Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for batching fish into cooling devices. The method and the device can be used for receiving fish after bleeding and gutting freshly caught fish on board a fishing vessel and batching the fish into cooling devices. The batching and cooling apparatus and method may be used to increase the value of the fish by shortening the time from the fish is caught until the fish is chilled for storing.

Abstract: A machine (1) for filling containers (2) has a carousel conveyor (5) having a vertical axis (6) and in turn having a number of filling heads (7), and an equal number of seats (8), each of which houses a respective container (2), is associated with a respective filling head (7), and is connected to the carousel conveyor (5) via the interposition of a weighing device (9) supported in a fixed position by the carousel conveyor (5). Each seat (8) has a frame (10), which supports a gripper (11) for engaging a top portion (4) of a respective container (2), and a plate (12) defining a horizontal supporting surface for the bottom of the respective container (2), and an adjusting device (13) for adjusting the vertical position of the plate (12), while maintaining the gripper (11) in a given vertical position close to the respective filling head (7).

Abstract: A liquid metering and filling lifter for use with different kinds of containers (C) having different heights for moving the container (C) upward and downward with a stroke corresponding to the height of the container (C) in filling a liquid into the container, the lifter comprising a container pushing-up vertical lift rod (32) disposed below a filling nozzle (13) above a bed (11) and extending through the bed (11), the lift rod (32) having a container support (31) fixed to an upper end thereof, a container pushing-down vertical lift rod (34) extending through the bed (11) at one side of the lift rod (32) and having a container holder (33) fixed to an upper end thereof, and coupling means (35) disposed below the bed (11) for coupling the two lift rods (32), (34) to make the lift rods movable upward or downward together and uncoupling the lift rods (32), (34) to make the lift rods movable upward or downward individually.

Abstract: An automated pharmaceutical package machine fills a product package filling guide positioned above a solid pharmaceutical product package having a plurality of cavities corresponding to positions of the filling guide. The automatic filling machine includes a mechanism for vertically displacing the product package to be filled toward the filling guide. Various guide members or plates are utilized in order to pre-fill filling templates so that each of the cavities of a product package may be simultaneously filled.

Abstract: A machine and method for filling bags with liquid through spouts attached to the bags, wherein a piston within a filling head that operates to control flow of the liquid from the filling head is also extended out of the filling head and into the spout, after the bag is filled, in order to push remaining material from the spout and through is bottom opening into the bag. The spout bottom opening is then closed, after which any remaining material adhering to the walls inside the spout and surfaces of the filling head are cleaned by forming a chamber between them through which a cleaning fluid is passed. This machine and method are particularly useful when filling bags with highly viscous and/or sticky liquids, such as thick food products. They avoid a result of having either to distribute messy bags of product with material remaining adhered to the outside of the spout and/or bag, or to first remove this material by an additional cleaning step.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for rapidly rotating a small enclosed transparent container and introducing a plurality of visually different materials into the rotating container to produce distinctive multi-aspect designs. The illustrated apparatus includes a support for releasibly holding one of the containers at a time for rotation about an axis, and a drive mechanism for causing the held container to rotate rapidly about that axis. The container has an entrance and the apparatus includes dispensers for selectively and sequentially introducing two or more of the visually different materials in flowable form into the entrance while the container is rotating. The materials have the capacity for maintaining themselves generally separate from the other materials in the rotating container. By way of example, the materials could be sands or gels of different colors or appearances. There may be a plurality of containers with a variety of different shapes.

Abstract: An automated dispenser for liquid and pulverulent materials dispenses the materials into a container located below a dispense head. The container is supported by a shelf extending in front of the dispenser. The shelf is divided into sections, with the section located below the dispense head being mounted for raising and lowering toward and away from the dispense head. A scissors lift mechanism supports the center shelf portion, and a locking arrangement at the bottom of the scissors lift mechanism locks the lift mechanism at a desired height. A foot pedal releases the locking arrangement, permitting the shelf portion to be moved to a different height.

Abstract: A powder filling apparatus for filling a container with powder is provided. In the powder filling apparatus, a bottle is carried into a plurality of work units moving around successively. While the work units move to work stations disposed in a circumferential direction successively, the bottle is filled with powder by equally evacuating the inside and the outside of the container and dropping powder into the container simultaneously with raising the pressure outside the container. The bottle filled with powder is then taken out from the work units successively while the work units move around.

Abstract: A process and device for filling a vessel with a liquid. The vessel is placed on a lifting plate and guided up to a filler spout a predetermined distance measured from its base, the vessel's opening being lifted into a sealed filling position below the filler spout. The vessel is filled up to a predetermined filling level by opening a valve associated with the filler spout, whereupon the supply of liquid is terminated, and a volume of liquid still present between the valve and the filling level flows into the vessel. This after-flowing liquid volume is controlled as a function of the vessel height so that in the case of a vessel having a height smaller than a mean vessel height there is an afterflow of a larger volume of liquid than in the case of a greater vessel height where the afterflow is of a smaller volume of liquid.

Abstract: A lifting and stabilizing mechanism for an apparatus such as a bag elevator assembly for an automated filling machine having a stationary frame and a generally horizontal carriage mounted for vertical movement relative to the frame. The carriage is carried on a plurality of geared belts which each criss-cross the frame in an opposing "Z" configuration, and are alternately wrapped over and under opposed drive wheels and tensioning wheels rotatably mounted on the carriage. The opposing belts maintain the carriage in its horizontal orientation, and the drive wheels are rotated to provide the lift force for controllably raising and lowering the carriage. The drive belts are attached to and extend along vertical brace members of the frame using one of various clamping assemblies, and the vertical alignment of the carriage is augmented by a pin and channel guide assembly.

Abstract: An ice cream dispensing machine having at least one storage container for storing liquid ice cream. The storage container is connected to a freezing cylinder that contains a mixing spiral. The freezing cylinder is connected to a dispensing apparatus that includes a vertically movable ice cream cornet holder. Cornet position sensing switches are employed to initiate machine operations. Timing clocks control the dispensing of the ice cream and provide a safety factor with respect to the maximum quantity of ice cream that can be dispensed during a single dispensing operation. The time interval between two successive dispensing operations is controlled to insure that sufficient time has elapsed for complete freezing of the liquid ice cream for the next dispensing operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming and packaging, within a suitable container for the dispensing thereof, an unstable product produced by intimately mixing at least first and second ingredients, the resulting unstable product remaining stable following the mixing of the ingredients for a relatively short period of time under normal ambient conditions, the method including the steps of providing streams of the ingredients, intimately mixing the ingredients in a filling head, ejecting the mixture from the filling head into a container, and sealing the container prior to the elapse of the relatively short period of time.