Abstract: A rotary machine including a substantially vertical rotatable drum having pellet-receiving receptacles in its peripheral sidewall. Gravity causes pellets to collect toward the drum's bottom. As the drum rotates, pellets received in the receptacles are carried upwardly from the bottom. A printing device positioned within the peripheral sidewall prints indicia on the inwardly exposed surfaces of the pellets. Optionally, the receptacles define apertures extending through the peripheral sidewall, and a printing device is positioned externally to the peripheral sidewall to print indicia on the outwardly exposed surfaces of the pellets. Drilling or inspection devices may be provided in addition to, or instead of, the printing devices. A support member may be provided adjacent the peripheral sidewall to prevent gravity from causing the pellets to exit the receptacles. Chutes may be provided to supply and remove pellets to and from the drum. An air stream may eject pellets from their receptacles.

Abstract: A carrier for transporting pellet-like objects is disclosed. The carrier has a fixed jaw portion and a movable jaw portion positioned in spaced relation and opposite to the fixed jaw portion. The movable jaw portion is movable between an open and a closed position. When in the closed position, the jaw portions cooperate to grip the pellet-like item. The jaw portions are mounted on a movable conveyor which moves the carriers through a processing station which performs an operation on the pellet-like object while it is gripped by the jaw portions. An actuator extends from the movable jaw portion and is used to actuate the jaw portions into the closed position. A camming surface engages the actuator to close the jaw portions. Parts of the camming surface are sloped so as to gradually close and gradually allow the jaw portions to open.

Abstract: A feed hopper for loading a conveyor with bulk pellet-like items is disclosed. The hopper has a chamber with a top opening for receiving the items and a bottom opening positioned above the conveyor for discharging the items. A plurality of baffle plates are arranged in spaced relation one above the other within the chamber, the baffle plates being angularly oriented with respect to the horizontal and extending partially across the chamber. Bulk pellet-like items received in the top opening impact on the baffle plates as they fall under gravity through the chamber onto the conveyor beneath, the weight of the pellets being supported by the baffle plates and not directly all at once on the conveyor.

Abstract: A quick change drum for receiving and orienting pellet-like items in a pellet marking machine is disclosed. The quick change drum comprises a central shaft with two end plates perpendicularly attached to the ends of the shaft in parallel spaced apart relationship. A multiplicity of carrier bars are demountably attached to the end plates and span the space between the end plates forming a substantially continuous cylindrical surface. Each carrier bar has at least one concavity, preferably a multiplicity of concavities, disposed in its outwardly facing surface, the concavity or concavities being matched to a particular pellet-like item size and shape. The carrier bars are demountably attached to the end plates, preferably by bolts, but may also be attached by means of quick connect/disconnect devices which allow more rapid and efficient replacement of the carrier bars.

Abstract: A quick connect/disconnect device and method for manually demountably attaching carrier bars to an endless train comprising a conveyor adapted for conveying pellet-like items in a pellet marking machine is disclosed. The device comprises an elongated shank with an enlarged head and a central bore coaxial therethrough. Radially oriented passages disposed adjacent to the end of the shank opposite the head house balls which extend outwardly beyond the outer surface of the shank when a plunger within the central bore is biased to its normal position. Moving the plunger against its biasing spring allows the balls to retract partially within the central bore, allowing the shank to be inserted into mounting holes in the carrier bar and receiving holes in the endless train. When mounted on the train the carrier bar and endless train are sandwiched between the enlarged head and the extended balls, the carrier bar being retained to the endless train thereby.

Abstract: A device useable with a pellet-marking machine for inverting a multiplicity of pellets is disclosed. Pellets are transported in cavities on carrier bars mounted on a conveyor. The carrier bars move with relation to one or more rails disposed beneath the cavities and oriented transversely to the carrier bars. Each rail has a pellet supporting surface region arranged in tandem with a trough, followed by an inclined surface, followed in turn by a second pellet supporting surface region. Initially, each pellet is partially supported on a cavity bottom and partially on an associated pellet supporting surface region. As the carrier bars pass along the rails over the troughs, each pellet tips downwardly into a respective trough, flipping past the vertical. Each pellet next encounters the inclined surface following the trough, where each pellet is fully inverted while being moved upwardly out of the trough, to be supported on the second pellet supporting surface region following each inclined surface.