Method, a binder and a binding machine for closing hose or bag shaped packings, primarily tubular foodstuff packings

Abstract

The closing of tubular casings containing foodstuffs by mounting a binder on a constriction of the casing involves the traditional problem of a high waste percentage due to the binders either damaging the casing material or sliding off the constriction. A method and a binder are proposed which makes it possible to obtain a very strong clamping of the binder without damaging the casing material, and, in connection with tight plastic casings, it is even possible to provide a "super tight" closure, by ranging the constriction with an oblong cross section between opposed straight clamping beams, which are forced together so as to produce a controlled deformation flowing of the casing material.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method of closing hose or bag shaped packings, priority foodstuff packings, whereby a constricted portion of the packaging is clamped by a ring shaped non-metallic clamp binder caused to be narrowed about the constricted portion of the packing by a closing pressure applied from opposite sides thereof and fixed in its shaped as attained when it is subjected to a final closing pressure, characterized in that the constricted portion of the packing is clamped between opposed smooth surface portions of substantially straight .Iadd.and substantially parallel .Iaddend.clamping beams of the non-metallic clamp binder so as to be compacted into a final shape, in which the constricted portion of the packing is cross-sectionally oblong in a longitudinal direction of the substantially .Iadd.straight and substantially .Iaddend.parallel clamping beams.[...]..Iadd., .Iaddend.preferably with a length of at least twice a distance between the clamping beams. 
     
     
       2. A method according to claim 1, whereby binder portions interconnecting respective ends of the opposed clamping beams comprise at least at one end thereof a free leg member on one clamping beam operable to be received in a lockable manner in several different positions in a receiver passage in the opposite clamping beam, the method being completed with the free leg member end left uncut and yet in a non-tearing condition either by being entirely housed inside said receiver passage or, if projecting substantially beyond a rear end of the receiver passage, by having a smoothly rounded end portion. 
     
     
       3. A method according to claim 1, particularly for obtaining a very effective .[.seating.]. .Iadd.sealing .Iaddend.of a constricted plastic casing material, whereby the binder is selected and the constriction disposed in such a manner that in the said final shape of the binder the binder opening is entirely filled out by the constriction material, said constriction material being subjected to such a compaction pressure between the clamping beams that in each and every part of the final constriction area the plastic material is effectively axially displaced to a degree below rupture prolongation and thus assumes an overall axially expanded condition. 
     
     
       4. A method according to claim 3, whereby the applied pressure is steadily sufficient to deform the constriction material and the opposed clamping beams are caused to be mechanically stopped at such a mutual distance, which corresponds to the effective distance between the clamping beams being of a size required for ensuring the overall axial expansion of the material. 
     
     
       5. A method according to claim 4, whereby, in order to counteract a rupture prolongation of the axially expanding material with the use of a binder of relatively small axial length the constricted material portions just outside the opposed ends of the binder are mechanically clamped between clamp tool members and thus axially stabilized while the clamping .[.beam.]. .Iadd.beams .Iaddend.are forced into their final positions. 
     
     
       6. A clamp binder for closing hose or bag shaped packings by the method claimed in one of claims 1 or 3, the clamp binder consisting essentially of a non-metallic material and comprising two opposed clamping portions and connector means therebetween for confining, together with the clamping portions, an annular binder structure, in which at least one of said connector means is operable to interlock the associated parts of the clamping portions with a mutual spacing therebetween upon the clamping portions being forced against a constricted packing portion from opposite sides thereof, characterized in that the opposed clamping portions are constituted by substantially straight clamping beams and that the connector means are arranged so as to enable the binder to be closed about a non-compacted constriction area and enable the clamping beam to be forced together to compress the constriction area into a final shape, in which the beams are substantially parallel and spaced from each other at a spacing less than the spacing between the respective connector means. 
     
     
       7. A binder according to claim 6, in which one of the clamping beams is at each end provided with a laterally protruding leg member so as to form a rigid U-member with a tight bottom portion, while the outer clamping beam is provided with two individual holes for receiving the leg members, arresting means being provided in connection with each leg member and/or hole operable to lock the leg members against retraction from the holes. 
     
     
       8. A binder according to claim 7, in which the arresting means comprise wedge members projecting from the free ends of the leg members so as to be .[.introducable.]. .Iadd.introducible .Iaddend.into the holes along with the leg ends and to be repressable from the opposite end of the holes for widening the cross sectional area of the leg ends sufficiently to effect a retraction locking of the leg member in the hole. 
     
     
       9. A machine for mounting a clamp binder on a constricted packing portion in accordance with the method claimed in one of claims 1, 3 or 5, the machine comprising means for forcing opposed binder portions against the constricted portion of the packing and characterized in further comprising clamping tool means operable to clamp the constricted material just outside opposed axial ends of the clamp binder for .[.stablizing.]. .Iadd.stabilizing .Iaddend.the material against excessive axial displacement in an area surrounded by the clamp binder. .Iadd. 
     
     
       10.  A clamp binder for closing hose or bag shaped packings by the method claimed in one of claims 1 or 3, the clamp binder consisting essentially of a non-metallic material and comprising two opposed substantially smooth clamping portions and connector means therebetween for confining, together with the clamping portions, an annular binder structure, in which at least one of said connector means is operable to interlock the associated parts of the clamping portions with a mutual spacing therebetween upon the clamping portions being forced against a constricted packing portion from opposite sides thereof, characterized in that the opposed clamping portions are constituted by substantially straight clamping beams and that the connector means are arranged so as to enable the binder to be closed about a non-compacted constriction area and enable the clamping beams to be forced together to compress the constriction area into a final shape, in which the beams are substantially parallel and spaced from each other at a spacing less than the spacing between the respective connector means. .Iaddend..Iadd.11. A binder according to claim 10, in which one of the clamping beams is at each end provided with a laterally protruding leg member so as to form a rigid U-member with a straight bottom portion, while the outer clamping beam is provided with two individual holes for receiving the leg members, arresting means being provided in connection with each leg member and/or hole operable to lock the leg members against retraction from the holes. .Iaddend..Iadd.12. A binder according to claim 11, in which the arresting means comprise wedge members projecting from the free ends of the leg members so as to be introducible into the holes along with the leg ends and to be repressable from the opposite end of the holes for widening the cross sectional area of the leg ends sufficiently to effect a retraction locking of the leg member in the hole. .Iaddend..Iadd.13. A machine for mounting a clamp binder on a constricted packing portion in accordance with the method claimed in one of claims 1, 3, or 5, the machine comprising: a first beam;   a second beam disposed parallel to the first beam;   a first plate member disposed on the first beam;   a second plate member disposed on the second beam in opposition to the first plate member;   pressing means for pressing the constricted portion of the packing against edges of the first and second plate members, thereby holding the constricted portion of the packing between the pressing means and the edges of the first and second plate members; and   forcing means for forcing the clamping beams of the clamp binder against a portion of the constricted portion of the packing disposed between the first and second beams, the forcing means including clamping means for clamping the constricted portion of the packing against the first and second beams, thereby increasing a resistance against axial displacement of the portion of the constricted portion of the packing against which the clamping beams are forced by the forcing means. .Iaddend..Iadd.14. A method of closing a hose or bag shaped packing made of a non-plastic material by mounting, applying pressure to, and fixing a non-metallic clamp binder about a constricted portion of the packing, wherein in order to provide an effective closure of the packing and an extremely firm fixation of the clamp binder on the constricted portion, the clamp binder comprises two opposed parallel substantially straight clamping beams having substantially smooth clamping surfaces and two connecting legs for connecting the two clamping beams together, the clamp binder having a size relative to a size of the constricted portion such that when the clamp binder is fixed about the constricted portion, the constricted portion almost entirely fills an opening defined by the clamping beams and the connecting legs, the opening being oblong in a longitudinal direction of the clamping beams and having a length at least twice as great as a distance between the clamping beams, the method comprising the steps of:   arranging the constricted portion such that after the clamp binder is fixed about the constricted portion, the constricted portion will almost entirely fill the opening in response to the clamping beams being forced against opposite sides of the constricted portion;   mounting the clamp binder about the constricted portion;   applying pressure to the clamping beams to force the clamping beams against opposite sides of the constricted portion, the applied pressure being slightly less than a pressure at which the clamping beams will cause pressure damage to the constricted portion; and   interlocking the clamping beams together with the connecting legs while maintaining the applied pressure on the clamping beams, thereby fixing the clamp binder on the constricted portion. .Iaddend..Iadd.15. A method of closing a hose or bag shaped packing made of a plastic material by mounting, applying pressure to, and fixing a non-metallic clamp binder about a constricted portion of the packing, wherein in order to provide an extremely effective closure of the packing and a firm fixation of the clamp binder on the constricted portion, the clamp binder comprises two opposed parallel substantially straight clamping beams having substantially smooth clamping surfaces and two connecting legs for connecting the two clamping beams together, the clamp binder having a size relative to a size of the constricted portion such that when the clamp binder is fixed about the constricted portion, the constricted portion entirely fills an opening defined by the clamping beams and the connecting legs, the opening being oblong in a longitudinal direction of the clamping beams and having a length at least twice as great as a distance between the clamping beams, the method comprising the steps of:   mounting the clamp binder about the constricted portion such that the constricted portion does not entirely fill the opening;   applying pressure to the clamping beams to force the clamping beams against opposite sides of the constricted portion such that the constricted portion entirely fills the opening;   applying additional pressure to the clamping beams such that each portion of the constricted portion is deformed and axially expanded; and   interlocking the clamping beams together with the connecting legs when each portion of the constricted portion has been deformed and axially expanded, thereby fixing the clamp binder on the constricted portion;   wherein a pressure on the order of 50-100 kp per mm of effective width of the clamp binder is required to produce the deformation and axial expansion of each portion of the constricted portion. .Iaddend..Iadd.16. A packing in combination with an annular binder, the packing comprising a bag or hose shared sheet packing material, the packing being closed at least at one end by the annular binder being clamped about a constriction of the material, wherein the binder is made of plastic and comprises two opposed clamping portions and opposed connector portions therebetween, the clamping portions being arranged so as to face each other with substantially flat, smooth and parallel surfaces, the clamping portions being held by said connector portions so as to firmly clamp the constriction in a configuration, by which the cross sectional dimension of the constriction normal to the said surfaces is noticeably smaller than the width dimension of the constriction. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. A packing in combination with an annular binder according to claim 16, wherein the packing material is of plastic, and wherein the constriction is arranged to entirely fill out the annular binder, the constriction material being clamped by the binder to such a degree that the constriction material in each and every cross sectional sub area thereof assumes a state physically prolonged in the axial direction of the constriction as a result of the material being clamped sufficiently to undergo a real deformation flowing all over the binding area without being locally damaged.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.     A machine for mounting a clamp binder on a constricted packing portion of a plastic material, the clamp binder including opposed clamp binder portions, the machine comprising: first clamping means for clamping the clamp binder portions against the constricted packing portion with a force sufficient to cause the plastic material in the constricted packing portion to undergo a flowing deformation in an axial direction of the clamp binder;   mechanical stop means for defining a minimum spacing between the clamp binder portions to prevent excessive clamping of the constricted packing portion by the first clamping means; and   locking means for locking together the clamp binder portions in an annular configuration about the constricted packing portion while the clamp binder portions are clamped against the constricted packing portion. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. A machine according to claim 18, further comprising second clamping means for clamping the constricted packing portion lust beyond opposed axial ends of the clamp binder to stabilize the plastic material against excessive axial displacement in the constricted packing portion clamped between the clamp binder portions. .Iaddend..Iadd.20. A machine for mounting a clamp binder on a constricted packing portion, the clamp binder including opposed substantially parallel and substantially straight clamp binder portions with substantially smooth clamping surfaces, the clamp binder portions including connector portions provided at opposite ends of the clamp binder portions, the connector portions being operable to be individually interlocked upon being brought together, the machine comprising:   opposed clamping members;   means for disposing the clamp binder portions between the clamping members;   forcing means for forcing the clamping members towards each other while the clamp binder portions are disposed therebetween to clamp the clamp binder portions against the constricted packing portion such that the clamped clamp binder portions define an oblong opening having a length in a longitudinal direction of the clamp binder portions at least twice as great as a final distance between the clamp binder portions; and   locking means for individually interlocking the connector portions at the opposite ends of the clamp binder portions while the clamp binder portions are clamped against the constricted packing portion. .Iaddend.