position, in which movable platform  626  is raised and forms an obtuse angle with stationary platform  624 , to a second position, in which movable platform  626  is essentially coplanar with the stationary platform  624  of its own tier  622  and with the stationary platform of the next lower tier  622 . As shown in  FIG. 8A , movable platform  626  of tier  622 A is raised to the first position and movable platforms  626  of tiers  622 B and  622 C are in the second position. Accordingly, the platforms  624 ,  626  of tier  622 A, as shown in  FIG. 5A , form an obtuse angle, defining a passage  632  in which the sausage  22  will be placed. Movable platform  626  of tier  622 B, being in the second position, is essentially coplanar with both stationary platform  624  of tier  622 B and with stationary platform  624  of tier  622 C, and accordingly passageway  632  no longer exists. A sausage  22  can therefore roll out of tier  622 B and into tier  622 C. 
   Please note that the number of tiers  622  can be from one up to whatever number the user desires to use. The cascading loader  620  shown in  FIGS. 8A ,  8 B, and SC has three tiers  622 A,  622 B, and  622 C. The cascading loader  620  shown in  FIG. 9  has two tiers  622 A and  622 B. 
   Hinges  628  are preferably electronic hinges, controlled by PLC controller  520 . Alternatively, air cylinders, push rods, or other suitable means of moving movable platforms  626  between the first position and second position can be used. 
   Cascading loader  620  is shown placed next to automated rack loader  120  and attached to frame  122 , in  FIG. 9 . (For clarity, other elements of the system  20  are not shown.) 
   In operation, a sausage  22  produced as described above and is extruded from stuffer/clipper  222 . Instead of moving directly onto stage  132   a , as described above, however, sausage  22  is extruded onto tier  622 A, when movable platform  626  is in its raised position. The two platforms  624 ,  626  of tier  622 A, since they form a V-shape, hold sausage  22  in place within passageway  632 . When PLC controller determines that stuffer/clipper  222  has completed manufacture of a sausage  22  and sausage  22  is completely within tier  622 A, movable platform  626  of tier  622 A descends to the second position as movable platform  626  of tier  622 B rises to the first position. The sausage  22  according rolls from tier  622 A to  622 B and is held in the V-shape of tier  622 B. After a short pause, movable platform  626  of tier  622 B descends to its second position as movable platform  626  of tier  622 C rises to its first position. The sausage  22  then rolls from tier  622 B to tier  622 C. After a short pause, movable platform  626  of tier  622 C descends to its first position, allowing the sausage  22  to roll off tier  622 C and onto stage  132   a . Conveyor  126  then rotates as described above until the next stage,  132   b , is adjacent to tier  622 C. In the meantime, the next sausage is being made by stuffer/clipper  222  and is being extruded onto tier  622 A, for cascading down through tiers  622 A,  622 B, and  622 C and onto stage  132   b , as just described. 
   In this manner, sausages  22  can be gently rolled onto the stages  132  of conveyor  126 , minimizing any shock to the sausages  22 . 
   In yet another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 10 , cascading loader  620  has a roller tray  630 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . Roller tray  630  has a series of rollers mounted transversely to the direction of movement of sausages  22  during the extrusion process Accordingly, as sausages  22  extrude from stuffer/clipper  222 , sausages  22  roll onto roller tray  630 , thereby preventing any chafing or abrasion to the sausage casings. The rollers of roller tray  630  have a slight hemispherical shape to accommodate round sausages, as is well known in the art of roller trays. 
   After a sausage  22  is extruded onto roller tray  630 , roller tray  630  tilts to roll the sausage onto tier  622 A. An air-actuated cylinder or similar device can be used to tilt roller tray  630 . After the sausage  22  rolls onto tier  622 A, the process continues as described above. 
   In yet another embodiment, also shown in  FIG. 10 , each stage  132  also is a roller tray. As a sausage  22  is pushed off each stage  132  and onto a tray  324 , chafing and abrasion to the surface of sausage  22  is minimized because the sausage  22  is rolling off stage  132 . 
   While preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.