Abstract: An improved apparatus for aligning and transporting containers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a hopper having dividers with the dividers having top surfaces which decline from one end wall of the hopper at different angles. A conveyor is provided and positioned underneath at least a portion of the hopper for transporting containers aligned by the hopper. The containers are transported along the conveyor toward a movable deflector means for deflecting any containers which are not properly aligned. Containers which are in proper alignment pass underneath and drop away from the deflector means in uniform alignment and are further processed by a detecting or scanning device.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided to rapidly and automatically scan the UPC, or bar code, from a series of containers and maintain tallies of the brands and types of containers processed. The containers are fed in end-to-end orientation onto the upper end of the trough between an inclined pair of parallel rollers. Both rollers are rotated in the same direction, causing each container to spin as it slides down the length of the rollers. The inclination of the rollers causes the containers to accelerate, increasing the spacing between containers as they reach the lower end of the rollers. A number of scanners are positioned above the lower end of the rollers to read the UPC from each container.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided to rapidly and automatically scan the UPC, or bar code, from a series of containers and maintain talleys of the brands and types of containers processed. A guide is placed diagonally across the top of the conveyor to catch and direct any containers moving along the conveyor. Continued motion of the conveyor beneath the containers at an angle relative to the guide causes each container to rotate as it slides along the guide toward the edge of the conveyor. One or more UPC scanners are positioned to read the UPC from each container as it slides along the guide. Because of the rotation of the containers, the entire sidewall of each container is exposed to the scanners. Any containers that are not successfully read by the scanners are rejected for subsequent manual processing.