Abstract:
A brake mechanism which permits adjustment of the outer reach or extent of an elastomeric ring about the periphery of the brake. The adjustment is effected by engaging and bending the elastomeric ring seal to a greater or lesser extent depending upon the axial relationship of the component parts forming the brake.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In a principal aspect, the present invention relates to apparatus for controlling the release of rucked casing material on a product discharge horn especially when the rucked material has reduced plasticity. 
     Packaging of sausage products and other food products in casing material by discharge of the products from a tube or horn into the casing which has been rucked upon that horn is disclosed and taught in numerous prior art patents including the following: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Patent No. 
                 Issue Date 
                 Title 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 4,887,332 
                 December 19, 1989 
                 Semi-Automatic Stuffing Machine, 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Casing Brake and Turret Assembly 
               
               
                 5,020,298 
                 June 4, 1991 
                 Continuously Rotating Platform With 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Multiple Mounted Double Clippers For 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Continuously Forming Link Product 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     A problem often encountered with respect to such apparatus relates to the mechanism which is used to control the discharge of casing material that has been rucked upon the product discharge horn. Various types of braking mechanisms have been proposed over the years to control the release of casing removal in a manner which will prevent tears from forming in the casing yet will release the casing in a manner that product discharged into the casing will fill the casing uniformly and in a manner which provides an appealing product. Various prior art patents teach braking mechanisms including the following which are incorporated herewith by reference: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Patent No. 
                 Issue Date 
                 Title 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 5,042,234 
                 August 27, 1991 
                 Collagen Film and Netting Packaging 
               
               
                   
                   
                 System and Method 
               
               
                 5,466,184 
                 November 14, 1995 
                 Device For Removing Surface Air in 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Casings 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Various other patents have been issued which disclose casing control and release mechanisms including the following: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Patent No. 
                 Issue Date 
                 Title 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 4,809,403 
                 March 7, 1989 
                 Collapsible Presizing Rings 
               
               
                 4,727,624 
                 March 1, 1988 
                 Food Casing Presizing Device 
               
               
                 5,211,599 
                 May 18, 1993 
                 Adjustable Sizing Device for Tubular 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Food Casing 
               
               
                 5,273,482 
                 December 28, 1993 
                 Reinforced Casings for Preparing 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Dimensionally Uniform Processed Food 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Products With Flat Ends 
               
               
                 5,378,193 
                 January 3, 1995 
                 Vacuum Stuffing Horn and Method for 
               
               
                   
                   
                 Using Same 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     While such apparatus are useful for controlling the discharge or release of casing material from a horn or tube, there has remained the problem of providing a method and mechanism for adjustment of the diameter of a brake mechanism to accommodate casing materials of differing elasticity or plasticity, different diameter and differing elongation and strength characteristics. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, the present invention comprises apparatus and a method for adjustably controlling the braking or release of casing material from a horn or tube. The apparatus includes a first ring member which is affixed or attached to the end of the tube and which is adapted to receive an annular seal carrier ring at the outside end of the tube. The annular carrier ring includes a flexible, elastomeric seal about the outer periphery which may be altered in shape to vary the effective diameter of the braking mechanism. The alteration in shape is effected by engaging the elastomeric seal with a section of the first ring member that may be varied in accord with the axial displacement of the carrier ring within the first ring member. Various other construction features of the invention include a variable diameter product discharge passage through the carrier ring for control of product discharge from the tube and a seal between the carrier ring and the tube. 
     Thus it is an object of the invention to provide an improved brake mechanism for controlling the release of casing material rucked upon a tube or product discharge horn. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide an economically and efficiently constructed brake mechanism for use in combination with a product discharge tube or horn. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an easily adjusted brake mechanism which permits easy alteration of the effective diameter of the brake in response to distinctive diameter requirements associated with the type of casing material and the diameter of the casing material. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a brake mechanism which includes a construction that enables the adjustment of the product discharge orifice from the tube or horn. 
     These and other Invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the detailed description which follows reference will be made to the drawing comprised of the following figures: 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a typical product discharge horn or tube for the discharge of flowable product or material such as food materials or other flowable products and which incorporates the brake construction of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 2 is a side, cross-sectional view of the brake construction of the invention as incorporated on a discharge tube or horn in the manner depicted in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In a typical product packaging machine of the type contemplated to use the invention, a product discharge tube or horn  10  is provided for receipt of flowable material and for discharge of that material therefrom in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG.  1 . Such materials may include food materials, for example, sausage and other meat products. Such materials may also comprise flowable construction materials such as caulking material. The materials may be in liquid or viscous form or in powder form. In any event the materials are discharged through the tube or horn  10  and packaged in casing material  12  which is rucked upon the horn  10 . 
     The casing material  12  is released in a controlled manner as a result of the construction and operation of a brake assembly  14  attached at the end of the horn or tube  10 . The invention relates, in particular, to the construction of the brake assembly  14  alone and in combination with a packaging apparatus of the type generally depicted in FIG.  1 . In operation, casing material  12  which has been rucked upon the tube  10  is sealed at its outside end, for example, by a metal clip  16  or by some other means. Flowable material is then discharged from the tube  10  causing the rucked casing  12  to be released in a controlled manner by operation of the brake  14 . As the casing  12  is released and filled, it is important that the fill material not leak between the tube  10  and casing  12  and that the casing  12  be released in a very controlled manner. Thus, it is important that all of the interfaces between casing  12  and the tube  10  as well the brake  14  be sealed so that leakage of the flowable material is avoided. Additionally, it is necessary to provide adequate resistance to removal of the rucked casing  12  from tube  10  via brake  14  yet not provide resistance that will result in tearing or destruction of the casing material  12  or back pressures of the flowable material in the tube  10  that preclude appropriate filling of the casing  12 . Thus, utilization of a brake assembly  14  which is easily adjusted and which maintains its adjustment at a desired setting depending upon the casing material  12  being used and other factors is quite important. 
     The present invention contemplates such a brake  14  construction. Briefly, the present invention includes, as depicted in FIG. 2, a first ring member  20 . The first ring member  20  has an annual configuration with a constant diameter through passage  22 . The diameter of the through passage  22  is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tube  10 . Thus the first ring member may be slidably positioned on the tube  10  and attached thereto by a fastener  24 . It is noted that the first ring member  20  is preferably positioned slightly back or axially displaced away from the front end  13  of the tube  10 . Thus the tube  10 , which has a center line axis  11 , is coaxial with the center line of the annular first ring member  20 . The first ring member  20  further includes an axial counterbore  26  and a circumferential rib  28  projecting axially and forwardly in the direction of material discharge from tube  10 . The counterbore  26  has a diameter and shape and is threaded to threadably receive an annular seal carrier ring  30  as described below. 
     An annular seal carrier ring  30  is comprised of an outer ring member  31  and an inner ring member  32  of substantially equal diameter. Retained or sandwiched between the outer ring member  31  and the inner ring member  32  is an annular elastomeric seal  34 . The elastomeric seal  34  is retained between outer ring member  31  and inner ring member  32  by means of fasteners such as fasteners  36  which engage the ring members  30  and  32  and retain them together. The inner ring member  32  preferably has an annular passage  42  with a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tube  10 . In this manner the inner ring member  32  can be slidably received on the tube  10 . The outside surface  35  of the inner ring member  32  is threaded so that it may be threaded into compatible or mating threads in the counterbore opening  26  to thereby allow adjustment of the axial position of the annular seal carrier rig  30 . 
     The outer ring member  31  has an axial orifice or passage  44 . The passage  44  is defined by a passaged wall  37  which is shaped in a desired fashion to control the outlet size of the brake  14 . As depicted in FIG. 2, an outlet  46  of outer ring member  31  has a lesser diameter than the inner diameter of the tube  10 . However this is not a limiting feature of the invention. The outlet  46  diameter may be greater and the transition passage  44  may provide for a shaped transition or flow path from the inside of the tube  10  through the outlet  46 . 
     The elastomeric seal  34  includes an annular passage  41  therethrough. Preferably, the annual passage  41  has an internal diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of the tube  10 . However other diameterial openings may be provided. The seal  34  has an outer diameter which is greater than the outer diameter of the first ring member  20 . The elastomeric seal  34  thus includes an outer margin  48  which extends around the periphery or outer edge of the joined members  31  and  32 . As the seal carrier ring  30 , comprised of members  31  and  32 , is threaded into the counterbore  26 , the circumferential rib  28  will engage and bias the elastomeric seal  34  and particularly the outer margin  48  thereof. In this manner, the radial extent of the seal  34  from axis  11  is controlled by the resultant flexure of seal  34 . Likewise, engagement of the seal  34  with casing material  12  is controlled in this manner by adjusting the angle of the margin  48  relative to axis  11 . Thus, the seal  34  can be distorted or shaped in any desired fashion to provide a wide range of diameterial engagement dimensions to a maximum outer extent of the seal  34 . In a preferred embodiment, the margin  48  defines an annular planar member which projects outwardly and in the direction of product flow through tube  10 . 
     The choice of the seal material  34  and thickness and shape of the seal  34  and margin  48  will have an impact on the strength of the engagement between the brake and casing material  12 . Thus, with the construction described, it is easy to control the interaction between the elastomeric seal  34 , i.e. margin  48 , and the casing material  12 . The margin  48  typically projects in the direction of removed casing material  12  as shown in FIG.  2 . However, the brake may be constructed to provide for extension in the opposite direction. 
     Another important feature of the invention is the inclusion of an O ring seal  50  intermediate the inside diameter of the inside seal carrier ring member  32  and the outer diameter of the tube  10 . The seal  50  comprises an elastomeric O ring seal  50  in an annular channel  51  along the surface of the tube  10  at a position which depends upon the rotation or threading of the carrier ring member  32 . The seal  50  prevents leakage of fill material discharged through tube  10 . 
     A further feature of the invention comprises an annular external ring  60  which fits over the carrier ring heretofore described. The annular ring  60  is mounted in a holder  62  and may be adjusted by movement in an axial direction within the holder  62 . For example, the ring  60  may be externally threaded and cooperate with internal threads on the holder  62  to provide for axial adjustment of the external ring member  60  with respect to the other ring members previously described and the horn  10 . 
     The ring  60  includes a beveled surface  64  and a constant diameter internal surface  66 . The beveled surface  64  provides a guide for casing  12  which feed through the space intermediate the external ring  60  and the elastomeric seal  48 . The elastomeric seal  48  is typically aligned with a portion of the constant diameter surface  66  of the external ring  60 . The external ring  60  may have a constant diameter or the diameter thereof may be variable about the internal circumference of the ring  60 . Further, alternative to the ring  60  may be substituted and are considered generally equivalent thereto. For example, a segmented series of arcuate blocks may be provided about the periphery of the internal brake construction. However, the preference is that the external ring  60  is a closed loop ring. 
     In practice, the casing material  12  is rucked upon the horn  10 . A leading edge of the casing material  12  is then fitted over the brake mechanism elastomeric seal  34 . The tension between the aft casing  12  and the seal  34  can be easily adjusted by adjusting the annular seal carrier ring  30  axially inwardly or outwardly within the cavity  26 . Adjustment of seal  34  may thus accommodate many types of casing  12  having a wide variety of plasticity. The construction is especially useful with casing  12  of limited plasticity. Seals  34  may be replaced or substituted to accommodate different casings  12 . 
     It is thus possible to vary the construction and operation of the improved brake mechanism of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The particular shapes of the various elements may be adjusted. The dimensional characteristics and material of the elastomeric seal, for example, may be adjusted or altered. The seal, for example, does not need to be entirely continuous or circular about its outer periphery. It may be elliptical, for example. The internal passage through the seal does not necessarily need to be equal to the tube  10  internal diameter in order to practice the invention. Thus, the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.