Receivers Arranged In Rotary Array Patents (Class 271/295)
  • Patent number: 11970299
    Abstract: A device for filling containers for bags of smokeless tobacco, includes an infeed station for feeding a succession of inner frames, a filling station to feed a succession of individual bags tobacco to a respective inner frame, a release station for releasing inner frames full of bags, a conveyor defining a feed line which passes through the infeed station, the filling station and the release station and which has a housing to hold and move a respective inner frame from the infeed station to the release station via the filling station. A suction device is disposed in the filling station to apply suction in the housing of the conveyor disposed in the filling station and a rotation device is disposed in the filling station and confronting the housing. The rotation device rotates the inner frame in the housing so successive radial compartments of the inner frame confront respective bags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: G.D S.P.A.
    Inventor: Fulvio Boldrini
  • Patent number: 8208161
    Abstract: A photo printing device includes a microprocessor, operable to receive photo printing data, a printer, configured to print photographs from the photo printing data, an order sorter, having a plurality of moveable bins for receiving prints from the printer, and means for conveying information to a user related to operation of the order sorter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Craig A LeVier, Timothy J Carlin, Anton Tabar
  • Patent number: 6814352
    Abstract: An installation for processing piece goods including a processing station and a supply unit and/or removal unit. Supply and removal units are displaceable relative to the processing device. Supply and removal units include a closed-in-itself rail track and a plurality of grippers independently traveling along the rail. Supply and removal units further include a take-over drive and a delivery drive, the drives being independent of one another. The delivery drive of the supply unit and the take-over drive of the removal unit include a feature (e.g. a toothed belt) for coupling the drive to the periphery of the processing device. The installation is applicable e.g. for producing products from a plurality of sub-products in a drum-shaped processing device. The installation is very flexible and easy with regard to conversions, adjustments, trouble-shooting and maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventor: Marcel Ramseier
  • Patent number: 6598874
    Abstract: A method of retaining a sheet on at least one of a transfer cylinder and a guide surface of a sheet-guiding device in a sheet-processing machine by pneumatically activatable nozzles for producing an air cushion beneath the respective sheet, which comprises producing an air cushion by an air-pressure distribution resulting in air flows beneath the respective sheet, the air-pressure distribution being based virtually only on radially decelerated air flow, and being capable of retaining the respective sheet in position; and a retaining device for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Peter Hachmann, Uwe Tessmann
  • Patent number: 6354590
    Abstract: A multiple bin sorter for use with an image forming device in which the bins rotate through a sheet receiving position and, as may be necessary or desirable, through other positions to accommodate a variety of different finishing operations. The sorter includes a plurality of rotatable bins configured to receive sheets outputted by an image forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: David M. Payne
  • Patent number: 6066785
    Abstract: A method of producing hybrid plants involves inducing cross-pollination of self-pollinating species by selecting a female plant and a male plant having different genotypes, the female plant having a phenotype of sensitivity to a micronutrient deficiency, and the male plant having a phenotype of male fertility, growing the female plant to sexual maturity in a fertility-selective growth medium deficient for the micronutrient, to produce a plant having female fertility and male sterility, growing the male plant to sexual maturity to produce a plant having high male fertility, cross-pollinating the female plant with pollen from the male plant to produce cross-fertilization with essentially no self-fertilization, raising the female plant to produce hybrid seeds having genetic material from both parents, and harvesting the hybrid seeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Chiang Mai University
    Inventor: Benjavan Rerkasem
  • Patent number: 6017030
    Abstract: A device for feeding flat, flexible products from the bottom of a stack. The stack is supported by rollers arranged like spokes in a wheel that is continuously rotating. Feeding occurs when a vacuum cup pulls the leading edge of a product between subsequent rollers. A rotary conveyor following feeding employing rollers with irregular surfaces is incorporated to insert the products into a series of pockets passing beneath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Graphic Management Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Randy R. Seidel, Neal B. Cohen, Gary Davenport, Roger Honegger
  • Patent number: 5895043
    Abstract: An arrangement for feeding a conveying apparatus comprising hoppers for flat products such as envelopes, mailing pouches, workpieces and the like, which can be emptied at certain intervals and are secured on a rotatably driven traction element. A device including a slanted guide wall defining a conveying channel is located above the conveying apparatus for conveying the products in a conveying direction into a respective one of the hoppers located below the conveying channel. The device includes a size intake opening communicating with the conveying channel for receiving products into the conveying channel from a side of the device in a direction at a right angle to the conveying direction. The device further includes a rotating clearing mechanism laterally penetrating the conveying channel and operating jointly with the guide wall for conveying the products into the hoppers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: GRAPHA-Holding AG
    Inventors: Wilhelm Maier, Jean-Claude Oppliger
  • Patent number: 5887869
    Abstract: The apparatus for carrying out the method comprises a plurality of delivery trays arranged in the manner of a circulating bucket lift, which on the basis of user inputs can be freely selected and transported to a loading plane in which an inlet opening for the copy or print jobs also is located. An outlet opening is provided opposite the inlet opening, the individual delivery trays can be moved around a passthrough region which joins the inlet opening to the outlet opening, and each of the delivery trays can, in order to receive copy or print jobs, be slid into a loading position in the passthrough region and receives the copy or print job intended for that selected delivery tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Rolf Munz, Jurgen Ries
  • Patent number: 5556087
    Abstract: The apparatus for processing printed products includes receiving compartments that are arranged one behind the other in the direction of rotation and are moved, with their outer opening, past the discharge end of a belt conveyor. Arranged at the opening of each receiving compartment is a conveying-roller pair that is intended, upon moving past the discharge end, to grasp between its rollers one printed product that has been fed by the belt conveyor and to clamp printed product in the conveying gap. During further movement of the receiving compartment in the direction of rotation, the firmly clamped printed product is conveyed into the receiving compartment. This permits reliable introduction of the printed products into the receiving compartments, even if said printed products are fed at different spacings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventor: Reinhard Gosslinghoff
  • Patent number: 5331389
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a rotatable upper cover, one surface of which serves as a first exit tray on which recording sheets are discharged with image sides face downward, the other surface of which serves as a second exit tray on which recording sheets are discharged with image sides face upward. Guide members which are activated in accordance with the rotation of the rotatable upper cover are provided above delivering rollers, thereby the recording sheets delivered by the delivering rollers are selectively discharged with the image sides either face downward to the first exit tray or face upward to the second exit tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu Fukuchi, Shizuo Morita, Satoshi Haneda, Hisao Satoh, Tadayoshi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 5240245
    Abstract: A container (10) for receiving bank notes in a bank note dispensing device has a closable housing (12) with an intake opening (20) for the bank notes. Two driven, cooperating draw-in rollers (22,24) in the region of or in the intake opening (20) delimit a draw-in gap (26) through which bank notes are drawn in. The device comprises a plurality of compartments (I to V, 48) for receiving bank notes. The receiving openings of the compartments (I to V, 48) can be optionally connected to the draw-in gap (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme A.G.
    Inventors: Heinz Ademmer, Gunter Holland-Letz, Peter Weigel
  • Patent number: 5013023
    Abstract: An apparatus for receiving slips and stacking the slips temporarily therein to process them or to exchange them for another kind of slips, and having a stop and guide which defines a transport path for receiving and transporting a slip, a stationary storing section which defines a space for holding the slip temporarily therein, and a feeder for feeding the slip into and out of the stationary storing section. A movable storing section is interposed between the stop and guide and the stationary storing section for defining compartments each of which accommodates a part of any of the slips therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Hashimoto, Kazuhiko Shibata, Makoto Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 4729554
    Abstract: The printed products to be provided with inserts or supplements are infed in respective pairs by an infeed conveyor to a processing drum or cell wheel. The cell wheel comprises substantially radially extending compartments which are open at the periphery of the cell wheel. Product feed devices, for example, clamps or grippers are arranged in the compartments for forwardly advancing the printed products located in the compartments. Each compartment is divided into two feed channels by a removable divider or partition wall. These divider or partition walls terminate at a predeterminate spacing from the product feed devices. Each of the two printed products which are conjointly conveyed as a pair are infed into a respective feed channel. The printed products in the feed channels of each compartment are then conjointly advanced and approximately simultaneously opened and are furnished with an insert or supplement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1988
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventor: Werner Honegger
  • Patent number: 4709910
    Abstract: In the substantially radially extending compartments of a cell wheel or drum of a processing apparatus for processing printed products, there are inserted removable divider or partition walls. The removable divider or partition walls divide each of the compartments into two feed channels. These divider or partition walls terminate at a predetermined distance or spacing from the floor of the compartments. Feed structure, such as grippers for advancing the printed products are arranged in the region of the floor of each compartment and such feed structure commonly coacts with both feed channels. A printed product is inserted into each feed channel. Both printed products are conjointly advanced in the longitudinal direction of the compartments by the related product feed structure and these products are simultaneously opened and furnished with inserts. The opening of the printed products and the stuffing of inserts is done separately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1987
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventor: Werner Honegger
  • Patent number: 4678179
    Abstract: A sorting apparatus arranged to receive a stream of sheets for collating the same into booklets having a rotary sorter comprised of a plurality of bins each of which includes a sheet clamping device to hold sheets in registered orientation in the bins. Control means cooperate with the clamping means to release the sheets at a loading station to permit egress of the sheets one at a time into the bins as the sorter rotates, and to release the clamping devices at an unloading station to permit removal of the completed booklets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1987
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: William B. Edwards, Thomas J. Hamlin
  • Patent number: 4582421
    Abstract: A finishing station is disclosed as having a rotary sorter arranged to receive a stream of sheets at a loading station and to collate them into booklets or copy sets. An adhesive binder is positioned at an unloading station and is arranged for movement toward and away from the edges of the booklets while still in the sorter bins of the sorter. When moved toward the edges of the booklets, an applicator roller in the binder is arranged to apply adhesive material to the edges in timed sequence relative to sheet loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1986
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hamlin, William B. Edwards
  • Patent number: 4486011
    Abstract: The printed product to be opened is moved with an open side thereof towards a stationary opening element. The bottom part of the printed product contains at an open side, located opposite to a fold of the printed product, a marginal zone or portion by means of which the sheets of this bottom part protrude past the sheets of the other part of the product. The opening element has an inclined deflector aligned with the protruding marginal zone extending parallel to the direction of product travel. The printed product approaching the opening element is raised by means of a ramp prior to the leading edge of the producing marginal zone or portion abutting against a deflecting face of the deflector. By means of the deflector the sheets having the protruding marginal zone are downwardly deflected and thus are separated from the remaining sheets. An opening is thus formed between the two parts of the product, and a support element arranged after the opening element enters this opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1984
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventor: Rolf Rhunke
  • Patent number: 4473223
    Abstract: A sorter for collating sheets into sets comprises a plurality of sheet-receiving bins defined by an array of movable plates 1-5, 5a and an indexing wheel 23 for indexing the input ends of the bin plates sequentially past a fixed feed throat 22 to align the bin openings in turn with the feed throat 22. Adjacent bin plates 1-5, 5a are relatively movable apart and together for varying the sizes of the bin openings and are interconnected to limit their maximum spacing. The bin plates are arranged in a fan-like array and are so mounted that their inner ends abut to define the maximum bin spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1984
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Johannes Lap
  • Patent number: 4398712
    Abstract: A sheet sorter which has a plurality of sheet receiving bins which comprises an array of movable plates such that adjacent plates define an individual bin, is provided with a quadrant plate for indexing the input ends of the bin plates past a fixed feed throat to align the bin opening in line with the feed throat for sheet insertion. Adjacent bin plates are interconnected to limit their maximum spacing apart, and are movable apart and together for varying the size of the bin openings. The bin plates are spaced apart opposite and at one side of the feed throat and are spaced together when indexed past the feed throat to the other side of the feed throat. Preferably the bin plates are arrayed in a vertically oriented fan-like array and the quadrant plate is rotatable about an axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Clifford L. George
  • Patent number: RE31768
    Abstract: Sorting apparatus for collating both simplex or side one up and duplex or side two up copies from a copying machine. The sorting apparatus includes tray assemblies arranged .[.axially.]. .Iadd.radially .Iaddend.of a rotatable member adapted to rotate in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. A conveyor transports sheets toward a first or second feed zone adjacent the path of the tray assemblies. The direction of the tray assemblies and feed zone selected depend on the sorting mode of operation desired by the machine operator. The copy sets are unloaded at a gate into a tray member which is slideably reciprocated on receiving alternate sets to stagger the sets into separately identifiable stacks in the tray member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1984
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Dennis P. Gerbasi