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 machine for filling bags with loose products extends along a longitudinal direction of advancing movement of the bags. The machine includes a station for feeding a bag to a pick-up position, and a plurality of filling stations for filling a respective bag, arranged in succession along the longitudinal direction, downstream of the pick-up position. The bags are picked up and transported from one station to another station. The pick-up position and filling stations are arranged at a predefined and equal distance from each other, corresponding to a step between adjacent stations in the longitudinal direction. The bags are transported by performing single translation movements in the longitudinal direction.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for vacuum packaging drilling fluid additives and is particularly effective for low bulk density material. Vacuum sealing technology is employed to decrease the volume of the additive, thereby enabling packaging of larger quantity of additive per bag, effective utilization of storage space and reduced transportation costs. The invention overcomes the drawback of conventional vacuum packing machines where the material being packaged drifts out of the packaging bag into the vacuum chamber on vacuum creation and further deposits on the sealable portion at the open end of the bag leading to ineffective sealing of the bag opening. The apparatus of the invention is modified to increase the headspace between the sealing element of the apparatus and drilling fluid additive being sealed, thereby eliminating the movement of the additive into the vacuuming chamber and deposit on the bag opening.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for vacuum packaging drilling fluid additives and is particularly effective for low bulk density material. Vacuum sealing technology is employed to decrease the volume of the additive, thereby enabling packaging of larger quantity of additive per bag, effective utilization of storage space and reduced transportation costs. The invention overcomes the drawback of conventional vacuum packing machines where the material being packaged drifts out of the packaging bag into the vacuum chamber on vacuum creation and further deposits on the sealable portion at the open end of the bag leading to ineffective sealing of the bag opening. The apparatus of the invention is modified to increase the headspace between the sealing element of the apparatus and drilling fluid additive being sealed, thereby eliminating the movement of the additive into the vacuuming chamber and deposit on the bag opening.

The technology described herein generally relates to an automated packaging apparatus and system that packages loose particles into a conical container as well as the final folded packages. More specifically, loose plant matter, such as crumbled dried leaves, are supplied to successive paper cones. The apparatus packs the crumbled leaves into the cones, closes the wide top portion of the cone into a precise shape, and then runs a quality control check to ensure that the final filled cone meets preset specifications.

The technology described herein generally relates to an automated packaging apparatus and system that packages loose particles into a conical container as well as the final folded packages. More specifically, loose plant matter, such as crumbled dried leaves, are supplied to successive paper cones. The apparatus packs the crumbled leaves into the cones, closes the wide top portion of the cone into a precise shape, and then runs a quality control check to ensure that the final filled cone meets preset specifications.

A compaction station and method with a compacting device for compacting open-mouth bags filled with bulk materials includes a container with a tubular inner wall and a takeup space for taking up a filled open-mouth bag, and a support unit on a height-displaceable lifting device, wherein when the lifting device is in a lowered position the support unit is supported from beneath and when in an elevated position, it is suitable to take over a filled open-mouth bag from an adjacent conveyor device. A pressure plug that can be lowered from above is included which, when in a lowered position acts on the bulk material from above, and in an elevated position allows takeover of a filled open-mouth bag from an adjacent conveyor device.

A compacting device and method is provided for compacting bulk material in an open package, the compacting device including a poker compactor accommodated on a carrier device. The poker compactor includes a gas-permeable outer wall connected with a suction duct. The poker compactor is suitable to be inserted into an open package for the poker compactor to come into contact with the bulk material to degas and compact the bulk material in the open package. The poker compactor has a longitudinal axis around which it is pivotally accommodated.

A compacting device and method is provided for compacting bulk material in an open package, the compacting device including a poker compactor accommodated on a carrier device. The poker compactor includes a gas-permeable outer wall connected with a suction duct. The poker compactor is suitable to be inserted into an open package for the poker compactor to come into contact with the bulk material to degas and compact the bulk material in the open package. The poker compactor has a longitudinal axis around which it is pivotally accommodated.

A method for filling a receptacle (7), which is at least partly gas-permeable with bulk filling material (2), includes subjecting the receptacle (7) at the outer side to an underpressure, in order to generate a feed of filling material through a filling material conduit (4) into the inside of the receptacle (7). The filling procedure is assisted by way of subjecting the filling material conduit (4) to pressure after completion of a first filling time.