A plant (100) for producing food products, more particularly chocolate products; a module for a plant of this kind and a method for process changeover on the plant (100). The plant (100) includes a plurality of modules (10) in which the food products, preferably in product carriers (20), can be processed and/or transported. The modules (10) each have a module frame (11) with heights (12), widths (13) and lengths (14, 15, 16). The length is a multiple of a smallest module length (15). The plant preferably has modules (10) with a single smallest module length (15) and modules (10) with a length (16) of a twice the smallest module length. Preferably, the modules (10) are designed such that they can be connected or are connected to adjacent modules in the longitudinal direction, preferably on both sides.

A device and method for temporarily storing stacks of piece goods which are provided in a clocked manner at a transfer point integrated in the device or adjacent to the device of a system for producing food products, in particular chocolate products, comprising: one or more storage points, a delivery point, a transport apparatus for moving the stacks of piece goods in the direction of transport; and a manipulator by means of which the transfer point, the delivery point as well as the storage points arranged therebetween can be approached; wherein at least one piece of goods of a stack of piece goods, preferably a plurality of piece goods of a stack of piece goods, can be transferred at once to the delivery point by the manipulator; wherein the stacks of piece goods can be separated at the delivery point and fed to a downstream section of the system; and wherein the flow of stacks of piece goods provided at the transfer point can be decoupled from the downstream section of the system by successively occupying the storage points.

An insect sorting device, machine, and use thereof, which improves sorting efficacy by prompting the insects to cling onto the belt, comprising a belt conveyor (2) having an upper surface (5) and a lower surface (6) formed by the belt (3) of the conveyor (2). When the belt (3) is turned over to pass onto the lower surface (6) of the conveyor (2) all or some of the insects of a mixture remain attached to the belt (3) while the rest of the mixture falls by gravity. The upper surface (5) of the conveyor (2) being substantially flat and horizontal over a majority of its length between the first end (7) and the second end (8), it comprises an end portion (14), adjacent the second end (8), having a downward inclination, comprised between 20° and 90° relative to the rest of the upper surface (5) of the conveyor (2).

A conveying apparatus for food-processing industry articles includes a conveying device to convey articles in a transport direction with holding elements adapted for receiving the articles. At least one guide extends in the transport direction, and guides guide elements arranged thereon in the transport direction. One holding element is vertically adjustably arranged on each guide element. Controllable adjusting means are arranged on the conveying line for adjusting the vertical position of the holding elements relative to the respective guide element. The adjusting means controllably come into adjusting engagement with passing holding elements to adjust the holding element vertical position. Each holding elements is arranged on the respective guide element by a self-holding device configured such that the holding element is upwardly movable relative to the guide element against gravity and is downwardly releasably locked in a stop position. An assembly for processing articles and corresponding methods are also provided.

An alignment station and a method of operating the alignment station allows for rotation of slices such as slices of meat or cheese. The alignment station comprises a conveyor which comprises a plurality of closed loop elements, a first roll unit and a second roll unit. The slice is supported on a first loop section of the plurality of closed loop elements. To reduce problems that may occur during rotation of the slice, said slice is subjected to vibration in the first loop section.

The present disclosure is directed to devices for manipulating meat pieces and methods therefore. In one form, a device comprises a chute, a conveyor, a backstop, and a paddle wheel. The chute is configured to hold pieces of a food product, and the conveyor is configured to receive pieces of the food product released from the chute. The first backstop is positioned above the conveyor and comprises a plate that is configured to align pieces of food product received at the conveyor into a single row. The paddle wheel is positioned above the conveyor downstream from the first backstop and is configured to manipulate the single row of pieces of food product traveling along the conveyor and cause only a single layer of pieces of food product to discharge from the conveyor.

A conveying unit is designed and configured for automatically conveying fillet-like meat products, in particular fish fillets. The conveying unit has a first conveying element rotationally driven by a drive and a second conveying element rotationally driven by a drive, in transport direction of the meat products to be conveyed. The second conveying element is downstream of the first conveying element. The two conveying elements form a continuous transport path, along which different processing stations may be arranged. The first conveying element is a double belt with a gap running centrally and parallel to the transport direction, while the second conveying element is a segment chain which is triangular in cross-section. A method is also disclosed.

Meat processing equipment is disclosed that includes a first element having a first face; a second element having a second face. The first and second faces extend parallel to one another and define a common plane between the first and second faces. The first and second elements are relatively movable with respect to one another. Yieldable arresting features are included for yieldably arresting the first and second elements in at least one predetermined position of relative movement, the yieldable arresting features include cooperating first and second permanent magnets, associated with at least one of the first and second elements.

The present invention relates to a transportation system for transporting products in a transportation direction. The transportation system comprises a conveyor unit for transporting the products in the transportation direction from a first end of the conveyor unit towards a second end of the conveyor unit, and a drive unit for driving the conveyor unit. The drive unit comprises a drive means and a first magnetic clutch component for transmitting torque to the conveyor unit. The conveyor unit comprises a second magnetic clutch component for receiving torque from the drive unit. The transportation system further comprises supporting means which includes first and second supporting elements with the first supporting elements arranged at the drive unit and the second support elements arranged at the conveyor unit, for supporting the conveyor unit such that at least the first magnetic clutch component and the second magnetic clutch component are aligned to each other, and for supporting torque transmitted from the drive unit to the conveyor unit. The present invention further relates to a drive unit as well as a conveyor unit, both adapted for use in a transportation system.

An apparatus for vertical transfer of whole nuts from a first elevation to a second, lower elevation includes a run extending between an entrance and an exit, and having a plurality of alternatingly arranged conveying panels between the entrance and the exit. Each conveying panel is inclined at approximately 30 degrees to horizontal and has a variable effective conveying width. The apparatus further includes arcuate turn-arounds disposed between respective conveying panels to facilitate transferring the nuts from one conveying panel to the next lower conveying panel. The variable effective conveying width is selected based on a predetermined mass flow rate of nuts such that whole nuts move along the run in a continuous stream without tumbling, and wherein each nut is in contact with adjacent nuts in its respective layer.