Abstract: A digger for facilitating the application of a material to a mushroom bed includes a feed system wherein a metering shaft is provided in the compartment or hopper for the material. The metering shaft contains sets of supply pockets which receives the material to be conveyed to distribution heads. The digger also includes a digging shaft connected to a drive shaft by improved structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for weighing hard gelatine capsules or the like has a feed conduit and a discharge conduit, as well as a weighing receptacle that is disposed between them with virtually no cap. By means of a pawl, whichever of the lowermost hard gelatine capsule or the like is released in the feed conduit and pushed over onto the weighing receptacle by a lever can be pivoted into the feed conduit. A vane wheel is also present, whose vanes engages the feed conduit, the weighing receptacle and the discharge conduit and thereby form virtually closed-off transport chambers, each for one hard gelatine capsule or the like.

Abstract: An automated, fully adjustable high speed lid dropper (10) including an upright set of guide rods (26) for supporting a stack of lids (12) above a conveyor (16), a set of three feed screws (62) for capturing the lowest lid at the bottom of stack (12) and feeding it onto a can positioned therebelow, a pivotal crank arm (64) for each feed screw for radially adjusting the feed screw, and a height adjustment mechanism (22) for vertically adjusting the position of the feed screws above the cans.

Abstract: A tray removing apparatus is provided which is capable of automatically removing trays loaded with ICs to be tested from a tray storage container open only at its bottom and delivering the trays to an IC testing apparatus, and a tray storing apparatus is also provided which is capable of storing trays loaded with tested ICs into the tray storage container. Stacked trays KST taken out of the tray storage container KAS are supported by first engagement hooks 12A, and an elevator 14 is brought into abutment against the bottom of the stacked trays. In such condition, the first engagement hooks are released from their engagement with the stacked trays and second engagement hooks 12B disposed at an elevation lower than the first engagement hooks by one tray thickness are moved to the engaged position.

Abstract: The invention provides an adjustable tray dispenser having a plurality of tray guides for individually dispensing trays from a tray stock. Each of the tray guides is driven by a flexible drive shaft coupled to a gear box. The flexible drive shafts enable the independent adjustment of each tray guide with respect to each other, the dispenser, and the tray stock. A motor coupled to the gear box provides variable speed rotational motion to the flexible drive shafts. Each of the tray guides has a dispensing head that includes a timing adjustment mechanism. The timing adjustment mechanism enables the synchronization of all of the dispensing heads prior to tray dispensing. The independent adjustment ability of the tray guides enables use of the system with any size or shape tray.

Abstract: A disposable cup dispensing device having an upper annular member and a bottom annular member connected together. A barrel is mounted on the upper annular member to hold a stack of disposable cups. A pivotable bottom cover is located at the bottom annular member. An endless cord is mounted in between the upper and the bottom annular member to hold a plurality of actuating plates located in radial grooves inside the upper and the bottom annular members. A link is connected between the bottom cover and one of the actuating plates. A spring with a curving upward tail is located on the inside of the bottom cover and pivoted therewith. When the bottom cover is opened, the link is lifted to twist the endless cord and to turn the actuating plates, thereby causing the plates to pull one of the disposable cup downwardly, permitting it to fall onto the curved tail of the spring member of the bottom cover.

Abstract: Apparatus for regularly weighing groups of cigarettes comprises a suction drum arrangement (4,6) for picking up a predetermined number of cigarettes from a multi-layer flow of cigarettes (2) on a conveyor (3) and for feeding the cigarettes as a row (25) onto a ramp (14) connected to a weighing device (18), and including an arm (20) for arresting the cigarettes on the ramp until weighing has been accomplished, whereupon the arm is arranged to release the cigarettes to allow them to slide or roll down the ramp and back onto the flow of cigarettes on the conveyor (3).

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus that dispenses a lowermost cup from a stack of nested cups. The cups are disposed within an opening formed through an annular housing, and a group of cam assemblies project inward from the housing to support and selectively dispense the cups. Alignment holes are formed through the housing and the cam assemblies to facilitate proper alignment of the cam assemblies relative to one another during assembly of the dispenser. The cam assemblies move inward and outward relative to the opening to accommodate cups of different under-rim diameters within a given range. In particular, the cam assemblies move in an arc and pivot relative to the housing and thereby remain satisfactorily aligned relative to the center of the opening over a wider range of under-rim cup diameters.

Abstract: A dual downstacker apparatus has adjacent can lid feed chutes for advancing lids one at a time into alternate ones of the pockets or recesses on a starwheel which is continuously rotated beneath the chutes; and the delivery of lids can be interrupted through one of the chutes without interrupting advancement through the other of the chutes.

Abstract: A dispenser to be used with an air craft includes a body member, and a magazine accommodated in the body member. The magazine is provided with a feeding out opening at one end thereof and accommodates a number of packages arranged in a row extending from the feeding out opening throughout the magazine. The magazine includes a feeding out and separation device provided adjacent the feeding out opening for separating and feeding out a package in the row located closest to the feeding out opening of the magazine. The dispenser also includes air guiding member provided on the body member to guide an air stream in to the feeding out opening of the magazine in order to create a pressure differential at the feeding out opening acting to facilitate removal of packages, released by the feeding out and separation device, from the feeding out opening.

Abstract: A can lid feeder, for use with a can seamer, has a separator for can lids which projects into a drop hole provided in a cylindrical body at the bottom of a hopper and which separates dropped and stacked can lids one by one from the bottom of the stack. A rotary shaft of the separator extends in a gear box which is supported in the feeder in a freely swingable manner. The gear box is swingable so that the separator can move in the radial direction with respect to the cylindrical body having the drop hole. After a side surface of the swinging gear box has been brought into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical body, the gear box is fixed in position by a clamp lever.

Abstract: A denesting device for separating trays of joined cups prior to loading of the cup trays onto a conveyer belt of a packaging machine includes a feed bin mounted on a housing for receiving a stack of the nested cup trays. Associated with the bottom of the feed bin are a plurality of elongated helical screws each of which has a variable screw thread formed thereon. The variable screw thread on each of the helical screws has a variable pitch that increases from a first lesser pitch portion which is located adjacent to the feed means to a second greater pitch portion from which the denested cup trays are discharged. The plurality of elongated helical screws are rotatively mounted on the housing in a spaced array about the feed means.

Abstract: A device (1) for ejection of boxes (30) through an exit (3) of a container (2). Such a device (1) may be used for the ejection of chaff for the purpose of radar jamming. The device (1) is provided with gear wheels (13, 13') located adjacent to the exit (3). In order to eject chaff boxes (30) the gear wheels (13, 13') engage with peripherally located gear means (37, 38) on the boxes (30). Ejection by means of such a gear arrangement enables the number of boxes (30) released and the time interval between subsequent releases to be controlled very accurately.

Abstract: Cups or lids for packaging foodstuffs and the like in a sterile environment are sterilized in the packaging machine by passing them through a sterilizing chamber to be contacted first by the hydrogen peroxide and then by hot air. The packaging elements are initially moved apart rapidly and are than brought toward one another without contact, periodically in the sterilizing chamber to improve the contact of the sterilizing and drying fluid with the surfaces.

Abstract: Conical tubes stored in a nested stack are separated one-by-one for supply to an associated textile machine or the like by a separating apparatus having two gripping ring assemblies arranged to respectively surround the last-nested and penultimate tubes of the stack, the gripping ring assemblies being arranged for relative rotation in opposite directions and relative axial movement to separate the respective tubes, each gripping ring assembly including a plurality of gripping elements pivotably movable radially into and out of peripheral gripping engagement with the respective tubes in the manner of a ratchet brake, the gripping elements being arranged to exert an increasing force of gripping engagement with the respective tubes until relative rotation thereof occurs.

Abstract: An automatic unit for distributing and installing rings, particularly composite rings, on engine pistons, and which includes a first device for separating elastic expanders (b 1a) consisting of two pairs of helical ramps (26, 27) and (28, 29) having opposite winding directions driven simultaneously by a ring gear (30), and of an escapement mechanism (32) controlled by a cylinder (34) able to cause the turn portion corresponding to one helical ramp turn to be performed on this ring.

Abstract: Method of sequentially removing articles from a stack of nested articles and for controlling their movement to a location remote from the stack. The method is particularly suited for denesting and feeding large multiple cell cartons such as eighteen cell cartons to a conveyor for subsequent printing. The cartons are placed in a vertical stack and the stack of nested cartons is supported by a set of rotary brushes on opposite sides at the bottom of the stack. The cartons are preseparated and sequentially fed by a second set of rotary brushes from the bottom of the stack to a denesting station. The height of the stack of cartons at the denesting station is sensed by a photoelectric eye for controlling the rotation of the sets of brushes and the feed of cartons to the denesting station. A pair of counter-rotating feed screws having multiple operating sections denest the cartons at the denesting station and sequentially feed them to a conveyor.

Abstract: A robotic feeding mechanism for feeding electrical connectors. Connector magazines having a plurality of electrical connectors therein can be held in a magazine feeder which comprises at least two worm gears for holding and moving connector magazines therebetween. The magazine feeder also comprises gates for holding a connector magazine received from the worm gears for dispensing individual connectors and means for operably moving the worm gears and gates for controllably advancing connector magazines towards the gates and moving the gates to replace an empty magazine with a new magazine. The feeding mechanism also comprises a device for feeding and inverting individual electrical connectors comprising a sloped feed path; a gate for holding a row of connectors; means for holding the row of connectors while a leading connector is allowed to advance along the feed path; and a tipping ledge and curved guide for inverting the lead connector as it advanced along the feed path.

Abstract: Apparatus for sequentially removing articles from a stack of nested articles and for controlling their movement to a location remote from the stack. The apparatus is particularly suited for denesting and feeding large multiple cell cartons such as eighteen cell cartons to a conveyor for subsequent printing. The cartons are placed in a vertical stack and the stack of nested cartons is supported by a set of rotary brushes on opposite sides at the bottom of the stack. The cartons are preseparated and sequentially fed by a second set of rotary brushes from the bottom of the stack to a denesting station. The height of the stack of cartons at the denesting station is sensed by a photoelectric eye for controlling the rotation of the sets of brushes and the feed of cartons to the denesting station. A pair of counter-rotating feed screws having multiple operating sections denest the cartons at the denesting station and sequentially feed them to a conveyor.

Abstract: In an apparatus for preparing absorbent pad lined packaging trays, means sense the tail end of a liner supply that is to be discarded, determines and cuts off the length thereof, withdraws the cut off length from the line of machine operation and feeds into such line the lead position of a fresh liner supply. Other means denest a supply of flanged trays to be pad lined by at least two denesters that comprise synchronized, vertically oriented rotary bodies that during parts of a single rotation each have a bottom laterally extending plate that supports the bottom-most tray of a stack, an upper laterally extending plate that supports at tray flanges the next in line tray to be denested an a laterally extending, vertically inclined cam plate that is adapted to ride on the upper flange surface of a tray that is in the process of being denested to thereby forcibly eject same.

Abstract: Apparatus for sequentially removing articles from a stack of nested articles and for controlling their movement to a location remote from the attack. The apparatus is particularly suited for denesting and feeding large multiple cell cartons such as eighteen cell cartons to a conveyor for subsequent printing. The cartons are placed in a vertical stack and the stack of nested cartons is supported by a set of rotary brushes on opposite sides at the bottom of the stack. The cartons are preseparated and sequentially fed by a second set of rotary brushes from the bottom of the stack to a denesting station. The height of the stack of cartons at the denesting station is sensed by a photoelectric eye for controlling the rotation of the sets of brushes and the feed of cartons to the denesting station. A pair of counter-rotating feed screws having multiple operating sections denest the cartons at the denesting station and sequentially feed them to a conveyor.

Abstract: An automatic ticket handling machine AT adapted for use as a ticket vending station, presenting a display screen D, a telephone receiver-speaker unit TEL and a credit card reader unit CR, etc.Within machine AT is a sheet handling mechanism adapted to receive processed tickets (from a printer) in a "holding bin" secured within the machine which can either "dump" them or be shifted to present them to a user automatically when the user raises the access door of machine AT.

Abstract: A plastic container lid which has a small ridge protruding from the outer periphery of the lid, at the top corner of the lid. The ridge provides a uniform taper in the outside diameter of the lid, enabling containers to be capped at high speeds by a method that utilizes a spinning rod feed mechanism. The ridged lid is formed by a novel method, utilizing a one-piece mold cavity, fitted with a one piece mold insert. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating the one-piece mold cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing frusto-conical pots, such as nursery or plant pots, including a pair of pivotally connected arm members arranged for movement toward and away from each other on opposite sides of a stack of pots to be dispensed. Each arm member, or each set of arm members, supports a plurality of feed cylinders, each having a spiral groove in its cylindrical surface, adapted to engage opposite sides of the stack of pots and adapted to be rotated in a direction to cause the lowermost pot or pots to separate and drop from the upper pots in the stack. An adjustment mechanism is included for moving the arm members toward and away from each other in order to accommodate stacked pots of different diameters. An overhead conveyor may be provided for feeding stacks of pots to the dispensing position between the arm members.

Abstract: A device for the ejection of boxes through the exit of a container and a box adapted for use in such a device. A device (1) for ejection of boxes (30) through an exit (3) of a container (2). Such a device (1) may be used for the ejection of chaff for the purpose of radar jamming. The device (1) is provided with gear wheels (13, 13') located adjacent to the exit (3). In order to eject chaff boxes (30) the gear wheels (13, 13') engage with peripherally located gears (37, 38) on the boxes (30). Ejection by means of such a gear arrangement enables the number of boxes (30) released and the time interval between subsequent releases to be controlled very accurately.

Abstract: A cup dispenser for housing a plurality of stacks of nested cups in side-by-side relationship and including a dispensing device to sequentially dispense cups from one of the stacks in a dispensing column. A pair of helical feed coils are provided to advance the stacks of cups sequentially to the dispensing column. A support in the form of a pivotable platform is provided below the dispensing column to receive and support the stacks as they enter the dispensing column and drop through a dispensing column opening in order to avoid damage to the outwardly extending lip of the lowermost cup by virtue of the weight of the stack. The support is particularly suitable to catch falling stacks of cups that include packaged materials that are provided with the cup, such as seasonings or condiments carried in the recess at the base of the cups.

Abstract: A cap dispenser includes a carousel cap magazine holding a number of cap stacks and a cap delivery assembly for dispensing individual caps on demand. A drive assembly actuates the cap delivery assembly to dispense a cap and indexes the magazine when a low supply of caps are within the cap delivery assembly to supply cap stacks thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding individual substrates from the top of a stack of substrates includes a paddle wheel having a hub with a plurality of blades attached thereto. The paddle wheel is positioned in driving relation to the substrate stack. As the paddle wheel is rotated, the blades come in contact with a spiral track which retards the motion of the blade tips through controlled bending and thereby stores potential energy in the blades. Continued rotation of the paddle wheel allows the blades to spring forward from the track just prior to or during substrate contact thereby changing the potential energy of the blades into kinetic energy. The sudden acceleration of the blades due to the change from potential to kinetic energy causes an increase in inertial separation of the top substrate in the stack from the remainder of the stack.

Abstract: A helical carrier mechanism for dispensing bottles and cans from a vending machine has adjustable and removable carriers, to permit facile conversion, preferably between two- and three-deep alternative modes of operation. The mechanism may employ cam members, used to control the energizing circuit of the operating motor, which are reversible so as to present different numbers of lobes, and the frame in which the carriers are mounted may have spring-loaded members, both to further facilitate conversions.

Abstract: A helical carrier mechanism for dispensing bottles and cans from a vending machine has at least one carrier which can be rendered inoperative and non-interfering, such as by removal, to permit facile conversion between two- and three-deep alternative modes of operation. The mechanism may include a cover that is configured to cooperate with the internal walls and hopper of the machine, to afford smooth, gentle and dependable dispensing of the product.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing containers, such as paper cups, each having an outwardly extending rim, from a stack of nested containers, the apparatus being adjustable to handle containers of different diameters within a range of diameters.

Abstract: An automatic cup dispenser for dispensing cups at high speeds and at predetermined intervals from a stack of cups wherein each cup includes a bottom wall, a side wall and a peripheral lip comprising a plurality of opposed pairs of rotors mounted for rotation about vertical axes. The rotors are supported in position such that the upper end of each rotor engages the lip of the lowermost cup in a stack. Each rotor has a helical groove in the periphery thereof for engaging the lip of the lowermost cup and guiding the cup downwardly, the helical groove of adjacent rotors extending oppositely, and adjacent rotors being driven in alternate directions. The length of each groove is such that on rotation of the rotors, the lip of the lowermost cup is engaged and moved downwardly out of the stack while the remainder of the cups in the stack are held in position by a shoulder on the rotor.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for dispensing non-round, flexible, elastic, flanged containers from a nested stack of such containers are disclosed. The sidewalls of the bottommost container are compressed, preferably at the corners, causing the remainder of the stack of containers to move vertically upward, and a separator is inserted into the gap created between the flange of the bottommost container and the flange of the penultimate container. The bottommost container is then dispensed from the remaining containers. In the preferred embodiment, a rotor assembly is used. It comprises a separator blade, a wiper blade, and a top support disc, which are concentrically, fixedly mounted on the shaft of the assembly. The assembly further comprises a squeezer wheel, which provides the required tray compression and is rotatably and eccentrically mounted with respect to the rest of the assembly.

Abstract: The basic structure of the tray of the invention is specially designed to be produced in a high speed hot polystyrene foam press (such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,611) and the invention matches the production rate of this basic tray structure by a method and apparatus which denests the press product to effect its conversion in a horizontal serial fed chain conveyor operation, to absorbent pad lined trays, this operation automatically concluding with recompacting the finished product in a horizontal column delivered onto a counter for manual packaging.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for performing certain manufacturing operations on a container such as forming a beaded rim around the upper open end of the container. The apparatus includes mechanism for dispensing rimless containers into container-receiving receptacles which are mounted on a rotatable turret which moves the containers from one station to another station of the apparatus. Gripping means is provided to retain the containers within the receptacles and bead-forming means is also provided and is operable to form a bead on the upper disposed edge of the container. Ejection means is also provided for ejecting a finished container from a receptacle.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for dispensing flexible, elastic flanged containers from a nested stack of such containers. In that apparatus and method, the sidewall of the bottommost container is compressed causing the remainder of the stack of containers to move vertically upward and a separator is inserted into the gap created between the flange of the bottommost container and the flange of the next-to-the bottommost container. Thereafter, the bottommost container is dispensed from the remainder of the stack of containers. In the preferred embodiment, compression is provided by a set of cammed spacemaker blades.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for denesting cartons including a carton denester for receiving a stack of cartons, such as pulp egg cartons, and for separating the cartons so that they can be conveyed to carton handling apparatus. The carton denester includes a relief plate which is supported at an inclined relationship and which receives a stack of cartons against its inclined surface. The carton denester further includes a feed screw assembly connected to the lower end of the relief plate and generally perpendicular to it to support the bottom of the stack of cartons. The feed screw assembly includes a pair of rotatable feed screws which are received on opposite sides of the stack of cartons and which include helical grooves to receive the flanges of the bottom carton of the stack and to cause the bottom carton to be pulled away from the remainder of the stack upon rotation of the feed screws.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for automatically dispensing cups to a continuously moving flight conveyor having openings for receiving the cups and carrying the same continuously forward through a cup-filling station, a cup capping station and a cup discharge station. A cup filling means travels forwardly while filling the cups and a heat sealer means heat seals cups to the cup rims while traveling forwardly with the cups. At the discharge station, the cups are automatically lifted and transferred from openings in the flight conveyor to a take-off means as the cups continuously travel forwardly. The apparatus is also capable of being modified to operate on an intermittent feed basis with the cups stopping at each of the respective stations.

Abstract: A disc advancing and painting apparatus including a pair of generally cylindrical support rollers rotatably mounted in adjacent side-by-side relationship to provide a cradle for supporting a row of similar discs or the like on edge in adjacent relationship, means for rotating the support rollers in the same angular direction to spin the discs, means for advancing the row from an entrance end of the rollers to the opposite discharge end of the rollers, means for holding the discs on the support rollers during advance from the entrance end toward the discharge end, yieldable gate means at the discharge end of the rollers mounted for movement between a blocking position obstructing discharge of the end disc and a retracted position for discharge of the end disc, and a paint gun disposed adjacent the discharge end of the support rollers for momentarily directing paint against the spinning end disc while the latter is held against discharge by the gate means.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing articles such as cafeteria trays comprising a lower supporting structure upon which a plurality of trays are stacked. An upper supporting structure is provided for holding the stack of trays in a vertical or upwardly extending alignment, and a dispensing opening is defined between the upper and lower supporting structures. A threaded element is adapted to engage the bottom edge of the forwardmost tray in a stack and to thereby pivot the tray about the upper supporting member for passing of the tray through the dispensing opening. Means such as a conveyor comprising part of a tray washing machine are positioned for collecting the trays dispensed.

Abstract: Semiconductor wafer handling apparatus comprising a wafer feed machine, a dispensing adapter, and a collecting adapter is disclosed. The wafer feed machine is adapted for the transfer of a plurality of semiconductor wafers from or to a wafer cassette and to dispense or collect wafers singly, in a horizontal disposition to or from a work surface. The wafer feed machine comprises a frame-like support member in which are rotatably mounted a plurality of feed screw means which are axially parallel and spaced apart so as to accept in the periphery of the screw threads a standard semiconductor wafer. The pitch of the screw threads matches the spacing of standard wafer cassettes to enable batch transfer of wafers to and from the side of the wafer feed machine. Common drive means are provided for rotating the screw feed means which produces axial movement of the wafers.

Abstract: The flow of containers along a first conveyor providing a supply of unfilled containers to a filling machine is interrupted, with containers from the first conveyor being transferred to a second conveyor which, in turn, supplies containers to a filling machine. Each time a container is delivered from the secondary conveyor into the filling machine an additional container is transferred from the first conveyor to the secondary conveyor. Timing of containers entering the secondary conveyor is controlled to avoid interference with dispensing apparatus placing containers into the filling machine.

Abstract: The invention disclosed is a machine for applying in series a molded plastic shell-like carrier over a pre-arranged grouping of containers, such as bottles. The machine includes a storage magazine turret supplying the carriers in nested fashion to a hopper device at a feeding station. The magazine turret indexes a magazine to the feeding station and a cam-operated device releases the nested carrier stack in a magazine to the underlying hopper. A carrier feed device continuously separates the lowermost carrier and drops it to an underlying carrier delivery conveyor. Bottles are advanced in parallel rows under the conveyor and past a carrier gate at the end of the carrier conveyor. First star wheel mechanism spaces the bottles on the conveyor to correspond as groups with compartment cavities in the carrier. Bottles moving through the first star wheel pull carriers from the feed gate; whereupon each such carrier falls over a group of bottles.

Abstract: A worm-type dispenser for rolled rim paperboard containers has a compression bead in the rim-engaging grooves of the worm to flex the central portion of the rim to render it more resilient so a cover having a rim contacting cylindrical skirt may be applied more easily.