Abstract: A method and system for tracking and identifying food products as they are being processed is disclosed, wherein no tags or encodings are attached to the food products, and wherein there is no extraneous manipulation of the food products. The tracking system of the present invention utilizes sensor input from substantially any sensor capable of detecting a food product in some manner. That is, the tracking system uses binary detect/no detect inputs for determining whether a food product can be identified at each sensor along a predetermined path. Thus, given that a food product has been identified at a particular sensor, the tracking system generates an hypothesis indicative of when the food product is expected to be at the next sensor along the predetermined path. Accordingly, if the next sensor detects a food product within an allotted window, then the food product detected is assumed to be the one to which the hypothesis applies.

Abstract: An improvement in a continuous flexible drive, preferably a chain, broaching machine in which a transmission, preferably a worm-worm gear speed reducer transmission is connected to a driving motor and to a sprocket, or a pair of sprockets, carried by a drive shaft which in turn is connected by chain means to a sprocket or a pair of sprockets on a shaft which drives the chain means of a chain broaching machine. The input unit including the transmission is designed in conformity with the drive end of the broaching machine to permit placement of input drive mechanism in different positions so as to provide freedom in placement of a plurality of broaching machines without interfering with each other.