Abstract: A system and method for reliably detecting singulated parcels traveling on a conveyor belt by comparing parcel characteristics before and after parcel agitation. First, parcel characteristics are evaluated. Then parcels are agitated to promote a change in characteristics, for example volume or dimensions, of the unsingulated parcels. Next, parcel characteristics are again evaluated and compared to the previously-evaluated characteristics. If there is no appreciable difference in characteristics, the parcel is deemed singulated.

Abstract: An auxiliary support plate is connected, by a leaf spring, to a middle portion of a lower end of a sheet holder, in a sheet width direction, so that a lower end part of the auxiliary support plate rotates and retracts below an upper surface of the sheet holder. A sheet feed roller, facing an upper surface of the auxiliary support plate, is rotatably supported by an arm, which can rotate about a drive shaft disposed upstream in a sheet advance direction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sequencing articles via a single sort pass or process includes a plurality of article receivers or collators positioned along a conveying or transport path and a plurality of carriages movable along the path. The carriages receive articles from at least one induct in a generally random manner and discharge the articles at the appropriate collators. The collators are operable to selectively receive the articles at an appropriate one of a plurality of bins of the collators, such that the articles are positioned within the bins of the collators in a sequenced manner. The articles may be unloaded to a plurality of collecting devices and/or manually unloaded and placed or stacked in a container in the desired sequence. The collecting devices may be manually unloaded while the collators simultaneously selectively receive articles during a subsequent sort wave or process.

Abstract: Vertical pocket feeder signature handling equipment which supplies signatures in an on-edge orientation one at a time to bindery equipment. The vertical pocket feeder particularly cooperates with a hopper loader apparatus which transfers and separates individual signatures of sheet materials from a vertically aligned, stack of such signatures. The separated, individual signatures may then be subjected to bindery operations such as stapling or stitching.

Abstract: An apparatus is proposed for separating coarse grain and fine grain with a screen (1) made of screen bars (3) which are situated successively adjacent to one another and slope downwardly in the conveying direction (2) of the coarse grain and with a support (4) for the screen bars (3) which are fastened to one end of the support (4) and can be excited to performed oscillations by the material to be screened. In order to ensure an especially favorable screening effect at low maintenance and production costs it is proposed that the bar-like support (4) is held in a frame (6) in a manner torsionally resilient about its longitudinal axis (5) extending transversally to the screen bars (3) and that the screen bars (3) are arranged in at least two rows disposed successively in the conveying direction (2) of the coarse grain.

Abstract: A screen assembly which includes a frame, a plurality of openings in the frame, a screen overlying the openings, a plurality of spaced tapered ribs on the opposite side of the frame from the screen, a first end on the frame with a depending lip, and a second end on the frame with a clip thereon. Another embodiment has a first end with a ledge and a second end with an overhanging portion, and a seal on the ledge.

Abstract: A bill deposit/withdrawal machine for performing deposit or withdrawal of bills includes a deposit/withdrawal port for performing deposit or withdrawal of bills, a bill discriminating unit for discriminating bills, a plurality of bill accepting boxes for accepting bills, a bill transport path for transporting bills, an upper bill mechanism disposed in an upper portion of the machine for forming a unit including the deposit/withdrawal port and the bill discriminating unit, and a lower bill mechanism disposed in a lower portion of the machine for forming a unit including the plurality of bill accepting boxes. The upper bill mechanism includes a reject box for accepting non-returning bills which cannot be accepted into the plurality of boxes or bills forgotten to be taken out.

Abstract: A plate for attachment to an interior side of the housing of a vending machine to overlie the bill validator. The plate including a mask portion protruding to an exterior of the housing for covering a mouth portion of the bill validator exposed to the public. The mask portion includes an entrance aligned with a bill slot in the mouth portion of the bill validator. A bill passageway defined by a first guide flange and a second guide flange is disposed between the bill slot and the entrance for directing bills into an out of the bill validator. The guide flanges terminate in the mouth portion of the bill validator so that bills may reliably pass from the entrance through the bill passageway into the bill slot, and from the bill slot outwardly through the bill passageway to the entrance during bill rejection.

Abstract: A banknote validator for determining the value and authenticity of a banknote is provided. The banknote validator includes a magnetic sensor, an optical sensor, and a non-return gate. The magnetic sensor includes a magnetic circuit and an electronic circuit. The optical sensor includes a trapezoidal light guide, a broadband light source for illuminating a banknote via the light guide, and sensors for detecting light reflected from the banknote. The non-return gate includes banknote-guiding means for guiding the banknote along a banknote path and for controlling the direction of the banknote's travel based on its acceptability.

Abstract: Apparatus for changing the direction of transport of a sheet by about 75° to about 90° comprising: a first flat guide for contacting the leading edge of a sheet transported along a path to change its direction of transport by an acute angle; a second flat or concavely curved guide spaced from the first guide for contacting the leading edge of the sheet to change to direction of transport by an acute angle wherein the change of direction of transport of the sheet by the first and second guides totals about 75° to about 90°, the second concavely curved guide providing accumulation of the proper amount of sheet required to change the direction of transport of the sheet by the about 75° to about 90°.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for sorting workpieces (204) includes multiple conveyors (201, 202), a scanner (208), an offloading device (216), a workpiece processor (218), and a computer (210). The computer has instructions for carrying out a method for sorting that includes obtaining the physical parameters of the workpiece by scanning the workpiece, obtaining an updated distribution of a physical parameter of a population of workpieces, obtaining an updated loading on each conveyor, obtaining the workpiece processor's capacity, obtaining a processing parameter indicating the required amount of workpiece processing to be performed, and obtaining each conveyor's speed. This information is used to place the workpiece on a conveyor in a manner that is calculated to utilize the optimum amount of workpiece processor capacity, while at the same time maintaining an even belt loading.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for abrading the membrane portion of waste egg shells from the hard mineral portion thereof, is provided. The linking structure between the membrane and shell is initially abraded such that the membrane particles and shell particles can be passively dissociated thereafter.

Abstract: Apparatus for depositing sheets on a stack, which permits essentially free access to the stack and can be implemented with a low outlay of materials and costs. The apparatus includes on the side of the stack (1) that faces a machine, tongues (5, 6) with which frictional elements (3, 4) can be brought into and out of contact and which can be moved in the conveying direction (10) of the sheets (2) and in the opposite direction, and can be lowered onto the stack (1), and wherein on the side of the stack (1) that faces the machine, at least one hold-down (7) is provided which can be moved in the conveying direction (10) of the sheets (2) and in the opposite direction, and can be lowered onto the stack (1).

Abstract: A process for extracting and purifying naturally occurring zeolite from ores in the presence of other mineral phases by using mechanical dispersion and differential suspension to remove a majority of the clay content of the ore. The process continues by removal of contaminants with a higher mass to surface area ratio than that of the desired zeolite product by employing the properties of demineralized water in combination with a countercurrent flow separation column. No chemical flocculating or flotation agents need be employed in the process.

Abstract: To identify an embossed image of a coin in an automatic coin machine, the coin requiring identification is moved past an image receiver and a light source, the light source having at least two lighting portions which illuminate an object field of the coin requiring identification from different directions under the same angle with respect to the surface normal of the object field and with wavelength ranges which do not overlap each other. An image receiver records one picked-up exposure of the object field from which images are obtained for each of the individual lighting portions of the individual wavelength ranges. A maximum image is then determined from the images, wherein each pixel has associated therewith the maximal intensity value from the images of the individual wavelength ranges. A genuine-coin or counterfeit-coin signal is determined from the maximum image.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for sizing watermelons by weight in which a conveyor belt carries watermelons from a loading station to a weigh station and finally to a discharge station where they are directed to one of several bins depending on their weight.

Abstract: A separating apparatus for the sink and float separation of a mineral raw material according to density using a liquid. The separating apparatus includes a rotatable drum including a plurality of sink-product pockets for discharging a sink product of the mineral raw material. The apparatus also includes a raw material inlet for delivering the raw material into the liquid bath, a first liquid inlet and first liquid outlet including an overflow disposed at a top level of the liquid bath, and a second liquid inlet and second liquid outlet. The separating apparatus also includes a front deflecting barrier and a rear deflecting barrier, each projecting into the liquid bath from above and disposed over an entire width of the liquid bath. In addition, a method for the sink and float separation according to density of a mineral raw material using a liquid.

Abstract: A disc screen apparatus for classifying a stream of mixed recyclable materials of various sizes and shapes, including newspaper, clean mixed paper, magazines, plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, cans, and the like. The apparatus has an inclined fixed first disc screen section and an inclined articulating second disc screen section whose angle of inclination can be independently adjusted via a hydraulic cylinder or other angular adjustment mechanism in order to improve the separation of newspaper and/or clean mixed paper without impairing the ability of the fixed disc screen section to separate mixed containers. The first and second disc screen sections are supported by first and second frames that carry the parallel driven shafts and discs that form the disc screen sections. The frames have complementary mating surfaces that limit the range of articulation of the second disc screen section.

Abstract: A classifying station for classifying a piece of wood in a wood processing plant, the classifying station including an area for an operator, a conveyor for transversely conveying pieces of wood before the area, and a console for entering classification related to a piece of wood to be classified, where the classifying station includes a dynamic classification zone located in front of the area having a predetermined length. The station also includes illumination elements adapted to selectively illuminate a piece of wood to be classified when the piece of wood is in the dynamic classification zone, the illumination elements being adapted to illuminate another piece of wood when the piece of wood has been classified; and control means for controlling the illumination means and operatively associated with the console in order to associate the illuminated piece of wood with information related to classification of the piece of wood entered by the user while the piece of wood is lit.

Abstract: This invention relates to an interactive medication cassette with a machine readable and writable information strip that contains information corresponding to the medication in the cassette. The interactive medication cassette holds the medication and couples the corresponding information to the medication. The cassette is designed for use in a medication distribution and inventory system that includes at least one medication dispensing machine having a sensor for reading the information in the strip and updating or altering this information when medication is added to or removed from the cassette. The cassette travels with the medication during the distribution of the medication to a patient, and its information is reported to one or more memory devices or hospital or pharmacy data base during this process. The cassette is filled by a pharmacy dispensing machine holding a bulk container filled with a particular type of medication and a singulator for counting the quantity of medication added to the cassette.