Abstract: A bin washer device for washing bins including a conveyor for moving the bins in a conveying direction, a support and at least two bin holders rotatably supported on the support for rotation about an axis adjacent the conveyor.

Abstract: A bottle cleaner that inverts the bottles to spray solutions into them. The bottles invert and receive, for example, a spray of a cleaning solution. The cleaner then returns the bottles to the upright orientation. Each pass of the bottles utilizes two sets of linked grippers arranged as a chain. One chain contacts the bottles on one side while the second chain contacts them on the other side. The two chains squeeze the bottles between them to firmly hold them. A single adjustment sets a uniform distance between the two chains of each path through the cleaner at four different locations, and the same adjustment equalizes the distances between the two chains of the two paths so that they will effectively retain the same bottles through two passes through the machine. Four motors running at the same speed keep the chains moving together.

Abstract: A blocking plate 3 is disposed opposing a substrate W which is held by plural chuck pins 17 and a processing liquid is supplied from a processing liquid nozzle 5 to a space SP between the front surface Wf of the substrate and an opposed surface 3a of the blocking plate 3, whereby the processing liquid attains the liquid-tight state. While the liquid-tight state with the processing liquid is maintained, the substrate W and the blocking plate 3 rotate. In this condition, a liquid (pure water) to which ultrasonic vibration has propagated is injected from an ultrasonic nozzle 7 approximately perpendicular to a side wall surface 3b of the blocking plate 3. While the ultrasonic vibration spreads inside the blocking plate 3 along the horizontal direction, some vibrational waves spread uniformly and widely from the opposed surface 3a to the processing liquid attaining the liquid-tight state and vibrate the processing liquid.

Abstract: A sterilization tunnel for pharmaceutical containers such as vials has an inlet zone, a sterilization zone, and a cooling zone. A conveyor belt for the vials is disposed inside the sterilization tunnel. An emptying device that can be raised and lowered is disposed in the vicinity of the cooling zone. In order to empty the sterilization tunnel, the frame-shaped emptying device is lowered onto the conveyor belt and then pushes an emptying slider, which is being moved through the sterilization tunnel together with the last vials disposed on the conveyor belt, out from the sterilization tunnel. The emptying device permits a particularly simple operation of the sterilization tunnel.

Abstract: A food washing apparatus comprising a means for generating a sheet-like water jet stream that impinges against foods such as marine products including edible jellyfish, seaweed, shucked or shell-covered shellfish and the like, farm products including vegetables, fruits, and the like by conveying the foods through a water jet stream distribution area or food wash area. A plurality of sheet-like water jet stream layers are generated at a predetermined angle from various directions and impinge against the food surfaces so as to wash them and remove foreign matter such as insects, mud, pebbles, fish scales, etc. from the foods.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying and turning trays loaded with utensils including a feed conveyor which conveys trays through and around a semi-circular turning track. The turning track is delimited laterally by stationary, curved rails and to the inside toward the central point of curvature by a continuous inner belt, and having removal devices at the top end. The inner belt is provided with uniformly spaced outwardly projecting rods. The feed conveyor is in the form of a continuously driven chain conveyor which is drawn through in one piece to the upper end of the turning track, guided in the region of the turning track by rails for the chains arranged on either side to more reliably guide the trays and in order to make the drive of the entire device more sturdy in design.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided wherein poultry nest pads are moved on a conveyor between a plurality of cleaning stations, involving first bending the pads prior to wetting in order to separate debris and dried manure by cracking and breaking from the projections of the pad and to further expose the internal pad recesses, then spraying the pads with a cleaning fluid at high pressure in a wiping motion across the bent pad, and then spraying with a sheet of cleaning fluid at low pressure across the top and bottom surfaces of the pad while it is in an inverted orientation over a tank or receptacle for receiving the debris, manure and spent cleaning fluid. That receptacle includes an auger for removing the settled manure and debris. A filtering and recirculation system is incorporated with the receptacle for reusing at least a portion of the spent cleaning fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying and turning trays loaded with utensils including a feed conveyor which conveys trays through and around a semi-circular turning track. The turning track is delimited laterally by stationary, curved rails and to the inside toward the central point of curvature by a continuous inner belt, and having removal devices at the top end. The inner belt is provided with uniformly spaced outwardly projecting rods. The feed conveyor is in the form of a continuously driven chain conveyor which is drawn through in one piece to the upper end of the turning track, guided in the region of the turning track by rails for the chains arranged on either side to more reliably guide the trays and in order to make the drive of the entire device more sturdy in design.

Abstract: An apparatus for washing position oriented stoppers in a closed environment while retaining the orientation comprises a closed chamber, and a chain conveyor located in the closed chamber for receiving position oriented stoppers. The chain conveyor includes two spaced chain wheels, and a chain passing over the chain wheels. A plurality of dogs are fixedly attached to at least some of the chain links. The chain conveyor defines curved portions around the chain wheels and straight portions therebetween. A supply conveyor communicates with the closed chamber at a location of one of the chain wheels. A washing station is located along one of the straight portions and a closed delivery member is in communication with a closed chamber at the other chain wheel. The dogs grip each stopper between two adjacent dogs and carry them along the straight portions of the conveyor.

Abstract: An improved transport belt is provided for gripping and carrying parts such as thin and fragile electronic components through production processes including, for example, electroplating steps and the like. The transport belt comprises an elongated upright web carrying a succession of depending gripper units, each including first and second fingers for gripping and carrying the production parts. The first finger is formed generally coplanar with the belt web, whereas the second finger has a generally U-shaped configuration with depending legs on the leading and trailing sides, respectively, of the first finger. The legs are deformed laterally from the plane of the belt web and interconnected at their lower ends by a cross bar which is urged by the legs into spring-loaded contact with the lower end or tip of the first finger.

Abstract: An automatic washer for cleaning objects, particularly hands, comprises a housing substantially enclosed on all sides with at least one opening for introduction of the objects to be cleaned, at least one nozzle, preferably a plurality of nozzles, for admitting at least one cleaning medium, whereby the nozzles are aligned and oriented appropriately to clean the surfaces of the object to be cleaned positioned in the interior of the housing, a control device detecting and responding to characteristics, particularly the shape, orientation, and position, of the object inserted into the interior of the housing to be cleaned, so as to activate the cleaning process when those characteristics correspond to those preset in the control device, and an operating mechanism which monitors and controls the method and timely running of the cleaning process.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating radioactive comminuted fuel elements with hot nitric acid comprising an endless conveyor which carries the fuel fragments through a U-shaped jacketed tube counter to the flow of acid. The conveyor travels in a conduit which connects to the ends of the U-shaped tube to form a continuous loop. Downstream of the U-shaped tube associated with the conduit is a washing unit, a drying unit, and a discharge unit. Upstream of the U-shaped tube is a feed unit which joins the conduit. A radioactive fission material sensor is located just ahead of the discharge unit and serves to actuate a switch to recycle treated fragments that may still be radioactive. Drive apparatus for the conveyor comprises permanent magnets mounted at spaced intervals on the conveyor and exciter windings surrounding said U-shaped tube to direct forward movement.

Abstract: An improved peg structure of an endless belt conveyor grips trays to prevent dislodgement during high speed passage through washing and rinsing stations as in a flight dishwashing system.

Abstract: In can manufacturing apparatus there is provided an overhead magnetic conveyor for transferring cans from a conveyor upon which they are coated to a conveyor upon which the cans are dried. To remove excess coating material which tends to form a bead around the lower most edge of a can, a bath of coating material solvent is disposed adjacent to the transfer conveyor and has within it an endless belt conveyor to which cans on the overhead conveyor are caused to fall and from which those cans are subsequently returned to the overhead conveyor. The upper, can carrying course of the endless belt conveyor is disposed at a predetermined depth below the surface of solvent within the cans so that excess material accumulating on the lower portions of the cans in the coating region is removed prior to entry of the cans into the drying oven.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for containing, washing, rinsing and drying presorted flatware by category, after which the flatware is automatically discharged from the apparatus by category into separate receiving receptacles. Alternate types of conveyors, containers and methods of discharging flatware from containers are included, and certain embodiments provide simultaneous washing of other tableware within the same apparatus.