Abstract: A method of and an installation for packaging in a sterile medium employs a composite film constituted in a thermoplastic film in which containers are formed, and a covering film with their opposing faces sterile. These are separated at the entrance to a sterile enclosure in which the containers are formed and filled, in a sterile atmosphere, the thermoplastic film forming the lower wall of the enclosure. The full containers are covered with a strip from which lids are formed without the inside of the containers being able to be contaminated, and the covering strip and thermoplastic film are connected in an air-tight manner. The method and installation are particularly suitable for packaging perishable food products, in particular dairy products.

Abstract: A container handling and filling system for sequentially selecting, filling, and capping individual containers stored in a nested stack. The system includes first, second, and third sequentially arranged container handling sub-systems for moving individual containers through the handling and filling system, with the first sub-system including a container transfer drive in the form of an endless web having a container gripping member secured thereto, and arranged for reciprocal to-and-fro linear motion to initially transport individual containers from a nested stack to the second container handling sub-system. The second container handling sub-system includes a vertically reciprocable pad for intermittently raising individual containers to a filling station, and rotating the containers while in the elevated disposition.

Abstract: A liquid filling machine comprising a plurality of discrete stations that cooperatively provide for automatic filling and capping containers including a cup dispensing station, a liquid filling station, a foil supply station, a heat sealing station and discharge station operatively disposed about a rotatably mounted container support to sequentially feed containers from the cup dispensing station to the container support and incrementally advance the container support through each discrete station to fill, seal and discharge the filled container.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for filling and capping a quantity of stackable containers with a fluid from a fluid reservoir. The apparatus comprises a rotary table having a plurality of apertures disposed therein for receiving the containers. Containers from a container magazine are transferred individually and placed within the apertures in the rotary table. A filling head is disposed at a second position for filling the container with the fluid pumped from the fluid reservoir. The filling head comprises a unique pinch bar and flexible tubing combination to insure rapid termination of fluid flow from the filling head. A lid magazine is disposed at a third position with a rotatable arm placing a lid from the lid magazine upon the filled container. A heat sealer located at a fourth position heat seals the lid to the container. A discharge station is located at a fifth position for discharging the capped containers from the rotary table.

Abstract: An improved manifold for feeding plunger caps in an apparatus for filling caulking tubes with liquid compositions in the manifold plunger caps feed means comprising a central feed chute and six more or less chutes coming from said central feed chute imparting horizontal travel of caps and where said central feed chute and said six more or less chutes at the point where they meet are in a vertical plane and said chutes gradually slope from a vertical plane into a horizontal plane at the point where each of the chutes meet the cap receiver means which positions the plunger caps on the back of the filled caulking tubes wherein none of the chutes has a width that is as wide as two diameters of the plunger caps. Preferably, the central feed chute and the drop chutes where they meet the central feed chute are as wide as the 11/8 plunger cap diameter for the vertical drip and the chutes are as wide as 11/8 plunger cap diameter for the horizontal travel in the drop chutes.

Abstract: An aseptic packing machine comprising an enclosure defining a space swept through by a stream of sterile air and means for producing said stream of air. A station for producing containers, a filling station, a closing station and a transfer device cooperating with said stations are disposed inside the enclosure. The moving mechanical parts of said stations and said transfer device which are capable of being contaminating are located outside the part of said space which is maintained non-contaminating by said stream of sterile air.

Abstract: A machine for performing the various successive operations required for packaging a pasty material in individually wrapped portions, and more particularly melted cheese, in the form of portions, having a series of work positions equal in number to the number of operations. The work positions each have a plurality of identical working tools which are arranged transverse to the movement of the pasty material and the wrapping material. The work positions and their tools as a whole, constitute a plurality of parallel work-lines having successive stations all capable of simultaneous operation to provide sequential operation on pasty material and wrapping.

Abstract: A system for filling generally cylindrical barbell weight shells with a relatively viscous slurry of cementitious material comprises a roller conveyor which transports a plurality of carriers each supporting a plurality of barbell weight shells thereon through a plurality of stations. At a lubricating station, the exterior of the shells is coated with a light film of oil to facilitate subsequent cleaning thereof. At a filling station, a dispensing hopper having a plurality of downwardly projecting nozzles dispenses the cementitious slurry into the shells. Each of the carriers is positioned beneath the hopper, the shells thereon are aligned with the nozzles, and a lift table lifts the shells off of the roller conveyor into engagement with the nozzles. Vibrator and agitator devices induce the flow of the slurry from the hopper into the shells under the influence of gravity.

Abstract: This specification discloses a manually operated portion packaging apparatus including an operating handle initiating and actuating each step in a sequence of steps to complete packaging of a portion of a substance such as food. A hand operated handle advances a conveyor carrying containers, causes a film dispenser to dispense sufficient amount of heat sealable film, causes a heated platen to press on a container covered by the film, and actuates a food dispenser and container dispenser. Manually powering such a machine reduces the cost in comparison to electrical powering yet substantially increases efficiency in comparison to manual execution of each step in the portion packaging sequence.

Abstract: The disclosure embraces a method of and apparatus for producing or forming frozen confections or desserts of the comestible cone type in which cone assemblies, each comprising a comestible sugar cone enclosed within a protective paper cone-shaped shell, are processed through successive method steps in which a chocolate composition is atomized and delivered into each comestible cone forming an impervious chocolate coating as a moisture barrier, the comestible cone tamped into the protective shell, a comestible ingredient such as ice cream, ice milk, sherbet or the like delivered into each cone assembly and the confection or product subjected to reduced temperature to freeze, congeal or render solid the ice cream and other comestible constituents in the end product.

Abstract: The specification discloses an apparatus adapted to heat seal a lid of a series of like lids, interconnected by severable tabs, to an open container. The apparatus comprises a driven conveyor for conveying the containers and a lid heat-sealing and tab-severance station. The containers are momentarily stationed beneath the lid heat sealing and tab severance station to press and heat seal an aligned lid onto a supported container rim. The tab which interconnects the sealed lid to the supply of series of like interconnected lids, is severed prior to the conveyor advancing the next container to be sealed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for filling petri dishes include the features of situating a stack of empty petri dishes at a dish-drop station where the stack rests with the lowermost petri dish of the stack on a stationary support. A moving structure engages this lowermost petri dish and moves it beyond the stationary support to a filling station, and during this movement of this lowermost petri dish to the filling station a lower dish member of the petri dish drops down from an upper lid member thereof and remains spaced beneath the upper lid member while being supported by a movable support which carries the lower dish member to the filling station. At the filling station a nozzle of a pump becomes situated in the space between the upper lid member and the lower dish member of the petri dish and fills a given quantity of agar into the lower dish member, whereupon this latter member and the upper lid member spaced thereover are moved to an elevating station.

Abstract: A system for packaging articles within containers, each including a lower article receiving portion, wherein a plurality of container receivers are continuously rotated in an endless path and displaced radially of their axis of rotation to various work zones. Each of the receivers is provided with a loading tube and a ram for positioning an article within a container lower receiving portion, and dispensing means are provided for rotating and accurately positioning the container lower portion within the receiver, and for positioning an upper lid or cap portion with respect to the lower container portion.

Abstract: A machine is disclosed for filling capsules having first and second sections that are telescoped within each other and which define an enclosed volume in the assembled condition. At least one and preferably a plurality of capsule filling stations are provided in a rotatable table. Each capsule filling station includes a first portion that is rigidly fixed to the table within a bore formed therein. The first portion receives the capsule section having the smaller transverse dimension. A second portion of the capsule filling station is D-shaped and is positioned within the same bore as the first portion. The second portion is selectively rotatable and is arranged to receive the capsule section having the larger transverse dimension.

Abstract: A bottling machine wherein a nozzle holder having a plurality of charging nozzles is installed in rotatable and vertically movable fashion above a round table devised to hold a plurality of bottles on the periphery thereof and be capable of rotating intermittently, a member for elevating said nozzle holder and a member for biasing it to rotate opposite to the direction of rotation of said round table are provided, and said nozzle holder and round table are equipped with an engagement member so that they should be engaged with or disengaged from each other when the holder descends or ascends, whereby when the nozzle holder descends and rotates together with the table, the charging of the bottles is performed by means of the nozzles, and upon completion of the charging, the foregoing working member elevates the nozzle holder.

Abstract: An endless conveyor has equispaced sections provided with respective arrays of recesses designed to receive cup-shaped containers which are to be filled, covered by lids, sealed and date-stamped in respective stations past which the conveyor is intermittently advanced in steps equaling the width of a section. Each array consists of two parallel rows of recesses, transverse to the direction of conveyor motion, which are relatively staggered by half a pitch and have centerlines spaced apart by less than that pitch whereby the lids of containers seated in adjoining recesses overlap one another in both the longitudinal and the transverse direction. Each operating station coacts during each cycle with a leading and a trailing row of recesses, but not necessarily of the same array; thus, a dispensing station and a printing station consist each of two synchronized units respectively serving one row of an upstream section and a nonadjoining row of a downstream section.

Abstract: An automatic machine is provided for partially filling a cylindrical vial having one open end with a liquid, inserting a plug into the open end and fitting a cap onto the open end. The machine includes two turrets. Each of the turrets has a plurality of notches in the periphery thereof, the notches each being sized and shaped for receiving a respective one of the vials in an orientation with the open end of the vial directed upwardly. A filling station for partially filling the vials with a liquid is associated with the first turret. The vials automatically transfer from the first turret to the second turret. Respective stations for plugging and capping the vials are associated with the second turret.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling and closing containers, such as bottles. The apparatus includes a rotary filling machine for moving each bottle in a circular path of travel and filling the bottle with liquid. The bottles are crowned by a rotating crowner which is located adjacent the filling machine and the crowner moves each bottle in a circular path of travel and applies the crown to the filled bottle to close the bottle. An endless chain transfer conveyor having a plurality of pockets to receive the bottle serves to transfer the bottles from the filling machine to the crowner and from the crowner to a discharge conveyor. The chain is driven by a sprocket mounted on the crowner and the chain moves tangentially to the circular path of travel of the filling machine, so that the bottles are transferred from the filling machine to the pockets on the chain conveyor. After crowning, the bottles are transferred from the pockets in the chain to the discharge conveyor by a stripper member.

Abstract: Randomly oriented capsules are arranged so they are all in a definite direction by an efficient rotary system, rather than by an inefficient linear reciprocating system. In addition, an efficient rotary device takes the cap off each capsule, fills each capsule, and then caps each capsule all in an automatic manner. Various mechanisms of this invention are so constructed as to rotate synchronously with one another.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for packaging fluent material in individual containers, including a dispensing mechanism for locating individual containers in transverse rows on a moving conveyor belt, a filling pump assembly for simultaneously filling individual cups located in a series of such transverse rows with a predetermined amount of such fluent material during the movement of the conveyor, a covering assembly for applying strips of preformed covers to a plurality of filled individual containers simultaneously, and thereafter fluid-tightly sealing such covers to the containers, and a severing assembly including a series of rotating knives for severing the covers so applied to form individual filled and sealed containers.

Abstract: Apparatus for transporting containers to and from a working station comprises at least one intermittently rotatable transporting disc provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutouts, which preferably extend in radial direction from the periphery of the transporting disc into the latter, and having each a length to receive two containers, while providing a clearance space for moving the containers in radial direction away from each other. The apparatus includes further means for feeding the containers into the cutouts, means, spaced in circumferential direction of the transporting disc from the feeding means, to discharge the containers from the cutouts, a working station between the feeding and the discharging means, and guide means for moving the containers in each cutout, during their movement from the feeding means to the working station, to space the containers at a predetermined distance from each other necessary for an operation to be performed thereon at the working station.

Abstract: A packaging system which incorporates a bonding of a blister material and a backing material by means of a bond which is curable by ultraviolet radiation.

Abstract: An apparatus for the sterile filling of products into cup-shaped containers, which comprises an endless conveyor passing containers in sterile condition in succession through treatment stations including a filling station, a lid-applying station, a sealing station and an ejection station. A large sterile chamber formed beneath an applied covering hood and enclosing all said treatment stations is provided; and before the treatment stations, as seen in the direction of travel of said conveyor, and in above the conveyor there are of a finished-container magazine and a short-path, quick-acting sterilization station including a sterilizing-agent sprayer and sterilizing-agent drier is above the conveyor and enclosed by the covering hood.

Abstract: A berry packaging apparatus including a denesting subassembly, a produce or berry dispenser, a cover pick-up and applicator subassembly, and a conveyor for transporting a plurality of corner-slotted containers. The denesting subassembly employs a plurality of opposed, shaped fingers to separate the lowermost container of a stack and deposit same onto the conveyor. The containers are filled with produce at the dispenser. The cover pick-up and applicator picks up a flexible film wrapper or cover and wipes the cover down around the container periphery.

Abstract: Apparatus for filling and assembling single serving beverage cups in which single serving beverage concentrate containers as sequentially filled from at least two and in some cases three separate beverage concentrate supply means with predetermined exactly metered quantities of beverage concentrate, and are then sealed and in which the containers are then transferred from one conveyor to another and are inserted into single serving beverage cups, on the second conveyor, and pressed firmly into the bottom thereof to engage suitable retaining means located in the side walls of the cups.

Abstract: In successive aligned groups, flower pots are gravity filled with earth in slight excess, the top compacted and leveled and a conical hole drilled in each to receive a plant, each successive operation being simultaneously carried out for the several pots in each group.

Abstract: A conveyor for conveying capsules consisting of a case and a cap in machines for filling these capsules with granular or powder material which comprises a pair of endless toothed belts lying in two horizontal planes wound about idle pulleys, a plurality of blocks being supported at equal distances along the belts, each block of the upper belt being provided with a seat for housing the cap of one capsule, and each block of the lower belt being provided with a seat for housing the case of the same capsule.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for imparting dimensional stability to a succession of flexible walled containers during their processing to receive flowable material, the containers characterized by nominal manufacturing tolerances.

Abstract: An apparatus for high speed filling of containers with product such as ice cream and the like. The apparatus includes a turret driven by power means for moving containers from a feed station to a fill station for filling of the container and then to a capping station for placing a cap on the container and finally to a removal station. A lift is provided to move the containers toward and away from a dispensing nozzle which dispenses product into the containers. Pneumatic control means are provided to cooperate with the lift and a shut-off valve in the dispensing nozzle for independent adjustment of the timing of the operations thereof.

Abstract: A hard-gelatin capsule filling machine for filling two piece capsules is described wherein empty capsules from a random bulk supply thereof, in a hopper, are fed in succession from a feeding station to an uncapping station and then to a filling station and then to a re-capping station and then to an ejection station in a single continuously rotating phase of the machine. The fill for each capsule body is compressed into a soft slug in a die for subsequent insertion into the capsule body during its passage through the filling station.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for automatically dispensing cups to a continuously moving flight conveyor having openings for receiving the cups and carrying the same continuously forward through a cup-filling station, a cup capping station and a cup discharge station. A cup filling means travels forwardly while filling the cups and a heat sealer means heat seals caps to the cup rims while traveling forwardly with the cups. At the discharge station, the cups are automatically lifted and transferred from openings in the flight conveyor to a take-off means as the cups continuously travel forwardly. The apparatus is also capable of being modified to operate on an intermittent feed basis with the cups stopping at each of the respective stations.