Abstract: An apparatus for crimping edges of workpieces comprises a workpiece supplying device for consecutively supplying the workpieces, a rotary support member situated under the workpiece supplying device for supporting the workpiece one by one, a crimping device for crimping the workpieces, and a driving mechanism for operating the rotary support member and the crimping device. The crimping device includes a base member immovably situated under the workpiece supplying device, a first frame pivotally connected to the base member, a crimping member rotationally connected to the first frame, a roller connected to the crimping member, and a frame moving device for pivotally moving the frame relative to the base member. The driving mechanism comprises a first driving device for rotating the rotary support member, a second driving device for reciprocally moving the rotary support member toward the workpiece supplying device, and a third driving device for operating the frame moving device.

Abstract: An opener for an ampule having a head and a body to prevent contamination of material in an ampule from particles formed when the ampule is opened comprises at least one opening mechanism including a head holder and an annular flexible jacket situated around an end of the head holder to extend outwardly therefrom. The head holder includes a hole with a cylindrical opening at one end for receiving at least a part of the head of the ampule, and an outlet communicating with the hole. The inner diameter of the flexible jacket is almost the same as the outer diameter of the body of the ampule to be opened. The outlet of the head holder is connected to a vacuum source to inspire air through the hole. Therefore, the head and the body of the ampule are respectively located in the hole and the flexible jacket, and then the body is bent, so that the particles formed by thereby snapping apart the ampule are inspired with air into the vacuum source.

Abstract: A banding machine for continuously forming and applying the bands on articles comprises means for arranging rows of the articles, means for receiving the articles at the front end of the arranging means and transferring the articles to a band receiving position, means for supplying at least one tubular member to be fabricated into a band, and fabricating and positioning means to continuously fabricate bands from the respective tubular member and secure the bands around the articles retained at the band receiving position by the receiving and transferring means.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for inverting articles and transporting the articles from a first station to a second station. The apparatus comprises conveyor means including an endless rotational member and a plurality of holding members secured to the rotational member, at least one feeding means for providing the articles to each holding member successively at the first station, receiving means for receiving the articles from the holding members at the second station, and transfer means for transferring the articles supported in the holding members to the receiving means. The rotational member is consecutively indexed to allow the holding members to substantially register with the feeding means and the receiving means when the rotational member is stopped. The orientation of the articles at the first station is different from the orientation of the articles at the second station.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously inverting the orientation of sheaths comprises a rotationally indexing wheel having a concavity at a side surface thereof and a plurality of holes provided around the wheel spaced from each other, the holes extending from the outer periphery of the wheel to the concavity thereof for receiving the sheaths at a first station and transmitting the same to a second station at which the orientation of the sheaths is different from the orientation of the sheaths at the first station. The apparatus further comprises means for consecutively feeding the sheaths to the holes at the first station including means for continuously supplying the sheaths in an upright position in alignment with the hole to which the sheath is fed and means for transporting the sheaths supported by the supply means to the holes of the wheel, and means for releasing the sheaths from the holes at the second station to thereby place the sheaths onto the articles consecutively indexed.

Abstract: Apparatus for arranging and transporting articles comprises a conveyor for transferring articles to a first position, a first rotation wheel having a plurality of recesses around the outer periphery thereof for consecutively receiving the articles in the recesses from the conveyor at the first position and transferring the articles to a second position angularly displaced from the first position with respect to the axis of the first wheel, and a second rotation wheel having a plurality of recesses around the outer periphery thereof. The second rotation wheel is arranged normal to the first rotation wheel to consecutively receive the articles supported in the recesses of the first wheel at the second position and to transfer the articles to a third position angularly away from the second position with respect to the axis of the second wheel.

Abstract: An automatic machine is provided for partially filling a cylindrical vial having one open end with a liquid, inserting a plug into the open end and fitting a cap onto the open end. The machine includes two turrets. Each of the turrets has a plurality of notches in the periphery thereof, the notches each being sized and shaped for receiving a respective one of the vials in an orientation with the open end of the vial directed upwardly. A filling station for partially filling the vials with a liquid is associated with the first turret. The vials automatically transfer from the first turret to the second turret. Respective stations for plugging and capping the vials are associated with the second turret.

Abstract: Apparatus for die cutting sheets of die cuttable material comprises endless conveyor means, a plurality of platens sequentially mounted on the conveyor means, a respective cutting die mounted on each of the platens, storage means for retaining a plurality of sheets of die cuttable material in a stack, means for removing a respective one of the sheets from the bottom of the stack and positioning the sheet on the cutting die of a respective one of the platens as the platens are continuously, non-reversingly conveyed by the conveyor means and means for pressing the sheet onto the cutting die sufficiently to cause the die to cut through the sheet as the platens are continuously, non-reversingly conveyed by the conveyor means.

Abstract: Apparatus for simultaneously changing the orientation of articles and transporting the articles from a first location to a second location comprises a wheel, the first and second locations being adjacent the periphery of the wheel and being angularly displaced from each other relative to the periphery of the wheel, a plurality of recesses formed in the periphery of the wheel for receiving the articles, each of the recesses being of such size and shape relative to the articles as to retain each of the articles in a substantially fixed orientation relative to the recess in which the article is received, a kicker for feeding a respective one of the articles from the first location into a respective one of the recesses, a rachet for consecutively rotationally indexing the wheel thereby to bring consecutive recesses into substantial registry with the first location for receiving each of the articles fed from the first location by the kicker and a pair of rails for receiving the articles from the recesses at the se

Abstract: Apparatus for placing a sheath on a vertically oriented elongated member, the sheath having an open end for receiving the elongated member, comprises an upright magazine for containing a stacked plurality of the sheaths with the openings thereof oriented downwardly, a downwardly extending passage having an upper end communicating with the magazine and a lower end having a discharge opening arranged on a vertical axis with which the elongated member is to be aligned for being received in a respective said sheath discharged from the discharge opening onto the elongated member, a first gate defining the boundary between the magazine and the passage and for blocking transit of the sheath from the magazine into the passage and a second gate below the first gate a distance about equal to the length of a respective said sheath for blocking transit of the sheaths to the discharge opening of the passage, whereby the sheaths may be individually discharged by gravity onto respective said elongated members consecutively

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for loading a plurality of articles into a receptacle having parallel rows of openings each of which is adapted to receive a respective one of the articles. The apparatus comprises at least one loading station, and preferably two loading stations, each loading station including means for guiding and supporting the articles in a row parallel to and spaced above and laterally of a row of the openings to be filled with the row of articles. The guiding and supporting means include movable guide means for engaging the row of articles laterally. The apparatus further includes means for moving the movable guide means between a position in which the movable guide means laterally engages the row of articles and a position in which the movable guide means is disengaged from the row of articles.