WO1997004659A1

WO1997004659A1 - Apparatus for manufacturing sausage

Info

Publication number: WO1997004659A1
Application number: PCT/KR1996/000122
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jin Gon Kim
Original assignee: Jin Gon Kim
Priority date: 1995-07-29
Filing date: 1996-07-27
Publication date: 1997-02-13
Also published as: KR0167655B1; JP2824240B2; AU6533396A; JPH09103232A; KR970000041A

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing sausage, and more particularly, to an apparatus for manufacturing sausage having simple mechanics and enabling sausage to be manufactured easily, economically and sanitarily, which comprises a base part including a base plate and containers, a crushing part including a housing and a pair of screws, a screw driving part, a filling part including a discharging pipe and a tube, a knotting means, a driving part of the knotting means, and a controller.

Description

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING SAUSAGE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing sausage, and more particularly, to an apparatus for manufacturing sausage having simple mechanics and enabling sausage to be manufactured easily, economically and sanitarily.

Description of the Prior Art In general, sausage is pork or other meat, chopped fine, highly seasoned, and either stuffed into membraneous casings of varying size, or made into patties for cooking.

Conventional method for manufacturing sausage comprises the steps of chopping pork, beef, mutton and other meat into small pieces, grinding the chopped meat fine, mixing the meat with starch and other additives, and forming the mixture in prescribed size and shape or filling a prescribed sized tube with the mixture.

In the conventional method for rnanufacturing sausage, food colors, spices and the like are added to the mixture. The addition of food colors and spices is essential to the manufacture of sausage since they are needed for better appearance and needed in the distribution process of sausage.

The conventional method for manufacturing sausage has several disadvantages that it is inefficient since the steps of chopping, grinding, mixing, and forming or filling are performed separately, and it is not economical since apparatus for performing each step should be provided separately.

Further, in the course of moving the materials from one step to next step there was high possibility for the materials to be polluted.

Summary of the Invention

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an apparatus for manufacturing sausage which has integrated the individual apparatuses for performing various steps into one body and has simple mechanical structure, thus improving the productivity and reducing manufacturing cost.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing sausage, enabling mass production with a little human efforts, since manufacturing processes from input of materials to formation of finished products are performed automatically in an integrated manufacturing apparatus.

Further another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing sausage which can be installed even in houses and retail stores, occupying small space. The above objects can be achieved by the apparatus for manufacturing sausage which comprises a base part comprising a base plate, and containers which have horizontal and vertical parts and include a first and a second motors therein on the base plate; a crushing part including a housing which is located on the horizontal container and has an inlet for the input of materials of sausage and an outlet, and a pair of screws through which the materials are crushed and removed to a discharging pipe; a screw driving part located in the containers and transmitting driving power from the first motor to the screws of the crushing part; a filling part comprising a discharging pipe which is fixed at one end of the housing and discharges the materials crushed by the screws, and a tube including an outlet of the discharging pipe therein; a knotting means including a tightening means which is in contact with the outside of the tube and making a knot by rotating the tube when filled with the crushed materials; a driving part of the knotting means transmitting driving power from the second motor to the tightening means, to rotate the tightening means and the tube; and a controller.

According to the present invention, a series of processes for the manufacture of sausage can be performed automatically and successively in an integrated manufacturing apparatus.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an apparatus for manufacturing sausage according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front sectional view of principal parts of the apparatus for manufacturing sausage according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a partial plane sectional view of a crushing part of the apparatus for manufacturing sausage according to the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view showing transmission of power from a first motor to screws according to the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a side sectional view of a principal part of the crushing part according to the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a detailed view showing transmission of power from a second motor to a knotting means according to the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a partial plane sectional view showing that sausage is formed in a predetermined unit size according to the present invention; Fig. 8 shows the separation of an operating gear from a discharging pipe according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 9 shows that a case including the operating gear of Fig. 8 is rotated at a right angle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a front view of a screw according to the present invention;

Fig. 11 is a front sectional view of a hanging means according to a pereferred embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

An apparatus for manufacturing sausage according to the present invention comprises a base part(lOO), a crushing part(200), a filling part(300), a controller(400), a screw driving part(250), a knotting means(500) and a driving part of the knotting means(560).

The base part(lOO) comprises a base plate(llθ) placed on a work table, and containers, Le., a horizontal container (120) and a vertical container (140) installed on the base plate(llθ).

As shown in Fig. 2, the horizontal container (120) includes a first motor(230) constituting the screw driving part(250) and a second motor(510) driving a knotting means.

The vertical contained 140) partially fixed on the left side of the horizontal contained 120) includes therein a spline(231), a connecting gear(430) engaging with the spline(231), and a first and a second rotary gears(410 and 420) constituting the screw driving part(250), as shown in Fig. 4.

The vertical contained 140) further includes therein a support plate(251) and a press plate(252) which rotatably support the driving gears and move in an axial direction of the screws(220) by rotation of a handle(130). A spiral axis(253) along which the support plate(251) and the press plate(252) are moved for the axial direction of the screws, and a boss(254) are further included in the container(140). The spiral axis(253) and the boss(254) are engaged with each other by teeth.

When the press plate(252) is moved enough to fix a housing (210) of the crushing part(200) so that the first and second rotary gears(410 and 420) may be axially connected to their respective screws, the handle(130) can be stopped. Accordingly, when the first motor(230) is driven, the driving power is transmitted to the screws(220), thus crushing the materials of sausage.

When the housing(210) and the screws(220) are disassembled from the apparatus to be repaired or washed, the press plate(252) is just moved from the housing(210) by rotation of the handle(130) in the opposite direction. Then, the screws(220) are separated from the rotary gears(410 and 420).

The spline(231) is connected to the axis of the first motor(230) so that the connecting gear(430) and the rotary gears (410 and 420) can move maintaining the engagement with the spline(231), even when the screw driving part(250) is moved in order to disassemble the housing (210) from the apparatus.

The containers(120 and 140) surrounding the outside of the whole screw driving part prevent water or pollutants from being introduced to the driving part(200).

The base part(lOO) may be made of stainless steel to prevent corrosion thereof and improve sanitary conditions.

The crushing part(200) includes a housing(210) which is located on the horizontal contained 120) and has an inlet(211) for the input of materials of sausage, and a pair of screws(220) through which the materials are crushed and removed to an outlet(216a) of a guide piece(216).

As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the housing(210) has an inlet(211) in its left half and a pair of screw holes(212) in its right half to include a pair of screws(220) respectively. The left side ends of the screws(220) are axially connected to the first and second rotary gears(410 and 420) respectively, the rotary gears(410 and 420) being engaged with each other by teeth and rotating in opposite directions. The second rotary gear(420) is engaged with the connecting gear(430) and the connecting gear(430) is engaged with the spline(231) axially connected with the first motor(230).

By power supply to the driving part(250), the driving power of the first motor(230) is consecutively transmitted to the spline⁽231), the connecting gear(430) and the rotary gears(410 and 420), so that a pair of screws(220) axially connected to the rotary gears (410 and 420) rotate in the opposite directions, crushing the materials of sausage which are input from the inlet(211) of the housing (210) and then removing the crushed materials to the outlet(216a). The screws (220) have substantially same size as the inner surface of the screw holes(212) in order to crush the materials effectively.

The materials which have been cut off in predetermined size are introduced into the inlet(211) and are forced to be crushed by these screws (220). This process can be repeated until the materials crushed have desirable texture and viscosity.

As shown in Fig. 10, diameter(D) of the screw(220) at the inlet side( shown on the left side of Figure 10) is preferably formed smaller than that(d) of the screw(220) at the outlet side. Accordingly, the materials can be compressed and crushed fine as they are moved toward the outlet.

Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 show a detachable guide piece(216) which is connected to the end part of the housing(210)(shown on the right side of the housing(210)), guiding the crushed materials to the outlet(216a). Through the outlet(216a) in the center of the guide piece(216), the crushed materials which has been removed by the screws(220) are discharged. The guide piece(216) may be separated from the housin (210), when the inside of the guide piece(216) is to be washed.

A means for detecting temperature(G) may be installed beside the outlet(216a) to detect temperature of the materials.

Since activity of enzymes of the materials decreases as the temperature of the materials rises above about 17 "C, the means for detecting temperature(G) is required to prevent the materials crushed by the screws(220) from being heated above the predetermined temperature, i.e., 17^*0. The temperature detected by the means for detecting temperature(G) is indicated on the controller(400).

The controller(400) may interrupt operation of the crushing part(200) by stopping the first motor(230), when the temperature indicated is above the predetermined temperature. A refrigerating means may be further installed for decreasing the temperature.

As the materials become crushed between a pair of screws, viscosity of the materials increases, thus deteriorating transferability. Accordingly, plurality of grooves(212a) are formed on the periphery of the screw holes(212) at regular intervals, to reduce frictional force between the materials and the screws(220) and to improve the transferability.

As shown in Fig. 5, concaved grooves(217) may be formed in upper parts of the housing(210), to which a hopper(218) may be fitted. The hopper(218) is useful when large amount of material is continuously input to the housing(210).

Fig. 2 shows that the housing(210) is installed above the horizontal contained 120). The handle(130) is turned in one direction, so that the press plate(252) moves back to make a space for receiving the housing(210). After the housing(210) is seated on the space, the press plate(252) is moved forward and connected to the housing(210) by turning the handle(130) in the other direction. In this state, the screws(220) are connected to the screw driving part, receiving driving power from the first motor(230).

A guiding means may be installed so that the housing (210) may exactly fit with the horizontal container(120). As shown in

Fig. 5, the guiding means comprises a pair of guide rods(121) fixed on the horizontal container and located in a pair of dented portions(215), which are formed at both end parts of the bottom of the housing(210). The distance between the two guide rods(121) is equal to the width of the bottom of the housing(210).

Therefore, the housing(210) can be smoothly and rapidly fitted into the horizontal container(120) by the guiding means.

The guiding means saves time or trouble to exactly engage the screws(220) with the rotary gears(410 and 420), when the vertical container (140) is installed.

The filling part(300) comprises the discharging pipe(310) connected to one end of the housing(210), and the tube(320). The materials are discharged from the discharging pipe(310) and input into the tube(320). The discharging pipe(310) is communicated with the outlet(216a) of the guide piece(216), and the outside of the discharging pipe(310) is surrounded by the tube(320). The tube(320) surrounds the outside of the finished sausage as thin film so as to prevent the shape of sausage from being changed. The tube(320) may be made of edible synthetic resins, but it does not have good taste and texture. Accordingly, it is desirable that the tube(320) is made of the internals of animals

(mainly pork) which are processed thin.

When the tube is filled with the materials of sausage, the tube can be replaced by a new one.

The controller(400) may automatically intermits electric power provided to the first motor(230). The controller(400) controls the temperature of the materials and the operation of a second motor(510) which is involved in making a knot, and also controls time of filling of materials into the tube(320).

The knotting means(500) makes a knot at tube(320) after a predetermined time is passed and a predetermined amount of materials fills the tube(320). The length of the tube(320) can be adjusted by controlling time and amount of materials by means of the controller(400), and can be of 10-30mm, 100mm, or 200mm, for example. The knotting means(500) consists of a tightening means which presses the tube(320) at the end of the discharging pipe(310), and is fitted into the inner surface of an operating gear(540) of the driving part of the knotting means.

Fig. 7 shows that the tube(320) is formed in a predeterrnined size by the knotting means(500).

When the tube(320) is filled with the crushed materials enough to meet the conditions of time and amount which are set by the controller(400), the controller(400) supplies electric power to the second motor(510), and the second motor(510) rotates the tightening means (550) and the tube(320) against the fixed discharging pipe(310), thus making a knot When the tube(320) is filled with the materials, the surface of the tube(320) becomes contacted with a guider(551) which is formed at the extended end of a case(541) extending from the guide piece(560). The guider(551) is formed to have an opening wider than its introduction part, enabling the tube(320) to be rotated easily. The processes of filling and knotting can be repeatedly performed to form sausage having uniform size.

The amount of the materials filling the tube(320) is adjusted by the controller(400). The controller(400) sets a timer(T) by predetermined time for filling. After the predeterrnined time set by the timer(T), the second motor(510) operates automatically, and sausage having a predeterrnined unit size is produced.

An alarm raising means can be further installed to inform users of completion of the filling process.

When the second motor(510) is operating to make a knot, the first motor(230) is automatically interrupted by the controller(400).

Also, when the tube is filled with the materials and a knot is made by operation of the second motor(510), the second motor is interrupted and the first motor(230) is driven by the controller(400). In Fig. 6, the second motor(510) of the driving part of the knotting means(560) is axially connected to a gear(511), which is connected to an intermediate gear(512) by engagement, and the intermediate gear(512) is simultaneously engaged with a spline(530) and a rotary gear(520) which is connected to the end of the discharging pipe(310). The spline(530) is engaged with a pinion(531), and the pinion(531) drives the operating gear(540). The driving power from the second motor(510) is transmitted to the operating gear via the gear(511), the intermediate gear(512), the spline(530) and the pinion(531) in sequence. As a result, the tightening means(550) of the knotting means is rotated, together with the tube(320), by the rotation of the operating gear(540), thus making a knot

The operating gear(540) is preferably connected to the discharging pipe(310) detachably.

While the materials are crushed by the screws(220) in the crushing part(200), the operating gear(540) can be detached from the discharging pipe(310). When the materials are about to be removed into the tube(320) after the crushing process is finished, the operating gear(540) is connected to the discharging pipe(310) to produce sausage having a predetermined size.

More detailed description of separation of the operating gear(540) from the discharging pipe(310) will be described.

In the case(541) of Fig. 7, there is a separation line(542). If the extended end of the case(541) including the operating gear(540) therein is pulled out in the right direction of Figs. 7 and 8, the case(541) is divided on the basis of the separation line(542), and the operating gear(540) is separated from the discharging pipe(310). The pinion(531) moves along the spline(530) fixed in the case(541). Then, the end part of the case(541) which has been separated from the line(542) is rotated at a right angle to stand vertically. The rotation of the end part of the case(541) becomes possible due to the movement of the pinion(531). When the crushing process is completed, the end part of the case(541) is rotated at a right angle to its original horizontal position. Then the end of the tube(320) surrounding the discharging pipe(310) is inserted through the tightening means(550), and then the end part of the case(541) is pushed back to its original position to be fitted to the discharging pipe(310).

In Fig. 2, the first motor(230) and the second motor(510) are installed in the horizontal contained 120), but it is just one embodiment. The motors(230 and 510) can be installed in any other parts or containers.

In Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a vertical pole(122) stands at one corner of the base plated 10), and a hanging plate(600) is shown to be fitted to a horizontal bar(123) which is connected to the upper part of the vertical pole(122). The hanging plate(600) includes at one side a number of the hooks (601) for hanging sausages manufactured by the apparatus of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 11, a rotatable protrusion(602) is formed in the center of the hanging plate(600), and the protrusion (602) is hanged on a groove(124a) which is formed in a fixing hook(124) connected to the horizontal bar(123) by a screw(220).

The apparatus for manufacturing sausage according to the present invention produces sausage maintaining nutritive elements and original taste of the material meat by crushing the raw materials between a pair of screws(220).

The apparatus for manufacturing sausage according to the present invention can be used in snack bars or in houses since the mechanical structure is simple, and the whole apparatus is integrated in one body, thus occupying a little space.

Further, the apparatus for manufacturing sausage according to the present invention enables many steps of manufacturing processes to be automatically and successively performed in one body of apparatus, thus reducing time for a manufacture and increasing the efficiency of the processes.

Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that these and various other modifications and changes may be made to the present invention without strictly following the exemplary application illustrated and described herein and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is ■

1. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage comprising: a base part comprising a base plate, and containers which have horizontal and vertical parts and include a first and a second motors therein on the base plate; a crushing part including a housing which is located on the horizontal container and has an inlet for the input of materials of sausage and an outlet, and a pair of screws through which the materials are crushed and removed to a discharging pipe; a screw driving part located in the containers and transmitting the power from the first motor to the screws of the crushing part; a filling part comprising a discharging pipe which is fixed at one end of the housing and discharges the materials crushed by the screws, and a tube including an outlet of the discharging pipe therein; a knotting means including a tightening means which is in contact with the outside of the tube and making a knot by rotating the tube filled with the crushed materials; a driving part of the knotting means transmitting driving power from the second motor to the tightening means, to rotate the tightening means and the tube; and a controller.

2. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screw driving part comprises the first motor, a spline connected to the first motor, a connecting gear engaging with the spline, and a first and a second rotary gears, one of which is engaged with the connecting gear and respectively connected to a pair of screws.

3. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving part of the knotting means comprises the second motor, a first gear axially connected to the second motor, an intermediate gear engage with the first gear, a spline engaged with the intermediate gear, a pinion engaged with the spline, and an operating gear engaged with the pinion, into which the tightening means is connected.

4. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage as claimed in claim 1, wherein the screws have smaller diameter at the inlet side of the housing than at the outlet side thereof.

5. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage as claimed in claim 1, wherein parts of the screws are included in respective screw holes in the housing, and plurality of grooves are formed along the periphery of the screw holes.

6. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage as claimed in claim 1, wherein concaved grooves are formed in upper parts of the housing, and a hopper is fitted into the concaved grooves.

7. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pair of guide rods are fixed on the horizontal container and inserted respectively in a pair of dented portions, which are formed at both end parts of the bottom of the housing.

8. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage as claimed in claim 1, wherein a detachable guide piece is connected to the housing, and includes an outlet in its center with which the outlet of the housing is communicated.

9. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage as claimed in claim 6, wherein the detachable guide piece further includes a means for detecting temperature(G) which detects temperature of the materials and inputs the detected temperature to the controller.

10. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage as claimed in claim 1, wherein a vertical pole stands on the base plate, and a hanging plate is hanged down from a horizontal bar connected to the vertical pole, by hanging a rotatable protrusion which is formed in the center of the hanging plate on a groove which is formed in a fixing hook connected to the horizontal bar by a screw.

11. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller includes a timer(T) which is set by a predetermined time for filling of the materials with the tube.

12. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage as claimed in claim 6 or claim 9, a case is extended from the detachable guide piece, and has a separation line, on the basis of which the case is divided and an end part of the case separated from the guide piece is rotatable at a right angle.

13. An apparatus for manufacturing sausage as claimed in claim 10, the controller further includes an alarm raising means to inform completion of filling of the materials with the tube.