Filling machine and method for filling a pasty mass

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9560856-B2
Application number	US-201615099500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2016
Priority date	Apr 16, 2015
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a filling machine and a method for filling a pasty mass, in particular for the production of sausages, with a vane cell pump for conveying the paste mass, a vacuum pump for generating negative pressure in the vane cell pump, where the housing of the vane cell pump comprises an evacuation opening via which the vacuum pump can evacuate the vane cells. The evacuation opening is formed in the cover of the vane cell pump.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A filling machine for filling a pasty mass for the production of sausages, comprising:
a vane cell pump for conveying said pasty mass,
a vacuum pump for generating negative pressure in the vane cells of said vane cell pump,
where a housing of said vane cell pump comprises an evacuation opening via which said vacuum pump evacuates said vane cells, and

where said evacuation opening is formed in a cover of said vane cell pump.

2. The filling machine according to claim 1 , wherein said evacuation opening is via a vacuum line in communication with said vacuum pump.

3. The filling machine according to claim 2 , wherein said vacuum line comprises a channel section in said cover and a recess formed in said cover and/or in a pivot housing on which said the cover is mounted, where an inspection opening is arranged in an upper region of said recess through which said evacuation opening and/or said channel section being in communication with said evacuation opening is inspectable.

4. The filling machine according to claim 3 , wherein a vacuum channel is sealed in a region between said cover and said pivot housing.

5. The filling machine according to claim 3 , wherein said vacuum line comprises a channel which is with one end in communication with a collection container for a pasty mass that is dragged along and with its other end opens into a lower region of said recess.

6. The filling machine according to claim 5 , wherein said channel and/or said collection container is inspectable through said inspection opening while said cover is closed.

7. The filling machine according to claim 4 , wherein said inspection opening is closeable with a closure element, said closure element an axially movable piston and/or said closure element comprising an inspection glass.

8. The filling machine according to claim 7 , wherein said axially movable piston is axially movable in said recess and in a lower position separates said channel from said channel section.

9. The filling machine according to claim 8 , wherein said axially movable piston is removable from said recess.

10. The filling machine according to claim 8 , wherein said axially movable piston is movable so far upwardly that said channel and said channel section are vented.

11. The filling machine according to claim 7 , wherein a sensor is integrated into said closure element and/or into said cover of said vane cell pump for measuring the temperature and/or pressure, or said sensor is an optical sensor which optically detects said channel and/or said collection container and/or said channel section and/or said evacuation opening and illustrates this on a display.

12. The filling machine according to claim 11 , wherein said sensor is a pressure sensor which comprises a display element which is movable in dependence of the pressure in said vane chambers.

13. The filling machine according to claim 12 , wherein said display element includes a slide adjustable in height, and wherein said display element is disposed in an upper region of a channel in said closure element and is by a spring held in a predetermined vertical position, where said display element can with decreasing pressure in said vane cell chambers move downwardly against the spring force.

14. The filling machine according to claim 1 , wherein a driven closure cylinder separates a vacuum connection between said vacuum pump and said vane cell pump.

15. The filling machine according to claim 1 , wherein a groove-shaped depression in a vacuum region is formed in a flat surface of said cover facing the vane cell pump interior and said evacuation opening is disposed outside said depression in said vacuum region.

16. A method for filling a pasty mass with a filling machine, comprising:
conveying said pasty mass with a vane cell pump, generating a negative pressure in vane cells of said vane cell pump with a vacuum pump, and evacuating said vane cells via an evacuation opening in a cover of a housing of said vane cell pump.

Assignees

• Handtmann Albert Maschf

Inventors

• Maile Bernd
• Mantz Paul
• Staudenrausch Martin

Classifications

• A23L1/3175

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A22C11/06 Primary

  with piston operated by liquid or gaseous means · CPC title

• F04C2/3442

  the surfaces of the inner and outer member, forming the working space, being surfaces of revolution · CPC title

• F04C13/005

  Removing contaminants, deposits or scale from the pump; Cleaning · CPC title