Method and means for making coextruded sausage strands

Abstract

An extrusion attachment for sausage making machines have three connection concentric tubes with the inner tube defining a first passageway, the space between the inner restrictor and intermediate second tubes comprising a second first passageway, and the space between the outer third tube and the intermediate second tube defining a third second passageway. The diameter of the inner restrictor tube is small so that meat emulsion passing into the inner restrictor tube is subjected to a higher pressure than that of the pressure in the second first passageway. The lower pressure meat material in the second first passageway is thinly coated on the strand of the high pressure meat material extruded from the inner restrictor tube. A thin layer of collagen material is extruded from the third second passageway for deposit on the outer surface of the meat layer extruded from the second first passageway.

1. An extrusion attachment for sausage making machines, comprising,
 an inner hollow elongated restrictor tube having an intake and a discharge end, and having a fixed diameter,  
 an inlet coupling secured to the intake end of said restrictor tube and having a bore therein of a greater diameter than the fixed diameter of said restrictor tube and being in communication therewith,  
 an outlet port coupling on the discharge end of said restrictor tube and having a bore therein with a diameter greater than the diameter of said restrictor tube,  
 a second tube concentrically mounted around said restrictor tube and having an inner diameter spaced from an outer diameter of said restrictor tube to create a first passageway therebetween,  
 a third tube concentrically mounted around said second tube and having an inner diameter spaced from the outer diameter of said second tube to create a second passageway therebetween,  
 said inlet coupling and said second tube being connectable to a source of meat emulsion under pressure,  
 said first passageway being of sufficient size that meat emulsion moving therein will maintain a meat emulsion pressure substantially the same as the pressure from said meat emulsion source,  
 said second  first passageway having a narrowed discharge channel surrounding the discharge end of said restrictor tube whereby meat emulsion exiting the second  first passageway will provide a thin layer of meat emulsion around the surface of meat emulsion exiting said restrictor tube,  
 said third  second passageway being connectable to a source of collagen material under pressure and having a narrowed discharge channel adjacent said outlet port coupling to deposit a collagen material layer around the meat emulsion discharged by said restrictor tube and said second tube.  
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1  wherein said inlet coupling and said second tube are connectable to the same source of meat under pressure. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1  wherein said inlet coupling and said second tube are connectable to a different source of meat under pressure. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1  wherein a shearing edge is located adjacent the discharge channel on said second  first passageway to facilitate the compression of meat particles in meat emulsion passing through said channel. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1  wherein tube stabilizer elements are located around said restrictor tube and engaging the inner diameter of the second tube to support said restrictor tube within said second tube and to maintain the restrictor tube and said second tube in concentric relationship. 
     
     
       6. A method of manufacturing a sausage product comprising,
 extruding a strand of meat emulsion through an elongated restrictor tube at a high first pressure,  
 coextruding a first layer of meat emulsion through a second tube at a lower second pressure which is lower than said first pressure, with said second tube being concentrically positioned and in a spaced position with respect to said restrictor tube so that said first layer is deposited on said strand of meat emulsion.  
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein said first layer is deposited on said sausage strand in a common space wherein the first layer and the sausage strand are subjected to a lower pressure than said high first pressure, wherein the material in said sausage strand can expand within said space. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6  wherein a collagen material layer is deposited on said first layer. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6  wherein meat particles in said first layer are compressed before said first layer is deposited on said strand. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 6  wherein said first pressure is approximately 200 psi and said second pressure is approximately 60 psi. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 6  wherein said first pressure is at least double that of said second pressure. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 6  wherein said first pressure is at least triple that of said second pressure.