In a method and apparatus for producing a small pouch with a predetermined amount of particulate material therein, a predetermined amount of the particulate material is portioned from a bulk supply and compacted into a single discrete caplet. The caplet is then deposited into an open hollow pouch closed at one end thereof, and the open end is then closed with the caplet between the closed ends of the pouch. The caplet in the pouch is then compressed to return it to its particulate form. The particulate material may be granular or shredded tobacco.

A package including a stack of absorbent tissue paper material and a packaging, wherein, in the stack, the tissue material forms panels having a length, and a width perpendicular to the length, the panels being piled on top of each other to form a height extending between a first end surface and a second end surface of the stack; the absorbent tissue paper material including at least a dry crepe material, the stack, when in the package, having a selected packing density D0 of 0.25 to 0.65 kg/dm.sup.3, and exerting a force along the height of the stack towards the packaging, the packaging encircling the stack so as to maintain the stack in a compressed condition with the selected packing density D0.

A package including a stack of absorbent tissue paper material and a packaging, wherein, in the stack, the absorbent tissue paper material forms panels having a length, and a width perpendicular to the length, the panels being piled on top of each other to form a height extending between a first end surface and a second end surface of the stack; the absorbent tissue paper material including at least a structured tissue material, the stack, when in the package, having a selected packing density D0 of 0.20 to 0.65 kg/dm.sup.3, and exerting a force along the height of the stack towards the packaging, the packaging encircling the stack so as to maintain the stack in a compressed condition with the selected packing density D0.

In a method and apparatus for producing a small pouch with a predetermined amount of particulate material therein, a predetermined amount of the particulate material is portioned from a bulk supply and compacted into a single discrete caplet. The caplet is then deposited into an open hollow pouch closed at one end thereof, and the open end is then closed with the caplet between the closed ends of the pouch. The caplet in the pouch is then compressed to return it to its particulate form. The particulate material may be granular or shredded tobacco.

In a method and apparatus for producing a small pouch with a predetermined amount of particulate material therein, a predetermined amount of the particulate material is portioned from a bulk supply and compacted into a single discrete caplet. The caplet is then deposited into an open hollow pouch closed at one end thereof, and the open end is then closed with the caplet between the closed ends of the pouch. The caplet in the pouch is then compressed to return it to its particulate form. The particulate material may be granular or shredded tobacco.

A cushion includes a cushioning element and a coating provided on a surface of the cushioning element. The cushioning element comprises an elastomeric material forming a plurality of intersecting buckling walls defining a plurality of hollow columns in an expanded form. The elastomeric material comprises an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer. The coating comprising an olefin powder formulated to hinder adhesion of the elastomeric material when the cushioning element is in a compressed form such that the plurality of intersecting buckling walls is pressed together. The cushioning element is configured to be compressed by a roll-packing machine into the compressed form and subsequently released from the compressed form to transform to the expanded form. Methods of forming the cushion include forming the cushioning element comprising an elastomeric material, coating a surface of the cushioning element with olefin powder, and compressing the cushioning element into a compressed form.

Methods, devices and computer program products automatically package an object, such as, for example, whole muscle meat pieces, in a covering material, such as, for example, netting. The devices include a loading chute having a ceiling or door having at least a portion configured to open and close and a floor underlying and in cooperating alignment with the ceiling. The ceiling and floor are configured to cooperate to encase a product chamber with an axially extending open channel therebetween. At least one of the floor and ceiling reciprocates in a substantially vertical direction between a first loading position corresponding to when the ceiling is open and a second operative position corresponding to when the ceiling is closed.

Methods, systems, apparatus, devices and computer program products automatically package an object, such as, for example, whole muscle meat pieces, in a covering material, such as, for example, sheared casing and/or netting. The devices include an automated compression assembly with an electric drive motor and a pusher assembly with an electric motor, preferably each electric motor is a servo-motor. The systems/apparatus devices can include a programmably adjustable index and/or speed profile for the compression and/or pusher assembly.

Methods, devices and computer program products automatically package an object, such as, for example, whole muscle meat pieces, in a covering material, such as, for example, netting. The devices include a pusher assembly, an electric motor, preferably a servo motor with a gear box, that drives a linear drive assembly. The devices can include a programmably adjustable index and/or speed profile for the pusher assembly.

Disclosed is a compression conveying mechanism for bagged spring production. The mechanism comprises a machine frame (10), a spring conveying mechanism (20), and a spring compression conveying mechanism (30). The spring compression conveying mechanism (30) comprises two baffles (31) disposed on the machine frame and conveying belts (32) wound on the outsides of the baffles (31), The spring conveying mechanism (20) conveys a spring to a position so that the spring can be moved from the end where the distance between the two baffles (31) is larger to the other end where the distance between the two baffles (31) is small. And after the spring is compressed to a certain degree, the spring is disengaged from the spring conveying mechanism (20) and is conveyed by the spring compression conveying mechanism (30). By compression and conveying of a spring being integrated, the degree of automation is high.