A clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products is provided, comprising gathering means for forming a plait-like portion from tubular packaging casing filled with filling material and a closing unit for applying at least four closure means to the plait-like portion. Moreover, a guide unit is provided for guiding closure means to a closing unit of a clipping machine, being configured to supply at least two closure means to a first closing device of the closing unit and at least two further closure means to a second closing device of the closing unit. There is also provided a method for producing sausage-shaped products, comprising filling a portion of tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing with filling material, forming a plait-like portion therefrom and applying at least two closure means to a first section of the plait-like portion while substantially simultaneously applying two closure means to a second section of the plait-like portion.

The present invention relates to a cutting equipment having a cutting device with a cutting element and a drive device for the cutting element. The drive device includes a pneumatically driven piston/cylinder arrangement and a switch valve having a high-pressure input port, a high-pressure output port and a low-pressure output port, with the high-pressure input port coupled to a high-pressure source, the high-pressure output port coupled to a first cylinder chamber and the low-pressure output port coupled to a second cylinder chamber. The switch valve connects the high-pressure input port to the high-pressure output port upon application of a pressurized fluid, and connects the high-pressure output port to the low-pressure output port upon reduction of the pressure level of the pressurized fluid. The present invention further relates to a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products, including said cutting equipment, and a method for controlling the cutting equipment.

A clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products is provided, comprising gathering means for forming a plait-like portion from tubular packaging casing filled with filling material and a closing unit for applying at least four closure means to the plait-like portion. Moreover, a guide unit is provided for guiding closure means to a closing unit of a clipping machine, being configured to supply at least two closure means to a first closing device of the closing unit and at least two further closure means to a second closing device of the closing unit. There is also provided a method for producing sausage-shaped products, comprising filling a portion of tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing with filling material, forming a plait-like portion therefrom and applying at least two closure means to a first section of the plait-like portion while substantially simultaneously applying two closure means to a second section of the plait-like portion.

The present invention relates to a cutting equipment having a cutting device with a cutting element which is linearly reversibly movable in a cutting direction, and a drive device for reversibly moving the cutting element, wherein the drive device includes a pneumatically driven piston/cylinder arrangement, with the piston/cylinder arrangement comprises a cylinder and a piston. The piston has a first effective piston surface and a second effective piston surface, wherein the cutting device is connected with the second effective piston surface and the first effective piston surface faces away from the cutting device, the piston being linearly reversibly movable in the cylinder between a retracted position and an extended position. The cylinder has a first end and a second end and is separated by the piston into a first cylinder chamber arranged between the first effective piston surface and the first end of the cylinder, and a second cylinder chamber arranged between the second effective piston surface and the second end of the cylinder. The cutting equipment further comprises a switch valve having a high-pressure input port, a high-pressure output port and a low-pressure output port, with the high-pressure input port coupled to a high-pressure source, the high-pressure output port coupled to the first cylinder chamber and the low-pressure output port coupled to the second cylinder chamber, wherein the switch valve is adapted to connect the high-pressure input port to the high-pressure output port upon application of a pressurized fluid, and to connect the high-pressure output port to the low-pressure output port upon reduction of the pressure level of the pressurized fluid. The present invention further relates to a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products, like sausages, which includes a cutting equipment, and a method for controlling the cutting equipment.

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.

The invention relates to a method and device for producing portions from a strand (B), in particular for the production of sausages, comprising at least one pair of opposing clamps (1, 1) that can be moved towards one another by actuating means, from an open position to a closed position in order to clamp the strand. Each clamp comprises clamping means (2, 2, 3, 3) that can he maneuvered by the aforementioned actuating means (70, 9; 70, 9) in order to clamp the strand onto a central strand segment, and subsequently to clamp the strand onto side strand segments on each side of the central segment.

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).

The present invention relates to a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products by filling a flowable filling material into a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing and closing said packaging casing by at least one closure means, the clipping machine comprises a filling tube, having a central axis and a filling outlet, for feeding said filling material in a feeding direction via said filling outlet into said packaging casing, a displacement device for gathering the filled packaging casing and for forming a plait-like portion thereto, at least substantially free from filling material and a clipping device for applying at least one closure means to said plait-like portion. The displacement device of the inventive clipping machine is arranged in a replacement assembly group, wherein the group is removably arrangeable at the clipping machine in an engagement position, in which the replacement assembly group is coupled to the clipping machine for production process.

A separator is provided for separating portions from elongate casings stuffed with food mass, in particular for separating sausages from alginate casings stuffed with sausage meat. The separator includes two circulating conveyor members spaced apart from one another and drivable by at least one drive element, and at least one crimping member arranged on each conveyor member. It is proposed that the legs of a crimping portion of the crimping members are curved on their side facing an adjacently arranged second crimping member in operation, such that the stuffed casing is first constricted in a constriction region with displacement of the food mass and then severed, producing a desirable shape for the portions separated.