Abstract: A method of sorting articles having major and minor surfaces such that they normally assume a position presenting one major surface against a support surface and an opposed major surface spaced from said support surface wherein the articles are aligned on a support surface and advanced in a guided single file past a discriminating means which alters the path of advance of those articles having a first given orientation of its major surface relative to the guide means. The articles of the opposite major surface orientation relative to the guide means support surface are thus segregated. Both segregated groups of articles can be merged following their orientation to a like major surface relationship to a reference support surface.A turntable imposes centrifugal forces on the articles to be sorted to pass them to a tangential guide chute in single file.

Abstract: An apparatus for orienting halved fruit with the cut sides thereof facing upwardly includes a longitudinally extending vibrating table which is inclined slightly downwardly from the receiving end to the discharge end. The table is provided with longitudinally extending opposed side walls, with a bottom extending therebetween to define a channel along which the fruit translates. In the first, receiving section of the apparatus, the bottom is inclined laterally as well as longitudinally. In the second section, contiguous with the first, a trough narrower than the width of the fruit is disposed generally adjacent to the lower edge of the laterally inclined bottom. The vertical side walls of the trough diverge slightly to increase the width of the trough. In the third section of the apparatus, the bottom is inclined more steeply longitudinally, and the medial side wall of the trough flares outwardly to join one of the side walls of the table.

Abstract: Bobbin handling apparatus including means for feeding bobbins from a supply station in random end orientation to a delivery station for use by a doffing machine. The bobbin handling apparatus is conveniently mounted on the doffing machine, and includes means for sorting bobbins of one end orientation from the other and means to reorient bobbins of the one orientation to the other for presentation to the doffing machine of bobbins of a single orientation. The handling apparatus includes a bobbin supply box adapted to be manually positioned on and removed from the apparatus immediately above floor level, thereby requiring minimum physical effort.

Abstract: Bottle orienting apparatus for orienting successively advancing bottles of shoulder-and-neck construction with at-random neck-leading and neck-trailing dispositions into a train of bottles of only neck-trailing disposition, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a guide system for advancing the bottles in the at-random neck-leading and neck-trailing dispositions and a discriminating system for inverting each of the bottles of neck-leading disposition to a neck-trailing disposition, the guide system being upstream of and communicating with the discriminating system. Associated with the discriminating system is a system for accelerating the bottles away from the discriminating system toward a bottle processing station at which the bottles are filled or otherwise treated.

Abstract: This invention relates to guide apparatus for use in article conveying machines such as bottle handling machines wherein bottles are conveyed on a conveyor in a co-mingled mass to guide apparatus for aligning the bottles in parallel rows to be conveyed in rows. The guide apparatus comprises a pair of outside guide rails and at least one intermediate guide rail having an inclined leading edge for positioning tilted bottles to an upright position while being moved by the conveyor, and a wedging device carried by the intermediate guide rail for separating the bottles into parallel aligned rows between the guide rails.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating a generally rectangular array of containers into a single file line of similarly oriented single file containers. The array is comprised of a plurality of rectangular containers, some having transverse orientations and some having longitudinal orientations. The method of the invention includes advancing all the containers of the array into a number of lines of advancing containers, turning the containers with transverse orientations to longitudinal orientations, and converging the various transversely spaced and longitudinally oriented containers into a single file line of longitudinally oriented containers. The apparatus for practicing the invention may include a number of successive conveyor stations each having various conveyor means such as belts or rollers which sequentially advance the containers generally in a longitudinal path of movement.

Abstract: A method of turning a plurality of stackable cups to a position where the cups repose on their open and wider ends, the cups having a height which is less than the greatest diameter of the cups at their open ends, in which the cups are taken to a first zone on a continuously forwardly driven conveyor belt randomly assuming a position reposing on their bottom ends, reposing on their open ends or lying on one side. The cups are then moved through a second zone where those cups which are lying on one side are raised to a position where they repose on their open ends. Next, the cups are moved through a third zone where those cups reposing on their bottom ends are tipped over to a position where they repose their open ends. Finally, the cups are collected into a row and arranged after each other and led to a zone where the cups not reposing with their open ends on the belt are removed from the belt, whereafter the cups reposing on their open ends are led in a row to a position for stacking.