FR2811516A1 - Filling e.g. sausages by compressing and feeding edible material along tunnel formed between two trough-shaped conveyor belts with ridged surface to force it into tube - Google Patents

Abstract

A tube is filled with edible material by compressing and feeding it along a tunnel formed between two trough-shaped conveyor belts and forcing it into the tube. Each trough has internal grooves. Independent claims are included for the following: (a) a conveyor belt for use as above has a lower ridged layer, a middle layer including embedded steel filaments and an upper ridged trough-shaped layer; and (b) a sausage filling machine for performing as above includes a loading table (1), a tube holder (10), a cutter (11) and two conveyors (2,3) with belts (4) as in (a) Preferred Features: The filled tube is cut into closed uniform lengths.

Description

The invention relates to a method of filling a hose with

  food material and a hose filler for the implementation of the

  process, it also relates to the product obtained.

  Currently all food products such as sausage, sausage, are obtained by filling a hose with food material, or a preparation based on food materials which is previously chopped or ground. The Applicant had the idea of an entirely new process consisting in introducing whole loins of unworked food material

  beforehand, so as not to distort its original texture.

  The Applicant has successfully implemented its process by

  specially designed filling machine and a specific conveying system.

  The invention consists of a machine for filling a hose with food material, for implementing the method, comprising in particular a loading table, a hose magazine, a clip-on machine, characterized in that it comprises in addition to two endless conveyors including a lower conveyor onto which the material from the loading table falls, and an upper conveyor parallel to the lower conveyor. Each conveyor with a belt

  chute-shaped conveyor specially developed for the invention.

  It also consists of a conveyor belt for a machine for filling a hose with food material for the implementation of a method according to the invention characterized in that it is obtained by an assembly technique of three superimposed layers, namely: - a lower layer which is a notched belt, for example made of polyurethane, - a middle layer comprising steel wires embedded in the mass, - an upper layer which is the part of the belt in the form of a chute

  used to form the meat and whose inner profile is notched.

  This machine was developed for the production of sausages, but it also makes it possible to produce all kinds of products similar to sausages by their external aspects, which can be produced from any poultry meat, pork, beef and / or from tuna fillets,

  salmon and other fish, or from surimi.

  The invention will be better understood using the following description, made in

  reference to figures 1 to 4 below:

  - Figure 1: block diagram of a filler according to the invention.

  - Figure 2: cross-sectional view of a conveying tunnel of a

filler of figure 1.

  - Figure 3 and 4: detail view of one of the conveyor belts constituting

a tunnel according to figure 2.

  The specificity of the process according to the invention resides in the fact that it makes it possible to emboss whole loins of food material without denaturing its original texture, since no cutting is made in the material. The process consists in strongly pressing the food material between conveyor belts in the form of troughs with notched internal profile, with concavities turned towards each other so as to form a sort of conveying tunnel. The lanyards are first positioned on a corridor, then are pressed into the tunnel between the two belts and are forced into place by the conveyor belts and shaped into sausages in a hose. At the exit of the hose, a device delivers sausages from

  regular lengths and clipe them.

  All operations are carried out continuously and are controlled by a PLC. A filling machine according to the invention comprises, mounted on an appropriate chassis, the following essential elements: - a loading table (1), preferably made of stainless steel and sloping, - two endless conveyors (2 and 3) including a lower conveyor (2) on which the material from the loading table falls, and an upper conveyor (3) parallel to the lower conveyor (2). Each conveyor comprises a conveyor belt in the form of a chute specially designed for the invention, of which cross section in FIG. 3. The belt

  conveyor (4) is obtained by an assembly technique (bonding-

  fusion) of three layers (5, 6, 7) superimposed, namely: - a lower layer (5) which is a toothed polyurethane belt, - a middle layer (6) comprising steel wires embedded in the polyurethane, - an upper layer (7) which is the part of the belt in the form of

  chute used to form the meat and whose inner profile is notched.

  The material chosen is not limited to polyurethane for a question of assembly of these three parts and also for a question of food

of the upper layer (7).

  Over a filling length (L), the two belts of the two conveyors are turned towards each other so as to form a filling tunnel (8) according to FIG. 2 in which the material is compressed thanks to a narrowing in diameter when she enters the hose store

placed at the exit of the tunnel.

  The lower conveyor (2) is extended, upstream of the entrance to the tunnel (8) by a length 1, so as to form a reception corridor (9) placed under the

  loading table outlet (1).

  - a hose store (10) placed at the outlet of the tunnel (8).

  - an automatic double clip-on (11).

- an ejection assembly (13).

- a storage hopper (12).

  - a control cabinet not shown with PLC and dimmer

frequency.

  - safety elements (grid or other) not shown.

  The manufacture of the new product according to the invention is carried out as follows

  - a hose stick is introduced on the magazine (10) of the machine.

  - one or two people feed the machine by placing the pieces of meat or fish on the loading table (1),

  from where they fall on the reception corridor (9).

  - the products are then compressed between the two belts which form a tunnel at constant height: it is simply at the entrance to the hose store (10) that the diameter of the tube formed by the two conveyors decreases so as to enter by force thanks to the training of both

  conveyors and action of appropriate internal notches.

  - each sausage is then automatically clipped to length

  desired and falls into the storage hopper (13).

  The machine therefore makes it possible to put whole products under hose, continuously. It does not include a pusher or a pallet capable of distorting the

  product. The product is simply compressed between two special belts.

  The process and the machine allow:

  - casing 30 sausages of 80 cm continuously.

  - no destruction or cutting of product.

  - possibility of working with fragile products without any damage.

  - flawless presentation of the final product.

  The final product, due to its texture, is completely new.

  It is also new due to its shape for all versions of

  sausages which are not made from pork.

Claims (4)

  1. A method of filling a hose with food material, characterized in that it consists in strongly pressing the food material between conveyor belts in the form of troughs with notched internal profile, with concavities facing one towards the other so as to form a sort of conveying tunnel then to force them through the conveyor belts into a hose and to shape them into sausage in said casing.   2. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that at the outlet of the casing, a device delivers sausages of regular lengths and clips them. 3. Conveyor belt for a machine for filling a hose with food material for implementing a process according to the   claims 1 to 2 characterized in that it is obtained by a   technique of assembling three superimposed layers, namely: - a lower layer (5) which is a toothed belt, - a middle layer (6) comprising steel wires embedded in the mass, - an upper layer (7) which is the part of the belt in the form of   chute used to form the meat and whose inner profile is notched.   4. Machine for filling a hose with food material, for implementing the method according to claims 1 to 2, comprising in particular a loading table (1), a hose magazine (10), a clip-on, characterized in that it further comprises two endless conveyors (2 and 3) including a lower conveyor (2) onto which the material coming from the loading table falls, and an upper conveyor (3) parallel to the lower conveyor (2 ). Each conveyor with a   A chute-shaped conveyor belt according to claim 3.