Abstract: The present invention, which relates to post hydration processing of contact lenses and the packages into which the lenses are placed, includes several assemblies which are ideally suited to performing the various steps which are associated with post hydration processing.

Abstract: A transfer drum and a takeout drum are provided so that they are arranged diametrically adjacent to each other and can rotate synchronously in opposite directions. Articles are held and moved upward by both a transfer arm and a takeout arm which are located individually at the respective peripheral portions of these drums. The raised articles are transferred to a takeout conveyor mechanism, which extends in the vertical direction, and are moved upwardly while being decelerated by the conveyor mechanism. An aligning mechanism is provided at the upper end portion of the takeout conveyor mechanism. The decelerated articles are transferred to the aligning mechanism, and are aligned intimately in contact with one another. In this apparatus, the articles can be decelerated in the takeout conveyor mechanism, so that they can be subjected to only a small impact, and can, therefore, be prevented from being damaged.

Abstract: A tobacco band apparatus for a cigarette manufacturing machine includes a tobacco band passed around a head pulley and a tail pulley, a plurality of guide rollers arranged between the head pulley and the tail pulley for guiding the tobacco band, a tension pulley for applying a predetermined tensile force to the tobacco band, a change-direction pulley for increasing the angle by which the tobacco band is wound around the head pulley, and a power transmission path for transmitting a driving force input to the head pulley to the tail pulley, the guide rollers, the tension pulley and the change-direction pulley to rotate these pulleys and rollers synchronously with each other at an identical peripheral speed.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying seals to articles has a rotary table having heads, and an article guide provided along the periphery of the rotary table. Each head is provided with a holding-moving mechanism for holding an article and moving the article on and along the article guide together with the head, and a labeling mechanism for applying a label to the article which is being transferred together with the head. The article is held by the holding-moving mechanism and moved together with the head. During the transfer of the article, the label is applied to the article. The article can be applied with the label while the article is being continuously transferred without being moved intermittently, whereby the apparatus can be easily operated at a high speed.