Abstract: Disclosed herein is a composition comprising two edible components, one being a previously-baked but no-longer-fresh product such as a packaged cookie, the other being a high-concentration sugar solution such as a syrup, the two components being combined in a prescribed ratio and geometrical configuration such that when processed by heating in a microwave oven for a prescribed time, said time being typically less than 30 seconds, the enhanced cookie so produced has the superior taste, smell and mouthfeel of a fresh oven-baked cookie, thereby allowing the rapid production of such enhanced cookies one at a time or a few at a time for personal consumption, or on-demand in a fast-food service environment.

Abstract: An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

Abstract: An automatic beverage system for producing a hot flavored beverage. The system includes a base unit having a water reservoir, a control system for heating liquid from the reservoir, a cartridge arm having a water injector and a cartridge holder, a pump and tubing system connecting the water reservoir to the cartridge holder and used to move water, and a container base positioned in an area adjacent the base unit and below the cartridge holder. The cartridge holder is adapted to receive interchangeable cartridges depending on the type and size of beverage desired. The beverage system is capable of using a beverage pod to dispense an individual cup of coffee or the like, and it is also capable of brewing larger volumes of coffee using freshly ground coffee beans. The heating element and related safety features ensure that the water is safely heated and maintained at an optimal brewing temperature.

Abstract: An ammunition reloading system my have at least one local or remote controller connected to a volumetric dispenser and a kernel feeder. The controller can direct to flow of powder, such as gunpowder, to a vessel from the volumetric dispenser with a first granular resolution and from the kernel feeder with a second granular resolution where the second granular resolution is smaller than the first granular resolution.

Abstract: A doser for dispensing a predetermined dose of material. The doser may include an agitation device, with the material stored in the agitation device, and a dosing block cooperating with the agitation system.

Abstract: In a method for tinting caulking, a quantity of caulking is sealed within and toward one end of an elongate, pliable casing. The unfilled portion of the casing is then unsealed, and a quantity of tinting agent, such as paint, is introduced into the casing, which is then resealed. The caulking and tinting are then intermixed by manual kneading of the casing until the caulking has acquired a desired colour. The sealed end of the filled portion of the casing is then unsealed, the casing is inserted into a caulking cartridge with the filled portion disposed toward the nozzle end of the cartridge, and a slidable plug is inserted into the cartridge. The cartridge may is then loaded in a conventional caulking gun, which upon actuation urges the plug against the casing so as to force the tinted caulking out of the unsealed casing and through the cartridge nozzle.

Abstract: A medicament dispenser including a housing, a medicament container having a dispensing outlet; an agitator for agitating the contents; and a driver for driving the agitator independent of any container movement. The driver includes an energy storeage for storing energy releasable to drive the agitator. The medicament container may be a metered dose inhaler or delivering a suitable inhalable medicament.

Abstract: A device for the metered delivery of a viscous liquid has a pump body with a drill hole accommodating two pistons which connects a first chamber serving as an intake chamber and a second chamber serving as a discharge chamber. Two swivel arms driven by two cam discs are foreseen as the drive mechanism for the back and forth movement of the two pistons. For the metered delivery of an adhesive which contains flakes of silver the drill hole is designed such that it serves for guiding the pistons as well as for sealing the pump path.

Abstract: Disclosed is a powder filling method in which powder is filled in a powder box having a discharging port at its bottom segment, the powder box is moved over a cavity to be targeted while being slid on a die plate, thereafter the powder in the powder box is dropped into the cavity by its own gravitational force and filled there, wherein the powder in the powder box is applied with a mechanical agitation when the powder in the powder box is at least dropped into the cavity in the powder filling method for filling the powder in the powder box while being dropped at least into the cavity.

Abstract: A device for the metered delivery of a viscous liquid has a pump body with a drill hole accommodating two pistons which connects a first chamber serving as an intake chamber and a second chamber serving as a discharge chamber. Two swivel arms driven by two cam discs are foreseen as the drive mechanism for the back and forth movement of the two pistons. For the metered delivery of an adhesive which contains flakes of silver the drill hole is designed such that it serves for guiding the pistons as well as for sealing the pump path.

Abstract: A communion cup dispenser made in accordance with the present disclosure includes a number of tubes that hold the cups prior to the dispensing operation. A dispensing mechanism releases one layer of forty cups into an empty communion tray per one cycle of the handle. The dispenser has a feature named a shaker. This shaker is used in the event that one or more cups do not fall using the force of gravity alone. The inside diameter surface of shaker exit holes bump the cup or cups and cause them to fall. The shaker is used occasionally. The cup dispenser has a cup prelocator which is placed on top of the communion tray to assist the cups during their fall into the tray. The tube assembly dispensing mechanisms plus plates that provide a passage for the falling cups are held together by a frame.

Abstract: The material to be metered fills the cylinder 1 when it is in front of the admission orifice 31, whereupon the cylinder 1 moves opposite the delivery orifice 32 where the piston 2 describes a movement towards top dead center in order to eject said material out of the cylinder 1. The cylinder 1 then moves towards the admission orifice while the piston 2 remains at top dead center to avoid any return flow, whereupon the cycle starts over again.

Abstract: A dispensing device for dispensing measured doses during each dispensing cycle. A fluid tight bottle is provided with a well at its bottom. A hollow shell fits in the well and includes an opening permitting flow of material from the bottle into the shell. A tubular stem extends from the shell through the top of the bottle and terminates in a dispensing spout. Different embodiments provide different arrangements for supplying air to an air chamber in the top of the bottle so that pressure within the bottle can equalize at the end of each dispensing cycle. If the bottle is not a squeeze bottle, air is supplied to the bottom of the bottle to displace the liquid in the shell which is dispensed through the stem upon inversion of the bottle. Additional embodiments of the invention are specially constructed to dispense powders and to allow the dosage of each dispensing cycle to be adjusted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of controlling the dividing of a paste composition from the dispensing cavities in a carrier in which floatable pistons in the cavities regulate the amount of paste composition which is discharged from the respective dispensing cavities. The stroke of each piston in its respective cavity is controlled in an operative state to regulate the amount of paste composition discharged from each cavity and each piston is selectively locked in its respective cavity in an inoperative state to prevent discharge of paste composition from the respective cavity.

Abstract: A rotary volumetric piston dispenser is provided which receives material from a manifold assembly, portions that material while it traverses a path to a dispensing location, and dispenses the portioned material at the dispensing location. The rotary volumetric piston dispenser is suitable for timed communication with a movable belt or the like in order to deposit the portioned material according to a predetermined sequence. A camming assembly is also provided which is suitable for use within the rotary volumetric piston dispenser, the camming assembly including a cam track assembly having an adjustable camming pathway in order to vary the radial position of a radially movable element such as a piston while the element moves in a pattern that generally corresponds to the cam track assembly. The rotary volumetric piston dispenser is especially suitable for use in dispensing condiments, whether they be wet or dry, onto a moving surface, such as a plurality of proteinaceous patties spaced along a conveyor belt.

Abstract: A bread dough dispensing machine consisting of a drum (2) with a cylindrical hole (3) which runs from end to end and in which a piston (4) moves, both the drum (2) and the piston (4) having alternating movement which is transmitted to the drum (2) through a disk (9) and a rod (10) and to the piston (4) through a rotating arm (7) and a cam surface (8) which act on the end of the stem (5), the machine being equipped with a hopper (1) on the upper part of the drum (2) and an endless belt conveyor (11) on one side to which the dough is expelled.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the covering of playing balls, in particular tennis balls, utilize two essentially dumbbell-shaped cover parts and apply the parts interlockingly at an angle of 90.degree., successively to the adhesive coated ball core by rolling over the laid out, dumbbell-shaped cover parts. The cover parts are stacked to form a magazine and are provided with a layer of an adhesive so that only their peripheral surfaces are coated. The adhesive coated ball cores are rolled successively, initially by means of a contact pressure device in the longitudinal direction over a first cover part magazine and subsequently by means of a second contact pressure device and second cover part magazine extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the first cover part magazine. The edge of the second cover part engages the bight of the cover part already in position at a decorative seam gap.

Abstract: A positive-displacement volumetric metering depositor particularly but not exclusively useful in food production equipment has a continuously-rotating cylinder with a diametrically-disposed metering piston or plunger having the general form of an elongated, relatively narrow rectangular geometric solid of a desired height which moves cyclically across the diametral cylinder passage during its rotation to receive a measured volume of media at the top of cylinder rotation and discharge such volume at the bottom of cylinder rotation. Cams and cam followers control such cyclic piston movement, and are adjustable to vary the volume of the measured charge by changing the relative positions of a pair of complementary component piston parts together defining the composite metering piston.

Abstract: The apparatus is provided with a cutter having pairs or rotary knives for cutting a filter rod into plural filter plugs and a pin wheel for positively ejecting the filter plugs in spaced array onto a conveyor. The apparatus also has a rotary feed means for the granular filter material which employs an independently rotatable cam wheel with pins for pushing out the plungers of the feed wheel to expel the charges of granular filter material. The garniture also laterally compresses the filter plugs to form a restricted pocket between two filter plugs to receive the granular filter material.

Abstract: A hammering system for a compartmented, rotary metering drum comprising an elongated member rotatably supported on bearings, a lever pivotably mounted on the elongated member, hammers mounted on one end portion of the lever, and a biasing mechanism secured to the other end portion of the lever urging the lever to pivot about its fulcrum to engage the hammers with the metering drum. The metering drum has cocking structures associated with the leading face of each vane on the drum which forces the hammers away from the drum and suddenly releases the hammers to subsequently strike the drum to knock away any caked material therefrom.

Abstract: An article dispensing machine, of the type which has a conveyor including holders provided with a multiplicity of open-ended cavities for receiving the articles to be dispensed and for dispensing them by gravity discharge on tilting of the holders, is provided with ejectors for forcibly discharging any stuck articles which do not discharge by gravity. The ejectors are operative on the holders while tilted and are inserted through cooperating openings provided into the cavities to eject such stuck articles.