The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 06, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 03, 1997
Thomas Ralph Stanley, Danville, IL (US);
Teepak Investments, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
A method for stuffing food product into a tubular food casing by continuously filling a tubular food casing to obtain a predetermined linear rate of movement of stuffed food product; moving a closing device with the food casing at said predetermined linear rate of movement; activating said closing device to apply a closure in the form of a tie or clip to segregate the stuffed food product into links while the stuffed food product continues to move at the predetermined rate; and supporting the filled food casing during the filling and closing by means of a roller table comprising indented rollers and upon which the filled food casing rests, the roller table being provided with opposing link side supports containing bearings which support the rollers and which permit the rollers to freely rotate. The roller table lacks a roller directly beneath the closing device to form a space which permits closing of the food casing. The link side supports move in the direction of movement and at the speed of the closing device so that the space stays beneath the closing device at all times during its motion and so that the rollers move in the direction and speed of the closing device. The invention further includes a machine for practicing the method.