Dosing apparatus

A packaging machine comprising a filling apparatus comprised of a delivery nozzle, a member substantially co-axial with said nozzle and reciprocable substantially co-axially relative thereto and bounding with said nozzle an annular volume therebetween for flow of flowable substance therethrough, and at least one fin in said volume and extending substantially spirally substantially co-axially with said nozzle for imparting a spiral motion to said flowable substance flowing through said volume, wherein the or each fin is fixed relative to said nozzle.

A dosing apparatus comprising a delivery nozzle, an annular valve closure seat in and co-axial with said nozzle, a valve closure member substantially co-axial with said nozzle and reciprocable substantially co-axially relative thereto and bounding with said nozzle an annular volume therebetween for flow of flowable substance therethrough, and respective annular portions of said seat and said member for coming into sealing contact with each other, at least one of said annular portions comprising a material in the form of a mixture of plastics and silicon, wherein the other of said annular portions is of stainless steel.

A dosing apparatus comprising a delivery nozzle, a member substantially co-axial with said nozzle and reciprocable substantially co-axially relative thereto and bounding with said nozzle an annular volume therebetween for flow of flowable substance therethrough, a flexible wall extending between said nozzle and said member and substantially sealingly separating in a flowable-substance-tight manner said annular volume, which is at one side of said wall, from a second volume which is at the opposite side of said wall, and a device which serves to supply a microbiocidal medium to said second volume.