The row-grouping device for moving rows of products relative to a stationary or moving base consists of two guide tracks of a linear transport system, said guide tracks circulating on both sides of the base and having individually driven drivers. In each case two successive drivers are connected to one another in pairs by a joint rod, and in each case two pairs of drivers positioned opposite from one another on the guide tracks are connected to one another mechanically in a transverse direction over the base.

A film (50) processing apparatus (20) including a film stretching device (22) and a take-away device (24). The take-away device receives the film after the stretching device and transports the film along a conveying region in a direction of transport (X). The take-away device includes opposing, first and second conveyor assemblies. The first conveyor assembly has a continuous belt driving a plurality of discrete pads (180a, 180b). Each pad forms a contact face (194a, 194b) extending between leading (200b) and trailing edges (202a). The pads are configured and arranged such that the trailing edge (202a) of a first pad (180a) overlaps the leading edge (200b) of an immediately adjacent second pad (180b) as the first and second pads traverse the conveying region. The overlap is characterised by a line (322) perpendicular to the direction of transport passing at any given moment through the first and second pads. A shape of the contact face can define a major central axis that is non-perpendicular and non-parallel with the direction of transport. The invention also relates to a method of processing a film using such an apparatus.

A film (50) processing apparatus (20) including a film stretching device (22) and a take-away device (24). The take-away device receives the film after the stretching device and transports the film along a conveying region in a direction of transport (X). The take-away device includes opposing, first and second conveyor assemblies. The first conveyor assembly has a continuous belt driving a plurality of discrete pads (180a, 180b). Each pad forms a contact face (194a, 194b) extending between leading (200b) and trailing edges (202a). The pads are configured and arranged such that the trailing edge (202a) of a first pad (180a) overlaps the leading edge (200b) of an immediately adjacent second pad (180b) as the first and second pads traverse the conveying region. The overlap is characterised by a line (322) perpendicular to the direction of transport passing at any given moment through the first and second pads. A shape of the contact face can define a major central axis that is non-perpendicular and non-parallel with the direction of transport. The invention also relates to a method of processing a film using such an apparatus.

Proposed is a film processing system including a supply unit configured to supply a film fabric, a cutting unit configured to cut the film fabric and to form a film product by dividing the film fabric, a transfer unit including a classifier configured to selectively guide the film product along any one of a predetermined non-inverted path and an inverted path, an inverter configured to invert the film product guided along the inverted path up and down, and an inspection transfer device configured to transfer the film product delivered from the classifier in a non-inverted state or the film product delivered from the inverter in an inverted state in a predetermined reference direction, and an inspection unit configured to inspect the film product delivered to the inspection transfer device.

A transfer device for conveying a plurality of packaging units along a transfer path comprising: a first carrier having at least one first operative branch parallel to the transfer path; at least one first conveying element advanced along the first carrier; a second carrier adjacent to the first carrier and having at least one second operative branch parallel to the transfer path and to the first operative branch; and at least one second conveying element controlled independently from the first conveying element and advanced along the second carrier; wherein the first conveying element and the second conveying element are configured to retain therebetween a packaging unit of the plurality of packaging units and to advance the packaging unit along the transfer path.

A container stop mechanism and method for controlled braking, stopping, and separating of containers, such as glass beverage bottles. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

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.

The present invention provides a device for grouping containers, comprising a plurality of transfer pallets for conveying containers upright on a pallet surface and a first transfer device comprising a first transfer platform and an infeed manipulator, wherein the pallet surface of each transfer pallet has a plurality of ridge-like elevations forming a support surface for the containers, and wherein the first transfer platform has a comb-shaped outlet area configured for allowing the ridge-like elevations of the pallet surface to pass through the intermediate spaces of the comb-shaped outlet area for taking over the at least one container.

The invention relates to an apparatus for the lateral overlapping of portions which are transported in a longitudinal direction and which each comprise at least one slice cut off from a food product, having at least one overlapping unit which comprises a belt conveyor having at least two tracks, wherein an upper track and a lower track are deflected at the incoming side about a common input axle and at the outgoing side about two output axles disposed at different height levels.

A loading apparatus for loading food products onto and/or into a slicing apparatus, in particular a high-speed slicer, comprises at least one magazine unit that includes a conveying means that endlessly circulates along a running direction. The conveying means is configured to lift the products to a transferring height at which the products can be transferred to the slicing apparatus and includes several product support surfaces, the product support surfaces being oriented essentially perpendicular to the running direction and positioned subsequently along the running direction with a space between each other. At least one product is loadable onto a respective product support surface for lifting the product to the transferring height.