Abstract: A combination chamber and external suction vacuum packaging machine is operable to evacuate a vacuum bag and seal closed an open margin of the bag. The vacuum packaging machine includes a base and a lid that define a vacuum chamber operable for use in a chamber packaging operation, where the bag is entirely received within the vacuum chamber, and an external packaging operation, where only part of the bag is received within the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A combination chamber and external suction vacuum packaging machine is operable to evacuate a vacuum bag and seal closed an open margin of the bag. The vacuum packaging machine includes a base and a lid that define a vacuum chamber operable for use in a chamber packaging operation, where the bag is entirely received within the vacuum chamber, and an external packaging operation, where only part of the bag is received within the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A combination chamber and external suction vacuum packaging machine is operable to evacuate a vacuum bag and seal closed an open margin of the bag. The vacuum packaging machine includes a base and a lid that define a vacuum chamber operable for use in a chamber packaging operation, where the bag is entirely received within the vacuum chamber, and an external packaging operation, where only part of the bag is received within the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A combination chamber and external suction vacuum packaging machine is operable to evacuate a vacuum bag and seal closed an open margin of the bag. The vacuum packaging machine includes a base and a lid that define a vacuum chamber operable for use in a chamber packaging operation, where the bag is entirely received within the vacuum chamber, and an external packaging operation, where only part of the bag is received within the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A container for storing at least one object, such as a knife, utensil, and the like, wherein the object has a blade that is occasionally dressed is disclosed. The container includes a housing presenting an object-receiving opening and a blade-dressing assembly configured to provide selective dressing of the blade. The blade-dressing assembly includes a carrier and a dressing component supported on the carrier. The carrier is shiftably supported on the housing so as to move between a storage position in which the dressing surface is incapable of engaging the blade and an operating position in which the dressing surface is engageable by the blade.

Abstract: A container for storing at least one object, such as a knife, utensil, and the like, wherein the object has a blade that is occasionally dressed is disclosed. The container includes a housing presenting an object-receiving opening and a blade-dressing assembly configured to provide selective dressing of the blade. The blade-dressing assembly includes a carrier and a dressing component supported on the carrier. The carrier is shiftably supported on the housing so as to move between a storage position in which the dressing surface is incapable of engaging the blade and an operating position in which the dressing surface is engageable by the blade.

Abstract: A vacuum packaging machine (10) is provided having a base (12) and a pivotally mounted lid (14) which cooperatively define a package air evacuation chamber (76) adapted to receive the open end (98) of a filled flexible package (100), thereby allowing evacuation of air from the package (100) and heat sealing of end (98). The machine (10) is characterized by an essentially flat and uninterrupted, easily cleanable base upper wall (28) which eliminates concavities in the like which can lead to unsanitary collection of fluids or solids. The machine (10) also has a vacuum source (16) and a vacuum conduit assembly (18) the latter having conduits within base (12) and lid (14).

Abstract: Meat and poultry scissors are disclosed as including a pair of swingably interconnected blades fixed to respective thumb and finger handles. The blades are flat and the thumb handle presents a thumb-receiving opening defined about an axis that is oblique relative to the respective blade, while the finger handle presents a finger-receiving opening defined about an axis that is perpendicular to the respective blade. In addition, the blades are different lengths, with the longer blade having a blunt outermost, distal end and a cutting edge that is spaced from the distal end. The end of the shorter blade presents an outermost distal end that is spaced generally the same distance from the end of the long blade as the cutting edge of the long blade.

Abstract: A hydraulic stunner apparatus for use in slaughtering animals includes a housing that defines a cylinder within which a rear seat is disposed. An elongated stunner element is received in and closes off the front end of the cylinder. The stunner element is movable between a cocked position in which the first end of the element is sealed against the seat, and a fired position in which the first end of the element is unseated and the stunner element is extended relative to the cylinder. Hydraulic fluid under pressure is directed into the cylinder to pressurize the cylinder, and an actuator is provided for unseating the stunner element from the cocked position to initiate movement of the element to the fired position. Preferably, the apparatus also includes a compressible biasing assembly for maintaining the hydraulic pressure within the cylinder upon separation of the stunner element from the seat and movement of the stunner element toward the extended position.

Abstract: An actuator assembly for a stunning gun has a trigger valve in addition to a second shiftable nose piece valve. In use, the trigger valve is manually depressed to open and the user then moves the stunner such that the nose piece shifts as the animal is engaged, whereupon the second valve opens. The stunner will fire only when both valves are simultaneously open, and thus the possibility of inadvertent actuation is significantly reduced. The pneumatic valve assembly requires very little force to operate, in contrast to mechanical trip actuators.

Abstract: An improved animal stunning device is provided which allows the user a quick, easy and cost effective method to kill animals in a slaughterhouse operation. The animal stunner preferably includes a pneumatically activated stunning gun having a trigger assembly provided with a manually operable safety block shiftably mounted on the trigger; movement of the safety block permits selective actuation of the gun or, alternately, prevents such actuation. The gun includes an elongated, reciprocally mounted stunning element having a bored, concave, stunning tip. An elongated, tubular, protective, support nose passageway is provided for slidably supporting and directing the stunning element during operation. Exhaust ports are advantageously provided in the support nose which communicate the interior of the stunner with the atmosphere for proper pneumatic venting; these ports can be selectively blocked to maintain the desired pneumatic compression within the stunner during operation.