Method and apparatus for agitating and thermally conditioning filled containers

摘要

Apparatus and method are disclosed for agitating and thermally conditioning containers that are carried along a conveyor and engage agitating apparatus in the form of two rollers positioned above the conveyor and adjacent one another and rotatably drive to cause the container to roll against the conveyor and the rollers to effect agitation of the container and the contents while being engaged by a thermal conditioning fluid to effect a temperature change of the container and its contents. One of the two rollers is movable between such a container agitating position and a container passing position that will permit the container to pass over the rollers to move beyond the agitating station and toward an exit from the apparatus.