Abstract: A container carrying apparatus capable of carrying out containers at high speed with reliability wherein the container is filled with juice, etc. and is manufactured by a filling and packaging apparatus, particularly by a high speed filling and packaging apparatus. The containers are carried out by the container carrying apparatus comprising an intermittent driving container carriage conveyor which nips each container at front and rear portions thereof in a carrying direction while each container having a top and a bottom is carried in an upside down state, and which is movable in a direction crossing at right angles with the carrying direction, a cylindrical guide member extending in a direction crossing at right angles with the conveyor, a guide rod provided in the cylindrical guide member, and a pressing member for discharging containers from the conveyor and pressing containers in the cylindrical guide member.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a cylinder housing a rotary scroll Tubular preforms are fed into the cylinder in an upright state and displaced along the cylinder by a fin of the scroll. A spring mounted on the fin engages each preform in turn and inverts it. The inverted preforms are then driven over a series of nozzles discharging ionised gas to purge the preforms of debris. The preforms are then discharged.

Abstract: A blow molding apparatus configured to receive plastic parisons and output blow molded containers including a support frame and a parison conveyor attached to the support frame and having a plurality of parison supports and a drive mechanism for driving the parison supports in a stepped movement circuit, advancing the parison supports by a curvilinear distance corresponding to a curvilinear spacing between a preselected number of parison supports. A first parison transfer assembly is adapted to receive the preselected number of the parisons from the parison supports.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for inverting a plurality of plate-like materials to provide for the treatment of plate-like material using techniques that must be applied to the surface from a direction other than from above the material, such as from beneath the material in meniscus coating techniques. The apparatus includes a base, a back attached to the base, a top that is removably attachable to the base for retaining a cassette between the top and the base and retractable material holders attached to the base for engaging and disengaging the plate-like material. In a preferred embodiment, the retractable material holders are in the form of support blocks having notches corresponding the edges of the plate-like material that are reciprocally moved by a side actuator to enable the blocks to engage and disengage the plate-like material.

Abstract: A sheet inverter is used in a method of handling documents, preferably to invert the documents, change them from an in-line configuration to a shingled configuration, and then move them in a direction substantially transverse to the original direction of conveyance of the documents. An inverter shaft is rotatable about a generally horizontal axis and has a plurality of sheet supporting elements, such as rods or bars (such as in an exaggerated generally S-shaped configuration) axially spaced from each other along the shaft, with each sheet supporting element comprising first, second and third portions defining first, second and third closed sides for receipt of a document, and an open fourth side by which the document may enter the elements. A support structure connects each of the sheet supporting elements (either together or individually) to the shaft for rotation with the shaft about its axis.

Abstract: A method and machine whereby two rigid packets, traveling in a first direction parallel to the longer longitudinal axes of the packets, are transferred to the inputs of respective conveyors, one of the two packets being rotated 180.degree. about its longitudinal axis, and the other packet being rotated 180.degree. about an axis crosswise to its longitudinal axis; and the two packets are fed along the respective conveyors in a second direction crosswise to the respective longer longitudinal axes and to the crosswise axis into a position wherein the two packets present a common longitudinal axis, are oppositely oriented along the common longitudinal axis, are rotated 180.degree. in relation to each other about the common longitudinal axis, and are connectable to form a twin packet.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for coating printed circuit boards on both sides are described in which the printed circuit boards are transported through several consecutive processing stations of a coating installation. In a first coating station, one side of the printed circuit boards is wet-coated with preferably UV-hardenable plastics and the printed circuit boards are subjected to vapour-removal and drying in a first vapour-removal and drying station. The printed circuit boards are turned and, in a second coating station, their second side is wet-coated with preferably UV-hardenable plastics and then are subjected to vapour-removal and drying in a second vapour-removal and drying station. The boards are finally transferred from the coating installation to other processing apparatuses for further processing. In the coating operation, the printed circuit boards are transported in opposite directions through the two coating stations which are arranged side by side in two parallel lines of apparatus.

Abstract: A turnover device for turning over products (8), for instance graphic products, comprising a feed conveyor assembly (4) and a discharge conveyor assembly (6) each made up of a number of parallel conveyors arranged side by side with an interspace therebetween, a turnover rack (1) being arranged between the feed and discharge assemblies, which turnover rack comprises outwardly extending product carriers (2) movable through the interspace of the conveyors of the discharge conveyor assembly (6). Provided adjacent the discharge end of the feed conveyor assembly (4) are adjustable decelerating devices (5) for decelerating the products (8) to be turned over and the discharge conveyor assembly (6) comprises a driver (7) for accelerating the turned-over products (8').

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus including dips to turn and tumble items placed on the conveyor. The conveyor apparatus has a conveyor belt configured in a series of dips arranged to insure the turning and tumbling of items placed on the conveyor belt.

Abstract: Bottles to be cleaned are fed in succession to an infeed starwheel from which they are transferred to a rotor on which there are circumferentially spaced apart cam operated bottle inverting devices that grip the bottles and invert them with their mouths over a nozzle that injects cleaning fluid into them. The gripping devices have on them gripper fingers which are V-shaped and are molded, respectively, of a resilient and deflectable synthetic resin such as a polyamide. There is an upper gripper having finger tips spaced apart to engage the neck of a bottle and a lower gripper having finger tips or the like that grip or support the cylindrical body of the bottle.

Abstract: A cigarette filter assembly machine having a first and second succession of side by side, oppositely oriented single cigarettes are fed to a turnover unit wherein, with respect to their original position, the cigarettes in the first succession are turned 180.degree. on to the opposite side of the cigarettes in the second succession to form two successions of equioriented, transversely spaced cigarettes which are fed to an output combining roller along respective spatially distinct paths, one of which is defined, at least partly, by two conical rollers with respective axes parallel to each other.

Abstract: The process and apparatus more particularly relate to the manufacture of printed circuit boards. They are successively treated with a liquid on their top and bottom and intermediately turned over. The boards (23) are horizontally supplied to the turning over station (16) and after turning over are supplied to the station for the treatment of the second side thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides an article flipper comprising a first turnover member mounted to a conveyor frame member for rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular to said frame member, a slot in the turnover member for receiving a side edge of sheets, a stop for arresting sheets with a leading portion of the side edges in the slot, and a rotator for rotating the first turnover member through about 180 degrees. The article flipper may include a second turnover member having a detent or being movable to clamp sheets between it and the first turnover member, or may include a rack and pinion. A belt tensioner which may be used with the article flipper is also provided and comprises a tensioning wheel for engaging the belt, a moveable block including a shaft for mounting the tensioning wheel, and a wedge for urging the block toward the belt.

Abstract: The specification discloses an apparatus for making confectionary or other shell goods by the method of filling a mold with a desired media and then inverting the mold to drain the media from the mold while leaving the mold coated by a layer of the media, thereby forming a hollow shell inside the mold. The mold travels through the apparatus on a conveyor. A sliding table is used to provide a turning point which defines the mechanism by which the mold is inverted. The sliding table receiprocates back and forth between extended and retracted positions along the direction of travel of the conveyor so that the speed of inverting the mold can be increased as the sliding table is retracted or decreased as the sliding table is extended.

Abstract: A system for turning shape steels upside down includes a conveyor adapted to transport shape steels along a line, a shifting device having bars rotatable across the line upwards and downwards for transferring the shape steels from a count-up station to a first tumbling station and at the same time from the first tumbling station to a second tumbling station, intermediate and final lifting devices disposed at the tumbling stations, respectively, such that they are raised and lowered alternately in unison with the shifting device, and in their raised positions cause the shape steels to turn upside down and magnetic means adapted to attract the inverted shape steels located on the final lifting device, so as to transfer them onto a pick-up station before they are delivered to a binding apparatus.

Abstract: The conveyor apparatus is connecting a cutter, by means of which sheet metal blanks are produced in adjacent rows, to the magazine of a can welding apparatus which produces from the sheet metal blanks can bodies. A row of adjacently arranged depositing receptacles for receipt of at least one sheet metal blank each is located along the cutter on a frame. Two conveyor chains having dogs move along the depositing receptacles of which each presents a bottom surface which rises in the direction of transport such that the dogs push the sheet metal blanks from one to the next depositing receptacle and accordingly collect the sheet metal blanks out of all depositing receptacles such to form a pile at the end. Such pile is taken over at the end of the path of transport of the conveyer chains by a further conveyer means in form of elastically supported pawls.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring parisons used for blow moulding and consisting of plastic from a conveying path to a receiving wheel. For this purpose, a transfer wheel is provided which receives the parisons in compartments, turns them through 180.degree. and transfers them in modified orientation to a receiving wheel.

Abstract: A bottle washer removing bottles from a conveyor, rotating them about 360 degrees, and using paddles of extended length and a stationary guide to replace the bottles on the conveyor. The washer may sit over the conveyor transporting the bottles. The conveyor moves the bottles between paddles which will rotate them through a circle of 360 degrees. At the very end of that arc, however, an obstructing guide rail directs the bottles out of the rotational plane to avoid their colliding with the entering bottles. The paddles that move the bottles about the arc have extensions lying in the direction that the conveyor moves. These extensions control the motion of the bottles as they move out of their plane of rotation so that they will return to the conveyor. The bottle washer, to work at greater length upon the bottles, may in fact move the bottles about two circles of approximately 360 degrees each. As the bottles complete the first rotation, the obstructing guide moves them out of the plane of the first rotation.

Abstract: Cylindrical plastic pieces (i.e., preforms) each with a bottom are supplied one by one to jigs circulated through the heating and blowing mold of a biaxial-orientation blow-molding machine. The pieces are formed of polyethylene terephthalate material to obtain transparent thin-walled bottle-shaped containers, and are formed in cylindrical shape each with a semispherical bottom and a prefinished neck portion molded simultaneously in large number by an injection molding machine.

Abstract: A conveyor for turning packages upside down in a very gentle manner in a device which is interposed in line with the feed conveyor and discharge conveyor and conveys the package to the discharge conveyor after the package has been turned over. The conveyor includes a rotatable turning element which receives at least one package, and an intermittent rotational mechanism which tumbles the turning element in rotation. This structure eliminates the need for any mechanism which grips the package in order to turn it.

Abstract: An inverter apparatus for strips of sheet material which are affected by a magnetic field. The apparatus includes a pair of parallel drums which rotate in opposite directions immediately adjacent each other. Mounted within the drums in prescribed and fixed relationship are permanent magnets. A strip adheres to the first drum under the effects of the magnets within and rotates with that drum until it comes between the two drums. At that point the strip enters the field of the magnets in the second drum and departs the field of those in the first whereby it adheres to the second drum. The strip rotates with the second drum until it departs the field of the magnets therein, whereupon the strip drops off the drum in inverted relationship.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming a package of alternately inverted containers, wherein an array of the containers is formed with adjacent containers relatively inverted. In accordance with the invention, a supply of containers is formed into first and second product streams, with each of the containers in the second product stream inverted. The containers are presented by an indexing mechanism to a reciprocating diverting gate mechanism, wherein the forward-most container of each product stream is diverted. In this manner, a pair of further product streams are formed, wherein the containers of each stream are alternately inverted. The containers are subsequently collated for heat-shrink packaging.

Abstract: An alignment and centering device is associated with a carrier having two fork arms and a transverse base to which the rearward ends of the fork arms are attached and which is connected with a conveyor mechanism in a framework with a plate-loading station, and a plate-feeding device therein for advancing plates toward the free fork ends of the fork-shaped carrier in a plate-advancement plane. The alignment and centering device comprises rearward and forward engaging members on an outer wall of each fork arm, facing away from the other fork arm; aligning devices for engaging the rearward engaging members; and forward, centering aligning devices for engaging the forward engaging members on the fork arm after the rearward engaging members have been engaged by the first aligning devices. The alignment and centering device is stationary on the framework and the first and second aligning devices are displaceable therein parallel with the plate-advancement plane.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing on both surfaces of a chip type article comprises first and second transfer paths for transferring the chip type article, an article feed device for feeding the article to the first transfer path, a printing device for printing on the article on the first transfer path and on another article on the second transfer path, an article removing device for removing the printed article on the second transfer path, and an article reversing device for reversing upsidedown the printed article on the first transfer path and for delivering to the second transfer path.

Abstract: Spaced parallel circular tracks rotate 180 degrees on roller bearings. Matching openings through one edge of each track serve to admit a stone or heavy object into a receiving slot. Parallel roller conveyors line the top and bottom faces of the slot. A pivoting swing with a platform across the inside of the slot transfers the stone from one face to the other automatically when the apparatus is rotated. The center of gravity of the loaded turning apparatus coincides with the center of rotation thereby requiring very little turning power. A manual handle or motor drive shaft rotates the gear train to turn the apparatus. Transverse rollers permit entry and exit of the stone at opposite points on the circular track. Longitudinal rollers permit entry and exit of the stone from the same or opposite sides of the apparatus.

Abstract: A system for manipulating articles, such as irregular mailpieces in the U.S. Postal Service mail processing system, receives an agglomeration of parcels into a first subsystem where the parcels are separated and are passed to a second subsystem where each parcel is manipulated until its addressee label is directed upward. The first subsystem includes a plurality of individually rotatable cylindrical rollers which form a support surface for the parcels. The rollers produce translation of a parcel by cooperative motion or separation of parts of a pile of parcels by differential motion. The second subsystem includes a high-friction, flexible conveyor belt which in a first mode supports a parcel and in a second mode forms a downward loop in which a parcel can be rotated and inverted. The parcels in both subsystems are manipulated by a five-axis robotic arm which is responsive to a machine vision system measuring the position and physical characteristics of each parcel.

Abstract: A packaging machine for bodies of the type of soap comprises a drum (1) rotating intermittently by a half turn and having a housing (14) passing diametrically through it, which housing (14) is arranged to permit a block (15) to slide in it and, at each pause of the drum (1), is aligned with a station (2) for the insertion of a body (5) of the above-mentioned type and its associated wrapping element (4) and with an opposite ejection station (3). A reciprocating thrust element (23), carrying out this insertion, is connected by connecting means (26, 32, 34, 36, 22, 16) to cause the block (15) to slide in the housing (14) only during the insertion.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for neatening stacks of thin products, such as sliced luncheon meat, within a processing and packaging operation. The neatening apparatus receives an uneven stack of foodstuff slices that are generally horizontally oriented, and the apparatus reorients the stack of foodstuff slices by rotating them through a generally vertical orientation and to a generally horizontal outfeed orientation. A tamping assembly is adjacent to the reorienting assembly, and the tamping assembly contacts the peripheral edges of the foodstuff slices in order to tamp and shake same to a neatened condition. A generally horizontally oriented outfeed assembly receives the thus neatened stack at the location of generally horizontal outfeed orientation.

Abstract: The machine for wrapping and grouping products of parallelepiped and/or flat shape is of the type in which the individual products are conveyed by a wrapping wheel and wrapped in accordance with the so-called "pointed end" wrapping manner.From said wheel the products pass to a conveying and overturning apparatus to be inverted before reaching a wheel for the formation and transfer of groups constituted by products disposed side-by-side edgewise with their contacting edges in a plane normal to the longitudinal dimension of said groups.This overturning enables the groups to be introduced into the cells of a wrapping wheel with their pointed ends facing the bottom of said cells.

Abstract: A disc turnover device is mounted along a conveyor which supports discs in a flat horizontal position and carries the discs along a horizontal path.The turnover device includes a pair of wheels mounted on opposite sides of the conveyor for rotation about a common axis perpendicular to the path of the conveyor. Each wheel has a plurality of circumferentially spaced pickup arms pivotally mounted at one end on the wheel for pivotation toward and away from the conveyor. Each arm on one wheel is in parallel opposed relation with an arm on the other wheel to provide a plurality of opposed arms. A spring urges each arm toward the conveyor and caming projections move the arm away from the conveyor at selected positions along its path of rotation. A pickup head is mounted on each arm and is slidable longitudinally along the arm. Each head has fingers for engaging and holding the edge of a disc.

Abstract: A device for supplying a cylindrical bottomed preform from an injection molding machine to a biaxial orientation blow molding machine, in which the pieces are conveyed in an upward opening attitude. The pieces are then inverted by an inverting table for inverting the piece from the upward opening to a downward opening attitude. The pieces are horizontally moved into piece guide recesses by an inserting plate and are dropped from the recesses to mandrels of the heat blow molding machine directly under the piece thus conveyed by a stopper plate to assemble the piece thus dropped with the mandrel for the biaxial orientation blow molding process.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing finger jointed lumber from random length boards is disclosed. Adhesive applied to the union of two boards of lumber mated end-to-end in a finger joint union is cured in a rotary bonding assembly including a stator and a rotor. Mounted on the stator assembly are a plurality of electrode plates disposed at equally spaced locations around the stator opening thereby defining a plurality of curing stations. The rotor assembly is mounted for rotation within the stator assembly and includes a plurality of electrode plates disposed at equally spaced locations and in axial alignment with the stator electrode plates. The electrode plates are adapted to conduct radio frequency current through the finger joint union of boards confined between the rotor and stator electrode plates at each curing station.

Abstract: A railway wheel lifter and inverter is provided. A railway wheel enters a receiver device from a wheel conveyor. The receiver device is rotated about a shaft such that the wheel is lifted to a second conveyor and is inverted in the process. A second receiver device is affixed to the same shaft such that a complete lifting and inverting operation is accomplished in a one-half rotation of the shaft.

Abstract: An inverting tow plaiter adapted to position tow onto a receiving end of a main conveyor in a series of overlying laps oriented to permit trouble-free removal of tow from the main conveyor discharge end. The plaiter comprises a continuous, moving canvas belt positioned above the main conveyor constrained to follow the downwardly extending semi-circular path, and a stationary housing spaced from the belt to define with the belt a curved chute of narrowing cross-section. The chute has a gap width at the chute upper end which is greater than at the chute lower end. Structure for depositing tow onto the canvas belt at the chute upper end in a series of overlying laps which extend transversely across the belt is provided.

Abstract: Apparatus for stacking pads with spiral binders has a reciprocable and pivotable turn-around device which inverts each second pad of a file of equidistant pads before the pads reach a stacking platform. At the stacking station, the pads are arrested by an adjustable stop which locates inverted pads in a first position and the non-inverted pads in a second position so that the binders of successive pads in a growing stack are located at the opposite sides of the stack. The turn-around device is arrested in response to detection of the absence of pads in the path along which the pads move toward the stacking platform by a photocell which further transmits signals to the mechanism for moving the stop so that the absence of one or more pads does not affect the array of pads in the stack on the platform. A level detector monitors the height of the stack on the platform and transmits signals for stepwise lowering of the platform.

Abstract: Apparatus for stacking pads with spiral binders has a reciprocable and pivotable turn-around device which inverts each second pad of a file of equidistant pads before the pads reach a stacking platform. At the stacking station, the pads are arrested by an adjustable stop which locates inverted pads in a first position and the non-inverted pads in a second position so that the binders of successive pads in a growing stack are located at the opposite sides of the stack. The turn-around device is arrested in response to detection of the absence of pads in the path along which the pads move toward the stacking platform by a photocell which further transmits signals to the mechanism for moving the stop so that the absence of one or more pads does not affect the array of pads in the stack on the platform. A level detector monitors the height of the stack on the platform and transmits signals for stepwise lowering of the platform.

Abstract: A machine for the distribution of sheets comprises first and second conveyors, the first conveyor receiving groups of sheets and being drivable in directions toward or away from the second conveyor and the second conveyor being drivable in a direction away from the first conveyor, a control system for driving the second conveyor only when a group of sheets reaches it from the first conveyor and to stop the second conveyor when the group of sheets has passed over the second conveyor, a vertically movable stop member located above the second conveyor between a lowered position for stopping a group of sheets so as to form them into a layer and a raised position, the stop member being also movable along the second conveyor, the control system controlling the vertical movement of the stop member and movement of the first conveyor to move sheets away from the second conveyor when a layer of sheets has been formed on the latter.

Abstract: Apparatus for rotationally transferring the set-up carton shells to carton filling and closing apparatus. Means is provided at a suitable one of the stations for applying adhesive to side flap portions of the folded blanks to retain their set-up modes as tubular carton shells.

Abstract: Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles, especially cigarettes, includes parallel conveyors for streams of articles and two transfer conveyors which together re-orientate articles in one stream for combination with articles in the other stream. The transfer conveyors each convey articles on a curved path having a substantially vertical axis and include guide means for elevating the outer ends of the articles on the path. In another arrangement parallel opposed conveyors deliver articles to a downwardly-extending junction provided with retractable conveyor bands which may initially extend across the junction to aid filling. The stream on one of the opposed conveyors may be delivered from a further parallel conveyor by a rotary disc transfer conveyor which turns articles through 180 degrees for delivery to the one conveyor. The apparatus is particularly useful for tip-turning of cigarettes at the exit on a filter cigarette assembling machine.

Abstract: A device for supplying a piece of preformed synthetic resin to the next process line in an apparatus for producing a bottle-shaped blow-molded container of biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate by overturning the piece from neck portion upward position into neck portion downward position, engaging the piece thus overturned to neck portion downward position with orienting jigs held at equidistant central angles at the peripheral edge of a turntable rotating at constant speed in predetermined direction, and supplying the piece held at the jigs around the turntable to a next process line adjacent to the turntable. Thus, the pieces can be continuously rapidly and exactly supplied to the next stage or line.

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: Apparatus for stacking pads with spiral binders has a reciprocable and pivotable turn-around device which inverts each second pad of a file of equidistant pads before the pads reach a stacking platform. At the stacking station, the pads are arrested by an adjustable stop which locates inverted pads in a first position and the non-inverted pads in a second position so that the binders of successive pads in a growing stack are located at the opposite sides of the stack. The turn-around device is arrested in response to detection of the absence of pads in the path along which the pads move toward the stacking platform by a photocell which further transmits signals to the mechanism for moving the stop so that the absence of one or more pads does not affect the array of pads in the stack on the platform. A level detector monitors the height of the stack on the platform and transmits signals for stepwise lowering of the platform.

Abstract: A pan inverting apparatus comprises an input endless belt and an output endless belt, between which a revolving pan wheel is positioned. The pan wheel includes a plurality of transverse pan receivers opening radially outward to define the circumference thereof. Each pan to be inverted is guided into engagement with the input endless belt and against a movable stop. The stop is synchronized with rotation of the pan wheel to selectively release each pan for chambering into one of the pan receivers for rotation by the pan wheel. After approximately one-half revolution of the pan wheel, the inverted pans are individually engaged by the output endless belt for advancement out of the pan receivers. In the preferred embodiment, cushioning within the pan receivers helps to secure the pans and reduce noise. Preferably, magnets are located subjacent to the input and output endless belts to promote positive frictional engagement with the pans.

Abstract: This rotary plate is of the type comprising reversal heads capable of rotating through half a revolution during a complete revolution of the plate in the opposite direction, with a view to taking up an object such as a filter-tipped cigarette and placing such an object or cigarette after having caused it to rotate through half a revolution.Each of the reversal heads 13a effects, in relation to plate 13, no other movement but its rotation, axis Za of this rotation forming with rotational axis Z of plate 13 an angle .alpha. whose tangent is greater than the ratio d/.DELTA. of the diameter d of the objects or cigarettes to be reversed to the distance .DELTA. separating the rotational axes of two adjacent heads.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for turning over and for transferring a glass bracket from a first conveyor line to a second conveyor line. An end of the first conveyor line is offset both lengthwise and laterally from the beginning of the second conveyor line. The device also provides a means for locating the glass bracket as it is being moved between the two conveyor lines so that it can be positioned in a precise location on the second conveyor line.

Abstract: An industrial washing machine for washing each of a continuous flow of production components in turn has a group of jets mounted in a respective manifold casing at each of one or more washing stations. Each manifold casing is hinged to fixed structure and is held in abutment with a locator stop by a toggle lever latch. Each jet is precisely located in position for use by the combination of the respective locator stop and hinge and can be swung from that position when the respective latch is released in order to facilitate access to the jets for cleaning and/or access to a production component which is supported at the respective washing station for cleaning so that, if such a production component should be displaced, relocation is facilitated. The jets in each manifold casing have a smaller diameter and longer bore than do the remaining jets in the washing section of the machine.

Abstract: A bottle rinser having a linear path for carried bottles has closely spaced bottle carriers on a lug chain, the carriers receiving the bottles in upright position and being pivoted in a plane perpendicular to the path of chain movement to invert the bottles and carry them over rinse means, then slightly tip the bottles from fully inverted position to aid in draining, and finally being pivoted to restore the bottles to upright position for unloading. The carriers are of stamped and formed construction with an elastomer retainer for simple operation and allowing good bottle exposure for external rinse. Guide rods positioned near the lug chain control carrier pivoting.

Abstract: Successive filter cigarettes of two rows of parallel cigarettes are admitted into pairs of parallel aligned flutes on a rotating drum. The first flute of each pair is rotated through 180.degree. and is moved radially outwardly about an axis which is normal to and crosses in space with the drum axis. The second flute of each pair is thereupon moved radially outwardly between the neighboring inverted flutes by a pivot member which is parallel to the drum axis whereby the cigarettes in the first and second flutes form a single row and can be transferred seriatim directly into successive flutes of a rotary testing drum.

Abstract: Packaging machinery for alternately inverting, collecting and grouping tapered objects in suitable quantities for packaging is disclosed. Two or more lines of containers proceed in parallel, one line remaining upright while an adjacent line is inverted in a turnover unit. Where the tapered objects are containers of products, great care and delicate handling are needed to avoid spillage or leakage. The turnover units accomplish the careful inversion of containers by indexing each container to be inverted through a radial path. Along the path the containers are first supported by carrying plates contacting the bottoms of the containers, then by the member forming the radial path, and finally by succeeding support plates contacting the tops of the containers. The adjacent line or lines of upright containers proceed in parallel with those passing through the turnover unit and a shuttling carriage groups the output of the lines for suitable nesting and arrangement.

Abstract: Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles, especially cigarettes, includes parallel conveyors for streams of articles and two transfer conveyors which together re-orientate articles in one stream for combination with articles in the other stream. The transfer conveyors each convey articles on a curved path having a substantially vertical axis and include guide means for elevating the outer ends of the articles on the path. In another arrangement parallel opposed conveyors deliver articles to a downwardly-extending junction provided with retractable conveyor bands which may initially extend across the junction to aid filling. The stream on one of the opposed conveyors may be delivered from a further parallel conveyor by a rotary disc transfer conveyor which turns articles through 180 degrees for delivery to the one conveyor. The apparatus is particularly useful for tip-turning of cigarettes at the exit on a filter cigarette assembly machine.