Abstract: System and method for dispensing orders. One embodiment provides a method of dispensing a prescription order to a customer at a customer kiosk. The method includes receiving, at a pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device, an instruction to deliver a filled prescription to a customer kiosk and transferring, using a gantry assembly, the filled prescription to a chute connecting the pharmaceutical storage and retrieval device and a pneumatic delivery terminal. The method further includes opening a door of the pneumatic delivery terminal and operating an actuator to transfer the filled prescription from the chute to the pneumatic delivery terminal. The method also includes closing the door of the pneumatic delivery terminal and delivering, via a pneumatic tube, the filled prescription to the customer kiosk.

Abstract: The invention discloses a transporting apparatus provided with a air-supplying-type support device for supplying purified air toward a lower surface of a transported object to contactlessly support the transported object in a horizontal orientation or a substantially horizontal orientation, a drive force application device for applying a drive force in the transporting direction to the transported object, a first transport member, a second transport member, and a relay transport member that links the first transport member and the second transport member. The drive force application device applies a drive force by contacting a lower surface of the transported object that is supported by the air-supplying-type support device. The relay transport member changes at least one of the transporting direction and the transporting orientation of the transported object.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for transporting a transported object in a transporting direction as the transported object is supported by air, the apparatus having a plurality of transporting units. A specific transporting unit of the plurality of transporting units is controlled based on the transporting state of at least one other transporting unit. Thus, it is possible to reduce the number of problems that may occur during transporting.

Abstract: The invention discloses a transporting apparatus having a transport member provided with a air-supplying-type support portion for supplying purified air toward a lower surface of a transported object to contactlessly support the transported object, and a drive force application portion for contacting a lower surface of the transported object that is supported by the air-supplying-type support means and applying a drive force in the transporting direction to the transported object. The transporting apparatus, by raising and lowering the drive force application portion and the air-supplying-type support portion relative to one another, can be switched between a transport state where the drive force application portion is brought into contact with the lower surface of the transported object, and a transfer state where the drive force application portion is moved downward away from the transported object that is supported by the air-supplying-type support portion.

Abstract: A conveyor system comprises a transfer assembly bridging a pair of side-by-side belt conveyors adapted to move articles in opposite directions. The transfer assembly comprises an air table including an air plate adapted to be mounted between the side-by-side belt conveyors. The air table further includes an inner guide and an outer guide defining a curved track in which the articles are constrained to pass while being transferred from one belt conveyor to the other. The curved track extends at opposed ends thereof over the side-by-side belt conveyors to cause a reorientation of the articles while the articles are still on the belt conveyors.

Abstract: An apparatus for levitating objects has an elongated diaphragm and a transducer. The diaphragm has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion is fixed to a horn and the second end portion is fixed to a supporting member. The transducer is connected to only the horn. The transducer vibrates the diaphragm and an object is levitated above a surface of the diaphragm by radiation pressure of a sound wave generated from the diaphragm. Therefore, the elongated diaphragm can be vibrated by one transducer in a stable condition with a simple structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device and method for singulating from a holder with liquid and/or individualizing of products, such as fruits, wherein the device comprises: a discharge conveyor extending above the liquid level in the holder for discharging the products in rows; and a feed conveyor of V-shaped cross-section, the discharge end of which connects onto a front end of the discharge conveyor and which extends at an inclination from this front end to below the liquid level in the liquid holder.

Abstract: An air track included a first body having a concave top surface with a plurality of air outlets or a flat surface with a notch and a plurality of air outlets. The body includes at least one air filter that runs along the length of at least a portion of the body. The air filter dividing the body into a first plenum and a second plenum. The air track also includes a hood covering at least a portion of the top surface. The air track further includes a stopper assembly that arrests the motion of a disk. The stopper assembly includes a disk detector that senses the presence of the disk on the air track.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing and packaging a photographic film has a film supply unit for unreeling and cutting off a film roll of an elongate photographic film, and supplying a sized film, a film winding unit for winding the sized film around a spool thereby to produce a roll, a cartridge production unit for crimping a cap on an end of a rounded barrel plate thereby to produce a one-end-open cartridge, an assembling unit for inserting the roll into the one-end-open cartridge and thereafter crimping a cap on an opposite open end of the one-end-open cartridge thereby to produce a film-contained cartridge, and an encasing unit for placing the film-contained cartridge into a case and attaching a case cap to an open end of the case thereby to produce a packaged product. The film supply unit, the film winding unit, and the assembling unit are accommodated altogether in a dark chamber.

Abstract: An environmentally compliant triboelectric applicator and process for coating or ablating a substrate and for retrieving excess or ejected material from the substrate. The applicator comprises an inner supersonic nozzle for accelerating triboelectrically charged projectile particles entrained in a supersonic gas to speeds sufficiently high to coat or ablate a substrate. The applicator further comprises an outer evacuator nozzle coaxially surrounding the inner supersonic nozzle for retrieving excess projectile particles, ablated substrate powders, or other environmentally hazardous materials. A fluid dynamic coupling uses the efficacy of the Mach turning angle associated with a supersonic boundary layer of carrier gas to aspirate the central core of the supersonic two-phase jet.

Abstract: A power-driven structure comprises a long grider (I) supported at its both ends by self-propelled carriages (II) which raise and lower the girder, the implement being designed for travel across planted fields or orchards without compacting the soil. Various implements, such as a cotton harvester (34), a potato picker (VIII) or a fruit collecting device may be suspended from, and propelled along, the girder (I). A mechanical conveyor (15) extends along the top of the girder, and a pneumatic conveyor system (13) is arranged underneath the mechanical conveyor. The pneumatic conveyor system is provided with spaced nozzles (40) for connection to flexible suction pipes (34).

Abstract: The invention relates to the moulding of dough pieces, for instance in the production of bread. In a dough moulding machine, there are pairs of sheeting rollers, which roll out the piece of dough into a sheet. In the method of the present invention the dough piece is caused to pass over a fluidized bed in its approach to a pair of sheeting rollers. Further, the dough piece may pass over a fluidized bed as it is transferred from one pair of sheeting rollers to a following pair of sheeting rollers.The invention also includes an arrangement for replacing the usual feed hopper of a dough panner by a conveyor, a fluidized bed and lateral locating devices for the dough piece.

Abstract: An improved mechanism is disclosed for receiving a supply of randomly oriented articles and for continuously feeding the articles into a single file line in a feed chute. The mechanism includes a rotating disc within a hopper with a series of air vents positioned around the disc edge for directing streams of air over the disc top to engage the articles and to cause the articles to move with the moving disc surface towards and into a single line feed chute.

Abstract: The outlets of pneumatic pipes in a transporting unit which delivers filter rod sections from a filter rod making machine and wherein the sections move axially admit successive sections into a separating unit wherein the speed of sections is uniformized and the sections are separated from each other by clearances of preselected length prior to entry into the corresponding channels of a deflecting unit which changes the direction of movement of each section from axial to sidewise movement and directs the sections into a junction zone. The latter admits a multi-layer stream of parallel sections which move sideways onto the upper reach of an endless belt conveyor which delivers the stream to a processing machine. The speed of the conveyor is regulated in dependency on the rate at which the deflecting unit receives sections from the separating unit so that the rate of delivery of sections to the processing machine matches the rate of delivery of articles to the separating and deflecting units.

Abstract: Coal powder is transported from a low pressure zone to an elevated pressure zone bypassing the powder from the low pressure zone to the top of the first one of a number of vertical vessels;passing the powder in each vessel by gravity as a moving bed from the top of the vessel to the bottom thereof;passing the powder from the bottom of each vessel but the last one to the top of the subsequent vessel by mechanical or pneumatic means;discharging the powder from the bottom of the last vessel to the elevated pressure zone.

Abstract: A shipborne system for clearing a channel through ice comprises in combination with a prow-mounted icebreaker shape, a giant siphon including an intake leading to an upward passage which inclines to the rear so that ice blocks taken into it at the bow float upwardly and rearwardly where they are discharged, either laterally or over the stern, leaving a broken channel behind the ship for passage of other ships; discharge provisions include underwater discharge and trap-chamber above.

Abstract: A receiving station at the outlets of several pneumatic conveyor pipes which discharge discrete files of axially moving filter plugs accommodates a separating unit immediately downstream of the outlets and an orientation changing unit immediately downstream of the separating unit. The separating unit defines discrete lanes, one for each file of filter plugs. In each of the lanes, the filter plugs of the respective file are converted into a series of axially spaced filter plugs which continue to move lengthwise, and the filter plugs of each series are delivered into discrete upright ducts of the orientation changing unit wherein each series is transformed into a row whose filter plugs move sideways.

Abstract: In the assembly of groups of component filter portions for forming into composite filter rods, predetermined leading components moving on a conveyor are retarded for a predetermined period while following components are consecutively conveyed into abutment. The assembly is improved by subjecting the components to an air stream along their direction of movement in the vicinity of the retarding means so that any gaps which may be present are closed up. A similar air stream can also be useful for closing up gaps in the production of a continuous rod from component filter portions.