An apparatus and method for extruding extrudate through an extruding horn having a geometry that allows for a uniform flow from the discharge end into a cooking section that sets the outer surfaces of continuous flow of all meat specie. The technology as disclosed and claimed allows for uniform product thickness throughout the cooking process, increased system throughput, and increased bind in the sheet leading to overall increased product yields. The technology eliminates the need for a meat press ahead of the system to set thickness further reducing yields.

An apparatus for filling tubular cases with a pasty material, such as gathered sausage skin casings with sausage meat, is provided. The apparatus includes at least one filling tube, which is rotatable and drivable about its longitudinal axis and on to which a case which can be filled with the material can be pulled, a receiving portion at which the filling tube is rotatably received, and a drive unit for driving the filling tube. The apparatus advantageously includes a magnetic coupling for making and breaking an at least force-locking torque transmission between the drive unit and the filling tube, which has a drive rotor and a driven roller that is displaceable relative to the drive rotor in the longitudinal direction of the filling tube. Thus, the positioning during filling is reliable and performed with simplified structure. A filling machine including the apparatus is also provided.

An equipping apparatus for and method of equipping a filling tube is provided. The equipping apparatus includes a feed device for feeding a gathered tubular case to a case gripping device, and a case gripping device having gripping elements for gripping and orienting a gathered tubular case. The equipping apparatus further includes a pushing-on member moveable axially relative to a filling tube longitudinal axis for pushing the case on to a filling tube. A detecting device is associated with the gripping elements for sensing the position of at least one of the gripping elements.

An apparatus for co-extruding a liquid around a periphery of a stream of meat as the meat is extruded into a casing includes a collar, a tube end connected within the collar, and a co-axial stuffing tube having a proximal end connected to the tube end. The stuffing tube has concentric inner and outer layers and a longitudinal channel between the inner and outer layers extending from the proximal end of the stuffing tube to a distal end of the stuffing tube. A liquid inlet port in the collar is in fluid communication with the longitudinal channel. Methods include co-extruding the liquid from the longitudinal channel at a distal end of the stuffing tube as the stream of meat is extruded from within the inner layer of the stuffing tube such that the liquid and the meat are not combined until both are extruded into a casing.

An equipping apparatus for and method of equipping a filling tube is provided. The equipping apparatus includes a feed device for feeding a gathered tubular case to a case gripping device, and a case gripping device having gripping elements for gripping and orienting a gathered tubular case. The equipping apparatus further includes a pushing-on member moveable axially relative to a filling tube longitudinal axis for pushing the case on to a filling tube. A detecting device is associated with the gripping elements for sensing the position of at least one of the gripping elements.

A system for dispensing material contained in a collapsible package from a dispensing device. The system includes a piercing nozzle attachable to a dispensing end of the dispensing device, and a plunger attachable to a plunger rod of the dispensing device configured to compress the package against the piercing nozzle. The piercing nozzle includes a nozzle sidewall and a nozzle end wall defining an internal nozzle cavity configured to receive a first end of the package. One or more recessed members extend into the internal nozzle cavity in part from a recessed member. The piercing projection pierce the package when compressed thereagainst, allowing the material in the package to be dispensed through a nozzle opening. An internal nozzle rib can extend across a nozzle opening defined through the nozzle end wall.

A method and apparatus for an extrusion horn including an inner compression chamber having an interior channel extending from an open infeed port to an open exit port, where a top inner surface of the interior channel progressively tapers down with an initial slope having an initial downward taper to a target thickness, then top inner surface abruptly steps to an increased thickness of the channel, and then progressively tapers down with a secondary slope where the secondary slope has a steeper downward taper than the slope of the initial downward taper. An apparatus and method for extruding extrudate through an extruding horn conducive for producing bacon bits and jerky.

A system for dispensing material contained in a collapsible package from a dispensing device. The system includes a piercing nozzle attachable to a dispensing end of the dispensing device, and a plunger attachable to a plunger rod of the dispensing device configured to compress the package against the piercing nozzle. The piercing nozzle includes a nozzle sidewall and a nozzle end wall defining an internal nozzle cavity configured to receive a first end of the package. One or more recessed members extend into the internal nozzle cavity in part from a recessed member. The piercing projection pierce the package when compressed thereagainst, allowing the material in the package to be dispensed through a nozzle opening. An internal nozzle rib can extend across a nozzle opening defined through the nozzle end wall.

A portioning-twisting machine for producing cured sausages includes a product portioning element (3) and a twisting element (4) wherein portions are stuffed into a continuous casing and they are twisted. The portioning element (3) and the twisting element (4) are arranged so that the product moves between them linearly, i.e., without changing direction from when it is introduced into the machine to be portioned to its output forming stuffed units, after being twisted in the casing. The twisting element (4) is actuated in its rotation by a second motor (19), which operates independently from the first motor (10), which actuates the rotation of the portioning element (3). The transmission means (20) that link the second motor (19) to the twisting element (4) are accommodated and protected in a frame (21) provided externally on the side of the housing (2) and includes at least one belt (22).

The present disclosure relates to a method and a device for filling of sausage sleeves with pasty material through a filling tube, wherein the pasty material is fed in the filling tube through an opening on its rear end in the axial direction. At the end of the filling process, the filling tube is moved back out of its filling position in the axial direction onto an axially arranged closing element, wherein the opening is closed.