Abstract: An article diverter for changing the conveyor path of successive conveyed articles from a single succession to at least two successions of articles. The diverter includes actuators positioned adjacent to one conveyor path but on opposite sides of the conveyor path. A flexible terminal end of one actuator is moveable, across the conveyor path to end adjacent to the flexible terminal end of another actuator when said ends are compressed. Each of the flexible terminal ends are directed towards the center of the first conveyor path when compressed. The flexible terminal ends are connected to piston rods which are retractable and extendable responsive to a control signal. The two actuators contain a member to hold their terminal end parallel to the conveyor path when the rod is extended and in a second position which intersects the conveyor path when the rods are retracted. When the ends of the two actuators intersect the conveyor path, articles contacting the actuators are diverted to a second path.

Abstract: A diverter changes the conveyor path of successive articles from a single succession to at least two successions of articles. The diverter includes a wheel mounted for rotation in a common plane with the path of the single succession of articles and being movable between one location adjacent the path and other location interposed within the path. The wheel has a top peripheral edge defining a series of radial vanes and pressurized air is directed towards the vanes upstream relative to the path of articles for spinning the wheel towards the succession of articles. The wheel has a resilient, shock-absorbing, peripheral surface for contacting articles and can be adjusted in elevation to contact articles at the same level as the articles center of mass.

Abstract: A monitoring and control system is provided for a container filling line having an in-feed conveyor for conveying empty containers, a multiple-valve rotary fill station supplied by the in-feed conveyor for filling the containers, a multi-head closer station for closing the then-filled containers, a discharge station for discharging the filled and closed containers to a take-away conveyor, the take-away conveyor not being cynchronized with the in-feed conveyor, the operation of the filler station and the operation of the closer station, the monitoring and control system including means at the discharge station for generating a first signal responsive to each container passing the discharge station, a detection station provided at a location on the take-away conveyor spaced from the discharge station for detecting one or more characteristics of a container passing thereby, means at the detection station for generating a second signal responsive to each container passing the detection station, means for generati

Abstract: A control system is provided for a processing container line to detect the occurence of a jam or other malfunction within the line. The system compensates for the initialization of the line when a number of containers enter the line before any are discharged therefrom. The system also allows for a tolerable limit on the number of containers which may become "lost" in the processing line without indicating a jam in the line.

Abstract: A monitoring and control system for a fluid container filler line having an empty container in-feed conveyor (11), a multivalve fill station (14), a multihead scanner station (17), a discharge conveyor (20) and a fill height detector (25), the system comprising a sensing module (22) having a first sensor (44) to indicate the first of a sequence of numbered valves with means to reset a valve counter, a second sensor (45) to count each valve of the sequence and controller means (50) responsive to said sensors to spacially track each container (12) through the system and to identify the particular fill valve for each particular container. A detector (54) is responsive to the controller and signals from the height detector to detect an improperly filled faulty container and identify the particular number valve which did the faulty filling.