Product stuffing apparatus and method

Claim 1

An apparatus for stuffing flowable viscous product into a casing which comprises: a. a stuffing horn having an inlet end for receiving flowable viscous product from a pressurized product supply and a discharge end for discharging the product, said stuffing horn being adaptable for concentrically receiving a casing; b. constraining means positioned about said stuffing horn for maintaining tension on the casing as it is being stuffed with a pressurized flowable viscous product; and c. product stoppering means disposed interiorly of the stuffing horn and adapted to cooperate with the stuffing horn so as to be effectively reciprocated between a first site where the stoppering means is disposed within the stuffing horn and in which a product stuffing flow can proceed through the stuffing horn and out through the discharge end of said horn, and a second site in which the product stuffing flow would be stoppered at the discharge end of the stuffing horn by said product stoppering means, said product stoppering means comprising a plunger adapted to seat within and project sufficiently outward from the discharge end of the stuffing horn when said stoppering means is disposed at the second site so as to effectively sever and compact a product in the trailing end of a stuffed casing thereby effectively providing the trailing end of a stuffed casing adjacent the stuffed compacted product with a product-free closure zone.

Claim 2

An apparatus for stuffing flowable viscous product into a casing which comprises: a. a stuffing horn having an inlet end for receiving flowable viscous product from a pressurized product supply and a discharge end for discharging the product, said stuffing horn being adaptable for concentrically receiving a casing; b. constraining means positioned about said stuffing horn for maintaining tension on the casing as it is being stuffed with a pressurized flowable viscous product; and c. product stoppering means disposed interiorly of the stuffing horn and adapted to cooperate with the stuffing horn so as to be effectively reciprocated between a first site where the stoppering means is disposed within the stuffing horn and in which a product stuffing flow can proceed through the stuffing horn and out through the discharge end of said horn, and a second site in which the product stuffing flow would be stoppered at the discharge end of the stuffing horn by said product stoppering means, said product stoppering means comprising a plunger adapted to seat within and project sufficiently outward from the discharge end of the stuffing horn when said stoppering means is disposed at the second site so as to effectively sever and compact a product in the trailing end of a stuffed casing thereby effectively providing the trailing end of a stuffed casing adjacent the stuffed compacted product with a product-free closure zone.

Claim 14

A method for stuffing a casing with product to produce stuffed casings with product-free closure zones which comprises: a. sheathing a casing onto a stuffing horn, said horn having an inlet end and a discharge end, and the fore end of the casing proximal the discharge end of the horn being closed; b. supplying a pressurized flowable viscous product at the inlet end of the stuffing horn and releasing said product from the discharge end of said stuffing horn to progressively stuff the casing; c. stopping the flow of pressurized product after a predetermined length of casing has been stuffed; d. compacting the product at the trailing end of the casing to produce a recess therein and severing the product at the discharge end of the stuffing horn; e. advancing the casing over the discharge end of said stuffing horn so as to provide a product-free closure zone in the casing trailing the end of the stuffed product; and f. applying a closure at the product-free closure zone of said casing at the aft end of the stuffed product.

Claim 15

A method for stuffing a casing with product to produce stuffed casings with product-free closure zones which comprises: a. sheathing a casing onto a stuffing horn, said horn having an inlet end and a discharge end, and the fore end of the casing proximal the discharge end of the horn being closed; b. supplying a pressurized flowable viscous product at the inlet end of the stuffing horn and releasing said product from the discharge end of said stuffing horn to progressively stuff the casing; c. stopping the flow of pressurized product after a predetermined length of casing has been stuffed; d. compacting the product at the trailing end of the casing to produce a recess therein and severing the product at the discharge end of the stuffing horn; e. advancing the casing over the discharge end of said stuffing horn so as to provide a product-free closure zone in the casing trailing the end of the stuffed product; and f. applying a closure at the product-free closure zone of said casing at the aft end of the stuffed product.

Claim 16

A method for stuffing a casing with product to produce stuffed casings with product-free closure zones which comprises: a. sheathing a casing onto a stuffing horn, said horn having an inlet end and a discharge end, and the fore end of the casing proximal the discharge end of the horn being closed; b. supplying a pressurized flowable viscous product at the inlet end of the stuffing horn and releasing said product from the discharge end of said stuffing horn to progressively stuff the casing; c. stopping the flow of pressurized product after a predetermined length of casing has been stuffed; d. compacting the product at the trailing end of the casing to produce a recess therein and severing the product at the discharge end of the stuffing horn; e. advancing the casing over the discharge end of said stuffing horn so as to provide a product-free closure zone in the casing trailing the end of the stuffed product; f. applying within the product-free closure zone of said casing a closure at the aft end of the stuffed product and a closure at the fore end of the succeeding trailing unfilled casing; g. severing said stuffed closed end casing intermediate said aft end closure and said fore end closure of the succeeding trailing unfilled casing; and h. repeating the supplying step (b), the stopping step (c) the compacting and severing step (d), the advancing step (e), the closure step (f), and the severing step (g) until the casing is completely expended.

Claim 17

A method for stuffing a casing with product to produce stuffed casings with product-free closure zones which comprises: a. sheathing a casing onto a stuffing horn, said horn having an inlet end and a discharge end, and the fore end of the casing proximal the discharge end of the horn being closed; b. supplying a pressurized flowable viscous product at the inlet end of the stuffing horn and releasing said product from the discharge end of said stuffing horn to progressively stuff the casing; c. stopping the flow of pressurized product after a predetermined length of casing has been stuffed; d. compacting the product at the trailing end of the casing to produce a recess therein and severing the product at the discharge end of the stuffing horn; e. advancing the casing over the discharge end of said stuffing horn so as to provide a product-free closure zone in the casing trailing the end of the stuffed product; f. applying within the product-free closure zone of said casing a closure at the aft end of the stuffed product and a closure at the fore end of the succeeding trailing unfilled casing; g. severing said stuffed closed end casing intermediate said aft end closure and said fore end closure of the succeeding trailing unfilled casing; and h. repeating the supplying step (b), the stopping step (c) the compacting and severing step (d), the advancing step (e), the closure step (f), and the severing step (g) until the casing is completely expended.