Abstract: A method is for inspecting a vial in the course of conveying the vial by a rotary table, comprising the steps of inspecting the vial's lower half at a station of the vial's lower portion while the vial is rotated from above with its head being chucked, inspecting the vial's upper half at a station of the vial's upper portion while the vial is supported and rotated from below by a rotary belt adapted to be brought into contact with the vial, and combining these inspections of lower and upper halves to inspect the whole vial from its head to its bottom.

Abstract: A filling/sealing apparatus used for ampules generally has a feed star wheel feeding ampules, a turntable transporting the ampules delivered from the feed star wheel, and an intermediate star wheel interposed between the feed star wheel and the turntable. Around the turntable, filling needles fill the ampules with liquid, burners seal the upper ends of the ampules, and pincers pinch the upper ends of ampules. Sensors determine whether the ampules being transported by the intermediate star wheel have the upper ends intact and damaged ampules are removed. The number of ampules that can be held by the turntable as well as the star wheel is set to integral times as many as the number of ampules that can be simultaneously filled by the filling needles.

Abstract: A container is held between a conveyor and guide means provided around the conveyor and the guide means come in frictional contact with the container to rotate the container around its own axis as the conveyor runs in its circumferential path. The conveyor is partially water-immersed within a water tank and the container being rotated by cooperation of the conveyor and the guide means within the water tank is applied on its side wall with ultrasonic waves from ultrasonic vibrators serving to flush the container.The conveyor is provided on its outer peripheral surface with fin-like projections vertically extending and circumferentially spaced from one another at regular intervals and there are provided around the conveyor upper rails, sloped rails and lower rails serving to support the bottom of the container. There may be provided guide means associated with the respective rails. Only the lower rails are immersed in water.