Abstract: A filling head for a pouch packaging machine or the like has a plurality of rotating chambers for receiving measured amounts of an aerateable powder. Pistons aligned with the chambers can be inserted into the chambers to compress the powder and remove entrained air. The pistons are made of porous metal and communicate with a vacuum source for removing air from the chambers. The chambers can be opened after the compression stage to dispense the compacted pellet of product to an open pouch below.

Abstract: A high speed packaging machine for making pouches of fluent material has a transfer wheel that changes the orientation of the finished, individual pouches. The wheel has a plurality of holder shafts rotatably mounted in the transfer wheel. The holder shafts mount vacuum cups for holding a pouch. The holder shafts also have a pinion which is engaged by a gear which in turn is actuated by a cam follower. The cam follower engages a stationary cam and is constrained for movement within a cam path. The cam follower causes rotation of the gear, pinion and holder shaft. The cam follower can be connected to the gear in either a leading or lagging position so the direction of holder shaft rotation can be selected without altering the cam or cam path.

Abstract: A high speed method of manufacture of filled polyethylene pouches from polyethylene film comprising the steps of folding the film and causing it to move in folded flat form transversely sealing the film at longitudinally spaced intervals forming a continuous length of open edged unfilled polyethylene pouches, perforating the strip or web forming transversely extending longitudinally spaced lines of perforations between the pouches, exerting a vacuum upon the strip or web holding down sides of the unfilled pouches to stabilize the held sides thereof, blowing air at the open edged unfilled polyethylene pouches separating unheld sides of the pouches away from the vacuum held sides of the pouches, thus consecutively opening the pouches preparatory for filling the pouches, filling the pouches by moving articles to be packaged into the opened unfilled ends of the pouches, sealing the open ends of the filled pouches, and severing the pouches from the continuous strip for cartoning.