Abstract: A chip separation and alignment apparatus capable of accurately and readily accomplishing separation and alignment of chips with a simple construction. The apparatus includes a chip separation and alignment section and a chip separation section. The chip separation and alignment section includes a chip cassette formed into a flat rectangular box-like shape, in which are formed a chip storage chamber, a chip alignment hole provided with an upper end opening through which the chip alignment hole is communicated with a lower portion of the chip storage chamber and a lower end opening, and at least one air ejection port arranged near the upper end opening to intermittently eject air therethrough. The chip separation section is arranged at the lower end opening of the chip alignment hole to separate chips one by one and to successively supply the separated chips to a subsequent step.

Abstract: The invention provides an elevating apparatus for raising and lowering a work station holding personnel, equipment, and/or materials between a downward declining, compact retracted position and an upwardly inclining extended limit position. The work station is connected to a mobile support base by parallelogram first and second boom assemblies which are operatively interconnected by a boom assembly coupler and rigid compression link. Thus, raising or lowering the first boom assembly by hydraulic lift means causes the second boom assembly to move correspondingly such that the work station moves vertically, unaccompanied by any substantial horizontal motion, and is maintained in a level attitude throughout the range of motion of the apparatus.

Abstract: An automatic lid dispensing and applicator arrangement for an automated drinkmaker machine. The lidding arrangement automatically separates lids from a stack of lids and applies the separated lids onto cups. A large supply of lids is maintained in a rotatable lid supply carousel. A lid shuttle is positioned adjacent the bottom of a lid dispenser, and is supported for linear translating and reciprocating movement between retracted and extended positions. The lid shuttle supports a lid engaging member designed to engage a first bottommost lid of the stack of lids and to retain the first bottommost lid in a first intermediate position in the lid shuttle while the lid shuttle is moved in translation to its extended position. The lid shuttle is then moved in translation to its retracted position, during which the first lid is moved within the lid shuttle to a second loaded position therein beneath a lid applicator supported by the lid shuttle.

Abstract: A dispenser for pasty compositions, having a housing within which a piston displaceable in only the direction of emptying is arranged. An actuator enables a headpiece to act on a restorable wall which can be pressed in the direction towards the piston, the headpiece having a dispenser outlet opening. The wall forms an outlet tube the opening of which is coordinated to the outlet opening, and on which opening a stopper is formed which closes the outlet opening. The outlet opening is formed in the front side actuator and the actuator can act on the wall by means of the lever transmission.

Abstract: A vending machine has a carousel containing several rotatable trays stacked one above another. The trays carry and present for vending selected items, such as food and merchandise. The carousel is contained in a housing or canister and is part of an integrated assembly with a coin container. The carousel is filled at a central depot rather than at the site where the machine is installed for use by customers. The customer locations have the cabinet of the machine. Fixed in the cabinet is a drive mechanism for the carousel and locating and guide members which enable integrated assemblies to be removed from the cabinet and fresh assemblies, with the carousel trays loaded at the central depot, to be installed in place of the removed assemblies. The coin box when empty is equipped with a mechanism which is set to enable coins to drop into the container and is automatically reset so as to close the opening when the assembly is removed from the cabinet.

Abstract: A clutch assembly for a vacuum signature feeding device in a packer box. The clutch assembly includes a pair of disks disposed within a bore in a housing for selective driving engagement therebetween. It also includes an oscillatory motion transmitting shaft for engaging and disengaging the disk only in a preselected angular orientation therebetween for imparting oscillatory motion to one of the disks and transmitting oscillatory motion from the other of the disk when the disks are engaged. The clutch assembly is also adapted to operatively transmit the oscillatory motion to the vacuum signature feeding device. With this arrangement, reciprocating movement of the vacuum signature feeding device can be selectively interrupted without vacuum interruption.

Abstract: High speed sheet feeders receive blocks or bricks of paper sheets, cards or folders stacked edgewise on a downsloping supply ramp, and singulate these for edgewise feeding in rapid succession. The frontmost sheets ready for feeding are buckled and fanned at their upper edges, and their lower edges are arched forward to form a dimple or ridge-shaped pocket by an underlying central traction singulator. A pair of ganged or synchronized feed belts engage the frontmost sheet and propel it rapidly downward edgewise, and a slanting discharge belt receives and diverts the sheet at even higher speed between the discharge belt and a tractive pinch roller. A transfer assembly beneath the discharge belt may receive sheets from an adjacent feeder and interleave them upon command with sheets delivered by the discharge belt.

Abstract: A lightweight frame supports a wheelchair platform for up and down movement between four vertical standards, one at each corner. A lifting mechanism includes a winch supported between two of the standards and connected to the platform by cables which pass over pulleys mounted in an upper cross bar pivotally secured and extending between the two posts with the pivot being offset from the longitudinal axis of the crossbar thereby giving a camming or offset partial rotational movement. The winch includes a one way clutch which is disengaged when the platform is elevated but engages automatically as soon as the platform starts to descend thus locking a brake drum to the winch.

Abstract: An envelope (12) which is the lowest in a stack is grasped at the edge of its flap part (26) by a carrier tooth (24) arranged on a conveying belt (18) for separating it from a stacking magazine (10). The envelope is fed directly to an office machine in a feed direction (14). Due to the arrangement of the conveying belt (18) on the removal side (28) of the magazine (10), the separation and feed are effected in one step by the single conveying member.

Abstract: A stairway chairlift for transporting passengers in ascending and descending directions along a stairway includes a rail mounted adjacent one stairway wall and further includes a motorized chair unit movable along the rail. A seat, for carrying the passenger, is mounted to the top of the chair unit, and a swivel mechanism permits the seat to be rotated around a vertical axis to facilitate movement of the passenger onto and off of the seat. To minimize interference with ordinary use of the stairway, the seat is pivotally mounted to a horizontal plate which moves inwardly or outwardly in response to rotation of the seat so as to maintain a substantially constant clearance between the seat and the stairway wall. To further reduce interference with ordinary use of the stairway, the seat can be folded upwardly, as can be a foot rest mounted adjacent the lower end of the chair unit.

Abstract: A valve in which standardized, interchangeable components are used for converting the valve to use either in a manually operated pump or an aerosol valve. A poppet member is reciprocable in a valve chamber between a flexible valve housing and a main cylinder housing. By making minor modifications to the poppet member and cylinder housing the valve can be adapted or converted to use either in a manually operated pump dispenser or an aerosol dispenser. Unique valve retaining means for attaching a valve to a container is also disclosed. In one form, snap detents secure together peripheral flanges of the valve housing and cylinder housing and also secure the housings to the container neck. In another form, interfitting structure on the flanges align the housings relative to one another, and a gasket is interposed between the flanges so as to seal the flanges relative to one another and relative to the container neck, with a retaining ferrule engaging and securing the flanges to the container neck.