Abstract: An apparatus for separating a stream of particles comprises a charging device for injecting a net charge into a plurality of particles and a collector adjacent the charging device. The collector is grounded and arranged so that the charged particles disperse and collect on the collector according to a characteristic of the particle, such as size. A method of separating a stream of particles is also disclosed.

Abstract: A centrifugal separator for separating particles from gas uses a separator chamber having an upper potion with at least three substantially vertical planar walls with perpendicular inner faces, and a lower portion, for defining in the chamber a vertical gas vortex. The gas vortex has an inlet formed in the vicinity of a first corner between the first and second walls for gas to be dedusted, an outlet for dedusted gas, and an outlet for separated particles. The separator uses an acceleration duct with a first transverse section at the first end of the duct that is distinctly greater than a second cross section at the second end. This second end is connected to the inlet for gas to be dedusted at the first corner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing concentrated spots of collected particulates from an impact collection surface, and transferring those particulates into a container suitable for preparing a liquid sample. A jet of fluid can be utilized to remove and transfer the particulates. If a liquid jet is employed, care is taken to minimize the quantity of liquid to avoid unnecessarily diluting the sample. A mechanical scraper can alternatively be employed to remove and transfer the particulates into the container. The scraper can be rinsed with liquid or vibrated to remove the particulates. Alternatively, the portion of the surface containing a specific spot of particulates can be removed and placed into a container.

Abstract: A box for collecting ballots from an electronic ballot tabulating machine includes a base assembly, and front and rear support assemblies pivotally attached to the front and rear ends of the base assembly, the three assemblies are foldable into compact and generally parallel-spaced portions for transport and storage, in its storage state, the box is easily transformed from the storage state to an upright voting state wherein the ballot tabulating machine is positioned at a convenient height for the voter by unfolding the assemblies, in its set-up or voting state, the box receives ballots from the tabulating machine and stores them in one or more secure ballot compartments.

Abstract: A method using a single pass sequencer having a transport system for transporting the mail pieces to a transport system having a first carriage system and a second carriage system with a plurality of holders slidable between the first carriage system and the second carriage system with packaged output. Each of the plurality of holders holding a mail piece of the mail pieces received from the transport system. The method includes assigning a code to: (i) the mail pieces based on the destination information, (ii) the plurality of holders on the first carriage, and (iii) a position on the second carriage which corresponds to the initial sequence and a destination sequence of the mail pieces.

Abstract: A mail sorting and delivery system in which a portable mail tray is filled with sorted mail while positioned in a compartment having mail dividers. After the portable mail tray has received the sorted mail it is completely removed from the housing along with the mail in the portable mail tray and employed to deliver the mail.

Abstract: A machine for the processing of minerals using a gravitational method, which can be used in ore and coal mining as well as in other industries. The machine has a unit for loading material to be processed, a unit for unloading the products processed, a drive, a unit for delivering working medium, elastic elements, a box with jigging sieve and tub with working medium connected between each other by rigid mobile elements and supports. The design of the machine provides stability and intensification of jigging process. Besides, there is a considerable decrease of energy consumption and simplicity in the design. A pilot sample of the machine has been made, and testing showed good technological results of processing and proved its high reliability productivity.

Abstract: A chip screening method and plant wherein the pin chips (9) are separated from the rest of the chips and dosed among chips that are to be led to a subsequent process (7) so that the share of the pin chips (9) relative to the total amount of chips (7) does not exceed a desired value. After the screening process, a desired amount of pin chips (20) is dosed among the chips that are to be led to a subsequent process (7) without intermediate storage.

Abstract: A device for conveying piece goods. The device comprises a sorting system for sorting the piece goods. The successively arranged conveying systems are guided with this device along a conveying line and can be driven by at least one driving means that engages a driving belt. In a first embodiment, there is a driving belt on the driving side and a driving belt on the driven side which each comprise a rubber chain comprising a toothed profile. The toothed profiles of both rubber chains are in a substantially similar form. The device can also have a driving belt that is clamped in a fixed manner between the clamping jaws of the rigid clamping profiles. These clamping jaws extend at least substantially over the entire length of respective conveying system or sorting system. Furthermore, the non-clamped length of driving belt between the successively disposed conveying systems is much shorter than the length of the clamping profiles.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide a cross-flow migration classifier capable of separating particles. The classifier provides a channel through which a sample, having one or more particles, passes in a first direction, wherein the channel comprises two or more walls that are permeable to a flow of fluid. A cross-flow enters the channel through one of the permeable walls and exits through another of the permeable walls. An imposed field is applied in a second direction that is counter to the cross-flow and having an orthogonal component to the first direction. The imposed field causes one or more of the particles to migrate at a first velocity opposite and/or equal to a second velocity of the cross-flow. The particles that migrate opposite to the cross-flow are continuously discharged from the cross-flow migration classifier.

Abstract: A checkweighing station includes a weigh platform mounted on a load cell which in turn is mounted on a rotatable shaft so that the entire assembly can be rotated to tilt the platform in one direction for an acceptable weight of a weighed item and in another direction for a rejected weight or weight of a different catgegory. A memory device can determine a trend and make adjustments in a production process.

Abstract: A first and second electrostatic sorting sections are arranged below a tribo-electrifying device in this order in a vertical direction to form a sorting electrostatic field between a drum electrode and an opposing electrode. Plastic pieces separated from the other plastic pieces by the sorting electrostatic field in the first electrostatic separating section are introduced into a sorting electrostatic field in the second electrostatic separating section for second separation, thereby increasing the separation purity and recovery rate of plastic pieces.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing disk drives that are subject to disk pack imbalance includes steps of measuring the disk pack imbalance of each drive and assigning each of the drives to one of a predetermined plurality of categories, depending upon the measured disk pack imbalance. The measured imbalance of the disk drives assigned to fewer than the predetermined plurality of categories may then be reduced. Each category may be associated with one or more customers and the drives assigned to each category may be shipped to the associated customer(s).

Abstract: A mail sorter, which can reliably sort mail while avoiding the breakage and the recovery mistake of mail released from conveyor baskets, which move on the mail sorting line in circulation. The mail sorter has a conveyor line with a conveying forward run and a conveying return run closely arranged back to back with each, and layered mail recovery box groups are disposed along a lower region of the conveying return run in parallel to each other. The mail recovery box groups comprise lowest stage boxes for recovering mail M released from conveyor baskets on the conveying forward run through a transverse deflection chute, middle stage boxes for recovering mail M released from the conveyor baskets on the conveying forward run through a discharge chute, and uppermost stage boxes for recovering mail M released from the conveying baskets on the conveying return run through a buffer chute.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods consistent with the present invention provide for reading an identification code from a mailpiece. In one embodiment, there are a reader unit and a reader head assembly connected by an optical cable, which provide for the identification of a mailpiece in an identification code sorting system.

Abstract: A paper handling system includes an acceleration conveyor having an acceleration belt operating at an acceleration speed. The system includes a pinning structure operably positioned to pin paper to the acceleration belt. The pinning structure is a rotary feeder which includes a plurality of flexible bristles extending radially from a roller into engagement with the acceleration belt. The speed of the acceleration belt is sufficiently high to create a suction phenomena such that when paper is pinned to the acceleration belt with the rotary feeder, the paper will be accelerated to a paper speed substantially equal to the acceleration speed. The system also includes a blower system operative to facilitate carrying the paper off of the acceleration belt across a transition gap between the acceleration belt and a product belt.

Abstract: A bill handling apparatus has a deposit/withdrawal unit (2) at the inner upper side of a casing (1), a base unit (3) at the inner lower side of the casing (1), and intermediate units (4A-4C) between the units (2) and (3). The deposit/withdrawal unit (2) includes a bill introducing mechanism (21), a bill discharging mechanism (23) and a conveying mechanism (29). The base unit (3) includes a bill storage section (31), a conveying mechanism (32) and a taking-in and taking-out mechanism (34). Each of the intermediate units (4A-4C) includes a bill storage section (41), a conveying mechanism (42), a taking-in and taking-out mechanism (44) and a switcher for switching a bill-moving direction. In this way, the elements forming the bill storage sections and transfer mechanisms are made common, the number of bill storage sections can be increased or decreased easily, and bills can be taken in and out of each storage section.

Abstract: A jigger for the processing of minerals such as coal, consisting of two traveling troughs, the upper trough being equipped with a sieve and closed from below by a continuous flexible membrane, the lower trough interrelating with the diaphragm of the upper trough, acting as a piston and giving water vertical pulsation. The troughs are linked to each other via double-arm levers, hinged in the supports. The double-arm levers together with the troughs form a system of hinged parallelograms, providing uniform distribution of pulsations along the whole capacity of the upper trough that produces conditions for the intensification of the jigging process. Besides this intensification, decreasing of energy-consumption and simplicity of design having been achieved. A laboratory sample was made and its testing showed good technological results and confirmed the reliability of a unit simple in manufacturing, operating and maintenance.

Abstract: Document handling apparatus comprises a transport system (2, 3) for feeding documents from an input location (20) to one or more intermediate or final output locations (24, 30), at least one of the output locations being accessable from outside the apparatus. At least one radiation generator (60) and detector (60A) are arranged so as to sense an attempt to access documents in the at least one output location.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling, storing and reloading carriers for disk-shaped items, such as semiconductor wafers or CDs, has at least one cleaning unit and at least one storage unit for the carriers containing the disk-shaped items. The apparatus further has at least one sorting unit for the disk-shaped items. The cleaning unit, the storage unit and the sorting apparatus are integral component parts of the apparatus and are operated by a common automatic control.