A table top appliance rapidly fills a pouch through some mechanical actuation or automation by inserting the pouch into the appliance and the machine fills the pouch. One embodiment of the food pouch filling station may be a mechanical version that includes a method to pump or push the contents of the container into the pouch. A second embodiment of the food pouch filling station may be an electric pump version that fills pouches and may have the option of controlling the amount of food dispensed. The food pouch filling station may also include a valve that connects to the pouch to control the flow to the pouch.

A table top appliance rapidly fills a pouch through some mechanical actuation or automation by inserting the pouch into the appliance and the machine fills the pouch. One embodiment of the food pouch filling station may be a mechanical version that includes a method to pump or push the contents of the container into the pouch. A second embodiment of the food pouch filling station may be an electric pump version that fills pouches and may have the option of controlling the amount of food dispensed. The food pouch filling station may also include a valve that connects to the pouch to control the flow to the pouch.

An air accelerator dosing tube for a form/fill/seal machine used to package fine cut tobacco material includes an axially-adjustable annular venturi communicating with the particulate material passage. A lining of polyether ether ketone optionally covers surfaces exposed to the particulate material. A metering assembly for delivering predetermined quantities of particulate material at predetermined time intervals may also be fabricated from polyether ether ketone. Each dosing tube is adapted for calibration by adjustment of the annular venturi to produce a predetermined force at a predetermined stand-off distance. In operation, consistent simultaneous operation of multiple dosing tubes, each of which has been calibrated, gives substantially uniform deposit of particulate material in pouch-type packages. The particulate material may include finely cut tobacco in addition to humectants, flavorants, and other tacky substances.

An air accelerator dosing tube for a form/fill/seal machine used to package fine cut tobacco material includes an axially-adjustable annular venturi communicating with the particulate material passage. A lining of polyether ether ketone optionally covers surfaces exposed to the particulate material. A metering assembly for delivering predetermined quantities of particulate material at predetermined time intervals may also be fabricated from polyether ether ketone. Each dosing tube is adapted for calibration by adjustment of the annular venturi to produce a predetermined force at a predetermined stand-off distance. In operation, consistent simultaneous operation of multiple dosing tubes, each of which has been calibrated, gives substantially uniform deposit of particulate material in pouch-type packages. The particulate material may include finely cut tobacco in addition to humectants, flavorants, and other tacky substances.

An apparatus for accurately dosing moist smokeless tobacco includes a dosing assembly and a dosing air source. The dosing assembly defines a loading chamber and a dosing chamber for containing a quantity of moist smokeless tobacco material. The dosing assembly also includes a discharge opening communicating with the dosing chamber. The dosing air source communicates with the dosing chamber and is operable to deliver compressed air to the dosing assembly so as to move moist smokeless tobacco material from the dosing chamber to the discharge opening. A method of pouching moist smokeless tobacco includes placing a predetermined quantity of moist smokeless tobacco in a dosing chamber having a predetermined volume, and ejecting the predetermined quantity of moist smokeless tobacco to pouching apparatus using compressed air.

An apparatus for accurately dosing moist smokeless tobacco includes a dosing assembly and a dosing air source. The dosing assembly defines a loading chamber and a dosing chamber for containing a quantity of moist smokeless tobacco material. The dosing assembly also includes a discharge opening communicating with the dosing chamber. The dosing air source communicates with the dosing chamber and is operable to deliver compressed air to the dosing assembly so as to move moist smokeless tobacco material from the dosing chamber to the discharge opening. A method of pouching moist smokeless tobacco includes placing a predetermined quantity of moist smokeless tobacco in a dosing chamber having a predetermined volume, and ejecting the predetermined quantity of moist smokeless tobacco to pouching apparatus using compressed air.

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.

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 air accelerator dosing tube for a form/fill/seal machine used to package fine cut tobacco material includes an axially-adjustable annular venturi communicating with the particulate material passage. A lining of polyether ether ketone optionally covers surfaces exposed to the particulate material. A metering assembly for delivering predetermined quanitites of particulate material at predetermined time intervals may also be fabricated from polyether ether ketone. Each dosing tube is adapted for calibration by adjustment of the annular venturi to produce a predetermined force at a predetermined stand-off distance. In operation, consistent simultaneous operation of multiple dosing tubes, each of which has been calibrated, gives substantially uniform deposit of particulate material in pouch-type packages. The particulate material may include finely cut tobacco in addition to humectants, flavorants, and other tacky substances.

An air accelerator dosing tube for a form/fill/seal machine used to package fine cut tobacco material includes an axially-adjustable annular venturi communicating with the particulate material passage. A lining of polyether ether ketone optionally covers surfaces exposed to the particulate material. A metering assembly for delivering predetermined quanitites of particulate material at predetermined time intervals may also be fabricated from polyether ether ketone. Each dosing tube is adapted for calibration by adjustment of the annular venturi to produce a predetermined force at a predetermined stand-off distance. In operation, consistent simultaneous operation of multiple dosing tubes, each of which has been calibrated, gives substantially uniform deposit of particulate material in pouch-type packages. The particulate material may include finely cut tobacco in addition to humectants, flavorants, and other tacky substances.