A pellet column is formed in a metering duct. The lowermost pellet is located in a connection point where an outlet duct is connected to the metering duct and leads transversely away therefrom. A first duct, which opens into the metering duct via a first duct mouth above the connection point, is impinged with negative pressure, wherein a pellet is suctioned onto the first duct mouth and is fixed thereto. This pellet acts as a block for the pellets thereabove. A second duct, which opens into the connection point via a second duct mouth, is impinged with positive pressure, wherein the pellet at the connection point is pneumatically ejected via the outlet duct and supplied to a container. After the ejection of the lowermost pellet, the negative pressure in the first duct is switched off such that the pellet held at the first duct mouth advances toward the connection point.

An apparatus configured to provide portioned instances of a compressible material includes a channel assembly, a gas source, a cutting assembly, and a discharge assembly. The channel assembly holds a bulk instance of the material extending through upper and lower channels of a continuous channel. The gas source supplies gas to compress the bulk instance. The cutting assembly moves in relation to the channel assembly to isolate the upper and lower channels, severing upper and lower material portions of the bulk instance. The discharge assembly directs gas to impinge on a lower face of the cutting assembly to discharge the lower material portion as a portioned instance. The channel assembly may be moveable, where operation of the gas source, cutting assembly, and/or discharge assembly are based on moving the channel assembly between various positions. The gas supply may be controlled based on a determined property of the portioned instance.

A vertical packaging machine that includes a hopper with a hopper inlet mouth and at least one hopper outlet mouth, a tube arranged downstream of the hopper with a tube inlet mouth and a tube outlet mouth. A supply conduit is formed by at least the hopper and the tube. Acceleration means is provided and configured for injecting a gaseous fluid into the supply conduit through two injection ports arranged in the supply conduit at different heights with respect to the tube outlet mouth and for causing, with said injection, part of the air present in said supply conduit above the corresponding injection port to follow the injected flow.

A vertical packaging machine that includes a hopper with a hopper inlet mouth and at least one hopper outlet mouth, a tube arranged downstream of the hopper with a tube inlet mouth and a tube outlet mouth. A supply conduit is formed by at least the hopper and the tube. Acceleration means is provided and configured for injecting a gaseous fluid into the supply conduit through two injection ports arranged in the supply conduit at different heights with respect to the tube outlet mouth and for causing, with said injection, part of the air present in said supply conduit above the corresponding injection port to follow the injected flow.

Device for discharging loose products includes a conveyor body attachable with its first end to a treatment machine for the loose products. The conveyor body, in correspondence to its second end, comprises a wall in which a collection aperture is made, selectively openable/closable by means of an opening/closing member to allow the discharge of said loose products. The discharge device for loose products further includes a pneumatic deliverer located in the conveyor body and configured to deliver a stream of gas at least toward the wall and determine the discharge, through the collection aperture, at least of the loose products that are deposited on the wall.

Device for discharging loose products includes a conveyor body attachable with its first end to a treatment machine for the loose products. The conveyor body, in correspondence to its second end, comprises a wall in which a collection aperture is made, selectively openable/closable by means of an opening/closing member to allow the discharge of said loose products. The discharge device for loose products further includes a pneumatic deliverer located in the conveyor body and configured to deliver a stream of gas at least toward the wall and determine the discharge, through the collection aperture, at least of the loose products that are deposited on the wall.

According to one embodiment a packaging method is provided in which a film is fed to a vertical forming tube, whereby the film is formed into a tubular shape, the ends of the tubular-shaped film are longitudinally sealed to one another by applying pressure on said ends, the product to be packaged is introduced into the forming tube and the film formed downstream of the forming tube is transversely sealed and cut. Furthermore, in the method, the ends of the film are pressed to one another with a force that keeps both ends static, the drop of the product upstream of the transverse seal is stopped or limited, and by maintaining said pressure and said stop or limitation, an airflow is generated inside the forming tube.

According to one embodiment a packaging method is provided in which a film is fed to a vertical forming tube, whereby the film is formed into a tubular shape, the ends of the tubular-shaped film are longitudinally sealed to one another by applying pressure on said ends, the product to be packaged is introduced into the forming tube and the film formed downstream of the forming tube is transversely sealed and cut. Furthermore, in the method, the ends of the film are pressed to one another with a force that keeps both ends static, the drop of the product upstream of the transverse seal is stopped or limited, and by maintaining said pressure and said stop or limitation, an airflow is generated inside the forming tube.

A filling station for heat-not-burn (HNB) aerosol-generating capsules may include a filling receptacle, a plurality of carriages, and at least one vacuum source. The filling receptacle defines a first series of vacuum ports. The filling receptacle is configured to receive an aerosol-forming substrate. The plurality of carriages are arranged underneath the filling receptacle. Each of the plurality of carriages define a second series of vacuum ports and, optionally, a third series of vacuum ports. Each of the plurality of carriages are configured to receive and hold capsule casings for filling with the aerosol-forming substrate. The at least one vacuum source is configured to draw a vacuum through the capsule casings such that the aerosol-forming substrate is drawn through the first series of vacuum ports in the filling receptacle and into the capsule casings underneath.

A filling station for heat-not-burn (HNB) aerosol-generating capsules may include a filling receptacle, a plurality of carriages, and at least one vacuum source. The filling receptacle defines a first series of vacuum ports. The filling receptacle is configured to receive an aerosol-forming substrate. The plurality of carriages are arranged underneath the filling receptacle. Each of the plurality of carriages define a second series of vacuum ports and, optionally, a third series of vacuum ports. Each of the plurality of carriages are configured to receive and hold capsule casings for filling with the aerosol-forming substrate. The at least one vacuum source is configured to draw a vacuum through the capsule casings such that the aerosol-forming substrate is drawn through the first series of vacuum ports in the filling receptacle and into the capsule casings underneath.