Abstract: In a capsule-sealing machine comprising a slat conveyor for carrying capsules over liquid binder application wheels and a bucket conveyor for receiving the sealed capsules and carrying them through the air drying chamber, a set of photoelectric inspection heads is positioned adjacent to the slat conveyor, and solenoid valves and air nozzles are positioned adjacent to the bucket conveyor. Signals produced by the inspection heads are delayed, and used to operate the solenoid valves to eject defectively sealed capsules from the bucket conveyor. The inspection heads are carried on a bar supported by brackets having inverted L-shaped slots which allow the bar to be moved upwardly and out of the way so that the slat conveyor can be cleaned or repaired. When the bar is in the inspection position adjacent to the slats, a slot in a lower edge of the bar fits over an adjusting wheel which permits fine adjustment of the positions of the inspection heads relative to the slats.

Abstract: In a capsule filling machine, capsules held pneumatically against the periphery of a transporting disc are photoelectrically inspected by two light beams, both oblique with respect to the disc axis. Electrical gating and delay circuitry effects pneumatic removal of capsules from the disc at a location remote from the inspection location if either beam is not broken by the capsule contents.

Abstract: Medicinal capsules which are secured by machine to a backing strip are photoelectrically inspected by multiple pairs of light sources and detectors specially arranged so as to permit the simultaneous inspection of a number of closely spaced capsules arranged in a row. The extent to which a capsule is filled is determined by the time interval during which a light beam is blocked by the capsule contents. This interval is electrically compared with a standard time interval. After the backing strip is cut into separate cards, each carrying several capsules, the electrical comparison means effects rejection of any card containing an unsatisfactory capsule. Further means are provided for similarly rejecting cards having badly misaligned capsules. Should the apparatus sense an excessive number of unsatisfactory cards, the packaging machinery is automatically shut down.