A bag-making and packaging machine has a film supply unit that supplies film to a bag-making and packaging unit. The film supply unit has holding mechanisms each having a shaft that holds a film roll, a holding mechanism support frame supporting the holding mechanisms, a moving mechanism that rotates the holding mechanism support frame to move each holding mechanism between a film roll setting position and a film supply position, a splicing mechanism splicing a trailing end portion of the film of the roll of one of the holding mechanisms and a leading end portion of the film of the roll of another one of the holding mechanisms, and a film drawing mechanism that rotates the shafts of the holding mechanisms to draw the film independently from the film rolls attached to the shafts of the holding mechanisms and changes the drawing speed of the film during bag-making and packaging.

A bag-making and packaging machine has a film supply unit that supplies film to a bag-making and packaging unit. The film supply unit has holding mechanisms each having a shaft that holds a film roll, a holding mechanism support frame supporting the holding mechanisms, a moving mechanism that rotates the holding mechanism support frame to move each holding mechanism between a film roll setting position and a film supply position, a splicing mechanism splicing a trailing end portion of the film of the roll of one of the holding mechanisms and a leading end portion of the film of the roll of another one of the holding mechanisms, and a film drawing mechanism that rotates the shafts of the holding mechanisms to draw the film independently from the film rolls attached to the shafts of the holding mechanisms and changes the drawing speed of the film during bag-making and packaging.

Methods for encasing bodies including smokeless tobacco or a tobacco substitute with a polymeric casing can include coating a compressed body with microfibers, applying tubular casings to compressed bodies, printing netting and webs on compressed bodies, injection molding around compressed bodies, applying a webbing to compressed bodies, placing compressed bodies into a skin forming bath, and including thermoplastic polymers in a compressed body.

Methods for encasing bodies including smokeless tobacco or a tobacco substitute with a polymeric casing can include coating a compressed body with microfibers, applying tubular casings to compressed bodies, printing netting and webs on compressed bodies, injection molding around compressed bodies, applying a webbing to compressed bodies, placing compressed bodies into a skin forming bath, and including thermoplastic polymers in a compressed body.

A razor blade holder assembly having a body, a movable jaw and an adjustment member. The body has a fixed jaw with a support face and an adjustor channel. The movable jaw assembly has a plate member and a releasable securement subassembly. The plate member is over the adjustor channel and the support face. The releasable securement subassembly couples the plate member to the body and applies a biasing force against the plate member toward the support face. The adjustment member has an elongated rod member rotatably within the adjustor channel, a forcing surface is selectively rotatable into the plate member to direct the plate member away from the support face. In a clamped configuration, the plate member clamps a razor blade. In an open configuration, the forcing surface of the elongated rod member overcomes the biasing member to separate the plate member from the support face.

A razor blade holder assembly having a body, a movable jaw and an adjustment member. The body has a fixed jaw with a support face and an adjustor channel. The movable jaw assembly has a plate member and a releasable securement subassembly. The plate member is over the adjustor channel and the support face. The releasable securement subassembly couples the plate member to the body and applies a biasing force against the plate member toward the support face. The adjustment member has an elongated rod member rotatably within the adjustor channel, a forcing surface is selectively rotatable into the plate member to direct the plate member away from the support face. In a clamped configuration, the plate member clamps a razor blade. In an open configuration, the forcing surface of the elongated rod member overcomes the biasing member to separate the plate member from the support face.

An apparatus and process for packaging a product, such as a waste product, in a sealed tubular plastic container involves providing a source of a sheet of a plastic film and moving a portion of the film away from the source and about an open-ended, vertically-extending tubular pipe. The film is then moved toward an open top end of the pipe to form a second portion of the film into a tubular form around the pipe with the second widthwise end portions overlapping each other. The overlapping portions are sealed and the tubular form of the film is moved into an open top end of the pipe, so that the interior of the tube, formed by the film is open at the top of the pipe to receive the product. The product may then be transported downwardly through the tube, which is then sealed above and below the encapsulated product.

A system for packaging a product into separate bags, including a station for providing a partly closed bag and adding a quantity of the product into the partly closed bag, a closing station for closing the partly closed bag with the quantity of the product therein, a separating station for separating the closed bag from the sheet-shaped material, and an analyzing station for analyzing the closed bag, where the analyzing station is positioned between the closing station and the separating station and where the closed bag hangs from another bag when analyzed.

An apparatus for processing food products comprises a product conveyor having a frame and a conveyor unit for conveying products along a conveying direction, wherein the conveyor unit is arranged laterally projecting at the frame with respect to the conveying direction and comprises a work unit which is associated with the processing of the conveyed products and which is arranged at least partly beneath the projecting conveyor unit of the product conveyor.

Provision is made that the frame of the product conveyor is supported or held at the work unit via a mechanical connection or extends into a free space defined by the work unit.

An apparatus for processing food products comprises a product conveyor having a frame and a conveyor unit for conveying products along a conveying direction, wherein the conveyor unit is arranged laterally projecting at the frame with respect to the conveying direction and comprises a work unit which is associated with the processing of the conveyed products and which is arranged at least partly beneath the projecting conveyor unit of the product conveyor.

Provision is made that the frame of the product conveyor is supported or held at the work unit via a mechanical connection or extends into a free space defined by the work unit.