Abstract: An electronic fruit grading machine includes an endless chain having positioning rollers or bars which rotate and on which the fruit coming from a hopper is positioned in rows. The grading machine includes an electronic apparatus capable of detecting surface marks or defects in the fruit which is situated on the bars. The fruit is arranged in transverse rows and is displaced at a certain speed under a standard television camera. The feed of the fruit from the hopper to the endless chain is carried out by a cylindrical drum acting as a feeding device. On the surface of the cylindrical drum are rows of holes, and adjacent each hole is provided a wedge, one face of which follows the prolongation of a radius of the cylindrical drum and is arranged for the expulsion of extra fruit adhered to the periphery of the cylindrical drum.

Abstract: A knife gate for use in pneumatic conveying equipment is the subject of the present invention. The improved knife gate device is constructed utilizing first and second guide plates disposed in spaced apart relationship with a resilient member positioned behind each of the plates. Each plate is characterized by an opening and a planar surface extending on either side of the opening. A reciprocating gate means is disposed between the plates and places the yieldable means under compression. The gate means has an opening and a planar surface extending on at least one side of the opening. The gate means is moveable between an open position wherein all of the openings are aligned and a closed position wherein the planar surface of the gate means moves past the openings in the guide plates to close the latter.

Abstract: A hand operated pump dispenser adapted to be fitted to a fluid container to dispense the fluid as a spray has a discharge reservoir in the form of a bellows having an inlet closed by a one way valve allowing fluid into the bellows and a finger operated discharge valve, the bellows being charged and discharged by movement of the inlet relative to the housing, the charging movement of the bellows inlet also energizing an energy storage spring and being effected either by rotation or downward pressure on a first actuating member.

Abstract: A moist tissue dispenser in which a web of absorbent sheet material divided by transverse lines of perforations into interconnecting tissue is saturated with a liquid cleansing agent and coiled into a roll having a hollow core, the roll being housed within an open-mouthed container. The leading end tissue of the roll extends upwardly from the core and passes through a frusto-conical central orifice in a removable cover received over the mouth of the container. The orifice functions as a converging passage whose constriction forces the end tissue to rope and to effectively plug the orifice, thereby maintaining the container in a sealed state to prevent evaporation of the cleansing agent. The orifice constriction and its configuration are such as to impose a drag on the roped end tissue as it is pulled from the dispenser by a user and funnelled through the orifice.

Abstract: Disclosed is an article storing and dispensing device adapted for storing and readying magnetic tape cassettes so that they can be automatically, individually dispensed from the device.

Abstract: A whole fruit size grader comprising a horizontally oscillating table having a generally horizontal flat area on which fruit to be sized is loaded and a sorting area which slopes therefrom downwardly to a prime size fruit collecting area or station. Said sloped sorting area embodies closely spaced side-by-side troughs extending in the direction of the table oscillation. These troughs communicate at their upper ends with the loading area to receive the fruit in response to table oscillation, have oppositely sloped side walls for guiding the fruit to the lower discharge end thereof, and have tapered discharge openings upstream of their lower discharge ends for separating the undersize fruit from the prime size fruit and have associate means in the form of horizontal fins over said discharge openings which retard the fruit as it moves over said discharge openings to influence the separate collection of the undersize fruit.

Abstract: A disposable package for dispensing liquids with a controlled rate of flow is described, such as for syrup for use with a post-mix soft drink dispenser. The disposable package includes a thin walled plastic or glass container with a closed end and an open end defining a discharge opening with a flow rate control tube positioned in said container in a predetermined position. The flow rate control tube has a closed rupturable, openable or frangible sealed end, which extends through the closed end of the container, and an open end, which is disposed at a predetermined distance within the container from the position of the discharge opening. The discharge or open end of the container is sealed by a removable cap and a rupturable membrane. The sealed end of the flow rate control tube may be contained within a recessed portion of the container adjacent the closed end thereof to protect the sealed end from rupture during shipping of the disposable package.

Abstract: A dispenser for antibiotic sensitivity discs which automatically and simultaneously dispenses a plurality of discs onto a flat surface, for example a layer of agar gel in a petri dish. The dispenser comprises a removable magazine unit which carries the required number of standard cartridges, each filled with discs to be dispensed. The discs are in turn removed mechanically from the cartridges from where they are transferred to the surface of the gel by a plurality of pick-up tubes to which a vacuum is applied. The vacuum causes the discs to become attached to the ends of respective tubes so that the discs move with the tubes onto the gel surface, and are pressed onto the gel surface by a pressure equal to the weight of the tubes.

Abstract: The machine calibrates round, oblong or spherical objects and in particular fruit and vegetables. It comprises a series of spaced-apart rollers which define cavities for receiving the objects. In these cavities, the objects rotate and place their equatorial plane in a vertical position. Calibrating rollers, oriented in a longitudinal direction or slightly inclined relative to the axis of the conveyor and at heights from the latter which decrease in the direction of conveyance of the conveyor, discharge the objects and cause them to drop through a minimum height onto a discharging conveyor placed thereunder.

Abstract: Comingled particles, such as nut meats and shell fragments, are segregated by directing the particles one after the other onto a sounding plate, from which they deflect into a rebound trajectory. Each particle upon striking the plate imparts ultrasonic vibrations to the plate, and these vibrations are converted by a transducer into an electrical input signal that oscillates at the frequency of the vibrations and undergoes corresponding changes in amplitude. After amplifying the input signal and filtering low frequency signals from it, a comparator converts those original oscillations which exceed a predetermined threshold amplitude into voltage pulses that are counted in a counter. If the count exceeds a minimum set into the counter, the counter produces a signal itself. This signal initiates an output signal of predetermined duration, which after undergoing a delay, operates an air valve that is connected with an air nozzle located along the rebound trajectory.

Abstract: A bulk dry food product storage, display and dispensing apparatus is described. In the apparatus there is provided a plurality of modules. In each of the modules there is provided a plurality of hoppers. Each hopper comprises a pair of side wall members and a curved bottom member. The curved bottom member comprises a front portion and a rear portion. The front and the rear portions each comprise a continuously changing radius of curvature, the continuously changing radius of curvature on the front portion being different from the continuously changing radius of curvature on the rear portion such that fresh product being added to the hopper from the rear thereof by being dumped on the rear portion of the curved bottom, slides down the rear portion, moves existing product forwardly and upwardly and displaces the existing product being supported on the front portion, causing it to fall on top of the fresh product moving therebeneath.

Abstract: An attachment for a device for planting parallel rows of seeds from a single seed box is disclosed whereby selected rows can be planted or skipped as selected by the user. A frame has a linear equally spaced array of a plurality of inlet nipples, and a slide bar having a plurality of outlet nipples in register with the inlet nipples can be displaced by the distance of separation between nipples to place a different set of inlet and outlet nipples in register. Planting with the slide bar alternatingly displaced causes a row to be alternately planted and skipped to provide desired seed spacing.

Abstract: An improved locking apparatus for a slidably mounted product carrying shelf in a helical coil vending machine. Each shelf includes a front roller normally retained in a front stop. The locking apparatus comprises a pivotably mounted lock member mounted above the front stop of each shelf. The lock member has a lock surface which in a first or normal position of the lock member prevents the front roller from being removed from the front stop to lock the shelf in position in the vending machine. The lock member may be rotated to either a second or third position where the lock surface clears the front roller to allow the shelf to be slid out of the vending machine. The lock member is counterweighted such that it will remain in its third position to allow an operator to completely remove the shelf from the vending machine.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting bulged and sunken sidewalls and incorrect widths on paneled containers.Containers to be inspected are moved along a conveyor. Two groups of three LVDT's (generally opposite from one another) are utilized to measure the distance between each of three points on the container sidewall and a reference line. The measurements are fed to a circuit which determines the deviation of one of the three points from a line passing through the remaining two points. The amount of deviation is utilized to determine whether or not the sidewall is bulged or sunken. Measurements from each pair of opposing LVDT's are fed to a circuit which determines the width of the container at three different heights. The width values are compared to predetermined limits in order to determine if the container width is acceptable.The timing of measurements is controlled by the use of photocell sensors, which detect the passage of a container past particular reference points.

Abstract: A method for the separation of limestone from a particulate limestone ore containing particles of limestone and gangue which comprises conditioning the limestone ore with at least one coupling agent selected from saturated and unsaturated carboxylic acids containing from about 4 to about 22 carbon atoms, or at least one coupling agent selected from the group consisting of aliphatic amines containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, and beta amines containing from about 7 to about 21 carbon atoms, to selectively coat the limestone or the gangue in the ore to the substantial exclusion of the other in combination with providing at least one fluorescent dye to said coupling agent; radiating the conditioned ore to excite and induce fluorescence of the fluorescent dye to a degree sufficient to distinguish the coated particles from the non-coated particles and separating the fluorescing, coated particles from the nonfluorescing, non-coated particles.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating composite waste materials composed chiefly of plastic film and paper including a conveyer for moving the composite material along a substantially horizontal path in a given direction and a reel device having a plurality of hooked members extending therefrom rotating to move the hooked members through the composite material at a portion of the horizontal path, with the hooked members moving in the same direction in which the composite material is moving while being passed therethrough. The hooked members of the reel device engage plastic film contained in the composite material to separate the plastic film therefrom.

Abstract: A timing mechanism for dispensing medicine on a timed basis for a patient to remind the patient to take the medication. The device comprises a dispensing wheel having a plurality of medication storage compartments, which are labeled to indicate various times of the day and days of the week to receive the medicine. The timing device comprises an electric motor which drives a gear adapted to turn a transfer gear which in turn rotates a driven gear to move the compartmented dispensing wheel one compartment per time period to dispense medicine into a hopper for use.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the separation of coal from run of mine (ROM) coal containing particles of coal and refuse, which comprises conditioning the ROM coal with a coupling agent capable of selectively coating the particulate coal to the substantial exclusion of coating the refuse, which coupling agent is at least one alcohol containing from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms. Combined with said coupling agent is a fluorescent dye in a quantity to make the coated particles of coal fluoresce upon excitation to a degree sufficient to distinguish the coated coal particles from the substantially non-coated refuse. Exciting (e.g. as with ultraviolet light) the fluorescent dye coupled to the coal particles induces fluorescence and enables separating the fluorescing, coated coal particles from substantially non-fluorescing, non-coated refuse particles.

Abstract: A material sorter to sort materials having various weight and aerodynamic characteristics such as, for example, relatively heavy magazines and corrugated cardboard from relatively lightweight newspaper. The sorter comprises a generally elongated hollow member having openings at oppositely disposed ends, the member preferably being a hollow cylindrically shaped tube. The axis of the tube is inclined with respect to the ground and the tube is rotated mechanically. The sorter also includes a source of forced air provided by a fan positioned at the lower opening of the tube, the fan is inclined at a variable angle with respect to the axis of the cylinder and provides a continuous spiral-patterned stream of air flowing upwardly through the cylinder. In the operaton of the material sorter, mixed paper having various weight and aerodynamic characteristics is placed in the upper opening of the tube. As the paper falls downwardly through the tube and is tumbled by the rotation of the tube, it separates.

Abstract: A method for the separation of magnesite from a particulate ore containing particles relatively rich in magnesite and particles relatively rich in dolomite and/or calcite, which comprises conditioning the ore with at least one coupling agent selected from saturated and unsaturated carboxylic acids containing from about 4 to about 22 carbon atoms, to selectively coat the calcite and/or dolomite in the ore to the substantial exclusion of the magnesite, in combination with providing at least one fluorescent dye to said coupling agent; radiating the conditioned ore to excite and induce fluorescence of the fluorescent dye to a degree sufficient to distinguish the coated particles from the non-coated particles and separating the fluorescing, coated particles from the non-fluorescing, non-coated particles.