Abstract: An apparatus and process for the inspection, conveying, and optionally temporary storage of uniform packaged goods is described. The apparatus includes a singulating device which takes dual stacked goods and reduces the dual stack to a single line of goods, inspects the goods, returns the goods to a dual stack, and transports them to a cartoner. A preferred embodiment contains a temporary buffer for storage of the goods to compensate for manufacturing speed changes, supply/demand fluctuations, or excessive rejects.

Abstract: Improved systems for optical inspection are provided. The improved systems use modified camera boxes to provide increased, and more uniform, illumination of the objects being inspected through the use of illuminator windows. The lens arrangement of the improved camera boxes is contained within a self-contained, sealed housing that is separate from the camera to prevent particle contamination of the lens arrangement and provide improved flexibility during installation of the camera boxes on the inspection systems. The self-contained housing also provides for a reduction in the space required for the camera boxes. The light receiver of the housing is provided with the capability for preventing particle contamination of the receiver itself.

Abstract: Conical drives for changing the speed of an output shaft relative to an input shaft include a conical coupling between the output shaft and a conical driving member within the drive. The output and input shafts are aligned with a first axis and the conical driving member rolls around the first axis without slipping while rotating about a second axis disposed obliquely with respect to and intersecting the first axis at a coincidence point. The apexes of the conical coupling and the conical driving member are coincident with the coincidence point. The conical coupling is utilized with both single and multispeed drives.

Abstract: A multi-speed drive has input and output shafts aligned on a first axis and connected to one another by a cone drive which has a plurality of conical surfaces sloped at various angles to form a "composite" cone. The composite cone is connected to the input shaft by a crank and rotates about a second axis which is oblique to, but intersects, the first axis at a point of intersection which is also a point of coincidence of the apexes of the conical surfaces. The composite cone rolls on one of a plurality of annular, conical surfaces, each of which is aligned with one of the conical surfaces on the cone. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, all of the annular surfaces are free to rotate with respect to the composite cone, with the exception of the single annular surface that the composite cone rolls upon. This surface may be selected by stopping its rotation with a braking device, such as a pin or a prony brake.

Abstract: Emergency exit door latching and locking apparatus includes a closure operated latch bolt which is mounted in a U-shaped pivoted carrier link by a pair of links for projection from the carrier link to latch the door. The carrier link is connected to a toggle linkage which in a first position dogs the carrier link and bolt projected and when urged over-center allows the carrier link to pivot so as to carry the bolt to a retracted position while the bolt is still projected from the carrier link. A panic push bar is used to move the toggle over-center and to thereafter engage a projection on the door so as to urge the bolt to the retracted position due to pressure applied on the door. A detent is disposed to move between the bolt and pivot for the carrier link so as to keep the bolt projected when the detent engages a strike on the door jamb. When the door is moved from the open position to the closed position, the detent is disengaged from the pivot and the bolt retracts into the carrier link.