A filling nozzle provided with a filling cylinder, an air-injection cylinder, and an air-supply unit. The filling cylinder is configured such that an auger rotates about the axis thereof to discharge powder through an opening provided at the lower end of the filling cylinder. The air-injection cylinder is fitted to the exterior of the filling cylinder to form an annular space between the filling cylinder and the air-injection cylinder. The air-supply unit supplies air in the annular space. A tip portion of the air-injection cylinder extends downward below the opening and has an air-discharge mouth formed in a tapered shape such that the tip portion has a diameter smaller than that of the opening.

There is provided a lifting apparatus (16) comprising a lifting frame (16a) configured to be mechanically coupled to a packaging machine (12), and configured to couple with a feed device (14), wherein the lifting frame (16a) is configured to translate, M raise and lower the feed device (14) relative to the packaging machine (12), and a packaging system comprising a packaging machine (12) with said lifting apparatus (16) wherein said packaging machine (12) is configured to detachably couple to a feed device (14), wherein the mass of the packaging machine (12) acts to counterbalance at least a portion of the mass of the feed device (14) whilst the feed device (14) is being translated, raised or lowered relative to the packaging machine (12). There is further provided methods of operating said packaging system for installing to and removing from the packaging machine (12) the feed device (14).

There is provided a lifting apparatus (16) comprising a lifting frame (16a) configured to be mechanically coupled to a packaging machine (12), and configured to couple with a feed device (14), wherein the lifting frame (16a) is configured to translate, M raise and lower the feed device (14) relative to the packaging machine (12), and a packaging system comprising a packaging machine (12) with said lifting apparatus (16) wherein said packaging machine (12) is configured to detachably couple to a feed device (14), wherein the mass of the packaging machine (12) acts to counterbalance at least a portion of the mass of the feed device (14) whilst the feed device (14) is being translated, raised or lowered relative to the packaging machine (12). There is further provided methods of operating said packaging system for installing to and removing from the packaging machine (12) the feed device (14).

A cosmetic fiber dispenser and filler apparatus collects cosmetic fibers in a chamber and dispenses fiber into filling tubes by gathering the fiber with a conveyor auger. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a wire which is controlled to oscillate within the cosmetic fiber in the chamber to break up clumps as the conveyor auger directs the fiber out an outlet port where it may be dispensed directly into a cosmetics tube.

A cosmetic fiber dispenser and filler apparatus collects cosmetic fibers in a chamber and dispenses fiber into filling tubes by gathering the fiber with a conveyor auger. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a wire which is controlled to oscillate within the cosmetic fiber in the chamber to break up clumps as the conveyor auger directs the fiber out an outlet port where it may be dispensed directly into a cosmetics tube.

A hybrid filtration sock comprises a mesh tube filled with a blended filler comprising 60%-90% fibrous volumizing filler and 10%-40% woody organic filler. The fibrous volumizing filler 12 includes straw, grasses, pine straw, corn stalks, natural fibers and weeds and combinations thereof. The woody organic filler is ground or chipped wood based material from land clearing, yard waste, pallets and clean wood debris or clean wood scraps, comprising a PH of between 5.0 and 8.0, with a particle size wherein 99% passes a 2 in (50 mm) sieve and a maximum of 43% passes a in (9.5 mm) sieve, and <3.5% by dry weight of inert or foreign man made materials.

A system and a method for packaging compacted powders are provided, wherein the system comprises a first tube (TC), wherein a screw conveyor (C) is positioned inside the first tube (TC) which is configured so as to rotate around an axis (ac) inside the first tube (TC) in order to convey the powders towards an outlet (UT) of the first tube (TC); the system (100) comprises a rotatable terminal (TI, TIC) in the proximity of the output (UT); the rotatable terminal (TI, TIC) comprises in its inside cutting means (F) which are configured so as to cut the compacted powders leaving the first tube (TC) when the rotatable terminal (TI) rotates, wherein the rotatable terminal (TI, TIC) is positioned so as to contact the end of the first tube (TC) which defines the output (UT).

A system and a method for packaging compacted powders are provided, wherein the system comprises a first tube (TC), wherein a screw conveyor (C) is positioned inside the first tube (TC) which is configured so as to rotate around an axis (ac) inside the first tube (TC) in order to convey the powders towards an outlet (UT) of the first tube (TC); the system (100) comprises a rotatable terminal (TI, TIC) in the proximity of the output (UT); the rotatable terminal (TI, TIC) comprises in its inside cutting means (F) which are configured so as to cut the compacted powders leaving the first tube (TC) when the rotatable terminal (TI) rotates, wherein the rotatable terminal (TI, TIC) is positioned so as to contact the end of the first tube (TC) which defines the output (UT).

A filler assembly comprising a pouch preheat zone, a pouch sterilization zone, and a pouch flush zone. The preheat zone includes a preheat nozzle assembly having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet engageable with a pouch assembly, and a preheat vacuum nozzle assembly having an inlet engageable with a pouch assembly and an outlet attachable to a vacuum. The pouch sterilization zone includes a sterilization nozzle assembly having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet engageable with a pouch assembly, and, a sterilization vacuum nozzle assembly having an inlet engageable with a pouch assembly and an outlet attachable to a vacuum. The pouch flush zone includes a pouch flush nozzle assembly having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet engageable with a pouch assembly, and, a pouch flush vacuum nozzle assembly having an inlet engageable with a pouch assembly and an outlet attachable to a vacuum.

A filler assembly comprising a pouch preheat zone, a pouch sterilization zone, and a pouch flush zone. The preheat zone includes a preheat nozzle assembly having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet engageable with a pouch assembly, and a preheat vacuum nozzle assembly having an inlet engageable with a pouch assembly and an outlet attachable to a vacuum. The pouch sterilization zone includes a sterilization nozzle assembly having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet engageable with a pouch assembly, and, a sterilization vacuum nozzle assembly having an inlet engageable with a pouch assembly and an outlet attachable to a vacuum. The pouch flush zone includes a pouch flush nozzle assembly having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet engageable with a pouch assembly, and, a pouch flush vacuum nozzle assembly having an inlet engageable with a pouch assembly and an outlet attachable to a vacuum.