A filling apparatus for and method of filling gathered tubular cases is provided. The filling apparatus includes a filling tube onto which a gathered tubular case can be pushed, and a moveable receiving portion which accommodates a first end of the filling tube and which is adapted to move the filling tube into a charging position in which the case can be put on to the filling tube and into a filling position in which the case can be filled. The filling apparatus also includes a pushing-on device which is moveable axially relative to the filling tube longitudinal axis for pushing the case on to the filling tube in the charging position, an axially moveable entrainment ring arranged on the filling tube, and a sensing device for ascertaining the position of the entrainment ring and/or the pushing-on device.

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.

A filling apparatus for and method of filling gathered tubular cases is provided. The filling apparatus includes a filling tube onto which a gathered tubular case can be pushed, and a moveable receiving portion which accommodates a first end of the filling tube and which is adapted to move the filling tube into a charging position in which the case can be put on to the filling tube and into a filling position in which the case can be filled. The filling apparatus also includes a pushing-on device which is moveable axially relative to the filling tube longitudinal axis for pushing the case on to the filling tube in the charging position, an axially moveable entrainment ring arranged on the filling tube, and a sensing device for ascertaining the position of the entrainment ring and/or the pushing-on device.

An apparatus is provided for filling tubular cases with a pasty material, in particular gathered sausage skin casings with sausage meat. The filling apparatus includes at least one filling tube on to which a case which can be filled with the material can be pulled, a receiving portion receiving a first end of the filling tube, a casing braking unit which is associated with the oppositely disposed second open end and which can be brought into operative connected relationship with the case which has been pulled over the filling tube, and a support device arranged at the receiving portion for the filling tube. The support device has at least one support portion which is variable in spacing relative to the receiving portion and which is adapted to be brought into contact with a gathered case on the filling tube for receiving transverse forces.

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 double tube encasing apparatus and methods of encasing for encasing meat products in a double casing including a film (e.g. collagen film) and a net in which a first tube is loaded with a height reduced shirred film and a second coaxial tube which supports a shirred netting. In one embodiment a casing tube is placed over a meat stuffing horn and is preloaded with a loose shirred film. A second casing tube which supports the netting is pushed or placed over the loose shirred film, and causes a reduction in diameter of the loose shirred film for example by forcing the vertically pleated shirred film to layback.

A sausage cutting apparatus 10 for cutting an extruded length of sausage into smaller sausage portions includes first and second cutting assemblies located at opposite sides of a feed path. The cutting assemblies include flexible toothed belts 38 driven by toothed pinions, to which a number of longitudinally-spaced cutting device 30 are fixedly attached. The apparatus includes a drive system for synchronously driving the belts 38 and a guide system for guiding displacement of the cutting devices into and out of meshing engagement with one another for cutting the length of sausage. Each cutting device includes a cutting blade defining a domed cutting face at an inner side thereof. The cutting devices are displaced along arcuate cutter paths during meshing engagement of the cutting blades wherein the cutting faces of opposing pairs of cutting blades mesh with a slight interference fit in a conjugate meshing action.

A sausage cutting apparatus 10 for cutting an extruded length of sausage into smaller sausage portions includes first and second cutting assemblies located at opposite sides of a feed path. The cutting assemblies include flexible toothed belts 38 driven by toothed pinions, to which a number of longitudinally-spaced cutting device 30 are fixedly attached. The apparatus includes a drive system for synchronously driving the belts 38 and a guide system for guiding displacement of the cutting devices into and out of meshing engagement with one another for cutting the length of sausage. Each cutting device includes a cutting blade defining a domed cutting face at an inner side thereof. The cutting devices are displaced along arcuate cutter paths during meshing engagement of the cutting blades wherein the cutting faces of opposing pairs of cutting blades mesh with a slight interference fit in a conjugate meshing action.

A casing extender apparatus (30) includes a first actuator assembly (50) to raise and lower a pair of spaced-apart spanners (52a and 52b) from a position above the bunched casing rope (24) to a position adjacent the rope. A second actuator assembly (54) lowers a drawing member (56) to a position beneath the slack casing rope and then draws the slack casing rope upwardly between the spanners to form a loop (60) of slack casing rope upwardly between the spanners (52a and 52b).