Abstract: A rotary machine including a substantially vertical rotatable drum having pellet-receiving receptacles in its peripheral sidewall. Gravity causes pellets to collect toward the drum's bottom. As the drum rotates, pellets received in the receptacles are carried upwardly from the bottom. A printing device positioned within the peripheral sidewall prints indicia on the inwardly exposed surfaces of the pellets. Optionally, the receptacles define apertures extending through the peripheral sidewall, and a printing device is positioned externally to the peripheral sidewall to print indicia on the outwardly exposed surfaces of the pellets. Drilling or inspection devices may be provided in addition to, or instead of, the printing devices. A support member may be provided adjacent the peripheral sidewall to prevent gravity from causing the pellets to exit the receptacles. Chutes may be provided to supply and remove pellets to and from the drum. An air stream may eject pellets from their receptacles.

Abstract: A quick change drum for receiving and orienting pellet-like items in a pellet marking machine is disclosed. The quick change drum comprises a central shaft with two end plates perpendicularly attached to the ends of the shaft in parallel spaced apart relationship. A multiplicity of carrier bars are demountably attached to the end plates and span the space between the end plates forming a substantially continuous cylindrical surface. Each carrier bar has at least one concavity, preferably a multiplicity of concavities, disposed in its outwardly facing surface, the concavity or concavities being matched to a particular pellet-like item size and shape. The carrier bars are demountably attached to the end plates, preferably by bolts, but may also be attached by means of quick connect/disconnect devices which allow more rapid and efficient replacement of the carrier bars.

Abstract: A device useable with a pellet-marking machine for inverting a multiplicity of pellets is disclosed. Pellets are transported in cavities on carrier bars mounted on a conveyor. The carrier bars move with relation to one or more rails disposed beneath the cavities and oriented transversely to the carrier bars. Each rail has a pellet supporting surface region arranged in tandem with a trough, followed by an inclined surface, followed in turn by a second pellet supporting surface region. Initially, each pellet is partially supported on a cavity bottom and partially on an associated pellet supporting surface region. As the carrier bars pass along the rails over the troughs, each pellet tips downwardly into a respective trough, flipping past the vertical. Each pellet next encounters the inclined surface following the trough, where each pellet is fully inverted while being moved upwardly out of the trough, to be supported on the second pellet supporting surface region following each inclined surface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided to arrange individual ones of a plurality of substantially similar articles in a regularly spaced moving array, to position those individual articles substantially uniformly in the array and to transport the array to a work station by storing a plurality of the articles, removing the articles from the storage area, positioning the articles uniformly with respect to one another at positions in an arrangement corresponding to the array, removing improperly positioned articles from the positions within the arrangement corresponding to the array and receiving the arranged articles after the improperly positioned articles have been removed for transporting the articles in the spaced arrangement defining the array to a work station.

Abstract: An improved gauging assembly for a capsule orienting and turning apparatus is disclosed. Many capsules are picked up in a rotary conveyor which arranges them first in an upright arrangement relative to the path of movement of the conveyor, some capsules arranged caps-up and some bodies-up. The gauging assembly cooperates with air jets to tilt the body portions of the bodies-up capsules in the machine direction while retaining the caps-up capsules subsequently untilted so that all the cap portions can subsequently be shifted in a sidewise direction by subsequent sideward-directed vacuum ducts. Those capsules which are arranged caps-up are not affected by the air jets because of the gauging block which prevents substantial tilting movement; the cap portions of these capsules are then drawn sidewise by a sidewardly-directed vacuum. The gauging assembly defines a passageway extending in the direction of conveyor movement and comprises a ceiling member and contiguous sidewall member.

Abstract: A capsule rectification and transport device is disclosed. Means are provided for removing occasional improperly positioned capsules from the transported array. The capsules are carried in spaced apart pockets. When a capsule is undesirably mis-oriented with the cap portion thereof facing the wrong side of the predetermined path, a rotatable pick-off wheel grasps the cap portion, removes the capsule and drops it into a hopper.

Abstract: A capsule rectification and transport device is disclosed. Means are provided for removing occasional improperly positioned capsules from the transported array. The capsules are carried in spaced apart pockets. When a capsule is undesirably mis-oriented with the cap portion thereof facing the wrong side of the predetermined path, a rotatable pick-off wheel grasps the cap portion, removes the capsule and drops it into a hopper.

Abstract: An improved gauging assembly for a capsule orienting and turning apparatus is disclosed. Many capsules are picked up in a rotary conveyor which arranges them first in an upright arrangement relative to the path of movement of the conveyor, some capsules arranged caps-up and some bodies-up. The gauging assembly cooperates with air means to tilt the body portions of the bodies-up capsules in the machine direction while retaining the caps-up capsules substantially untilted so that all the cap portions can subsequently be shifted in a sidewise direction by a subsequent sideward-directed air suction means. Those capsules which are arranged caps-up are not affected by the first means because of the gauging block which prevents substantial tilting movement; the cap portions of these capsules are then drawn sidewise by a sidewardly-directed vacuum. The gauging assembly defines a passageway extending in the direction of conveyor movement and comprises a ceiling member and contiguous sidewall member.

Abstract: In a turning and orienting apparatus of the type adapted to transport capsules in a plurality of pockets or the like, which pockets are formed in a continuously moveable transport conveyor, and wherein said apparatus is further adapted to rectify the capsules, which have body portions and cap portions of greater transverse dimensions than the body portions, and wherein a vacuum is provided to shift the capsules into the desired rectified position, a capsule positioning guide is provided to retain each capsule in its pocket immediately prior to its being subjected to the vacuum. The capsule positioning guide then releases the capsule as it is subjected to the vacuum. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the capsule positioning guide is pivotally mounted adjacent the capsule transport conveyor so that it can be easily moved out of its operative condition adjacent the transport conveyor for easy cleaning thereof.

Abstract: An improved capsule receiving conveyor bar to be carried by a transport conveyor of a capsule transport and printing device is disclosed. The conveyor bar includes a bar member and an insert attached thereto. The insert comprises a plurality of capsule receiving pockets formed therein. When the capsules are to be transported and subjected to a spin printing operation, each of the pockets comprise at least one recessed pocket portion so that indicia imprinted on the capsules in loci corresponding to the recessed portions will not smear as the capsules are rotated about their longitudinal axes during the spin printing operation.

Abstract: In a turning and orienting apparatus of the type adapted to transport capsules in a plurality of pockets or the like, which pockets are formed in a continuously moveable transport conveyor, and wherein said apparatus is further adapted to rectify the capsules, which have body portions and cap portions of greater transverse dimensions than the body portions, and wherein a vacuum is provided to shift the capsules into the desired rectified position, a capsule positioning guide is provided to retain each capsule in its pocket immediately prior to its being subjected to the vacuum. The capsule positioning guide then releases the capsule as it is subjected to the vacuum. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the capsule positioning guide is pivotally mounted adjacent the capsule transport conveyor so that it can be easily moved out of its operative condition adjacent the transport conveyor for easy cleaning thereof.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for printing upon capsules is disclosed which also includes means for restraining freshly printed capsules from adhering to the printing roll. The capsules are restrained against adherence to the printing roll by the interposition of a stripping plate between the print roll and the capsule transport conveyor at a position immediately downstream from the printing location in which the capsules are brought into contact with the printing roll. In another embodiment of the invention, the printing roll is cleaned by the provision of a rotatable cleaning roll.

Abstract: Apparatus adapted to transport and print around the circumference or portions thereof, and on an endwise portion of the capsules is provided. The apparatus comprises a hopper and capsule transport means adjacent said hopper to receive the capsules from the hopper. The capsules are transported to a wrap-around printing station wherein the desired indicia are imprinted on the capsule as it is spun about its longitudinal axis. At another printing station located along the capsule transport means, a printing roll imprints the desired indicia upon an endwise portion of the capsule. The capsules are rectified, i.e., all the cap portions of the capsule are disposed along the same side of the transport means so that the desired markings may be imprinted upon corresponding portions of each capsule.

Abstract: In a pellet marking apparatus of the type comprising, a frame, printing means comprising a design roller and a resilient printing roller mounted on the frame, an ink reservoir mounted on the frame, hopper means into which a multiplicity of pellets or the like are to be loaded, and a conveyor for transporting the pellets from the hopper and presenting them to the printing means for marking the pellets with the desired indicia, the improvement comprising hinge means for moving the printing means between an operative position in which the design roller is immersed in the ink reservoir and the printing roller is in position to contact pellets on the conveyor, and a dwell position in which the design roll is not in contact with the reservoir and the printing roller is spaced from the conveyor in a position so as not to contact pellets thereon.

Abstract: In an apparatus adapted to transport and imprint indicia around the circumference or portions thereof, of generally cylindrical objects, such as capsules, an improved object carrying device and capsule guide are disclosed that facilitate non-smear processing and easy ejection of the capsules from the device after printing. The capsule guide and carrier are provided with corresponding relief portions formed therein so that indicia imprinted on the capsules are not smeared as the objects are spun about their axes during printing. The capsule carrier includes a pocket to receive and transport the capsules along a predetermined path. The pocket is defined by a pair of opposed wall members that may be bevelled to facilitate easy ejection of the capsules from the carrier printing. Also, for imprinting upon one or both sides of tablets, pills, and the like, a pair of grooved capsule guides are disposed along opposed sides of the transport device.

Abstract: Capsule turning apparatus and method for use in a spin printing procedure in which a printing roll moves at a greater speed than the capsule, thus causing the capsule to rotate about its own axis while it is being printed. Many capsules, randomly arranged in a hopper, are picked up in a rotary conveyor which arranges them first in vertical arrangement relative to the path of movement of the conveyor, randomly with respect to whether the cap portions are at the top or bottom, and an air jet shifts all of the capsules in a sidewise direction, with the caps and body portions at random.

Abstract: Capsule orienting and turning apparatus and method for use in a wrap-around capsule printing procedure. Many capsules, randomly arranged in a hopper, are picked up in a rotary conveyor which arranges them first in an upright arrangement relative to the path of movement of the conveyor, some capsules arranged cap-up and some body-up, and novel gaging block means cooperates with air means to tilt the body portions of the bodies-up capsules in the machine direction while retaining the caps-up capsules substantially untilted so that all the cap portions can subsequently be shifted in a sidewise direction by a subsequent sideward-directed air suction means. Those capsules which are arranged caps-up are not affected by the first means because of a novel gaging block which prevents substantial tilting movement; the cap portions of these capsules are then drawn sidewise by a sidewardly-directed vacuum.

Abstract: Capsule turning apparatus and method for use in a spin printing procedure in which a printing roll moves at a greater speed than the capsule, thus causing the capsule to rotate about its own axis while it is being printed. Many capsules, randomly arranged in a hopper, are picked up in a rotary conveyor which arranges them first in vertical arrangement relative to the path of movement of the conveyor, some capsules upright and some inverted, and an air jet shifts all of the capsules in a sidewise direction, with the caps and body portions at random.