Abstract: A two-stage pumping apparatus is provided with a pump housing through which gross movement of material occurs generally from an infeed opening to a discharge opening. The first stage includes two non-positive displacement helical flight augers which each rotate about respective, spaced-apart, parallel axes. The upstream end of one of the first stage augers terminates axially downstream of the downstream end of the other first stage auger helical flights. The helical flights of the upstream first stage auger extend laterally over at least a portion of the adjacent first stage auger. The first stage augers are coaxial with, and cooperate with, a pair of second stage augers which each have a positive displacement helical flight for engaging the material and for being respectively intermeshed to provide positive displacement pumping.

Abstract: A two-stage pumping apparatus is provided with a pump housing through which gross movement of material occurs generally from an infeed opening to a discharge opening. A first stage non-positive displacement helical flight auger is provided in a first stage region above, and coaxial with, one of a pair of second stage augers each having a positive displacement helical flight for engaging the material and for being respectively intermeshed to provide positive displacement pumping.

Abstract: A two-stage pumping apparatus is disclosed which is particularly suited for moving highly viscous materials, and other materials which do not readily lend themselves to pumping. The apparatus includes a generally vertically oriented housing with an infeed opening defined generally at the upper end thereof for gravity infeed of material into the apparatus. A pair of cooperating, counter-rotating screw augers are provided within the housing for rotation together about respective parallel axes. By this arrangement, material moves axially of the augers generally downwardly through the pump housing to a discharge opening defined by the housing. Notably, each of the screw augers includes helical flights intermeshed with the flights of the other auger, with the flights configured to provide a two-stage pumping action, including a first, upstream non-positive displacement pumping, and a second, downstream positive displacement pumping.

Abstract: A process for wrapping articles and providing a reclosable plastic container is disclosed. A plastic sheet is conveyed in a feed direction and a stiff closure member is aligned with the plastic sheet substantially parallel to the feed direction. The article to be wrapped is fed into the plastic sheet and one side of the plastic sheet is folded over the article and alongside the closure member. The other side of the plastic sheet is folded alongside the closure member in the opposite direction so that portions of the plastic sheet alongside the closure member face each other. Portions of the platic sheet facing each other on opposite sides of the closure member are heat sealed so as to enclose the closure member within heat sealed portions of the plastic sheet. The overfolded plastic sheet is heat sealed and cut transversely to form the container.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a reclosable plastic bag formed of heat sealable material. A web of the material is fed to a main folding station. A continuous length of a closure strip, capable of being bent manually and retaining its bent shape, is provided. The closure strip overlies the web adjacent one longitudinal side thereof but inwardly a sufficient distance to permit a portion of the web to be folded over the closure strip. The overfolded web portion is heat sealed to the web to form a pocket receiving the closure strip. Thereafter, the web is folded longitudinally at the folding station and the folded product is conveyed to a heat sealing and cutting station.The resulting product comprises a reclosable plastic bag having a front wall, a back wall, a closed bottom and heat sealed side edges. The closure strip extends transverse the width of the bag substantially from one side of the bag to the other side.

Abstract: A flexible closure strip capable of being bent manually and retaining the bent shape is interposed between the front ply and the back ply of a thermoplastic bag. The front and back plies are heat sealed to each other to form a pocket in which the stiffener strip is located and a bag mouth is formed under the heat seal.

Abstract: The back wall of a plastic bag formed of heat sealable film-type material is folded over a stiffener strip and is sealed to itself. The stiffener strip is intermediate at least two plies formed from the overfolded back wall and a bag mouth portion is located intermediate the stiffener strip and the bottom of the bag.

Abstract: Heat sealing apparatus is provided in which a heat seal head defines longitudinal slots which underlie a wire heating element and communicate with a cooling fluid path to provide rapid cooling to the heating element. The longitudinal slots have a width that is narrower than the width of the wire to provide wall supports on opposite sides of the wire.