Abstract: A parting-off apparatus used, e.g., to part off individual sausages from a tubing, which is continuously filled with sausage meat, comprises displacing members (9, 10; 19, 20), which can be rectilinearly moved in mutually opposite directions and have triangular cutouts (11; 21), which constrict the tubing so as to form a constricted portion therein and in that region displace the filling material in the tubing. The displacing members (9, 10; 19, 20) are periodically driven by means of a control disc (4), which is periodically driven to rotate in one sense and which has the configuration of a circular ring and has an axis of rotation (2) which coincides with the axis of the tubing and of the opening (12) defined by the displacing members.

Abstract: A non-venting propellant filling and sealing valve is adapted to be seated in a propellant filling hole in a bottom wall of a container and permits pressurization of a container through the hole and thereafter seals the container. The propellant filling and sealing valve includes an umbrella sealing portion, a stem portion and shoulder portions in a collar around the stem portion. The umbrella sealing portion is employed to selectively engage, separate from, and then make a generally annular seal with the interior surface of the bottom wall of the container. The stem portion is used to position the umbrella sealing portion around the filling hole and has axially extending grooves therein for conducting pressurizing fluid to the interior of the container.

Abstract: A case packing apparatus comprising a stacking assembling, a case positioning assembly, and a pusher assembly. The stacking assembly is provided to form a stack of articles; the case positioning assembly is provided to receive a case in a receiving position and to move the case to a loading position, wherein an open end of the case is located adjacent that stack of articles; and the pusher assembly is provided to push the stack of articles into the case. The case positioning assembly includes an engagement member and a pivot arm that is spaced from the engagement member when the case is in the receiving position; and, as the case is moved toward the loading position, the pivot arm engages the engagement member and pivots the case about an upwardly moving axis to move the case into its loading position.

Abstract: An apparatus for fitting heat-sealed containers comprises a conveyor for displacing a succession of the containers in a normal direction of travel through a station and for arresting each of the containers momentarily in the station, a supply at the station holding a stack of caps, a grab for taking a cap off the stack and positioning it atop the container arrested in the station and a welding tool for tack welding the cap to the container in the station as the cap is being positioned on the container and while it is still held by the grab, and a device downstream of the station for heat shrinking the caps on the bottles. The welding tool and grab are practically the same device and work very closely together. Thus there is no time during which the cap is not being positively held. Before the grab releases it, it is tack-welded to the bottle.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming and packaging articles of resilient compressible foam material is disclosed. The individual sheets of foam material are formed and introduced between confronting surfaces of the apparatus. Relative motion between the surfaces causes the sheets to roll upon themselves to form a compressed rolled article. Labels or wrappers are introduced at the trailing end of the sheets whereby the rolled article is compressed and rolled within the labels or wrappers.

Abstract: A packaging method and apparatus are disclosed in which a substantially horizontal bed is loaded with a series of independent magazines. Each of the magazines supports a plurality of open trays which are loaded with the desired contents. The magazines are moved along the bed to a vacuum chamber where a cover film is applied and the magazines are independently supported. The vacuum chamber is then closed to allow for evacuation and sealing of the covered trays and the magazines supporting the finished packages are removed from the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: An automatic slide sleeving system in which a sleeve containing a plurality of pockets is moved past a rotatable member to which a vacuum is applied thereby drawing the sleeve along with the rotatable member to a position under a movable head where a second vacuum is applied pulling the pocket into an open condition and thereafter through an actuator mechanism, the slides which have been previously moved into position from a slide hopper by a shuttle are moved in to the open pockets by a tongue pusher after which the vacuums are removed and the rotatable member rotated thereby enabling the filled pockets on the sleeve to be collected.

Abstract: Machine for packaging paper pockets or bags containing substances used in infused beverages comprising a plurality of cup or pan-like devices, having a central depression, on which bears a first or lower paper ribbon or web receiving measures or doses or said substance, e.g. in powdered form, metering means to supply said measures to said paper ribbon, tamping means to tamp said substance and means to apply and seal a second paper ribbon on said first paper ribbon closing said substance measures in pockets or bags so-formed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for staging a plurality of products into a grouping of a desired number of the products having a given center-to-center spacing therebetween. The staging assembly includes an endless track that indexes in order to feed, without gaps, a desired number of products thereonto, which endless track off-feeds in a generally constant manner in order to provide, in association with the takeaway speed of a receiving conveyor, the desired center-to-center spacing.

Abstract: A total system and method for storage and delivery of heads of various sizes is disclosed. The system and method are particularly adapted for application of circular disc heads to the end of a paper roll during a roll wrapping operation. A plurality of vertically spaced storage racks are provided for handling different sized heads, and a head dispenser including a pickup mechanism for lifting an uppermost head from a storage rack and delivering it to a pickup platen is also provided. The storage racks are preferably inclined to allow gravity feed to indexing positions at the lower ends of each rack. The pickup platen operates independently of the pickup mechanism so that heads can be lifted from the storage rack while the platen is enroute to the pickup location.

Abstract: A machine for vacuum-sealing a block of cheese in a tube of heat-sealable plastics material forming the lining of a cheese box mounted on a wheeled dolly, the tubular lining having an open end which projects out of the cheese box. The machine comprises a frame having an upright wall fitted with transverse rails for supporting the dolly carrying the cheese box, a hollow casing open at one end and mounted on the frame for movement between an open position permitting movement of the dolly and cheese box onto the rails and a closed position in which the casing cooperates with the wall to form a chamber enclosing the rails, dolly and cheese box, and means for evacuating air from the chamber. The machine also has gripper mechanism for holding taut the open end of the lining tube, and welding mechanism for sealing the open end of the tube when the chamber is evacuated, the gripper and welding mechanisms being enclosed within the chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus for storing pieces of fresh meat has a vessel with an open top for insertion or removal of meat and a cover which overlies the meat in the vessel and can be pushed downwardly by a jack so as to pressurize the pieces of meat and expel air by eliminating gaps between neighboring pieces of meat as well as between the pieces of meat and the internal surface of the vessel. Compression of meat results in expulsion of juices which rise and overlie the topmost layer of meat around the cover.

Abstract: A device having two opposed surfaces with a minimum spacing therebetween for pressing together the tongue-and-groove strips of a bag when the bag is slid across the surfaces. There is a larger spacing between the surfaces for the lead-in of the bag between the other surfaces. The surfaces are on two cantilever type of arms for entry and maneuvering of the bag.

Abstract: A flattened tubular plastic tube having one pair of edge creases is withdrawn from a vertical axis reel and passed through horizontal axis rollers to impart a pair of intermediate creases. Cooperating rotating and stationary blades cut the plastic tube into short sleeves which are immediately gripped between actuator shoes on a pair of translating chains and a pair of translating frictional belts. The compressively interfaced actuator shoes and belts advance the sleeves to the inlet of a channel defined by laterally spaced apart slide members which have v-grooves into which opposite creased edges are inserted at the inlet whereupon hooks on another chain loop push the sleeves through the channel. The channel width converges so the sleeves open as they are pushed along the channel to be engageable by the head of a passing bottle.

Abstract: In a method and device for barrel-binding and packaging articles, a first end of packaging material is pinched between a fixed seal member and a first pinching member movable with respect to the fixed seal member. The first end and a coupling end of the packaging material is pinched between the fixed seal member and a movable seal member confronting the fixed seal member with the articles bound by the packaging material. The coupling end is then pinched between the first pinching member and a second pinching member and a pushing-in member is inserted between the fixed seal member and the first pinching member in response to separation of the first pinching member for pinching the first and coupling ends. The first and coupling ends of the packaging material are then joined between the fixed and movable seal members while they are pinched between the seal members and thereafter the coupling end is cut by a cutting blade at the inserted end of the pushing-in member.

Abstract: A system for in-line processing of envelopes and the like includes a first upstanding feed hopper for feeding primary envelopes through a first printing station operative to print predetermined indicia on the primary envelopes after which they are conveyed in the direction of their major longitudinal axes through a plurality of inserter stations operative to insert special event envelopes between selected ones of the primary envelopes. The primary and insert envelopes are conveyed by conveyance means in-line past an ink jet type printer station operative to print particular cluster data on each successive envelope making up a set, followed by a station for the automatic collating and packaging of sets of envelopes into cartons. The conveyance means include a endless vacuum belt which holds the envelopes flat in a continuous stream and allows easy transfer to and from the conveyance means.

Abstract: An apparatus for heat shrinking a heat-shrinkable plastic film wrapping a package includes a conveyor for conveying the package, a steam chamber arranged to cover the package on the conveyor at least from above, and a steam jetting pipe provided inside the steam chamber at an upper portion thereof for filling the steam chamber with steam. The package is conveyed to the location of the steam chamber by the conveyor and is introduced into the steam chamber where the plastic film wrapping the package is shrunk by heat given off by the steam.

Abstract: The package to be wrapped is moved during a first step towards a foil section which is extended under tension transversely relative to the direction of movement of the package. During a further course of movement of the package the aforementioned foil section is applied to three sides around the package in a substantially U-shape. Subsequently, a loop is formed from the web-like foil by entraining means which act on the web-like foil. The two runs of the loop are releasably held at their ends by related holding means. These two loop runs of the foil are separated from each other using a cutting knife. The foil section thus produced, which runs along the rear side of the package, has a length which is greater than the height of the package. An end section of this foil section of greater length and which protrudes past the package is now displaced towards and against the underside of the package.

Abstract: Apparatus for pushing a loaded open-ended carrier sleeve and folding the trailing dust flaps of the sleeve. Flight bars attached to endless chains located below the path of travel of the carrier sleeve initially move the sleeve. Pusher bars or lugs attached to endless chains located above the path of travel of the carrier sleeve engage the trailing panel of the sleeve and accelerate the sleeve away from the flight bars. Fingers attached to the pusher bars contact the trailing dust flaps prior to the pusher bars contacting the trailing panel of the sleeve and fold the trailing dust flaps before the sleeve is accelerated along its path of travel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for packing a meat product, such as ham, in foil, in which a mould is used to accommodate a bag-shaped foil. The apparatus includes a first support member for supporting the bag and the mould. A mechanism is also provided for turning-down the collar of the bag around the top edge of the mould. A second support is provided for supporting the mould containing the bag-shaped foil filled with meat product together with a second mechanism for turning-up the collar of the bag. A third support is provided for supporting the mould with the filled bag-shaped foil, and a sealing appliance is provided for sealing the collar.