Abstract: A method of and apparatus for slicing products, such as of foodstuffs, has a slicing station at which slices are cut from a product fed to the station. The cut slices fall on a receiver arranged below the slicing station, and the vertical distance between the slicing station and the receiver is varied as a stack of slices builds up on the receiver.

Abstract: Bag tying machine with a pair of pivoted arms (1,2), a pair of leaf springs (3) between the two arms (1,2) to form a first abutment, and a second abutment (5), preferably formed from a pair of rollers. In use, the open neck of a bag is passed between the arms (1,2) and is gathered together by the leaf springs (3). The gathered together neck of the bag is pushed onto an adhesive tape which is wrapped around the neck of the bag as this passes through the second abutment. The downstream ends of the arms (1,2) are urged together by pneumatic cylinders (6). These are advantageously controlled by a variable pressure controller (9).

Abstract: A machine and method for loading a product (5), particularly a food product, to a packaging position (6), for example a receiving pouch. A pair of end-to-end conveyors (1,2) overlie the packaging position (6). The end-to-end conveyors (1,2) are driven in the same direction to convey the product (5) to overlie the packaging position (6). The inner ends of the end-to-end conveyors (1,2) are then moved to allow the product (5) to be dropped to the packaging Position (6).

Abstract: An automatic machine for forming an adhesive tape tie around the gathered together neck of a filled bag includes a tie former including a reciprocating gripper (41) for pulling a length of pressure sensitive adhesive tape (33) across the path of the gathered together neck of a filled bag and for holding the tape (33) across the path with its adhesive side towards the bag and a clamp (34, 35) for clamping the adhesive side of the adhesive tape (33) around the gathered together neck and onto itself to form the tie. The machine applies folded V-shaped tabs (48) to the adhesive side of the tape (33) on its passage from a supply wheel (43) to the gripper (41), and a cutter (40) cuts the tape (33) to form each tie immediately above each V-shaped tab. The clamp (34, 35) brings the other end of the tie into adhering contact with the other limb of the V-shaped tab (48) to provide a pilfer proof tie with a single tab (48) secured across both ends of the adhesive tape (33) forming each tie.

Abstract: A slicing machine comprises a blade 1, feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 to feed a product 7, typically a food product, towards the blade 1, and a conveyor system 14 downstream of the blade 1 to form groups of slices. The machine also includes a programmed computer 18 to control the feed rate of the feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 and control the conveyor system 14 to form groups of slices 13. The programmed computer 18 is programmed to calculate the optimum number of slices and thickness of the slices forming each group in dependence upon physical parameters of the product 7 and to control the feed rate of the feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 and the conveyor system 14 to form the groups so that the slices in each group are of optimum thickness and there are the optimum number of slices in each group.

Abstract: A slicing machine for slicing a product, comprising a blade 1 and a feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12, to feed the product towards the blade 1 also includes a programmed computer 18 to control the feed rate of the feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 and programmed with a function corresponding to the typical weight distribution of at least one type of product. The computer 18 is programmed to respond to the input of information representing the weight and length of a particular product to modify the typical weight distribution function in accordance with the input values to provide an anticipated weight distribution for that particular product. The computer is also programmed to control the operation of the feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12, so that the product is fed towards the blade 1 at a rate which varies with the anticipated weight distribution.

Abstract: A slicing machine including a rotating blade 1 and a feeding head 8 to feed a block of food product towards the blade includes a position detector 38 to detect when the feeding head 8 is a predetermined distance away from the end of its stroke, an encoder 32 associated with the drive 12 of the feeding head 8 to monitor movement of the feeding head 8 over the predetermined distance from the position detector 38 to the end of its stroke, and a cam and proximity switch 34,35 to monitor the movement of the blade 1 of the slicer. The machine also includes a computer 18 to monitor the position of the feeding head 8 as it moves towards the end of its stroke to establish when there is insufficient of the stroke of the feeding head 8 remaining to allow another whole slice of product to be cut before the feeding head 8 reaches the end of its stroke and to return the feeding head 8 to its starting position after completing the slicing of the last whole slice.

Abstract: A slicing machine for slicing food products, particularly meat and other meat products 7 comprises a rotating blade 1 which either has a spiral cutting edge or a circular cutting edge and is mounted for planetary motion, and a pushing mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 to feed the product towards the blade 1 so that upon each rotation or gyration of the blade a slice is cut from the face of the product 7. The slicing machine also includes a cam and proximity switch 34, 35 for monitoring the position of the blade 1 and outputting a signal when the blade is in a predetermined position, an event counter 19 for establishing when the blade 1 is cutting the slice to form the last slice in a group of slices and outputting a signal indicating this condition, a manually operated interrupt switch 27, and a computer 18 to interrupt the feed of the product to be sliced towards the blade 1 of the slicer.

Abstract: A packaging machine for loading trays with delicate articles such as cakes or tarts comprises a first conveyor for conveying a stream of the articles to be loaded, a plate pivotally mounted at the end of a first conveyor to receive articles from the first conveyor, a stop above the plate to locate on the plate an article fed by the first conveyor, a pusher mounted above the plate and on the same side of the stop as the first conveyor, a second conveyor beneath the plate for conveying the tray to be loaded and a mechanism for moving the plate the stop and the pusher. In use the packaging machine is arranged so that articles from the first conveyor move in turn under the pusher and on to the plate where they are located by the stop, the plate is then tipped, the stop moved away from the article and the pusher moved downwards and away from the first conveyor to push the article on the plate down the plate past the stop and off the plate into a tray on the second conveyor.

Abstract: A machine for inserting objects, for example chickens or other comestibles, into bags, comprises a holder for a stack of bags, an object support which is movable to and fro between a forward position in which, in use, is inserted together with an object supported on it, into a bag, and a retracted position, a device having pushing means operable to engage the object on the support and push it forwards from the support and at the same time cause the bag to move forwards from the holder. The device is arranged subsequently to withdraw the pushing means, and the machine also includes means for pressing the bag inwards into contact with a part of the pushing means behind the object, a suction connection associated with the pushing means for sucking air from the bag after the bag has been pressed into contact with the part of the pushing means, and means for closing the bag after it has had air sucked from it.