Abstract: An apparatus is provided for indexing and lifting items from a first conveyer in a first plane and transferring such items to a second conveyor in a second plane it a different level than the first plane. The apparatus includes a transfer assembly for moving the items longitudinally from the first conveyer to the second conveyer. The apparatus also includes at least two longitudinally spaced-apart posts, each post having a top surface. The top surfaces of the posts cooperate to support an item. Connectors connect the posts to the transfer assembly and frame members mount the transfer assembly between the first and second conveyers at an angle relative to at least one of the first and second planes. The posts are configured so that when the transfer assembly is mounted at the angle, the top surfaces are in a single plane which is parallel to at least one of the first and second planes of the first and second conveyors.

Abstract: A coffee filter container and/or dispenser for containing and dispensing coffee filters. The coffee filter container and/or dispenser comprises a base, a housing, a lid, a pair of opposed filter stops, and a filter engager. The filter engager and the filter stops cooperate with each other to separate one coffee filter from a stack of filters disposed in the housing. A method or process separating a coffee filter from a stack of coffee filters.

Abstract: A control system for controlling the motion of a hydraulic elevator calculates a deceleration distance based upon the elevator velocity and begins the deceleration phase of the elevator motion upon the elevator reaching the calculated distance from the landing. In a particular embodiment, the control system includes a hydraulic valve, a space encoder, and a controller. The space encoder produces velocity and position measurements. The controller uses the velocity inputs to determine the deceleration distance and, upon the elevator car 14 reaching the calculated distance from the landing as measured by the position inputs from the space encoder, commands the hydraulic valve to actuate and begin the deceleration phase. In an alternate embodiment, an interface unit connected between the controller and the hydraulic valve calculates a delay between the deceleration command based upon a predetermined distance and the calculated deceleration distance based upon car velocity.

Abstract: An automated ordering system has a gathering conveyor belt and a plurality of product dispenser onto the gathering conveyor belt, the plurality of product dispensers arrayed in a matrix in rows and columns wherein each row of product dispensers and each column of product dispensers share common control elements. The product dispensers are of cartridge type utilizing gravity to eject products from a cartridge suspended above the gathering conveyor belt onto the gathering conveyor belt. A universal product dispenser platform accepts a wide range of different sizes and shapes of cartridges storing products to be dispensed. The universal product platform provides support for an actuator for singulating products mounted to the cartridge.

Abstract: Rolls of individual plastic bags are formed on apparatus that overlaps the bags before the bags are fed into the roll to provide a compact roll of individual bags. The apparatus overlaps portions of the bags so that a plurality of bags can be continuously fed into the roll even though the bags are not mechanically connected end-to-end to adjacent bags on the roll.

Abstract: A reciprocating accumulation conveyor temporarily accumulates pressed tortillas delivered periodically from a press and delivers them onto an oven belt in a substantially continuous supply, thereby providing more uniform baking. The reciprocating accumulation conveyor has an accumulation belt which accelerates to match the speed of the press belt in the press, when the press belt moves periodically between pressing cycles, to accumulate the pressed batch of tortillas. The accumulation belt simultaneously extends partially over the prior batch moving onto the oven belt, and drops down behind the lasts row of the prior batch on the oven belt. The accumulation conveyor belt then advances at a delivery speed to transfer the tortillas onto the oven belt.

Abstract: Device for smear-free transport of sheets having fresh printing ink thereon on a revolvingly driven cylinder in a sheet-fed printing press includes air outlet openings for pressurized air provided on the circumference of the revolvingly driven cylinder in a sheet-bearing region thereof for bearing the sheet to be transported, and a fixed covering for closing the air outlet openings on the inside of the revolvingly driven cylinder prior to a takeover of the sheet to be transported by the revolvingly driven cylinder.

Abstract: A paper sheet separating apparatus has a feeding roller to feed a paper sheet in a transporting direction and a reversing roller to give a predetermined torque in the opposite direction to the transporting direction so that paper sheets are separated and fed one by one from accommodated paper sheets. The paper sheet separating apparatus includes a reversing roller mounted on a reverse shaft via a torque limiter. The torque limiter includes a clutch body which rotates integrally with the reverse shaft, a hub which is rotatably supported on the shaft and a spring which is disposed between the clutch body and the hub. The hub forms a part of the reversing roller.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for rapidly conveying workpieces successively through multiple stations by providing an integrated dual shuttle transfer mechanism conveyor operable in an intermittent repetitive lift and carry workpiece travel cycle mode. The dual shuttles cooperate to alternately advance an in-line array of workpieces at twice the rate of a conventional single shuttle by successively alternately handing off the workpiece array from the workpiece loaded shuttle to the companion empty shuttle for the next array advance thereon while the other shuttle as so unloaded retracts to reload a workpiece on its upstream end. Workpiece carrier rails of each shuttle reciprocable vertically adjacent and past one another between upper and lower elevational limits and horizontally between advance and retract stroke end limits. A shuttle drive causes the dual sets of carrier rails to move through identical closed loop lift and carry travel paths disposed in laterally adjacent vertical planes and in a 180.

Abstract: A system for light-tight handling of a supply of media between a supply station, a workstation and a collecting station, comprises a media handling apparatus defined by a frame and a housing enclosing an internal confine. Within this confine are a supply station and a collecting station disposed at opposite ends of the frame. A positioning drive is suspended above the supply and collecting stations to move media between the supply, collecting and work stations. A lifting shoe is provided as part of the positioning drive and includes a flexible material handling sheet which assumes a first and a second given radius when respectively energized and reverse energized to engage the media supported in curved form. Also, supply and collecting cassettes are provided with a tambour coverings for respectively automatically uncovering and covering the supported media while still maintained in the light-tight confines of the housing.

Abstract: Device for facilitating sheet separation or singling in an upper region of a feeder pile, wherein equipment for acting upon an edge of the feeder pile facing away from a processing machine is adjustably movable against lateral edges of the sheet pile, includes a supporting structure disposed above a feeder pile and extending beyond dimensions of a maximally processable format of a printing material and being swivellable out of a plane extending parallel to a top surface of the feeder pile, and elements for facilitating sheet separation carried by said supporting structure.

Abstract: A media handling unit is a selfcontained device which is capable of being moved to existing photoplotting structures to transport media sheets from a supply cassette housed within the unit and advanced into the plotter for conducting a plotting operation. The unit also retreives the scanned media from the photoplotter returning it the unit in a light tight environment where the scanned film is deposited onto a collecting tray. The supply of film is provided in a cassette having a semi-cyldrical support surface causing the film to take on a preformed configuration which is generally coincident with the shape of the support surface on the plotter.

Abstract: An article accumulator is designed for use with a robotic hand. The accumulator comprises an open frame having an endless open conveyor for receiving and transporting individual aligned rows of generally flattened articles such as frozen burger patties. A receiving section of the accumulator initially receives the flattened articles in rectilinear rows. The rows of articles are then passed to a pick section of the accumulator. Operably associated with the pick section are a repositioning system and a lifting system. The repositioning system comprises an actuator, a set of plate members with vertically extending fingers, and a stop fence. The plate members are positioned below the open conveyor so that upon programmed activation, the plate members move upwardly a sufficient distance that their fingers encompass a number of articles. The fingers ensure that the articles are properly positioned. The lifting system is also positioned below the endless open conveyor holding the articles.

Abstract: A hand-drop motor assembly for use in an encoding apparatus is positioned in the vicinity of a hand-drop region of the encoder check guide path. It includes a motor which has a motor shaft extending out the top end thereof. Mounted to the shaft is a roller. Rotatably mounted to the motor shaft is a bracket, upon which is mounted a wheel, which is in compressive contact with the roller. When the motor is turned on, the bracket rotates such that the wheel moves into the hand-drop region, contacting a document therein and then moves the document along the check guide path to an encoder station.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a paper feed mechanism in a recording apparatus which paper feed mechanism permits the reduction in size of the entire apparatus. The paper feed mechanism comprises a main roller 3 which is rotated in both forward and reverse directions for conveying sheets of paper P from a paper receptacle portion to a recording portion, a paper separating and feeding member 20 which comes into pressure contact with the main roller 3 to separate and feed the sheets of paper P accommodated in the paper receptacle portion, and a stop member 30 which comes into pressure contact with the main roller 3 on a downstream side with respect to the paper separating and feeding member 20 in the paper conveyance direction to forcibly stop the feed of the sheets P being fed continuously. By the paper feed mechanism of such a construction, the plural sheets of paper stacked in the paper receptacle portion are separated one by one and fed to the recording portion.

Abstract: Articulated plates (L) are assembled in combination with at least two drive rums supported by a framework (6). The plates (L) present longitudinally, two by two, complementary guiding and articulation profiles (R) and (C) defined to create at least one continuous flat face. The plates are coupled to one another by flexible links (1).

Abstract: Method for arranging a series of products (17, 106) which are moving in succession in the downstream direction along a conveyor belt (2, 103, 104), in such a way that they go into phase with a processing unit connected downstream. To control an activation element for arranging the products, before a product passes the element, the first speed Vx of the products upstream and the second speed Vy downstream of the element, the position Yn of the product processing unit, and the position Z of the element are measured. The distance Xn which is covered by the detected product from the above-mentioned position is determined. The required position Za of the element (9, 113) and the required speed Vya are calculated from Vx, Vy, Xn and Yn. The measured position Z and the measured second speed Vy are compared with the required position Za and the required position Za or the measured speed Vy and the required speed Vya, the element is moved or the second speed Vy is changed.

Abstract: An imaging device which reciprocatively transports a recording sheet to form a color image thereon. A front extreme end of the recording sheet is clamped between a pair of rollers, and the pair of rollers are reciprocatively moved along a recording sheet feed path, while clamping the recording sheet therebetween, to repeatedly execute an image forming process. After completion of the repeated image forming processes, at least one of the pair of rollers is driven to rotate, to thereby transport the recording sheet forwardly on the feed path.

Abstract: A cranberry separator, and method, to separate soft and undersize cranberries from hard, marketable cranberries. Mushy cranberries do not clog the separator.Pressure is repeatedly applied to each cranberry, to a pressure less than 0.50 psi, as cranberries are transported from a loading hopper, along a roller conveyor, to an outlet.The roller conveyor comprises an overhead soft roller, and a finned hard roller, mounted under the soft roller. Each cranberry passes between multiple pinch points, between the upper and lower rollers.Each cranberry is supported across two fins, at the pinch point. Soft cranberries are forced between the fins, and are stripped out from between the fins, by comb teeth, extending upwardly between the fins. After each pinch point, the cranberry is rotated randomly, to present a new surface to be tested.

Abstract: Multi-way slide-type shutoff valve for suction air of suction-type grippers on a sheet-transfer drum, including a plurality of closing parts, linearly slidable in a housing for optionally closing air-inlet openings connected to intake ducts of the suction-type grippers, and for closing air-outlet openings connected to a suction-air source through the intermediary of a rotary valve, the closing parts having a cylindrical shape, at least some thereof being arranged adjacent one another and in coaxial alignment, and an operating device for displacing the closing parts, is provided with springs having spring constants coordinated with one another and being disposed at least between the adjacent coaxial closing parts, at least an outer one of the closing parts being connected to the operating device.