Abstract: A sorter sorts one line of articles conveyed at an entrance into a plurality of lines of articles at an exit, relative to a width direction of an article conveyance direction. The sorter includes an elastic continuous conveyance body, an entrance rotation roller, an exit rotation roller and a drive device. The elastic continuous conveyance body is configured and arranged to support a bottom surface of each of the articles. The entrance rotation roller is a roller over which the continuous conveyance body is provided at the entrance. The exit rotation roller is a roller over which the continuous conveyance body is provided at the exit. The drive device is configured and arranged to slide the exit rotation roller in a direction orthogonal to the article conveyance direction.

Abstract: A seal inspecting machine for inspecting bagged products to determine the presence or absence of a seal abnormality in each bagged product being transported by a transport conveyor 2 includes a presser unit 3 and a servo motor 32 for driving the presser unit 3 to sandwich the bagged product G between the presser unit 3 transport conveyor 2. The servo motor 32 itself has a capability of detecting a reactive force acting on the presser unit 3 or a displacement of the presser unit 3 that occurs as a result of contact with the bagged product, where any failure of the bagged product to exert a sufficient reactive force or displacement resistance is considered evidence of a seal abnormality being present in such bagged product. With this seal inspecting machine, seal check of the bagged products can be efficiently and inexpensively carried out.

Abstract: A combinational weighing or counting apparatus of a type in which the weighing hopper (30) once removed and subsequently remounted or the weighing hopper (30) from which the relatively large appendant has been separated naturally by gravity can be automatically reset to resume its participation in the combinational calculation. The apparatus includes an automatic resetting means (56) excludes, when the removal of the weighing hopper (30) is detected, weights detected by respective weight detecting means (1-1 to 1-N) corresponding to the removed weighing hopper (30) to allow the combinational weighing or counting to continue on the basis of weights of the articles M weighed by the remaining weighing hoppers (30).

Abstract: A mixing combinatorial counting and weighing method and apparatus for packaging a wide variety of articles in a single pack, wherein the numbers or ratio of the candies are designated. Prescribed numbers of the articles, which are high in unit price or large in volume, are discharged by using article supply units and combinatorial counting units. The weight of the articles discharged is stored, and this stored weight is subtracted from a weight set for the pack to compute the difference. Then, inexpensive articles are discharged using a combinatorial weighing unit, wherein the weight of the articles discharged is equivalent to the computed difference, and the articles discharged from the respective units are collected. Thus, a wide variety of articles can be introduced into a single pack at a prescribed ratio and, at the same time, the total weight of the pack can be held within established limits.

Abstract: Disclosed in a combinatorial weighing apparatus having a plurality of weighing hoppers, a plurality of weighing machines, associated with respective ones of the weighing hoppers, for weighing or counting articles introduced into each of the weighing hoppers, and a chute for collecting the articles discharged from the weighing hoppers. The apparatus operates by computing combinations based on weight values provided by the weighing machines, and causing weighing hoppers, belonging to a combination selected as a result of the combinatorial computations, to discharge their articles into the chute one hopper at a time with a predetermined time delay intervening between the discharge operations.

Abstract: Disclosed in a combinatorial weighing apparatus having a plurality of weighing hoppers, a plurality of weighing machines, associated with respective ones of the weighing hoppers, for weighing or counting articles introduced into each of the weighing hoppers, and a chute for collecting the articles discharged from the weighing hoppers. The apparatus operates by computing combinations based on weight values provided by the weighing machines, and causing weighing hoppers, belonging to a combination selected as a result of the combinatorial computations, to discharge their articles into the chute one hopper at a time with a predetermined time delay intervening between the discharge operations.

Abstract: A combinatorial weighing system, wherein swing plate 9 disposed substantially in the middle of the interior of a feed hopper 1 uniformly distributes objects of weighing, particularly those liable to tangle each other, in the bottom of the feed hopper without causing localized gathering of the objects, and the objects are then transferred to conveyors 5 disposed close to each other at one of their respective ends and extending in mutually opposite directions until the other ends thereof are positioned outwardly of the lateral walls of the feed hopper, whereby the objects are fed, in amounts within an allowable range of weighing, to the associated automatic weighing machines.