A poultry chiller includes a tank and an auger rotatably held in the tank. The auger includes a first auger section and a second auger section. The first auger section includes a first auger shaft and a first auger flight. The first auger flight includes a first helical portion on the first auger shaft and a first flight extension that extends away from the first helical portion. The second auger section includes a second auger shaft coupled to the first auger shaft and a second auger flight. The second auger flight includes a second helical portion on the second auger shaft and a second flight extension that extends away from the second helical portion. The chiller includes a hanger bearing assembly between the first and second auger sections and extending to an upper portion of the tank.

A poultry chiller includes a tank and an auger rotatably held in the tank. The auger includes a first auger section and a second auger section. The first auger section includes a first auger shaft and a first auger flight. The first auger flight includes a first helical portion on the first auger shaft and a first flight extension that extends away from the first helical portion. The second auger section includes a second auger shaft coupled to the first auger shaft and a second auger flight. The second auger flight includes a second helical portion on the second auger shaft and a second flight extension that extends away from the second helical portion. The chiller includes a hanger bearing assembly between the first and second auger sections and extending to an upper portion of the tank.

A container supplying apparatus includes a supply conveyer conveying containers and a screw engaging with the containers on the supply conveyer and conveying the containers to a downstream side. The screw is divided into an upstream screw and a downstream screw rotationally driven by different servomotors. In a case where no container is supplied to a specific bottle table of a weighing and filling apparatus, the upstream screw is decelerated and is then accelerated relative to the downstream screw. As a result, an interval of the successive containers is expanded, and a large interval is maintained therebetween. This supplies no container to the specific bottle table of the weighing and filling apparatus.

A container supplying apparatus includes a supply conveyer conveying containers and a screw engaging with the containers on the supply conveyer and conveying the containers to a downstream side. The screw is divided into an upstream screw and a downstream screw rotationally driven by different servomotors. In a case where no container is supplied to a specific bottle table of a weighing and filling apparatus, the upstream screw is decelerated and is then accelerated relative to the downstream screw. As a result, an interval of the successive containers is expanded, and a large interval is maintained therebetween. This supplies no container to the specific bottle table of the weighing and filling apparatus.

A spiral conveyor having a novel structure that is adapted to handle any chip while having a simple structure and is capable of achieving low vibration and low noise is provided. A tray for a spiral conveyor is configured from an outer tray, an inner tray which is placed over the inside of the outer tray, and a vibration damping material which is interposed between the outer tray and the inner tray. The tray has a fixing means for detachably fixing the inner tray and the vibration damping material to the outer tray on the outside of a conveyance spiral casing. The vibration damping material may be a single vibration damping material which is continuous over substantially all of the area between the outer tray and the inner tray, or may alternatively be arranged so as to be separated into a lower vibration damping material that is provided in a noise generation area with which a conveyance spiral is brought into contact and upper vibration damping materials that are provided in a noise propagation area including the fixed portion.

A spiral conveyor having a novel structure that is adapted to handle any chip while having a simple structure and is capable of achieving low vibration and low noise is provided. A tray for a spiral conveyor is configured from an outer tray, an inner tray which is placed over the inside of the outer tray, and a vibration damping material which is interposed between the outer tray and the inner tray. The tray has a fixing means for detachably fixing the inner tray and the vibration damping material to the outer tray on the outside of a conveyance spiral casing. The vibration damping material may be a single vibration damping material which is continuous over substantially all of the area between the outer tray and the inner tray, or may alternatively be arranged so as to be separated into a lower vibration damping material that is provided in a noise generation area with which a conveyance spiral is brought into contact and upper vibration damping materials that are provided in a noise propagation area including the fixed portion.

A spacing drum comprising: a segment receiving drum section capable of receiving a predetermined number of segments per revolution of the drum from a procession of segments approaching the segment receiving drum section at a segment-feed spacing and a segment-feed speed; a segment releasing drum section capable of releasing the predetermined number of segments at a segment-release spacing and a segment-release speed; and a radial profile flight comprising a continuous arc segment extending across at least portions of the segment receiving drum section and the segment releasing drum section. Associated methods are also provided, including method of changing pitch along a spacing drum progressively with a radial profile flight.

A spacing drum comprising: a segment receiving drum section capable of receiving a predetermined number of segments per revolution of the drum from a procession of segments approaching the segment receiving drum section at a segment-feed spacing and a segment-feed speed; a segment releasing drum section capable of releasing the predetermined number of segments at a segment-release spacing and a segment-release speed; and a radial profile flight comprising a continuous arc segment extending across at least portions of the segment receiving drum section and the segment releasing drum section. Associated methods are also provided, including method of changing pitch along a spacing drum progressively with a radial profile flight.

An apparatus for turning elongate objects conveyed into a discharge orientation. The apparatus includes a feed device and a turning worm screw. The turning worm screw comprises at least one worm channel open radially outwards and is delimited by a feed side delimiting wall, discharge side delimiting wall, and a radially inner circumferential wall. Both the feed side delimiting wall and the discharge side delimiting wall have a screw pitch which reduces from a feed end to a discharge end of the turning worm screw. A feed path of the feed device approaches a feed portion of the turning worm screw to the side. The feed portion adjoins the feed end of the turning worm screw. The apparatus includes a discharge device assigned to the discharge end of the turning worm screw.

An apparatus for turning elongate objects conveyed into a discharge orientation. The apparatus includes a feed device and a turning worm screw. The turning worm screw comprises at least one worm channel open radially outwards and is delimited by a feed side delimiting wall, discharge side delimiting wall, and a radially inner circumferential wall. Both the feed side delimiting wall and the discharge side delimiting wall have a screw pitch which reduces from a feed end to a discharge end of the turning worm screw. A feed path of the feed device approaches a feed portion of the turning worm screw to the side. The feed portion adjoins the feed end of the turning worm screw. The apparatus includes a discharge device assigned to the discharge end of the turning worm screw.