This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/725,142, filed Mar. 23, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,596 which claims priority to provisional U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/478,077, filed Jun. 12, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
This invention relates to the machines that place metal clips on chub and netted products, known as clippers, the packaging of chub and net-enclosed or netted products, and the machines and methods that form such products. This invention especially relates to the machines and methods that form net-enclosed turkeys and similar poultry and meat products, as well as potentially, net-enclosed firewood, bulk explosives, and other possible net-enclosed consumer and industrial products. It also especially relates to clippers for these and other machines.
Knitted and extruded netting is a packaging material of choice for industries including meat and poultry, aquaculture, horticulture, Christmas tree, PVC pipe, environmental, aviation, fruit and produce, toys, housewares, and the like. Knitted netting can be soft, flexible, and conformable to a variety of irregularly shaped products. Knitted netting provides air circulation, and can be decorative and protective. Tipper Tie Inc., a Dover Industries company, makes and sells desirable netting under the trademark Net-All. In meat netting, Net-All netting is used for hams, whole birds, poultry breasts, and molded meat products.
Netting is applied to products manually, semi-automatically, and fully automatically by a variety of machines and methods including the Tipper Tie Whole Bird Packaging System, the Tipper Tie Automatic Whole Bird Packaging System, Tipper Tie Model TB15, and the Tipper Tie Clipper Model Z3214. Another Tipper Tie apparatus for applying netting is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,234, issued on Aug. 27, 1991, to Alfred J. Evans et al. for a Collagen Film and Netting Packaging System and Method. A loop forming mechanism for flexible packaging material is also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,216, issued on Nov. 24, 1992 to Dennis J. May et al., for a Loop Forming Mechanism for Flexible Packaging Material. As stated in the identified Evans et al. patent, netting is sometimes placed around products to be netted when the products exits chutes or tubes around which the netting is rucked.
Machines known as clippers may place metal clips on the netting between the products, to close the netting and provide for separation of the products. Clippers are best known in the formation of chubs for sausage and similar meat products. In chub-forming applications and also in netted product applications, voiders form emptied, rope sections in the packaging material in use. Clips travel along feed rails to the clippers. Punches of the clippers then act against dies to clip the rope sections, to form the ends of the chubs or other products. A sophisticated, high speed chub-forming machine is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,168 issued on Nov. 9, 1993 to Alfred J. Evans et al. for a Continuously Rotating Platform with Multiple Mounted Double Clippers for Continuously Forming Linked Product. In that machine, pairs of clippers are fed from single clip rails, as in the drawing on the face of the patent. As explained at columns 15 and 16 of that patent, the structure of the clip feeding mechanism of that machine requires that clips be suspended above open spaces by forces against the sides, to properly locate the clips to be driven by the clipper punches.
While the existing products, machines and methods of the “netting art” and the separate “clipping art” have great value, especially those from Tipper Tie Inc., the frontier of technology is ahead of them, to be advanced further by inventive efforts.
In a first principal aspect, this invention constitutes a product netting machine. The machine comprises, in major part, a chute, a product receiver, voiders, and a clipper. The chute receives products serially through a receiving end, as from a conveyor, and discharges them serially into netting preferably rucked on the chute. As each product arrives at the product receiver, voiders operate to form a rope section of the netting behind the product, at the chute's discharge end. The clipper also clips the netting, to complete the netting of the product, and clips to create the starting end of the next netted product. The clipper includes at least two die supports, at least two punches mounted for movement on the die supports, at least two anvils, a drive or drives to intermittently drive the punches to the anvils, sidewardly adjacent clip rails, and clip pushers to feed clips from the rails to between the punches and the anvils. Successively netted and clipped products are formed by the product netting machine, and as a step of the netting and clipping, clips pass from the adjacent clip rails to between both the punches and both the anvils.
In another principal aspect, the invention constitutes a clipper for a product packaging machine, of the netting type, chub forming type and other types. The clipper comprises at least two die supports, at least two punches, at least two anvils, a drive, sidewardly adjacent clip rails, and clip pushers. The punches are mounted for movement on the die supports. The drive intermittently drives the punches to the anvils. The clip pushers feed clips from the rails to between the punches and the anvils. With a clipper as described, successively netted and clipped products are formed by the product packaging machine. As a step of the netting and clipping, clips pass from the adjacent clip rails to between both the punches and both the anvils.
As preferred, in the invented clipper, one feed rail extends across at least one of the die supports. As a step of the netting and clipping, clips pass from one side to another side of the die support along the feed rail that extends across the one of the die supports.
Also as preferred, the clipper moves in a central plane with outer sides generally parallel to the plane, and one clipper outer side is free of any outwardly extending clip rail. The clipper-free clipper outer side permits enhanced placement of clips. As well, one feed rail extends across and through at least one of the die supports. Clips pass from one side to another side of the die support.
More specifically, the clip-forming dies of the unit accommodate this angling of the clip feed rails relative to each other. The perpendicular rail has an angled die. The angled rail has a perpendicular die. More, one clip feed rail, designated a first feed rail, extends adjacent its respective die support, designated a first die support, perpendicular to the major plane of the respective die and one clip feed rail. The second feed rail extends adjacent its respective other die support, i.e., a second die support, at an angle to the perpendicular to the major plane of the respective other die. The first die support has a first clip-forming die and the second die support has a second clip-forming die. The first clip-forming die is angled to the major plane of the respective die. The second clip-forming die is perpendicular to the major plane of the respective other die.
In a third principal aspect, the invention constitutes a machine as described, with a clipper as described, among other valuable mechanisms, components and structures.
In a fourth aspect, then, the invention constitutes a method of product packaging. This method comprises moving products, preferably serially, through packaging material to enclose the product and begin the method. The packaging material is then voided behind the product to form the rope section as described with the machine, and clips are fed to clip the material, from one side of the clipper, also as described with the machine.
In a fifth aspect, the invention comprises the packaged, clipped product itself, as made by the invented method, and such products that are also potentially further weighed and tagged.
As hopefully apparent, a first object of the invention is to substantially advance the art of netting machines and methods, and clippers and clipping methods, pushing back the frontiers of these technologies, for broader, more satisfactory application of the technologies in a variety of uses.
Another set of objects is to apply netting and other packaging materials to products essentially automatically, reliably, and at high speed, where the products include comminuted materials, whole turkeys, hams, shellfish, and similar items in a variety of industries. Netting, films or other materials may be placed directly over the products or over wrapping over the products.
A third set of objects of the invention is to provide a clipper of easy operation, capable of use with an large assortment of machines and packaging materials, constructed of stainless steel, meeting USDA requirements, suitable for harsh environments, and washable for sanitation.
All these and other objects and advantages of the invention are better understood by a study of the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which follows after a brief description of the drawing.
The accompanying drawing illustrates the specific preferred embodiment of the machine of the invention. Familiarity with the machines of the prior art is assumed. The structure shown in the drawing is not the only form that the invention as claimed may take. The drawing and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment are intended to limit the claims only as consistent with the law of claim interpretation, whereby claims are interpreted in light of the specification and drawing.
The description which follows may refer to the componentry of the machine in such spatial terms as “forward,” front,” “rear,” “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” “behind,” etc. Terms such as these, which depend on the specific spatial orientation of the components, are intended for the aid of the reader, and except as incorporated into the claims, they are not intended as a limitation on the possible orientation of components in any possible alternate, but covered, embodiment of the invention. Except as consistent with the law of claim interpretation, the drawing and following description are only illustrative of the invention.
For orientation of the reader to the drawing, and for ease of beginning of reading of the following detailed description, a brief description of the drawing is as follows:
The preferred product netting machine of the invention, as in
The machine also includes a netting handle former in the area 42. This former operates to loop the rope section behind the product, before clipping, to form a looped handle for a product in the rope section of the netting. The netting that is clipped behind the products is the netting formed into the loops or handles, and thus, the clips that are put on by the clipper 100 secure the loops in a consistent size and condition.
Also, the machine has a number of valuable mechanisms, components and structures, mounted on a frame 50, a form of base. The product receiver is preferably a discharge tray, inclined outward to discharge products, and there are product guides 48 on the tray to straighten the product, align it for netting, and also to co-operate with the voiders to help tighten the product packaging. As another example, the clipper 100 also preferably is uniquely structured in its clip rails to contribute to tighter packaging. As a third example, the chute is gravity driven and includes product ribs or rails for centering and ease of movement of products. As a fourth example, the handle former is an essentially two-part, mechanically actuated disc and clam shell construction that reaches for the netting, captures it, and rotates a loop into it, while tightening the packaging, in co-ordination with the voiders. Still further, the unit may be equipped with a weight scale 56 in the area of the conveyor, to permit product weighing and tagging. To further the tagging, the machine may be equipped to print a tag as the product proceeds down the chute, to be fed under the clip and be clipped to the specifically weighed product.
In another aspect, then, the preferred embodiment constitutes a method of product netting. This method utilizes the preferred machine and comprises automatically moving products from a conveyor, serially, through a chute into netting to enclose the product and begin the method of netting the product. The netting material is voided behind the product to form the rope section as described with the machine, and the material is clipped, also as described with the machine. The method includes forming the loop handle of the rope section and clipping the loop to form a secure, looped handle for a product, and a tight net package for the product as well.
The preferred embodiment also constitutes the netted, handled, clipped product, and such products that are also further weighed and tagged.
As indicated, the clipper 100 clips the netting, to complete the netting of the product, and clips and cuts the netting to create the starting end of the next netted product. The clipper has a flush side, the right side 102 in
Unconventionally, and as seen by comparing and contrasting
Referring again to
Referring to
The punches 116, 118 are ribbed along their lengths. Each punch has a rib 119 (
As seen best in
Referring to
As in
Also as in
Air cylinders of the clip pushers 140, 142, drive pusher drive blocks and pawl blocks joined together by pins. The blocks engage the clips on the rails and move them forward, under reciprocating action of the air cylinders. Clip guides mounted by brackets to overly the clip rails assist clip retention and guidance on the clip rails.
In sum, the clip rails 104, 108 are sidewardly adjacent clip feed rails, and the clip pushers 140, 142 feed clips from the rails to between the punches and the anvils. Successively netted and clipped products are formed by the preferred product netting machine, and as a step of the netting and clipping, clips pass from the adjacent clip rails 104, 108 to between the punches and the dies or anvils. The clips are formed by the force of the punches driving downward, pressing the clips into the dies, where they deform into curved shapes, to clip product ends.
With the mechanisms of the preferred machine driven by pneumatic cylinders as described, and with the timing of the cylinders set automatically, the machine applies netting to products essentially automatically, reliably, and at high speed, where the products include whole turkeys, hams, shellfish, and similar items in a variety of industries. With extra mechanisms including a tag printer and a mechanism to feed printed tags under a clip, the machine weighs, tags, bags, and provides consistently sized consumer handles for better-looking finished products, in series, in a safe and efficient netting machine.
A desirable tag feed mechanism, for example, includes an air cylinder 160 (
The machine with the described clippers may be provided with all electronic controls for actuating the pneumatic (air) cylinders of the clippers. As shown, clips are driven preferably identical distances by the punches and applied two at a time simultaneously. The other mechanisms are coordinated with the punches.
The machine may also be constructed of stainless steel, may meet USDA requirements, be suitable for harsh environments, and be washable for sanitation. With the flush right side 102, and with products moving from left to right, clips are applied closely on the ends of exiting products, keeping them tight. Clippers can alternately be constructed for a flush left side and product movement in either direction, as desired.
The preferred embodiment and the invention are now described in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable a person of skill in the art to make and use the same. To particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter regarded as invention, the following claims conclude this specification.
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Number | Date | Country |
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2 463 059 | Feb 1981 | FR |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20060042185 A1 | Mar 2006 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60478077 | Jun 2003 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10725142 | Mar 2004 | US |
Child | 11042780 | US |