Abstract: A conveyor system to precisely feed articles, such as food product containers, includes a series of conveyors to phase and control the articles along the flow path for further processing downstream. A supply conveyor establishes the initial flow. A phasing conveyor receives the articles in closely spaced relationship and a photoelectric sensor detects each one of the articles at this point along the path. A variable speed motor drives the phasing conveyor in response to the sensor in order to shift each article into its proper position to match the moving segment or flight of the target conveyor. A transfer conveyor operating at the speed of the target conveyor accelerates each article to establish a gap from the next upstream article.

Abstract: An automatic meat log cutter for cutting continuous extrusions of minced meat to logs of preselected length comprises a photocell located at a preselected distance from the discharge end of the extruder for sensing the arrival of the front end of the extrusion and in response thereto for triggering the operation of a solenoid-actuated air-cylinder for driving a music wire cutter transversely through the extrusion at a point immediately in front of the extruder and for simultaneously speeding up the travel speed of the conveyor to create a spaced distance between the rearward end of the log and the front end of the extrusion. For successive logs, the cutting stroke is alternately downward and upward.