Abstract: An apparatus for bagging produce or other articles susceptible to damage upon impact. The apparatus includes a bag receiver and transfer assembly adapted to receive, hold upright, and gently transfer an open topped bag of articles, such as from an automatic bagger, to a bag closer and optional conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for bagging produce or other articles which minimizes the impact received by the articles as they are put into bags. The apparatus includes a bag support which may be positioned at a reduced angle to the horizontal to decrease the height of fall of the produce into the bag, but which also eliminates the problem of the formation of a single layer of the articles in the bag. The bag support may be used in conjunction with other produce bagging devices conventional in the art for automated or semi-automated bagging of produce or other articles.

Abstract: An apparatus for the mechanical bagging or packaging of produce or other articles susceptible to damage upon impact. The apparatus includes a tiltable support for temporarily holding a quantity of produce and having an end portion for discharging the produce or articles when tilted. A bag positioning assembly is provided to position a bag around the support such that the end portion of the support is nearly adjacent the closed end of the bag. When the support is tilted, the produce or articles will settle towards the closed end of the bag. Because the bag is positioned around the support, the impact and damage to the produce or articles is minimized.

Abstract: Means to control imbalance of an eccentric mass connected to a rotating shaft in a shaker housing wherein the eccentric mass is adjacent to but is not fixedly connected to the shaft, wherein a first end of the mass is connected to a mass moving means which can move one end of the mass to a plurality of different distances from the rotating shaft, and is able to hold that end of the mass at each of these distances during rotation; wherein a second end of the mass is restrained from centrifugal movement during rotation of the shaft.

Abstract: A novel flume hopper is employed in combination with a vacuum-operated hydraulic conveyor in a field or storage handling system for efficiently transferring produce to a holding tank without inflicting damage.