Abstract: A self-cleaning continuous cooking oven is provided which is capable of rapidly cooking different foodstuffs with a recirculated hot air. The oven has a cabinet defining said oven cavity, an inlet chute for food portions to be cooked, and an outlet chute for cooked food portions. These chutes may be sealed during an oven cleaning cycle. Within the cavity there is a rotatable cooking chamber including a cylindrical wall having a longitudinal axis and having an inlet end and an outlet end. A conveying member extends along and projects inward from the interior of the cylindrical wall defining a food carrying passage extending to the outlet end of said cooking chamber, and food passed into the inlet chute progresses through the chamber and exits via the outlet chute means rotatably supporting said cooking chamber in said oven cavity with said inlet end adjacent said inlet chute and said outlet end discharging to said outlet chute.

Abstract: An improved film cutter for severing sheets of soft stretch film which is drawn in a plane into a wrapping machine from a continuous source of such film comprises a first elongated knife blade extending laterally across the plane defined by the film and having a serrated cutting edge facing the film. A knife bracket extends laterally across the opposite side of the film plane and forms a channel such that the first knife blade may be moved or inserted into the channel to sever the film. The knife bracket comprises an elongated first member, with a knife mounting bar secured thereto and spaced therefrom to define the channel. The knife mounting bar includes a flange extending away from the channel and toward the film oriented at an acute angle to the knife mounting bar such that the extended edge of the flange forms a thin film contacting edge of the channel.

Abstract: A dropped-article sensor is positioned beneath the platform conveyor of a wrapping machine wherein articles are received at a feed-in station and conveyed to a wrapping station along a conveyor path extending between and including the feed-in station and the wrapping station with sheets of wrapping material being wrapped about the packages at the wrapping station. Articles dropped from the conveyor path fall upon the dropped-article sensor which not only catches the articles, but generates a wrapping machine stop signal or interrupt such that the dropped article must be retrieved before restarting the wrapping machine.

Abstract: Sheets of wrapping film are drawn into a wrapping machine from a continuous film source to accommodate large girth packages. Predetermined lengths of film corresponding to the entering lengths of the packages to be wrapped are initially drawn into the machine, with additional film being drawn in accordance with the girth dimensions of the packages. In a first embodiment, the additional film is drawn from the source by fully elevating packages into the film with the stress thus produced pulling the additional film required. In a second embodiment, a secondary package pusher is connected to a rear underfolder such that as the film is folded beneath a package, any portion of the package exceeding a given length is pushed from the wrapping station beyond a film edge-engaging position to draw additional film approximately equal in length to the extended portion of the package.

Abstract: A label applicator device for applying a label to the surface of a substantially rectangular package in a selected orientation includes a package conveyor for presenting a package at an applicator station, control means for manually selecting a first or a second label orientation, and applicator means. The applicator means is responsive to a control means and receives a label at an output station. The applicator means applies the label to the surface of the package in a first orientation with respect to the package or in a second orientation with respect to the package. The second orientation is rotated approximately 90.degree. with respect to the first orientation. The applicator means includes a cam and cam follower arrangement which provides for rotation of a portion of an applicator head which engages each label.

Abstract: A steam generator includes a tank with a water inlet valve, a steam outlet, an electric immersion heater in said tank, and a normally closed drain valve. A water level control, connected to the inlet valve and the heater, is arranged to apply power to the heater only when it is immersed, and to admit make up water into the tank as steam is used. A drain valve control is connected to said drain valve and operates to open the drain valve to flush the tank only upon starting the generator after completion of a generator cooling period sufficient to condense residual steam in the tank which follows shut down of the generator. The completion of such a cooling period is sensed by either a pressure sensitive or a temperature sensitive switch which responds to conditions in the generator. The switch is connected to the drain valve control to prevent opening of that valve should the generator not be cooled to ambient temperature.

Abstract: A label applicator applies a human readable label and a machine readable label to opposite sides of a package such that the position of the human readable label on one side provides an indication of the position of the machine readable label on the opposite side. Proper positioning of a package for application of the machine readable label is sensed when the package is positioned either automatically or manually. A printer prints the machine readable label and ejects it into a catcher where the label is held prior to its application to a package. The label application process is monitored by an interlock which signals the failure of the applicator head to pick up a label from the catcher.