Apparatus for forming spaced intervals in a stuffed casing and method thereof

1. A belt for cooperating with another belt to pinch a stuffed casing at spaced intervals, the belt comprising:

a flexible, unitary composite body with at least one embedded flexible reinforcing member extending substantially the entire length of the body; and

at least one pinching member extending outwardly from the body and positioned for cooperating with a pinching member of another belt to pinch a stuffed casing at spaced intervals when fed between a pair of belts.

2. The belt of claim 1 , wherein a series of cross-wise ridges extend outwardly from the body.

3. The belt of claim 2 , wherein a central depression runs lengthwise along the body at a middle section thereof.

4. The belt of claim 1 , wherein a series of inwardly extending cross-wise ridges extend inwardly from the body.

5. The belt of claim 1 , wherein the pinching member has a V-notch at an outer edge thereof, opposite an inner edge that is attached to the belt.

6. The belt of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a plurality of pinching members with each pair of adjacent pinching members being equidistant.

7. The belt of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing member is made from a Kevlar® material and an exterior material is made from a urethane material.

8. The belt of claim 1 , wherein the body forms a continuous loop.

9. The belt of claim 1 , wherein the body has two embedded flexible reinforcing members extending substantially the entire length of the body.

10. The belt of claim 1 , wherein the flexible reinforcing member is a cable.

11. A method of pinching spaced intervals along a stuffed casing, the method comprising:

advancing the stuffed casing in a machine direction;

rotating a pair of flexible, unitary composite belts, each having a body with at least one embedded flexible reinforcing member extending substantially the entire length of the body with the stuffed casing therebetween;

pinching a portion of the casing with a pair of complimentary outwardly extending pinching members, one from each belt, to create a pinched section in the casing.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the casing is pinched by aligning corresponding V-notches of the pinching members to nest together and engage the stuffed casing therebetween.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pinching members are provided at spaced intervals along the belt.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the pair of composite belts rotate at generally the same speed.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the composite belts have an interior material that differs from an exterior material.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the interior material is a Kevlar® material and the exterior material is a urethane material.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the pinching members along one of the two belts are at different angles than the pinching members on the other belt.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the casing is stuffed with a flowable food product.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the stuffed casing is a meat product.

20. An apparatus for pinching spaced intervals along a stuffed casing, the apparatus comprising:

a pinching station having two cooperating belts, each belt comprising a flexible, unitary composite body with at least one embedded flexible reinforcing member extending substantially the entire length of the body; and

at least one pinching member extending outwardly from the body of each belt and positioned to cooperate with each other to pinch the stuffed casing at spaced intervals when received between the belts.