Abstract: A hydrostatic cooker discharge apparatus includes a flight conveyor, a first belt conveyor and a second belt conveyor. The flight conveyor sequentially receives horizontally oriented sticks of containers from a cooker. The first belt conveyor in conjunction with the flight conveyor transports the stick containers to a waterfall structure whereat the containers are reoriented to an upright position and are individually placed on the second belt conveyor for removal from the cooker area.

Abstract: A hydrostatic cooker discharge apparatus comprises a flight conveyor, a first belt conveyor and a second belt conveyor. The flight conveyor sequentially receives horizontally oriented sticks of containers from a cooker. The first belt conveyor in conjunction with the flight conveyor transports the stick containers to a waterfall structure whereat the containers are reoriented to an upright position and are individually placed on the second belt conveyor for removal from the cooker area.

Abstract: A hydrostatic cooker infeed apparatus includes a double cable conveyor transporting horizontally oriented containers to a single cable, stick assembly conveyor. A braking mechanism in conjunction with a counting mechanism limits the number of containers entering an assembly pocket of the stick assembly conveyor. An assembed stick of containers is simultaneously ejected from the assembly pocket by linkage which is synchronously coordinated with an underlying flight conveyor, which transports the stick to a continuous hydrostatic cooker chain for batch loading thereon.

Abstract: A conveyed item divider apparatus and method for automatically dividing a mixture of a plurality of first items and a plurality of second items into a first group containing only the first items and a second group containing only the second items. The apparatus includes a first conveyor conveying the mixture of items along a common path beneath an overlying second conveyor containing a negative pressure chamber. Each of the containers is suctioned in abutting relationship with the second conveyor. A shutter mechanism selectively releases each of the second containers to the first conveyor where they are urged laterally to follow a second path along the first conveyor. Each of the first containers is subsequently returned to the first conveyor to follow a first path along the first conveyor which is substantially colinear with the common path and is separate from the second path.

Abstract: Mini-roller shafts are provided at opposite ends with resilient traction sleeves and with oversized transport sleeves therebetween. Bearing members are provided to position the traction sleeves for frictional engagement with endless drive members extending along opposite sides of the conveyor module. Each bearing member is provided with a relatively enlarged roller shaft-receiving opening that permits limited radial movement of the shaft, and some of the bearing members include a transport sleeve-receiving cradle. Accordingly the roller shaft is able to be deflected or displaced when the concentration or weight of the articles being conveyed on a given area of the conveyor reaches a point where reduction of pressure between the articles is desirable.