Abstract: A method is described for obtaining constant weight portions or slices from sliced food products wherein in each case individual slices or portions of several slices with exactly predeterminable weight can be formed in real time operation during the cutting process by detecting the cut surface area, taking account of the specific weight and computing the required feed of the product.

Abstract: A package of firewood and kindling material includes a plurality of layers of preferably split firewood lengths of equal axial extent and which are arranged in a manner to provide an extremely compact, high density unitized package exhibiting exceptional stability. The firewood is positioned on a square bottom support member in a multiplicity of cross-stacked layers, wherein each layer is positioned in substantially normal axial displacement to one another, thus providing lateral stability both during the packaging procedure and thereafter. A casing of shrink wrap material surrounds the stacked layers as well as the bottom support member, such that the shrink wrap may be heated to tightly encase the vertically positioned firewood, and included kindling material. The invention thereby provides a readily transportable and storable package of firewood along with a combustible material and which is suitable for either home or recreational use.

Abstract: The asbestos bulk extractor includes, in a preferred embodiment, an elongated housing having a handle section normal thereto. The housing defines an interior chamber and the handle defines a through port between the chamber and a vacuum line. At one end of the housing, a transparent, rigid hood is removably attached which defines an extraction region. A coring tube is rotatably and longitudinally retained within the housing and extends beyond both ends of the housing. The coring tube has a coring end which bores into the asbestos containing material. The other end of the coring tube is manually operable such that the tube can be rotated and forced into the asbestos containing material. An extraction push piece is movably mounted within the coring tube. After the coring tube has bored into the asbestos containing material, the coring tube is withdrawn from the extraction site and the core sample held within the coring end of the tube is pushed from the tube by the push piece into a vial.

Abstract: The production or treatment of articles, particularly cylindrical support cops, involves the transportation of the articles between an upstream station and a downstream station, with the speed of supply of the articles from the upstream station being greater than the speed of operation of the downstream station. This is overcome by the provision of a plurality of the downstream stations. Provided between the upstream station and the plurality of downstream stations is an article distributing system operable to distribute the articles to any of the plurality of downstream stations. The distributing system is operated to selectively distribute the articles to the plurality of downstream stations as a function of the operating conditions thereof.

Abstract: A portable storage unit with multiple linear pockets to carry a large assortment of embroidery floss of different variety and color, and a means to facilitate storage of embroidery floss into the pockets using a special tool.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for cutting photographic film into individual negatives and placing the cut negatives into envelopes. The invention utilizes a permeable conveyor and vacuum fan arrangement to transport the negatives after they are severed by the cutting mechanism. A pair of opposed fan assemblies located on either side of continuous feed envelopes serve to open an individual envelope. The opened envelope is located in close proximity to the conveyor. In this configuration, an individual negative, retained by suction against the permeable conveyor, can be delivered to the opened envelope extending off the edge of the conveyor track and entering the open envelope. A burst of air may be used to ensure the individual negative's placement into the envelope. A computer coordinates and controls various functions of operations, including transportation movement of the negative and envelopes and printing.

Abstract: A high speed apparatus for cutting and wrapping soft chewing gum comprises a plurality of substantially parallel cutters having cutting heads to cut the gum into relatively thin rectangular-shaped pieces. The cutters are moved to a position where each individually shaped piece of gum is placed into a nest on a wrapping tray with a wrapper located therebetween. The cutters are moved in an eccentric ovoid path by a ring wheel and grooved cam wheel arrangement which causes the cutting heads to separate and move back together as they move through a cycle. During placement of the stick of gum in the nest, a flat side of the shaped piece of gum is urged against the flat bottom of the nest. The apparatus further comprises an apparatus to complete wrapping the wrapper around the piece of gum.

Abstract: The packing of a tubular casing segment which has been shired together into a hollow cylindrical shirring formation occurs in a tubular net of such configuration that first, with the shirring accomplished with the aid of an abutment which is movable on the shirring tube, a certain initial segment of the tubular casing length is allowed to be left unshirred. Following termination of the shirring, the shirring tube is withdrawn with the abutment from the tubular shirring formation, and the unshirred tubular casing length segment is narrowed down or swaged and is sealed. Finally the sealed tubular casing length tip is inserted with force into the shirring and together with the shirring is thrust through a cylindrical carrier, in which a tubular net is recovered which is sealed to the tubular shirring. This is turned inside out with the thrusting through of the tubular shirring and surrounds this part along its entire length.

Abstract: A cutting and sorting apparatus having a device for feeding a long continuous negative film in the longitudinal direction of the negative film, a cutter device for cutting the long continuous film at every perdetermined number of frames, a control device for controlling the cutting operation of the cutter device, and a negative film sheet loading device for loading a negative film sheet carrying protective sacks into which the cut segments of the negative film are to be inserted. The control device controls the operation of the cutter device such that the long continuous negative film is cut when the film has been fed by predetermined length after a frame number detection device detects of a specific frame number put on the negative film at a predetermined position.

Abstract: An outer container is detachable mounted on a neck of an inner container having its interior previously sterilized and sealed with a portion of the inner container underlying the neck being sealed. Such container assembly of double structure is sterilized and dried, then transferred into a germ-free filling chamber isolated from the atmosphere here the top of the inner container is cut off, then the inner container is filled with food or drink and the cut off portion is sealed again. Finally the outer container is separated from the inner container outside the germ-free filling chamber.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are described for making individual strips and feeding the strips to a packaging machine for the strips, in particular to a sealing machine, for sealing the strips into a sheet or foil. The individual strips are cut simultaneously from card-like material and by continuous constrained guiding led from the cutting means to the packaging machine. The constrained guiding is provided by magazines with receiving compartments for the strips and clocked transfer means. This makes it possible to obtain a high cutting output and a correspondingly high and exact packaging output. The invention is intended in particular for processing diagnostic test strips.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for applying liquid acid to a treatment surface according to the teachings of the present invention is disclosed utilizing an acid pack formed in a preferred aspect by stencil cutting a supply stock of a layered assemblage including flexible, acid impervious material, pressure sensitive adhesive, and an adhesive covering. Specifically, a first stencil cut is made extending through the assemblage and a second stencil cut is simultaneously made extending through the adhesive covering while leaving the flexible material in tact dividing the adhesive covering into a central portion and a perimeter portion. The central portion of the adhesive covering is removable exposing the adhesive on the flexible, acid impervious material to allow securement of acid absorbing material thereto while the perimeter portion of the adhesive covering is maintained in a covering relation with the perimeter edge of the sheet for providing support for the flexible, acid impervious material.

Abstract: The process according to the invention relates to the packaging of lids cut out in a press combined with a stacker. According to the process, the guide rods of a delivery magazine are covered by a substantially cylindrical casing which simultaneously surrounds the stacked lids while at the same time immobilizing the stack transversely to itself with a slight clearance therebetween, the casing comprising support means for resting on the moving supports at the bottom of the stack of lids and stop means for retaining the bottom of the stack borne by the casing. The retaining means are optionally completed by one or more associated retaining means. The stack of lids covered in this way is then removed from the delivery magazine and the casing is sealed with caps which offer an added measure of protection.

Abstract: A method for producing a mass distributable printed packet is disclosed wherein a web of paper has printed thereon a format of successive rectangular pieces in a plurality of longitudinal lines extending parallel to the edges of the web, the web is cut longitudinally between the print patterns and the thus-formed strips are superposed in vertical registry of the printed patterns. The superposed strips are then cut to form sets of printed pieces which sets are each placed within an individual outer container.

Abstract: A layered yarn package is formed of continuous filament yarn wads wherein the yarn alternates between compacted and extended lengths by axially compacting the yarn into a length, segmenting the length into alternating extended and compacted lengths then arranging the compacted lengths in a common axial direction one next to the other to form a layer. The layer may be compressed. One or more layers may form the package.

Abstract: A food stuff casing is disclosed, in particular for packing and casing hot packed food stuffs or those that are heated after packing, containing at least one polyamide, which can absorb at leasat 5% of its own weight in water prior to saturation, characterized in that the food stuffs casing contains at least 5%-wt water, no tightening lubricating agent, and no moisture retention agent.

Abstract: An automotive slicing machine includes a circuit for monitoring the operation of a card dispenser during the processing of a sliced product. In one embodiment, when the monitoring circuit detects that a card dispensing operation has not been performed for two consecutive drafts of a sliced product, the slicing operation is halted until an operator attends to the problem.

Abstract: A tool for sampling building materials for the suspected presence of asbestos fibers. An annular (tubular) cutter element is rotated to remove a plug-like sample from a wall under study. A shroud-like canister surrounds the cutter element to trap any asbestos fiber particulates that might otherwise escape into the atmosphere. Closure caps can be applied to the canister, whereby the canister can be used to ship (transport) the sample to a laboratory for analysis.

Abstract: A method of packaging articles of a compressible material, such as cleaning sponges, according to which a blank of arbitrary length is cut such that its thickness corresponds to the thickness of the article and its width corresponds to the longest dimension of the article. The blank is folded lengthwise along its center line once and is then again folded along the center line of the once folded blank a second time. The blank, thus folded twice, is advanced through a piece of piping the outer jacket face of which serves as a shaping template for shaping a web of foil into a tubular cover enclosing the blank and the piece of piping coaxially. The tubular cover is brought along by the advancing twice-folded blank at the discharge end of the piece of the piping and the twice-folded blank is cut while enclosed in the tubular cover, into pieces in such a manner that the length of the blank corresponds to the width of the article.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for packaging firewood and kindling material wherein said device includes a rigid support frame for stacking and packaging. The rigid support frame includes a base member, a vertical support member hingedly affixed to said base member, and a truss member detachably affixed to said vertical support member at one end and pivotably affixed to said base member on its opposing end. The firewood is vertically positioned on said frame in a multiplicity of layers, wherein each layer is positioned in substantially normal axial displacement to one another, thus preventing lateral stability during said packaging procedure. A shrink wrap material is provided along with a heating element, e.g., hand held air blower, such that said shrink wrap may be applied to encase said vertically positioned firewood, and its corresponding kindling material. The method and apparatus of the invention thereby provides a transportable package of firewood along with a combustible material, i.e.

Abstract: An apparatus for wrapping soft chewing gum comprises a turret having means to cut the gum into relatively thin rectangular shaped pieces. Operatively associated with the turret are means to hold the shaped pieces of gum thereon for transport to a position where each individually shaped piece is placed into a nest on a wrapping tray with a wrapper located therebetween. During placement, a flat side of the shaped piece of gum is urged against the flat bottom of the nest. The apparatus further comprises means to complete wrapping the wrapper around the piece of gum.

Abstract: A premium item including a sealed protective pouch having a premium object such as a coupon or sports card enclosed therein and method are provided which allow economical, continuous, on-line production of premium items without the need for individual handling of the premium objects. In the preferred method, a printed web having a backing sheet removably adhered thereto is continuously positioned on a carrier sheet having an adhesive coating, with the backing sheet in contact with the coating, whereupon the web and backing sheet are die-cut to produce a plurality of spaced-apart premium objects on the carrier sheet and a waste matrix which is then removed. A top sheet is then positioned over the premium objects with marginal portions of the top sheet adhering to corresponding marginal portions of the carrier sheet to form a continuous seal surrounding the premium objects and to form sealed protective pouches enclosing the premium objects.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for continuously processing and packing elongated articles such as coherent pairs of chopsticks include continuously advancing the articles in the longitudinal direction in a track and centrally aligning the same during the continued advancement. The alignment is performed during the processing by means of one or more processing implements by means of uniform centering rolls operating from their respective sides of the plane of symmetry of the articles. These centering rolls are biased by a uniform spring tension. Subsequently the articles are continuously advanced in the transverse direction by means of transverse conveyor means to a bundling device. In the bundling device the articles are situated in layers and collected in a bundle of articles subsequently wrapped in a sheet material in a wrapping device.

Abstract: The invention provides a machine for manufacturing and handling tea bags, wherein the tea bags are produced by laminating together two webs with individual quantities for tea therebetween. Two rows of tea bags, formed in the webs, and the tea in the bags is biased upwardly of the webs. This is followed by severing of the webs into two individual single tea bag row webs, and this is followed by transverse severing of the web to produce individual tea bags. The tea bags are held into magazines so as to form two stacks therein and stacks of tea bags are moved laterally of the magazine into the inserting device and the inserting device places the two stacks of tea bags into a carton. The two stacks of tea bags are placed together prior to insertion of the carton and extra conversion is given to the stacks to compensate for revising the tea.

Abstract: The package of the present invention comprises a sheath formed from a folded, relatively rigid strip having structure for receiving and releasably holding the ends of the fiber to be packaged. In a preferred embodiment, the fiber is between the two folded over parts of the strip with the ends of the fiber anchored in place in a pair of slits. The sheath is in a pouch formed by a pair of foil members on opposite sides of the sheath. When ready for use, the package is opened by peeling the foil members apart, thereby exposing the sheath and permitting access to the fiber carried by the sheath. An improved apparatus and method are provided to form the package. In the first instance, the sheath is prepared by first folding a strip of relatively rigid material, such as siliconized polyester, then moving the folded strip along a path of travel and feeding the fiber into the region between the parts of the strip as the strip moves.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a packing case comprising a box, a heat-retractable plastic and at least one lid, for storing, handling and transporting a charge.In the said case, the heat-retractable plastic (2, 22) in sheet form is bonded at one or more of its edges (32, 322) to the outer surface of a wall (3) of the said box, in the vicinity of the side of the said wall, and extends, on the outside, from the said edge (32, 322) to the side of the said wall and then inside the box, opposite the inner surface of the said wall, moving away from the latter towards the charge which is to be packed.In the said case, the charge is held down against the bottom by means of the heat-retractable plastic along an overlapping zone.

Abstract: A geological core sample is slabbed by advancing the sample against a horizontally oriented bandsaw blade. A receiving tray positioned immediately adjacent and to the rear of the bandsaw blade provides continuous support to the upper portion of the slab as it is cut from the sample and maintains the integrity of friable and unconsolidated materials.

Abstract: A stack of printed sheets is divided into individual tablets by inserting paper boards at intervals of a predetermined number of sheets in the stack. A continuous filament is threaded in zig-zag fashion across each successive board before a binder is coated on one face of the stack to secure the edges of the sheets and boards together. With one end of the filament anchored, the other end is pulled out from between each board and the adjacent sheet in a direction to sever the coating at the edge of the board. As each loop of the zig-zag filament is withdrawn, it cuts the coating at each successive board, dividing the stack into separate tablets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting debris from the flange area of a can includes directing a pressurized jet onto the flange area while rotating the can about its longitudinal axis. A plunger carries an anvil which is inserted into the can and shields its contents from the spray of the water jet while providing a back up for the cutting action.

Abstract: A reusable insulated box includes a shipping container having a plurality of interconnected sides integral with a closed bottom and a sealable top. Bottom, top and side insert members are comprised of a rigid insulating material having at least an inner or outer surface thereof coated with a reflective insulating material for thereby providing a plurality of insulating plate members and each of the insulating plate members is sheathed in a heat shrunk thermoplastic insulating material. The bottom insert member is disposed in facial relation with the closed bottom of the container and the side insert members extend upwardly from a peripheral portion thereof in facial relation with the sides of the container. A top insert member is engaged with and supported by an upper surface of each of the side insert members and the combination of the thickness of the top and bottom insert members with the height of the side insert members is sufficient to permit closing and sealing of the sealable top.

Abstract: A machine is disclosed for canning meat, tuna fish and the like and in particular a device for cutting and shaping the slices as well as their insertion in cans. The device comprises essentially means for feeding the meat vertically to a horizontal shaping channel wherein the meat is pressed by a compactor against a suitably lobed end of the channel, each lobe being provided with a passage bore inside which runs a die that cuts a cylindrical pellet of meat which is pushed into a can lying underneath, through a gate placed under said bore, by a piston running inside the die. The empty cans are brought under the passage bore by a rotating horizontal star shaped plate which simultaneously discharges the filled cans laterally.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for packaging portions of an extrudable product, such as butter or margarine. The entire apparatus is driven by a single motor with all operations being synchronized therewith. The pliable product is pumped through an extruder, cut into portions, and deposited on one layer of channeled substrate and covered with another layer of substrate, which has an adhesive applied thereto. The substrates are then drawn between compression rollers and cut between the product portions and the product portions automatically fed to trays. As each tray is filled, a rapid advance moves the tray forward a predetermined amount so that the product portions will continue to feed into the next tray. As the trays move forward, they are removed from the entire apparatus for either shipment and/or storage. The adhesive holds the upper substrate to the lower substrate for enclosing the product portion.

Abstract: A conveyor belt of medium-soft thick material is advanced, and a film of polymer material is laid thereon to advance therewith. A moldable material, usually a food material, is extruded onto the advancing base film. A portion-forming wheel having portion cavities around the periphery thereof is positioned with its portion cavities facing the conveyor belt. A cover film is fed onto the portion-forming wheel and is preferably drawn into the portion cavities. As the conveyor belt advances, the portion cavities cut the extrusion of moldable material into individual portions which are enclosed by the two films as the conveyor belt advances. The portion cavities have portion-cutting walls therebetween, and a ramped area around the cavity squeezes all of the moldable material into the portion cavities.

Abstract: A method of inserting a slide into a frame of elastic plastic, including expanding the frame at two opposite edges. Inserting of the slide and/or the fixing of the slide in position relative to the picture gate is facilitated in that the frame is expanded at both of two opposed edges as the slide is inserted. The slide which has been inserted to its position for projection is fixed with utilization of the elasticity of the plastic in that the expanding of the frame is terminated.

Abstract: Methods are proposed for automatically framing slides in a framing apparatus, wherein the slides are subjected at a framing station at the leading end of the slide film passing through the framing apparatus to a framing cycle which comprises individual severing together with introduction in a ready-positioned frame and subsequent transmission of the framed slide to a storage box. One of the disclosed methods is conducted with the aid of marginal notches applied to the slide film by a preceding automatic notcher as a positional criterion for the slides and the other is conducted without regard to such notches. Both methods provide for scanning the spacer strips between slides by means of a scanning apparatus and special evaluation of the information thus obtained, possibly having regard to the notch spacing, in a manner such that a destruction of slides by wrong cuts is avoided.

Abstract: Apparatus for bunching, trimming and banding vegetables and the like comprising a plurality of arms (20) each having fixed thereto an upstanding finger (32) means (22) supporting the arms for movement in a common plane toward and away from a common area, an actuator (28) for moving the arms in unison and a top plate (16) forming a center opening (18) centered about the common area whereby the arms can be moved to the center, an elastic band (34) placed over the upstanding fingers, the arms actuated away from the common area and a bunch of vegetables inserted so that movement of the arms back toward the common area will allow the elastic band to hold the bunch. A truncated cone shaped hollow guide (37) positioned beneath the arms will guide the vegetables together for bunching.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing an elastic band (22A) around a vegetable bunch (19) comprising a band stretcher assembly (26) for receiving the band, a plurality of fingers (46) for stretching the band, and means (37) for moving the band stretcher towards a top plate assembly 21 along a central axis. The band is placed on the band stretcher fingers and stretched, the vegetable bunch is placed through the openings (20) and (50) and the band relaxed therearound. The band stretcher is then moved from the top plate assembly to disengage said fingers from said band. Thereafter the plate sections (54) and (55) are pivoted to enlarge the opening (20) and allow the banded vegetable bunch to drop from the apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the automatic boxing of bags or sachets into cardboard containers, fed by continuous strips of bags or sachets coming from the packaging machine.The device according to the invention provides no means of removal, transport and boxing of the cut sachets since the containers to be filled, according to this invention, stop directly below the cutting edge, under the right-angled projection of the first sachet in the row which is to be cut. Therefore the stack inside the container is formed automatically by the sachets simply dropping one on top of the other, through the force of gravity.

Abstract: Apparatus for and a method of processing and packaging a photographic film in which the whole process starting with preparation of a long film blank in a base magazine to the loading in a cartridge is conducted without taking any intermediate rolling step wherein the film is rolled before further processing. The film is sliced and the sliced film is continuously processed by a splicer, a printer, perforating device, sizing cutter, and rolling chute conveyor. The whole process is divided into a suitable number of steps and carried out in apparatus having intermediate partitions to form independent dark rooms or dark sections covered by a light shielding cover, so that exposure of the film can be avoided even if the other sections are illuminated.

Abstract: A conventional envelope stuffing machine is provided with a chopper of cutter for providing a stack of individual inserts from pre-connected booklets. The chopper operates in synchronism with the stuffing machine through the provision of a pair of simple cam-operated switches.

Abstract: A product line is provided for forming a sheet product composed of products such as bacon slices resting on a pre-cut thin substrate such as a sheet of paper. The substrate sheets are pre-cut to a predetermined length, and a flow of individual products and a flow of pre-cut sheets are coordinated such that the products deposit onto the pre-cut sheets in a predetermined pattern. The line may also include an assembly for reducing the flow rate of the thus formed sheet products, after which the reduced flow is conveyed to a stacking assembly for forming stacks of sheet products of a preselected size.

Abstract: Method and apparatus by which bread loaves or the like are split in half, and thereafter turned mechanically through 180.degree. with respect to one another so that the heel and cut ends of both of the two half loaves are oriented in the same way. The half loaves are thereafter sliced and then packaged in separate packages but in the same orientation with respect to each package.

Abstract: This invention teaches a method of cutting a narrow slot in an extrusion die with an electrical discharge machine by first drilling spaced holes at the ends of where the slot will be, whereby the oil can flow through the holes and slot to flush the material eroded away as the slot is being cut. The invention further teaches a method of extruding a very thin ribbon of solid highly reactive material such as lithium or sodium through the die in an inert atmosphere of nitrogen, argon or the like as in a glovebox. The invention further teaches a method of stamping out sample discs from the ribbon and of packaging each disc by sandwiching it between two aluminum sheets and cold welding the sheets together along an annular seam beyond the outer periphery of the disc. This provides a sample of high purity reactive material that can have a long shelf life.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a packaged pet collar which includes preparing a blended composition of a vinylic resin, an ectoparasiticidally effective amount of recrystallized phosmet and a plasticizer, extruding the composition into a continuous length, cutting the extruded length into individual segments, affixing a buckle, and thereafter packaging the resultant pet collar in a pouch of spunbonded olefin. The packaged collar is characterized by the absence of offensive mercaptan type odor upon opening the package.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for forming a continuous assembly of sealed envelopes having upper and lower sections and comprising at least one insert of the type used as a postal mailer or the like.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing encased meat or the like and meat or the like for encasing, one of the methods disclosed comprises the steps of: conveying the meat or the like along a linear path and maintaining the linear path from a first point where the meat is dispensed from a stuffer or the like to a second point where the meat is in a form for encasing. The apparatus also serves as a portioner for providing uniform portions of the meat or the like being handled, the apparatus further including adjustment means for controlling the length of the portions produced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for filling open-top containers with a flowable semi-solid material in which the material is discharged in substantially continuous fashion to a downwardly opening nozzle. An empty container is elevated into partial telescoping relative with the nozzle and moves downwardly as it is filled. The filled container is moved crosswise of the nozzle and the vertical position of the container relative to the nozzle is controlled during movement crosswise of the nozzle to initially maintain the upper edge of the filled container below the lowre edge of the nozzle at its discharge side to shear off material at a level above the top of the container and to thereafter move the filled container upwardly sufficient to cause the trailing upper edge of the filled container to substantially wipe across the lower edge of the nozzle at the discharge side thereof.

Abstract: An improved method of making and filling a package for containing a slab of sliced commestible product disposed in overlapping array, the package including a backing board having rounded and upwardly disposed corners with a smooth radius and lateral edges all of which are covered by the overlapping array of sliced commestible, and a film of transparent flexible material snugly enclosing the backing board and the overlapping array of sliced commestible product with the overlapping array of sliced commestible product interveningly cooperating with the lateral edges and rounded corners of the backing board to prevent puncturing of the film by the lateral edges and upwardly extending rounded corners of the backing board.

Abstract: A machine and method which serves to introduce measured amounts of different items (e.g., pieces of different fruits) into containers such as cans or jars. Features of the machine and method include high filing speed, straight-line movement of means carrying separate measured amounts of the items, volumetric measuring pockets that are adjustable, and simplicity of construction and operation. Preferably the machine also incorporates means for orienting, slicing, and depositing a predetermined number of cherry halves into the containers.

Abstract: A column of flat articles such as chip carrier lids (10) are assembled in a tube (35). A base (18) supports a typical row of such lids (10), each with a back surface (14) on the base (18) and a mating surface (15) facing upward. The base (18) also has an aperture (30) for passing serially downward therethrough, each lid (10) with its back surface (14) facing downward. A bracket (32) having a spring biased pin (34) and a block (38) is provided to support under the base (18) a tube (35) with an open end facing upward at the aperture (30). Plates (22, 23 and 24) are provided to guide to and introduce a lid (10) into the aperture (30) and onto any contents within the tube (35). A frictional plug (45) has fins (46) biased between opposing walls of the tube (35) to yieldably resist downward movement within the tube (35).