A slotted conveyor floor 16 in milling tandem, slots 34 extend across the direction of liquid flow shown by arrow 35 which is against the flow of fibre. The slots are cut through the material of floor 16 on the vertical as depicted by centre-line 35 taken relative to the inclination of floor 16. Thus the centre-line corresponds to gravity feed for the liquid. Rather than being directly across the floor 16, the slots are inclined in the direction of flow. The fibre is in the opposite flow relation to the liquid, in this example, the slots are across the line of the fibre and are about 6 mm wide and 180 mm long with about 60 mm spacing. Adjacent lines of slots are set interdigital in the direction of travel. This arrangement minimises fibre being trapped in the slots as the fibre is being carried by the rakes up the floor.

A slotted conveyor floor 16 in milling tandem, slots 34 extend across the direction of liquid flow shown by arrow 35 which is against the flow of fibre. The slots are cut through the material of floor 16 on the vertical as depicted by centre-line 35 taken relative to the inclination of floor 16. Thus the centre-line corresponds to gravity feed for the liquid. Rather than being directly across the floor 16, the slots are inclined in the direction of flow. The fibre is in the opposite flow relation to the liquid, in this example, the slots are across the line of the fibre and are about 6 mm wide and 180 mm long with about 60 mm spacing. Adjacent lines of slots are set interdigital in the direction of travel. This arrangement minimises fibre being trapped in the slots as the fibre is being carried by the rakes up the floor.

A method of enrobing a product portion in polymer strands includes mounting at least one product portion on a holding device and passing the at least one product portion through a polymer enrobing zone. The polymer enrobing zone can include a flow of polymeric fibers produced by a polymer spray head. The polymer fibers can wraparound the at least one product portion to produce an enrobed product portion. The holding device can hold the at least one product portion by passing at least partially through the body of the product portion. At least a portion of the holding device is removed from the enrobed product portion. In some cases, the at least one product portion includes smokeless tobacco.

A method of enrobing a product portion in polymer strands includes mounting at least one product portion on a holding device and passing the at least one product portion through a polymer enrobing zone. The polymer enrobing zone can include a flow of polymeric fibers produced by a polymer spray head. The polymer fibers can wraparound the at least one product portion to produce an enrobed product portion. The holding device can hold the at least one product portion by passing at least partially through the body of the product portion. At least a portion of the holding device is removed from the enrobed product portion. In some cases, the at least one product portion includes smokeless tobacco.

A method of enrobing a product portion in polymer strands includes mounting at least one product portion on a holding device and passing the at least one product portion through a polymer enrobing zone. The polymer enrobing zone can include a flow of polymeric fibers produced by a polymer spray head. The polymer fibers can wraparound the at least one product portion to produce an enrobed product portion. The holding device can hold the at least one product portion by passing at least partially through the body of the product portion. At least a portion of the holding device is removed from the enrobed product portion. In some cases, the at least one product portion includes smokeless tobacco.

A method of enrobing a product portion in polymer strands includes mounting at least one product portion on a holding device and passing the at least one product portion through a polymer enrobing zone. The polymer enrobing zone can include a flow of polymeric fibers produced by a polymer spray head. The polymer fibers can wraparound the at least one product portion to produce an enrobed product portion. The holding device can hold the at least one product portion by passing at least partially through the body of the product portion. At least a portion of the holding device is removed from the enrobed product portion. In some cases, the at least one product portion includes smokeless tobacco.

A conveyor device is provided for conveying food products in stacks or interleaved units made of a plurality of slices of cheese or meat products. The conveyor device formats the food products in a specific product format on a plurality of parallel conveyor tracks, and fills a product gap on one of the plurality of parallel conveyor tracks incoming on the input side with a food product so that on the output side all parallel conveyor tracks are supplied with the food products. At least one product sensor is configured to detect a supply of food product on each conveyor track incoming on the input side.

A conveyor device is provided for conveying food products in stacks or interleaved units made of a plurality of slices of cheese or meat products. The conveyor device formats the food products in a specific product format on a plurality of parallel conveyor tracks, and fills a product gap on one of the plurality of parallel conveyor tracks incoming on the input side with a food product so that on the output side all parallel conveyor tracks are supplied with the food products. At least one product sensor is configured to detect a supply of food product on each conveyor track incoming on the input side.

A control system for an automated singulation system is provided. The control system detects a presence of a first item on a first conveyor and detects a presence of a second item on a second conveyor while the first item is present on the first conveyor. The second conveyor transfers items onto the first conveyor and is at a lower height than the second conveyor. The first conveyor is oriented perpendicularly with respect to the second conveyor. In response to detecting the presence of the second item, a location of the first item along a length of the first conveyor is determined. The first conveyor and the second conveyor are controlled based at least on the location of the first item.

A control system for an automated singulation system is provided. The control system detects a presence of a first item on a first conveyor and detects a presence of a second item on a second conveyor while the first item is present on the first conveyor. The second conveyor transfers items onto the first conveyor and is at a lower height than the second conveyor. The first conveyor is oriented perpendicularly with respect to the second conveyor. In response to detecting the presence of the second item, a location of the first item along a length of the first conveyor is determined. The first conveyor and the second conveyor are controlled based at least on the location of the first item.