Abstract: A conveyer system including a plurality of conveyer units connected to each other in series. Each conveyer unit includes a plurality of rollers for conveying articles, a plurality of drive units for causing the rollers to be driven and brought to a halt, a plurality of sensors for detecting the presence or absence of articles on the rollers, and at least one controller for controlling the drive units based on signals from the sensors. Each of the controllers at least receives signals from the sensors of a conveyer unit adjacent to the conveyer unit that accommodates the controller therein.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for indicating whether a group of at least one library element was accessed. The library elements are contained within a housing and are capable of holding storage cartridges. A controller is signaled when an access door of the housing is in an open position. An operator may access the library elements when the access door is in the open position. A motion detector directed toward the group of library elements is activated to detect whether at least one library element in the group was accessed. The motion detector signals the controller upon detecting that at least one library element in the group was accessed. The controller then indicates in a memory area that at least one of the library elements in the group was accessed after the controller is signaled that the access door is in the open position and that at least one library element in the group was accessed.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder is constructed of three chassis. A main chassis carries the active components, such as paper pick and drive mechanisms for sequentially picking and delivering said sheets to and from a flat bed scanner, motors, and transmissions for driving said paper pick and drive mechanisms, a document backing assembly, and electronic controller equipment. Moreover, the main chassis provides a document input tray. A lower chassis forms a low height form factor output tray, using paper stiffness caused by predetermined bending to register the document sheets without having to support the full length thereof. When assembled with an upper chassis, the three chassis provide the entire paper path. The lower chassis carries an attachment hinge mechanism for mounting the automatic document feeder appropriately to a flat bed scanner apparatus. The paper loading and unloading drive mechanism provides a balance normal force from a plurality of paper drive rollers.

Abstract: A device (21) for selectively feeding sheets (24, 28) contained in two separate trays (22, 26) by means of a pick-up unit (31), wherein the latter is located between the two trays (22,26). The latter-named (22, 26) are fulcrum-mounted on a structure (33) and are driven alternatively by a motor (61) depending on the latter's direction of rotation so as to be brought selectively into sliding engagement with the pick-up unit (31), and accordingly result in one sheet at a time being picked up and fed from one or the other of the two trays (22, 26). The device (21) is particularly suitable for incorporation in an office machine, such as for example a facsimile system (20) or a printer, for selectively feeding sheets of different types.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for use in a book assembling machine comprises a magazine having a movable base which defines a support plane for a stack of folded sheets. The feeder also includes a pneumatic separator, which creates a gap between a corner of the lowermost sheet of a stack in the magazine and the next adjacent sheet, and a device for injecting air into the thus formed gap to produce an air cushion. The movable magazine base functions as a conveyor to move, with the assistance of the air cushion, the leading edge of the lowermost sheet in the stack in a planar manner to a withdrawal conveying system where the sheet is engaged and subsequently pulled from the magazine. The withdrawn sheet moves, under the influence of a transfer mechanism in one embodiment, into registration with an assembly conveyor.

Abstract: An installation (1) for storing articles (2) and unloading them in batches (3), comprising a flexible element (5) constituting a conveyor loop which cooperates with rotating mechanisms (6-10) for guiding and driving its movement in a direction (C1, C2) along a polygonal path and carries means (5A) for receiving articles. A point (P1) is provided for loading articles (2) onto the conveyor element (5) and a point (P2, P3) is provided for unloading batches placed on the conveyor element on a straight section (5B, 5C) of the flexible element (5). Also included is a means (15A, 15B) for controlling the advance of the conveyor element to the various points (P1, P2, P3) and a device (16) for controlling the operation of the installation.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder conveys an original along a conveying path to an original reading section in an image processor. First and second registration rollers for abutting the conveyed original against their contact portions, and a guide plate for guiding the conveyance of the original to the registration rollers are arranged in the conveying path. The first registration roller includes a plurality of reversing rollers made of rubber for reversing the original along a reversing path, and the reversing rollers are arranged a predetermined distance away from each other along an axis of their supporting shaft. A side edge in the direction of conveyance of the guide plate is in such a comb shape that projections and non-projections are alternatively formed. Each of the projections is opposite to a region between the adjacent reversing rollers, and extends toward the downstream side of the contact portions in the direction of conveyance.

Abstract: A part-aligning apparatus is provided which is not overly complex in structure, which reduces the damage to chip parts, and which operates well even if its chip discharge passage is clogged or overflows. The apparatus has a part-holding chamber for accommodating a number of chip parts. The chamber is formed between a stationary drum and a rotary drum. The rotary drum has an annular portion forming an outer wall of the part-holding chamber. An arc-shaped chute groove is formed in the inner surface of the annular portion. At least one gate hole extends through the annular portion and is in communication with the chute groove. An arc-shaped guide groove corresponding in position to the outer opening of the gate hole is formed in the inner surface of the stationary drum. A discharge passage is formed at the lower end of the guide groove. The rotary drum is rotated to align the chip parts and to deliver the chip parts into the discharge passage via the chute groove, the gate hole and guide groove.

Abstract: A rolled coin dispensing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a rotatable dispensing wheel that holds coin rolls, a rotary drive mechanism for rotating the dispensing wheel to a dispense position, and an ejecting mechanism for ejecting a predetermined number of coin rolls from the dispensing wheel. The dispensing wheel has outer and inner wheel structures that support divider members which receive rolled coin cassettes therebetween. The ejecting mechanism includes pusher arms arranged exteriorly of each dispensing wheel and ejector bars, fixed to each arm, that are located interiorly of the outer wheel structure to be pushed into a cassette disposed at the dispense position to obtain coin rolls therefrom. The ejector bars and cassette located at the dispense position are arranged nonradially with respect to the axial center of their cassette wheel.

Abstract: A dispenser (10) for dispensing medical items (68, 70, 72) includes dispenser modules (28, 30) movably mounted thereon. The dispenser modules are selectively operative to dispense medical items therefrom into a path (54) which is connected to a delivery area (20) of the dispenser. The dispenser and the dispenser modules therein are configured to provide security against unauthorized access thereto. However an authorized user is enabled to readily access the dispenser modules and the medical items therein by unlocking a lock (22), opening a door (16) and extending the dispenser modules through an opening (18). With the dispenser modules in the extended position the medical items therein may be replenished. Alternatively, the dispenser modules may be disconnected from the dispenser and replaced with substitute dispenser modules.

Abstract: A system for dispensing sample products and premiums which includes at least one data entry terminal operable for identifying particular circumstances including items being purchased by a given consumer and for generating an output signal identifying each of the products or other qualifiers, memory means for storing at least one sample/premium file which identifies each product or qualifier for which a given sample or premium should be dispensed, a data processor coupled to the data entry terminal and the memory and operable for receiving the output signal from the data entry terminal, for comparing the products or other qualifiers identified therein to the sample/premium file and for generating a sample/premium dispense signal if any of the purchased products or other qualifiers are listed in the sample file, and sample/premium dispensing device coupled to the microprocessor and operative for receiving the sample/premium dispense signal and dispensing a sample or premium.

Abstract: A document feeding device for transmitting the data of a document includes a feed roller for feeding successive sheets of document, a document sensor for sensing if the document sheet is loaded, a reading device for reading the data of the document and for converting the data into a digital signal, a feeding roller for feeding the document sheet to the reading device, and a register sensor located before the reading device, in which the document sheet is and by a power transmission gear, by driving a driving motor clockwise or counterclockwise at a constant revolution rate, optimum condition in any transmission modes can be maintained.

Abstract: Flexible, sheet products which are to be opened have a first product part and a second product part. The product parts are connected to one another at a connecting edge, and the first product part has a border region which projects beyond the second product part. The products are conveyed with a leading edge running obliquely with respect to the conveying direction. An end section of the leading edge abuts a fixed stop wherein the first product part is arched in a lateral corner region. This results in the second product part lifting off from the first product part so as to define an opening. As the products are further conveyed, a holding-open element is inserted into the opening to maintain the first product part separate from the second product part. After the arching operation, the first product part springs over the stop and is further conveyed with the second product part.

Abstract: A device for feeding flat, flexible products from the bottom of a stack. The stack is supported by rollers arranged like spokes in a wheel that is continuously rotating. Feeding occurs when a vacuum cup pulls the leading edge of a product between subsequent rollers. A rotary conveyor following feeding employing rollers with irregular surfaces is incorporated to insert the products into a series of pockets passing beneath.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a low profile, small footprint document output tray having an overall length of about one-half a document length and a shallow curvature with a centrally disposed medium depressor at the central region of the curve that forces a medium sheet to stiffen and to take the curved shape of the output tray.

Abstract: A swirl or pitch changing chamber (16) is interposed at the convergence of a plurality of divergent pneumatic forwarding tubes (11, 12) and communicates with the tubes (11, 12). In the chamber (16), a transporter capsule (15) is caused to perform a complex motion, the motion being predominantly a pitch changing translation, by use of mechanical, electromagnetic, magnetic and/or pneumatic forces caused to act on the capsule (15), thereby accomplishing a desired change in the direction of longitudinal travel of the capsule (15). The chamber (16) is defined by an enlargement in the transverse dimension of the tubes (11, 12), the dimensions of the chamber (16) being sufficient to accommodate the complex motion.

Abstract: A transmission assembly capable of driving a dishwasher conveyor at different speeds to accommodate different needs, without requiring a multiple speed motor. Moreover, speed adjustments can be made without stopping the conveyor and without any risk of damage to the motor. Adjustments are effected by varying the radial distance between a driven member and an axis about which the drive assembly pivots. A detent arrangement provides a positive indication that the speed is set at a particular setting corresponding to a particular radial distance.

Abstract: An automated material handling picking system including a plurality of storage locations for objects which are to be picked, a moveable picking head for picking the objects from the storage locations, a moving conveyor including a plurality of receiving locations where the picked objects are to be consolidated into separate orders or sub-sets, and a bank of queue stations for temporarily holding the picked objects and selectively releasing them into the respective receiving locations where the sub-sets are to be consolidated. The picking head deposits a picked object into the nearest available queue station. The picking head is not involved in the consolidation of the objects into sub-sets because of the buffering effect of the queue stations. Preferably, only one object at a time is held in each queue.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for producing high page count signatures for printed publications. Signatures with a 96 page count and 128 page count are illustrated and described herein. In either case, the signature is constructed of four sheets of printed sheet materials which are preferably continuous webs of sheet material that are fed to a folding and cutting apparatus. The four sheets or webs are folded in half along a main longitudinal fold line extending in the direction in which the web travels. Preferably, the webs are perforated along the main longitudinal fold line prior to being folded. The webs, after being folded in half, are perforated to create a longitudinally extending hinge. Also, the webs are preferably perforated to create cross fold lines. In the case of the 96 page count signature, the folded webs are divided into thirds by the cross fold lines. The folded webs of the 128 page count signature are divided into fourths by the cross fold lines.

Abstract: Device for guiding a paper sheet on a belt that includes first air guidance surfaces located on a paper sheet guiding side of the belt. The first air guidance surfaces may be positioned to create a dynamic pressure between the first air guidance surfaces and the paper sheet and to press the paper sheet into the belt.