Abstract: A grinder-doser may include: grinding members configured to receive and grind coffee beans and configured to deliver ground coffee into a dispensing conduit; a compacting member including a dispensing opening aligned with the dispensing conduit; a slide guide; and a sliding block configured to slide along the slide guide for selectively superimposing a first or second opening to the dispensing opening, allowing the ground coffee to move from the dispensing conduit to the dispensing opening via the first or second opening. The first opening may be reversibly closed by a closure element. The closure element may include a flexible sheet. The closure element may be configured to allow the ground coffee to move from the dispensing conduit to the dispensing opening as a thrust limit value exerted by the ground coffee on the closure element is exceeded. Thrust exerted by the ground coffee may cause the closure element to bend.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for monitoring and controlling an agricultural implement, including seed planting implements. Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for detecting seeds being conveyed by seed conveyor. Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for monitoring and controlling deposition of secondary crop inputs such as fertilizer and insecticide.

Abstract: A pipe conditioning tool comprising a drive unit to move the tool along a pipe and a work head rotatable about an axis of the pipe to condition a surface of the pipe, the drive unit includes a frame extending to opposite sides of the pipe, the frame having legs extending radially beyond the work head to provide support for the tool upon removal from said pipe.

Abstract: Apparatus useful for feeding a particulate starter material comprising nutrient and bacteria to a mixing tank, for solubilizing the starter material inside the mixing tank, for promoting growth of the bacteria and for discharging an aqueous slurry comprising the bacteria from the mixing tank. The apparatus preferably has a gravity-flow feeder and discharge port, does not require a pump, and comprises disposable parts.

Abstract: A powder-filling system capable of filling a container with powder at an approximately uniform filling density has: a hopper having an opening removably and hermetically closably attached to the container, the hopper communicating with the container at the opening for supplying powder to a container; a powder supplier for supplying powder to the hopper; a gas supplier for repeatedly supplying compressed gas in a pulsed form to the hopper, with the hopper hermetically closably attached to the container; and a sieve member provided at the opening and having a smaller openings in a region near a side wall of the hopper than in its central region. The smaller openings in the region near the side wall of the hopper where the powder more easily falls from the hopper into the container impedes the fall of the powder in that region and improves the overall uniformity in the filling density.

Abstract: A rotating drum with elevated discharge chute to lower the height requirement of a stacked seed treatment system. The height requirement of stacked seed treatment systems can be lowered by elevated the discharge point of the treated seed without requiring additional expense transfer components. The elevated discharge drum incorporates a series of lifting flights at the discharge end of the drum. These flights elevate the seed onto a discharge chute, which facilitates transfer to the discharge conveyor.

Abstract: An ice dispensing assembly includes a hopper, a metering disk, a shelf member, and a separating wall. The hopper includes an outlet opening defined in a bottom end of the hopper, and an ice inlet defined in a top end of the hopper. The metering disk is positioned in the hopper and includes a plurality of cavities. The shelf member is arranged to at least partially shield the cavities from a supply of ice held in the hopper. The metering disk is rotatable relative to the hopper between a first position wherein at least one cavity is exposed to the supply of ice to be filled with ice, and a second position wherein the cavity is separated from the supply of ice by the separating wall and ice in the cavity is dispensed through the outlet opening.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for gravity feeding of a dispensable product includes containing means and dispensing means. The containing means is adapted to contain the dispensable product and is operatively connected to the dispensing means whereby the dispensing means includes a chute means. Rotation of the chute means can cause the dispensable product to be able to be dispensed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags in an object to be embedded with wireless IC tags. The apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags including: an alignment unit for aligning the wireless IC tags in the same direction by applying a vibrating force to the wireless IC tags; a distribution unit for distributing the wireless IC tags to a plurality of passages; a radio communication unit for performing, through radio communication, data writing and/or reading to/from the wireless IC tags; and a wireless IC tag embedding unit for embedding the wireless IC tags into an object to be embedded with wireless IC tags by applying air pressure to the wireless IC tags.

Abstract: A chute assembly for a system configured to dispense objects from a bulk supply of such objects includes: an elongate chute having an open bottom end; a dispensing assembly slidably mounted to a bottom end portion of the chute, the dispensing assembly including a sleeve that receives the bottom end portion of the chute and a door mounted thereto, the sleeve being slidable between a staging position, in which the door covers the bottom end of the chute and thereby stages objects in the bottom end portion of the chute, and a dispensing position, in which the door moves away from the bottom end of the chute to enable objects staged in the bottom end portion of the chute to be dispensed from the chute; and an agitation unit coupled to the dispensing assembly, the agitation unit configured to impart energy to objects staged in the bottom end of the sleeve as the sleeve moves to the dispensing position.

Abstract: Packaging for a powdered beverage includes a container of powdered beverage, and a dispenser secured to the container. The dispenser includes an outer dispensing member having an exit opening, and an inner dispensing member in opposed relationship with the outer dispensing member and in part defining an interior space of the container. The inner dispensing member has at least one dispensing opening. At least one of the outer dispensing member and the inner dispensing member is moveable relative to the other one of the outer dispensing member and the inner dispensing member between a blocked position and a dispensing position of the dispenser in which the at least one opening of the inner dispensing member is at least in part aligned with the exit opening of the outer member to permit powdered beverage to be dispensed from the packaging.

Abstract: A dosing dispenser for dispensing predetermined quantities of a flowable material, particularly baby formula, includes a dosing device having a dosing compartment located to align its upper end with a receptacle for the flowable material, when the dosing device is in a rear limit position, for filling with the flowable material, and to align its lower end with a dispensing outlet when the dispensing device is in a forward limit position for dispensing the flowable material in the dosing compartment from the housing. The dispenser further includes a restraining device for restraining movement of the dosing device, when starting a movement in one direction, against movement in the opposite direction until the dosing device has completed its movement in the one direction, to thereby prevent dispensing of less than the predetermined quantity of the flowable material by only a partial filling of the dosing compartment.

Abstract: Substantially cylindrical condiment containers with extendable and retractable pouring spouts are provided. A dispensing mechanism in each container can be actuated by simply rotating the lower portion of the body of the container, without the need for separate knobs or levers. The dispensing mechanism uses a stainless steel ring-shaped spring in a detent structure which properly aligns an outlet opening with a compartment from which material is to be dispensed, creates a discernable “click” to indicate proper alignment, and serves as a ratchet to prevent rotation of the mechanism in the wrong direction.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for depositing particulate matter onto a supply of absorbent core fibrous substrate material are disclosed. The apparatus has a feed tray that has an inlet for receiving a supply of particulate matter. At least part of a lower pan of the feed tray is a slideable shuttle pan that has an outlet edge located near a supply of absorbent core fibrous substrate material that is moving in a machine direction. The supply of particulate matter passes over the outlet edge to exit the feed tray. A mechanism operates the shuttle pan through a range of motion having a forward stroke and a backward stroke. During the forward stroke, the outlet edge follows the supply of absorbent core fibrous substrate material.

Abstract: Method and device for metering granular materials which comprises a least one dispensing element, driving means arranged to control the dispensing element, sensing means designed to detect the amount of granules delivered by the dispensing element, and a program control unit designed to control the control means and disable it as soon as the amount of granules delivered by the dispensing element has reached a predetermined amount.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a packing method and an apparatuses implementing said method in which a material is packed into a container by an air tapping process in which the air-pressure state of the space comprising a container and a space part connected with said container, which space being loaded with the material, is switched several times from a low air-pressure state to a high air-pressure state alternately, while keeping said low air-pressure state equal to or higher than the atmospheric pressure existing outside said space, thereby preventing the material from getting blown up by the inflow of the atmospheric air outside the container and packing a material into said container homogeneously.

Abstract: A bulk component feeder is provided for delivering components contained with a bulk cassette. The feeder includes a feeder housing defining a component cassette receiving area. The receiving area includes a cassette mounting means for registration with the cassette, and the housing defines an opening for receiving components from the cassette. A gate slidable within the cassette receiving area interfaces with a mounting means, and the gate is slidable to cover the opening in a closed position and uncover the opening in an open position upon attachment of the cassette to the housing. A spring is used to bias the gate toward the closed position, and a latch is mounted to the housing and is engagable with the gate to prevent sliding of the gale toward the open position and thereby prevent installation of the cassette.

Abstract: Volumetric dosage machine particularly for granulates, powders and loose products in general, including products that are not uniform or mutually compacted and have a very limited flow ability, comprising a hopper for loading a product to be metered that is provided with a bottom which has a plurality of dosage chambers and is movable to transfer the dosage chambers from a loading position to a discharge position spaced from the loading position, and/or vice versa. There is also a skimming unit interacting with the dosage chambers during the movement of the bottom.

Abstract: A metering arrangement for powdered material, particularly powdered beverage ingredients, includes a storage container (18), an outfeed box (22) located beneath the storage container and having an outfeed opening (46), and a reciprocatingly movable outfeed slide (60). The outfeed slide and the outfeed box are embraced by a rubber band (78), for returning the outfeed slide. The outfeed slide co-acts with a motor (36) drivingly operating the slide (40) having an L-shaped cut-out (100) in which a slide driver (94) eccentrically mounted on the crankshaft (92) of the motor is intended to move. When dispensing a metered quantity of powder, the slide driver moves in the transverse leg of the L-shaped cut-out during a first half of a revolution so as to draw out the operating slide (40) and the outfeed slide (60).

Abstract: An improved ice measuring and dispensing machine is of the type which includes an ice supply hopper, a housing having three measuring and dispensing chambers which continuously rotate about a vertical axis, and a discharge chute. Each of the chambers rotates beneath the supply hopper to receive ice by gravity flow therefrom. Each of the chambers filled with ice from the ice supply hopper rotates over the discharge chute to discharge the ice therein by gravity flow down the discharge chute into an ice bag. The improvement includes the rotating housing having a cylindrical wall which partially defines each of the chambers. A hammer device is reciprocated toward and away from the cylindrical wall to cause the head thereof to make repeated, jarring contact with the cylindrical wall to vibrate the chambers and thus prevent the collection or bridging of ice therein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotary-type metering device making it possible to dispense granular substances consisting of fine particles which are difficult to handle. The metering device consists of a spherical core rotating around a horizontal axis inside a casing comprising a feed orifice and an outlet orifice. The spherical core comprises at least one cavity having an opening at the surface of the core, and sides and bottom within the core. This cavity has the shape of a volume consisting of two volumes of revolution, contiguous and coaxial, V.sub.1 and V.sub.2, with an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the spherical core. The volume V.sub.1 is a truncated cone of revolution or a cylinder of revolution.

Abstract: A vibrating discharge apparatus for discharging particulate stored material from a surge or blending bin or the like, having a discharge end, a discharge apron defining an support surface near the bottom of the bin extending in a substantially horizontal plane along a conveyance path to the discharge end. The apron is directed along a downwardly curving convex apron path sloping downwardly from the horizontal plane at the discharge end and comprises a plurality of rigid elongated parallel transversely extending slat members each having a main slat body portion and a thin plate-like lip projecting therefrom to overlie the adjacent slat member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering a predetermined amount of material into a predetermined position on each of a series of moving trays while avoiding spillage of the product onto other portions of the trays. A conveyor lifts the material from a supply bin and deposits the material onto a shaker pan. The shaker pan delivers the material in an even flow on to a rotating turntable having a plurality of radially extending gutters thereon. The turntable directs the material to flow along the gutters and into a plurality of hoppers disposed at the periphery of the turntable. The hoppers are rocked to distribute the product evenly within each hopper. Once a hopper is full, any excess material falls onto a drip tray which returns the material back to the supply bin. The filled hoppers are rotated above the trays, which are moving on a conveyor, and release the material onto a predetermined area of the trays by means of funnels mounted adjacent to each hopper.

Abstract: A cement mixing and distribution apparatus is disclosed and includes a metering wheel assembly and an adjustable bearing assembly for an auger shaft in a trough. The metering wheel includes a hollow, cylindrical drum rotatably mounted to a drum shaft, a plurality of circumferentially spaced and radially extending vanes mounted on the exterior surface of the drum and a plurality of hammer assemblies located within the drum and disposed along the length of the metering wheel. The hammer assemblies each include an inwardly directed impact plate and pusher plate angularly spaced apart and mounted on the inner surface of the drum, and a hammer rotatably mounted on the drum shaft and positioned between the impact plate and the pusher plate. Impact of the hammer against the impact plate vibrates the metering wheel.

Abstract: A horizontal filler comprising a rotating turret supporting open-top containers and mounting a turntable for receiving a falling stream of particulate material is provided with tiltable trays on said turntable disposed to collect individual divided amounts of material from said stream for discharge gradually and individually into respective ones of said containers.

Abstract: A guide cylinder with its axis directed in the upper and lower directions is provided on the bottom of a hopper. In the guide cylinder are allowed to pass a plurality of measuring containers supported by an endless conveyor which is moving upwardly from the bottom of the hopper, so that bulk foods in the hopper are scooped up into the measuring containers. While the measuring container is still over the hopper, excess bulk foods are caused to fall onto the hopper by way of a suitable shaking operation. Thereafter, the bulk foods are conveyed out of the hopper by the conveyor, and exhausted at an exhausting station by turning the measuring container upside down. The distance between the measuring containers provided on the endless conveyor is made smaller than the length of the guide cylinder so that at least one of the measuring containers is always present in said guide cylinder. This enables the measuring containers to further serve as a bottom covering of the hopper.

Abstract: A rotary feeder has a valvular rotor rotating on an axis in a cylindrical cavity. A plurality of rigid, free-floating blades project from a hub of the rotor to delimit several material-receiving pockets circumferentially distributed over the hub. The inner edges of the blades rest in axial recesses in the hub and are supported by fixed projections extending outwardly from the hub along the trailing side of the blades. The recesses permit limited angular movement of the blades relative to the hub. The blades have widths from the hub to the periphery of the cylindrical cavity greater than corresponding radii through the inner edges of the blades at the hub, whereby the blades are angularly inclined relative to such radii. Top portions of the blades are applied to peripheral wall portions of the cylindrical cavity. The recesses, the fixed projections, and peripheral wall portions of the cylindrical cavity cooperate to hold the blades in position.

Abstract: An automatically operational net weight filling machine having a plurality of similar but independently adjustable operational stations which conveyably receive from a bulk storage source a loose and flowable dry particulate material, measures out an adjustably predetermined net weight amount of that material into a net weight receptacle enclosed within a chamber provided with a selected atmosphere, and then dispenses the net weight amount of that material from the net weight receptacle into an evacuated container such as a bottle or the like, wherein the respective containers are also automatically delivered to and discharged from the machine after net weight filling thereof with the subject material.

Abstract: A hammering system for a compartmented, rotary metering drum comprising an elongated member rotatably supported on bearings, a lever pivotably mounted on the elongated member, hammers mounted on one end portion of the lever, and a biasing mechanism secured to the other end portion of the lever urging the lever to pivot about its fulcrum to engage the hammers with the metering drum. The metering drum has cocking structures associated with the leading face of each vane on the drum which forces the hammers away from the drum and suddenly releases the hammers to subsequently strike the drum to knock away any caked material therefrom.

Abstract: Improved apparatus for the transportation of granular materials such as concrete is disclosed. The apparatus includes a pneumatic discharge area, a rotatable feed wheel having a plurality of pockets opening to a hopper for transporting increments of material to the discharge area and vibrating apparatus including one or more resilient members disposed adjacent the openings to the feed wheel pockets for being alternately flexed and released to impart vibration to the resilient members to enhance the flow of material into the pockets. The vibrating apparatus further includes a mounting ring, adapted for mounting in the device, and one or more inwardly extending mounting bars affixed to the ring for carrying the resilient members.

Abstract: A toner dispenser having a rotatably driven dispensing roll including a cam and cam follower for imparting an axial, vibratory component of motion to the roll. The vibratory motion inhibits agglomerated masses of toner from collecting in the vicinity of the dispensing roll. In those instances wherein the dispensing roll is grooved and the toner dispenser additionally includes a brush-like wiper for dislodging toner particles from the dispensing roll, the vibratory motion also assists in preventing toner from accumulating in the grooved areas of the roll. That tendency is, however, even more effectively counteracted by additionally including a pawl and ratchet indexing arrangement for occassionally changing the alignment between the wiper and the dispensing roll.

Abstract: A powder feeding apparatus in which a feed shoe, open at the top and bottom, is movable along a feed plate from a remote powder filling location to a position directly overlying a cavity into which the powder is to be fed. The apparatus includes a wire grid suspended in a horizontal plane near the bottom of the feed shoe and coupled to means for reciprocating it relative to the feed shoe to dispense fluent powdered material into the cavity. A photocell scanning system is provided for controlling the desired powder level and for detecting powder supply exhaustion.

Abstract: A vending machine including a vibrating mechanism or thumper mechanism for vibrating a container of powdered material, said vibrating mechanism including a pivotally mounted spring-biased arm member actuatable to a cocked position by the movement of a slide mechanism and releasable to apply a blow to the container said vibrating mechanism and slide mechanism having interengageable portions for effecting movement of the arm member to the cocked position.