Abstract: An apparatus for feeding pasta sheet into a pasta-making machine, includes a feed device for feeding a strip of pasta sheet along a predetermined path, and a punching device designed to operate on the strip in the stop condition so as to punch the strip and obtain from the strip cut pieces of pasta sheet intended to be wrapped around respective portions of filling, thereby producing respective pieces of filled pasta. The apparatus includes a speed variator device for the feed speed of the strip, interposed between the feed device and the punching device for causing, during each machine cycle of the apparatus, a variation in the speed of a branch of the strip positioned at the punching device which, in combination with the speed at which the strip is supplied by the feed device, stops the branch of the strip.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for calculating the body condition score—BCS, the weight of an animal and its state of fertility by means of the mathematical processing of some characteristic morphological traits of the observed subject, which makes use of at least one contact or no-contact detection device of the profile 109 of the animal, at least a data processing unit and a program that implements a specific mathematical method of interpretation. By such a method, the determination of the body condition and its synthetic index or fattening index or FI, is independent of species, race, gender, age and absolute size of the examined animal. This method is also robust to possible errors of positioning of the apparatus by an operator.

Abstract: Automatic packaging machine (3) for filling a bag (1) made of heat-sealable material, having an open upper end (2) with a dose of loose product; the packaging machine (3) has: a packaging conveyor (4); a pick-up head (7), which is supported by the packaging conveyor (4) to advance along a packaging path (P1); an input station (S1) where the empty bag (1) is grabbed by the pick-up head (7); an output station (S2) where the full, sealed bag (1) leaves the pick-up head (7); a filling device (18) that is mounted on the packaging conveyor (4) to move together with the pick-up head (7) along the entire packaging path (P1) and is adapted to supply the dose of product inside the bag (1) through the upper open end (2); and a sealing device (19) that is mounted on the packaging conveyor (4) to move together with the pick-up head (7) along the entire packaging path (P1) and is adapted to seal the full bag (1) through a heat-seal in correspondence with the open upper end (2).

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the improved generation of genetically modified cells in vitro, in order to obtain a population of effector cells with immunotherapeutic activity and methods of using such cells in protocols for adoptive cell therapy. The invention further provides non-viral genetically modified cells, cell populations and cell cultures and the use thereof in the treatment or prevention of diseases and disorders.

Abstract: A packing method and unit for folding a blank on a packing machine; a first suction pickup head engages a first panel of the blank inside a store; a second suction pickup head engages a second panel of the blank inside the store; the pickup heads are moved from a withdrawal position at the store to a release position at a packing conveyor, insert the blank inside a pocket on the packing conveyor; and the blank, folded into a ‘U’, is released inside the pocket on the packing conveyor; as the pickup heads are moved from the withdrawal position to the release position, a relative movement between the first pickup head and the second pickup head is produced to fold the blank into a ‘U’ before the blank is inserted into the pocket on the packing conveyor.

Abstract: A safety valve for extraction wells, configured to be installed on a well head and to enclose a tubular material portion inserted inside the well. The tubular material is internally hollow to contain and transport substances extracted from the well. The safety valve includes: a central hole through which the tubular material passes; a blocking system configured to keep the tubular material to be cut fixed with respect to the safety valve; a cutting and closing group configured to cut and close the well under certain operative conditions; and a sealing mechanism configured to effect watertight closing of the well, after the cutting. The cutting and closing group includes a hole saw housed in a respective chamber of the cutting and closing group, rotated by a motorized actuator, and configured to move in a controlled mode along a substantially orthogonal direction with respect to a development direction of the well.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a filling apparatus for filling containers with fluid products, and to the respective method, wherein the apparatus comprises a rest area arranged outside of a filling path and of a filling area, the rest area is accessible to the operator without interrupting the filling of the containers and actuating means to reciprocally move a first and a second filling unit from an operating condition to a rest condition; wherein in an operating condition one between a first and second filling unit is arranged in the filling area and able to be in fluid communication with the containers to be filled; and wherein in the rest condition the other between the first and second filling unit is arranged in the rest area accessible to the operator without interrupting the filling of the containers in the filling area.

Abstract: A packing method and unit (26) for producing a rigid package (1) with a hollow rib (12; 13); an end portion of a blank (21) is folded about a contrasting body (36; 39) onto a panel (11?) of the blank (21) to form the hollow rib (12; 13); a fastening tab (16; 19), which forms the end part of the end portion, is glued to the panel (11?) to stabilize the hollow rib (12; 13); and the contrasting body (36; 39) is extracted from the hollow rib (12; 13) once the end portion is folded.

Abstract: A packing unit and method for folding a blank on a packing machine; the packing unit having: a packing conveyor having at least one pocket for receiving the blank; and a feed device for inserting the blank into the pocket on the packing conveyor; the packing conveyor has at least a first conveyor belt defining a bottom wall, of the pocket; at least a second conveyor belt separate from, parallel to, and alongside the first conveyor belt, and defining the bottom wall of the pocket together with the first conveyor belt; a first retaining member, which projects perpendicularly from the first conveyor belt and defines a front wall of the pocket; and a second retaining member, which projects perpendicularly from the second conveyor belt and defines a rear wall of the pocket.

Abstract: A grouping method and unit for forming a line of products on a packing machine; a first feed conveyor feeds a succession of spaced products along a straight, horizontal grouping path at a first speed; a first compacting conveyor moves a first compacting member along the grouping path, downstream from the first feed conveyor and ahead of a first product in the line, at a second speed slower than the first speed, so as to slow down the first product and compact the intermediate products in the line against the first product; and a second compacting conveyor moves a second compacting member along the grouping path, downstream from the first feed conveyor and behind a last product in the line, at a third speed higher than the first speed, so as to compact the last product against the intermediate products in the line.

Abstract: Unit and method for applying a wall to a hollow body in a manufacturing process for producing a beverage capsule; are provided: a sealing conveyor which advances along a sealing path; a sealing head conveyed by the sealing conveyor and which supports a gripping device for gripping the wall and a retaining device suited to retain the hollow body; a first feed station for feeding the wall to the sealing head, so that the wall is gripped by the gripping device; and a second feed station arranged downstream from the first feed station along the sealing path, for feeding the hollow body to the sealing head, so the hollow body is coupled to the wall gripped by the gripping device, and is retained by the retaining device.

Abstract: A container for loose materials made by folding a blank made of flexible material includes a concertina folding spout, hinged to the containment walls at a hinge defined by a line of weakness of the blank and configured to pass from a retracted position to an extracted position; reversible locking means are provided which are configured to reversibly fix the concertina folding spout in the retracted position to the containment walls; also provided are sealing elements configured to fix the concertina folding spout in the retracted position to the containment walls until the container is opened for the first time, after which the sealing elements permanently change their configuration from the closed configuration to an open configuration which is visible to a user.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a filling apparatus for filling containers with fluid products, and to the respective method, wherein the apparatus comprises a rest area arranged outside of a filling path and of a filling area, the rest area is accessible to the operator without interrupting the filling of the containers and actuating means to reciprocally move a first and a second filling unit from an operating condition to a rest condition; wherein in an operating condition one between a first and second filling unit is arranged in the filling area and able to be in fluid communication with the containers to be filled; and wherein in the rest condition the other between the first and second filling unit is arranged in the rest area accessible to the operator without interrupting the filling of the containers in the filling area.

Abstract: A grouping method and unit for forming a line of products on a packing machine; a first feed conveyor feeds a succession of spaced products along a straight, horizontal grouping path at a first speed; a first compacting conveyor moves a first compacting member along the grouping path, downstream from the first feed conveyor and ahead of a first product in the line, at a second speed slower than the first speed, so as to slow down the first product and compact the intermediate products in the line against the first product; and a second compacting conveyor moves a second compacting member along the grouping path, downstream from the first feed conveyor and behind a last product in the line, at a third speed higher than the first speed, so as to compact the last product against the intermediate products in the line.

Abstract: A machine for making filled pasta comprises at least one station for preparing a strip of pasta sheet; a station for preparing a filling; a filling operation station, in communication with the station for preparing the strip of pasta sheet and with the station for preparing the filling, in which portions of filling are wrapped in corresponding portions of the strip of pasta sheet to form individual pieces of filled pasta; the station for preparing the filling comprises a feeder device for feeding the filling to the filling operation station; the feeder device comprises: a feed duct comprising an inlet and an outlet for the filling; a piston operating in the feed duct feeding the filling from the inlet to the outlet; an ultrasound generator provided with an ultrasound emitter applied to the feed duct for transmitting at least one vibration to the feed duct.

Abstract: A packet (1) of cigarettes having: an inner package (2) defined by a group (30) of cigarettes wrapped in a sheet (29) of wrapping material having at least one tear line (32) defining a tear-off top portion (31); an inner container (4) housing the inner package (2) and having an extraction opening (10) for access to the tear-off top portion (31); an outer container (5) housing the inner container (4) in sliding manner, to allow the inner container (4) to slide, with respect to the outer container (5), between a closed position, in which the inner container (4) is inserted inside the outer container (5), and an open position, in which the inner container (4) is extracted partly from the outer container (5); and a tear-off lid (45) connected to the inner container (4) by at least one tear line (48), and covering at least part of the extraction opening (10).

Abstract: A cigarette packet substantially having the shape of a parallelepiped and containing a group of cigarettes includes an outer case formed by two larger lateral walls, respectively a front wall and a rear wall, and by two smaller lateral walls or sides, by a lower wall or base and by an upper wall or lid. An inner case is inserted in the outer case. The outer case includes a projection for controlling the lid, the projection being interposed between the front wall of the outer case and a front wall of the inner case and moveable between a first position in which the lid is closed and a second position in which the lid is open. A mechanism is provided for reciprocal engagement of the projection and the inner case for partially extracting the group of cigarettes from the outer case.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding pasta sheet into a pasta-making machine, including feed means for feeding a strip of pasta sheet along a predetermined path, and a punching device designed to operate on the strip in the stop condition so as to punch it and obtain from it out pieces of pasta sheet intended to be wrapped around respective portions of filling, thereby producing respective pieces of filled pasta, the apparatus includes a speed variator device for the feed speed of the strip, interposed between the feed means and the punching device for causing, during each machine cycle of the apparatus, a variation in the speed of a branch of the strip positioned at the punching device which, in combination with the speed at which the strip is supplied by the feed means, stops the branch of the strip.