Claims
- 1. Apparatus for removing a filmic casing from an elongate package to recover product contained in the casing, the package having first and second ends and the apparatus including:
a transport mechanism for receiving the package and moving the package along an operating path with said first end leading; a cutting station positioned relative to the transport mechanism to cut the casing transversely to form a transverse slit adjacent to said first end of the casing, and to cut the casing longitudinally of the casing starting at the transverse slit to form a longitudinal slit extending longitudinally towards said second end; a stripper positioned to meet the package as the package progresses longitudinally from the cutting station, the stripper including a gripper to grab said first end and an actuator operable to move the gripper transversely to drag the filmic casing away from the packaged product so that the product can be collected.
- 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cutting station cuts said casing transversely to form a transverse slit in said second end.
- 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cutting station cuts said casing longitudinally at a second location.
- 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the operating path is horizontal and the stripper moves vertically when dragging the casing off the product.
- 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further including a loader coupled to the transport mechanism for loading packages on to the transport mechanism one at a time.
- 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the transport mechanism includes a V-shaped conveyor to carry the packages along the operating path.
- 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the V-shaped conveyor is made up of a pair of belt conveyors arranged at an angle to one another to form the V-shaped conveyor.
- 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the stripper further includes a pair of rollers driven to assist the gripper to drag the casing off the product.
- 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein one of said rollers is compliant.
- 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein a doctor blade is located at the surface of one of said rollers.
- 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the cutting station includes a transverse cutter arranged to move between a cutting position to make said transverse slit, and a stored position in which the cutter is out of the path of the transport mechanism to avoid contact with the product as it moves through the cutting station.
- 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said cutting station includes a pair of transverse cutters, each arranged to make transverse slit at a respective end of said product.
- 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the cutting station includes a longitudinal cutter arranged to engage and cut the casing as the package passes the cutting station.
- 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the cutting station includes a pair of longitudinal cutters spaced about the product and each arranged and cut the casing as the package passes the cutting station.
- 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the cutting station includes:
a transverse cutter arranged to move between a cutting position to make said transverse slit, and a stored position in which the cutter is positioned relative to the transport mechanism to avoid contact with the product as the product moves through the cutting station; and a longitudinal cutter arranged to engage and cut the casing as the package passes the cutting station.
- 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the cutting station includes:
a pair of transverse cutters each arranged to move between a cutting position to make said transverse slit at respective opposite ends of said package, and a stored position in which the cutter is positioned relative to the transport mechanism to avoid contact with the product as the product moves through the cutting station; and a longitudinal cutter arranged to engage and cut the casing as the package passes the cutting station.
- 17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the rollers are movable between a closed position to drive the casing and an open position to allow the gripper to move past the rollers.
- 18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein said gripper delivers said casing to an inlet of a suction conveyor.
- 19. A method of removing a filmic casing from an elongate package to recover product contained in the casing, the package having first and second ends and the method including the steps:
placing the package on an operating path along which the package is to travel with said first end leading; moving the package along the path and into a cutting station to cut the casing transversely to form a transverse slit adjacent to first end of the casing, and to cut the casing longitudinally of the casing starting at the transverse slit and extending longitudinally towards said second end; moving the slit package from the cutting station into a stripper positioned to meet the package as the package progresses from the cutting station, grabbing the leading end of the package and moving the leading end transversely to drag the filmic casing away from the packaged product; and collecting the product.
- 20. A method according to claim 19 including the step of forming a transverse slit adjacent to said second end of said package.
- 21. A method according to claim 19 including the step of forming a further longitudinal slit in said casing.
- 22. A method according to claim 20 wherein progress of said package along said path is delayed as said gripper engages said leading end of said package.
- 23. Apparatus for removing a filmic casing from an elongate package to recover product contained in the casing, the package having first and second ends and the apparatus including:
a transport mechanism for receiving the package and moving the package along an operating path with said first end leading; a cutting station positioned relative to the transport mechanism to weaken the casing transversely to form a transverse line of weakness adjacent to said first end of the casing, and to weaken the casing longitudinally of the casing starting at the transverse line of weakness to form a longitudinal line of weakness extending longitudinally towards said second end; a stripper positioned to meet the package as the package progresses longitudinally from the cutting station, the stripper including a gripper to grab said first end and an actuator operable to move the gripper transversely to drag the filmic casing away from the packaged product to break the casing along the transverse and longitudinal lines of weakness so that the product can be collected.
- 24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 in which the operating path is horizontal and the stripper moves vertically when dragging the casing off the product.
- 25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 and further including a loader coupled to the transport mechanism for loading packages on to the transport mechanism one at a time.
- 26. Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 in which the transport mechanism includes a V-shaped conveyor to carry the packages along the operating path.
- 27. Apparatus as claimed in claim 26 in which the V-shaped conveyor is made up of a pair of belt conveyors arranged at an angle to one another to form the V-shaped conveyor.
- 28. Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 in which the stripper further includes a pair of rollers driven to assist the gripper to drag the casing off the product.
- 29. A method of removing a filmic casing from an elongate package to recover product contained in the casing, the package having first and second ends and the method including the steps:
placing the package on an operating path along which the package is to travel with said first end leading; moving the package along the path and into a cutting station to weaken the casing transversely to form a transverse line of weakness adjacent to said first end of the casing, and to weaken the casing longitudinally of the casing starting at the transverse line of weakness and extending longitudinally towards said second end; moving the slit package from the cutting station into a stripper positioned to meet the package as the package progresses from the cutting station, grabbing the leading end of the package and moving the leading end transversely to drag the filmic casing away from the packaged product; and collecting the product.
- 30. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further including a chopper which receives the product from the stripper and breaks the product into smaller parts.
- 31. Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 and further including a chopper which receives the product from the stripper and breaks the product into smaller parts.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/849,314 filed on May 7, 2001 the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09849314 |
May 2001 |
US |
Child |
10146817 |
May 2002 |
US |