Abstract: An article separating and drying system which receives container ends from an infeed station, separates and dries the container ends and the compound applied thereto in a separating and drying station, and passes the articles to an outfeed station. The article separating and drying system includes a magnetic separating assembly which imposes a magnetic field on the container ends passing thereby for similarly magnetizing the container ends causing neighboring ends to repel one another. The magnetic repulsion of neighboring ends produces gaps between the neighboring ends as they move through the separating and drying station. A conveying device is provided to controllably move the container ends through the separating and drying station. An air distribution assembly is provided to deliver air to said separating and drying station and drive the air through the gap between neighboring container ends thereby contacting the liner compound applied to the container ends and removing moisture therefrom.

Abstract: An improved air conveyor for conveying a plurality of articles such as cans in an upright orientation between stations in a multi-step process includes an elongate deck having a plurality of openings for directing air upwardly and in a direction in which articles are to be conveyed and guides mounted to opposite lateral sides of the deck for maintaining articles upon the deck while being conveyed thereover. A top cover assembly includes at least one perforated panel vertically spaced above the deck and extending over an area substantially similar to the area defined by the deck. A plurality of cover panels overlie the perforated panel. Retaining structures maintain the cover panels substantially in place laterally while permitting movement thereof toward and away from the perforated panel for regulating air flow through portions of the perforated panel in response to variations in air pressure beneath the perforated panel.

Abstract: A rotary oven conveyor apparatus is provided for receiving a continuous flow of articles such as can ends and for conveying the articles in an on-edge, spaced apart condition for a selectable predetermined period of time, to facilitate a treatment such as oven curing of a coating previously applied to the articles. The rotary oven conveyor comprises an enlarged wheel structure defining an axis and having a diameter many times the cross-sectional dimensions of the articles and mounted for rotation about its axis. A drive rotates the wheel structure about its axis. An article-receiving area is defined about an outer periphery of the wheel structure and is configured for partially surroundingly recieving the articles.

Abstract: An auxiliary drive apparatus is provided for a motorized feeder device for propelling a flow of articles such as can ends in a facewise nested condition from a first location to a second location. The feeder device includes belts engaging the articles and a drive for driving the belts to propel the articles. The auxiliary drive apparatus comprises a power take-off coupled to the drive, an article propelling assembly located and configured for engaging and propelling the articles in a direction from the first location to the second location, and a power transmitting assembly operatively coupled intermediate the power take-off and the article propelling assembly for driving the article propelling assembly in a manner for cooperating with the belts for propelling the articles from the first location to the second location.