Abstract: The invention provides a weight selecting apparatus capable of automatically performing calibration, and provides a weight selecting apparatus capable of certainly carrying objects to be inspected with a relatively simple mechanism and performing weight measurement of the objects. The objects, after being subjected to weight measurement by a first weighing unit 2, are sampled by a sampler 5, and those of the objects thus sampled are subjected to weight measurement by a second weighing unit 6. A calibration unit compares, for the same object, the measured result with that obtained by the first weighing unit 2 and discriminates whether or not a difference therebetween is within a specific error range, to perform calibration of the first weighing unit 2. Further, as a carrier 3 for carrying the objects to the weighing unit 2 one by one, there is used an intermittently rotatable carrying roller 32 having in its outer peripheral surface portion a plurality of carrying pockets 321.

Abstract: There is provided a defective capsule removing mechanism characterized in that a defective capsule discharging window 131 is provided for a capsule pocket 11 and the capsule pocket 11 is subject to suction through the discharging window 131 so that a cap or a body of a coupling defective capsule is drawn into the defective capsule discharging window in a rolling manner from one end side directed forwardly and then discharged to the outside of the capsule pocket, and there is also provided another defective capsule removing mechanism characterized in that one end side of a capsule pocket 21 is formed as a cap holding portion 211a having a width smaller than a diameter of the capsule cap and a scraper is inserted in a scraper insertion groove extending transversely to the capsule pocket 21 such that the cap portion of a reverse defective capsule is fitted into the cap holding portion 211a and is not discharged from the capsule pocket at a predetermined location but is further transported, whereafter it is scrap

Abstract: A method of manufacturing hard capsules is characterized by comprising the steps of dispersing a water-soluble cellulose derivative in hot water and cooling the dispersion to effect dissolution of the water-soluble cellulose derivative in the water, adding and dissolving a gelling agent in the water-soluble cellulose derivative solution to give a capsule-preparing solution, dipping a capsule-forming pin into the capsule-preparing solution at a predetermined temperature, then drawing out the pin and inducing gelation of the capsule-preparing solution adhering to the pin.

Abstract: A fuel cell comprises a fuel electrode which has a fuel-diffusion layer for diffusing fuel and a fuel-reactive layer for having the fuel react; an oxygen electrode which has an oxygen-diffusion layer for diffusing oxygen and an oxygen-reactive layer for having the oxygen react; an electrolyte layer which is arranged between the fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode. In this fuel cell, the fuel-reactive layer is in contact with the fuel-diffusion layer, and the oxygen-reactive layer is in contact with the oxygen-diffusion layer. Further, the fuel-diffusion layer has higher water-repellency than that of the oxygen-diffusion layer. According to this fuel cell, cell outputs of fuel cells can be enhanced. Thus, fuel cells and fuel cell devices, which bring high cell outputs, can be provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is an appearance inspecting device for a solid formulation, including a supply section for continuously supplying solid formulations such as capsules; an inspecting drum for holding on its outer peripheral portion the solid formulations supplied from the supply section, carrying the solid formulations in such a manner as to allow the solid formulations to be intermittently revolved, and allowing the solid formulations to be rotated on their axes at a specific carrying position; an image pickup device for photographing surfaces of the solid formulations being thus rotated on their axes; a quality determining section for processing images of the solid formulations thus picked up from the image pickup device and determining whether the solid formulations are nondefective or defective; and a classifying section for classifying the solid formulations into defective and nondefective solid formulations on the result determined by the quality determining section and recovering the defective and nondefective

Abstract: There is provided a visual inspection apparatus wherein in the case where tablets are held on the outer peripheral surface of the right side inspection drum to be carried, the tablets are photographed during the carriage to thereby obtain the right side images, the tablets are delivered with the right side reversed to the wrong side from the right side inspection drum to the wrong side inspection drum, the tablets are carried while being held on the outer peripheral surface of the wrong side inspection drum, the tablets are photographed during carriage to thereby obtain the wrong side images, and when the visual inspection of the right side and the wrong side of the tablets is carried out based on the obtained right side image and the wrong side image, the tablets are carried stably so that the excellent right side image and the wrong side image can be positively obtained, securing the tablets not to damage during carriage and delivery of tablets, and even in the case where tablets to be inspected are changed

Abstract: A capsule shell comprising 79.6-98.7% by weight of a hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, 0.03-0.5% by weight of carrageenan, and 0.14-3.19% by weight of a potassium ion and/or a calcium is prepared by drying an solution comprising 18-28% by weight of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose whose 2% aqueous solution has a viscosity of 2.4-5.4 centistokes at 20.degree. C. as a base, 0.01-0.09% by weight of carrageenan as a gelling agent, and 0.05-0.6% by weight of a potassium ion and/or calcium ion as a co-gelling agent. The capsule shell exhibits disintegrating ability equivalent to gelatin shells without degrading that ability even under special conditions containing much calcium ions.

Abstract: Pressed articles are arranged substantially vertical in guide grooves, and transferred to pockets of a conveying drum which is intermittently rotated. The pressed articles are rotated at least more than one turn by a pressed article rotating roller while the pockets are stopped at predetermined positions, and the whole side face of the pressed article is observed by an image pickup apparatus. After changing posture of the pressed articles to be substantially horizontal posture by a posture changing apparatus, front and rear surfaces of the pressed articles are observed by image pickup apparatuses while the pressed articles are held and conveyed on respective sides of equilateral polygons of conveying drums which have equilateral polygonal cross-sections.

Abstract: A first, a second and a third RAMs 18, 29 and 34, which preliminarily have stored an absolute value of a difference between any combination of two digital signals issued from an A/D conversion means 3, are provided with first, second and third differential and coding circuit 5, 6 and 7, thereby performing a real-time processing of the digital signal for a printed letter inspecting apparatus for solid objects.

Abstract: In an appearance examination apparatus for solid article such as capsules, tablets and the like, the solid articles are all oriented in the horizontal direction in the same manner in a plurality of feeding lines while they are transferred from a hopper to a feeding drum, a first restriction drum and a second restriction drum. The solid articles are continuously supplied to an examination drum which intermittently rotates at predetermined time intervals. The solid articles are held in predetermined positions between first and second examination rollers and are always rotated. An image pick-up device observes the entire surface of the solid articles and the inferior articles are removed.

Abstract: In a solid article conveyor, guide grooves and pockets are formed in a manner so that one width of each guide groove and pocket is made narrower than the largest dimension of the solid article. Thus, only one solid article can be contained in each pocket.

Abstract: A hard capsule for pharmaceutical drugs comprises a water-soluble cellulose derivative as a capsule base, a gelatinizing agent and an auxiliary for gelation. The hard capsule is prepared by preparing an aqueous solution of a capsule base containing a water-soluble cellulose derivative, a gelatinizing agent and an auxiliary for gelation, immersing a capsule molding pin in the aqueous solution of the capsule base, subsequently drawing out the molding pin from the aqueous solution of the capsule base, subjecting the aqueous solution of the capsule base attached to the outer surface of the molding pin to gelate at room temperature, and forming a capsule film on the outer surface of the molding pin.

Abstract: A printer for printing predetermined patterns of letters, figures, marks and the like on surfaces of solid articles such as tablets or capsule articles which includes a horizontal carrier for carrying the regularly arranged solid articles in a horizontal direction, an ink pattern transfer device for transferring the patterns on the surfaces of the solid articles, a print quality judging device for judging the quality of the printed ink patterns and an inferior article remover for automatically removing articles of inferior print quality from the manufacturing process.

Abstract: There are disclosed herein a gelatin coating composition which comprises succinated gelatin as the main component and polyethylene glycol, and a hard gelatin capsule formed from said gelatin coating composition. The hard gelatin capsule has sufficient mechanical strength for filling operation. Moreover, it does not become insoluble due to reaction with a special drug having an aldehyde group filled therein. Therefore, it can be used for various drugs, especially macrolide antibiotics for which conventional hard gelatin capsules are inadequate.

Abstract: A tablet encapsulator deposits a predetermined number of tablets into each of a plurality of hard gelatin capsules. A tablet holding block has second guide holes for holding the predetermined number of tablets. A tablet carrier is reciprocated for a number of times equal to the predetermined number of tablets during a capsule filling sequence so that with each reciprocation, each of the second guide holes receives a single tablet until the predetermined number of tablets is received in each of the second guide holes. A shutter normally prevents the tablets from entering first guide holes in a first tablet guide shoot and intermittently permits the predetermined number of tablets to pass through each of the first guide holes and enter each of the capsules through their openings in synchronism with intermittent motion of a capsule holder.

Abstract: A hard capsule for pharmaceutical drugs comprises a water-soluble cellulose derivative as a capsule base, a gelatinizing agent and an auxiliary for gelation. The hard capsule is prepared by preparing an aqueous solution of a capsule base containing a water-soluble cellulose derivative, a gelatinizing agent and an auxiliary for gelation, immersing a capsule molding pin in the aqueous solution of the capsule base, subsequently drawing out the molding pin from the aqueous solution of the capsule base, subjecting the aqueous solution of the capsule base attached to the outer surface of the molding pin to gelate at room temperature, and forming a capsule film on the outer surface of the molding pin.

Abstract: A capsule sealing apparatus is provided which includes a capsule supplying device, a slat, a capsule conveyor unit, a capsule sealing device, a plurality of capsule retaining plates, a drying device, and a capsule discharging device. The capsule supplying device intermittently supplies a prescribed number of capsules at a time. The slat includes a plurality of capsule resting slits for individually accommodating the capsules. The capsule conveyor unit linearly reciprocates the slat, during which the capsules are individually accommodated in respective capsule resting slits. The capsule sealing device coats the seams of the capsules with a sealing liquid through the openings at the bottoms of the slits in the slat. The capsule retaining plates receives all the capsules thereon. The drying device vertically circulates the capsule retaining plate with the charged capsules thereon in the horizontal posture so as to dry the sealing liquid applied on each capsule.

Abstract: There is provided a cultivator blade supporting structure including at least one cultivator blade having a shank and a blade portion, at least one blade holder having a cavity for removably receiving the shank of the cultivator blade, and a rotational driving shaft to which the blade holder is fixed, wherein at least a part of the cavity is defined by first confronting oppositely inclined interior surfaces and second confronting oppositely inclined interior surfaces which have a different inclination angle from the first inclined interior surfaces, so that contact portions of the shank are wedged between and into the first and second inclined interior surfaces when the rotational shaft rotates to cultivate the ground.

Abstract: A capsule filling apparatus which fills capsules with tablets having the same cylindrical shape as the capsules, wherein each tablet is fed from a hopper in an upright posture and wherein the filling of tablets into the capsules is secured by detecting a pressure varying depending on the presence of tablets in delivering holes.

Abstract: A capsule sealing apparatus which includes a capsule conveyor device with horizontally maintained slats on which capsules are mounted horizontally throughout the travel, during which the seams between the caps and bodies of the capsules are sealed by rotary coating discs that pick up the sealer from a tank disposed below the capsule conveyor device.