Abstract: An apparatus and method for the automated manufacturing of three-dimensional (3D) composite-based objects is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a material feeder, a printer, a powder system, a transfer system, and optionally a fuser. The method comprises inserting a stack of substrate sheets into a material feeder, transferring a sheet of the stack from the material feeder to a printer, depositing fluid on the single sheet while the sheet rests on a printer platen, transferring the sheet from the printer to a powder system, depositing powder onto the single sheet such that the powder adheres to the areas of the sheet onto which the printer has deposited fluid, removing any powder that did not adhere to the sheet, optionally melting the powder on the substrate, and repeating the steps for as many additional sheets as required for making a specified 3D object.

Abstract: A tomato dicing assembly and method for making tomato cubes from a tomato includes a cutting guide member, support member, and spike tube member that each has a tubular shape configuration that fit together concentrically. The cutting guide member includes a tubular wall extending longitudinally between proximal and distal ends, the cutting guide member including a cutting member defining a plurality of first cutting slots and body section defining second cutting slots transverse to the plurality of first cutting slots. The support member includes a continuous side wall defining having a closed upper end defining a plurality of holes spaced apart in a predetermined pattern and an open lower end. The spike tube member has a closed top including a plurality of spikes extending outwardly and are received through the plurality of holes when the spike tube member is received into the support member.

Abstract: A noodle strand cutting apparatus for cutting gelatinized noodle strands used in manufacturing of instant noodles is provided with: a conveyer for conveying at least one bundle of the gelatinized noodle strands; and a rotary cutter arranged above the conveyer and intended to cut, to a predetermined length, the at least one bundle of the gelatinized noodle strands conveyed on the conveyer in a substantially horizontal direction. The rotary cutter is provided with a plurality of blades that extend side by side with a rotational axis in radial directions around the rotational axis, the plurality of blades being spaced from each other in a circumferential direction by predetermined intervals.

Abstract: A device and method for producing plastics containers, in particular plastics tanks, for example, fuel tanks of motor vehicles.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a film bag with reinforced bag seams includes a film extruder that produces a continuous tube of film. A flattener produces a continuous web of flattened film which has an upper surface and a lower surface. A fold maker has a receiving portion positioned above the web and a displacing portion is positioned below the web that moves cyclically upward to a first position to locate a portion of the web into the receiving portion, thereby forming a fold. A fold retention device prevents the fold from opening. A presser flattens the fold against the web. A sealer seals through the fold, forming a reinforced bag seam. A cutter severs a sealed portion from an unsealed portion of the web. A transport mechanism moves the film from the extruder, through the flattener, into the fold maker, beneath the presser, into the sealer and to the cutter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for granulating plastic strands having a cutting wheel (15), the individual blades of which graze past a counter blade (2) disposed in a blade carrier (1) when the cutting wheel is rotated, thus cutting the plastic strands (13) being guided over the counter blade into a granulate (14), wherein a rail (3a, 3b) composed of hard material running parallel to the counter blade is disposed adjacent to the counter blade and after said counter blade in the rotational direction of the cutting wheel that collects cut granulate and conducts said granulate into a discharge channel.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for producing portions of food products in pieces, especially chunks of fresh meat, comprising at least one pump capable of outputting an approximately constant flow rate of food product in pieces, a tubular distributing pipe (2) connected to the delivery outlet of said pump, and comprising at least one delivery opening (22a, 22b), and cutting and shaping means (61) acting on the food product distributed by the outlet opening of the pipe to form portions (P1), said tubular pipe being equipped with a cutting system (3) comprising at least one cutting means, such as a flat oscillating blade (310a, 310b1 320a, 320b, 410), which traverses transversely from one side to the other of said main internal passageway in order to cut the food product into at least two layers and so produce textured portions (P1) of food products.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing a substantially spiral shaped food product is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a die defining a plurality of apertures disposed in a circle about a center. The apparatus also includes at least one cutting blade disposed for rotation about the center and operable to intermittently pass fully across each of the apertures during rotation. The apparatus also includes a plurality of slicing blades arranged for individual rotation about one of the plurality of apertures. The plurality of slicing blades are also arranged for continuous extension less than fully across the one aperture. The apparatus also includes a planetary coupling arrangement operably disposed to facilitate reciprocating rotation between the at least one cutting blade and the plurality of slicing blades.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating the creation of holes in a blow molded container is disclosed generally comprising first and second mold portions mounted adjacent each other along a seam and a mechanism for creating holes at the seam. In some embodiments, first and second punches are used to create one hole underneath the container's handle. In some embodiments, a third mold portion is used to create a rose surface and create a plurality of holes therein.

Abstract: To provide a method of manufacturing waved noodles, which saves labor of controlling weight of noodle lines at the time of cutting the noodle lines and restrains apparatus cost. A continuous noodle strip 26 with predetermined thickness formed by a noodle machine 2 is cut into a noodle strip 28 with a length for one meal by a cutter 20. The noodle strip for one meal is slit into the noodle lines by a slitter 22. Then, a waving box continuously arranged at a lower portion of the slitter waves the noodle lines for one meal. Waved noodle lines 30 for one meal are conveyed one by one by a conveyer 32 and dropped from the front end of the conveyer toward a shooter 34. The noodle lines 30 dropped from the front end of the conveyer toward the shooter 34 hang downwardly at their front parts 30a to extend their waves and to loosen their sticking parts and fall pulling their rear parts 30b.

Abstract: A method for demolding a body of frozen confection encased in a flexible disposable mold includes the steps of slicing the mold, applying heat to the mold sufficient to soften a surface portion of the body of confection to permit the mold to slip from the body, directing gas into the slit mold to open the mold and to separate the mold from the body, and applying suction to the mold to pull the mold free of the body. The invention further includes an assembly for effecting the method, the assembly including a slicer, a heater, a blower, and a suction device.

Abstract: A wire-cutting apparatus 10 used in the manufacture of bricks. The apparatus includes a pair of spaced generally parallel coextensive beams 13 and 14 between which cutting wires 15 pass. Associated with each wire 15 are groove-forming blades 27 and 28.

Abstract: An assembly and method for forming a frozen confection portion of a frozen confection type food product, the assembly comprising a mold assembly provided with a mold cavity of a selected configuration ad formed by a flexible inert casing, a pump for moving confection into the mold cavity and casing to fill the mold cavity and casing, sealing means for sealing the ends of the casing to provide a link of confection, a cutter device for separating the link from adjoining links, freezing devices for receiving and further freezing the link, and apparatus for opening the casing of the link and permitting the frozen confection to exit out of the casing in the selected configuration.

Abstract: A binder B for inorganic powders comprises a mixture of b1 from 80 to 99.5% by weight of a polyoxymethlene homopolymer or copolymer B1 and b2 from 0.5 to 20% by weight of a polymer system B2 which is not miscible with B1 and comprises b21 from 5 to 100% by weight of polytetrahydrofuran B21 and b22 from 0 to 95% by weight of at least one polymer B22 of C2-8-olefins, vinylaromatic monomers, vinyl esters of aliphatic C1-8-carboxylic acids, vinyl C1-8-alkyl ethers or C1-12-alkyl (meth)acrylates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to process a diverted molten polymer waste stream directs the polymer stream to one of at least two passages, separates it into individual segments while containing and discharging it from a containment exit, cools each segment with a quench fluid to form a solid or semi-solid polymer, and transports the solidified segments away from the exit and into a container using the quench fluid. The apparatus includes a cross-section transition connector, a moveable block with two passages, a block oscillator, a cut-off plate, and open space above an inclined transporting device, a quench fluid jet, and a quench fluid transporting trough.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically producing at low cost a paste food product resembling in appearance a crab's leg meat tissue causing a sensation of a crab's leg meat upon eating, comprises: a first feed device (1) for feeding a cooked paste sheet; a sheet cutter assembly (4) constructed of parallel rotary cutters disposed under the first feed device (1); a convergent roll assembly (9) having an H-shaped cross-section for forming the paste sheet into a folded sheet (10), disposed under the first feed device (1); a conveyor (12) for conveying the folded sheet (10), disposed under the convergent roll assembly (9); a second feed device (14) for intermittently or continuously feeding the folded sheet (10), disposed in front of the conveyor (12); a slitting machine (17) for forming rows of parallel oblique slits in the folded sheet (10) so as to have the parallel oblique slits symmetrically arranged about a longitudinal axis of the folded sheet (10); and, a cutter for cutting the folded sheet into a block

Abstract: A system for making aerated concrete blocks produces such blocks having at least one passageway therein. The system may include a molding station for receiving materials for making aerated concrete and for allowing the materials to rise and stiffen into a body, a dividing station downstream from the molding station for dividing the body into an array of blocks, and a curing station downstream from the dividing station for curing the array of blocks. Moreover, the manufacturing system also preferably includes a drilling station downstream from the curing station to drill the at least one passageway extending through each of the blocks. The passageways provide easier grasping by the mason, reduce the weight without significantly compromising strength, and may be aligned in a wall during construction at a building site to facilitate the placement of vertical reinforcing members in the wall. The drilling station may drill a plurality of spaced apart passageways through each block.

Abstract: A resin-molding die for embedding in a molded resin a plurality of bus bars connected with each other via a bridge portion includes a supporting member formed on a first mold, for supporting the bus bars, a pin-receiving hole formed in the supporting member at a position associated with the bridge portion, and a pin provided on a second mold at the position associated with the bridge portion and the pin-receiving hole, for cutting and raising the bridge portion substantially at an intermediate part thereof.

Abstract: A photo film cassette includes a spool core (13) on which photo film is wound in a form of a roll. A cassette shell (3, 4) contains the spool core in rotatable fashion. In each of a pair of disks (16, 17), a bearing hole (16a, 17a) is formed. The disks are secured to first and second ends of the spool core, and regulate edges of the photo film. To produce at least one kind of disk, a continuous sheet (27, 78, 88, 162, 171, 215) of thermoplastic synthetic resin is partially masked with a mask plate (48, 87, 160, 161, 170). A portion of the sheet emerging out of the mask plate is heated at temperature higher than a softening point of the sheet. The emerging portion is subjected to vacuum/air-pressure forming, so as to form a disk-like portion (20) in the sheet. The bearing hole and a contour of the disks is cut in the disk-like portion, to produce the disks.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for practicing the method for making ligneous material boards into an endless board strand with a continuously operating press. The press includes two flexible endless steel belts which take the press material between them and carry it through the press, are carried in rotation by drive drums and idler drums around a press table and a press ram, the steel belts thrust with friction-reducing elements against heated press plates of the press table and press ram and a cooling system that follows. The cooling system is configured as a double-belt holding apparatus with an applicable holding pressure up to a maximum of 0 to 0.05 N/mm2 and directly behind the continuously operating press and ahead of the cooling system a diagonal sawing apparatus is disposed for dividing the board strand into single boards, and on the backs of the holding belts making contact with the single boards several rows of coolant spray nozzles are disposed.

Abstract: A mineral fiber plate product is produced by producing a first non-woven mineral fiber web containing mineral fibers predominantly arranged in a first longitudinal direction and segments of the first mineral fiber web are arranged in a partly mutually overlapping relationship for producing a second non-woven mineral fiber web, which contains mineral fibers generally transversally relative to one another. The second mineral fiber web is folded transversely for producing a third non-woven mineral fiber web. The third non-woven mineral fiber web is cured for producing a cured non-woven mineral fiber web from which a mineral fiber plate, or alternatively, a tubular insulating element is cut. In packaging, the volume of the mineral fiber plate may be reduced to 40%-60%.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a ribbed hose which is capable of effectively producing a ribbed hose irrespective of a diameter or size of a hose while preventing the apparatus from being large-sized. A cylinder is formed therein with a hose feed passage and a first drive mechanism is arranged for driving the cylinder. Also, a screw is arranged in parallel to the hose feed passage and driven by a second drive mechanism. The screw is provided on a distal end thereof with a nozzle, which is adapted to revolve around the hose to form a rib on a hose.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing shredded food products, such as cheese, is disclosed. The method and apparatus permits the production of cheese shreds to be accomplished in a unified operation wherein a sheet of cheese is produced and that sheet of cheese is cut to desired dimensions directly from the casting line. An arrangement of the invention may comprise a sheet former, a casting line, and a shredding assembly, all of which function as a single unit. The shredding assembly, itself a unique arrangement, first slices the incoming sheet of cheese into ribbons, and then cuts each of these ribbons to length. The sheet of cheese may be sliced into ribbons by passing the cheese through a pair of rollers having grooves or slots machined into their surfaces, the width of the slots corresponding to the desired width of the cheese ribbons. The cheese ribbons are presented to a plurality of transversely mounted elongate blades, each of which revolves about a common axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for trimming blow-molded products while in the mold including the steps of placing a parson between a mold having two mold halves, moving the two mold halves to form a cavity and close a portion of the parison, pressurizing the inside of the parison to produce a product and trimming a portion of the product while it is in the mold by moving a cutter across the cavity and across the portion of the product to be cut. The mold halves are then separated and the product is removed therefrom.

Abstract: A strand cutting machine at least includes a rotary blade assembly (A) having a plurality of rotary blades, a stationary blade unit (B) having a guide portion (7) for guiding strands toward the rotary blade in an axial direction of a rotary shaft of the rotary blades and a take up roller (1, 2) disposed on the side of the base end of the guide portion for taking up the strands and further includes a housing for accommodating the above mentioned components. Each rotary blade is comprised of a blade plate (5) having a blade edge at one end thereof. Each blade plate has its blade edge which is the closest to the stationary blade and is located on the same rotary plane and is disposed on and around the rotary shaft while the blade plate is retracted far from the stationary blade in a direction from the blade edge to the base end thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing shredded food products, such as cheese, is disclosed. The method and apparatus permits the production of cheese shreds to be accomplished in a unified operation wherein a sheet of cheese is produced and that sheet of cheese is cut to desired dimensions directly from the casting line. An arrangement of the invention may comprise a sheet former, a casting line, and a shredding assembly, all of which function as a single unit. The shredding assembly, itself a unique arrangement, first slices the incoming sheet of cheese into ribbons, and then cuts each of these ribbons to length. The sheet of cheese may be sliced into ribbons by passing the cheese through a pair of rollers having grooves or slots machined into their surfaces, the width of the slots corresponding to the desired width of the cheese ribbons. The cheese ribbons are presented to a plurality of transversely mounted elongate blades, each of which revolves about a common axis.

Abstract: A method for making plastic case blanks is disclosed. A molten plastic material is passed through a nip of a first, preforming pair of molding cylinders to form a semi-solidified sheet having a first thickness, The semi-solidified sheet is then molded to form a final sheet having a second, uniform thickness less than the first thickness and the final sheet is scored to form folding scores and cut to form a plurality of the blanks. The molding, scoring and cutting are simultaneously performed by passing the semi-solidified sheet through a nip of a second pair of cylinders. One of the second pair of cylinders has scoring means for forming the folding scores in the final sheet and cutting means for cutting the final sheet to form the plurality of the blanks and the other of the second pair of cylinders has recess means complementary to the cutting means for receiving the cutting means and effectuating the cutting.

Abstract: A device for cooling and granulating molten thermoplastic strands (1) emerging from dies (2) which either drop along the falling line starting at the dies or are guided in an operating position through a coolant bath (9), freely stressed between guide rollers fitted in the bath and then taken into a granulator (4). In the region between the dies and the coolant bath there is a precooling device (5) which carries the plastic strands emerging from the dies and takes them to the coolant bath. Behind the precooling device there is a gripping device (21 ) with opposed clamping rollers (41, 42) which can open and shut and move along a guiding rail to grip the forward ends of the plastic strands after they have been separated by a separator (22) movable through the falling line of the strands. The rollers with the forward ends of the strands are moved along the guiding rail running through the region of the coolant bath as far as the granulator, where they release the strands thereinto.

Abstract: In a process and apparatus for pressing and drying long pasta, an alternative to hanging is provided wherein the dough strands are first introduced into a drying climate immediately after the goods are discharged from the die. The dough strands are guided directly into the drying means from the extrusion die as long "strings" in a continuous manner and are then cut to packaging length. It is possible for only the initial drying to be operated in this way, particularly to heat up the goods and, e.g., hang them on rods while hot, and then to carry out the final drying in a manner known per se, e.g. by portions. The goods can be dried intensively at previously unaccustomed temperatures of 90.degree. C. to 120.degree. C., particularly during final drying, to a moisture content of 15% to less than 13%.

Abstract: In an apparatus for detaching an article from a member attached thereto, the attached article and member are supported on a grid such that the member is in contact with a substantially rigid surface of the grid and the article is suspended away from the rigid surface. Holders hold the member to the rigid surface. While the member is held to the rigid surface, a punch detaches the article and the member. The member from which the article has been detached is gripped by a pin assembly and the gripped member is removed from the substantially rigid surface by raising the pin assembly.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of article manufacture and more particularly to an apparatus for removing the flashing from a manufactured article. The apparatus includes at least one gripping unit for gripping a portion of the flashing. The gripping unit is switched by a pneumatic actuator between an open and a clamping configuration. A support is provided upon which each gripping unit is movably mounted, and an indexing actuator is provided for indexing each gripping unit along the support between a rest position displaced from the support surface and a clamping position adjacent to the support surface. A control unit is provided for controlling the operation of the pneumatic actuator and the indexing actuator to effect removal of the flashing. The control unit causes each gripping unit, when in the clamping position, to switch from the open configuration to the clamping configuration to grip the flashing.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a continuous ribbon of connected dish-shaped sequins including a punch-and-die system for receiving a continuous ribbon of moldable material, a power source coupled to the continuous ribbon of moldable material to move the ribbon through the punch-and-die system incrementally to discrete spaced positions; and forming a score line at a first discrete position of the ribbon, punching a hole at a second discrete position of the ribbon, shaping the sequin at third and fourth discrete positions of the ribbon, forming the dish-shaped face at a fifth discrete position of the ribbon and accomplishing the formation of the score line, the hole, the outer shape of the sequin and the dish-shaped face on each sequin simultaneously by the punch-and-die system.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for cutting a workpiece made of a polymer. The apparatus combines a cutting tool operable to perform a feed movement along a desired line of cut relative to a portion of the workpiece to be cut, the cutting tool includes a cutter blade subjected to ultrasonic vibration as it cuts the portion of the workpiece, with a thermal control arranged to maintain the portion of the workpiece at a pre-selected temperature.

Abstract: Three-dimensional food products such as crackers, cookies, puffed snacks, puffable glassy half-products, pet foods, pasta, confections such as chewing gum, and ready-to-eat cereals are produced on a mass production basis by feeding a dough or other food composition to a plurality of dies which shape it into ropes. The shaped extrudate ropes obtained from each die are cut by a cutting device which passes across only a portion of each of the orifices of the dies to partially cut each of the shaped extrudate ropes. The cutting device passes across the entire orifice of each of the dies to completely cut each of the partially cut extrudate ropes into individual pieces. The use of a multi-port extrusion die permits higher mass flow rates and thus greater dough piece production rates at lower cutter speeds. The use of multi-port extrusion and lower cutter speeds increases shape, definition, and accuracy of cutting and reduces scattering and deformation of the individual pieces.

Abstract: In general, used thermoplastic liquid containers such as oil and solvent bottles are discarded. When recycling oil bottles, the usual practice is to wash the bottles with a solvent to remove oil therefrom. Washing of the bottles results in large quantities of used, oil-containing solvent, which present a disposal problem. A simple solution to the problem of recycling liquid containers with no preliminary washing or cleaning operation includes the steps of tumbling the bottles to promote liquid separation, shredding the bottles into small pieces and draining the liquid therefrom, grinding the pieces of plastic to yield a particulate thermoplastic, and mixing the particulate thermoplastic and any liquid remaining therein with an additive, e.g. an oil absorbent and a filler such as calcium carbonate, glass, mica or talc, and when the liquid is an oil, an absorbent to produce an extrudable mixture which can be used to form new containers.

Abstract: A conveyor belt has edges with longitudinally extending profiles formed as grooves or elevations for sealing and guiding. An apparatus for producing belts with profiled edges uses a cutting device and profiled molds to form profiles in the belt and its edge while the belt is guided and supported by rolls. The apparatus further includes a cutter which forms a groove in the conveyor belt and which allows lateral guiding of the bolt in relation to the mold.

Abstract: Trimming apparatus for trimming the top flash, neck flash, handle opening flash, and bottom flash from a blow molded plastic bottle. The handle opening flash is removed by a punch and anvil to act against the handle opening flash and push it laterally away from the handle for separation from the bottle. The top and neck flash, and the bottom flash, are each removed by respective gripper devices that grip respective portions of the flash and pull the flash linearly away from the bottle to effect separation of the flash from the bottle. The handle opening flash removing device remains in position within the handle opening to thereby serve to hold the bottle against vertical upward movement as the top and bottom flash are being removed. Upper and lower grippers having a pair of gripper jaws are provided to pull the flash in an axial direction from the top and bottom of a bottle, and to avoid the need for precise positioning of the bottle relative to a flash cutter.

Abstract: An apparatus for precision cutting lightweight, thin-walled tubes that includes transfer drums for transporting rough cut, thin-walled tubes from a source of supply past a first inspection station to determine if the tubes are crushed beyond a predetermined amount, a flaring station to flare the tube ends, an aligning station to align the tubes from cutting, and a cutting station to cut the tube into multiple sections. Section drums are provided that have second and third inspection stations to determine if the tubes have been properly cut.

Abstract: An injection molding machine has a sorting device which is disposed under the injection mold and includes a swivel plate, which is pivotally movable by a motor-driven swivel drive to two mutually oppositely inclined positions for a delivery of usable moldings and for a delivery of rejects and sprues, respectively. In the position for a delivery of usable moldings, the delivery end of the swivel plate is disposed over an arrangement for receiving the usable moldings (belt conveyor). In the position for a delivery of rejects and sprues, the delivery end of the swivel plate is disposed over a disintegrator. The disintegrator includes a cutting mechanism, which constitutes a unit, which is removable out of the machine pedestal, and a motor-and-transmission block, which is disposed outside the vertical projection of the cutting mechanism. The sorting device is incorporated in a sorting unit, which is removable out of the machine pedestal.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously producing substantially parallelepipedal pieces of meat (M) from blocks of meat (B) of larger size, including an Archimedes' screw-type supply unit (2) and, in the direction of travel of the blocks, a shaping device (4) which has a substantially circular entrance (400) and an exit (412) of elongated rectangular section, longitudinal cutting disks (5) and transverse cutting guillotine blade (6), the longitudinal cut being made during passage of the blocks of meat (B) inside the shaping device.

Abstract: An apparatus for laying a mat of fibrous material which includes an upwardly inclined belt onto which the fibrous material is fed, one or more combing roller located above the belt, a stripping roller at the upper end of the belt for removing the material from the belt and passing it into a mechanism for laying the material into a mat. The angle of inclination of the incline belt and the position of the first combing roller as such that the material can build up to reach a critical angle of repose and then slide back down. A second combing roller located upstream of the first combing roller serves to comb the material to a constant depth, and the speed of the incline belt is adjustable to determine the amount of material leaving the incline belt and thus regulate the thickness of the formed mat.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for fabricating a wide-mouth plastic container, having an annular flange extending radially outwardly at the wide-mouth, from a stretch blow-molded intermediate article, having a dome-like accommodation portion extending radially-outwardly at a flange area and upwardly and inwardly from the wide-mouth of a generally cylindrical body portion. The apparatus provides for a two stage cutting and trimming operation which produces a precision concentric uniform flange around the wide-mouth of the fabricated container and provides for alternately and simultaneously performing the fabricating operations to provide a desired speed of operation of the apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for producing and positioning a label on a thermoformed container. The device includes, inside a thermoforming station including a molding unit, at least one row of upwardly open forming chambers, a vertically movable supporting table supporting the molding unit, an individual band of labels for every forming chamber, means for at least partially cutting the labels in order to detach them from their individual band, a storage roll of master band mounted in fixed bearings, a cutting unit for cutting the master band longitudinally, a supporting table on which is installed the longitudinal cutting unit, and a tension roller applied against the master band.

Abstract: An apparatus for attaching belt-like materials has a rotating unit for rotating a forming drum, a holding unit located apart from the forming drum for holding continuous belt-like materials along entire widths to be supplied to the forming drum, embracing units located between the forming drum and the holding units for embracing the belt-like materials along entire widths. A reciprocating unit is used for reciprocating the embracing units between the holding unit and the forming drum. A cutting unit is used for cutting in width directions the belt-like materials held by the holding unit and the embracing units. The apparatus includes control unit for controlling the rotating unit and the reciprocating unit so that circumferential speeds of the forming drum and moving speeds of the embracing means are at a constant ratio.

Abstract: In an apparatus for the production of articles from a planar web of thermoplastic material, having heating, hot shaping and punching devices, a web conveying mechanism for stepwisely transporting the web along the substantially planar path through the apparatus includes a plurality of driven stationary conveying units arranged at opposite edges of the web along the path thereof, each conveying unit including a driving wheel and a cooperating free wheeling supporting roller arranged opposite to each other and having their axes of rotation extending substantially parallel to each other and to the plane of the web, the driving wheel having a wedge-like converging circumference with a toothed circumferential edge and connected to a driving mechanism which synchronously drives the driving wheels, and the free wheeling supporting roller having a cylindrical circumference supporting the web in an adjustable position relative to the driving wheel, such that the toothed circumferential edge partly penetrates the web a

Abstract: An apparatus and method for dispensing frozen food products is based upon the frozen food product, e.g. ice cream, being packaged in a coiled tubular casing and providing means for cutting off incremental lengths after removing the casing and then forming a scoop of the food product with a scoop which transfers the charge to a dumping position where the charge is released into a suitable food container.

Abstract: This invention relates to a mold for the covering and trimming of plastics products, particularly of panels for the inside upholstery of motor vehicles. The object of the invention is to avoid that the covering material (4), spread over a heated sheet of plastics material intended to constitute the product (3) to be covered, may be pinched between two side knives (8) associated with two substantially rectilinear sides of the outline of the product (3) and converging to each other toward a preferably rounded corner of said product (3). To achieve this object, at the angle between the two side knives (8) associated with the converging substantially rectilinear sides, there is arranged a knife (8') which is shaped correspondingly to said corner, and the ends of which slidably engage the outer planar surfaces of tapered end extensions (108) of the side knives (8). Means (9, 9', 10, 10') are provided for displacing simultaneously the side knives (8) and interposed shaped knife (8').

Abstract: Snack food product in which a piece of cake is coated with a fruit jelly or a creme bonding layer and with a sticky icing over the bonding layer. The process for making the product includes applying a pressure bearing member to the icing to press it into intimate contact with the bonding layer and to press the bonding layer into the cake. The pressure bearing member and cutting knives may be heated to avoid sticking.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously forming pizza crusts, particularly deep dish pizza crusts having substantially vertical sidewalls, in pizza pans of corresponding shape. A ribbon of deep dish pizza dough is formed and superimposed on a conveyor comprising flights including upstanding cutting rings within which pizza pans to be filled are disposed. A roller passing over the cutting rings severs dough disks disposed within each cutting ring; the dough disks drop into each pizza pan. Each pan is then registered with a diaphragm which is inflated to urge each dough disk into intimate conformity with the pan, then the diaphragm is withdrawn from the pan, leaving a finished crust. A carriage periodically moves the diaphragm in the contra-machine direction to engage the following flight. The pans are then removed from the conveyor flights to recover pan and pizza crust assemblies.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing die-cut brick is disclosed. The apparatus includes a cutter box in combination with a pusher which pushes elongated green clay slugs through the box. The box operates to cut a core extending lengthwise of the slug having the cross section of the desired brick. Guide means retain scrap completely around the core as it emerges from the die box and is moved in a stepwise fashion by the pusher to a cutoff device which cuts brick slices from the core. Because scrap is retained around the core, little or no distortion occurs during such slicing operation. The apparatus is arranged for quick and easy conversion from one shape to another.