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, 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, 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 tubular bag machine having a longitudinal sealing element having two transverse sealing jaws which are moveable against each other to transversely seal a film tube, having a mechanism which moves the transverse sealing jaws, a filling device for filling the unsealed tubular bags with a filling material, a separating element for separating individual filled tubular bags, a dosing device disposed upstream of the filling device, and a transfer element having several transfer containers between the filling device of the tubular bag machine and the dosing device. The filling material is transferred from the dosing device to the transfer containers, and the transfer containers are transported to a dispensing station along a transfer line, and the filling material is transferred to the filling device, and the transfer containers are transported back along a return transfer line.

A tubular bag machine having a longitudinal sealing element having two transverse sealing jaws which are moveable against each other to transversely seal a film tube, having a mechanism which moves the transverse sealing jaws, a filling device for filling the unsealed tubular bags with a filling material, a separating element for separating individual filled tubular bags, a dosing device disposed upstream of the filling device, and a transfer element having several transfer containers between the filling device of the tubular bag machine and the dosing device. The filling material is transferred from the dosing device to the transfer containers, and the transfer containers are transported to a dispensing station along a transfer line, and the filling material is transferred to the filling device, and the transfer containers are transported back along a return transfer line.

The disclosure relates to a metering apparatus for free-flowing material and to a method for operating such a metering apparatus. The metering apparatus has a metering duct having a closed cross section and further has a rotary drive (M). The metering duct is wound in the form of a screw with a vertical longitudinal axis. The free-flowing material is fed to the metering duct. The metering duct is set via the rotary drive (M) in an oscillating rotary motion about its longitudinal axis with individual rotary strokes, wherein, with each rotary stroke, a partial quantity of the free-flowing material falls out of a lower discharge opening of the metering duct.

A doser assembly includes a hopper assembly configured to receive filler material, a vibration transmission assembly coupled to the hopper assembly, and a paddle in a hopper opening that extends through the hopper assembly. The vibration transmission assembly includes a shaft that is configured to rotate around a central rotation axis, an eccentric that is fixed to the shaft and has a center that is radially offset from the central rotation axis, a connecting rod that is pivotably connected to the center of the eccentric, and a bracket that is pivotably connected to the connecting rod. A first end of the paddle is pivotably coupled to the hopper assembly at a paddle pivot joint. The paddle is fixed to the bracket of the vibration transmission assembly separately from the hopper assembly. The vibration transmission assembly is configured to cause the paddle to reciprocatingly pivot around the paddle pivot joint.

The present document presents a system and a method for packaging powders in containers (S) through a hopper (T) and a first tube (TC) connected to the hopper (T). Air is sucked both in the area of the first tube and in the area of the hopper. The powder is then drawn directly from inside the hopper thus keeping the flow rate and the degree of compacting of the system constant. Moreover, the powder sucked inside the first tube is thus compacted and can be conveyed compacted towards the outlet. In this way it is possible to control the dosing of the product exiting from the system with high precision.

The present document presents a system and a method for packaging powders in containers (S) through a hopper (T) and a first tube (TC) connected to the hopper (T). Air is sucked both in the area of the first tube and in the area of the hopper. The powder is then drawn directly from inside the hopper thus keeping the flow rate and the degree of compacting of the system constant. Moreover, the powder sucked inside the first tube is thus compacted and can be conveyed compacted towards the outlet. In this way it is possible to control the dosing of the product exiting from the system with high precision.

A twin-tube tubular bag machine having two longitudinal sealing elements for forming two parallel film tubes, two parallel transverse sealing jaws for forming sealed tubular bags, and two filling devices for filling the tubular bags. A dosing device is disposed upstream of each of the filling devices for dosing a prespecified filling quantity of the filling material to be filled into the tubular bags. A transfer element having several transfer containers is provided between the filling devices and the dosing device. The filling material is transferred from the dosing device to the transfer containers in an input station. The transfer containers are transported to a pairing of two dispensing stations along a transfer line, the filling material is transferred from the transport containers to the two filling devices, and the transfer containers are transported back to the input station along a return transfer line.

A twin-tube tubular bag machine having two longitudinal sealing elements for forming two parallel film tubes, two parallel transverse sealing jaws for forming sealed tubular bags, and two filling devices for filling the tubular bags. A dosing device is disposed upstream of each of the filling devices for dosing a prespecified filling quantity of the filling material to be filled into the tubular bags. A transfer element having several transfer containers is provided between the filling devices and the dosing device. The filling material is transferred from the dosing device to the transfer containers in an input station. The transfer containers are transported to a pairing of two dispensing stations along a transfer line, the filling material is transferred from the transport containers to the two filling devices, and the transfer containers are transported back to the input station along a return transfer line.