IE980762A1 - A rack and use thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A rack (1) for supporting a plurality of pepperoni sausage casings (2) has a main support frame (5) and a plurality of rack bars (6) attached to the main support frame. Each rack bar (6) has a plurality of rack locations (7) on which the casings (2) are hung. The rack (1) has an elongated support arm (10) extending downwardly from the main support (5) and has a rack mounting bracket (15) at its free (lower) end. A second mounting bracket (20) projects upwardly from the main support (5) and interengages, an assembly, with a bracket (15) at the end of the support arm (10) to form a tiered rack structure to form a tired racking system. The tiered rack is supported on a guide wheel assembly which run along tracks (52).

Description

“A rack and use thereof' The invention relates to a rack for supporting a plurality of elongate casings containing sausage meat, especially fermented and dried sausage meat, particularly pepperoni.

In our UK-A-2288160 we have described a rack for such elongate casings.

However, there is an ever-increasing need to increase production efficiency and this invention is directed towards providing an improved rack and use thereof.

Statements of Invention According to the invention there is provided a rack for supporting a plurality of elongate casings containing sausage meat, the rack comprising: a main support; a plurality of laterally spaced-apart rack bars attached to the main support; each rack bar having a plurality of spaced-apart rack locations on which the elongate casings are hung; the rack having an elongate support arm extending downwardly of the rack bars; the elongate support arm having rack mounting means for mounting another rack thereto to form a tiered rack.

PUBLIC INSPECTION -2Preferably the elongate support arm extends downwardly from the main support. Ideally the elongate support arm extends downwardly approximately centrally from the main support.

In one embodiment of the invention the rack mounting means comprises a first mounting bracket adjacent to the end of the elongate support arm. Preferably the main support includes a second mounting bracket which is engagable on assembly of one rack with another to form a tiered rack.

In a preferred embodiment the first and second brackets are engaged, on assembly to permit limited relative motion between assembled racks in a tier.

In a preferred arrangement each rack bar has at least two rows of rack locations. Preferably the spacing between adjacent rack locations in the rows is different to accommodate elongate casings of different diameters.

In one embodiment of the invention a row of rack locations are provided on opposite sides of the rack bars.

Preferably the rack bar locations comprise recesses in the rack bars to locate a string attached to an elongate article.

In one embodiment of the invention the rack bars are of generally cylindrical shape having two rows of differently spaced-apart cut-out recesses in the surface thereof to support elongate articles of different diameters. -3In another aspect the' invention provides a process for preparing an elongate fermented sausage including the steps of:hanging a plurality of casings containing a blend of meat, spices, curing agent and fermentation culture on a tiered rack of the invention; fermenting the casings on the racks for a period of up to three days; and drying the fermented casings on the racks for a period of up to 21 days.

In this case preferably the process includes the steps of:tempering different grades of meat; coarse grinding of the individual grades; blending the different grades of ground meat; sampling the blended meat; adjusting the meat blend as necessary to achieve a desired blend; adding spices, curing agents and fermentation culture to the meat blend; emulsion grinding of the blend; and filling the blend into elongate casings for hanging on the racks. -4The process may include the steps of slicing the fermented and dried sausage, packing and freezing the sliced sausage.

The invention also provides dried fermented sausage such as pepperoni whenever prepared using a tiered rack of the invention and/or by a process of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 and 1A are perspective views of parts of a rack according to the invention; Fig.2 is a side, partially cross sectional view of the rack, in use; Fig. 3 is a side, partially cut-away view of the rack in another position of use; Fig. 4 is an end, partially cross sectional view of the rack, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a number of the racks, in use.

Detailed Description Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a rack 1 for supporting a plurality of elongate sausage casings 2 containing sausage meat. The rack 1 comprises a main support formed by a generally rectangular section 5 and a plurality of laterally spaced-apart rack bars 6 attached to the main support 5. Each rack bar 6 has a plurality of spaced-apart rack locations 7 on which the elongate casings 2 are hung.

The rack 1 has an elongate support arm 10 extending downwardly approximately centrally from the main support 5. The support arm 10 is longer than the length -5of the casings 2 and has a rack mounting means for mounting another rack thereto to form a tiered rack as particularly illustrated in Fig. 5.

The rack mounting means comprises a first mounting bracket 15 mounted adjacent to the free end of the support arm 10 and a second mounting bracket 20 projecting upwardly from the main support 5. The first mounting bracket is defined by a channel section which is upturned to define a mounting leg 16 on each side of the support arm 10. The second mounting 20 bracket is defined by a pair of upstanding plates 21 which are spaced-apart to receive a pair of mounting pins 22 therebetween.

On assembly of one rack with another as illustrated in Fig. 1 the pins 22 are engaged in the upturned mounting legs 16. This relatively simple engagement is extremely advantageous in use because not only is it relatively simple to assemble/dissemble one rack to another but also the engagement permits some limited relative movement between racks in a tier which allows the racks to be more easily moved.

Referring in particular to Fig. 1A in this case the second mounting bracket 20 is used for mounting to a stub 40 of a guide wheel assembly 50. The guide wheels 51 of the assembly 50 run along tracks 52 defined by intumed lips of an inverted channel section rail 53. The anangement of guide wheels assembly 50 and rail 53 greatly facilitates ease of movement of tiered racks while, at the same time, providing a substantial support for the racks.

It will be noted, particularly from Figs 3 and 4 that the guide wheel assembly 50 is configured to facilitate some flexibility and hence ease of movement. Each of the wheels 51 is rotatable on a downwardly extending leg 55 which in turn is mounted by a pin 56 to a channel support 57. The channel supports 57 are, in turn mounted on pins 58 to a transverse section 59. The transverse section 59 is mounted by a single mounting pin 60 to the stub 40. For further ease of -6movement guide rollers 65 of the guide wheel assembly 50 run along the inner free edges of the tracks 52 as will be particularly apparent from Fig. 4.

Each rack bar 6 in this case has at least two rows of rack locations. The spacing between adjacent rack locations in the rows is different to accommodate elongate casings 2 of different diameters. Ideally, the racks are reversible and a row of rack locations are provided on opposite sides of each rack bar 6.

A plurality of the racks described above are used in a process for preparing elongate fermented sausages in which a plurality of casings containing a blend of meat, spices, curing agent and fermentation culture are hung on the racks, the casings are then fermented on the racks for a period of up to three days and the fermented casings on the racks are then moved to a drying room where the casings are dried for a period of up to twenty one days. Fig. 5 illustrates the racks in use during drying. After drying, the sausage meat may be sliced and frozen.

In the process of the invention, different grades of meat are first tempered to approximately -3°C. Individual grades of meat are then coarse ground and blended. The coarse blend is then sampled and the sample is analysed to establish the essential parameters of the blend such as the fat content. The meat blend is adjusted as necessary to achieve desired parameters and sampled again if necessary. When the desired blend has been achieved, spices, curing agents and fermentation culture are added to the meat blend which is then emulsion ground prior to filling into elongate casings which are hung on the racks described above.

The racks of the invention are extremely easy to handle and to manipulate in use. They are readily hung on a guide rail. In addition, and most importantly, they provide a large improvement in production efficiency as two or more racks can be readily hung from one another to optimise the production operation. • 7.

Many variations on the specific embodiment of the invention will be readily apparent and accordingly the invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims (14)

1. A rack for supporting a plurality of elongate casings containing sausage meat, the rack comprising:a main support; a plurality of laterally spaced-apart rack bars attached to the main support; each rack bar having a plurality of spaced-apart rack locations on which the elongate casings are hung; the rack having an elongate support arm extending downwardly of the rack bars; the elongate support arm having rack mounting means for mounting another rack thereto to form a tiered rack.

2. A rack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the elongate support arm extends downwardly from the main support.

3. A rack as claimed in claim 2 wherein the elongate support arm extends downwardly approximately centrally from the main support.

4. A rack as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the rack mounting means comprises a first mounting bracket adjacent to the end of the elongate support arm. -95. A rack as claimed in claim 4 wherein the main support includes a second mounting bracket which is engagable on assembly of one rack with another to form a tiered rack.

5. 6. A rack as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first and second brackets are engaged, on assembly to permit limited relative motion between assembled racks in a tier.

6. 7. A rack as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each rack bar has at least two rows of rack locations.

7. 8. A rack as claimed in claim 7 wherein the spacing between adjacent rack locations in the rows is different to accommodate elongate casings of different diameters.

8. 9. A rack as claimed in claim 8 wherein a row of rack locations are provided on opposite sides of the rack bars.

9. 10. A rack as claimed in claim 8 or 9 wherein the rack bar locations comprise recesses in the rack bars to locate a string attached to an elongate article.

10. 11. A rack as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10 wherein the rack bars are of generally cylindrical shape having two rows of differently spaced-apart cutout recesses in the surface thereof to support elongate articles of different diameters.

11. 12. A rack substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. - ΙΟΙ 3. A process for preparing an elongate fermented sausage including the steps of:hanging a plurality of casings containing a blend of meat, spices, curing agent and fermentation culture on a tiered rack as claimed in any of claims 1 to 12; fermenting the casings on the racks for a period of up to three days; and drying the fermented casings on the racks for a period of up to 21 days.

12. 14. A process as claimed in claim 13 including the steps of:tempering different grades of meat; coarse grinding of the individual grades; blending the different grades of ground meat; sampling the blended meat; adjusting the meat blend as necessary to achieve a desired blend; adding spices, curing agents and fermentation culture to the meat blend; emulsion grinding of the blend; and filling the blend into elongate casings for hanging on the racks. -1115. A process as claimed in claim 13 or 14 including the steps of slicing the fermented and dried sausage, packing and freezing the sliced sausage.

13. 16. A process as claimed in claims 13 to 15 substantially as hereinbefore described.

14. 17. Dried fermented sausage such as pepperoni whenever prepared using a 10 tiered rack as claimed in any of daims 1 to 12 and/or by a process as claimed in any of daims 13 to 16.