SEPARATOR FOR SEPARATEING PORTIONS FROM elongated sleeves filled with food mass, CONCERNING CRIMPELEMENT AND METHOD

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a separating device for separating portions from elongated casings filled with food mass, in particular sausage portions from alginate casings filled with sausage meat, with two circulating transport elements arranged at a distance from one another and drivable by means of at least one drive, each having a transport area which is moved in a transport direction during operation, and a return area, wherein the filled casing can be introduced between the transport areas of the two transport elements and transported in the transport direction, and wherein the transport elements are aligned such that the distance between the transport elements in the transport area is reduced in the direction of the transport direction, at least one crimping element arranged on each transport element and protruding laterally from the transport element,wherein two crimping elements of the spaced-apart transport elements are moved toward each other during movement in the transport direction, and wherein one of the crimping elements, in particular both crimping elements, comprises: a fastening section for fastening the crimping element to the transport element, a crimping section extending from the fastening section and having two legs opening from the base section, and a counterholder configured to press a crimping section of the crimping element arranged on the opposite transport element against the crimping section of the crimping element with a contact force as the crimping elements move toward each other. Furthermore, the invention relates to a crimping element and an associated method.

[0002] In known devices and methods for producing sausages, artificial or natural casings are filled with a pasty mass, such as meat mixture, using a pump or a filling machine and portioning device, and portioned, then divided into individual sausages. Other masses are also filled into a casing in the same way. The mass is usually provided by a filling machine with a filling hopper and feed pump. In this type of known method, a twisting point is created in the casing using a twisting device and the portioning device, which separates individual portions of sausages from one another.

[0003] In another type of portioning device, sausage portions are not twisted; instead, the casing is co-extruded around a strand of the food mass in liquid form. The casing, often made of alginate, solidifies. After such a filled casing has been produced, so-called crimping elements penetrate the casing filled with food mass during further transport and displace both the food mass and the casing, creating a constriction. Crimping elements previously known from the prior art also have cutting edges that allow the sausage portions to be separated after the constriction has been formed.

[0004] The crimping elements are typically arranged on conveyor elements at intervals approximately equal to the length of a sausage. The crimping elements known from the prior art have a fastening section for attaching the crimping element to a transport element and a crimping section extending from the fastening section, which typically has two legs opening from a base section. In the region of the legs, in turn, cutting edges are formed for separating the portions.

[0005] Furthermore, the use of so-called counterholders is known from the prior art. These counterholders are designed to press a crimping section of a crimping element arranged on an opposite transport element against the crimping section of the crimping element with a contact force as the crimping elements move toward each other. Although the design of the crimping elements just described ensures reliable separation of the sausage portions, there is still room for improvement.

[0006] From WO 2017 / 081648 A1 a separating device for separating portions from elongated casings filled with food mass is known.

[0007] In practice, it has frequently been observed that sausage ends in alginate or collagen casings, which are produced solely by tying with crimping elements known from the prior art, are not completely sealed at the separation points between two sausages. This usually results in the resulting sausage end not resembling the traditionally twisted sausage end in terms of its visual properties, as desired. Such incompletely sealed separation points are occasionally perceived as undesirable by consumers.

[0008] The invention therefore aims to advantageously further develop a separating device, a crimping element, and an associated method of the type mentioned above, in such a way that the disadvantages found in the prior art are eliminated as far as possible. In particular, a device is to be provided that enables improved sealing of the separation points between two sausage portions and ensures that the alginate casing is pulled as completely as possible around the portion.

[0009] According to the invention, the object of a device of the type mentioned at the outset is achieved in that the counterholder is designed to be flexible in such a way that it applies a pre-tensioning force to the crimping element arranged on the opposite transport element in order to improve the separating effect of the crimping elements.

[0010] The invention makes use of the knowledge that the flexibly designed counterholder enables the crimping elements to slide perfectly into one another. The flexibly designed counterholder ensures that the separating force exerted by two cooperating crimping elements on a point of a sausage strand to be separated increases the further the crimping elements are pressed into one another. This makes it possible to dispense with the formation of cutting edges on the crimping elements, which in turn is advantageous with regard to gentle formation of the sausage ends without the casing, in particular the alginate casing, being damaged by cutting. In other words, it is possible to initially produce a completely closed sausage end using the crimping elements. Only then are the sausage portions divided.There is no need to form cutting edges on the crimping elements, since the pre-tensioning force used up by the counterholder ensures that a sufficient separating force of the crimping elements is achieved even without the provision of cutting edges.

[0011] The invention is further developed in that the counterholder has a web which extends from the fastening section and a contact section which is arranged adjacent to the web, wherein the contact section is designed to come into contact with an opposite crimping element and to apply the contact force to the opposite crimping element.

[0012] The pre-tensioning force to be applied is preferably influenced by the design of the web. In particular, the flexibility of the counterholder can be influenced by a targeted selection of the thickness of the web on the counterholder, whereby a thicker web is associated with less flexibility of the counterholder and greater separation forces can thus be achieved. On the other hand, greater flexibility can be achieved by designing a thinner web and the separation force of the crimping elements can thus be reduced. In this way, the separation force that can be applied by the crimping elements can be influenced, for example, depending on the sausage caliber to be processed or the filling material.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the web has a thickness of 0.5 mm to 5 mm. If the crimping element is made of engineering plastic, in particular polyoxymethylene (POM), the web thickness is preferably 1 mm to 5 mm, in particular 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm. If the crimping element is made of metal, the web thickness is preferably 0.5 mm to 2 mm. The described thickness range has proven particularly suitable for achieving a sufficient separation force of the crimping elements.

[0014] The invention is further developed in that the counterholder extends from the fastening section. Thus, the counterholder runs at least partially parallel to the crimping section and in the same direction as the crimping section extending from the fastening section. Preferably, the counterholder has a recess formed in the region of the contact section over a height range of the crimping element. This also allows the flexibility of the counterholder to be influenced as desired. Alternatively, the flexibility of the counterholder can also be achieved, for example, through a targeted selection of the counterholder material.

[0015] The invention is further developed in that the crimping section has a bevel on its side facing away from the counterholder, which is designed to cooperate with the contact section of an opposing crimping element in such a way that opposing crimping elements are pressed against each other as they move toward each other. The bevel, in conjunction with the counterholder, causes the separating force to increase the further the crimping elements are pressed together.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, the counterholder, particularly together with the crimping section, forms a pocket designed to at least partially accommodate a crimping section of an opposing crimping element. In this way, each opposing crimping element is securely guided.

[0017] The invention is further developed in that the legs have a spherical separating surface on their side facing an adjacent second crimping element during operation. This, in conjunction with the flexibly designed counterholder, allows a defined separating force to be generated, particularly in the center of the crimping element.

[0018] According to an advantageous development of the invention according to the first aspect, it is proposed according to the invention that the legs are curved on the side facing away from the counterholder and have rounded edges, so that the filled casing is constricted in a constriction area while displacing the mass and the casing is pulled, in particular completely, around the portion before the portions are separated.

[0019] This development of the invention is based on the finding that the curved design of the legs with rounded edges allows for particularly gentle shaping of the sausage ends without damaging the casing, in particular the alginate casing. This ensures that the alginate casing is completely drawn around the sausage portion without severing the portions. Only after the sausage ends have been fully formed does the actual separation process, which separates the sausage portions from one another, take place. The counterholder is used for this purpose to increase the separation force.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment, the legs extend in an arc from the base section. This also achieves an advantageous formation of the sausage ends without damaging or even severing the alginate casing during the formation of the sausage ends. According to one embodiment, the curvature is designed as a convex curvature.

[0021] The invention is further developed in that the base section forms a center which is arranged asymmetrically with respect to an overall height of the crimping element, in particular wherein the center is arranged in an operating position in a lower half of the height, in particular in a lower third of the height, with respect to the overall height H. In other words, the center of the crimping elements is pulled downwards as far as possible, viewed in an operating position, so that the fall height of the sausage portions onto a discharge belt arranged below the crimping elements is as low as possible.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the crimping elements are aligned relative to the transport elements such that the crimping elements are guided parallel to one another in the transport area. According to a preferred embodiment, the crimping element is formed from or consists of one of the following materials: metal, engineering plastic, in particular polyoxymethylene. The above material selection has proven particularly suitable for the intended application. It has been shown that crimping elements formed from the above materials exhibit high durability and, moreover, provide sufficient preload even after numerous passes.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment, the transport elements have receiving means for receiving the fastening sections of the crimping elements. In this way, the crimping elements can be detachably arranged on the transport element and easily removed or replaced for maintenance purposes.

[0024] The invention has been described above with reference to a separating device. In a further aspect, the invention relates to a crimping element for a separating device for separating portions from elongated casings filled with food mass, in particular sausage portions from alginate casings filled with sausage meat, wherein the crimping element has: a fastening section for fastening the crimping element to the transport element, a crimping section extending from the fastening section and having two legs opening from a base section, a counterholder which is configured to press a crimping section of the crimping element arranged on the opposite transport element against the crimping section of the crimping element with a contact force when the crimping elements move towards one another.

[0025] The invention achieves the object described at the outset with respect to the crimping element in that the counterholder is designed to be flexible in such a way that it applies a pre-tensioning force to the crimping element arranged on the opposite transport element in order to improve the separating effect of the crimping elements.

[0026] Preferably, the crimping element is designed according to at least one of the characteristic features of the above embodiments. The crimping element thus utilizes the same advantages and preferred embodiments as the separating device according to the invention, and vice versa. Reference is made to the above statements, and their content is hereby incorporated.

[0027] According to an advantageous development of the crimping element, it is proposed according to the invention that the legs are curved on the side facing away from the counterholder and have rounded edges, so that the filled casing is constricted in a constriction area while displacing the mass and the casing is pulled, in particular completely, around the portion before the portions are separated.

[0028] The crimping element according to the further aspect of the invention also utilizes the same advantages and preferred embodiments as the crimping element according to the invention according to the first aspect, and vice versa. In this regard, reference is made to the above statements, and their content is incorporated herein.

[0029] In a further aspect, the invention relates to a method for forming and separating portions from elongated casings filled with food mass, in particular sausage portions from alginate casings filled with sausage meat, in which food mass is filled into the casing to be filled by means of a filling machine, the filled casing is transported in a transport direction by means of a separating device, in particular a separating device according to one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the filled casing is brought between two drivable, circulating transport elements and is constricted and separated in a constriction area by means of two adjacently arranged crimping elements, each arranged on a transport element, wherein the crimping elements have a counter-holder which is designed toto press a crimping section of the crimping element arranged on the opposite transport element with a contact force against the crimping section of the crimping element when the crimping elements move towards each other, wherein the counter-holder is designed to be flexible in such a way that it applies a pre-tensioning force to the crimping element arranged on the opposite transport element in order to improve the separating effect of the crimping elements.

[0030] The method utilizes the same advantages and preferred embodiments as the separating device and crimping element according to the invention, and vice versa. Reference is made to the above statements in this regard, and their content is incorporated herein.

[0031] In addition or as an alternative to the flexible design of the counter-holder, it is also proposed for the method that the legs are curved on the side facing away from the counter-holder and have rounded edges, so that the filled casing is constricted in a constriction area while displacing the mass and the casing is pulled, in particular completely, around the portion before the portions are separated.

[0032] The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the figures. They show: Fig. 1 shows an arrangement for producing portions from a casing filled with food mass, comprising a filling machine and a portioning device as well as a separating device according to the invention in a side view; Figs. 2 and 3 show a separating device according to the invention in a perspective view and a plan view, respectively; Fig. 4 shows the interaction of crimping elements according to the invention when separating sausage positions; Fig. 5 shows the crimping elements according to the invention in Fig. 4 in a top view; Figs. 6 and 7 show crimping elements according to the invention in perspective views; Figs. 8 and 9 show crimping elements according to the invention in different dimensions for processing different sausage calibers.

[0033] Fig. 1 shows an arrangement 2 for producing sausage portions 10 (not shown, cf. Fig. 2) from a casing 12 filled with food mass 11, also referred to as sausage meat 11, which has a filling machine 4, a portioning device 6 and a separating device 8.

[0034] Within the portioning device 6, which is not detailed in the figures, a so-called co-extrusion takes place, during which the casing 12, for example an alginate casing 12, is applied in liquid form around a strand of the food mass 11. The casings 12, also referred to as sausage strand 12, then reach the sphere of influence of the separating device 8, viewed in a transport direction 20, which Fig. 2 is more detailed.

[0035] The separating device 8 then serves to separate portions 10 from the elongated casings 12 filled with food mass 11, in particular sausage portions 10 from alginate casings 12 filled with sausage meat 11. The separating device 8 has two circulating transport elements 16a, 16b arranged at a distance from one another and drivable by means of a drive 14, each of which has a transport region 18, which is moved in the transport direction 20 during operation, and a return region 22.

[0036] The filled casing 12 is inserted between the transport areas 18 of the two transport elements 16a, 16b and transported in the transport direction 20. The transport elements 16a, 16b are aligned such that the distance between the transport elements 16a, 16b in the transport area 18 is reduced in sections in the direction of the transport direction 20. A plurality of crimping elements 24a, 24b are arranged on each of the transport elements 16a, 16b, which protrude laterally from the respective transport elements 16a, 16b. Two crimping elements 24a, 24b of the spaced-apart transport elements 16a, 16b are moved towards each other during movement in the transport direction 20 and are then guided away from each other again. As in Fig. 2As shown, the crimping elements 24a, 24b have the smallest distance from one another approximately in a central region between the drives 14 in the transport region 18 and are then separated from one another again, as seen in the transport direction 20.

[0037] In other words, a casing 12 filled with food mass 11 is fed to the separating device 9, wherein oppositely arranged crimping elements 24a, 24b are then moved in the direction of the casing 12 and towards each other, engage in an area of ​​the casing 12, form sausage ends without previously damaging the alginate casing 12, and only when the alginate casing 12 has been completely pulled around the sausage portion 10, the casing 12 is severed to form sausage portions 10. The sausage portions 10 then reach a removal belt 62 and are removed.

[0038] The shape of the crimping elements 24a, 24b is shown in the following Figures 4 to 7detailed. The crimping elements 24a, 24b have a fastening section 26. The fastening section 26 is designed to fasten the crimping elements 24a, 24b to the respective transport element 16a, 16b, as shown in the Figures 2 and 3 to be fastened. The transport elements 16a, 16b have corresponding transport element receiving means 60 for this purpose.

[0039] The crimping elements 24a, 24b further comprise a crimping section 28 extending from the fastening section 26, which has two legs 30 opening from a base section 32. The crimping elements 24a, 24b further comprise a counter-holder 34, which is designed to press a crimping section 28 of the crimping element 24b arranged on the opposite transport element 16b against the crimping section 28 of the crimping element 24a with a contact force FK when the crimping elements 24a, 24b move towards one another, as is shown, for example, in Fig. 4is shown.

[0040] The counter-holder 34 is designed to be flexible in such a way that it applies a pre-tensioning force to the crimping element 24b arranged on the opposite transport element 16b in order to improve the separating effect of the crimping elements 24a, 24b. The counter-holder 34 has a web 36. The web 36 extends from the fastening section 25. The counter-holder 34 further has a contact section 38 which is arranged adjacent to the web 36. The contact section 38 is designed to come into contact with an opposite crimping element 24b and to apply the contact force FK to the opposite crimping element 24b. The counter-holder 34 extends from the fastening section 26. The crimping section 28 further has a bevel 40 on its side facing away from the counter-holder 34.The bevel 40 is configured to cooperate with the contact portion 38 of an opposing crimping element such that opposing crimping elements are pressed against each other when moving toward each other, so that the crimping elements 24a, 24b can apply a greater separation force to the sleeve 12. The web 36 has, as shown in . Fig. 5 shown, a thickness ds.

[0041] The counterholder 34, together with the crimping section 28, forms a pocket 42. The pocket 42 is designed to at least partially accommodate a crimping section 28 of an opposite crimping element 24b. The legs 30 have a spherical separating surface 52 on their side 53 facing an adjacent second crimping element 24b during operation. The spherical separating surface 52 and the flexible counterholder 34 generate a defined separating force in a region of the base section 32 of the crimping elements 24a, 24b.

[0042] The legs 30 are further curved 44 on the side facing away from the counter-holder 34. The curvature 44 has a curvature thickness dw. The legs 30 have rounded edges 50, so that the filled casing 12 is constricted in a constriction region 46 while displacing the mass 11 and the casing is pulled, in particular completely, around the portions 10 before the portions 10 are separated. The legs 30 extend in an arcuate manner 48 starting from the base section 32. The base section 32 forms a center 54, which is Fig. 7The total height H of the crimping element 24a, 24b shown is arranged asymmetrically. In particular, the center 34 is arranged in an operating position in a lower half 56 of the height, in particular in a lower third 58 of the height, relative to the total height H. The crimping elements 24a, 24b are formed from one of the following materials: metal, engineering plastic, in particular polyoxymethylene.

[0043] In the Fig. 8 and 9 Different geometries of the crimping elements 24a, 24b are shown, which are adapted to a diameter, also referred to as caliber, of the respective casing 12 shown. Fig. 8 The crimping elements 24a, 24b shown are designed to cooperate with a sleeve 12 of a larger caliber, which Fig. 9 shown crimping elements 24a, 24b for interaction with a sleeve 12 of smaller caliber.

[0044] Based on the Figures 7 and 8shown states, the method for forming the sausage portions 10 can be described as follows: If the crimping elements 24a, 24b are applied to the positions shown in the Fig. 2 and 3 When the crimping elements 24a, 24b are moved towards each other as shown, the casing 12 comes into contact with the legs 30 of the crimping elements 24a, 24b, which are curved 48 and have rounded edges 50. In this way, the ends of the sausage portions 10 are gently formed without damaging or even severing the casing 12, in particular the alginate casing 12. Only when the alginate casing has been completely or almost completely pulled around the end of the sausage portion 10 by the relative movement of the crimping elements 24a, 24b towards each other does a separation of the sausage portions 10 take place, in a subsequent second step, so to speak. For this purpose, the counter-holder 34 enables the crimping elements 24a, 24b to slide into one another.

[0045] The contact section 38 of the counterholder 34 corresponds to the bevel 40, whereby the separating force of the crimping elements 24a, 24b increases the further the crimping elements 24a, 24b are pressed into one another. In conjunction with the spherical separating surface 52, a defined separating force is generated in the center 54 of the crimping element to ultimately separate the sausage portions 10 without the need for cutting edges formed on the crimping elements 24a, 24b. The present invention specifically seeks to dispense with such cutting edges on the crimping elements 24a, 24b, since it has been shown that such cutting edges often separate sausage portions in alginate casings before the alginate casing 12 is completely pulled around the ends of the sausage portions 10. List of reference symbols

[0046] 2 Arrangement 4 Filling machine 6 Portioning device 8 Separating device 10 Sausage portions 11 Food mass / sausage meat 12 Casing 14 Drive 16a, 16b Rotating transport element 18 Transport area 20 Transport direction 22 Return area 24a, 24b Crimping elements 26 Fastening section 28 Crimping section 30 Leg 32 Base section 34 Counterholder 36 Web 38 Contact section 40 Inclined section 42 Pocket 44 Curved design 46 Constriction area 48 Arched design of the legs 50 Rounded edge 52 Spherical separating surface 53 Side 54 Center 56 Lower half of height 58 Lower third of height 60 Transport element receiving means 62 Discharge belt ds Web thickness dw Curvature thickness FK Contact force FV Preload force HGotal height of the crimp element

Claims

1. A separating device (8) for separating portions (10) of elongate casings (12) filled with food mixture (11), in particular sausage portions (10) of alginate casings (12) filled with sausage meat (11), having two circulating transport elements (16a, 16b) which are spaced from one another, can be driven by means of at least one drive (14) and each have a transport region (18), which is moved in a transport direction (20) during operation, and a return region (22), wherein the filled casing (12) can be introduced between the transport regions (18) of the two transport elements (16a, 16b) and can be transported in the transport direction (20), and wherein the transport elements (16a, 16b) are oriented such that the distance between the transport elements (16a, 16b) is reduced in the transport region (18) in the direction of the transport direction (20), at least one crimping element (24a, 24b) which is arranged on each transport element (16a, 16b) and protrudes laterally from the transport element (16a, 16b), wherein two crimping elements (24a, 24b) of the spaced-apart transport elements (16a, 16b) are moved towards one another when moved in the transport direction (20), and wherein one of the crimping elements (24a, 24b), in particular both crimping elements (24a, 24b), have: - a fastening section (26) for fastening the crimping element (24a, 24b) to the transport element (16a, 16b), - a crimping section (28) which extends from the fastening section (26) and has two arms (30) which open from a main section (32), - a counter holder (34) which is designed to press a crimping section (28) of the crimping element (24b) arranged on the opposite transport element (16b) against the crimping section (28) of the crimping element (24a) with a contact force (FK) when the crimping elements (24a, 24b) are moved towards one another, characterised in that the counter holder (34) is flexible such that it applies a preloading force (Fv) to the crimping element (24b) arranged on the opposite transport element (16b) to improve the separating effect of the crimping elements (24a, 24b).

2. The separating device (8) according to Claim 1, wherein the counter holder (34) has a ridge (36) which extends from the fastening section (26) and a contact section (38) which is arranged adjacently to the ridge (36), wherein the contact section (38) is designed to come into contact with an opposite crimping element (24b) and to apply the contact force (FK) to the opposite crimping element (24b).

3. The separating device (8) according to Claim 2, wherein the ridge (36) has a thickness (ds) of 0.5 mm to 5 mm.

4. The separating device (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the counter holder (34) extends from the fastening section (26).

5. The separating device (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the crimping section (28) has, on its side facing away from the counter holder (34), a slope (40) which is designed to cooperate with the contact section (38) of an opposite crimping element (24b) such that opposite crimping elements (24a, 24b) are pressed against one another when moved towards one another.

6. The separating device (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the counter holder (34), in particular together with the crimping section (28), forms a pocket (42) which is designed to receive a crimping section (28) of an opposite crimping element (24b) at least in some sections.

7. The separating device (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arms (30) have, on their side (53) facing an adjacently arranged second crimping element (24b) during operation, a crowned separating face (52).

8. The separating device (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arms (30) are curved (44) on the side facing away from the counter holder (34) and have rounded edges (50), so that the filled casing (12) is constricted in a constriction region (46), displacing the mixture (11), and the casing is pulled, in particular completely, around the portions (10) before the portions (10) are separated.

9. The separating device (8) according to Claim 8, wherein the arms (30) extend in an arcuate shape (48) from the main section (32).

10. The separating device (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main section (32) forms a centre (54) which is arranged asymmetrically in relation to a total height (H) of the crimping element (24a, 24b), in particular wherein the centre (54) is arranged in an operating position in a lower height half (56), in particular in a lower height third (58), in relation to the total height (H).

11. The separating device (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the crimping element (24a, 24b) is formed from or consists of one of the following materials: - metal - engineering plastic, in particular polyoxymethylene.

12. The separating device (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport elements (16a, 16b) have receiving means (60) for receiving the fastening sections (26) of the crimping elements (24a, 24b).

13. A crimping element (24a, 24b) for a separating device (8) for separating portions (10) of elongate casings filled with food mixture (11), in particular sausage portions (10) of alginate casings (12) filled with sausage meat (11), wherein the crimping element (24a, 24b) has: - a fastening section (26) for fastening the crimping element (24a, 24b) to the transport element (16a, 16b), - a crimping section (28) which extends from the fastening section (26) and has two arms (30) which open from a main section (32), - a counter holder (34) which is designed to press a crimping section (28) of the crimping element (24b) arranged on the opposite transport element (16b) against the crimping section (28) of the crimping element (24a) with a contact force (FK) when the crimping elements (24a, 24b) are moved towards one another, characterised in that the counter holder (34) is flexible such that it applies a preloading force to the crimping element (24b) arranged on the opposite transport element (16b) to improve the separating effect of the crimping elements (24a, 24b).

14. The crimping element (8) according to Claim 13, wherein the arms (30) are curved (44) on the side facing away from the counter holder (34) and have rounded edges (50), so that the filled casing (12) is constricted in a constriction region (46), displacing the mixture (11), and the casing is pulled, in particular completely, around the portions (10) before the portions (10) are separated.

15. A method for forming and separating portions (10) of elongate casings (12) filled with food mixture (11), in particular sausage portions (10) of alginate casings (12) filled with sausage meat (11), in which food mixture (11) is inserted into the casing (12) to be filled by means of a filling machine (4), the filled casing (12) is transported in a transport direction (20) by means of a separating device (8), in particular a separating device (8) according to one of Claims 1-12, wherein the filled casing (12) is brought between two drivable, circulating transport elements (16a, 16b) and is constricted in a constriction region (46) and separated by means of two adjacently arranged crimping elements (24a, 24b) which are each arranged on a transport element (16a, 16b), wherein the crimping elements (24a, 24b) have - a fastening section (26) for fastening the crimping element (24a, 24b) to the transport element (16a, 16b), - a crimping section (28) which extends from the fastening section (26) and has two arms (30) which open from a main section (32), wherein a counter holder (34) which is designed to press a crimping section (28) of the crimping element (24b) arranged on the opposite transport element (16b) against the crimping section (28) of the crimping element (24a) with a contact force (FK) when the crimping elements (24a, 24b) are moved towards one another, characterised in that the counter holder (34) is flexible such that it applies a preloading force to the crimping element (24b) arranged on the opposite transport element (16b) to improve the separating effect of the crimping elements (24a, 24b).