Abstract: A stick feeding apparatus includes a storage hopper which feeds sticks one at a time past an agitator to a delivery chute. The delivery chute leads to a delivery roller having uniformly-spaced longitudinal recesses in its surface. The roller rotates within a housing having a stick inlet opening and a stick delivery opening. A hydraulically or pneumatically driving apparatus steps the roller in one direction at a predetermined rate. A plurality of delivery rollers, each supplied from its own hopper, may be mounted on a common shaft driven by a single driving mechanism.

Abstract: Apparatus for counting a plurality of pointed sticks and segregating the sticks into groups containing a predetermined count. The sticks are fed onto an endless conveyor belt from either a pointing or alignment station and are counted by a radiation counter either as they are dropped onto, or are delivered in side-by-side relationship on the conveyor. After a predetermined number of sticks are counted, a gate above the conveyor belt is actuated in response to an electronic signal received from the counter to release an accumulated, counted quantity of the sticks for delivery by the conveyor belt to a delivery location. The speed of the conveyor may be increased to space the sticks on the belt from those accumulated behind the gate. The segregated sticks are then manually removed and packaged.

Abstract: Apparatus for simultaneously feeding a plurality of sticks to a confectionary mold. The sticks are fed from a storage hopper through spaced openings provided in a fixed bottom plate. A reciprocating plate slidable on the bottom plate within the hopper includes a plurality of openings adapted to be placed in registration with the openings in the bottom plate to dispense the sticks. Should a stick become clogged in an opening, the remaining openings can still be placed in registration to dispense sticks. This is accomplished by dividing the reciprocable, sliding plate into a plurality of sections which are spaced from each other by the dispensing openings in the plate. Side bars connect the sections so they can move as an integral unit. Each section however, has a first and second spring-connected portion.

Abstract: A plurality of hopper stored sticks suitable for mounting food products or the like thereon are individually delivered through a passageway to a feed station in a horizontal position. A rotatable wheel segment provided with a stick receiving slot therein communicates with the feed station and both sequentially shifts and rotates the sticks to an inserting station where a stick delivered thereto is disposed in an upright position aligned with a vertical stick insertion axis. Inserting means including vertically shiftable product supporting structure vertically aligned with the inserting station shifts the product placed thereon along the insertion axis toward an upright stick at the inserting station thereby inserting the stick into the product. The slotted wheel segment is provided with a lever arm engagable by the product supporting structure to produce swinging movement of the wheel segment toward the the inserting station while gravity induces return of the wheel segment toward the feed station.

Abstract: A method of aligning sticks in which the sticks are oscillated in a receiving zone where they are aligned and conveyed to a collecting zone where they are stacked in parallel side-by-side relationship. The collecting zone is vibrated to dispense the sticks laterally, still in parallel alignment. An aligning tray has two sets of parallel, elongated channels and is reciprocated vertically and in a direction parallel with the channels. Randomly oriented sticks are fed to the first set, aligned in the channels, fed to the second set, which has half as many channels, and then fed through sloping chutes to a set of hoppers. The hopppers and chutes are vibrated vertically and receive the sticks in parallel stacks. The vibrating motion causes the sticks to leave the hoppers laterally and roll down ramps to a non-vibrating conveyor belt which translates the sticks in a direction perpendicular to the long dimension of the sticks to a receiving location.

Abstract: Handle sticks for frozen confections are removed from a hopper by a rotatable slotted wheel and driven by air under pressure through tubes, which can be curved, to an insertion station. Molds containing partially frozen material are conveyed to and aligned with the station. The sticks received at the station are aligned with the axes of the molds and driven into the molds by plungers.

Abstract: For mounting a food product, such as a frankfurter or an apple, on a stick, an apparatus includes relatively reciprocable jaws which converge on and hold the food product in position on an insertion axis. Individual sticks are gravity fed through a supply duct which aligns each stick with the insertion axis. A reciprocating rod drives each stick along the insertion axis into the food product.

Abstract: Apparatus for counting a plurality of pointed sticks and segregating the sticks into groups containing a predetermined count. The sticks are fed onto an endless conveyor belt from a pointing station and are counted as they are dropped onto the conveyor. After a predetermined number of the sticks are counted, a gate above the conveyor belt adjacent the input end thereof is actuated in response to an electronic signal received from the counter to prevent further sticks from being fed onto the belt. Simultaneously, the speed of the conveyor is increased to space the sticks on the belt from those accumulated behind the gate. The sticks on the belt are then trapped between the output end of the conveyor and a trap gate and are manually removed from the conveyor. The first gate is then retracted to spill another group of sticks onto the conveyor behind the trap gate and the operation is recycled.

Abstract: Apparatus for grinding conical points on the ends of paper sticks. The sticks are fed one at a time in spaced relation to pockets on an endless carrier. The sticks have one end extending beyond a lateral edge of the carrier which are ground to a conical point by an abrasive belt supported at an acute angle to the axis of the carrier. The sticks are rotated counter to the direction of travel of the abrasive belt in the carrier pockets by upper and lower contact belts as they are ground to expedite the grinding operation. The abrasive belt is reciprocable 90.degree. to its direction of travel to effect an even distribution of the cutting action over the belt surface.

Abstract: A mechanical means for unwinding paper sheet, plastic film or other thin films from heavy storage rolls. The device includes a normal unwind pair of squeeze rolls which grip the film on opposite surfaces and propel the film toward a use area. A friction roll is positioned on the periphery of the storage roll but normally runs free and is not coupled to a power means. When the mechanism is accelerating, as in a starting operation, power is applied to the friction roll to aid in its speed-up. When the mechanism is decelerating, as in a stopping operation, power is applied to the friction roll to aid as a brake. Auxiliary pressure means may be provided to increase the contact pressure between the friction roll and the storage roll to prevent slipping.