METHOD FOR TYING SAUSAGES IN A STRING OF SAUSAGES

Abstract

A method for tying sausages in a rope of sausage using a tying twine supplied from a reel of twine (9) that rotates about the rope of sausage and to which a counterweight (7) is assigned, wherein the counterweight (7) and the reel of twine (9) are adapted to one another when unreeling the tying twine.

Claims

1. A method for tying sausages in a rope of sausage using a tying twine supplied from a reel of twine (9) that rotates about the rope of sausage and to which a counterweight (7) is assigned, wherein the counterweight (7) and the reel of twine (9) are adapted to one another when unreeling the tying twine.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a position of the counterweight (7) in relation to the reel of twine (9) is changed.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a position of the reel of twine (9) in relation to the counterweight (7) is changed.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the weight of the counterweight (7) is changed according to a decrease in the weight of the reel of twine (9).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a material of the counterweight (7) is changed.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a weight of the reel of twine (9) is monitored.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness (d) of the reel of twine (9) is monitored.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reel of twine (9) or its thickness (d) is scanned by a beam of light (11).

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of the tying twine unreeled from the reel of twine (9) is determined.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein data concerning the reel of twine (9) are supplied to the machine control system, on the basis of which data unreeling of the tying twine is controlled.

11. A device for tying sausages in a rope of sausage using a tying twine supplied from a reel of twine (9) that rotates about the rope of sausage, and to which a counterweight (7) is assigned, wherein the counterweight (7) is adaptable to a decrease in the reel of twine (9) when unreeling the tying twine.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the reel of twine (9) and the counterweight (7) are arranged on a carrier ring (4) rotating about the rope of sausage, said carrier ring being supported in a bearing.

13. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein weight monitoring is assigned to the reel of twine (9).

14. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein thickness monitoring is assigned to the reel of twine (9).

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one light source (14) and at least one light receiver (15) is/are assigned to the reel of twine (9).

16. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein an arrangement for determining the length of the unreeled tying thread is assigned to the reel of twine (9).

17. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the reel of twine (9) is arranged in a cage (8).

18. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein a storage device (18) is assigned to the reel of twine (9), in which storage device data concerning the reel of twine (9) are contained.

19. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said storage device (18) is connected to a machine control system.

20. The device as claimed in claim, wherein a reading device (17) is provided for the storage device (18).

21. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the storage device (18) is an RFID card or chip and/or the reading device is an RFID card reader (17).

22. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein a storage device (18) is assigned to the reel of twine (9), in which storage device data concerning the reel(s) of twine (9) are contained.

23. The device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the storage device (18) is an RFID chip or card.

24. The device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the data contained in the storage device (18) relate to the quality of the twine, in particular to the weight, the length, the finish and the nature of the reeling.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0031] Further advantages, characterizing features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred illustrative embodiments and also on the basis of the drawing; in the drawing,

[0032] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a detail of an inventive device for tying sausages in a rope of sausage;

[0033] FIG. 2 depicts a view from above of a cage having a reel of twine inserted therein;

[0034] FIG. 3 depicts a cross section through an illustrative embodiment of an inventive counterweight.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Sausages in a rope of sausage, not illustrated here, are fed through an opening 1 in a dynamic component 2 of a displacement shears and then through a tube-like component 3 of the displacement shears. A casing filled with sausage meat is constricted at a specific point by the dynamic component 2 in interaction with the static component 3. How this happens in detail plays only a subordinate role for the present invention. Rotating around the rope of sausage is a carrier ring 4, which is supported in a bearing (not illustrated in more detail) in a machine-based bearing housing 5 of the inventive device, and which rotates in this bearing in the direction of rotation 6.

[0036] A counterweight 7, which rotates together with the carrier ring 4 in the direction of rotation 6, sits on said carrier ring 4. Also present on the carrier ring 4 opposite the counterweight 7 is a cage 8 intended to accommodate a reel of twine 9 represented in FIG. 2. An outer position 10 of the reel of twine 9 is observed by a beam of light 11, represented by a broken line in FIG. 1, through an opening 12 in a cover 13 of the cage 8. Said beam of light 11 can either follow a reduction in a thickness d of the reel of twine 9, or else a number of beams of light 11 are provided as a light curtain, via which a decrease in the thickness d of the reel of twine can be determined.

[0037] A light transmitter 14 is provided for transmitting the beam of light 11, and a light receiver 15 is provided for receiving the beams of light.

[0038] An illustrative embodiment of how the counterweight 7 can be changed is depicted in FIG. 3. A threaded screw 20, which is caused to rotate in a tapped hole 21, is present in the counterweight 7 for this purpose. The threaded screw 20 possesses a hexagonal socket 22 for this purpose, into which an appropriate tool is introduced by a small servomotor when stationary (for example for casing replacement), which causes the threaded screw 20 to rotate.

[0039] The functionality of the present invention is as follows:

[0040] A natural or artificial casing with the appropriate sausage meat is fed through the opening 1 in the dynamic component 2 and the static component 3 of the displacement shears. Individual sausages are produced from this rope by displacing the content of the casing by means of the displacement shears. It is also conceivable for the provision of a tying point also to be accomplished in some other way. What is important, however, is that a spacing without filling material is produced between two sausages (tying point). This tying point (not illustrated here) is wrapped around by a part of the thread by causing the carrier ring 4 to rotate, wherein said twine is guided by a twine guide 19.

[0041] Initially (or even later), the counterweight 7 is adapted in respect of its weight to the arrangement of the reel of twine inside the cage, so that the carrier ring 4 runs smoothly and the smallest possible vibrations or no vibrations come about. The weight of the reel of twine 9 decreases, however, when unreeling the tying twine, so that an imbalance arises. This imbalance leads to substantial vibrations, which in turn lead to bearing damage. In order to counteract this, the counterweight 7 is adapted to the change in the reel of twine 9. In the present illustrative embodiment, this is accomplished in that the decrease in the reel of twine 9 is determined by the one or more light beams 11, which scan the outer periphery of the reel of twine 9 through the opening 12 in the cover 13 of the cage 8. According to the invention, the counterweight 7 is adapted continuously or in stages to said decrease in the reel of twine. For example, this can be accomplished by changing the position of the counterweight 7 on the carrier ring 4. Also conceivable is the adjustment of the inclination of the counterweight 7 in relation to the carrier ring 4 more towards the outside or more in the direction of the static component 3 of the displacement shears. A further possibility would involve rotating the counterweight 7 about its axis A, by which the centrifugal force is changed.

[0042] Represented on a further side wall 16 of the inventive device, furthermore, is a card reader 17, which is able to read a corresponding storage device 18. The storage device 18 is preferably an RFID card, and the card reader is preferably an RFID card reader. Any data for the reel of twine 9, but above all concerning the quality of the twine, are stored on said storage device 18. The quality of the twine includes details of the weight, the length, the finish and the nature of the winding (lead, positions, etc.). The card reader 17 is connected to the machine control system.

[0043] Before the inventive device commences the activity of tying, the machine control system checks the quality of the twine on the reel of twine with reference to the details on the storage device 18. If said details do not correspond to the prescribed characteristics, the tying process will not start or at least an alarm will be given.

[0044] It is possible in this way, for example, to indicate to the machine control system what length of a tying twine is present on the appropriate reel of twine 9. If a device, via which the length of the unreeled tying twine is determined, is then assigned to the reel of twine 9, the weight of the reel of twine can also be determined and the counterweight can be controlled from this determination. The machine in turn is designed in such a way that it is only able to operate if an appropriate storage device 18 is inserted into the card reader 17.

[0045] This arrangement is intended to ensure that appropriate reels of twine can be sourced only from the machine manufacturer or from a distributor authorized by it. This ensures that only tying twines of a specific quality and with specific characteristics are processed on this machine.