Abstract: An apparatus for counting flat objects, such as printed products, which are conveyed in an overlapping formation, and which comprises a guide means extending in the conveying direction and mounting a contact element for reciprocatory movement therealong. A drive serves to move the contact element cyclically in the conveying direction at a speed greater than the conveying speed of the overlapping objects, so that it can be brought into contact with the rear edge of each object. A detector element emits a signal to a counter upon contact between the contact element and the rear edge of an object, and a reference element is provided which rests upon the overlapping formation from above to ensure that the contact element mounted on the guide means and the formation assume a precisely defined mutual position.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for counting small objects which is capable of accurately and reliably counting large numbers of small objects such as pharmaceutical tablets, capsules, and the like. The device employs linear pickup tubes radially affixed to a rotating collar wherein the tubes have a vacuum applied to them during a prescribed amount of rotation of the collar about a stationary axle. During the period for which a vacuum exists at the tip of a pickup tube, an object to be counted is caused to adhere to the tube end, and is transported into a discharge chute containing an object counter.

Abstract: An apparatus 1 for counting, collecting and transporting sausage casings is equipped with collecting rails 3, 4, initiators 6, 12, a lever 5, a counter 7 and a rotating collecting chain 10 with drivers 11, 14, 24. The sausage casings 15 are counted by way of the lever 5, a first initiator 6 and counter 7, and are pushed into the gap between the collecting rails 3, 4 and stored there. After a preselectable number of sausage casings has been counted, the counter 7 sets the collecting chain 10 and sausage casings in motion, until the collecting chain 10 is disengaged by an electromagnetic coupling via the further driver 24 and a second initiator 12. At increased working speeds of the tying-off machine, the number of preselected sausage casings is likewise increased correspondingly, so that, even in the case of an unchanged collecting chain speed, the number of articles supplied to the gap can be transported away.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for singulating individual articles from a group of articles. A rotary vacuum wheel includes a plurality of article pockets in its outer edge periphery. Apertures within each pocket are in communication with a vacuum pump. An article collection bin has a lower discharge port, through which a portion of the wheel periphery passes. The attractive vacuum forces draw individual articles into a respective pocket where they are secured. Continued rotation of the wheel transports the singulated articles to a discharge station, for further processing, such as labeling, counting, or packaging.

Abstract: In a part feeding apparatus including a feeder bowl for discharging and feeding parts to an assembly apparatus and a hopper for discharging and feeding parts to the feeder bowl, a counter for counting parts discharged from the hopper and a counter for counting parts discharged from the feeder bowl are provided. The hopper is driven, so that a difference between values of the two counters is brought close to a definite value.