Abstract: A press for packing loose compressible material, such as tobacco, into rectangular cases or cylindrical hogsheads. The press includes a charger for delivering the material into the container and a pressing ram movable through the charger to pack the material into the container. The bottom of the charger, which is receivable in the container, comprises a double-walled sleeve, the inner wall being perforated and the outer wall being imperforated. An air conducting channel is defined between the walls which communicates with a manifold at the top of the sleeve. This manifold is connected to a pump to draw air out of the sleeve, up the channel and into the manifold. Use of the sleeve creates a negative pressure in the sleeve so that atmospheric pressure, exerted on the top of the loose material in the charger, will reduce the height of the material in the charger and thus allows use of shorter chargers, rams and cycle times, as well as reducing dust.

Abstract: A method of producing a package of a product, which product does not include a significant amount of gas, comprising taking a shape-retaining container having a charging opening, charging the container with the product to a level which leaves a substantial headspace and, in any suitable order,(a) completely sealing the opening with a closure of stretchable material, and(b) deforming the closure inwardly onto the product to reduce the headspace and continuing the deformation, to move product adjacent the closure into the remaining headspace, until the headspace is eliminated by the continued movement of product and closure,the method being such as to form a package which is substantially gas free and substantially hydraulically solid.

Abstract: Method and means are provided for applying a compressing force to normally expanded products to compact the same and while the products are compressed they are held in this condition by retaining means that permit the compressing force to be removed and afford access to the compactly compressed products to enable them to be enclosed in a package.

Abstract: Deformable products (that is, resizable products) which are within preformed packages are resized by the application of mechanical forces so that the products substantially conform to the size and shape of the inside surface of the package. Such resizing is accomplished by an apparatus and method utilizing a pressure generating member to apply a preselected force to the product in cooperation with a restrained cavity concept, whereby the force applied is directed and restrained to resize the product to substantially the same size and shape as the inside surface of the package. Such apparatus and method may be useful before, during or after closing the package.

Abstract: A semi-automated apparatus and method for filling a basket with loose, fresh spinach and ice, compacting the spinach into the volume of the basket and retaining the spinach within the basket until a cover is secured thereon. The spinach and ice are gravity fed through a hopper and hollow, cylindrical guide, and a plunger is lowered through the guide to compress the spinach into an open basket directly below. The plunger face is grooved to accommodate a plurality of rods which are axially (longitudinally) advanced through the grooves and serve to hold the spinach in the basket as the plunger is retracted. The filled basket, with the retaining rods in place, is moved to a position laterally of the guide and a cover is secured in the usual manner by placing the wire basket handles over tabs extending from the circular cover. The rods are then axially retracted from between the spinach and basket cover.

Abstract: A fill belt (conveyor) carries boxes successively to a fill position where the magnetic articles (steel needles) are introduced into each box. They are fed from a vibrating bowl, controlled by a solenoid actuated gate. As the articles approach the box in a spout, they are demagnetized to facilitate flow thereof. As they are placed in the box they are magnetized in the box to align them in proper position. This magnetizing alignment is performed in a series of steps, and they are demagnetized after each step, including the final step when they are in their final condition for use. The quantity of articles in a box is sensed by a Hall generator sensor which utilizes the magnetic field in the articles for producing a control signal. While the articles are being deposited in the box, the spout is reciprocated along the path of the fill belt through the range of the box.

Abstract: A process for forming synthetic fibers into bales by multi-stage compression involves feeding the synthetic fibers to a plurality of depositing units wherein the fibers are precompressed into a retaining bin positioned at each of the depositing units to form a precompressed fiber parcel and then a plurality of the retaining bins are routed via guide means along a single continuous path to a central press unit wherein the parcels within the retaining bins are successively subjected to a finishing compression to form bales and, thereafter, the compacted bales are removed successively from the retaining bins and the empty retaining bins are, successively, returned along a single guide path back to individual guide paths leading to the depositing units.

Abstract: A refuse storage apparatus comprising a hopper having an opening, a frame mounted under the hopper cooperating with the opening to form a recess for receiving a pliable bag, and a sealer located adjacent the top of the recess for sealing at least an upper portion of the pliable bag.

Abstract: A machine for packaging chopped leafy vegetables in a flexible bag with the chopped leafy vegetables being reduced in volume by compressing the bag and the chopped leafy vegetables therein in a vertical direction and closing the open end of the bag thereby packaging leafy chopped vegetables in a manner that the package will occupy less volume than when the chopped leafy vegetables were in bulk form. In one embodiment of the invention, the bags with a predetermined quantity of chopped leafy vegetables therein are placed on a platform with the open upper end of the bag being received through a slot in a top plate structure after which the supporting platform is moved upwardly toward the top plate a predetermined distance to compress the bag and contents therein in a vertical direction with the upper end of the bag then being closed by a heat sealing assembly when the bag is constructed of plastic.

Abstract: A method of pressing and draining whey from cheese curd. In particular, this method is made suitable for producing large blocks of cheese. A container mold having an internal drain screen is filled with cheese curd particles. Pressure is then applied to the cheese curd draining whey into the drain screen and out of the container mold. The container mold is then inverted and the internal drain screen is removed and another application of pressure is used to close any remaining voids within the cheese curd. The container mold is then sealed and prepared for shipping.

Abstract: A cabinet has an upper portion which encloses a ram member movable vertically by a motor driven scissor-type actuator from an upper retracted position to a lower extended compacting position within a container positioned within the lower portion of the cabinet. The container is molded of a plastics material and is supported by a two-wheeled cart including pivotal arms which extend around an intermediate portion of the container and are locked together for restraining the container during compacting. When the container is tilted by the cart into a compacting position under the ram member, the container actuates a sealing frame which lowers and engages the upper rim of the container for confining within the upper portion of the cabinet any odors released by the material being compacted within the container.

Abstract: Plural refuse receivers on an indexable support are positioned in succession below the outlet of a refuse delivery chute. A refuse compacting member is held in a neutral position between two adjacent receivers while refuse is being delivered into each receiver from the chute. During the indexing of the support carrying the refuse receivers and while the support is at a dwell, the compacting member is driven downwardly to act on refuse in one receiver and is then elevated above the receivers prior to the next indexing, all by the operation of a simplified power-operated movement programming mechanism.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for packaging flexible duct material comprises positioning the duct material in a guide means, slidably moving a contact means into contact with the duct material to compress it into a carton, partially closing the end of the carton, and removing the contact means from the carton.

Abstract: A magnetic storage system receives electronic axial lead devices, particularly polarized devices such as diodes, that are advancing axially from a sorter. The storage system includes a chute assembly with an upper run that funnels the devices to a stop wall spaced from the lower end of the run. The stopped device forms an acute angle with a magnetic field extending horizontally across the chute assembly to produce a controlled rotation of the device to a horizontal orientation. The reoriented device falls through the spacing to a lower chute run that guides it in a lateral mode of advance to a bin cassette replaceably secured between a pair of magnet pole pieces. The pole pieces have a tapered thickness to develop a downwardly increasing magnetic flux density that promotes a high packing density of the devices in the cassette. A flapper valve is manually operable to block movement of the devices on the second chute assembly while a loaded cassette is being replaced with an empty cassette.

Abstract: A liquid impregnating system for impregnating, with a liquid, absorbent, compressible product maintained at least in part within the interior compartment of a tub or other container. The impregnating operation is carried out by compressing the product to increase the residence volume in the tub for the impregnating liquid, and directing the liquid into engagement with the product while it is maintained in its compressed condition. Most preferably, the product is a stack of absorbent sheets and the compressing operation is carried out by pressing downwardly on the uppermost sheet of the stack in localized areas intermediate end margins to cause end margins of at least some adjacent sheets in the stack to fan apart. This increases the accessibility of absorbent surface area within the stack to the impregnating liquid.

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 system for stacking flat articles into containers having essentially imperforate end walls with the flat articles disposed essentially normal to the bottoms; a stacking conveyor having cooperating pinch belts with an input end for receiving flat articles in a shingled stream, one of the pinch belts at the other end terminating before the other pinch belt to provide a delivery end, a conveyor for moving containers past the delivery end, the delivery end being oriented normal to the bottom of a container and terminating a short distance above the upper edge of the container, stack support structure extending into the associated container and terminating a short distance from the bottom thereof, means for generating a gap in the shingled stream that arrives at the delivery end at the completion of the filling of one container and ends when the next empty container is in position, a following roller disposed adjacent to the delivery end and urging the shingled stream thereagainst, a mechanism for lifting the st

Abstract: In a method for packing of powder formed goods in a container which is hermetically sealable under vacuum, a container blank is formed into an open topped container and a predetermined amount of powder formed product is deposited into the container. The product is slightly compacted by a piston which moves relatively slowly down into the container and presses the product at a relatively low pressure, the piston being then removed. In a second step, the product is compressed by a piston at a relatively high pressure so that the surface of the product is compressed to a level which is below the intended final level of the container. Thereafter the product is subjected to a relatively slight compression by means of a piston which, with a relatively low pressure, is pressed onto the surface of the product. In this third compression step, the relatively low pressure may be followed by a momentary thrust of the piston at a higher pressure.

Abstract: A method for use in packaging compressible material in flexible-walled containers. The method comprises loading the container in a holding means having rigid means for confining the container to a desired, filled shape and then moving the holding means in sequence past work stations where the container is filled with compressible material, the material is compressed, the filled container is closed and the closed, filled container is removed from the holding means.The invention also includes apparatus for carrying out the method.

Abstract: An apparatus and method according to which articles such as pickles are packed into open top containers such as jars and concurrently with operation of a compacting device filled with a desired liquid. By way of example while pickles are pressed into jars brine is filled into the jars, thereby avoiding the necessity of brining means separare from the pickle packing apparatus.