Abstract: A device for feeding bagged refuse into furnaces for incineration purposes has a chute defining a charging path, and ripping and/or slitting instrumentalities along this path for opening up the bags so as to permit the refuse to leave the same during travel of the bags along the charging path towards the combustion chamber.

Abstract: Unwrapping bread by vertically compressing a wrapped loaf to produce excess wrapping material at the sides thereof, clamping the excess wrapper material and stretching the wrapper at the bottom of the loaf, separating the cut wrapper from the bread while retaining the excess wrapper material, and thereafter releasing the wrapper.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for opening barrels containing granular or powdered products and the like and for emptying said barrels of their content without polluting the environment; wherein the barrel is placed with the peripheral portions of one of its end walls in a fixed sealing contact with a supporting surface provided with a through-feed opening for dumping content of the barrel and that the said end wall is cut through by relative rotation of the supporting surface and a knife means acting from beneath via said through-feed opening along a circular, arcuate line subtending at most 360.degree. and causing the goods passing out through the broken end wall to fall down to a collecting point through a chute shielded from the surroundings.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for opening, emptying and disposing of 100 lb. paper, cloth or plastic bags of asbestos or other powdered or granular products by cutting longitudinally and transversely through one large bag face and perforating one or more remaining edges to produce a "U" or "H" shaped hinged flap through which the contents are emptied. Appropriately located and sequentially actuated cutters, heated to from about 800.degree. F. to about 1000.degree. F., utilize heat and pressure to quickly and cleanly cut each bag on a hinged and dropable table while bag is held by arrangement of spikes which form a gripping head. Gripping head moves to discharge the empty bag from the apparatus. Air spikes on gripping head ensure complete emptying of bag contents, which flow down a discharge chute below the hinged table.

Abstract: Apparatus for loading a single sheet of X-ray film into a cassette, from a plastic lighttight envelope containing a stack of such sheets, all in a daylight environment. A receiver for holding the envelope containing the sheets includes a clip at the top that holds one end of the envelope and a groove at the bottom into which the lower end of the envelope can be laid. A rod lies in the groove over the envelope, so that when the lower envelope end is cut, no light leaks in. However, when the receiver is placed on a dispenser, the rod can be withdrawn from outside the receiver to open the envelope and allow the stack of film to fall out into the dispenser which can feed one sheet at a time into the cassette.

Abstract: To a device for handling cut-open bags containing bulk material, by separating the bag material from the bulk material there is connected a screw conveyor having a hopper for receiving several bags of a pallet load and being arranged to supply the bags to the separating device at the same time tearing open the bags.

Abstract: Disposable packaging containing a granular product is fed into a trommel by a screw whose discharge end is rigid with a frustoconical member located inside the trommel. The smaller end of the frustoconical member faces the screw. Cutters for releasing the product from the packaging are located at the inlet of the trommel and cooperate with the frustoconical member. The trommel has rakes or spiral members for separating the packaging and the product from each other.

Abstract: Apparatus automatically opens and empties a bag of material, such as asbestos, while removing from the surrounding environment material released from said bag during the opening process.

Abstract: A film cassette opener in which a film take-up spool in the cassette is forced in its axial direction out of the cassette. The opener has two jaws clasping the sides of the cassette and an ejection bar reciprocally movable in an axial direction with respect to the cassette. One end of the bar thrusts against the film take-up spool to cause one end cover of the cassette to be thrust away forcing the take-up spool with film out of the cassette.

Abstract: A device for gripping and transferring a fabric material such as a canvas sack or the wrapper of a bale is disclosed comprising a carriage movable on a rail and on which is mounted a gripping assembly. The gripping assembly includes a disc having engagement tines disposed thereon which is driven by a low torque motor. The operations of lowering the discs for engagement of the fabric, engagement and transfer of the fabric are integrated for sequential action.

Abstract: Method and apparatus of recovering filler from a sanitary pad. The pad typically has a film backing and a cover sheet and filler therebetween. Such a pad is laid out flat and advanced through a cutter which opens up the cover to expose the filler. The filler is sucked from the pad for salvage and the film backing is discarded.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising a pair of endless conveyors arranged on an aligned line with a space therebetween, one of which runs intermittently and the other continuously; a lifter arranged between the conveyors to freely move up- and downwards; a gripper arranged above the lifter to freely close and open its claws; and a cutter arranged immediately below the gripper and attached freely swingable and integral to a cutter plate being freely movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction at which a cylindrical package is conveyed; wherein the front end of the package is brought and stopped above the lifter by means of the intermittently running conveyor; the front end of the package is a little lifted and pressed by the lifter against the claws of the gripper; the gripper closes its claws to grip the packaging material of the package at the upper side thereof and then to hang the package when the lifter returns to its original position; the tip of the cutter is horizontally thrust into the packaging material be

Abstract: A vacuum package containing a single dose of the material to be dispensed is held in a frame so that it can be cut open by a spring-loaded sliding blade. The blade is held off the package against the force of the spring by a timer, which is an arrangement of a metal shear pin in contact with another metal of lower electrode potential. Immersion of the timer in an electrolyte such as sea water initiates galvanic action which causes the shear pin to corrode to failure close to a predetermined time.