An apparatus (10) for delivering particulate material (50) to a flowing stream of frozen confectionery material (40) to provide a single serving to a consumer, the apparatus comprising: a dispenser for the particulate material; and a dispenser for providing the flowing stream of confectionery material flowing vertically downwards from an outlet (22), the flowing stream having an outer surface; wherein the dispenser for the particulate material comprises a particulate material deposition device (12) for depositing the particulate material at a common particulate deposition location (30), and a plurality of chutes (26), each chute arranged to catch deposited particulate material and redirect it in a substantially horizontal direction to collide with the outer surface of the flowing stream of frozen confectionery, each chute (26) beginning at the common particulate deposition location (30) and spreading out from each other to each deposit the particulates at a different radial location around the flowing stream of frozen confectionery.

An apparatus (10) for delivering particulate material (50) to a flowing stream of frozen confectionery material (40) to provide a single serving to a consumer, the apparatus comprising: a dispenser for the particulate material; and a dispenser for providing the flowing stream of confectionery material flowing vertically downwards from an outlet (22), the flowing stream having an outer surface; wherein the dispenser for the particulate material comprises a particulate material deposition device (12) for depositing the particulate material at a common particulate deposition location (30), and a plurality of chutes (26), each chute arranged to catch deposited particulate material and redirect it in a substantially horizontal direction to collide with the outer surface of the flowing stream of frozen confectionery, each chute (26) beginning at the common particulate deposition location (30) and spreading out from each other to each deposit the particulates at a different radial location around the flowing stream of frozen confectionery.

A transport system for a plurality of containers includes a feed device for a supply of containers which, at a transfer end of the feed device, can be received by a receiving region of a working platform of a transport mover. For the purpose of movement in a working plane, the transport mover has a drive section which is connected to the working platform and which interacts with a stationary, planar drive plane. The working platform has a blocking surface, the distance of which from the drive plane can be changed by movement of the drive section of the transport mover relative to the drive plane.

A method and a device for filling containers with products, in which the products are successively conveyed horizontally to a filling installation in which the products, while being combined to form individual product groups, are grouped, and an offered-up container, which is conveyed horizontally to the filling installation, is filled in a single track with one or a plurality of product groups, wherein the filled containers subsequently are in particular horizontally transported away. The method includes conveying the products in multiple tracks to the filling installation, grouping the products to form product groups, feeding the product groups in multiple tracks to a common revolving vertical conveyor of the filling installation, conveying the product groups to an ejection position from which the product groups are conveyed onward in a single track to an offered-up container, and filling the offered-up container with at least one of the product groups.

A method of installing pre-molded seal caps onto fasteners that extend from a surface comprises sequentially delivering the pre-molded seal caps, arranged on a carrier strip, to a plunger mechanism via a feed system. The method also comprises sequentially removing the pre-molded seal caps from the carrier strip using the plunger mechanism, operating in concert with the feed system. The method further comprises individually installing the pre-molded seal caps onto selected ones of the fasteners using the plunger mechanism.

A method of installing pre-molded seal caps onto fasteners that extend from a surface comprises sequentially delivering the pre-molded seal caps, arranged on a carrier strip, to a plunger mechanism via a feed system. The method also comprises sequentially removing the pre-molded seal caps from the carrier strip using the plunger mechanism, operating in concert with the feed system. The method further comprises individually installing the pre-molded seal caps onto selected ones of the fasteners using the plunger mechanism.

A projection portion is formed on a distal end surface of a supply rod with which a surface of a flange is to be brought into close contact. A circular-arc receiving surface fitting an outer peripheral portion is formed at a boundary portion between the distal end surface and the projection portion. One side of the circular-arc receiving surface is continuous with the distal end surface, and another side of the circular-arc receiving surface is continuous with a regulation inner surface formed on the projection portion in a state of being opposed to the distal end surface. With this, a receiving groove is formed, and a control gap is defined between the regulation inner surface and the flange. The close contact of the surface with the distal end surface is achieved with a magnet of an advancing/retreating type provided in the supply rod.

A projection portion is formed on a distal end surface of a supply rod with which a surface of a flange is to be brought into close contact. A circular-arc receiving surface fitting an outer peripheral portion is formed at a boundary portion between the distal end surface and the projection portion. One side of the circular-arc receiving surface is continuous with the distal end surface, and another side of the circular-arc receiving surface is continuous with a regulation inner surface formed on the projection portion in a state of being opposed to the distal end surface. With this, a receiving groove is formed, and a control gap is defined between the regulation inner surface and the flange. The close contact of the surface with the distal end surface is achieved with a magnet of an advancing/retreating type provided in the supply rod.

A method for formatting food products on a conveyor device includes a) receiving the food products in a plurality of parallel conveyor tracks, some of which include product gaps; b) outputting the food products into the parallel conveyor tracks in a specific product format; c) detecting the product supply in the conveyor tracks incoming on the input side individually for each of the conveyor tracks; and d) filling the product gaps in the conveyor tracks with food products, so that on the output side all of the parallel conveyor tracks are supplied with the food products. The product gaps are also filled with food products from a product buffer in that at least one of the food products is transferred from the product buffer to the conveyor track only when an odd number of product gaps exist in one of the conveyor tracks.

The invention relates to a method and to a device for feeding products (2) from a first process to a second process in a packaging plant, wherein a buffer device (3) is provided between the first process and the second process, wherein the buffer device (3) has a closed conveying section (32) having a receiving position (30) for receiving products (2) from the first process, and having a transfer position (31) for transferring products (2) to the second process, and a plurality of conveying units (33) which at least in portions along the conveying section (32) can be driven in a mutually independent manner, and wherein the products (2) from the first process are in each case provided in groups with a variable first placing pattern, the method comprising the following steps: a) detecting the first placing pattern of a group (21, 23) of products (2) to be relocated, b) providing a number of conveying units (33), disposed in the detected first placing pattern, at the receiving position (30) of the buffer device (3), and c) collectively relocating the group (21, 23) of products with the detected placing pattern into the conveying units (33) of the buffer device (3) that are provided at the receiving position (30).