Abstract: A counter for counting objects in a stack employs a beam moved by a scan carriage along an edge of the stack. A detector on the carriage determines the position of the portion of the beam reflected by the stack and determines, by optical triangulation techniques, the distance between the source of the beam and the edge of the stack. The resulting signal is used to recognize the presence of objects in the stack and to count them on the basis of this recognition.

Abstract: A method of feeding material to be scanned to, and ejecting such material from, a scanning system is provided. The scanning system receives, ejects and transports carrying material to be scanned. Two such transports are provided, to permit material to be scanned on one transport while the material on the other transport is changed and/or modified. The transports are fed into the scanning system from a bed and are received from the system on rails. The rails are above the bed. The bed and rails are in one vertical position when transports are fed from the bed into the scanning system and at another vertical position when a transport is ejected from the scanning system onto the rails. A transport may be dropped from the rails to the bed.

Abstract: A scanning system receives and ejects material to be scanned in a given plane. There are first and second transports, each for holding material to be scanned. A table has a bed capable of holding one of the transports. Rails above the bed hold the other transport. These rails may be operated to drop any transport that is on the rails onto the bed. The bed and rails may be raised and lowered so that any transport, on the bed, is in the given plane when a transport is to be fed into the scanning system, and so that any transport ejected from the scanning system will be received on the rails. With this apparatus the two transports may be scanned alternately, with the material on one being changed while the other is being scanned. The transports are moved by rollers and pushing devices.

Abstract: The transport, that carries the material to be scanned to and from scanning position, is held against its support by suction. After the transport has been moved into scanning position the suction is applied progressively starting at one end of the transport and continuing to the other end. A squeegee roller presses the transport against its support. This roller passes over the portion of the transport to which suction has just been applied, but prior to the time that suction is applied to the next section of the transport.

Abstract: A hand propelled coating device includes a coating product tray reservoir, a feed roller engaging an applicator roller rotatable by frictional drive imparted thereto when the applicator roller is rolled over a surface being coated, and an additional drive wheel with a traction band that is outboard and offset from the tray reservoir and the applicator roller as it coats a desired surface. The additional drive wheel also includes a quick-disconnect arrangement from the driver applicator roller shaft to avoid any wheel surface contact when desired, whereby no wheel marks on the finished surface will be made, it being important to have the additional traction wheel rim out of surface area engagement after the surface is covered with a finished coating.