Abstract: Featured is a sorting/diverting apparatus that diverts articles from a plurality of moving belts, the sorting/diverting apparatus including a plurality of rollers that are rotatably mounted to a support frame and a moving mechanism that moves the support frame back and forth between two positions. The controller controls the moving of the support frame and the operation of the drive motor so as to divert/sort the articles. Each controller includes bi-directional communications ports, a processor that processes information and provides outputs, and an applications program for execution within the processor that includes instructions and criteria for processing the information and providing the processor outputs to control the apparatus.

Abstract: Featured is a sorting/diverting apparatus that diverts articles from a plurality of moving belts that are at a nominal base height. The apparatus includes a support frame, a plurality of rollers that are rotatably mounted to the support frame, a moving mechanism that moves the support frame back and forth between first and second position. The rollers also are mounted so as to be parallel to the moving belts. In the first position the rollers are disposed below the nominal base height and in the second position at least a portion of the rollers is disposed above the base height. The apparatus further includes a drive motor and a drive mechanism that mechanically interconnects the drive motor and each of the rollers. Also featured is an apparatus controller that controls the moving of the support frame and the operation of the drive motor. Preferably, the controller is operated so the rollers are simultaneously rotated in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction when in the second position.

Abstract: A circular textile fiber bale opener with a goosenecked transition from separately chambered dual plucker rolls provide for larger laydown area and greater production. The transition causes uniform air velocity at the top of the fiber bales across the full length of the plucker rolls. Plucked fibers from the transition are delivered through a centrally disposed hollow shaft for delivery downstream. The shaft carries electrical collector rings with which are associated brushes which rotate with the opener for completing connections between the external and internal wiring required for the apparatus.

Abstract: The data processing capacity of a practical semiconductor computer system, having both local and system buses, can be expanded both in degree of complexity and magnitude by providing a method and means for cooperatively and concurrently coprocessing digital information among a plurality of processors sharing the same local bus and collectively accessing the system bus as a system unit. In other words, a central processor has primary control and access to a local bus and may have access to a system or common bus shared among many other processors. Also sharing the local bus with the central processor is a plurality of specialized or dedicated processors which are continuously apprised of or actively monitor the internal operational status and operation then being performed by the central processor. The active monitoring of the activity of the other processors sharing the local bus distinguishes these dedicated processors from conventional direct memory accessing processors.