Package filling machine and method

A machine for filling packages with a food product having a wet, sticky consistency comprising:

• a support;
• a hopper mounted on the support and adapted to receive the food product, the hopper having an opening in the bottom thereof;
• a drum mounted on the support beneath the hopper for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, the drum having a number of open, outer peripheral pockets movable successfully into registry with the bottom opening of the hopper to receive individual masses of the food product therefrom;
• a conveyor disposed beneath the drum and adapted to move a number of open packages along a path permitting the individual masses of the food product to be deposited in respective packages as the drum rotates about said axis;
• means adjacent to one side of the drum for retaining the food product masses in the pockets as the pockets rotate from a position adjacent to the hopper to a position adjacent to the conveyor, said retaining means permitting each food product mass to leave the pocket as a flexible mat to thereby permit the leading portion of the mat to be deposited in a package before the trailing portion of the mat is received in the package;
• a piston for each pocket, respectively, each piston being shiftably mounted on the drum and defining the radially innermost boundary of the respective pocket;
• means coupled with each piston for moving the same outwardly of the respective pocket as a function of the rotation of the drum;
• means coupled with the drum for rotating the same;
• and means coupled with the conveyor for moving the same at a speed correlated to the speed of the drum to cause packages placed on the conveyor to move into registry with respective pockets as the latter approach the conveyor.