Apparatus and method for stripping filmic casings from products

Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus and a method for processing packages made up of a filmic casing containing a product, to separate the casing from the product for subsequent further processing of the product. The package is moved through a series of steps to first weaken the casing, and then a leading end of the moving casing is gripped and the end of the casing is moved away from the product. As a result the casing is stripped off the product as the weakened casing opens and the product continues to move.

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 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  in which the operating path is horizontal and the stripper moves vertically when dragging the casing off the product.  
     
     
         3 . 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.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which the transport mechanism includes a V-shaped conveyor to carry the packages along the operating path.  
     
     
         5 . 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.  
     
     
         6 . 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.  
     
     
         7 . 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 below the transport mechanism to avoid contact with the product as the product moves through the cutting station.  
     
     
         8 . 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.  
     
     
         9 . 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 below 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.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  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.  
     
     
         11 . 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 said 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.    
     
     
         12 . 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 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.    
     
     
         13 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 12  in which the operating path is horizontal and the stripper moves vertically when dragging the casing off the product.  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 12  and further including a loader coupled to the transport mechanism for loading packages on to the transport mechanism one at a time.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 12  in which the transport mechanism includes a V-shaped conveyor to carry the packages along the operating path.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  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.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 12  in which the stripper further includes a pair of rollers driven to assist the gripper to drag the casing off the product.  
     
     
         18 . 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 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.    
     
     
         19 . 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.  
     
     
         20 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 12  and further including a chopper which receives the product from the stripper and breaks the product into smaller parts.