Method of processing continuous strands of encased sausage links and apparatus therefor

Claim 2

METHOD OF PROCESSING CONTINUOUS STRANDS OF ENCASED SAUSAGE LINKS, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: CONTINUOUSLY FEEDING STRANDS OF ENCASED SAUSAGE LINKS, IN A FIRST DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY ACROSS A FIRST ZONE, AND THEN IN A DIRECTION OPOSITE TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION, TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID FIRST ZONE; FEEDING SAID LINKS TO SAID FIRST ZONE AT A RATE FASTER THAN THE RATE OF FORMATION OF TRANSVERSE STRANDS, AND CAUSING EACH LINK, IN EACH STRAND, TO LIE AT AN ANGLE TO AN ADJACENT LINK; SUPPORTING AND CONVEYING TO A TREATMENT ZONE, SAID STRANDS IN THE THUS FORMED PATTERN OF TRANSVERSE STRANDS CONNECTED BY A BEND,AND HAVING UNDULATIONS IN SAID TRANSVERSE STRANDS.

Claim 3

APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE PROCESSING OF CONTINUOUS STRANDS OF ENCASED MEAT EMULSION LINKS,COMPRISING: A CONVEYOR MOVABLE IN A LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION AND HAVING A PAIR OF TRANSVERSE ENDS; A GUIDE MEMBER RECIPROCABLY MOVABLE TRANSVERSELY, FROM A FIRST POSITON AT ONE END OF SAID CONVEYOR TO A SECOND POSITION AT THE OTHER END OF SAID CONVEYOR; POWER DRIVEN FEEDING MEANS POSITIONED FOR COOPERATION WITH SAID GUIDE MEMBER, SO AS TO FEED CONTINUOUS STRANDS OF ENCASED MEAT EMULSION LINKS TO SAID GUIDE MEMBER, SAID FEELING MEANS BEING OPERATABLE AT A SPEED SUCH THAT THE RATE OF DELVIERY OF SAID LINKS TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID CONVEYOR IS GREATER THAN THE RATE OF TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT OF SAID GUIDE MEMBER ACROSS SAID CONVEYOR; WHEREBY A STRAND OF LINKS IS LAID IN A FIRST DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID CONVEYOR, A BEND IS LAID, A STRAND IS LAID TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID CONVEYOR IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION, AND EACH LINK IN EACH STRAND LIES AT AN ANGLE TO AN ADJACENT LINK THUS FORMING UNDULATIONS IN EACH OF THE TRANSVERSE STRANDS.

Claim 4

APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE PROCESSING OF CONTINUOUS STRANDS OF ENCASED MEAT EMULSION LINKS,COMPRISING: A CONVEYOR MOVABLE IN A LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION AND HAVING A PAIR OF TRANSVERSE ENDS; A GUIDE MEMBER RECIPROCABLY MOVABLE TRANSVERSELY, FROM A FIRST POSITON AT ONE END OF SAID CONVEYOR TO A SECOND POSITION AT THE OTHER END OF SAID CONVEYOR; POWER DRIVEN FEEDING MEANS POSITIONED FOR COOPERATION WITH SAID GUIDE MEMBER, SO AS TO FEED CONTINUOUS STRANDS OF ENCASED MEAT EMULSION LINKS TO SAID GUIDE MEMBER, SAID FEELING MEANS BEING OPERATABLE AT A SPEED SUCH THAT THE RATE OF DELVIERY OF SAID LINKS TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID CONVEYOR IS GREATER THAN THE RATE OF TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT OF SAID GUIDE MEMBER ACROSS SAID CONVEYOR; WHEREBY A STRAND OF LINKS IS LAID IN A FIRST DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID CONVEYOR, A BEND IS LAID, A STRAND IS LAID TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID CONVEYOR IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION, AND EACH LINK IN EACH STRAND LIES AT AN ANGLE TO AN ADJACENT LINK THUS FORMING UNDULATIONS IN EACH OF THE TRANSVERSE STRANDS.