Abstract: A rotary filling machine for filling containers with bridgeable dry materials includes a turret supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced drop buckets and a plurality of funnel assemblies located under the drop buckets. A stationary slide plate is located vertically between the funnel assemblies and the drop buckets. When viewed in a direction of turret rotation, the slide plate has an upstream end, a downstream end, and inner and outer edges. A portion of the slide plate is tapered progressively in diameter toward its downstream end such that flow paths from the bottoms of the drop buckets to the inlet openings of the funnel assemblies increase progressively in diameter with the taper of the slide plate. Also provided is a funnel assembly that dilates bridgeable materials before dispensing those materials into a container.

Abstract: A rotary cup filler has a cup holder plate that permits cup holders to be retained in place by inserting them into open-ended receptacles from the side of the cup holder plate rather than being inserted into openings in the bottom cup holder plate from beneath. In one configuration, the cup holder plate has a central hub and plurality of arms that extend arcuately from the central hub to form the receptacles therebetween. The arms may engage opposed sides of a circumferential groove in the associated cup holder.

Abstract: A split hopper for dispensing granular or powdery materials has a hopper body and a lid. At least the hopper body is formed principally from a castable resin material such as polyurethane. The hopper body is formed from two hopper body sections mating at vertical faces and hinged to one another. Tooling mounts and other features such as clamping lugs can be cast directly into the hopper body sections during the casting process. The lid may be sealed to the top of the hopper body via a ring seal that may seal both radially and axially against the hopper body. A tool holder may be provided beneath the discharge opening of the hopper body for selectively engaging tooling so that the tooling does not fall out of the hopper body when the hopper body is opened.

Abstract: A rotary filling machine includes a magnetic funnel attachment that can be easily installed, removed, and reinstalled into the machine for cleaning, changing the size of the funnel, inspecting, or replacing a damaged funnel. The magnetic funnel attachment includes a fill plate segment for receiving one or more funnels, and a funnel for attachment to the fill plate. The fill plate and funnel have mating alignment mechanisms to assist in the correct positioning of the funnel on the fill plate segment, and magnets to assist in the coupling of the funnel to the fill plate segment. This is especially helpful in creating a quick and easy method for funnel installation and removal.

Abstract: Bi-leaved valve apparatus for controlling bulk material flow from a bulk material metering apparatus. A bi-leaved valve apparatus comprises a cylindrical flow tube defining an axial material passageway, an outlet and a flow tube actuation surface. A valve support is mounted about the flow tube adjacent the flow tube outlet such that the valve support and flow tube are relatively rotatable. A pair of leaves are attached to the valve support and are sized to seal the flow tube outlet. The leaves are movable between open and closed orientations and have a valve actuation surface adjacent the flow tube actuation surface. An actuator causes relative rotational movement of the flow tube and valve support such that rotation to a first relative position causes the flow tube and valve actuation surfaces to open the leaves and rotation to a further relative position causes the leaves to close. The valve apparatus may be used with bulk material metering machines such as vertical form/fill/seal packaging machines.

Abstract: A method and system for food preparation and processing that determines the bulk density of food particulate matter input into particulate packaging machinery and performs bulk density feedback of packaged food particulate matter. The feedback mechanism inputs bulk density values into a controller that are referred against acceptable values. Where the input values of bulk density are outside the acceptable range the controller automatically alters the food preparation and packaging process to obtain acceptable bulk density values. The method system are applicable to any food manufacturing process, although they are particularly well suited to the manufacture of food in flake, chip, puffed or extruded form.

Abstract: A metering and packaging device includes several cups fixed to rotate about a shaft. These cups are positioned under hopper outlets during a portion of their rotation to receive bulk material, and over passages through a bottom plate during another portion of their rotation to dump bulk material into weigh buckets. The outlets, cups and passages through the bottom plat are angularly displaced from one another such that the cups drop measured portions of bulk material in an alternating fashion into the weigh buckets, and the weigh buckets drop the portions into a packaging machine in an alternating fashion into a packaging machine which separately packages each successive and alternately dropped portion.

Abstract: A metering and packaging device includes several cups fixed to rotate about a shaft. These cups are positioned under hopper outlets during a portion of their rotation to receive bulk material, and over passages through a bottom plate during another portion of their rotation to dump bulk material into weigh buckets. The outlets, cups and passages through the bottom plat are angularly displaced from one another such that the cups drop measured portions of bulk material in an alternating fashion into the weigh buckets, and the weigh buckets drop the portions into a packaging machine in an alternating fashion into a packaging machine which separately packages each successive and alternately dropped portion.

Abstract: A quick-connect coupling facilitates the connection of an auger of a dispensing mechanism to the drive shaft of the dispensing mechanism so as to firmly lock the auger from radial, axial, or rotational movement with respect to the drive shaft while inhibiting contamination and facilitating cleaning. The coupling includes a male portion provided on the auger shaft and including one or more pins, a female portion formed in the adapter shaft and including one or more axial and peripheral slots, and a key which firmly locks the pin in the peripheral slot. The key includes a retainer which is affixed to a sleeve or other device serving as a guide and support for the retainer. Upon downward movement of the sleeve along the drive shaft, the retainer acts as a cam to lock the pins in position. If the dispensing mechanism employs an adapter shaft as the drive shaft, an improved quick-connect coupling may also be provided to attach the adapter shaft to the drive mechanism output shaft.

Abstract: A filling machine for repeatedly dispensing predetermined amounts of particulate material comprises a stationary hopper having two spaced-apart spouts; a motor-driven horizontally rotatable upper plate beneath the spouts and having four groups of receiving holes therethrough and a stationary bottom plate beneath the upper plate and having two groups of dispensing holes therethrough. As the upper plate is rotatably driven, the receiving holes align with the spouts, are filled with material, and then align with the dispensing holes through which the material then falls. A sweeper member above the upper plate directs excess material accumulated on the upper plate into emptied receiving holes approaching a spout. A weighted sleeve on each spout slidably engages the upper plate to inhibit material leakage. Each group of receiving holes has a cup plate on the underside of the upper plate with apertures in registery with the receiving holes and slidably engageable with extension tubes from the receiving holes.