Abstract: A system for weighing containers includes: a weighing station and a conveying path extending from an upstream infeed section to a downstream outfeed section. The conveying path includes a gripping stretch for gripping the containers and a release stretch for releasing the containers, disposed between the infeed section and the outfeed section; and a conveying device for conveying the containers from the infeed section to the gripping stretch, and the weighed containers from the release stretch to the outfeed section. The conveying device includes first and second groups of housings for receiving the containers and moving them from the infeed section to the gripping stretch. A gripping and transferring device transfers the containers from the gripping stretch to the weighing station and from the weighing station to the release stretch. The first and second groups are movable independently of each other from the infeed section to the gripping stretch.

Abstract: Provided in one example herein is a three-dimensional (“3D”) printing method, comprising: (A) forming a layer comprising particles comprising a thermoplastic; (B) disposing over at least a portion of the layer a coalescent agent, which is radiation-absorbing and has a thermal decomposition temperature lower than or equal a melting temperature of the thermoplastic; (C) forming an object slice of a 3D object by exposing the coalescent agent to a radiant energy such that at least some of the coalescent agent thermally decomposes while causing at least some of the particles to fuse, wherein the object slice comprises the fused particles, and wherein the thermally decomposed coalescent agent is not radiation-absorbing; and (D) repeating (A) to (C) to form the 3D object comprising multiple object slices bound depth-wise to one another.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling containers with viscous food product includes a plurality of pressure/vacuum fill head positioned above a plurality of containers. Each fill head includes a housing enclosing a plenum through which is longitudinally disposed a valve stem having in an outer cylindrical surface thereof a plurality of longitudinally disposed grooves terminated near a lower end of the stem by a cylindrical boss. The boss is biased into fluid pressure-tight sealing contact with a lower transverse end face of lower tubular portion of the housing by a helical compression spring which fits coaxially over a portion of the valve stem which protrudes upwardly from the housing, the spring being disposed between an upper transverse end wall of the housing, and the lower surface of a neck which protrudes radially outwardly from the upper end of the valve stem.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting a plurality of bags, in particular stand up bags filled with a beverage, into an outer container, including a bag conveyor and a feed conveyor for the container, the bags being insertable into the container under the action of gravity at an insertion point positioned above the feed conveyor. For further improving such an apparatus and for increasing the conveying speed, the bag conveyor can comprise a star conveyor which is rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and which is provided with receiving compartments that can be loaded and unloaded on the circumference and which receive only a single bag in the conveying direction, and which has the same conveying direction as the feed conveyor above the feed conveyor at the insertion point.

Abstract: For transporting bottles with a carrying ring in the neck region, particularly PET bottles, along a specified path of motion through processing stations (2, 3, 4, 5, 6), of a processing installation particularly a bottle-filling installation, in each case a number of bottles (8), grouped in a row (9) transversely to the direction of transport (20), is transported by a carrier (13) and positioned relative to the latter. The carriers (13) can be moved by conveying chains (11) or similar driving means at uniform intervals consecutively from a bottle feeding station (1) past at least one processing station, especially a filling station, to a bottle delivery station (7) and, from there, empty back to the bottle feeding station. As carrier for a row (9) of bottles (8), a cellular board-like flat carrying strip (13) is provided.

Abstract: In the case of a machine installation for sterilizing, filling and closing containers it is provided that the above named devices are arranged together in a station, which is, with regard to drive, independent of the mechanism for feeding and removing the containers. A plurality of such stations can be provided, which preferably comprise a plasma sterilizing reactor.

Abstract: A loading mechanism is disclosed for loading bottles (14) onto a turret (12) and includes a screw (22), a linear conveyor (24), a pair of star wheels (26 and 28), and a drive. The assembly is characterized by a groove in the screw (22) having a cross section with a narrow throat (30) for engaging a neck (16) of the bottle (14) and a larger portion (32) above the throat (30) for establishing a space about the neck (16) of the bottle (14) spaced therein by the narrow throat (30). A pair of opposing lips (34) are spaced apart to define the throat (30) and a pair of spaced side walls (36) extend into the screw (22) from the lips (34) to a bottom wall (38), which remain out of contact with the neck (16) of the bottles (14).

Abstract: A filling apparatus of irregular-formed vessels having an intermittent swinging table (111) disposed above a continuous rotation table (5) and having a plurality of filling nozzles (121) at a same pitch as the vessel holding pitch, filling means for pushing out the liquid from the filling nozzles (121), vertical moving means for vertically moving the filling nozzles (121), a continuously rotating outside hollow shaft (119) to which the continuous rotation table (5) is mounted, a hollow shaft (116) disposed concentrically with the outside hollow shaft (119) for reciprocally rotating the intermittent swinging table (111).

Abstract: A weighing/feeding apparatus for mixing two or more different types of powder/chip by respective given amounts and feeding a weighing vessel with the mixture efficiently with accuracy is provided. The apparatus includes a weighing/feeding section arranged between a transfer path for transferring empty weighing vessels and a delivery path for delivering weighing vessels loaded with the powder/chip, the weighing/feeding section being connected to a powder/grain feeding path, a-plurality of powder/chip feeding units being arranged along the feeding path and provided with respective conduits, a weighing unit carrying thereon the empty weighing vessel which is reciprocated along the feeding path to fill the empty weighing vessel with a predetermined amount of powder/chip of a plurality of desired types before returning to the weighing/feeding section and then the weighing vessel loaded with the powder/chip is delivered to the delivery path.

Abstract: A device comprising a transport table, a multiplicity of longitudinal holders that can move freely in relation to one another in a square or rectangular closed circuit past various work stations by means of transport devices, which have points of contact which fit into recesses in the bottom of the longitudinal holders and drive means. The points of contact in the transport devices, when engaged in the recesses of the longitudinal holders, move the longitudinal holders approximately one width of the longitudinal holders in the direction of movement though at least one feed cycle by means of a controller controlling the drive means. The quantity of longitudinal holders preferably does not exceed 100.

Abstract: Open containers having uniform dimensions are handled in a group for loading of ballast and/or for filling with container contents prior to sealing. The containers are provided upright on a substantially unobstructed surface and are forced into a substantially contiguous array by inward pressure on the array in at least one direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the containers. Compressing the array of containers in this manner moves the containers into immediately contiguous regular positions in a resulting container array, which is aligned in registry with dispensing orifices. One or more movable sweep arms which may cooperate with fixed walls laterally bounding the conveying surface are used to compress the array. The sweep arms and the fixed walls are scalloped to form receptacles defining a closest possible positioning of the peripheral containers, which during compression cause adjacent inward containers to become correctly positioned. Nozzles coupled to a material dispenser (e.g.

Abstract: An automatic chemistry analyzer includes sample cups circumferentially located on a sample wheel. Means moves the sample cups rotationally under cycloidal action to and away from a target location where a probe operates vertically in relation to the sample cups and an injection cell. The motion is effected by a cam operating with a cam follower formed by lobes circumferentially located about a drive wheel which houses the sample wheel or carousel.

Abstract: An automated perfume processing plant for dosing and mixing different substances for the production of perfumes, includes a plurality of reservoirs for different substances, a plurality of outlet dosing valves controlled by a control computer individually arranged on each reservoir, respectively, above a line of mixing vessels on a conveyor belt, whereby the computer is programmed for responding to a perfume code signal from a scanner scanning codes imprinted on each moving vessel, for operating the conveyor belt and dosing valves to deposit a given amount of selected ones of the substances in the mixing vessels for obtaining a desired perfume formulation in each vessel.

Abstract: In the roller bottle filling and harvesting system of the present invention, a decapper, a medium harvesting and cleaning apparatus, a medium filling apparatus and a capper are all located in an aseptic chamber, in this order along a supply conveyor. Roller bottles at the medium harvesting and cleaning apparatus have their pitch aligned and a plural number of roller bottles are tilted from the upright position, through a predetermined angle and the used medium in the roller bottles is withdrawn, the bottles returned to the upright position and then filled with cleaning liquid by a roller bottle inner surface cleaning apparatus. Then, the roller bottles are sent to a roller bottle roll and tilt apparatus which tilts the roller bottles to a predetermined angle and rotates and cleans the roller bottles and then sends them to an adjacent supply conveyor.

Abstract: A machine having multiple stationary weighing and filling platforms serviced by parallel straight line in-feed and discharge container or material conveyors. Positive grippers transfer the containers or other material to be weighed transversely to stationary weighing and filling platform and the same or similar grippers transfer the containers from the platform to a parallel discharge track. This eliminates centrifugal forces, increased throughput reduces floor space and permits greater sensitivity in weighing since there is no inherent motion or vibration at the weighing station.

Abstract: An automated drinkmaker system which is designed to accept an input drink order, as from a cash register, and deliver the drink order, for different sizes and different flavors, with or without ice, completely finished in lidded containers to an output station. The automated drinkmaker system is designed for labor free processing of drink orders in high volume quick service or fast food establishments. The machine is designed around a carousel type of drink transporter which intermittently carries each drink to and from four circularly spaced stations, cup dispensing, ice dispensing, soda dispensing, lid application and marking. The carousel design allows a cup to be dispensed at one station while another cup is being filled with ice at a second station, and yet another is being filled with soda at a third station, etc. The use of carousels is extended to both cup and lid dispensing.

Abstract: A device for discharging material from a succession of filled open top transfer receptacles includes a guideholder having a pair of elongated parallel spaced-apart deadplates extending from an input end of the device toward an output end of the device. The spacing of the deadplates is sufficient to slidably receive the height of a transfer receptacle, and the length of the deadplates is sufficient to contain at least one transfer receptacle in a single station, and preferably two contiguous transfer receptacles in respective first and second stations. With two stations, the deadplates prevent loss of material from a receptacle in the first station but have openings in the second station to permit discharge of the contents of an inverted transfer receptacle in the second station.

Abstract: An automatic beverage dispensing system for use with a plurality of remote point of sale units with order entry keyboards, each having selector buttons for different flavors and cup sizes, the dispenser including an automatic cup dropper, an automatic ice dispenser, a transverse conveyor system for conveying an ice filled cup to any of a plurality of parallel lanes each having a forward conveyor system, a beverage dispenser valve associated with each of the lanes, and each forward conveyor system conveying a cup received from the transverse conveyor to a beverage fill station and then to a cup pick-up station. The dispenser can also be operated manually using buttons on the dispenser itself.

Abstract: A filling station for a cartridge filling and sealing machine for filling viscous or pasty materials into cylindrical cartridges having a filler valve, a positioning and centering device for positioning and centering the cartridges in a position in alignment with the filler valve, and a displacement drive for adjusting the positioning of the positioning and centering device the filler valve in relation to each other. In order to assure an exactly centered position of the cartridge prior to inserting the filler valve into the cartridge as well as dependable support of the cartridge in a non-deforming way prior to and during filling, the positioning and centering device has a unit and at least one vacuum suction holder disposed in the unit. The unit has a contact surface adapted to the outer shape of the cartridge. The vacuum suction holder is formed by a suction hose the open end of which is disposed in the unit.

Abstract: The invention greatly increases the speed at which a fill step may be completed in an automatic packaging machine. Instead of the usual process where a gate opens and closes for dumping product into each empty box, a plurality of bottomless measuring cups and transfer cups are moved in an aligned sequence with the corresponding boxes. These cups move over planar surfaces which function as the bottoms of the cups and keep the product in place within the cups. At selected locations, the cups pass over interruptions in the surfaces so that the product may fall out of the cup and into an underlying structure.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing predetermined doses of a liquid into individual tubes, particularly for the artificial insemination of poultry, comprises a tube feeder for feeding the tubes individually to a dispensing station; a dispensing device at the dispensing station including a discharge nozzle dispensing a predetermined dose of the liquid with each actuation of the dispensing device; and a manipulator at the dispensing station and movable from a home position for receiving a tube fed thereto with one end of the tube spaced from the discharge nozzle, to an actuated position bringing the one end of the tube into dispensing position with respect to the discharge nozzle. The apparatus further includes a control system comprising a first sensor sensing the tube feeder in its actuated position, a second sensor sensing the tube feeder in its normal position, and a third sensor sensing the presence of a tube in the manipulator, for controlling the operation of the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for rinsing extruded pasta product in a container to remove surface starch from the pasta. The apparatus includes a conveyor on which containers holding a portioned amount of extruded pasta product are conveyed upright in single file, a manifold for introducing hot rinse water into the containers, and a rotary draining unit in which the water-filled containers are first inverted to drain off the rinse water and are then returned to an upright position for transfer to additional processing operations such as sauce filling, container sealing, retorting and cooling. A stationary slide plate is provided between the conveyor and the rotary draining unit, and reciprocating arms are mounted adjacent the slide plate to move the water-filled containers from the conveyor across the slide plate and into the rotary draining unit. The rotary draining unit includes a pair of horizontally extending support surface mounted equidistant from and parallel to a central shaft around which the support surfaces rotate.

Abstract: High speed container placement method and apparatus are provided, particularly for check weighing or for use in combination with high speed filling equipment for consumer products, such as instant coffee. A container separating device introduces groups of containers to a container placement and removal device for sequencing therethrough. The individual containers are transferred from an annular turntable to separate stationary work positions on a deck plate where they undergo a processing step. Following this processing step, the containers are removed from their respective stationary positions and returned to the annular turntable to be ultimately discharged from the container placement apparatus. The containers are placed at and removed from the work positions respectively by feeder and discharge guides which oscillate as they travel about the deck plate along an epicycloidal type path.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for accurately packaging viscous food products within a predetermined weight range.

Abstract: High speed container placement method and apparatus are provided for use in combination with high speed filling equipment for consumer products, such as instant coffee. A container separating device introduces groups of containers to a container placement and removal device for sequencing therethrough. The individual members of a group are transferred from a high speed annular turntable of the container placement and removal device to separate stationary work positions on a deck plate where they undergo a processing step such as filling the container by weight with an appropriate amount of product. Following this processing step, the containers are removed from their respective stationary work positions and returned to the high speed annular turntable to be ultimately discharged from the container placement and removal device. Simultaneously, the next group of containers is being fed into the apparatus to sequentially replace the fully processed group.

Abstract: At a first position, bottles are stored in a box, and the bottles are taken out of the box at the first position and transferred to a second position. If the bottles are capped, all the caps are removed during the above-mentioned uncasing operation so that all the bottles placed at the second position are uncapped. In this manner, an uncasing operation and a cap removing operation take place simultaneously. The present apparatus comprises a holding head unit which makes a reciprocating motion between the first and the second positions. The holding head unit is provided with bottle grippers and cap removers. The cap removers are movable with respect to the bottles for uncapping.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of handling containers comprising the steps of (a) placing empty containers on first and second conveyors (b) conveying containers from the first conveyor serially through a filling station (c) transferring filled containers from the filling station serially onto the second conveyor (d) transferring containers serially from the second conveyor onto the first conveyor as filled containers arrive on the second conveyor and then (e) removing filled containers from both conveyors when both conveyors hold filled containers.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying or charging a spinning preparatory machine with cans transported on transporting trolleys and moving to and from a can filling position of the spinning preparatory machine. There is provided a revolving can transporting device which is driven incrementally or stepwise and which contains a plurality of essentially equally spaced can entrainment members for entraining or engaging empty cans placed upon the transporting trolleys and for moving such cans into the spinning preparatory machine where the empty cans are filled and for moving the refilled cans back onto a transporting trolley. Further there is provided a trolley shifting device which can be moved substantially at right angles to, and outside the path of, the can transporting device, the trolley shifting device being movable in coordinated stepped sequence to the movement of the revolving can transporting device.

Abstract: An automatic handling system selectively conveys test samples to a test probe for analysis by an instrument. The test samples are contained in sample containers. A magazine contains sampler holders each of which contains sample containers. A transport system conveys the magazine so that the holders successively pass through an extraction station from where the holders can be taken from the magazine and placed back therein. The holders upon extraction are then conveyed past a test probe so that individual samples can be selectively presented to the probe.