Abstract: An apparatus (1) for upending and transporting bottles (2) in continuous cycle is utilized especially in continuous cycle bottling plants using plastic bottles. The apparatus (1) comprises a horizontal axis (X) tubular body (70) having a guide (7) constituted by a slot (71) in a wall thereof, which slot (71) is of a breadth such as to permit passage of a neck (20) of a bottle (2). The slot (71) has an intermediate portion (71b) winding helically about the tubular body (70) by an angle equal to half a revolution. A bottle feed line (3) feeds the bottles (2) one at a time to the apparatus (1). Internally of the tubular body (70) a drive screw is rotatable about its axis (X) to engage the bottles (2) by the necks (20) thereof, urging them along the guide (7).

Abstract: A plant is described which includes a continuous heat processing autoclave (1) for cooking and sterilizing food measured into tray-like containers (9). The open containers (9), loaded on to trays (12), are advanced through the autoclave (1) by a conveyor (40) operated stepwise. A cooling chamber (6) communicates at one end with the autoclave (1) through a pre-cooling and air-lock tunnel (7) and at the other with a sterile environment in which a sterile closure unit seals the containers (9) of cooked food.

Abstract: A heat exchanger suitable for processing fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products and particularly tomatoes. Agricultural products to be heated are first triturated, cut, mashed or otherwise crushed and then passed through one or more product passageways in the heat exchanger. Steam is passed through one or more heating fluid passageways separated from, but in close heat exchange relationship with the product passageway. In order to attain high heat transfer from the steam to the agricultural product, the distance from the heating fluid passageway to the product in the product passageway is kept to a practical minimum. The product passageways are configured to accommodate large foreign objects such as twigs, pieces of plant, weeds and the like which are frequently included in the stream of triturated agricultural product.