Abstract: In some implementations, a cooler reduces the temperature of pressed dough balls after the pressed dough balls have been baked in an oven. The cooler may include multiple cooling conveyors arranged in a vertical stack with adjacent conveyors transferring the pressed dough balls in opposite directions. The cooler may include a safety release turnaround between each of the adjacent cooling conveyors to move the pressed dough balls between the adjacent conveyors in the cooler.

Abstract: The cob cleaning conveyor system provides a capability for positively removing or cleaning lighter crop residue from a flow of cobs. The system can be incorporated with a cob collection device, such as on a trailer, and can be adjustable in several ways for accommodating varying corn varieties, conditions and the like. The system includes a first conveyor which propels the flow into a gap or passage toward a second conveyor, while a flow of air is directed downwardly through the passage to remove or clean the lighter residue material from the cobs. The angle of attack of the air flow can be selectable, and optionally be directed downwardly along the second conveyor to the passage, and upwardly along the second conveyor to travel with or follow the residue flow, to suit present conditions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sorting articles to a delivery point sequence includes at least one article sorter adapted to sort articles and a conveying system operable to arrange and convey containers of articles sorted in a first sort pass to an induct of the article sorter for a second sort pass or process of the articles. The system or method automatically sorts and conveys trays containing sorted articles from a discharge of at least one sorting assembly to an induct of the at least one sorting assembly. The conveying assembly may have a generally continuous conveying track and is operable to automatically provide the trays to the induct of the at least one sorting assembly in a sequenced manner.

Abstract: sorting device for RFID tags, comprising a dispensing unit for supplying RFID tags which are applied to a transport belt to a dispensing area, in which the RFID tags are detached from the transport belt; a pick-up unit having a plurality of transport units for respectively picking up the RFID tags in a respective pick-up area onto a corresponding transport belt of the transport units and a positioning device for positioning the dispensing area and a selected pick-up area with respect to one another so that the RFID tags detached from the transport belt in the dispensing area are picked up by the pick-up area of the selected transport unit.

Abstract: A method and device for sorting postal items according to formats, wherein postal items having at least two formats are fed by first conveyor to a sorting location; postal items of a first format are removed from the first conveyor in the area of the sorting location at a number of sorting stations arranged one behind the other in a direction of conveyance of the first conveyor, and are fed to a second conveyor, which, in the area of the sorting location, extends laterally next to the first conveyor, and; the postal items with other formats remain on the first conveyor.

Abstract: A system and method for removing a piece of tramp metal from particulate material transported by a conveyor is provided. A metal detector is used to detect tramp metal in the particulate material traveling along the conveyor. When a piece of tramp metal is detected, a redirection device positioned at the end of the conveyor is used to reject a portion of the particulate material that contains the tramp metal, by temporarily redirecting the flow of particulate material discharging from the conveyor. After the portion of particulate material containing the piece of tramp metal has been redirected by the redirection device, the system resumes normal operation.

Abstract: An articles separating and supplying apparatus and method are provided by which, even in case of a size change of articles, articles of a predetermined number can be securely separated and supplied at a high speed. A transfer conveyor for transferring arrayed articles to be separated and supplied, and a separating conveyor, supported pivotably around a pivot, for receiving the articles from the transfer conveyor, are provided. A counter counts the number of articles transferred by the transfer conveyor. Upon the counter counting the predetermined number of the articles, a first stopper stops feeding-in of the articles transferred by the transfer conveyor. A second stopper is arranged to stop, at a front position of the articles of the predetermined number on the separating conveyor, feeding-out of the articles from the separating conveyor. The second stopper comprises an endless belt from which engaging members project. A stop position of the engaging members is changeable by movement of the endless belt.

Abstract: An object sorting and orienting apparatus is for sorting, orienting and discharging a plurality of objects, such as, container closures dispensed from a hopper. An endless conveyor transports the closures from a loading area, through an intermediate area, to a discharge area. At least one regulator, including an adjustable spill-plate, regulates the effects of object fill-level within the hopper during a sorting run. Orienting means, including an extension of the adjustable spill-plate and a plurality of flights on the endless conveyor, arrange the closures in a correct orientation. Sorting means, including a belt path disruptor and a substantially vertical belt path, sort incorrectly oriented closures from correctly oriented closures. Discharge means, including a removal device and at least one discharge chute, discharge correctly oriented closures from the discharge area.

Abstract: A sorting machine receives a bulk of workpieces or fasteners from a hopper unit into a feed station which align the fasteners into a single file for engagement to a transport system of an inspection station. Preferably, the transport system has a conveyor belt with a magnetic member disposed radially inward from the belt. The fasteners are preferably ferrous and thereby engage the conveyor belt via the magnetic field which penetrates the belt. The fasteners are thus carried along the transport system past a trigger sensor which sends a signal to a central controller to timely actuate a dimensional sensing apparatus which takes an image of the fastener and sends it to the central computer for dimensional analysis. If the fastener fails to meet pre-established guidelines the nonconforming fastener is ejected from the transport system via a reject mechanism.

Abstract: The problem of the invention is to provide a material web, comprising a supporting web and information carriers positioned thereon, in which the supporting web is constructed as a continuous web and on which are only located faultless information carriers. According to the invention from one material web are separated at least the faulty information carriers and a uniform sequence of faultless information carriers is produced on a supporting web.

Abstract: Automatic seminconductor part handler. In one aspect the handler includes a source of parts and a transfer mechanism for transferring a part from the source to a belt assembly. The belt assembly includes a belt, a belt displacement controller, and an image forming device for forming an image of the part with respect to a desired end point. The belt displacement controller is coupled to the belt to move the belt based upon the image of the part with respect to the desired end point, thereby positioning the part in a precise location with respect to the direction of motion of the input belt.

Abstract: Sorting apparatus has a delivery system for creating a stream of product pieces to be sorted in free flight at a sorting station where selected pieces are rejected from the stream. The system comprise a delivery conveyor inclined to the horizontal for receiving product and directing it towards the sorting station. The length of the delivery conveyor, its inclination and speed are selected to effectively create a low friction chute and establish a uniform, stable and constant velocity product stream for delivery to the sorting station.

Abstract: A feed device for a unit for sorting elongate items, particularly vegetables such as carrots, includes a slanted conveyor (23) with a plurality of freely rotatable transverse rollers (24) driven by two endless chains. The conveyor includes three longitudinal sections, i.e. a lower section (23a) having a device (30) for rotating the rollers (24) in the same direction as the forward direction of the conveyor (23), an intermediate section (23b) where the rollers (24) are freely rotatable, and an upper section (23c) having an element (33) for rotating the rollers (24) in the opposite direction to the forward direction of the conveyor. A unit for sorting elongate items is also disclosed.

Abstract: A sortation and sequencing system for sorting a plurality of different items into discrete orders and putting the items into a predetermined sequence within each discrete order or group of orders. The system includes an induction station for accepting items in random succession, and a sensor at the induction station for sensing an identifying characteristic unique to each item and for generating tracking signals uniquely corresponding to the items for tracking the items through the system. A controller receives the tracking signals and generates sort command and sequence command signals which are in part responsive to the tracking signals. A sorter receives the items from the induction station and directs individual items to selected ones of a plurality of sort locations, each sort location corresponding to an individual order or group of orders, in response to sort command signals from the controller.

Abstract: A mail accumulating device having a number of stream forming units, each of which has a pair of powered belts superimposed at a point of contact defining the input of the unit. Each stream forming unit is provided with a sensor for detecting the passage of a mail item into the unit, and for generating a signal for activating the belts, thereby moving the mail items retained on the belts from the input to the output of the unit in discrete steps, and forming a group of overlapping mail items with the leading edges separated by a substantially constant distance. The device also includes a number of conveyor belt devices, each of which has an input communicating with the output of a respective stream forming unit, to enable the conveyor belt to receive a group of mail items at the input and feed the group of mail items to an output of the conveyor belt device to define an accumulating unit.

Abstract: A continuous conveyor belt for transporting a stream of objects to an inspection station includes a plurality of links matingly joined together to form a surface for supporting the objects for movement along a given path of travel to the inspection station, and wherein the continuous conveyor belt is entrained between a drive roller and a nose bar which has a given diametral dimension, and wherein the continuous conveyor belt propels the objects into free flight and in a given pattern through a sorting station which is disposed downstream of, and in spaced relation relative to the nose bar, and wherein the individual links when passing about the nose bar effectively minimizes the size of the object pattern passing through the sorting station, while simultaneously maintaining product separation which permits imaging of substantially the entire surface area of each product.

Abstract: The Invention relates to an apparatus and a method for sorting objects into destination containers arranged along one or both sides of a continuous conveyer belt apparatus wherein appropriate portions of the belt can be raised and lowered at times and locations to cause objects to fall into appropriate destination containers. Air may optionally be directed toward said objects in coordination with the elevation of the belt to assist in causing the objects to fall into the appropriate destination container.

Abstract: A conveying system for tablet inspection is provided. The conveying system includes a hopper assembly for feeding tablets to a conveyor at a controlled rate. The conveyor includes a pair of conveyor belts surrounding a plenum that communicates with a vacuum pump. The conveyor belts are parallel to one another and are spaced a distance for efficiently supporting a tablet thereon. An uprighter is disposed between the hopper assembly and the conveyor to rotate the tablets into an upright condition supported on an edge. The tablets are stably held in the upright position by the vacuum pump and are moved rapidly in their upright condition by the rotatably driven conveyor belts. The upright orientation of the tablets permits the opposed sides of each tablet to be electro-optically inspected for defects without repositioning the tablets and without changing the direction of movement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high speed asynchronous fruit sorter, particularly suitable for pit scanning of cherries in order to segregate cherries containing pits from pitted cherries.

Abstract: A belt-type separator for effecting separation of blow-molded parts, which separator preferably includes at least two endless belts movably supported on and between a pair of horizontally spaced pulleys, one of which is a drive pulley. The belts, preferably of circular cross section, have the upper reaches extending in parallel but slightly sidewardly spaced relationship to define a small gap therebetween through which scrap parts can pass. The other parts remain on the belts and are transported to a discharge location. The belts are preferably driven at slightly different speeds to facilitate the agitation and dislodgement of the scrap parts so that they can move into and pass through the clearance spaces between adjacent belts.

Abstract: In a submerged scraper conveyor (10), an automatic voltage control system controls the speed of variable speed drive (32), in turn the speed of follower sprocket (22) and in turn the speed of drag chain (16) as a function of the torque on the headshaft (21). The tension on endless roller chain (36) is monitored by load cell (40) as indicative of the torque on the headshaft (21) and a standard process control signal is generated therefrom. The speed of variable speed drive (32) is varied as a function of the measured torque between a lower speed drive limit and an upper speed drive limit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high speed asynchronous fruit sorter for sorting various types of fruits, such as blueberries, according to maturity. Forming a part of the fruit sorter is an open wire type conveyor having a generally M-shaped profile extending transversely across so as to define a series of laterally spaced and longitudinally extending conveying channels. An illumination source is disposed below the conveyor about an area referred to as a sorting zone. Disposed over the conveyor in the vicinity of the sorting zone is an optical maturity sensing device that continuously derives a differential optical density reading for the underlying passing fruit, and this differential optical density reading is directly related to the maturity of the fruit and is directed to a maturity discriminator circuit. The maturity discriminator circuit is in turn coupled to an air injection sorting apparatus by a series of AND gates.