Abstract: The feeding device comprises a horizontal circular singling disc, which rotates continuously or intermittently and has a peripheral crown of recesses acting as article receiving pockets. The surface of the singling disc is subdivided into a first, larger article-receiving portion acting as feed reservoir for the articles which are fed at random thereinto, delimited by a fixed circumferential side wall extending over a circumferential arc around the periphery of the singling disc, and by a fixed partition wall extending across the surface of the singling disc, and into a second smaller article-delivery portion lying outside of the feed reservoir. At the interior of the feed reservoir there is mounted a distributor dish having the shape of an asymmetrical flat or truncated cone. The distributor dish is cased to perform rotary oscillations parallel to the surface of the singling disc, about an axis which coincides with the axis of rotation of the singling disc.

Abstract: A tilting carrier conveyor system comprising a track, a plurality of carriers movable along the track, and means for moving the carriers along the track. Each carrier has a load carrying member supported on the carrier for tilting movement in a plane transverse to the direction of movement of the carrier. Tilt control means comprise a guide track member in the form of a single vertical wall extending along the path of the carriers, a guide follower on each load carrying member comprising a bifurcated member defining a downwardly open-ended slot into which the vertical wall comprising the guide track member extends such that as the carrier is moved along the track, the load carrying member thereon is guided in its tilting movement by the vertical wall.

Abstract: A machine for sorting workpieces belonging to different classification classes, including a frame, a loading device, a plurality of outputs for the different classification classes, conveyor apparatus to direct the workpieces to the relevant outputs and control apparatus adapted to receive signals responsive to the classes of workpieces in order to actuate the conveyor apparatus, said conveyor apparatus including a first slide moving from a position for loading the workpiece to be sorted to a position adjacent to an output corresponding to the class of the workpieces, said slide including workpiece stops adapted to allow the unloading of the workpiece onto a relevant output after its positioning in the position adjacent to the output, the control apparatus being adapted to realize the positioning of the slide in the loading and unloading positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting sheet material such as bank notes, comprising separate endless conveyor belt systems which are conducted about guide or deflection rollers of varying diameter and which extend parallel adjacent to the conveyance path. The individual sheets are held between the belts of the two systems by friction. In order to avoid different-size reversals when rollers with varying diameters rotate, the angle of contact of the conveyor belts is selected in response to the diameter of the rollers such that the reversal remains constant over the whole of the length. In the case of a finitely thick belt the word reversal means the velocity of the inner fibre running on the rollers in relation to the neutral fibre in %.

Abstract: As a substitute for the transfer or star wheel, for preventing paper wrinkling in the chain delivery section of a printing apparatus, which chain delivery section has a pair of continuous chains upon which chains are mounted a plurality of paper gripping members, wherein the chains include a plurality of pairs of links pivotally attached by pintles, an improvement comprising a pair of opposing clips detachably mountable on a link on the respective one of the chains, without the need for adding a protrusion to the link or pintle, and including a support, a bar fixedly engaged by the supports against rotation about the longitudinal axis of the bar and paper contacting members longitudinally adjustably mounted on the bars. Also disclosed is the paper contacting members being eccentric in shape and having a bearing surface with the eccentric being rotatably adjustable about the longitudinal axis and held against further rotation during operation of the chain delivery.

Abstract: Apparatus for laterally deflecting articles, such as bottles, from the normal path of a series of such articles, on the basis of a predetermined criterion, such as size or shape. The apparatus may be in the form of extensors which operate transversely to the direction of travel of the articles, in such manner that at any given moment only those extensors are extended which contact the article then being deflected.

Abstract: Apparatus for isolating and feeding objects, particularly sweets, to a pang machine in which objects are transported on a conveyor in a longitudinal row closely one behind the other, displaced sideways one at a time and accelerated to a higher speed spaced longitudinally from one another. Sideways displacement is provided by pressure pieces moving longitudinally with the objects and providing abutment stops for the next succeeding object to be isolated. Part of the rear face of each object is exposed by the sideways motion and a dog of a dog-chain engages the object at this point at the same speed as the pressure piece and then accelerates the object engaged by it such that the row of objects is longitudinally spaced one from another.

Abstract: The invention consists of a stockpile reclaiming apparatus for discharging bulk material from a bed. The apparatus comprises a bridge which extends over the width of the stockpile, a support frame work, which is mounted from the bridge and a discharging means mounted on the frame work. The discharge means consists of an endless traction means and a series of discharge elements attached to the endless traction means. This endless path is disposed in a plane inclined to the bed of the stockpile whereby an acute angle is formed between this inclination and the plane of the bed.

Abstract: An industrial robot for gripping workpieces of diverse shape comprises at least one finger preferably two arranged for pivotal movement on respective sides of the workpiece. Each finger has at least one workpiece engagement member or joint which is movable thereon. Fluid pressure operated means are connected to the workpiece engagement member or joint so that it is moved outwardly from the associated finger to engage the workpiece and to be locked in the engaged position so that it will reengage in the same position after the finger is shifted relative to the workpiece to reengage it.

Abstract: A device for arranging hen's eggs in erect postures keeping their acute-curved ends below, which comprises; a plurality of passages which slope downward and through which the eggs are moved downwardly slantwise while being kept in longitudinal postures respectively; an endless driven member having a number of crossbars disposed in series at regular intervals, the crossbars keeping the eggs one by one and moving them downwardly within the passages respectively; a plurality of holders to prevent rotation of each egg; and a plurality of U-like shape groved members so that the eggs are turned to be directed vertically.

Abstract: A characteristic feature of the proposed pickup conveyer, comprising drive shafts, a conveyer belt carrying support elements held thereto, spring-actuated double pickup fingers provided with a yoke-shaped interspring crosspiece and made fast on said support elements resides in the fact that said support element is shaped as a channel iron between the flanges of which the spring-actuated double pickup finger is mounted, said flanges having holes for a U-shaped holder to fit, one of the ends of said holder being recurvate towards the ends of the pickup fingers.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring batches of biscuits (11) in succession from a magazine (10) to the infeed conveyor (28) of a wrapping machine which includes a transfer unit which includes a platform (15), a support (17) for the batch (12) of biscuits to be transferred, a jaw (21) and side clamps (24). After transfer of a batch of biscuits to the transfer unit at a loading station, the jaw and the clamps are applied to the batch. The transfer unit then moves to a discharge position at which the jaw and the clamps are withdrawn to allow the biscuits to fall onto a deadplate (26).

Abstract: A conveyor system is arranged for transporting and spacing can ends by means of confronting flexible conveyor belts which are spaced apart to grip can ends at the edges, in combination with means for frictionally engaging the can ends in the space between the conveyor belts.

Abstract: A bottom suspension arrangement is provided for a screw conveyor assembly ed in the pumping of waste water and the like. The assembly includes a stationary cylindrical jacket having an open bottom end, a screw conveyor mounted within the jacket for rotation about a central axis, and an anti-friction bottom bearing on the screw conveyor extending outwardly of the bottom open end of the jacket. The bottom suspension arrangement is attached to the screw conveyor assembly at its bottom end, and comprises a rigid, substantially L-shaped lever having one leg mounted at its terminal end on the bearing and having its other leg spaced from and extending along the upper side of the jacket. A suspension point is located at the terminal end of this other leg for the attachment of a suspension device, and the one leg overlaps radially with the open bottom end of the jacket.

Abstract: An extra sheet feeder in a copying machine includes a positioning member associated with an extra sheet which is to be located in substantial alignment with the leading edge of normal copy sheets disposed in a stack within an associated container of the machine, in a path formed above the stack and along which an extra sheet is inserted. A simple operation of causing one side or the leading edge of the extra sheet to abut against the positioning member permits an extra sheet to be loaded in place and fed using the usual feed mechanism.

Abstract: A multiple strand drive chain for transmitting power from toothed sprockets to an endless belt constructed of toothed links. The strand which cooperates with the toothed links has a plurality of spaced rollers, with alternate rollers, which have a first predetermined diameter, being constructed of a deformable, resilient material. The intervening rollers, which have a smaller diameter than the first predetermined diameter, are constructed of a substantially non-deformable, rigid material. The deformable rollers normally share the driving load in a substantially uniform manner, but as the chain wears the sharing becomes disproportionate. The non-deformable rollers greatly extend chain life by limiting the maximum driving load placed on any one deformable roller.

Abstract: An accumulator has a driven belt which is so supported that it either propels the articles by contact with them or by driving rollers on which the articles are supported. In either case, rotatable supports are provided beneath the belt. Several of these supports constitute a group over which a secondary or satellite belt is trained. The secondary belt contacts the lower face of the driven belt, supporting and spacing it above the rotatable supports. Each support has at least two portions of different diameters with a ramp between. Control means shifts the secondary belt between the portions and in so doing moves the driven belt vertically between a raised article drive position and a lowered article release position.

Abstract: A conveyor with elongate side members with each member being of irregular shape in section. An inclined surface of each side member partially supports an endless conveyor belt with a mid-portion of the belt supported at intervals by fixed conveyor crossmembers. The crossmembers are molded from material having a low coefficient of friction to adequately support the belt and loads thereon while serving to rigidly interconnect the side members of the conveyor. Fastener assemblies extending through the crossmember ends and abutting portions of the side members couple same yet permit convenient crossmember replacement. Drive means powers a conveyor pulley. Top and bottom covers confine airborne dust particles.

Abstract: A conveyor belt cleaner mounted on a transverse support member including an arm extending from a mounting bracket and a belt cleaner blade secured on the arm. A positioning arrangement is provided between the arm and the cleaner blade to allow the blade to rotate about the central axis of the arm within predetermined limits in either direction so as to allow the scraping edge of the cleaner blade to align with the surface of the conveyor belt being cleaned. A nut and a resilient washer are provided to secure the blade against a collar. An alternative securement includes a pin-and-slot connection which allows the same rotative action of the blade relative to the arm and having multiple seals against the entrance of dirt into the connection.

Abstract: A singler device which includes an input position with a first and second suction means mounted along one face of a traveling suction belt, a passage, and a delivery position with first and second detector members. The second detector member operates the first or second suction means depending on the first detector member being in its non-operated or operated condition, respectively. The use of this device permits flat articles to be separated from a stack in the correct order even when they are misaligned to a certain extent.