Decoupled drive units for gathering and over-spreading

摘要

The present invention relates to a clipping machine and a method for producing sausage-shaped products, like sausages, by filing a flowable filling material into a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing and closing said packaging casing by a closure means, like a closure clip. The clipping machine comprises a filling tube for feeding the filling material into the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing stored on the filling tube and being closed at its first end, gathering means for gathering the filled tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing and for forming a plait-like portion thereto, the gathering means includes a first displacer unit and a second displacer unit, and a clipping device having a first and a second closing tool being reversibly movable between an opened position and a closed position, for applying at least one closure means to the plait-like portion and closing said closure means when the closing tools are in their closed position. The clipping machine includes common drive means for commonly reversibly radially moving the gathering means from an opened position into a closed position for performing the gathering movement, and the clipping tools for applying said closure means on the plait-like portion and closing said closure means. The clipping machine further comprises single drive means for separately reversibly driving the second displacer unit for executing a movement in axial direction for forming the plait-like portion, at least partially independently from the common drive means. The clipping machine further comprises a control unit for controlling the single drive means at least partially independently from the common drive means and at least a first sensor associated with the common drive means and at least a second sensor associated with the single drive means, which are coupled to the control unit.

主权项

1. A clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products by filing a flowable filling material into a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing and closing said packaging casing by a closure means the clipping machine comprising:
a filling tube for feeding the filling material into the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing stored on the filling tube and being closed at its first end, gathering means for gathering the filled packaging casing and for forming a plait-like portion thereto, the gathering means including a first displacer unit and a second displacer unit, and a clipping device having a first and a second closing tool being reversibly movable between an opened position and a closed position, for applying at least one closure element to the plait-like portion and closing said closure element when the closing tools are in their closed position, common drive means for commonly reversibly radially moving the gathering means from an opened position into a closed position for performing the gathering movement, and the clipping tools for applying said closure element on the plait-like portion and closing said closure element, single drive means for separately reversibly driving the second displacer unit for executing a movement in axial direction for forming the plait-like portion, at least partially independently from the common drive means, a control unit for controlling the single drive means at least partially independently from the common drive means, and at least a first sensor associated with the common drive means and at least a second sensor associated with the single drive means, which are coupled to the control unit, wherein a discharge device is provided for discharging the sausage-shaped product just produced, from the clipping machine, wherein a third sensor is provided associated with the discharge device, and coupled to the control unit, and wherein the third sensor is adapted to detect the position of the discharge device relative to the clipping machine.