Abstract: Disclosed herein is a simple and economical process for packing foodstuffs under vacuum in the home in a way compatible with that achieved on a large industrial scale with the use of complex, costly equipment.

Abstract: An apparatus for stuffing cushions, mattresses, and the like. The apparatus includes a cantilevered hollow support with multiple perforations in its upper wall and selectively operable means for evacuating air from the hollow support. Cushion stuffing material is placed on the support and covered with an air impervious film advanced from a supply member carried by the apparatus and cut by a cutter adjustably mounted on the apparatus. The film closes exposed perforations of the support which are not covered by the stuffing material. The apparatus is used to evacuate the air from the stuffing material, thereby shrinking the material to allow the rapid application of a cover over the stuffing and support, followed by withdrawal of the cover and contained stuffing from the support.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inserting filled bag-like containers into despatch or display boxes, cartons or the like, comprising the steps of feeding the containers to a conveying system which has a plurality of compartments for receiving the containers, each compartment extending transversely to the conveying direction conveying the containers to an ejector station, ejecting a preselected number of containers at the ejector station from said compartments to a buffer store where initially the containers are loosely arranged, subsequently pressing the containers in the buffer store closely against each other, moving the tightly packed containers into a position directly in front of the opening of a carton to be filled and loading the tightly packed containers into the opened carton.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding an elongate continuous web of bags, which are provided with a feed member through which the bags may be filled, to a filling machine is disclosed. The apparatus has a conveyor, guide means mounted above the conveyor arranged to guide the movement of each of the feed members, sensing means for sensing the presence of the feed member and gripping means responsive to the sensing means for holding each feed member.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for opening plastic bags and retaining same in open position during the operation of automatic packaging machines. It comprises a hopper, funnel or the like, a source for an air jet which blows air into the opened bag through an air nozzle, a stack of bags stored vertically and below the product supply and a hoop of semicircular cross-section made of wire, strip of metal or plastic adapted to engage said opened bag and being rotatably mounted in a supporting mechanism adjacent to the supply of said bag.

Abstract: An improved manifold for feeding plunger caps in an apparatus for filling caulking tubes with liquid compositions in the manifold plunger caps feed means comprising a central feed chute and six more or less chutes coming from said central feed chute imparting horizontal travel of caps and where said central feed chute and said six more or less chutes at the point where they meet are in a vertical plane and said chutes gradually slope from a vertical plane into a horizontal plane at the point where each of the chutes meet the cap receiver means which positions the plunger caps on the back of the filled caulking tubes wherein none of the chutes has a width that is as wide as two diameters of the plunger caps. Preferably, the central feed chute and the drop chutes where they meet the central feed chute are as wide as the 11/8 plunger cap diameter for the vertical drip and the chutes are as wide as 11/8 plunger cap diameter for the horizontal travel in the drop chutes.

Abstract: Goods to be packed are continuously collected in units of goods. Parallelly therewith plain package blanks are preformed to package containers, which are completely open at least at one vertical side. The units of goods and the open package containers are moved in a continuous feeding movement side by side with the same speed, and with the open container side facing the unit of goods. During the feeding movement a unit of goods is pushed sideways into a package container. The open container side or sides are closed and sealed, and the package is moved away from the packaging station. The front side and the rear side of the preformed package container as considered in the feeding direction are widened in relation to each other before the units of goods are pushed into the containers to facilitate the pushing in of the units of goods into the package containers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loading containers with articles, such as post parcels, includes the use of a carrier device which is lowered into a container by suitable hoisting means at a rate dependent upon the number of articles deposited on the carrier device. The carrier device is positioned within the upper portion of a container in which articles are to be stored, and a conveyor belt delivers articles onto a pivotal flap member of the carrier device. Once the articles reach a certain height on the flap member, photocells signal the hoisting means to lower the carrier device further into the container, and this process continues until the carrier device is near the bottom of the container. Once the carrier device reaches its lowermost position, the pivotal flap member swings downwardly to release the accumulated articles into the container. The carrier device is then withdrawn from the filled container, and the container may then be removed.

Abstract: Wire-mesh webs formed from interengaged flattened spirals, especially chain-link fencing, upon manufacture are coiled by twisting the planes of the spirals so that they fit tightly together and almost coincide with axial planes of the roll. During the coiling process, one to three tension elements are introduced into the corresponding troughs of the successive undulations formed by the successive spirals and are maintained under tension during coiling to maintain the spirals in their substantially erect condition. The result is a highly compact roll.

Abstract: In a method of automatically closing a large upright sack after filling, the top of the flattened filling end of the sack is folded over onto itself and a closure tape is secured to the folded-over portion and one wall of the sack, whereafter the filling end is re-erected substantially vertically, folded in zig-zag fashion and pulled together to form a frill. The ends of the tape project beyond both sides of the filling end so that, after zig-zag folding of the filling end and tape and after the frill has been formed, the tape ends project from the same side of the frill and can be interconnected.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is an incorrect coin number detector to be used with a coin wrapping machine for detecting whether or not a preset number of piled coins are correctly wrapped when the both ends of wrapping paper are fastened by means of a pair of fastening claws. The incorrect coin number detector includes stroke setting means for setting the stroke of the one of the fastening claws and accordingly the shortest spacing inbetween. Further inclusive is actuating means for moving the one fastening claw toward the other with the aid of a coil spring. Still further inclusive is incorrectness detecting means having a detecting switch for generating, when actuated by the fastening claw moving mechanism through an actuating lever, the signals which are indicative of the incorrectness in the number of the piled coins being wrapped.

Abstract: A grid set for use on an article loading machine for guiding cartons of articles such as drinks into a case carried therebelow. A plurality of guide arms are pivotally carried in a rectangular frame directly below a drop assembly for guiding the cartons of drinks into a cardboard case ensuring that the corners of the case are extended fully. Cam means cooperate with the guide arms for holding the cartons of drinks as the entire frame is lowered to the case for gently depositing the cartons of drinks into the case.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting a carton into a thermoplastic bag includes a table for supporting the bag, a pusher assembly for transferring a carton into the bag, and a guide assembly for first opening the bag mouth and for thereafter guiding the carton into the mouth of the bag while supporting the carton above the table until after it has been fully inserted into the bag. A vacuum is applied through apertures formed in the table to initially hold the bottom panel of the bag against the table, and a reciprocatable suction cup assembly is mounted above the suction apertures for engaging the top panel of the bag and for partially opening the mouth of the bag so that the guide assembly may be inserted therein.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for producing a composite container having a body label or tubular sleeve mounted thereon adapted to be shrunken onto exterior surface areas of a cylindrical container. The tubular sleeve is preformed of thin flexible thermoplastic material and may be flat-folded until ready for use when it is fully opened and conveyed in axial registry with the container inverted therebeneath. The sleeve preform of heat-shrinkable plastic material is telescopically assembled onto the inverted container while the latter is conveyed through a coincidental aligned path. The container preferably consists of a hollow glass or plastic container held invertedly by its neck portion with the tubular preform made slightly larger in diameter to surround the body and neck portions of the container. The tubular sleeve preform is held fully opened and is then transported downwardly in telescopic relation when in axial alignment with the inverted container.

Abstract: A bifurcated funnel presents small fish in alternating orientation to a canning apparatus. The canning apparatus is moved incrementally forward to receive the oncoming fish by a distance equivalent to the width of that individual fish. A flap is disposed in the funnel and each fish displaces the flap by a distance equivalent to its width. The flap is connected to a ratchet wheel which contains electrical contacts for actuating a plurality of solenoids which determine the position of a stop mechanism for the canning apparatus. The distance of movement of the ratchet wheel is designed in accordance with the size of the apparatus which is to receive the fish. When the ratchet wheel moves its total allotted distance, a set of contacts resets the ratchet wheel and the canning apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for wrapping an object in a sheet. A retainer formed with a slot is moved along a work path. A piece of sheet is supplied across the opening of the slot; then the object is inserted into the slot and pushes the sheet to the back of the slot against the retainer, with the edges of the sheet sticking out between the object and the edges of the slot, with part of the surface of the object being free; then a pressure plate is placed adjacent to the free surface, the outward facing surface of this plate being smooth; then first one, and then the other, protruding edge of the sheet is wrapped round the object and over the pressure plate by an embracing arm, so that the edges of the sheet overlap; then these edges are joined by a joiner bearing against the smooth part of the pressure plate; and then the wrapped object is discharged from the retainer.

Abstract: Poutlry dropped from a moving conveyor is loaded into bags through a nozzle assembly that expands each bag in advance of bird entry by means of a two-stage motion. A ram packs each bird fully into the bag during the second stage of nozzle operation followed by detachment of the bag and drop onto a receiving surface.

Abstract: A machine for erecting flat box blanks and for closing one end of the erected box comprises a feed guide dimensioned to receive a stack of flat-folded blanks, and a forming slot at an end of the feed guide, the forming slot being dimensioned to receive an erected box but consequently too small to accept a flat-folded blank. A suction head carried by a drive jack is effective to pull a box blank from the feed guide into the forming slot, with simultaneous erection of the blank to form the rectangular box, and immediately after that two folding blades converge on the box to fold-in side flaps ready for folding down an end flap of the box. The folding of the end flap is accomplished by a closing fork operating in a direction perpendicular to the plane of action of the closing blades and effective to fold over both an end panel, and a terminal tab which tucks into the box to ensure closing.

Abstract: Device for packaging and preserving sterilized products under vacuum in plastic packs, in particular linen, in an autoclave, comprising at least one support-rack, a plurality of parallel bars supported by said rack, a plurality of packs in the form of air-impervious plastic bags open at one end, means for supporting the packs in the support-rack with the open ends of said packs extending between adjacent bar of said plurality of parallel bars, and member for compressing and sealing the open ends of the packs fixed to the parallel bars. Said bars are rigidly secured to the support-rack so as to provide between the compressing and sealing members slots of predetermined width open at at least one of their ends, and the pack supporting means comprises at least one auxiliary parallelipipedical rack which can be introduced into and removed from the main support-rack in a direction parallel to the longitudinal directin of the slots.

Abstract: An automatic bagging system useful for packaging a stack of a compressible material, such as a stack of folded disposable diapers into a drawstring type plastic bag. The apparatus includes means for compressing gradually the stack of diapers while reorienting the stack so that when the stack is packaged, the diapers will fit snugly in the bag with the folded portion of the diaper near the open end of the bag, for convenience in removing each diaper from the bag. Further the apparatus comprises means for handling and conditioning the bag for the insertion of the diaper stack that includes collapsible funnels for holding the bag open in a box-like shape in order to receive the compressed stack of diapers.