Abstract: A container inspecting apparatus for inspecting containers such as vials, ampuls, or the like has an inlet star wheel rotatable for admitting containers successively, and an outlet star wheel rotatable for discharging the containers successively. A plurality of feed units are movable along a circular path for successively receiving containers from the inlet star wheel, stopping the containers in respective inspecting positions, and successively transferring the containers to the outlet star wheel. A plurality of inspecting devices, each comprising an illuminating unit and an imaging unit, are disposed respectively in the inspecting positions for inspecting the containers in the respective inspecting positions. The feed units are intermittently moved along the circular path by a feeding and indexing device. A support mechanism is vertically mounted on each of the feed units for supporting bottoms of the containers on the feed units.

Abstract: An feeding and indexing apparatus has article feed units which can start and stop along a circular path at specific time intervals when drive arms are rotated at a constant speed. A cam assembly is disposed radially inwardly of and concentrically with the circular path, and cam followers are movable in contact with the cam assembly. The drive arms are rotatable about the center of the cam assembly. Driven arms are operatively coupled to the drive arms, respectively, at respective junction points and to the cam followers, respectively. The cam assembly has a wavy cam profile including a plurality of mountains and a plurality of valleys alternating with the mountains. A pitch angle between adjacent ones of the mountains or valleys of the cam assembly is different from a pitch angle between adjacent ones of the junction points of the drive arms and the driven arms, so that the article feed units operate at slightly different times.

Abstract: A rotary index apparatus for treating an article at predetermined positions while the article is conveyed, has an indexing conveyor unit with a plurality work support tables, a rotary disk unit rotated at a constant speed and having a plurality of swinging arms at its periphery for provision of an intermittent motion to the work support tables, and a cam unit having a guide passage, which engages with a cam follower of each swinging arm for provision of a special swinging motion. Thus, the work support table are stopped at predetermined positions for a predetermined time while the work support tables is conveyed along the indexing conveyor unit.