A folding-diverter assembly (30) is provided to: selectively divert a substrate-product combination (6) advancing from a first direction (Dl) in a predetermined path based upon the substrate-product combination (6) weighing a predetermined weight; advance the substrate-product combination (6) in a second direction (D2), opposite from the first direction (Dl); and fold a flap (4) of the substrate- product combination (6) partially over a top surface of the substrate- product combination (6). A semi-circular conveyor assembly (40) is configured to advance the substrate-product combination (6) in the second direction (D2) at a first portion (40a) of the semi-circular conveyor assembly (40), and along a semi-circular advancing path (40b) such that the substrate-product combination (6) is advanced in the first direction (Dl) at a second portion (40c) of the semi-circular conveyor assembl (40).
B65B 25/08 - Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products between layers or strips of sheet or web material, e.g. in webs folded to zig-zag form
B65B 57/14 - Automatic control, checking, warning or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged and operating to control, or stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged
An arrangement for rolling a product is disclosed. The arrangement includes a drive conveyor, and a rolling assembly positioned above the drive conveyor. The rolling assembly includes: an arm adapted to be driven between (i) a rolling position and (ii) a release position. A product turner is attached to the arm, such that in the rolling position, an end of the product turner extends into a conveying path of the drive conveyor.
An alignment system is disclosed. The system includes at least one arm including a plurality of fingers, and a linkage bar connected to the at least one arm. A sensor is adapted to detect a presence of a product. A controller is configured to selectively drive the linkage bar based on a signal from the sensor such that the plurality of fingers are driven between: (1) a first position in which the plurality of fingers are adapted to extend into a conveying path of a product conveyor, and (2) a second position in which the plurality of fingers are adapted to be positioned away from the conveying path of the product conveyor.
B65G 47/90 - Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
B65B 25/00 - Packaging other articles presenting special problems
B65G 47/53 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices between conveyors which cross one another
B65G 47/57 - Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors, i.e. discharging or feeding devices to or from inclined or vertical conveyor sections for articles
A flap folding arrangement is disclosed. The flap folding arrangement includes an axially extending rim that initially contacts a flap of a product to partially fold the flap as the product is dropped from a feed conveyor into a first pocket of a rotator pan. A controller is adapted to rotate the rotator pan away from a first position which drives the flap into contact with a flap-folding flange and a radially extending rim until the product is positioned at a second position under a flap-folding gate. The controller is adapted to drive a product discharger into contact with the product to drive the product out of the first pocket and away from the folding assembly after rotation of the rotator pan.
A folding arrangement including a flap lifting assembly located at a drop conveyor discharge end and including a pivoting arm with a flap engaging surface that is movable between a first, flap-lifting position and a second, pass-through position is provided. A folding assembly includes a receiving conveyor with a receiving conveyor feed end positioned below the drop conveyor discharge end, and a folding finger above the receiving conveyor feed end. The product-substrate combination is driven by the drop conveyor into contact with the flap engaging surface in the first position to lift the flap as the product-substrate combination is discharged from the drop conveyor discharge end towards the receiving conveyor feed end, and the folding finger contacts the flap of the product-substrate combination to complete folding of the flap to a second angled position onto the product as the product-substrate combination pivots the flap engaging surface to the second position.
A food processing system having a slicer/former for food preparations having a feed conveyor, a stacker for stacking food preparations, and n interleaver for inserting a substrate under a food preparation from the food slicer/former as it transitions to the stacker. The interleaver is arranged such that a portion of the interleaver is located beneath the feed conveyor of the slicer/former. The interleaver includes an interleaver conveyor which extends from the feed conveyor to the stacker in-feed conveyor, and an overall length of the interleaver conveyor is less than a length of the interleaver in order to provide a reduced footprint interleaver for new and retro-fit applications having a limited length for the food processing system.
A stacker adapted to generally stack product in a vertical fashion is provided. The stacker includes a first generally vertical conveyor having a first conveyor belt and a first plurality of flights mounted generally perpendicularly to the first conveyor belt. The first plurality of flights at least partially defines a plurality of stacking platforms. At least one positioning sensor for sensing a relative position of the flights is provided. An advancement sensor is provided for sensing product entering the stacker. A first drive incrementally drives the first conveyor responsive to the advancement sensor so that the stacking platforms descend. Each of the stacking platforms can receive individual or single items to be stacked into a tray or can sequentially receive multiple items, either pre-stacked or stacked on a given flight, and then be indexed downwardly to allow the next stack to be formed on the subsequent stacking platform. A method and system for handling and stacking products is also provided.
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