Abstract: A method and an apparatus for preventing a second egg from directly contacting a first egg when the second egg exits a cage travelling in a first direction through a cage opening onto a conveyor belt travelling in a second direction substantially transverse to the first direction from an upstream side to a downstream side of the cage opening. The apparatus comprises a contact strip, the contact strip having a proximal end and a distal end and being made of a flexible material, and means for attaching the proximal end to the cage near the cage opening on the upstream side thereof such that the distal end of the contact strip is disposed on the conveyor belt opposite the downstream side of the cage opening whereby the contact strip extends across the cage opening to prevent the second egg from directly contacting the first egg.

Abstract: An egg packer apparatus is disclosed having baskets mounted on a transport moveable in a continuous path. The baskets have side-by-side compartments and move from an upright loading position to an inverted position at an unloading station. In the inverted position, the eggs roll along a cover to provide lateral movement of each egg in the direction of its pointed end. The unloading station has chutes to receive only the blunt end half of the egg as it rolls along. The egg drops into the chute blunt end first and then topples forwardly down the chute and drops pointed end downwardly into the egg flat.

Abstract: Apparatus for burning material and utilizing the heat of burning has a primary combustion chamber with an upper portion vented to the atmosphere, the material being fed into the primary combustion chamber. A secondary combustion chamber is in communication with a lower portion of the primary combustion chamber, and air is supplied into the secondary combustion chamber. A fan draws air from the atmosphere into the upper portion of the primary combustion chamber and draws combustion gases downwardly through burning waste material in the primary combustion chamber to cause further combustion of the combustion gases in the secondary combustion chamber. Combustion gases from the primary combustion chamber are vented to the atmosphere from the upper portion of the primary combustion chamber when the fan is not operating.