FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a foodstuff, a foodstuff making apparatus and method and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a sausage having a core of a different ingredient, a foodstuff making apparatus for making the sausage having a core that has at least one different ingredient than the rest of the sausage and a method of making such a sausage.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

US patent number 7,867,536 entitled "Method for producing an edible sausage-like product" in the name of John H. Kargenian discloses, in an abstract on the front page of the patent specification, a method for producing an edible product. The method involves:

"removing an inner core from the elongated sausage such that, after the inner core is removed therefrom, the sausage defines a blind bore extending along a major length of the sausage, with the blind bore having one end opening to an exterior of the elongated sausage. The process further involves: inserting a specialty filling into the open end of the blind bore until the specialty filling substantially fills the length of the blind bore and such that the filled meat sausage offers multistage flavour along the length thereof and then, closing the open end of the blind bore with a lengthwise portion of the inner core removed from the sausage or from an inner core of a previously cored sausage. "

US patent number 2,568,491 entitled "Sausage core forming machine" in the name of Lorin G. Edwards discloses, at column 1, lines 2 to 7: "a sausage forming machine which is arranged to produce a sausage having a relatively small center or core extending therein; said core being a condiment such as mustard, relish or the like."

US patent number 1,602,331 entitled "Machine for stuffing hot tamales, sausage, and the like" in the name of Charles C. Britton discloses a machine for stuffing tamales, a sausage and the like. Brittan's machine has two concentric cylinders. The outer cylinder is adapted to "contain mush or (an)other ingredient while the inner cylinder is adapted to contain meat, a mixture thereof or (an)other ingredient, so that when the hot tamale is stuffed, the ingredient from the inner cylinder will be encased within the ingredient from the outer cylinder."

US patent number US 9,668,492 B2 entitled “method for manufacturing coextruded food products” and filed in the name of Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik GMBH & CO. KG, discloses a device for manufacturing co-extruded food products with a filling machine, including a pump for an inner mass coupled to a drive and a control unit at least for the drive, to which a coextrusion unit disposed at the outside is con-nected, and to which a pump being coupled to a drive at least for delivering the outer mass to the coextrusion unit is connected. The drive of the outer mass pump is integrated into the inner mass filling machine.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a foodstuff, foodstuff making apparatus and method of the types described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention there is provided a foodstuff making apparatus comprising a first flow path and a second flow path, the first flow path extending from a first connector end of a first tube, through the first tube and terminates in an outer nozzle end of the first tube, the second flow path extending from a second connector end through a second tube and terminates at an inner nozzle end, the second flow path extending into the first flow path so that the inner nozzle end is concentric with the outer nozzle end and terminates short of the outer nozzle end, in use, a foodstuff made from maize being forced through the second flow path.

The first tube is divided into a first feeder tube at the connector end thereof and an outer nozzle at a free end thereof. The second tube is divided into a second feeder tube at the connector end thereof and an inner nozzle at the free end thereof.

A first and second connectors are connected to the first and second connector ends of the feeder tubes.

One portion of the first feeder tube is flexible.

A rear end of the inner nozzle is flared to locate over a front end of the second feeder tube.

The connectors are connectable to sausage making machines.

The connectors are connectable to an outlet from sausage making machines to receive ingredients from such sausage making machines in the first and second feeder tubes.

A rear end of the outer nozzle is received in an outer end of a tube section with a front end of the first feeder tube received in an inner end of the tube section to ensure the first feeder tube and outer nozzle remain, co-axially, in flow communication.

An inner surface of the tube section is screw threaded to receive a complimentary screw threaded part on outer surface of the front end of the first feeder tube or of the rear end of the outer nozzle.

The second feeder tube extends into the first feeder tube at a seal to seal a wall section of the first feeder tube around the second feeder tube.

An outer surface of the second feeder tube is screw threaded to engage with an integrally formed screw threaded tube, having a complementary screw thread on its inner surface for receiving the screw threaded section of the second feeder tube sealingly therein.

The second feeder tube is, alternatively, integrally formed with the inner nozzle to form one solid tube section from the connector end thereof at its second connector to the outlet of the inner nozzle. In accordance with this invention there is provided a foodstuff having an elongate body, the body being substantially round in cross section, the body having an outer skin, an inner core which includes a foodstuff made of maize and an intermediate section between the core and the skin.

There is provided for the intermediate section to include a meat based foodstuff.

There is provided for the meat based foodstuff to include any one or more of the group consisting of: minced beef, minced lamb, minced pork, minced chicken, spices, fat. There is provided for the maize to be ground maize.

There is provided for the ground maize to be cooked in water.

This invention extends to a method of making a foodstuff having an elongate body, the body being substantially round in cross section, the body having an outer skin, an inner core of a porridge substance and an intermediate section between the core and the skin of a sausage substance comprising the steps of: removing a pre-existing core of the foodstuff; and replacing the core of the foodstuff with the inner core.

This invention extends to a method of making a foodstuff having an elongate body, the body being substantially round in cross section, the body having an outer skin, an inner core of a maize based foodstuff substance and an intermediate section between the core of the maize based foodstuff and the skin of a meat based foodstuff comprising the steps of: forcing the maize based substance and sausage based foodstuff through and out of a first and second nozzles, the second nozzle being substantially concentric around the first nozzle; allowing the first ingredient to locate inside the second ingredient when the maize based foodstuff and meat based foodstuff are forced out of the nozzles; and placing the skin over the maize based foodstuff and meat based foodstuff.

This invention still further extends to a foodstuff making machine comprising a de boring means for removing a bore of an elongate foodstuff and core replacement means for replacing the core with a first ingredient. These and other features of the invention are described in more detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a foodstuff in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows a cross sectional side view of part of a foodstuff making apparatus;

Figure 3 shows a cross sectional side view of a second embodiment of part of a foodstuff making machine;

Figure 4 shows a cross sectional side view of a third embodiment of part of a machine for making the foodstuff;

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a foodstuff making apparatus;

Figure 6 shows a rear end view of the foodstuff making apparatus of figure 5;

Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional side view of the foodstuff making apparatus of figures 5 and 6 along the line VII - VII as indicated in figure 6;

Figure 8 shows a partial cross sectional front end view through part 22; and

Figure 9 shows a similar view as figure 3 but with alternative parts 32 and

33. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

With reference to figures 1 to 4, in which like features are indicated by like numerals, a foodstuff is indicated by reference numeral 1.

The foodstuff 1 has an elongate body which is substantially round in cross section. The body has an outer skin 2, an inner core 4 and an intermediate section 3.

The inner core 4 and intermediate sections are made of different ingredients. The inner core is made of a maize based foodstuff and the outer intermediate section is made of a substance.

The maize based foodstuff can be a maize product such as “mieliepap”.

The sausage substance may be a combination of ingredients normally used to make “boerewors”. In other words, the sausage based foodstuff is a meat product.

Figure 2 shows part of a machine for making the foodstuff 1. A first small and round nozzle 6, having a diameter substantially similar to the diameter of the inner core 4, is located centrally (concentrically) within a bigger similarly round nozzle. The first and second ingredients are forced through the nozzles, in the same direction and out of the nozzle openings (in the direction as shown by the arrow 5 in figure 2. The openings of the nozzles face the same direction and are substantially aligned with each other. When the ingredients exit the openings, the first ingredient locates centrally inside the first ingredient. A skin can simultaneously or subsequently be located over the first and second ingredients.

In an alternate method, using a different machine, the core of a foodstuff such as a sausage, having only a skin 2 and the second ingredient 3, is removed with a boring tool 8 such as a drill bit or the like. Once removed the core is replaced with a replacement core made of the first ingredient. A long thin nozzle 13 may be used to replace an inner core of a length of the foodstuff.

The de-cored (or even an un-cored length of the foodstuff) may be placed over the nozzle 13 so that a free end of the nozzle locates inside an end of the foodstuff. The opposite end of the nozzle has a funnel shaped section 12 as well as a cylinder in which a piston 11 is movable. The nozzle cylinder, funnel section and nozzle section itself is filled with the first ingredient. By moving the piston 11 in the direction as shown by arrow 14 and moving the foodstuff on the direction of arrow 9, the core of the foodstuff will be filled with the first ingredient. The nozzle thus moves in the direction of arrow 10 relative to the foodstuff.

In yet another embodiment, two conventional sausage making machines could be used. The one machine could be filled to dispense sausage mixture or sausage meat. The other could be filled to dispense another ingredient such as a maize product referred to herein. The machines can then be connected to the nozzles 6 and 7 respectively to dispense their ingredients.

The machines could be adjustable to dispense their ingredients at a desired rate i.e. at the same or a different rate to each other. A skin may be located over the nozzles 6 and 7 so as to place a skin over the composite sausage thus formed.

With reference to figures 5 to 9, in which like features are indicated by like numerals, a fourth embodiment of a foodstuff making apparatus is indicated by reference numeral 15.

The apparatus 15 includes a first and second connectors 16a and 16b for connection to sausage making machines. A first feeder tube 17 extends from the first connector 16a and a second feeder tube 18 extends from the second connector 16b.

The first feeder tube 17 is flexible or has flexible sections and receives the second feeder tube 18 through a wall thereof in a sealing arrangement. Seal 28 provides a seal between the second and first feeder tubes.

The second feeder tube is a rigid tube with a rear end 27 attached to the second connector 16b and with its front end 26 engaged in a rear flared end 25 of an inner nozzle 24. The front end 30 of the inner nozzle 24 terminates short of a flared outer end or a free end 29 of an outer nozzle 22. The inner nozzle is coaxially and concentrically located within the outer nozzle and held in this position with the assistance of radially inwardly extending spacer spikes 31. The spacer spikes extend radially inwardly from an inner surface of the outer nozzle to fictionally abut at their free ends on an outer surface of the inner nozzle.

The front end 20 of the first feeder tube connects to the rear end 21 of the outer nozzle inside a screw threaded nut device 19. The outer surface of the first end of the first feeder tube includes a screw thread which cooperates with an inner thread on the nut device 19. The outer surface of the rear end of the outer nozzle 21 may or may not have a screw thread. In the embodiment as shown, such screw thread is omitted and the outer nozzle has its rear end 21 frictionally engaged within the nut device 19.

Flow paths are thus defined by the feeder tubes and the nozzles. The second flow path of the first feeder tube and/or inner nozzles extends into the first flow path of the first feeder tube and outer nozzle. Any or all of the sections of the first feeder tube as indicated are flexible.

With reference to figure 5, instead of using the seal 28 a screw threaded tube 32 having an inner screw thread may be integrally formed in the wall of the feeder tube 17. A complimentary screw thread 33 on an outer surface of a section of the second feeder tube engages with the screw threaded tube 32.

In use, the connectors 16a and 16b are connected to two sausage making machines to receive different ingredients from the sausage making machines. For example, a sausage based foodstuff, for example, meat or a meat mixture may be received through the feeder tube 17 whilst a maize based foodstuff made from maize meal or any other suitable substance may be received through feeder tube 18. A skin to encapsulate the sausage is pulled over the front end 29 of the outer nozzle 22 as is known in the art. As the meat and the maize meal product respectively exit the front end of the outer nozzle and the front end of the inner nozzle, the substances are automatically encapsulated in the tubular skin. In this way, a sausage having an outer skin is formed wherein a first ingredient is located around an inner ingredient which forms a core of the sausage. It has been found that it is important for the front or outer end of the inner nozzle to terminate short of the outer end of the outer nozzle to ensure that the ingredient fed through the second feeder tube is properly held and supported within the outer ingredient fed through the first feeder tube. The skin thus encapsulates the ingredients with the outer ingredient encapsulating the inner ingredient which forms a core of sausage. The nut device 19 and the screw 3rd tube 32 of figure 5 are convenient in that the apparatus may easily be disassembled by undoing nut device 19 and screw threaded tube 32. This facilitates ease of cleaning of the device. In the case of the seal 28 as shown in figure 3, the inner tube is frictionally engaged in and by this seal and may be pulled from the seal to facilitate ease of cleaning.

The apparatus is further convenient to use in that it readily connects to two sausage making machines. Adapters may be provided so that the connectors 16a and 16b, may be connected to different types of sausage making machines. The connectors will typically connect to a flow path or opening from a chamber where from an ingredient is forced with a plunger or any other mechanical device used in prior art machines to force an ingredient through a nozzle to form a sausage.

Furthermore, there are standard size sausage skins in the industry and standard size outer nozzles can be provided to match such standard skin sizes. It will be appreciated that any size inner nozzle can be provided depending on the type of inner ingredient or the volume of the inner ingredient that one wishes to include in a sausage.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many other embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, instead of the inner end of the inner nozzle being flared in a nozzle could be integrally formed with the second feeder tube so that the second feeder tube and the nozzle forms a continuous integral to from its inlet end at its connector 16b all the way to its outlet 30 i.e. the outlet of the inner nozzle.

Furthermore, there are standard size sausage skins in the industry and standard size outer nozzles can be provided to match such standard skin sizes. It will be appreciated that any size inner nozzle can be provided depending on the type of inner ingredient or the volume of the inner ingredient that one wishes to include in a sausage.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many other embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, instead of the inner end of the inner nozzle being flared in a nozzle could be integrally formed with the second feeder tube so that the second feeder tube and the nozzle forms a continuous integral to from its inlet end at its connector 16b all the way to its outlet 30 i.e. the outlet of the inner nozzle.