Abstract: A machine for slitting filled bags, incorporates saw and displacement structure to cause relative movement between the saw and a bag to be slit, the saw comprising a blade in which a cutting section of the blade is located orthogonally with respect to the direction of relative movement such that the cutting section penetrates a leading end of the bag and, during continued relative movement, cuts through both the bag contents and the bag sides, towards the trailing end of the bag.

Abstract: A vacuum lifting/lowering head comprises a fixed, steadying upper handle adapted, in use, to be gripped by the user, and a movable, lower handle displaceable under the manual control of the user, both handles being suitable for either left or right hand manual operation. An opening is provided in a part of the head, and a valve member is associated with the opening to control the extent of exposure thereof and displaceable by the user's manual movement of the lower handle. The invention also includes a vacuum lifting apparatus provided with such a head.