Abstract: A rotary knife assembly includes a rotatable core and a plurality of knife blades extending from the rotatable core. A healing element is coupled with the plurality of knife blades, and the heating element is configured to heat the knife blades. One or more package guides are interposed between each of the plurality of knife blades configured to engage along one or more deformable packages as the rotatable core is rotated. In another example, a discharge assembly includes a conveyor belt including inner and outer belt surfaces, and a plurality of belt rows extending along a belt length. A plurality of package spacing ridges each include outer engaging edges, and one package spacing ridge of the plurality is positioned between each of the plurality of belt rows. The outer belt surface is recessed from the outer engaging edges.

Abstract: A rotary knife assembly includes a rotatable core and a plurality of knife blades extending from the rotatable core. A heating element is coupled with the plurality of knife blades, and the heating element is configured to heat the knife blades. One or more package guides are interposed between each of the plurality of knife blades configured to engage along one or more deformable packages as the rotatable core is rotated. In another example, a discharge assembly includes a conveyor belt including inner and outer belt surfaces, and a plurality of belt rows extending along a belt length. A plurality of package spacing ridges each include outer engaging edges, and one package spacing ridge of the plurality is positioned between each of the plurality of belt rows. The outer belt surface is recessed from the outer engaging edges.

Abstract: A rotary knife assembly includes a rotatable core and a plurality of knife blades extending from the rotatable core. A heating element is coupled with the plurality of knife blades, and the heating element is configured to heat the knife blades. One or more package guides are interposed between each of the plurality of knife blades configured to engage along one or more deformable packages as the rotatable core is rotated. In another example, a discharge assembly includes a conveyor belt including inner and outer belt surfaces, and a plurality of belt rows extending along a belt length. A plurality of package spacing ridges each include outer engaging edges, and one package spacing ridge of the plurality is positioned between each of the plurality of belt rows. The outer belt surface is recessed from the outer engaging edges.

Abstract: A rotary knife assembly includes a rotatable core and a plurality of knife blades extending from the rotatable core. A heating element is coupled with the plurality of knife blades, and the heating element is configured to heat the knife blades. One or more package guides are interposed between each of the plurality of knife blades configured to engage along one or more deformable packages as the rotatable core is rotated. In another example, a discharge assembly includes a conveyor belt including inner and outer belt surfaces, and a plurality of belt rows extending along a belt length. A plurality of package spacing ridges each include outer engaging edges, and one package spacing ridge of the plurality is positioned between each of the plurality of belt rows. The outer belt surface is recessed from the outer engaging edges.

Abstract: A rotary knife assembly includes a rotatable core and a plurality of knife blades extending from the rotatable core. A heating element is coupled with the plurality of knife blades, and the heating element is configured to heat the knife blades. One or more package guides are interposed between each of the plurality of knife blades configured to engage along one or more deformable packages as the rotatable core is rotated. In another example, a discharge assembly includes a conveyor belt including inner and outer belt surfaces, and a plurality of belt rows extending along a belt length. A plurality of package spacing ridges each include outer engaging edges, and one package spacing ridge of the plurality is positioned between each of the plurality of belt rows. The outer belt surface is recessed from the outer engaging edges.

Abstract: A pouch machine forms a series of pouches in a continuous web of pouch material by folding the web and then forming spaced side seals to define a pouch closed on three sides with an initially unsealed mouth on top. The pouch is opened to its maximum volume prior to filling by pressurizing the pouch. Pressurization is achieved by introducing a curtain of compressed air under a plate and passing the mouths of the pouches adjacent the plate and thus through the air curtain. The air curtain is preferably at least as wide as the mouth so the entire mouth is subjected to the air pressure, thereby causing the pouch to inflate to its maximum volume. Continuous web height control is provided to assure alignment of the web with the plate. A lip at the mouth may be formed by folding one edge of the pouch over prior to creation of the side seals. After filling the lip is folded back up prior to top sealing to make a balanced pouch.

Abstract: A packaging machine including packaging apparatus to form fill and seal a chain of connected packages, a cutting station to separate the packages, means to operate the forming, filling and sealing apparatus and cutting apparatus so as to cut more packages than are formed, filled and sealed during a given time period.

Abstract: A pouch packaging machine has a rotary filling head wherein pouches receive diverse fluent products from filling tubes. Adjacent filling tubes, and therefore adjacent pouches, are supplied with alternating flavors of products by a distribution deck having a separate channels for each flavor desired. The channels empty into a series of funnels attached beneath the deck. The funnel spouts are aligned with inlets to the filling tubes. The mouths of the funnels span substantially the entire channel to allow sufficient time for the product to pass from a supply device, through the channels, funnels and filling tubes and into a pouch before the pouch leaves the filling head.

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 packaging machine including packaging apparatus to form a chain of connected packages, a cutting station to separate the packages having a controllable variable speed drive, an accumulator between the packaging apparatus and cutting station to accumulate the chain of packages, and control means to vary the speed of operation of the cutting station in response to the accumulation in the accumulator. The accumulator in its preferred form is a conveyor. A unique control device is provided which receives the completed package chain and delivers it for further processing.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of milk chocolate-coated toffee candy pieces by heating a mass of toffee to a softened temperature sufficient to permit portions of it to be pulled from the mass. Pulling strand portions from the mass in the form of fine strands while spooling the strands about a core forming area and causing the spooling to occur along the length and about the periphery of the core forming area to form a continuous length of the core at a core forming area. Contemporaneously axially moving the length of core along its axis off of an end of the core forming area. Then transversely severing an outer end of the axially moving length of core with consecutive cuts to form successive toffee pieces or toffee cores. Immersing the toffee cores in a bath of milk chocolate, and cooling the chocolate-covered cores to place them in condition for packaging.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacture of milk chocolate-coated toffee candy pieces that comprises a toffee header with means connected to the header for heating a mass of toffee to a softened temperature sufficient to permit portions of it to be pulled from the mass. The header has spaced orifices for the toffee to exit as strands. A rotary toffee forming device is mounted beneath the orifices. Means is provided for reciprocating the header back and forth with the fine toffee strands being drawn from the orifices by the rotary movement of the rotary toffee forming device. Means is provided for transversely severing outer ends of the axially moving lengths of cores with consecutive cuts to form successive toffee pieces of toffee cores. A chocolate coating bath is provided for first immersing the bottoms of the toffee cores in a bath of milk chocolate and then for flooding chocolate over the tops of the cores to completely coat the cores.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of milk chocolate-coated toffee candy pieces comprising heating a mass of toffee to a softened temperature sufficient to permit portions of it to be pulled from the mass. Pulling strand portions from the mass in the form of fine strands while spooling the strands about a core forming area and causing the spooling to occur along the length and about the periphery of the core forming area to form a continuous length of the core at a core forming area. Contemporaneously axially moving the length of core along its axis off of an end of the core forming area. Then transversely severing an outer end of the axially moving length of core with consecutive cuts to form successive toffee pieces or toffee cores. Immersing the toffee cores in a bath of milk chocolate, and cooling the chocolate-covered cores to place them in condition for packaging.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging articles received as a strip having individually filled pouches which are separated by transverse seals at opposite ends of the pouches characterized by severing the pouches and then depositing the pouches on a conveying device which transports the pouches to the receptacle in which they are stacked. Preferably, the apparatus utilizes a cutting device which comprises an index wheel and a cutting wheel with the index wheel being provided with suction heads to grip the severed pouches to transport them to a position above the conveying device where they are positively ejected onto the conveying device in two rows which are preferably overlapping to reduce the width of the two rows on the conveying device.