US 6,981,912 B2
Method and means for filling natural casing sausages
Stephen H. Cate, Johnston, Iowa (US); Marcellinus F. Ottow, Rosmalen (Netherlands); Steven P. Hergott, West Des Moines, Iowa (US); Vincent L. Basile, II, West Des Moines, Iowa (US); Michael S. Simpson, Norwalk, Iowa (US); David Hamblin, Norwalk, Iowa (US); Kenneth L. Lebsack, Ankeny, Iowa (US); Rudolf P. T. Enklaar, Woerden (Netherlands); and Jay D. Thomas, Danville, Calif. (US)
Assigned to Townsend Engineering Company, Des Moines, Iowa (US)
Filed on Oct. 27, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/694,335.
Application 10/694335 is a division of application No. 09/674399, filed on Nov. 26, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2004/0116059 A1, Jun. 17, 2004
Int. Cl. A22C 11/02 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 452—32 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for filling a natural hollow elongated casing with a meat emulsion, comprising, providing a casing filling station including a stuffing tube for supporting the casing to be filled with meat emulsion, providing a casing hopper adjacent the casing filling station to serve as a reservoir for a plurality of shirred artificial casings for delivery of shirred artificial casings for mounting on the stuffing tube, and moving the casing hopper away from its position adjacent the casing filling station when natural casings are placed on a stuffing tube in the casing filling station.