Abstract: A currency sorter has: take-in means (106) for taking currency notes in sorter one by one; discriminating means (105) for discriminating the currency notes; stacking means (111 to 115) for stacking the currency notes according to the discrimination result obtained by said discriminating means; bundling means (200) for bundling a predetermined number of the currency notes; a money returning unit at which an odd currency note which is a fraction of the predetermined number of the currency notes is returned, first conveyer means for conveying the predetermined number of the currency notes from all deposited in said stacking means with grabbing them to the bundling means; and second conveyer means for conveying the odd currency notes left in the stacking means with grabbing them to said money returning unit.

Abstract: A system and method designed to position a tray for either horizontal stacking or vertical stacking of product. The system includes a stationary conveyor and a tray carriage in a tray transportation path with the conveyor. The tray carriage is moveable between an elevated, horizontal position and an inclined position. Guides are located near the tray carriage to guide the tray carriage into the inclined position.

Abstract: [PROBLEM] To provide a medicine dispensing/packaging apparatus capable of smoothly dispensing and packaging tablets for each package despite the fact that it is simple in structure and low in cost. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] This medicine dispensing/packaging apparatus comprises a tablet feed means (2), a carrying means (27), a supporting means (58), and a dispensing/packaging means (4). The tablet feed means (2) is formed by continuously connecting, to each other, tablet storage parts (7) storing packages of tablets and having openable bottom plates (13) rotatably about pivot shafts, and the bottom plates (13) are rotated about one side of the continuously connecting direction. The carrying means (27) converts the direction of the tablet feed means (2) at least in the vertical lower direction after carrying the tablet feed means (2) horizontally to the opposite side of the rotating center of the bottom plate (13).

Abstract: An automatic system for the delivery and distribution of articles in groups comprises a store of articles, a unit for the collection and delivery of articles from the store and a controller associated with the collection and delivery unit in order to control the selective collection of articles from the store and their output as sets of articles logically grouped together. The system further comprises a grouping device which receives the sets of articles logically grouped together as inputs and outputs corresponding packs, groups or bundles of articles physically connected to one another by a restraining loop or strip.

Abstract: A tray to tube manual exchanger is disclosed herein. The manual exchanger includes a tray-fastening module and a bi-axle-rotating module. The tray-fastening module includes a tray-fastening member, a buffer-rail substrate, and a tube-inserting member. The buffer-rail substrate having a plurality of rails is disposed under the tray-fastening member, and the tube-inserting member is disposed at the outlets of the plurality of rails for respectively receiving tubes. The bi-axle-rotating module is pivotally connected to the tray-fastening module. The tray-fastening module clips a tray carrying a plurality of packaged semiconductor devices at a horizontal position, followed by rotating 180 degrees around a second rotating axle of the bi-axle-rotating module, thereby falling the packaged semiconductor devices of each row of the tray onto each rail.

Abstract: A packaging device for grouping product items, especially semi-soft tissue paper packs (7), to a bundle of layered rows (L1, L2, L3) of said product items (7) having a supply line (1) including a main conveyor belt (5) constituently carrying and supplying a stream of product items (7) in a defined orientation along an infeed main path (6) to a transfer position (18), an elevator means (2) having a plurality of stack-forming receptacles (23) each receiving a grouped row (L1, L2, L3) of a specified number of said product items (7) in a chopped manner from the transfer position of said supply line (1) at an input end of the elevator means (2), wherein the elevator means (2) is adapted to successively displace the stacked grouped rows of product items (7) in a side-by-side relationship orthogonally to the infeed main path (6) to an output end of the elevator means (2), and an outfeed unit (3) engaging with the elevator means (2), commonly removing a specified number stacked grouped rows (L1, L2, L3) of said pr

Abstract: A packaging machine includes an article conveyor for transporting articles in a flow direction and a plunger assembly for displacing articles from the article conveyor. The plunger assembly is supported and positioned by a system that includes a frame assembly and a pressure sensitive coupling as means for releasably fixing the position of the plunger assembly. The frame assembly includes a first frame structure that is attached to the plunger assembly and a second frame structure. The first frame structure and the second frame structure are slidably coupled to one another such that a resistive force that overcomes the holding power of the pressure sensitive coupling will cause the first frame structure to slide and translate the plunger assembly out of its operating position in which it can displace the articles.

Abstract: An accumulation device is adapted to accumulate a plurality of products according to at least one prescribed accumulation pattern. The accumulation device includes a receiving unit, a first accumulation processing unit, a second accumulation processing unit and a discharge unit. The first accumulation processing unit is configured and arranged to perform a first accumulation processing to a first group of the products received in the receiving unit. The second accumulation processing unit is disposed parallel to the first accumulation processing unit with respect to the receiving unit, and configured and arranged to perform a second accumulation processing to a second group of the products received in the receiving unit. The second accumulation processing is different from the first accumulation processing. The discharge unit is configured and arranged to transfer the products processed in the first and second accumulation processing units toward a downstream portion.

Abstract: A capsule orienting and separation apparatus is provided which allows a multiplicity of gelatin capsule shells to be uniformly oriented in a separable condition and for the caps of those shells to be separated from the capsule bodies. The apparatus allows a multiplicity of capsule shells all to be concurrently oriented in an upright disposition by a manually operated mechanism. The capsule caps are all uniformly oriented atop the capsule bodies and are exposed for gripping by a capsule cap lift assembly. The capsule caps are concurrently lifted from the capsule bodies while the capsule bodies remain in position in a matrix of openings in a capsule receiving tray. The capsules can then be filled with capsule filler material and tamped down as appropriate. The capsule caps are then all concurrently replaced on the capsule bodies and the capsule caps and capsule bodies are then concurrently permanently sealed together.

Abstract: A machine for packaging stacks of articles into containers using selectors for grouping the article stacks. The selectors include arrays of vertically spaced wedge members which engage the articles in each stack. The wedge members are aligned with slots in comb-like guide rails and operate to form groups of predetermined numbers of stacks of articles while keeping the articles in each stack in vertical alignment as they progress through the machine into the containers.

Abstract: Unit for packaging and palletizing rolls of paper comprising a bagging and/or forming machine adapted to sort packages of said rolls into batches or to bag said sorted loose packages in a plastic bag, and a palletizing station comprising at lease one manipulator provided with grippers to handle loose packages of delivered products from said bagging and/or forming machine. The products are conveyed to said palletizing station with a predetermined stepped sequence and spaced from one another in at least one row on a conveyer element, wherein said at least one robot and said bagging and/or forming machine are interconnected and are programmed respectively to sort said products in batches of different forms and dimensions according to a sequence which is continuously variable to form a layer of a pallet with different batches of products adjacent to and engaged with one another.

Abstract: An aim is to provide a bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus which is able to conduct a bag manufacturing at high speed, further to be small in height. A bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus 1 comprises a bag manufacturing unit that includes a transverse sealing mechanism 17 and a strip mounting unit that includes a transfer mechanism 32. The bag manufacturing unit manufactures bags filled with articles. The transfer mechanism 32 transfers bags manufactured by the bag manufacturing unit diagonally downward. The strip mounting unit mounts bags B to a strip S after they are transferred by means of the transfer mechanism 32.

Abstract: A placing apparatus having first and second rear end holding members is provided between a loading apparatus that loads items in an upright position and a conveyance apparatus downstream. These rear end holding members move making a box motion when seen from the side. As a result, while the first rear end holding member holds the rearmost end of a group of items, the second rear end holding member stands by to receive a new item. The invention provides a conveyance apparatus and a boxing apparatus comprising the same that have widespread applicability. The conveyance apparatus and boxing apparatus, while achieving high-speed processing, are able to convey items of varying thickness and grouped in varying numbers in a stable manner and maintained in a prescribed position.

Abstract: An arrangement for producing stack bundles from signatures includes a horizontal stack deposit support, a conveyor to supply a flow of signatures to the stack deposit support for formation of a signature stack having a front end and a back end, and a supporting device adapted to form a stack bundle having a front end and a back end. The supporting device comprises a first support element adapted to rise from below the stack deposit support and act on the front end of the stack, a second support element adapted to rise from below the stack deposit support and act on the back end of the stack bundle, and a third support element arranged to rise from below the stack deposit support in a first location to act on the front end of the stack and in a second location to act on the front end of the stack bundle.

Abstract: A flexible manufacturing system for producing and packaging consumer products into different packages is disclosed. The system includes one or more supplying means for providing the consumer products, and a multiplicity of packaging means for packaging the consumer products into different packages. The system further includes one or more conveying means for conveying the consumer products from the supplying means to the packaging means. The conveying means forms a continuous path linking the supplying means with the packaging means. The continuous path includes a multiplicity of receptors capable of accepting, carrying, and discharging the consumer products. Further, the system includes one or more stacking means for arranging the consumer products into separate stacks of products prior to packaging.

Abstract: A placing apparatus having first and second rear end holding members is provided between a loading apparatus that loads items in an upright position and a conveyance apparatus downstream. These rear end holding members move making a box motion when seen from the side. As a result, while the first rear end holding member holds the rearmost end of a group of items, the second rear end holding member stands by to receive a new item. The invention provides a conveyance apparatus and a boxing apparatus comprising the same that have widespread applicability. The conveyance apparatus and boxing apparatus, while achieving high-speed processing, are able to convey items of varying thickness and grouped in varying numbers in a stable manner and maintained in a prescribed position.

Abstract: This invention relates to stabilizing the movement of containers on a conveyor and indexing the movement of the containers with respect to the movement of the conveyor. The stabilization minimizes the problem of the containers tipping over or pushing too hard against each other. Indexing the movement of the containers with respect to the movement of the conveyor allows the position of the containers to be known on the conveyor.

Abstract: A conveying device for machines for packaging rolled articles includes a series of carriages, fastened, regularly spaced apart, to conveying means moved stepwise along an endless path. Each pair of adjacent carriages define holding seats for respective groups of articles to be packaged in a single pack with a sheet of a wrapping material. The carriages include a plurality of pushing prongs which extend, perpendicular to the conveying means, from slide means slidingly mounted on gliding means fastened to the conveying means crosswise to a forward movement direction of conveying means. The conveying device include also means for adjusting the position of the pushing prongs on the carriages, aimed at operating the slide means to move in a selected position along the gliding means.

Abstract: In a method for transferring a product in a packaging machine, the product is engaged from behind by a pushing element which is mounted on and driven by a first circulating continuous conveyor and moved from a transfer station along a sliding surface for transfer to an ongoing conveyor device. While being moved, the product is guided between the pushing element and a forward limiting element which is mounted on a second circulating continuous conveyor. To ensure a precise, rapid transfer, the forward limiting element is returned to the transfer station after the product has been moved by the carrying run of its second continuous conveyor and is used as the pushing element for the next product to be moved. The pushing element is guided back to the transfer station in the opposite direction to that in which the product is conveyed by means of its first continuous conveyor and is used as the limiting element for the next product to be moved.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a packaging system in which film cases are loaded in a small box of various sizes and configurations and these small boxes are packaged in a corrugated board box, so that the small box package in which the film cases are loaded in the small box thereof can be automatically manufactured and specifically, a packaging system in which the small assemblies are assembled in an assembly fashion in accordance with the configuration and size of the small box package and loaded in the corrugated board box and a packaging object supplying apparatus and boxing apparatus available for this packaging system.

Abstract: A medication dispensing apparatus of the present invention contains a plurality of different kinds of medication separately, dispenses the medicament to pack them into package belt, and discharges the package belt. The medication dispensing apparatus comprises a cutting device for cutting the package belt into short package belt including at least one medication package for specified period in accordance with prescription data, a stacking device for stacking the short package belts and a bundling device for bundling the stacked short package belts. According to the medication dispensing apparatus, it is possible to cut off medication packages and empty packages from the package belt automatically and rapidly, reducing medication distributing job in a hospital. The medication dispensing apparatus is applicable to a medicament collecting system comprising a tray feed station, a medication dispensing station and a tray recovering station.

Abstract: A mail wrapping system apparatus for preparing for mailing postal items includes receiving trays for respectively receiving postal items from companies and an extraction device for extracting from the postal items a multiplicity of same address groups of the postal items, each of the same address groups consisting of ones of the postal items having coinciding ones of destination addresses. A wrapping unit respectively individually assembles each of the same address groups into a bundle and successively wraps each of the same address groups assembled using a wrapping component with a corresponding one of the destination addresses respectively displayed on each of the wrapped same address groups to provide for mailing the wrapped same address groups. A weight sorter then sorts the wrapped same address groups into weight divisions set forth by a fee schedule of a specified delivery agency and the wrapped same address groups are sent with appropriate postage.

Abstract: This machine can automatically load packages of various sizes and shapes into containers in a variety of pack patterns. The machine has a package infeed system that transfers the package to a package locating system that locates the package at a stationary package placement location. A package placement vertical drive picks up the package from the stationary package placement location and can rotate the package about a vertical axis as well as lowering the package into the container and releasing it at the proper location. The package placement vertical drive grips the package by vacuum. It includes a quick attach and detach vacuum head which enables the rapid change-over of the system. The machine includes a case conveyor that moves the container along the longitudinal axis of the machine as well as to the left or right in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of the machine.

Abstract: A method for wrapping groups of products with stretch film comprises the following steps: forming groups of products having a front and a longitudinal dimension following a line of feed; winding a stretch film unrolled from a first roll around first means for preforming the wrapping, positioned inside a film wrapping area and along the product group line of feed; forming a first tubular portion of stretch film; stretching the portion of film by moving the first preforming means to create an access area, whose transversal dimension is larger than the front, for a single group of products moving along the feed line; releasing the film portion to allow the portion to shrink to its former size over the group of products and thus wrapping it; expelling the wrapped package thus obtained onto the feed line.

Abstract: The packaging machine includes: a plurality of lane guides, the plurality of lane guides being spaced apart to form a plurality of lanes; a moveable conveyor belt having a first end and second end, the first end located beneath one of the plurality of lanes, the movable conveyor belt delivers the product to each of the plurality of lanes; a support device located at the plurality of lanes; and a shifting assembly attached to the plurality of lane guides. The method for packaging a case with a product includes: conveying a first plurality of the product to a first lane; supporting the first plurality of the product within the first lane; conveying a second plurality of the product to a second lane; shifting the first lane and the second lane in a first direction; and dropping the first plurality of the products into the case.

Abstract: A packing system for articles. According to one embodiment of the invention, a receiving and dropping assembly comprising one or more doors that are displaceable between a holding configuration and a dropping configuration. The doors define a receptacle while in the holding configuration. The receptacle receives and holds an article, which is received by a leading edge of the article being guided by guide surfaces in the doors. The doors drop the article being held while in the dropping configuration. An output conveyor line receives the articles dropped by the receiving and dropping assembly. A controller controls the dropping and conveyance of the articles to convey the dropped articles along the output conveyor line in predetermined arrays. A pick-and-place robot system picks up the articles or arrays of articles from the output conveyor line and places the picked up articles in receptacles.

Abstract: This invention relates to stabilizing the movement of containers on a conveyor and indexing the movement of the containers with respect to the movement of the conveyor. The stabilization minimizes the problem of the containers tipping over or pushing to hard against each other. Indexing the movement of the containers with respect to the movement of the conveyor allows the position of the containers to be known on the conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for charging containers with groups of flat, stacked items, includes a first conveying device including an item group carrying arrangement for advancing spaced groups of items in a flat-lying, stacked state; a second conveying device for placing empty containers underneath the item group carrying arrangement in a container charging station; a first charging device for releasing item groups in the container charging station from the item group carrying arrangement means into a container in a flat-lying, stacked state; and a second charging device for taking item groups in the container charging station from the item group carrying arrangement and for releasing the item groups into a container in an edge-wise standing, stacked state.

Abstract: A directing unit 2, which directs bags P arranged in one line of feed rollers 23 to two lines in a packing system for packing the bags P conveyed in one line from a previous process, includes eccentric pulleys 25, a belt 26, and a bag holding plate 28d. The belt 26 applies a force containing a component in the horizontal direction to the bags P in a direction crosses the conveyance direction thereof. The bag holding plate 28d is disposed above the feed rollers 23 and controls a lift of the bag P so that the bag P is not lifted more than a predetermined height when the force is applied to the bag P by the belt 26.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for making a looped label and accumulating labels in a stack. An intermediate portion of the label is inserted into the nip of a pair of rotating rolls which fold or loop the label into two side-by-side or face-to-face label portions. The looped label is transported between the nip of a pair of pressing rolls which press or iron the label at the fold line while the label is stationary between the rolls to maintain the label in the folded condition. From there the label is passed into a stacker in which successively looped labels are stacked.

Abstract: An automatic packaging apparatus has an arraying and supplying station, a sorting station and a packaging station. The arraying and supplying station forcibly arrays and supplies encased products to orient their caps in one direction. The sorting station selectively sorts the arrayed encased products to a first feed path for feeding the encased products to package the encased products in a abreast-arrayed attitude and a second feed path for feeding the encased products to package the encased products in a tandem-arrayed attitude. The packaging station automatically packages the encased products by a shrink sheet in the abreast-arrayed attitude or the tandem-arrayed attitude.

Abstract: A conveying device for machines for packaging rolled articles includes a series of carriages, fastened, regularly spaced apart, to conveying means moved stepwise along an endless path. Each pair of adjacent carriages define holding seats for respective groups of articles to be packaged in a single pack with a sheet of a wrapping material. The carriages include a plurality of pushing prongs which extend, perpendicular to the conveying means, from slide means slidingly mounted on gliding means fastened to the conveying means crosswise to a forward movement direction of conveying means. The conveying device include also means for adjusting the position of the pushing prongs on the carriages, aimed at operating the slide means to move in a selected position along the gliding means.

Abstract: Associated to the first product of each group or slug of products being formed is a first engagement element which follows the movement of advance of said first product, preventing it from falling forwards in the direction of advance. In such conditions, the products are made to advance according to a stacking path that is substantially horizontal, setting them up against the first product, and thus determining the formation of groups or slugs of products and counting the number of products stacked. When the number of products stacked reaches the desired value, the last product in the group is engaged by a second engagement element which exerts an action of thrust in a forward direction on the slug of products thus formed, so causing separation thereof from the first product of a new slug being formed in the stacking structure.

Abstract: A belt device for forming a packaging arrangement including at least one stack of goods has a sling that includes a central suspension loop. The belt is formed as a closed loop and has a width substantially equal to the transverse width of the stack.

Abstract: To fold a piece of linen (5) to a very small final dimension, for example a bed sheet to 9″×6″, said piece of linen is kept constantly under pressure after final folding until it has been fixed in a storage position, in order to prevent opening of said final fold. This can be effected by pushing it during final folding by means of a folding sword into a receptacle (20), from where it is pushed by means of a ram (26) onto a stacking line (27) where its outer surfaces each rest against a corresponding outer surface of an adjacent piece of linen (5′) or another stop surface formed by slides (31a,b) or a pressure plate (33), so that it is fixed in its final configuration. Alternatively, the piece of linen can be fed, while maintaining pressure on the outer surfaces, to a packing apparatus and surrounded there by a strip of packaging material.

Abstract: A method for continuously forming stacked article groups, comprising the steps of supplying at least two streams of articles, each at a predetermined vertically distinct level; forming and longitudinally transporting a stream of first article groups having at least one article, at a first level; placing a support base on a top surface of each first article group; and forming a second article group, having at least one article, at a second level on top of the support base of each longitudinally moving first article group, whereby stacked article groups are formed. The stacked article groups are subsequently processed for packaging.

Abstract: Groups comprising a specified number of articles separated by intervals of separation are formed from an incoming flow of articles.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to the manufacture of lites (glass sheets) which have at least a pair of thin spacers applied thereto which maintain the lites in spaced relationship when stacked upon pallets, wrapped and shipped. The spacers are preferably only partially adhered to the lites, either by weak bonding adhesive or electrostatically, and can be readily removed during end-use applications. The spacers are applied automatically during production runs of the lites, and the spacers are applied from above or from below relative to the path of travel of the lites.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to the manufacture of lites (glass sheets) which have at least a pair of thin spacers applied thereto which maintain the lites in spaced relationship when stacked upon pallets, wrapped and shipped. The spacers are preferably only partially adhered to the lites, either by weak bonding adhesive or electrostatically, and can be readily removed during end-use applications. The spacers are applied automatically during production runs of the lites, and the spacers are applied from above or from below relative to the path of travel of the lites.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to the manufacture of lites (glass sheets) which have at least a pair of thin spacers applied thereto which maintain the lites in spaced relationship when stacked upon pallets, wrapped and shipped. The spacers are preferably only partially adhered to the lites, either by weak bonding adhesive or electrostatically, and can be readily removed during end-use applications. The spacers are applied automatically during production runs of the lites, and the spacers are applied from above or from below relative to the path of travel of the lites.

Abstract: A medication dispensing apparatus of the present invention contains a plurality of different kinds of medication separately, dispenses the medicament to pack them into package belt, and discharges the package belt. The medication dispensing apparatus comprises a cutting device for cutting the package belt into short package belt including at least one medication package for specified period in accordance with prescription data, a stacking device for stacking the short package belts and a bundling device for bundling the stacked short package belts. According to the medication dispensing apparatus, it is possible to cut off medication packages and empty packages from the package belt automatically and rapidly, reducing medication distributing job in a hospital. The medication dispensing apparatus is applicable to a medicament collecting system comprising a tray feed station, a medication dispensing station and a tray recovering station.

Abstract: An article packaging system has a magazine case charging mechanism for picking up and charging magazine cases one by one to a subsequent stage, a magazine case aligning mechanism for aligning the charged magazine cases in one direction, a small outer shipping package producing mechanism for storing a magazine case into a small package thereby to produce a small outer shipping package, a pack production mechanism for combining packs in a predetermined combining pattern, a large outer shipping package producing mechanism for assembling a plurality of packs in a predetermined assembling pattern into an assembly, and storing the assembly into a corrugated box to produce a large outer shipping package, and a production information management computer for controlling the above mechanisms in a centralized fashion.

Abstract: An on-the-fly paper stack handler has a paper stack conveyor for continuously serially conveying stacks of paper, a tray conveyor disposed below and downstream of the paper stack conveyor for continuously serially conveying trays, and a transfer conveyor extending between the paper stack conveyor and the tray conveyor for conveying stacks of paper along a path from the paper stack conveyor into the trays. The transfer conveyor has a platform for supporting paper stacks and has pushers extending downwardly into the path of the paper stacks so that these pushers may push the stacks into the trays and operate in close proximity to the trays. A rest arm extending downstream from the transfer conveyor rests on the stacks in the trays to maintain control of same.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for packaging goods from a continuous stack. A conveyor is arranged on a base to move the continuous stack in a conveying direction. A separator means separates a stack portion of a predetermined size from the continuous stack. The stack portion is pushed aside from the conveying direction to a position within reach of a gripper. The gripper is used to transfer the stack along a second direction to at least one packaging position in a box or on a packaging blank. The gripper comprises at least two jaws which compress and hold the stack during the transfer. The gripper is arranged parallel to the base so that the base supports the stack portion from below during the transfer. In the method of the present invention, the stack portion is moved onto a cover part of a packaging blank and the packaging blank is folded around the stack portion to form a box.

Abstract: A method of balancing the output of two lines of a packing system, wherein the two lines extend through at least two machines, at least one of which is a two-line machine, along two respective paths to produce and form respective articles into groups, and to pack the groups; the method including slowing down the articles, on each line, at at least one control station to form a continuous queue of contiguous articles; measuring the length of each queue; and maintaining the lengths of both queues and the difference between the lengths of the two queues within a first and a second given variation range respectively.

Abstract: The invention concerns equipment receiving continuously and individually delivered objects and arranging these objects into sets for discharge to a packaging station. Two conveyor chains (3, 4) fitted with compartments to receive the objects are mounted transversely to the objects' conveyor belt (2) so that these compartments shall be colinear in the direction of object delivery. A stop (7, 8) is mounted between the two conveyor chains (3, 4) in the extension of the objects' direction of delivery and is designed to open and close the compartment of the conveyor chain (4) located at the rear as seen in the direction of object delivery.

Abstract: A system and method for order packing forms a mixed pallet or a mixed multi-pack. In this system, a first embodiment utilizes a high volume module, a low volume module, a sorting and packing module, a prepackage module and a mixed palletizer module for picking, sorting, packaging and palletizing articles. In a second embodiment of the present invention, a bulk load can be fed via a carrousel to a bank of elevators. A transfer device will load different levels of the elevators which can then be moved adjacent a discharge conveyor. A lane is provided in this discharge conveyor for each of the elevators in the bank of elevators. The different levels of the elevators are positioned adjacent the lanes and can discharge articles onto the conveyor in order to form groups of the same or different types of articles. Many different types of articles including beverage containers such as cans, bottles or beverage boxes can use this system.

Abstract: The objects (6) fall into a well (10) where their fall is slowed down by slanted blades (13) covered by a damping layer and situated in front of a counter-wall (14) from which they are separated by a gap (16). The counter-wall (14) is elastic so as to make the objects falling onto it rebound towards the lower blade. An outgoing track of the well (26) having a round shape is covered with a damping layer which absorbs the free fall energy at the outlet of the device. The invention can be applied to the continuous bulk carrying of fragile objects, such as pellets.

Abstract: Automatic in-line food preparation machines. The machines comprise perforating mechanisms which can provide multiple perforations in substrates. Preformed portions of food are then placed on the predetermined lengths of substrate having multiple perforations. An in-line foldover mechanism is also provided which folds paper flaps over food slices for efficient food preparation creation.

Abstract: A continuous, multiline packaging apparatus for continuously conveying, turning, and loading non-round bottles includes infeed conveyors which convey non-round bottles to timing screw conveyors. The timing conveyors are operable to space the bottles a predetermined distance apart and to feed the lines of spaced bottles to turning conveyors. The turning conveyors are each comprised of high and low speed conveyor chains, and guide rails. The turning conveyors first turn the bottles to an intermediate angled position and thereafter further turn the bottles to a loading position. A grouping conveyor comprising a plurality of fights cooperates with the turning conveyors to cause the bottles to form groups which are transferred to a loading device. The loading device continuously shifts the grouped bottles laterally into cartons as the bottles are continuously moved in a downstream direction.