A weighing assembly supplies a predetermined amount of food product based on weight using a weighing machine having a plurality of weigh hoppers. A circular dispersion table having a dome shape distributes pieces of the product across the table by gravity to the weigh hoppers. A diverter chute is located above the dispersion table and includes multiple gates, with each gate configured to change a flow of the pieces of product over a portion of the dispersion table. The diverter chute further comprises an actuator for each gate for opening the gate as directed by a controller. Each actuator includes a piston and a lever arm connected to the piston and connected to a respective gate. An input conveyor drops pieces of food through the diversion chute to the dispersion table.

A system may include a first casing housing a first auger, wherein a longitudinal axis of the first auger is configured to be positioned substantially parallel to a floor of the grain bin, and a second casing housing a second auger, wherein a longitudinal axis of the second auger is configured to be positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first auger. A system may include a first gearbox operatively coupled to the first auger and the second auger, torsionally locking the first auger and the second auger to one another, wherein the first auger is configured to convey grain along the longitudinal axis of the first auger to the second auger, and wherein the second auger is configured to convey grain from the first auger to a top portion of the grain bin along the longitudinal axis of the second auger.

An emptying device of a storage container of granular material and the like is provided with an access opening. The emptying device includes a support body; a suction head of the granular material; two or more lifting groups associated with the support body and susceptible to grab and lift the access opening; moving elements of the lifting groups designed to move a first lifting group by a movement which is independent with respect to a second lifting group; a control device of the moving elements configured to automate the movements of the lifting groups according to predetermined sequences in order to move, independently from each other, different portions of the storage container and to channel the granular material towards the suction head.

An emptying device of a storage container of granular material and the like is provided with an access opening. The emptying device includes a support body; a suction head of the granular material; two or more lifting groups associated with the support body and susceptible to grab and lift the access opening; moving elements of the lifting groups designed to move a first lifting group by a movement which is independent with respect to a second lifting group; a control device of the moving elements configured to automate the movements of the lifting groups according to predetermined sequences in order to move, independently from each other, different portions of the storage container and to channel the granular material towards the suction head.

Apparatus and methods for conveying granular plastic resin from a supply to receivers that retain and dispense the resin when needed by process machine include a vacuum pump, an air flow limiter connected to the suction head of the vacuum pump, a first conduit connecting the receivers to the air flow limiter, and a second conduit connecting the resin supply to the receivers.

Apparatus and methods for conveying granular plastic resin from a supply to receivers that retain and dispense the resin when needed by process machine include a vacuum pump, an air flow limiter connected to the suction head of the vacuum pump, a first conduit connecting the receivers to the air flow limiter, and a second conduit connecting the resin supply to the receivers.

The application relates to an emptying device for emptying a container containing a product, including: a docking portion for docking to a rigid container to be emptied, in particular a drum, wherein in the docking portion a passage is formed by an adjustable sealing device, wherein the passage can be adjusted via the sealing device in such a way that an adapter piece being fixed to a flexible container enclosing the product, in particular a liner or a film bag, inside the rigid container, can be fastened within the passage in such a way that an enclosed inner space defined by the docking portion and the rigid container is sealed off from an external environment.

The application relates to an emptying device for emptying a container containing a product, including: a docking portion for docking to a rigid container to be emptied, in particular a drum, wherein in the docking portion a passage is formed by an adjustable sealing device, wherein the passage can be adjusted via the sealing device in such a way that an adapter piece being fixed to a flexible container enclosing the product, in particular a liner or a film bag, inside the rigid container, can be fastened within the passage in such a way that an enclosed inner space defined by the docking portion and the rigid container is sealed off from an external environment.

Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance). Embodiments may receive product items pre-packaged in tray format to expedite inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging.

Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance). Embodiments may receive product items pre-packaged in tray format to expedite inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging.