Abstract: An apparatus for decurling food material, such as slices severed from a food material supply, while the slices are being moved toward a transfer member includes a constriction positioned in close proximity to the slicing station and in general alignment therewith. The constriction is defined by opposing upper and lower surfaces; the upper surface is a stationary surface while the lower surface is a moving surface. The lower moving surface utilizes a plurality of flexible bands rotating around at least one roller, which are disposed proximate to the food material supply. The flexible bands are driven around a guide member having an arcuate profile that matches the curvature movement that the food material supply takes. The bands which form the lower moving surface are driven at a speed equal to or greater than the speed at which the slicer operates.

Abstract: An apparatus for decurling food material, such as slices severed from a food material supply, while the slices are being moved toward a transfer member includes a constriction positioned in close proximity to the slicing station and in general alignment therewith. The constriction is defined by opposing upper and lower surfaces; the upper surface is a stationary surface while the lower surface is a moving surface. The lower moving surface utilizes a plurality of flexible bands rotating around at least one roller, which are disposed proximate to the food material supply. The flexible bands are driven around a guide member having an arcuate profile that matches the curvature movement that the food material supply takes. The bands which form the lower moving surface are driven at a speed equal to or greater than the speed at which the slicer operates.

Abstract: An improved method is disclosed for the fusing, joining or seaming of cellulosic materials. The method utilizes a hydroxide solution of selected organometallic compounds or metal oxides to rapidly crosslink opposing, overlapping cellulosic surfaces to provide secure seams. In particular, the invention is directed to the production, either on-line or off-line, of tubular cellulosic casings for the manufacture of sausages and sausage-like products. The seams according to this invention have such high shear strength that extremely narrow bond widths are possible. The narrowness of the bond site eliminates or minimizes striping or discoloration of the finished product.

Abstract: An improved method is described for the fusing, joining or seaming of cellulosic materials. The method utilizes a solution of selected organometallic compounds or metal oxides to rapidly crosslink opposing, overlapping cellulosic surfaces to provide secure seams. Enhanced seam strength is achieved by a subsequent moisture treatment. The tubular cellulosic casings are well-suited for the manufacture of sausages and sausage-like products. The seams according to this invention have exceptionally high shear strength and wet strength.

Abstract: An improved method is disclosed for the fusing, joining or seaming of cellulosic materials. The method utilizes a hydroxide solution of selected organometallic compounds or metal oxides to rapidly crosslink opposing, overlapping cellulosic surfaces to provide secure seams. In particular, the invention is directed to the production, either on-line or off-line, of tubular cellulosic casings for the manufacture of sausages and sausage-like products. The seams according to this invention have such high shear strength that extremely narrow bond widths are possible. The narrowness of the bond site eliminates or minimizes striping or discoloration of the finished product.

Abstract: An improved method is described for the fusing, joining or seaming of cellulosic materials. The method utilizes a solution of selected organometallic compounds or metal oxides to rapidly crosslink opposing, overlapping cellulosic surfaces to provide secure seams. Enhanced seam strength is achieved by a subsequent moisture treatment. The tubular cellulosic casings are well-suited for the manufacture of sausages and sausage-like products. The seams according to this invention have exceptionally high shear strength and wet strength.

Abstract: Charges of solid coolant granules are automatically inserted into a fresh animal carcass or a portion of an animal carcass by the use of an inserting tool. The granular solid coolant charge is contained within a chamber of the tool which also includes a flat spear blade. When the blade forms a slit in a selected muscle area, the granular solid coolant charge is positively, rapidly and consistently positioned within the pocket that had just been opened by the spear blade. The insertion tool and process are especially well-adapted for use in reducing the development of pale, soft and exudative meat, while accomplishing this in a manner that is rapid and minimizes variations from carcass to carcass.

Abstract: Charges of solid coolant are automatically inserted into a fresh animal carcass or a portion of an animal carcass by the use of an inserting tool. The solid coolant charge is contained within a compartment of the tool which also includes a flat spear blade. When the blade forms a slit in a selected muscle area, the solid coolant charge is positively, rapidly and consistently positioned within the pocket that had just been opened by the spear blade. The insertion tool and process are especially well-adapted for use in reducing the development of pale, soft and exudative meat, while accomplishing this in a manner that is rapid and minimizes variations from carcass to carcass.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring individual slices of food material from a food material supply source to a support member includes at least two rotating hollow drums disposed on and rotating around two associated stationary inner drums. The first rotating drum is disposed proximate to the food material supply, while the second rotating drum is disposed proximate to the support member and the first rotating drum. The stationary drums have hollow inner cores to which negative air pressure in the form of a vacuum is supplied which causes individual material slices to adhere to the outer shell of the first drum and transfer to the outer shell of the second drum.

Abstract: An apparatus for decurling food material, such as slices severed from a food material supply , while the slices are being moved toward a transfer member includes a constriction positioned in close proximity to the slicing station and in general alignment therewith. The constriction is defined by opposing upper and lower surfaces; the upper surface is a stationary surface while the lower surface is a moving surface. The lower moving surface utilizes a plurality of flexible bands rotating around two driven rollers, which are disposed proximate to the food material supply. The bands which form the lower moving surface are driven at a speed equal to or greater than the speed at which the slicer operates.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring individual slices of food material from a food material supply source to a support member includes at least two rotating hollow drums disposed on and rotating around two associated stationary inner drums. The first rotating drum is disposed proximate to the food material supply, while the second rotating drum is disposed proximate to the support member and the first rotating drum. The stationary drums have hollow inner cores to which negative air pressure in the form of a vacuum is supplied which causes individual material slices to adhere to the outer shell of the first drum and transfer to the outer shell of the second drum.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring individual slices of material which are sliced from a material supply to a support web includes a rotating hollow drum disposed on and rotating around a stationary inner drum. The rotating outer drum is disposed proximate to a slicing station and material supply. The rotating drum and the stationary drum have hollow inner cores to which negative and positive air pressure is alternately applied to cause individual material slices to alternately adhere to the outer shell of the drum and to leave the outer shell of the drum.

Abstract: A control system is provided for maintaining a constant predetermined transverse width in a continuous elastic or extensible web while the web is traveling longitudinally and while simultaneously transversely aligning the longitudinally moving web in register with a transversely extending work station which transversely extends across the web path at a preset location. The invention further provides contoured electrifier apparatus which is adapted for use in the polishing of three dimensional deep pile surface contoured fabrics and the like. In addition, the invention provides ways of adapting the control system for use with a plurality of transversely extending processing units, each one of which can have transversely varying process conditions such as required in a contour shearing device or contoured electrifier.

Abstract: Process technology is provided for making a synthetic fur piece from a sliver knit, high pile, differentially transversely knitted, longitudinally patterned, unstabilized starting fabric having a pile containing heat shrinkable fibers. The process involves stabilizing the starting fabric, contour shearing same, and then further processing the resulting sheared fabric under conditions which result in heat shrinking of the heat shrinkable pile fibers therein. The preferred product is a synthetic fur piece comprised of seemingly seamed together animal pelts. Various finishing operations typically and preferably are performable upon such a product to enhance fur-like properties and to simulate the appearance and qualities of specific desired animal furs, such as, for example, mink.

Abstract: A pile fabric knitting apparatus has controllable means, several representative embodiments of which are disclosed, separate from fiber supply means and responsive to dynamic control means, i.e., transducer, control tape, etc., functioning during operation of the apparatus, for regulating the quantity of pile fibers transferred to or retained by the reciprocating knitting needles from respective fiber zones provided by pile fiber feeding means to which the fibers are delivered by the supply means. Such controllable means may operate in addition to or alternatively to fiber supply control at the supply means. In a preferred form the needles comprise companion relatively slidably operative needle elements, one of which elements is adapted to transfer more fiber than the other of said elements, and the controllable means are operative to select the elements for picking up fiber in any of the respective fiber zones.

Abstract: A pile fabric knitting apparatus has controllable means, several representative embodiments of which are disclosed, separate from fiber supply means and responsive to dynamic control means, i.e., transducer, control tape, etc., functioning during operation of the apparatus, for regulating the quantity of pile fibers transferred or retained by the reciprocating knitting needles from respective fiber zones provided by pile fiber feeding means to which the fibers are delivered by the supply means. Such controllable means may operate in addition to or alternatively to fiber supply control at the supply means.

Abstract: In a deep pile fabric knitting machine which includes carding wheels from which fibers are transferred to rotary doffers and from which the fibers are selectively taken by knitting needles traveling with a rotary cylinder, but with at least some untaken fibers remaining on the doffers, remaining fibers are scavenged from the doffers, substantially uniformly dispersed and returned for recycling in the same carding paths from which the fibers were originally transferred to the doffers. Returned fibers may be applied directly to the perimeters of the carding wheels, or to sliver leading to the carding wheels. Scavenging may be effected by high speed scavenger rolls and return of the fibers effected pneumatically with mechanical dispersion. Loose fibers are blown from the knitting needles and recycled in the same system with the fibers scavenged from the doffers.

Abstract: Rotating baffle supported from below substantially closes opening at knitting level of tubular fabric produced by circular pile fabric knitting machine, and deflects air jet carrying stray fiber up toward exhaust intake above machine. Secondary rotating baffle at lower level further reduces movement of air with entrained fiber into tubular fabric, and carries stop motion ring. Rotation of the ring with the goods minimizes skewing at the tube slitting point.

Abstract: A pile fabric knitting apparatus has controllable means, several representative embodiments of which are disclosed, separate from fiber supply means and responsive to dynamic control means, i.e., transducer, control tape, etc., functioning during operation of the apparatus, for regulating the quantity of pile fibers transferred to the knitted fabric by the reciprocating knitting needles from respective fiber zones provided by pile fiber feeding means to which the fibers are delivered by the supply means. Such controllable means may operate in addition to or alternatively to fiber supply control at the supply means.