Product encasing machine

Claim 2

A product encasing machine, comprising, a hopper for folded casings, said hopper including a removable auxiliary hopper thereon; a stUffer tube adapted to be positioned in said folded casings; clamp means for said casings as they are received from said hopper; means for closing said clamp means to position one of said casings therein for reception of said stuffer tube therein; means for moving said stuffer tube into said one casing; means responsive to movement of said stuffer tube into a predetermined position in said one casing for opening said clamp means; a casing follower movable along said stuffer tube and adapted to engage one end of said one casing and exert a predetermined force thereon; means responsive to the opening of said clamp means for moving said casing follower into contact with said one casing; means for forcing the product through said stuffer tube and into said one casing; and means for linking the encased product; said auxiliary hopper including a casing agitator means pivotally secured thereto, said agitator means being operatively connected to said clamp means whereby said agitator means pivots into said auxiliary hopper to agitate the casings thereon with each cycle of said clamp means.

Claim 3

A product encasing machine comprising a hopper for folded casings; a stuffer tube adapted to be positioned in said folded casings; clamp means for said casings as they are received from said hopper; means for closing said clamp means to position one of said casings therein for reception of said stuffer tube therein; means for moving said stuffer tube into said one casing; means responsive to movement of said stuffer tube into a predetermined position in said one casing for opening said clamp means; a casing follower movable along said stuffer tube and adapted to engage one end of said one casing and exert a predetermined force thereon; means responsive to the opening of said clamp means for moving said casing follower into contact with said one casing; means for forcing the product through said stuffer tube and into said one casing; said hopper having a throat portion normally positioned above said clamp means adapted to supply casings to said clamp means; a hopper support means; a support arm means secured at one end to said hopper and extending rearwardly and downwardly therefrom, said support arm means being pivotally connected at its other end to said hopper support means to permit said hopper to be pivotally raised upwardly and rearwardly from said clamp means.

Claim 4

A product encasing machine comprising a hopper for folded casings; a stuffer tube adapted to be positioned in said folded casings; clamp means for said casings as they are received from said hopper; means for closing said clamp means to position one of said casings therein for reception of said stuffer tube therein; means for moving said stuffer tube into said one casing; means responsive to movement of said stuffer tube into a predetermined position in said one casing for opening said clamp means; a casing follower movable along said stuffer tube and adapted to engage one end of said one casing and exert a predetermined force thereon; means responsive to the opening of said clamp means for moving said casing follower into contact with said one casing; means for forcing the product through said stuffer tube and into said one casing; said hopper having a throat portion normally positioned above said clamp means adapted to supply casings to said clamp means; a hopper support means; a support arm means secured at one end to said hopper and extending rearwardly and downwardly therefrom, said support arm means being pivotally connected at its other end to said hopper support means to permit said hopper to be pivotally raised upwardly and rearwardly from said clamp means.

Claim 5

The machine of claim 2 wherein an adjustment screw means is threadably secured to said support arm means and engages said hopper support means to permit the selective vertical adjustment of said throat portion with respect to said clamp means.

Claim 6

A product encasing machine comprising: a hopper for casings; a stuffer tube adapted to be positioned in a folded casing; clamp means for clamping said casings as they are received from said hopper; means for closing said clamp means to position one of said casings therein for reception of said stuffer tube therein; means for moving said stuffer tube into said one casing; a casing follower movable along said stuffer tube to a predetermined position wherein said casing follower exerts a predetermined force on one end of said one casing; forcing means for forcing product through said stuffer tube and into said casing; first means responsive to movement of said stuffer tube into a predetermined position within said casing for opening said clamp means; second means responsive to the opening of said clamp means for moving said casing follower into contact with said casing; and third means responsive to movement of said casing follower to said predetermined position on said stuffing tube for actuating said forcing means whereby said forcing means will be actuated after said casing follower exerts said predetermined force on said one casing.

Claim 7

A product encasing machine comprising: a hopper for casings; a stuffer tube adapted to be positioned in a folded casing; clamp means for clamping said casings as they are received from said hopper; means for closing said clamp means to position one of said casings therein for reception of said stuffer tube therein; means for moving said stuffer tube into said one casing; a casing follower movable along said stuffer tube to a predetermined position wherein said casing follower exerts a predetermined force on one end of said one casing; forcing means for forcing product through said stuffer tube and into said casing; first means responsive to movement of said stuffer tube into a predetermined position within said casing for opening said clamp means; second means responsive to the opening of said clamp means for moving said casing follower into contact with said casing; and third means responsive to movement of said casing follower to said predetermined position on said stuffing tube for actuating said forcing means whereby said forcing means will be actuated after said casing follower exerts said predetermined force on said one casing.

Claim 8

The machine of claim 4 wherein said hopper includes a throat portion positioned above said claMp means and means for adjusting the size of said throat portion to accommodate various casing sizes.

Claim 9

The machine of claim 4 wherein said hopper includes a lower discharge end positioned above said clamp means, said hopper means being vertically adjustable to permit its lower discharge end to be raised and lowered with respect to said clamp means.

Claim 10

The machine of claim 4 wherein a pivotal arm means extends through said clamp means and is weight responsive to a casing in said clamp means, and means on said pivotal arm means adapted to engage said clamp means to prevent its closing unless a casing is positioned therein and on said pivotal arm means.

Claim 11

The machine of claim 4 wherein said hopper comprises front and back wall portions secured to and extending between opposite side wall portions, said front and back wall portions having spaced apart lower end portions defining a throat portion normally positioned above said clamp means adapted to supply casings to said clamp means.

Claim 12

The machine of claim 8 wherein said back wall portion of said hopper is horizontally adjustably secured to said side wall portions to permit the adjustment of the size of said throat portion to accommodate various casing sizes.

Claim 13

The machine of claim 4 wherein said clamp means comprises a horizontally disposed V-shaped front seat portion and a horizontally disposed V-shaped back seat portion which are movable towards each other to close upon a casing, and adjustment means on at least one of said seat portions for vertically adjusting the seat portion with respect to the other seat portion and with respect to the hopper and stuffer tube, and adjustment means on at least one of the seat portions for adjusting the amount of horizontal travel of the seat portion.

Claim 14

The machine of claim 4 wherein said clamp means comprises a horizontally disposed V-shaped front seat portion and a horizontally disposed V-shaped back seat portion which are movable towards each other to close upon a casing, and means on one end of said front seat portion for retarding the movement of the casing therethrough.

Claim 15

The machine of claim 11 wherein said means on one end of said front seat portion comprises a shear plate means adjustably mounted thereon and having a U-shaped slot provided thereon which receives the casing therein, said slot having a width less than the diameter of the casing.

Claim 16

A product encasing machine according to claim 4 comprising a rotatable chuck adapted to receive said casing after said casing is stuffed; power means for rotating said chuck; said third means being responsive to movement of said casing follower to said predetermined position on said stuffing tube for actuating said power means whereby said chuck will begin rotating after said casing follower exerts said predetermined force on said one casing.

Claim 17

A product encasing machine according to claim 4 comprising a chuck adapted to receive said one casing therein; said stuffing tube being movable to insert a portion of said one casing into said chuck; retarding means adjacent said chuck for engaging said one casing and retarding movement of said one casing toward said chuck before said stuffing tube inserts said one casing into said chuck.

Claim 18

A product encasing machine according to claim 14 wherein said retarding means includes a plate having an opening therein which receives said casing, said opening having a width less than the diameter of said casing.

Claim 19

A product encasing machine, a support, a hopper for casings on said support, clamp means for the casings as they are received from said hopper, said clamp means being normally open, a stuffer tube horizontally movably mounted on said support and being movable from a first position to a second position wherein said tube is positioned in a folded casing, a switch actuator on said stuffer tube, first power means moving said stuffer tube between its first and second positions, second power means for cloSing said clamp means to position the casing therein for reception of said stuffer tube therein, a pump means for forcing the product through said stuffer tube and into said casing, linking means for linking the encased product, a first switch means on said support adapted to be actuated by said switch actuator when said stuffer tube is moved from its second position to its first position, a casing follower rod horizontally movably mounted on said support adjacent said stuffer tube and being movable between first and second positions, third power means for moving said follower rod, a casing follower on said follower rod movable along said stuffer tube and adapted to engage one end of the casing and exert a predetermined force thereon, a second follower on said follower rod, a second switch means on said support adapted to be actuated by said second follower when said follower rod is moved from its second position to its first position, a third switch means on said support adapted to be actuated by said second follower when said follower rod is moved to its second position, a fourth switch means on said support adapted to be actuated by said switch actuator on said stuffer tube when said stuffer tube is moved to its second position, a horizontally disposed actuator rod rotatably mounted on said support adjacent said follower rod and being rotatable between first and second positions, a first cam arm means on one end of said actuator rod, said second follower on said follower rod adapted to engage said first cam arm means to move said actuator rod to its first position when said follower rod is moved to its first position, a second cam arm means on said actuator rod intermediate the ends thereof adapted to be engaged by said second follower to move said actuator rod to its second position as said follower rod is moved to its second position, a fifth switch means on said support, said actuator rod actuating said fifth switch means when said actuator rod is moved to its first and second positions, a sixth switch means on said support operatively connected to said first power means and being responsive to said clamp means being closed upon a casing to actuate said first power means to cause said stuffer tube to move from its first position towards its second position, said fourth switch means being operatively connected to said first power means and adapted to deactivate said first power means when said stuffer tube reaches its second position, said fourth switch means being operatively connected to said second power means and adapted to deactivate said second power means upon said switch actuator on said stuffer tube actuating said fourth switch means, a sixth switch means on said support responsive to the opening of said clamp means and being operatively connected to said third power means to cause said follower rod to move from its first position towards its second position, said fifth switch means being operatively connected to and adapted to actuate said pump means and said linking means upon said second follower engaging said second cam arm means as said follower rod is moved towards its second position, said third switch means being operatively connected to and adapted to deactivate said pump means and linking means upon said follower rod reaching its said second position, said third switch means also being operatively connected to said third power means to cause said third power means to move said follower rod from its second position to its first position upon said second follower engaging said third switch means, said second follower engaging said first cam arm means to deactivate said fifth switch means as said follower rod is moved to its said first position, said second switch means being operatively connected to said first power means to cause said first power means to return said stuffer tube from its second position to its first position upoN said second follower engaging said second switch means as said follower rod is moved to its first position, the movement of said stuffer tube from its second position to its first position causing said switch actuator to engage said first switch means to permit the machine to re-cycle.

Claim 20

A product encasing machine, a support, a hopper for casings on said support, clamp means for the casings as they are received from said hopper, said clamp means being normally open, a stuffer tube horizontally movably mounted on said support and being movable from a first position to a second position wherein said tube is positioned in a folded casing, a switch actuator on said stuffer tube, first power means moving said stuffer tube between its first and second positions, second power means for cloSing said clamp means to position the casing therein for reception of said stuffer tube therein, a pump means for forcing the product through said stuffer tube and into said casing, linking means for linking the encased product, a first switch means on said support adapted to be actuated by said switch actuator when said stuffer tube is moved from its second position to its first position, a casing follower rod horizontally movably mounted on said support adjacent said stuffer tube and being movable between first and second positions, third power means for moving said follower rod, a casing follower on said follower rod movable along said stuffer tube and adapted to engage one end of the casing and exert a predetermined force thereon, a second follower on said follower rod, a second switch means on said support adapted to be actuated by said second follower when said follower rod is moved from its second position to its first position, a third switch means on said support adapted to be actuated by said second follower when said follower rod is moved to its second position, a fourth switch means on said support adapted to be actuated by said switch actuator on said stuffer tube when said stuffer tube is moved to its second position, a horizontally disposed actuator rod rotatably mounted on said support adjacent said follower rod and being rotatable between first and second positions, a first cam arm means on one end of said actuator rod, said second follower on said follower rod adapted to engage said first cam arm means to move said actuator rod to its first position when said follower rod is moved to its first position, a second cam arm means on said actuator rod intermediate the ends thereof adapted to be engaged by said second follower to move said actuator rod to its second position as said follower rod is moved to its second position, a fifth switch means on said support, said actuator rod actuating said fifth switch means when said actuator rod is moved to its first and second positions, a sixth switch means on said support operatively connected to said first power means and being responsive to said clamp means being closed upon a casing to actuate said first power means to cause said stuffer tube to move from its first position towards its second position, said fourth switch means being operatively connected to said first power means and adapted to deactivate said first power means when said stuffer tube reaches its second position, said fourth switch means being operatively connected to said second power means and adapted to deactivate said second power means upon said switch actuator on said stuffer tube actuating said fourth switch means, a sixth switch means on said support responsive to the opening of said clamp means and being operatively connected to said third power means to cause said follower rod to move from its first position towards its second position, said fifth switch means being operatively connected to and adapted to actuate said pump means and said linking means upon said second follower engaging said second cam arm means as said follower rod is moved towards its second position, said third switch means being operatively connected to and adapted to deactivate said pump means and linking means upon said follower rod reaching its said second position, said third switch means also being operatively connected to said third power means to cause said third power means to move said follower rod from its second position to its first position upon said second follower engaging said third switch means, said second follower engaging said first cam arm means to deactivate said fifth switch means as said follower rod is moved to its said first position, said second switch means being operatively connected to said first power means to cause said first power means to return said stuffer tube from its second position to its first position upoN said second follower engaging said second switch means as said follower rod is moved to its first position, the movement of said stuffer tube from its second position to its first position causing said switch actuator to engage said first switch means to permit the machine to re-cycle.

Claim 21

The machine of claim 16 wherein said second cam arm means is longitudinally adjustably mounted on said actuator rod.

Claim 22

The machine of claim 16 wherein said actuator rod includes means for yieldably maintaining said actuator rod in its first and second positions.

Claim 23

The machine of claim 16 wherein conveyor means and looping means are mounted on the machine, said fifth switch means being operatively connected to and adapted to actuate said conveyor means and looping means upon said second follower engaging said second cam arm means as said follower rod is moved towards its second position, said third switch means being operatively connected to and adapted to deactivate said conveyor means and looping means upon said follower rod reaching its second position.