Abstract: A canning machine for a foodstuff product (2), such as tuna fish and similar, comprises a conveyor belt (1) suitable for carrying the foodstuff product (2) in a compressing and shaping device comprising a knife (11) suitable for cutting substantially parallelepipedal portions (12) of the foodstuff product (2) and a compression channel (7) closed at one end by means of a shaping member (8) and at the other end by means of a compactor (9) slidable in the compression channel (7). Two openings (14) are made in the bottom wall of the compression channel (7) in order to allow the passage of a pair of dies (16) and of a pair of ejecting pistons (15) which in their initial position close said openings (14) without substantially protruding into the compression channel (7). Said ejecting pistons (15) are capable of a cyclic movement comprising a backward movement with respect to the compressing and shaping device, a forward movement through said openings (14) and a movement of return to the initial position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a canning machine for a foodstuff product (2), such as tuna fish or similar, comprising a conveyor belt (1) suitable for carrying the foodstuff product (2) into a compressing and shaping device, a pair of dies (14) suitable for shearing two cakes (22) from each portion (12) of the foodstuff product (2) and a pair of ejecting pistons (20) suitable for pushing said cakes (22) of into cans (19). Said compressing and shaping device comprises a compression channel (7) inside which is arranged a shaping member (8) provided on the bottom thereof with a separating wedge (13) and a pair of side shaping members (15) slidably arranged in a sliding channel (16) which intersect perpendicularly the compression channel (7). Each side shaping member (15) has an end provided with a semi-cylindrical concavity suitable for penetrating in the compression channel (7) by sliding between one die (14) and the bottom of the shaping member (8).

Abstract: An apparatus for filling two cylindrical canning containers with cylindrically compacted and shaped tuna chunks. The apparatus has a flared compression channel for relieving excessive compression in the compacted tuna chunks, a movable shaping wall for controlling the density of the tuna chunks by changing the volume of the channel, and a movable blade between two semi-cylindrical cavities in the shaping wall for splitting the relieved compacted tuna chunks into two streams which then flow easily into the cavities for forming semi-cylindrical ends prior to cutting the formed ends into cylindrical cakes for injection into the canning containers.