Abstract: A process for producing packaged products from a film roll includes the steps of detecting whether an elongate film is defective or not, detecting whether a spool is defective or not, detecting whether an assembled cartridge is defective or not, and detecting whether a case is defective or not. Various defective products detected in these steps are removed without being fed to subsequent steps. By thus detecting various defects in the process for producing packaged products from a film roll, high-quality packaged products can efficiently be manufactured.

Abstract: Reel slitting device for a web that includes a web supply section, a longitudinal slitting section, and a reeling section, and method for packaging partial rolls in the reeling section of the roll slitting device. The device includes at least one propelling device for reeling at least one partial roll and a packaging device that packages at least a periphery of the at least one partial roll. The the packaging device utilizes the at least one propelling device. The method includes slitting a web sheet into a plurality of partial webs, reeling the partial webs, in the reeling section, into a plurality of partial rolls, attaching a packaging web to a peripheral portion of at least one of the plurality of partial rolls in the reeling section, and rotating the at least one of the plurality of partial rolls to wind the packaging web around a radial surface of the at least one of the plurality of partial rolls.

Abstract: To manufacture a film unit, a filmstrip is advanced out of a cartridge shell by rotating a spool of the cartridge shell through a spool drive shaft. The spool drive shaft stops when the filmstrip is advanced a predetermined length out of the cartridge shell. A rotational position of the spool at the stop of the spool drive shaft is detected based on a rotational position of the spool drive shaft. The cartridge shell is disengaged from the spool drive shaft while the rotational position of the spool and the advanced length of the filmstrip are maintained unchanged. The spool of the cartridge shell is engaged with a film supply shaft, after adjusting a rotational position of the film supply shaft to the rotational position of the spool, while the leading end of the filmstrip is secured to a winding shaft. The filmstrip is wound into a roll by rotating the winding shaft.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to improvements in an Automated Swage Wind and Packaging Machine that is particularly adapted to assist in the automated singulation of surgical needles to enable subsequent automated handling of the needle, automatic swaging of the suture into a receiving end of the needle, automatic pull testing of the combined needle and suture, and automated packaging of the pull tested combined needle and suture into a tray having a cover.

Abstract: A suture package includes a base panel with a needle park and a plurality of pockets having plural compartments stacked in the Z direction. The package is suitable for containing and dispensing a plurality of double-armed sutures during time-critical surgery and promotes tangle-free dispensing by winding the sutures through the compartments in a serpentine manner to avoid suture-to-suture interaction. Spatial separation of the needles in the needle park and color coding of the sutures allows for easy identification of the individual sutures during dispensing and when tying off the sutures during surgery.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a round baler for agricultural crop material having a press chamber for pressing the crop material and a wrapping device for wrapping the fully pressed round bales of crop material, wherein the wrapping material is secured on a web roll. The web roll is provided with a brake rod acting on the outside diameter of the bale. The essential characteristics of the invention are that a brake rod is affixed to one lever arm of a two-armed pivot lever and the effective linkage point of a plurality of tension springs is positioned the other lever arm. The linkage point's position is automatically variable relation to a stationary pivot point of the pivot lever as a function of the respective diameter of the web roll.

Abstract: A round baler having a tailgate, pivotally connected to a main frame, operative between a closed position during which a bale is being formed, and an open position during which a formed bale is being discharged. A sledge assembly, mounted on the main frame for movement between a bale starting position and a full bale position, has at least two transverse cylindrical rolls mounted in spaced relationship along an arcuate path. An apron, supported along a continuous path on the main frame and tailgate by a plurality of rotatable guide members, includes an inner course that cooperates with the transverse rolls on the sledge assembly to define a bale forming chamber. The apron is driven along a continuous path in the same direction as the outer surfaces of the transverse rolls. A dispensing assembly dispenses wrapping material into the bale forming chamber between the adjacent outer surfaces of the transverse rolls for wrapping the cylindrical package of crop material.

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: A machine for the automated packaging of armed sutures or; in effect, surgical needles having sutures attached thereto and, more particularly, a package feed arrangement in an automated machine including a package tray supplying carousel arrangement and robotic pivot arm mechanism for the high-speed feed of package trays for the individualized packaging of single or individual surgical needles each having an attached suture into a tray and detachable cover providing a suture package utilized for the packaging of the individual or single needles and attached sutures.

Abstract: A round baler for baling harvested crops has a loading device which receives a roll of wrapping material which can be transferred to an unwind station. From the unwind station a web of material is pulled off the roll for wrapping the bale. To install the roll of wrapping material serviceably and without great effort, the loading device is pivotably installed on the baler's sidewall. The loading device is pivotal from a storage position to a transfer position, so that the roll of wrapping material can be pushed from the loading device into the unwind station.

Abstract: A machine for the automated packaging of armed sutures or; in effect, surgical needles having sutures attached thereto and, more particularly, a needle gripper and transfer arrangement in an automated machine for the high-speed individualized packaging into trays of single or individual surgical needles each having an attached suture and a detachable cover providing a suture package utilized for the packaging of the individual or single needles and attached sutures. The machine includes vertically adjustable frame structure so as to adjust the elevation thereof relative to the needle transfer arrangement to facilitate the packaging of differently sized needles in a single size of packaging tray.

Abstract: A machine and a method for the automated packaging of armed sutures or; in effect, surgical needles having sutures attached thereto and, more particularly, an automated machine for the high-speed individualized packaging of single or individual surgical needles each having an attached suture into a tray and detachable cover providing a suture package utilized for the packaging of the individual or single needles and attached sutures. Additionally, the automated packaging machine incorporates operative mechanism adapted to wind the sutures into a peripheral channel of the tray and facilitating the attachment of the cover to the tray which contains the single needle and attached wound suture, and which cover concurrently constitutes a product-identifying label as a component of the tray, and upon removal of the cover enables a user to gain access to the contents of the tray; in essence, the armed suture.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a tape cartridge includes the steps of forming reel shafts, roller shafts, and tape guides, and the like on a base plate, mounting tape reels on the reel shafts and belt guide rollers on the roller shafts, and the like, placing a drive belt on the belt guide rollers, winding a magnetic tape on the tape reels, securing a cover to the base plate, and forming a marking hole for positional identification in the magnetic tape wound on the tape reels.

Abstract: A large round baler is equipped with a wrapping device for wrapping a bale with a web of plastic net wrapping material. The device includes a pair of wrap material feed rolls arranged one above the other with a supply roll of wrapping material being directly supported by the upper feed roll so that during operation of the feed rolls in dispensing a length of wrap material being wrapped about a bale, the periphery of the supply roll is rotated at the same speed as the periphery of the upper feed roll so that no scrubbing takes place between the supply and feed rolls. A pressure applying device uses a pair of air or gas cylinders acting through a linkage to force a freely rotating roller to exert a force on the supply roll which is transferred through the roll to the feed roll. In this way variable friction forces are avoided which would interfere with the maintenance of a desired constant tension in the length of wrapping material so that the bale is wrapped tightly, but without rupturing the net material.

Abstract: A machine for the automated packaging of armed sutures or; in effect, surgical needles having sutures attached thereto and, more particularly, a suture winding arrangement in an automated machine for the high-speed individualized packaging of single or individual surgical needles each having an attached suture into a tray and detachable cover providing a suture package utilized for the packaging of the individual or single needles and attached sutures.

Abstract: A machine for the automated packaging of armed sutures or; in effect, surgical needles having sutures attached thereto and, more particularly, an arrangement and a method for applying covers to package trays in an automated machine for the highspeed individualized packaging of single or individual surgical needles each having an attached suture into a tray and detachable cover providing a suture package utilized for the packaging of the individual or single needles and attached sutures.

Abstract: A machine for the automated packaging of armed sutures or; in effect, surgical needles having sutures attached thereto and, more particularly, a suture capture and tensioning arrangement in an automated machine for the high-speed individualized packaging of single or individual surgical needles each having an attached suture into a tray and detachable cover providing a suture package utilized for the packaging of the individual or single needles and attached sutures.

Abstract: A method for storing sheet-like products comprising the steps of providing a continuous stream of products, winding up a first and a further section of the products to form a first and a further roll, respectively, and unwinding the products from the first and the further roll, simultaneously. In this arrangement, the products are wound up on the two rolls with the same orientation and also unwound from the two rolls with the same orientation.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging mattresses and including a furling drum having a roll-forming chamber defined by a plurality of circumferentially arranged rotatable rollers located downstream of a substantially nozzle-shaped feeding area of the drum, with the rollers having a surface pattern defined by a plurality of circumferentially spaced from each other mattress-engaging elements providing for rolling of a mattress into a roll and enabling movement of the mattress in an axial direction; and a forming tube provided downstream of the furling drum for wrapping the rolled mattress, with the forming tube having a diameter greater than a diameter of the furling drum.

Abstract: For various reasons it is attractive to effect a sheet or film wrapping of round bales of straw or similar material, but so far has required the use of a costly special equipment. With the invention the wrapping is effected with a simple film supply device mounted on the round bale producing baler itself, such that the bales are delivered therefrom in ready wrapped condition.

Abstract: A semi-automated machine for singulating individual surgical needles from an bulk supply and attaching a suture to the surgical needle is described. The machine includes a needle singulation station, a precise positioning station, a suture feeding station, a swage station, a pull-test station and an off-load station. A universal gripper mounted on a rotary indexing device automatically receives each individual needle in a predetermined orientation and conveys the needle for sequential processing from station to station to form the needle-suture assembly. The rotary indexing device is driven by a single shaft drive assembly which provides a compact annular drive from two intermittent indexing drives to two coaxial cam dials that provide rotation and reciprocation of the universal gripper. A swage station is provided for swaging the needle to close the suture receiving opening about the suture to secure said suture thereto and form therefrom a needle and suture assembly.

Abstract: The present invention entails a method and apparatus for automatically glue-bonding scrim to a non-woven fiber mat. The fiber mat and scrim are both conveyed or advanced towards a pair of compression rollers. Prior to reaching the compression rollers, a series of glue guns direct a spray of glue onto one side of either the fiber mat or the scrim. Thereafter, the fiber mat and scrim are fed through the pair of compression rollers that press the scrim and fiber mat together to form a bonded fiber mat-scrim composite. From the compression rollers, the final formed fiber mat-scrim composite is conveyed to a take-up station where the composite is overlapped or wound into a roll.

Abstract: A round baler includes a tension assembly for applying pressure evenly across the periphery of the bale as it grows within the baling chamber. The tension assembly includes a rotatable torque tube extending between the sidewalls and only one tensioning mechanism, such as a hydraulic cylinder, adjacent one of the sidewalls of the baler for supplying a yieldable resistance load in opposition to torsional loads on the torque tube. A load transferring member extends inwardly from the one sidewall to operably connect the single tensioning mechanism to the torque tube at a location spaced between the sidewalls and thereby transfer the loads between the mechanism and tube.

Abstract: A method of packaging compressible insulation material includes feeding insulation material into contact with a mandrel, rolling up the insulation material on the mandrel to form an insulation roll, applying pressure on the insulation material, during the rolling of the insulation material, with a pair of opposed belts which are adapted to contact the roll being formed with an increasing area of contact as the diameter of the roll increases, and increasing tension on the belts as the diameter of the roll increases in order to maintain a substantially constant pressure on the insulation material.

Abstract: A cassette (110), to be loaded with a photo film strip, has a photo film passageway (119) through which a leader (123) of the photo film strip (23, 111) is drawn out of a cassette shell. On a spool (112) is retained a trailer (124) of the photo film strip. A loader apparatus has a light-tight dark compartment (147). A rotary barrel (163) is rotatable, and partially fitted in an opening formed in a downstream wall of the dark compartment. Two cassette holders (164, 165) are disposed on the barrel and in respective positions opposite about a rotational axis (163a) of the barrel, and hold the cassette removably. The barrel is rotated to move the cassette holders into and out of the dark compartment. The cassette is supplied to one of the cassette holders located outside the dark compartment. The trailer of the photo film strip is passed into the photo film passageway in the cassette in one of the cassette holders located inside the dark compartment.

Abstract: A pressing and baling machine (1) for compression of vegetable fibres into a compressed round bale (7) comprises a frame (2), on which is assembled a pressing chamber (5, 6) equipped on its internal circumference with rotatable rolls (15) for rotation and pressing of the bale (7). The pressing chamber (5, 6) consists of a lower chamber part (5) and an upper chamber part (6) which are displaceable in relation to each other so as to free an area of the bale (7) allowing the body to be packaged in elastic plastic foil. The lower pressing chamber part (5) is connected to a lower frame section (3). The upper chamber part (6) is connected to an upper frame section (4), and two frame sections (3, 4) are displaceably interconnected. The upper chamber part (6) is rotatably supported in relation to the frame (2) around a vertical axis (9) when the chamber parts are at a distance from each other.

Abstract: A method and a system are used for supplying printed products such as newspapers, magazines or brochures or intermediate products for such printed products (sheets, part-products) as substantially continuous scaled streams to a plurality of feeding points of processing stations. The method and system are designed to allow a supply which is as flexible as possible and at the same time economic. The scaled streams are continuous and are produced selectably from products in storage formations, e.g. rolls, vertical stacks, manipulatable stacks, spiral stacks. Discrete scaled formations are prepared in separate method steps in which different loading devices depending on the product formation and supplying devices are loaded with these scaled formations. Loaded supplying devices are transported to the feeding points.

Abstract: A round bale press for refuse, in particular for domestic refuse, bio-waste, sewage slurry, having a plurality of spaced rolls (1), at least one of which is capable of being driven, at least one endless belt (2) supported by the rolls (1), and a cylindrical pressing chamber (3) with a feed opening (4) on the peripheral side. The pressing chamber is capable of being formed by movement of the rolls (1) along a predetermined path line and by end walls (11) arranged at the end faces of the rolls (1). Additionally, the round bale press is included in a refuse packaging apparatus having a wrapping apparatus (40) downstream from the press for wrapping the pressed refuse bale, wrapped on the peripheral side in a netting web, in one or more foil webs (41), and a delivery station (50) beyond the wrapping apparatus (40) for the refuse bales completely wrapped in the foil web (41).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for attaching and detaching a filmstrip to a film cartridge having a take-up spool rotatably mounted therein. The cartridge has an access opening for allowing film to be inserted or removed from within. The apparatus includes means for positioning the film cartridge in a predetermined position. An attachment tool is rotatably mounted to the mechanism for movement about a pivot point. The attachment tool has a generally arcuate guide member. A mechanism is provided for moving the attachment tool from a non-engaged position to a first engaged position such that a portion of the attachment tool extends into the access opening for engaging the filmstrip to the attachment tool and for moving the tool to a second engaging position for allowing the filmstrip to engage the spool. The mechanism is further provided for moving the attachment tool in a radial direction while the attachment tool extends into the access opening.

Abstract: A method of compacting a bill from a flat state into a pleated and wound state for position the bill in a cavity of an associated closure includes providing a bill in a substantially flat state and pleating the bill in a first direction to provide a series of substantially similar pleats. The pleated bill is compacted to set the pleats therein and at least partially wound into a generally circular configuration. The wound bill is positioned within the cavity of the associated closure. An apparatus for compacting and winding the bill and positioning the bill in the closure cavity includes a pleating station for pleating the bill in a predetermined configuration and a compacting station for compacting the pleated bill into a compacted state. The apparatus further includes a winding station having a winding member adapted to engage the compacted bill and to wind the bill into a generally circular orientation.

Abstract: A baler belt system for use primarily in round crop baling machines, includes an elongated elastomeric belt that is adapted for rolling engagement with one or more drive, idler, and tensioner rollers of the type normally used in a round crop baling machine. There are one or more sets of cleaning bars disposed on the inner and outer surfaces of the belt. Each set includes one or more flexible cleaning bars that deform during rolling contact with the various rollers. As the cleaning bars lose contact with the various rollers, they snap back to their original shapes, thereby releasing significant potential energy to loosen crop material that may have accumulated on the exterior surfaces of the rollers. In addition, the sets of cleaning bars function to urge an incoming stream of crop material into a tightly formed spiral without the necessity for an excessively aggressively textured belt surface.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for folding an inflatable cushion having an end portion and a main body portion and inserting the folded cushion into a cover. The apparatus comprises folding structure for creating folds in the main body portion to form a folded cushion. The folding structure including first folding apparatus adapted to create a first fold in the main body portion to form a partially folded cushion, and accordion folding apparatus adapted to create a plurality of accordion folds in the partially folded cushion which are generally transverse to the first fold to form the folded cushion. Further included is apparatus for supporting a cover into which the folded cushion is inserted. The folding structure further serves to insert the folded cushion into the cover.

Abstract: The round baler has an improved feed device for feeding wrapper material from a reel of the material to the baling chamber, wherein the device includes a pair of feed rollers receiving the wrapper therebetween and drivable in directions to pull the wrapper from the reel for presentation to the chamber. A drive is coupled with the feed rollers for driving the rollers at velocities which pull the wrapper from the reel at a speed relatively less than the speed at which the wrapper is pulled from the reel by the bale forming mechanism during wrapping of the bale. The device also includes an overrunning clutch intercoupling the drive and the feed rollers. The clutch drivingly connects the feed rollers to the drive when engaged and drivingly disconnects the rollers from the drive when disengaged. The feed rollers are freely rotatable when the clutch is disengaged for allowing the wrapper to be pulled off the reel by the bale forming mechanism.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for producing packages containing sliced food products, in which the slices are rolled up into individual rolls by a rolling facility and deposited in a package.

Abstract: A process for storing sheet-like products occurring continuously, in particular in an imbricated formation, in particular printed products such as newspapers, periodicals and the like, in the case of which process the sheet-like products are wound up on, and/or unwound from, a main roll, a first number of the products being wound up on, and/or unwound from, a first main roll (4) and a second number of the products being wound up on, and/or unwound from, a second main roll which is assigned to the first main roll.

Abstract: An uncrumpling and cutting apparatus cuts a predetermined length of an end portion of a heat transfer recording sheet of a sheet roll obtained by winding the heat transfer recording sheet around an outer periphery of a shaft roll, and a lead sheet sticking apparatus sticks an end of a lead sheet to the end portion of the heat transfer recording sheet. A subshaft sticking apparatus sticks a subshaft to the lead sheet, and a lead sheet winding apparatus winds up the lead sheet to wrap the sheet roll and the subshaft. A tying portion ties a combination of a sheet roll with a subshaft with a strip, thereby bundling the combination. Then the combination thus tied is packed in a package bag by a packaging portion. A transferring and mounting portion lays an even number of combinations as alternately reversing orientations thereof, and an encasing portion encases the combinations thus laid in a container.

Abstract: An apparatus for assembling a photographic film cassette whose cassette shell is constituted of a pair of shell halves, and contains a spool having a filmstrip wound thereon. A bucket conveyer successively conveys a plurality of buckets through a series of stations. The buckets each has a recess formed to hold a first shell half stationary therein. The first shell half is put in the recess of the bucket in the first station, and a spool is located in the lower shell half to be rotatable therein in the second station. In the next station, the spool is rotated to be set in a predetermined angular position, and the spool is connected to an end of a filmstrip which is fed through a film feed chute. Thereafter, the spool is rotated to wind the filmstrip onto the spool. In the following station, a second shell half is joined to the first shell half to form the cassette shell so as to contain the spool with the filmstrip therein.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a new and improved method and apparatus for packing an inflatable air bag cushion into a housing of an air bag module assembly of an occupant restraint system for a motor vehicle. After securing an inlet chute of the air bag cushion in the open end of the housing and placing the air bag on a flat support with a larger portion of the back wall thereof overlaying a small portion of the back wall with the front wall in between in a folded condition, a central portion of the air bag is clamped by a large blade and subsequently a first edge portion is folded over the central portion and a second opposite edge portion is folded over the first edge portion so that opposite edge fold lines extend outwardly just inside opposite ends of the housing. A rolling clamp is attached transversely across the folded air bag and the air bag is rolled-up on an axis moved toward the housing.

Abstract: An agricultural baler for forming and wrapping cylindrical packages of crop material. The baler includes a sledge assembly moveable between a starting position and full bale position. A plurality of rollers on the sledge assembly cooperate with an apron to define a bale forming chamber. Wrapping is accomplished via a system that includes a dispensing mechanism carried on the sledge assembly for dispensing sheet material, such as net or the like, into the bale forming chamber whereupon it is wrapped circumferentially around a formed cylindrical package of crop material as it is rotated in the chamber. The net wrapping system includes means for controlling the position of the dispensing mechanism relative to the sledge assembly by continuously sensing its position.

Abstract: An apparatus for reeling up and unreeling of flat printed products onto and from, respectively, a reel core. The reel core has a horizontal reel axis and is fixedly arranged in a reel stand to form one piece so that the reel stand and reel core can be driven together about the horizontal reel axis. A reeling strap mandrel is detachably seated in the reel stand and has a horizontal axis that is parallel with the rotational axis of the reel core. A reeling strap is wound on the reeling strap mandrel and has one end connected to the reel core and a second end connected to the reel mandrel. The reeling strap rolls off the reeling strap mandrel and is fed to the reel core in an undershot manner for forming reeled layers of printed product on the reel core.

Abstract: A cartridge of wound-up photographic film has an elongate housing within which the film is received, the housing having an outlet through which the film leader projects. In order to insert the cartridge of film into a cylindrical container it is necessary to wrap the film leader around the housing of the cartridge. A method of inserting the cartridge into the container involves conveying the cartridge into the open end of the container whilst simultaneously rotating the cartridge about its longitudinal axis so that the film leader is brought into engagement with the rim of the open end of the container whilst it is rotating. This causes the film leader automatically to be wrapped around the housing of the cartridge to permit the ready insertion of the cartridge and the film leader into the container. An apparatus for automatically performing the function of inserting the cartridge into the container using this method is also described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assembling a dental floss product formed of a bobbin of wound thread, a dispenser case, and a dispenser insert for rotatably supporting the bobbin of wound thread when positioned within the dispenser case. The dispenser insert is detachably mounted in an insert loading area of a singular dispenser assembly fixture, and the dispenser case is detachably mounted in a dispenser case loading area of the singular dispenser assembly fixture. The bobbin of wound thread is next loaded onto the dispenser insert while the dispenser insert is mounted in the insert loading area. The dispenser insert with the bobbin of wound thread loaded thereon is then detached from the insert loading area, and the dispenser insert with the bobbin of wound thread loaded thereon is loaded into the dispenser case while the dispenser case is mounted in the dispenser case loading area. The lid of the loaded dispenser case is then closed, and the dispenser case is detached from the dispenser case loading area.

Abstract: The specification discloses an automated apparatus and method for packaging surgical needles having sutures attached thereto wherein a bundle of needles and sutures are placed at a semi-automated separation station and an operator feeds the needles, one at a time, into a rotating needle feed wheel. As the feed wheel advances, the suture is tensioned and directed along a pre-determined path to separate it from the remaining sutures in the bundle. The apparatus has a plurality of individually rotatable tool nests which are sequentially spaced on a rotating or indexing turntable. These tool nests sequentially receive plastic packages for receiving the needle and suture at a first station. At a second station, a needle is inserted into the package by robotic fingers which have retrieved the needle and attached suture from the rotating needle feed wheel. The rotating needle feed wheel and the rotating tool nests are synchronized to step together as each advances.

Abstract: A system for charging a coiler can of elongated horizontal cross section with sliver obtained from a sliver producing fiber processing machine includes a stationarily supported rotary coiler head discharging sliver in coils; a sled disposed underneath the coiler head for receiving a coiler can in an upright orientation; and a sled-reciprocating device for imparting a rapid back-and-forth motion to the sled during discharge of sliver from the coiler head to effect a deposition of sliver coils into the coiler can along a length thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to the filling of a flat can with fiber sliver by a textile machine which delivers a fiber sliver, such as a carding machine or a draw frame, whereby the flat can is moved under a stationary, rotating rotary plate. The invention significantly reduces the costs for the required movements of the flat can as compared to the state of the art. The process according to the invention for the traversing of a flat can during the filling process at a textile machine delivering a fiber sliver is realized in that the flat can is shifted laterally by tilting of the flat can around an axis in the return path of the traversing path. In the device according to the invention, the traversing mechanism is equipped with a tilting device. For this purpose, the tilting device is provided with a tilter and an axis around which the flat can is tilted.

Abstract: The specification discloses an automated apparatus and method for packaging surgical needles having sutures attached thereto wherein a bundle of needles and sutures are placed at a semi-automated separation station and an operator feeds the needles, one at a time, into a rotating needle feed wheel. As the feed wheel advances, the suture is tensioned and directed along a pre-determined path to separate it from the remaining sutures in the bundle. The apparatus has a plurality of individually rotatable tool nests which are sequentially spaced on a rotating or indexing turntable. These tool nests sequentially receive plastic packages for receiving the needle and suture at a first station. At a second station, a needle is inserted into the package by robotic fingers which have retrieved the needle and attached suture from the rotating needle feed wheel. The rotating needle feed wheel and the rotating tool nests are synchronized to step together as each advances.

Abstract: The specification discloses an automated apparatus and method for packaging surgical needles having sutures attached thereto wherein a bundle of needles and sutures are placed at a semi-automated separation station and an operator feeds the needles, one at a time, into a rotating needle feed wheel. As the feed wheel advances, the suture is tensioned and directed along a pre-determined path to separate it from the remaining sutures in the bundle. The apparatus has a plurality of individually rotatable tool nests which are sequentially spaced on a rotating or indexing turntable. These tool nests sequentially receive plastic packages for receiving the needle and suture at a first station. At a second station, a needle is inserted into the package by robotic fingers which have retrieved the needle and attached suture from the rotating needle feed wheel. The rotating needle feed wheel and the rotating tool nests are synchronized to step together as each advances.

Abstract: A cassette (110), to be loaded with a photo film strip, has a photo film passageway (119) through which a leader (123) of the photo film strip (23, 111) is drawn out of a cassette shell. On a spool (112) is retained a trailer (124) of the photo film strip. A loader apparatus has a light-tight dark compartment (147). A rotary barrel (163) is rotatable, and partially fitted in an opening formed in a downstream wall of the dark compartment. Two cassette holders (164, 165) are disposed on the barrel and in respective positions opposite about a rotational axis (163a) of the barrel, and hold the cassette removably. The barrel is rotated to move the cassette holders into and out of the dark compartment. The cassette is supplied to one of the cassette holders located outside the dark compartment. The trailer of the photo film strip is passed into the photo film passageway in the cassette in one of the cassette holders located inside the dark compartment.

Abstract: A compressing and baling machine has a compression compartment formed from an endless slat conveyor in the form of an endless mat, which is driven by a pair of rotatable plates interacting with the mat. The endless mat and the frame which it travels upon is deformable into a circular shape, and then sealed by the rotatable plates during compression. The baled product is removed from the compression compartment by the same end plates and is further handled by an output part of the machine which is connected to the plates.

Abstract: A wrap material dispensing system for supplying wrap material to the bale-forming chamber of a baler for forming round bales of crop material. A wrap material supply assembly is mounted to the baler for supplying wrap material to a conveying assembly for advancing the wrap material to the opening of the bale-forming chamber. The conveying assembly includes a moving belt arrangement in which the wrap material is captured between the baler belts and conveying belts for advancement toward the chamber opening. The conveying belts are arranged so as to be driven by movement of the baler belts.