Abstract: A hopper having a passage through which a medicine can be passed downward is provided. A part of a lower portion of the hopper is a deformable portion having flexibility, and the deformable portion is deformable so as to open and close the passage. According to this configuration, the deformable portion that is a part of the hopper is deformed to open and close the passage. Thus, there is no portion such as an opening and closing plate on which the medicine remains, thereby preventing a gap in which the medicine remains from being formed in the hopper, and preventing the medicine from easily remaining in the hopper.

Abstract: A paint supply method supplies a paint into a paint cartridge by using a filling valve that has: a paint supply channel that is linkable in communication with a supply portion provided for supplying the paint into the paint cartridge; a branch channel that branches from the paint supply channel near a site of linkage in communication between the supply portion and the paint supply channel; and a trigger valve as an open-close valve of the paint supply channel which is disposed in the paint supply channel upstream of the site of linkage in communication. After a filling liquid is filled into the branch channel, the trigger valve (open-close valve) is opened, and the paint is supplied into the paint cartridge via the paint supply channel.

Abstract: A cartridge discharges paint in a paint chamber from a feed tube by displacing a piston in a tank. A waste liquid adjusting valve located on a downstream side of a waste liquid passage on-off valve and including a throttle passage is provided in a waste liquid passage to be connected to the feed tube. This waste liquid adjusting valve is opened at the time of washing clean the paint chamber and a paint supply passage of the feed tube to widely enlarge the passage cross-sectional area of the waste liquid passage. When paint is replenished into the paint supply passage, the waste liquid adjusting valve uses the throttle passage as a flow passage to narrowly throttle the passage cross-sectional area of the waste liquid passage. The amount of discarded paint which flows out from the feed tube is thereby reduced.

Abstract: A cup transfer device of a vending machine can prevent the cup transfer device, peripheral objects or the device motor from being damaged, even when an abnormal case is encountered, thereby preventing the cup holder from rotating actively. The cup transfer device comprises a cup holder; means for driving the cup holder; and means for selectively controlling power transmitted from the driving means to the cup holder. The driving means comprises a motor and a rotary shaft driven by the motor. The driving control means includes a first clutch disk connected with the rotary shaft for moving in an axial direction; a second clutch disk secured to the cup holder; and a resilient member for urging the first clutch disk toward the second clutch disk.

Abstract: A bottling apparatus has a frame and an endless conveyor element on the frame, having a horizontal working stretch extending in a transport direction through a filling station, and carrying a plurality of holder plates each formed with a row of seats adapted to fit snugly around necks of bottles. Couplings releasably secure the holder plates to the conveyor element with the holder plates spaced in the transport direction along the working stretch and the rows extending transverse to the transport direction. A drive advances the conveyor element stepwise in the transport direction in the working stretch and arrests each of the holder plates in the filling station with the bottles in its seats aligned with the fill tubes. A plurality of stationary upright fill tubes in the filling station above the working stretch are aligned with the seats of the holder plate in the filling station. The plates are lifted in the filling station off the conveyor element to engage the fill tubes down into the respective bottles.

Abstract: This specification discloses a manually operated portion packaging apparatus including an operating handle initiating and actuating each step in a sequence of steps to complete packaging of a portion of a substance such as food. A hand operated handle advances a conveyor carrying containers, causes a film dispenser to dispense sufficient amount of heat sealable film, causes a heated platen to press on a container covered by the film, and actuates a food dispenser and container dispenser. Manually powering such a machine reduces the cost in comparison to electrical powering yet substantially increases efficiency in comparison to manual execution of each step in the portion packaging sequence.