Apparatus for forming tubes in nets

Abstract

A net derucking rectifier system is described. The system has a stuffer, a product horn having an upstream end and a downstream end, the upstream end mounted to the stuffer, a netting tube having an upstream end and a downstream end, the netting tube removably mounted coaxially over the product horn and having a tubular netting shirred thereon, a bracket mounted coaxially to the netting tube and having a plurality of fingers pointing radially inward to grip the netting, the bracket movable between a first position near the upstream end and a second position near the downstream end, the fingers biased to grip the netting when the bracket is moved from the first position to the second position and not to grip the netting when the bracket is moved from the second position to the first position, and a clipper located adjacent the distal end of the netting tube. In another embodiment, a method of derucking a predetermined length of netting rucked on a tube, comprises gripping the netting in a first position on the tube, moving the gripped netting from the first position to a second position a predetermined distance axially along the tube, releasing the netting at the second position, and regripping the netting at the first position.