Metering equipment (A) for food products, including metering means (Di) defined by plunger means (Pi) and nozzle dispenser means (Ui) connected to said plunger-cylinder means (Ci, Pi) and suitable for dispensing volumetric quantities of said product; many-ways-valve distributing means (Vi) connected to said plunger-cylinder means (Ci, Pi) and to said nozzle dispenser means (Ui) placed in-between; said valve means (Vi) are being formed by a shaft (K) provided with a series of pass-through holes and suitable for turning around an own central lengthwise axis (X) inside the cylinder (Z) casing and for translating in a horizontal direction parallel to said central axis (X).

A method of dispensing fluid includes dispensing a first quantity of fluid so that fluid flows through a manifold port assembly and into a first container, the manifold port assembly includes a housing having an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports formed thereon; and a carousel bounding a plurality of fluid paths that each extend between a first end and an opposing second end, the carousel being rotatably disposed within the housing so that when the first end of each one of the plurality of fluid paths is aligned with the inlet port on the housing, the second end of the corresponding one of the plurality of fluid paths is aligned with one of the plurality of outlet ports. A motor is activated to rotate the carousel of the manifold port assembly to a second position. A second quantity of fluid is dispensed so that fluid flows through the manifold port assembly and into a second container.

A method for the portioned packaging of liquid or pasty products using a packaging machine. The product is fed via an inlet to a metering chamber, being metered in the metering chamber by a metering member to form a product portion, and the product portion being fed via a metering outlet to a package. In order to avoid impairments of products which are sensitive to crystallizing out in the inoperative state, the metering chamber is operated in continuous flow in at least one operating state of the packaging machine from the following group: downtimes of the packaging machine, start-up of the packaging machine and operation of the packaging machine, by the product—whether entirely or in a partial flow—being removed entirely or partially from the metering chamber past the metering member via an outlet provided in addition to the metering outlet and being recirculated.

The dispenser disclosed herein serves a single serving of a powdered nutrient contained within a container having multi-servings of the powdered nutrient. The dispenser has a metering device that operates as a ball valve or guillotine to dispense a single serving of the powdered nutrient into a water container. The dispenser also has a support surface that can be lowered and raised back up in order to fit a water container under the metering device and a distal tip of the metering device into a mouth of the water container so that no powdered nutrient spills out of the water container during transfer of the powdered nutrient from the metering device to the water container.

A gathering and dispensing scoop with agitating gate valve provides a scoop body defining an upper opening, a bottom opening, and a channel extending therebetween. A handle extends radially from an outer peripheral surface of the scoop body. A gate valve transects the channel and has a user operable finger tab adjacent to the handle for a user to move the gate valve from a first position transecting the channel and obstructing the bottom opening to a second position wherein the gate valve no longer obstructs the channel and opens the bottom opening.

A method of dispensing fluid includes dispensing a first quantity of fluid so that fluid flows through a manifold port assembly and into a first container, the manifold port assembly includes a housing having an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports formed thereon; and a carousel bounding a plurality of fluid paths that each extend between a first end and an opposing second end, the carousel being rotatably disposed within the housing so that when the first end of each one of the plurality of fluid paths is aligned with the inlet port on the housing, the second end of the corresponding one of the plurality of fluid paths is aligned with one of the plurality of outlet ports. A motor is activated to rotate the carousel of the manifold port assembly to a second position. A second quantity of fluid is dispensed so that fluid flows through the manifold port assembly and into a second container.

A rotary filling machine includes a hub member and a hub insert. The hub member includes an internal bore defining an inner surface portion with a plurality of material transfer openings. The hub insert includes a portion disposed within the bore, wherein the portion includes an outer surface portion that includes a plurality of material transfer openings. One of the hub member or the hub insert is rotatable and the other of the hub member or the hub insert is stationary.

A manifold port assembly includes a housing bounding a compartment and having an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports formed thereon and communicating with the compartment. A carousel bounds a plurality of fluid paths that extend therethrough from a corresponding first end to an opposing corresponding second end, at least a portion of each fluid path being spaced apart from the housing and being radially enclosed by the carousel, the carousel being rotatably disposed within the compartment of the housing so that when the first end or the second end of each fluid path is aligned with the inlet port on the housing, the other of the first end or second end of each fluid path is aligned with a corresponding different one of each of the plurality of outlet ports.

A method and apparatus for packing products into containers is described herein. More particularly, the method and apparatus are directed to packaging sheets of packages such as pouches or sachets that are joined together end-to-end. The apparatus may include a folding mechanism and a collection receptacle. The method and apparatus may perform one or more steps simultaneously so that the folding and packing of such sheets into containers can be carried out without the flow of incoming sheets being interrupted.

A closing system for a bag. The closing system comprises a first plate and a second plate. The closing system further comprises a plurality of constriction rods extending between the first plate and the second plate. The constriction rods present a constriction area configured to receive a portion of the bag. Each of the first plate and the second plate is configured to rotate. Rotation of the plates is configured to shift the constriction rods so as to reduce a size of the constriction area.