Abstract: A bagging machine comprising an article discharge chute for releasing one or more articles in an open bag held thereunder at a bag loading position. A plurality of collapsed plastic bags are supported under and adjacent the discharge chute. The mouth of an outer one of the plastic bags is opened with a bag opening clamp and the rear and front wall of the bag are held spaced apart so as to receive one or more articles therein through the discharge chute. Bag holding and stretching fingers grip the bag at opposed upper side edge portions thereof whereby to transfer the first bag filled with the articles to a sealing station after the front and rear walls of the bag are detached from their bag opening securement.

Abstract: A feed station having a plate-retaining device which consists of a stationary guide arranged in front of or preceding the bridging belt for folding or swinging the side edge flaps of the folded box during an abutting thereof to a position wherein the plane thereof is parallel with respect to the direction of transport or movement. An additional guide plate oriented in a processing position subsequent to the stationary guide is provided, which guide plate is moved to hold the side edge flap of the folded box, which side edge flap is a trailing flap, open until the respective rear or trailing guide plate for the goods is oriented in front of the corresponding side edge flap.

Abstract: A bagging machine having means for holding a plurality of unopened bags wherein the bags have an extended tab, means for manipulating the extended tab, thereby opening the bag and allowing it to be filled, and clamping means for manipulating the mouth of the bag before, during and after filling.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for closing a package (1) provided with at least one flap (2), comprising a path of movement for the package (1) and comprising a rotatable closing element (3) arranged next to the path of movement. In order to prevent the package from being deformed during closing of the flap (2) and in order to be able to carry out the closing operation quickly and safely, it is provided that the closing element is designed in the form of a cylindrical pipe, at least at one area of its outer surface being cut at an angle in order to define a guide edge (4).

Abstract: The present invention entails a method and apparatus for applying tamper evident bands to a container. In particular, the apparatus of the present invention directs a supply strip of banding material to a cutter which cuts the supply strip into a series of cut bands. From the cutter, the respective cut bands are, one at a time, transferred to a suction source and held. A form is passed adjacent the suction source and strips the cut band from the suction source. While the cut band is held within the form, a container is passed thereunder, and because of the spacing of the form and the position of the container, the container top or lid engages a portion of the cut band held within the form and strips the cut band from the form. Thereafter, the container and cut form are passed underneath a vibrating plate, causing the plate to engage the cut band and to properly position the same about the container for subsequent heat treatment.

Abstract: An adjustable film forming apparatus for receiving unfolded film and forming the unfolded film into a tubular form for packaging different sizes of articles. An angled guide rod receives respective portions of the web to form a flat bottom and cooperating with an angled member mounted above the flat bottom forms the top, closed side and opposite open side of the film tube for receiving articles to be packaged. An adjustable film forming table receives the flat bottom portion of the web. Self-positioning means are provided to floatably mount one end of the angled guide rod so as to reposition the guide rod in conformance with changes in the angled member to accommodate different article heights. A side sealer packaging machine with an in-feed conveyor, adjustable film forming apparatus, a side sealer, and an end sealer.

Abstract: An improved cap disc air clutch mechanism is provided, in which a pair of improved cap disc air clutch mechanisms will sense the torque between a cap and neck of a container and will allow cap tightening discs thereon to stop once the desired torque is reached and at the same time, allow the respective spindle shafts to continue to rotate. The improved cap disc air clutch mechanisms are adjustable to different torques by varying air pressure thereto, since the torque required for caps and containers varies considerably.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for uniformly filling a container with products such as fruits or the like to a predetermined weight or level, in which apparatus the angular position of the container with respect to the horizontal is changed during filling in response to the instantaneous weight or level of the product in the container. According to the invention, a tongue which can be moved back and forth in substantially horizontal direction is provided below a product supply. The tongue assumes positions in response to the instantaneous weight or level of the product in the container such that the height of drop of the products into the container is kept at a minimal during filling and the container is filled uniformly.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for taping closed the open edge of a composite newspaper is provided which includes a tape applicator for applying a portion of tape to one side of a newspaper, and a moving member presenting a surface moving downstream with the newspaper but at a greater speed relative thereto, whereby a remainder portion of the tape not adhered to the one side may be wrapped around the open end by temporarily adhering a portion of the remainder of the tape to the moving surface and transferring the tape thus temporarily adhered from the moving surface to the other side of the newspaper as the moving surface passes thereby in close adjacency.

Abstract: A rotary capping machine is disclosed for application of screw-on closure caps to bottles, jars, or other containers. The machine includes a guiding mechanism which insures that a cap is held in a proper position on a transfer mechanism of the machine. Capping head assemblies of this machine each include a magnetic pickup arrangement, with a friction tip provided for contact with the closure caps.

Abstract: A method for sealing a retort container comprises the steps of heat-sealing an opening of a retort container after charging contents into the container so that a line-seal having a width ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 mm is formed to thus seal the container and then performing knurled sealing at a portion including the line-seal. The sealing method can provide a container having sufficient seal strength and does not spoil the beautiful appearance of the flange portion of the container even if contents thereof remain in the flanged portion or the like. Moreover, the method does not cause foaming in the sealed regions at all and it is not necessary to perform the sealing treatment under substantially severe conditions to prevent the occurrence of the foaming and, therefore, the method can provide containers having a sealed portion easily peelable.

Abstract: A food product packaging apparatus for a conveyor environment, and having a vacuum chamber operatively associated with the conveyor, which vacuum chamber is selectively moved into and out of a position in sealing engagement relative to the conveyor. A manifold, a vacuum source and conduit structure are included, the conduit structure connecting the manifold structure to the vacuum source and the vacuum chamber so that the vacuum source is selectively operable to draw a vacuum in the vacuum chamber through the manifold structure. A shuttle includes frame structure and drive structure for the frame structure so that the frame structure is movable in the direction of conveyor movement and, after a predetermined increment of movement, the frame structure shuttles opposite the direction of conveyor movement to a position to repeat movement in the direction of conveyor movement for a subsequent movement for the predetermined increment.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for effecting sealing of a carton panel such as the top panel to a manufacturer's joint in such a fashion that carton erection from a pre-formed carton blank can proceed in an in-line manner without any changes in the direction of carton transport as it is erected, filled and sealed. Panel sealing is accomplished by folding the manufacturer's joint over a free end of the panel, applying an adhesive to the manufacturer's joint while it is in overlying relation with the panel, lifting the panel over the manufacturer's joint, and urging the panel into engagement with the manufacturer's joint so as to become bonded thereto. Top panel sealing in the foregoing manner proceeds without the necessity of using the carton contents as a mandrel against which the manufacturer's joint is otherwise ordinarily folded, thereby permitting the carton to be erected and sealed along its manufacturer's joint in the absence of product received within the carton.

Abstract: A latex lid mounting apparatus includes a seat body and a lid accommodating device with a replaceable lid container. A beverage cup is placed on a cup positioning plate. Lids are superposed in the container. An ascending assembly activates a lid holding unit to move up and down between an upper limit position and a lower limit position. The lid holding unit includes an outer ring, an inner ring journalled in the outer ring, several links connected to the inner and outer rings, and a plurality of paw elements carried on the inner and outer rings. A rotation control device regulates relative rotation between the inner and outer rings, so as to move the paw elements between an inner limit position and an outer limit position. Under the guidance of the rotation control device, the lid holding unit holds the lowermost lid immediately before reaching the upper limit position, while covering the open upper end of the cup with the lid immediately before reaching the lower limit position.

Abstract: A carton loading apparatus for loading delicately covered articles into a carton having dividers therein arranged to define spaces for the articles is disclosed. The apparatus utilizes a reciprocal grid structure to transport the articles from a separation station to a loading station. The grid structure includes guide surfaces which guide the articles away from the sharp edges of the grid structure as the articles are moved therein thereby preventing damage to the articles. Other guide elements associated with the grid guide the articles in moving from the grid to the carton so as to avoid the sharp edges of the dividers.

Abstract: An apparatus for slicing and bagging substantially flat food products comprising a frame and a holder conforming to the shape of the food product to be sliced for holding the food in vertical stacked alignment and removably attached to the frame and having at least one slicer faced toward the food product to be sliced and mounted across the holder; and a ram having recessed sections conforming with the slicer for completely driving the food products through the slicer and completely slicing the food products without contacting the slicer, and a coordinated follower positioned below the slicer, a small but effective distance from the slicer for receiving the food products as they are sliced and for preventing the food products from being flayed out of the vertical stacked alignment as the food is sliced and a bagging apparatus for progressively bagging the food as it is sliced and received from the slicer.

Abstract: A hand held capper that will engage a cap for tightening the cap onto a container is provided and includes a clutch mechanism that will sense the torque between the cap and a neck of the container and will allow a cap driver chuck with an elastic chuck insert thereon to stop rotating once the desired torque is reached while allowing a spindle shaft from a drive unit to continue to rotate.

Abstract: A group of objects is packaged in a package formed of a blank having a base panel, base flaps joined at respective longitudinally extending fold lines to the base panel, a pair of side panels joined at respective transversely extending fold lines to and longitudinally flanking the base panel, and respective pairs of side flaps joined at respective longitudinally extending side fold lines to the side panels. Each pair of side flaps transversely flanks the respective side panel. The blank is advanced longitudinally parallel to the side fold lines to a loading station with the blank horizontal and similarly the group of objects is advanced horizontally and longitudinally to the station and deposited on the base panel there. The side flaps are folded up through about 90.degree. and thereafter the base flaps are folded up through between 45.degree. and 80.degree.. The side panels are then folded up through about 90.degree.

Abstract: A method for packaging bacon is provided such that individual slices are made suitable to be cooked in a microwave oven. In accordance with this invention, immediately after slicing bacon from a pork belly, the individual bacon slices are frozen. The individual slices are then wrapped in a microwaveable sheet of material, and thereafter the individual wrapped slices are assembled together in a package suitable for sale.

Abstract: A closure tool for resealable bags incorporating a rib and groove type closure means having generally parallel legs so as to accept a resealable bag between them, are displaced toward each other so as to apply pressure to the rib and groove closure, causing the rib to engage the groove so as to cause a sealing of the resealable bag. One or more slots may be formed in the legs to aid in engaging the rib and groove closure means, and traversing the tool along the rib and groove closure means.