Abstract:
A conveyor system for transporting a strand of sausage having a carriage slidably mounted to an operating platform where the carriage has an end turn sprocket where the strand is dropped onto a smoke stick and the carriage moves to drop the strand along the length of the smoke stick.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed toward a conveyor system for transporting sausage loops to a smoke stick for further processing. More specifically, the invention is directed toward a conveyor system having a moveable drop point. 
     Conveyor systems for transporting sausage loops are known in the art. When making linked sausages, it is usually necessary to loop the sausage casings onto smoke sticks. Typically, the casings are automatically looped onto hooks attached to a conveyor chain that transports the loops away from the loading point and toward an unloading point. A smoke stick is placed within the loops and lifted away from the hooks causing the loops to transfer from the hooks to the smoke stick. This transfer is done either manually or automatically. 
     In placing the loops on the smoke stick, the loops should be placed far enough apart so that the sausages do not touch, which permits uniform cooking, yet still close enough together to maximize the number of loops on a smoke stick for efficient use of the oven space. Also, the casings must be looped so that an entire casing fits onto a single smoke stick. Presently, the spacing of the loops is primarily dependent on the diameter of the sausage. To adjust the spacing, conveyors are available with different hook spacings for different sizes of sausage. As the size of the sausage is changed, the hook spacings must also be changed which is difficult and time consuming. In addition, with present conveyors time is required to remove a filled smoke stick and position an empty smoke stick for further processing. The time needed to remove and replace the smoke stick slows the sausage production and requires additional time to fill the oven. Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a conveyor system that addresses these deficiencies. 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a conveyor system with a moveable drop point. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a conveyor system where the spacing between loops placed on a smoke stick is easily adjusted. 
     A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a conveyor system that reduces the amount of time of removal and replacement of the smoke stick. 
     These and other objectives will be apparent to one skilled in the art based on the drawings, written description, and claims. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A conveyor system/assembly having an operating platform supported by a frame. A moveable carriage is slidably mounted within an opening of the operating platform. The carriage has a sprocket/pulley and an end turn or drop point sprocket/pulley mounted thereto. Also, mounted to the operating platform is a plurality of tension sprockets/pulleys. A continuous conveyor chain having a plurality of hooks secured to the chain is mounted about the sprockets/pulleys. The hooks receive an elongated strand of sausage at a loading station and transports the strand to a drop point or unload station. Once the strand reaches the unload station the carriage moves toward the load station which in turn moves the end turn sprocket/pulley toward the loading station. As the end turn sprocket/pulley moves toward the loading station, the sausage strand is unloaded onto the adjacent smoke stick. Once the smoke stick is loaded, the carriage returns to the start position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a conveyor assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The conveyor assembly  10  has an operating platform  12  supported by a frame  14 . The operating platform  12  typically is positioned in a vertical plane, but may also be supported by the frame  14  in a horizontal plane. A plurality of rotational members  16  such as sprockets, pulleys, and the like are attached to the platform  12  adjacent the outer perimeter of the platform  12 . A continuous conveying chain or belt  18  is mounted to sprockets  16 . A plurality of hooks  20  are secured to the chain  18  in any conventional manner. One of the sprockets  16 , typically at the loading point  40  is driven by an electric motor to move chain  18  and hooks  20  past the loading point  40 . Slidably mounted in opening  22  of the platform  12  is carriage  24 . Carriage  24  has a plate  26  upon which a first sprocket  28  is rotatably mounted. A second end turn or (drop point) sprocket  30  is also mounted to plate  26 . In one embodiment, a wiper  32  is mounted to the drop point sprocket  30  or alternatively to plate  26 . Removably positioned near the operating platform  12  is a smoke stick  34 . 
     In operation an elongated strand  36  of linked sausage is delivered through a conventional horn  38  of a sausage encasing and linking machine whereupon the strand  36  flows into the path of the hooks  20  which are moving past the looping point or loading station  40  at end  42  of the platform  12 . 
     After the strand  36  has been loaded on hook  20  the chain  18  transports the strand  36  from end  42  toward end  44 . When the strand  36  reaches the drop point sprocket  30  the strand  36  will drop through gravity and/or through engagement with wiper  32  onto the smoke stick  34 . 
     When the strand  36  reaches the drop point sprocket  30  a sensor  46  mounted to platform  12  recognize the presence of the strand  36  and sends a signal to controller  48 . Alternatively, the sensor  46  is mounted to plate  26 . The controller  48  processes the signal and activates an actuator  50  or other mechanical, electromechanical or hydraulic device that is connected to the carriage  24 . Once activated, the actuator  50  moves the carriage  24  from end  44  toward end  42  along opening  22  of the operating platform  12  at a predetermined rate. The rate at which the actuator  50  moves the carriage is based upon the drive speed of chain  18  and the desired spacing on the smoke stick, which is input into the controller  48 . As the carriage  24  moves from end  44  toward end  42  the drop point moves along the length of the smoke stick  34  creating the desired spacing on the smoke stick  34 . Alternatively, sprocket  28  is powered in any convenient manner such as by an electric motor (not shown) to move the chain  18  about sprockets  16 ,  28 , and  30 . A predetermined difference in the relative speeds of the chain  18  at the loading point  40  and drop point  30  will cause the carriage  24  to move within the platform  12 . 
     Once the drop point reaches the end of the smoke stick  34 , and the smoke stick  34  is filled with sausage loops, the controller  48  activates the actuator  50  to return the carriage  24  to its start position at end  44 . As the carriage  24  is returned to the start position the filled smoke stick  34  is removed and replaced with an empty smoke stick  34 . As this occurs, there is no interruption in the delivery of linked sausage to the hooks  20  at the looping point  40 . 
     Thus, a carriage assembly has been shown that at the very least meets all the stated objective.