Sniff's Sausage Machine

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This machine makes sausages direct from the meat at one operation, without any handling or chance of uncleanly treatment. Our engraving is a transverse vertical section of one of these machines, which the following description will explain :— A is a bed piece on which a rectangular box, B, is supported by uprights, a. The box, B, is formed of two parts connected by hinges, and each part contains a semi-cylindrical concave, c, the two concaves when the box is closed forming a cylinder in which a drum, C, is placed, the shaft of which, D, has its bearings in the ends of the box, B. The drum, C, has teeth, d, projecting from its periphery, and placed in spiral rows and in the lower half of B there is placed a series of stationary metal plates, e. These plates are all parallel with each other, and equal distances apart so that the teeth, a, can work between them, as the drum rotates. To one end of the axle, D, is attached a bevel wheel, E, that gears into another wheel, F, on a shaft, G, the lower end being stepped into A. There is a pinion,/, on G. To the underside of B there is attached a cylindrical chamber, H, one end of which communicates with the interior of the box, B, by a passage, g. The opposite ends of this trunk has a nozzle, I, attached to it at right angles, and a plunger, J, is fitted within the trunk, A, the plunger working freely within it. The plunger is connected with a rod, K, by means of an eye, A; the rod being outside and below H, and fitted in bearings, i, in which it can slide. A rack, j, is on one side of the rod, K, and the pinion, f, gears into the rack when J is in the trunk, H. H has a slit, k, in its end near g, to allow the plunger to pass through, and a slit, k', is made in the trunk, H, near its junction with the nozzle, I. From the end, K, an arm, I, projects. The operation is as follows:—The meat is placed in the box, B, through the hole, m, and motion is given D by any suitable means. The meat is cut by the teeth, d, as they pass between the plates, e, and it is fed along to g by the spiral arrangement of the cutters, d, and consequently the meat is subject to the action of each tooth, and when it reaches the passage, g, it will be cut quite fine. The cut meat then passes into H, and the operator, by grasping the handle or projection, I, and turning the rod, K, passes the plunger, J, into the trunk at k, and the pinion,/, gearinginto the rack, j, pulls J along, and thus forces the cut meat through I into the case ; when the plunger arrives at k', it is turned out by the operator, and again, by pushing K back, and turning it, the plunger assumes the position shown in our engraving. W. Sniff, of Fultonham, Ohio, is the inventor, and from him any further particulars can be obtained. It was patented December 1, 1857.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 13 Issue 45This article was published with the title “Sniff's Sausage Machine” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 13 No. 45 (), p. 360
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican07171858-360b

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