FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to separating sausages forming a sausage coil from each other especially during the production and/or packaging of the sausages.

BACKGROUND

[0002] When sausages are filled into a skin, a bond is formed between the sausages by turning the sausage around its longitudinal axis, for instance. This way, a chain of sausages connected to each other by bonds is formed, and for separating the sausages from each other, this chain can be wound on a bar or the like to be hung as a coil in such a manner that every other bond settles on the bar supporting the sausage coil and every other bond hangs freely downward. As the sausages are processed, they are often separated from each other at least in pairs, in which case this downward oriented bond is cut.

[0003] In the prior art, the user cuts these bonds manually with a knife. The problem with manual cutting is that it is very slow. Mechanical solutions are also known, in which the bond is cut by a rotating knife. In such machines, a disadvantageous pendulous motion is, however, formed in the coil and leads to cutting the sausage instead of the bond.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0004] Thus, it is an object of the invention to develop a method and an apparatus in such a manner that the above-mentioned problems are solved. The object of the invention is achieved by a method and apparatus that are characterised by what is stated in the independent claims.

[0005] Preferred embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0006] The terms "downward", "below", and so forth used in the specification illustrate the features of the invention in directions that are relative to the arrangement of the invention as it is presented in the attached figures.

[0007] The method and system of the invention provide the advantage that the cutting is done significantly more accurately than in the prior art. In addition, the solution of the invention improves work ergonomics and the hygiene of the work phase by reducing the contamination of sausages especially in comparison with the manual method.

FIGURES

[0008] The invention will now be described in greater detail by means of preferred embodiments and with reference to the attached figures, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a sausage cutting arrangement;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a cutting means; and Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the method.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

[0009] In the present figures, the equipment and method for separating sausages from each other are not shown in scale, but the figures are schematics that present a general structure and operation of a preferred embodiment. The structural parts indicated by reference numbers in the attached figures then correspond to the structural parts marked with reference numbers in this specification.

[0010] Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a sausage cutting arrangement 100. The arrangement consists of a support structure 120 that supports a cutting means 122. Even though the figures only show one cutting means, several of them may naturally be arranged side by side.

[0011] The arrangement also consists of a transfer means 102 that supports a bar 104 forming a support. By means of the transfer means 102, the bar 104 can be essentially moved in the vertical direction. In the figure, a sausage coil 106 is hung on the bar, and the sausage coil consists of sausages attached to each other by bonds 108A, 108B. There may also be bonds connecting sausages at the top end of the coil and against the bar, but these are not shown separately herein. When the bonds of the bottom part are cut, the sausages can be separated from the coil in pairs. In the figure, the cutting means is positioned inside the coil loops, whereby the section of the sausages marked by dashed lines remains behind the cutting means in the figure.

[0012] The cutting means 122 shown in the figure has several guide means 124A, 124B. Adjacent guide means 124A, 124B form a guide means pair having a gap between the guide means in the pair. The guide means guide each bond of the sausage coil into these gaps in the cutting means. At the bottom of the gap, that is, on the top part of the guide means in the figure, a cutting blade is positioned to cut the bond. The cutting blade is preferably positioned obliquely to the vertical to improve cutting.

[0013] The arrangement of Figure 1 is used as follows. First, the sausage coil 106 is hung on the bar 104. Then, the support structure 120 is brought to the sausage coil so that the cutting means comes inside the sausage coil loops and extends essentially along the entire length of the coil. At this stage, the bar 104 and the cutting means 122 are at such a height relative to each other that the guide means 124A, 124B are higher than the bonds 108A, 108B.

[0014] When the cutting means is inside the coil loops, the cutting of the bonds at the bottom part of the coil may be started. The transfer means 102, such as a lifting robot, then begins to lift the bar. The guide means guide the bonds to the gaps between the guide means. When the bar is further lifted, the bond rises up till the cutting blade at the bottom of the gap, which then cuts it.

[0015] Even though the figure shows that the bar supporting the sausages is lifted, it is also possible that the bar remains in place and the cutting means 122 is lowered. The essential thing is that the bar and cutting means are distanced from each other.

[0016] The figure shows that the guide means surface formed by the guide means and the bar are preferably at an oblique angle to each other. This makes it possible to bring the bonds for cutting at different times when the bar is lifted. In the figure, bond 108A has already reached the bottom of the gap between the guide means and is already being cut, whereas bond 108B is only approaching the guide means. By cutting the bonds at different times, the force directed to the sausage coil is smaller. This reduces for instance the risk that the bond on the top part of the coil is broken. This non-simultaneous cutting may naturally also be achieved by tilting the cutting means arranged inside the sausage coil from the vertical, when the support means and cutting means are distanced from each other.

[0017] Figure 2 illustrates the structure of the cutting means 222 in more detail. The cutting means has a shaft 230. The shaft has a side piece 232 connected to it. The side piece 232 may for instance be a plate made of metal or a plastic of sufficient stiffness, to which the guide means 224A, 224B are formed. The figure shows that between the guide means 224A, 224B, there is a gap 226, that is, an elongated channel, to which the bond is guided by the bevelled ends of the guide means. The guide means are preferably sufficiently blunt not to cause any damage to the sausages pressing against them.

[0018] A cutting blade 228 is arranged in the gap 226 to cut the bond rising in the gap. The cutting blade may be a scalpel-type instrument, for example.

[0019] To the side piece 232 shown in the figure, a second side piece may be attached, whereby the cutting blade 228 remains between the planar and substantially parallel side pieces. The cutting blades may also be arranged to a side plate in the cutting means by using one or more fastening parts.

[0020] Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the method. In a step, the sausage coil is hung on a bar forming a support. The bonds in the sausage coil then settle in such a manner for instance that one bond is at the top of each coil loop essentially against the bar, and the next bond settles at the bottom of the coil loop. In the method, the intention is to cut the coil loop into parts of two sausages.

[0021] In step 304, the cutting means is positioned inside the coil loops. The cutting means is an elongated means extending through at least a few coil loops. At this stage, the cutting means and coil loops are positioned relative to each other such that the bonds at the bottom of the coil loops settle lower than the lowest part of the cutting means.

[0022] In step 306, the support and cutting means are distanced from each other so that the bonds at the bottom of the coil loops are guided between the guide means. Distancing the support and cutting means from each other may be done by moving just one or both relative to each other. When the support and cutting means are brought further apart, the blade positioned between the guide means cuts the bond.

[0023] It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that as technology advances, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in many different ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not restricted to the examples described above, but may vary within the scope of the claims.