Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving a plurality of component parts of a hypodermic syringe, at least some of which are elongated with one enlarged end, from a plurality of molding machines and for conveying such parts in a programmed manner to a plurality of assembly machines including a plurality of coneyors each having a primary conveyor paths for feeding parts from a molding machine and a plurality of secondary conveyor paths for feeding parts from a primary conveyor path to the assembly machines; diverter means between the primary conveyor path and secondary conveyor path for directing parts to a preselected one of the secondary conveyors and to a preselected assembly machine; isolator means on a primary conveyor path to separate a predetermined number of parts from all other parts and to allow such separated parts to be fed as a group to the diverter means; and orienting means associated with at least some of the primary conveyor path to move elongated parts in a hopper to a position at the input end of

Abstract: A means for precisely depositing containers into a moving nest, with the means being relatively insensitive to the speed of the nest. Each container is positioned over a lug which is driven at the speed of the moving nest and the container is aligned with the nest. When the container and nest are aligned and at the same speed, the container is dropped into the nest.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for transferring cylindrical articles such as glass or metal containers from a position supported on their cylindrical surfaces to a position supported on one of their flat ends. The apparatus includes an intermittently driven feed conveyor for feeding containers between stationary guides which positions the flat ends of containers upon a pair of narrow flat belts trained around annuluses secured to a driven starwheel having equally spaced carriers thereon which move between the guides and push the containers onto a linear upper run of the belts which are driven at a higher arcuate speed than the annuluses for assuring the upper ends of the carriers do not contact and cause the containers to be dislodged from their flat surfaces.

Abstract: A device for supplying bottles to a bottle washing machine which has an inlet and a transfer table in front of the inlet. The transfer table is partitioned into four major compartments which are each subdivided into individual passageways under which there are adjacent conveyor belts or bottles constituting the transfer table. The transfer table surface is inclined by about 4.degree. in the direction in which the bottles flow toward the inlet of the washing machine and this feature, among others, results in reducing the forces generated between bottles that have accumulated in the area from which they are transferred to the washing machine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in production line of foodstuff and other goods which sorts pieces of goods, such as biscuits, continuously supplied, into groups of a predetermined number of pieces each at predetermined intervals. The transfer speed of pieces on an upstream transport path is set to a predetermined constant speed, and the transport speed of pieces at the sorting section is controlled according to a velocity profile consisting of alternately successive cycles of a low speed zone and a high speed zone. Thus, by utilizing the speed difference between the low speed zone and the high speed zone, groups of a specified number of pieces each are formed on the transport plane of the sorting section, and a predetermined interval is provided between adjacent groups of pieces.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for extracting tubular articles from their molds and inserting them into corresponding workpiece holders comprising a first orienting device for delivering the molded tubular articles in their molds to a first conveyer whereupon the axis of each mold and the tubular article therein has been rotated 90.degree., i.e.

Abstract: An erecting device for bottles transported in recumbent position by a rope conveyor rotates the bottles to an upright position and deposits them on an apron conveyor which is positioned at a lower level at the end of the rope conveyor. The erecting device includes a pulley having two outer flanges, a pair of washers between the flanges and a pair of deformable rubber disks between the washers for holding a bottle during rotation from the recumbent to the vertical position. Each outer flange is connected to the rotating pulley axle by a respective intermediate cotter. The cotters are adjustably translatable along the length of the pulley axle such that the spacing between the rubber disks is adjustable to accommodate different bottle dimensions.

Abstract: As a device for straightening of letters and similar flat transported articles upon passage from a free wheeling section with a bottom conveyor belt to a cover belt section, whereby the letters are transported upright on a lengthwise edge and generally at the transition to the cover belt section are shifted in the vertical direction between the side belts of the free wheeling section by running against the bottom belt, a guide plate is provided at either side in the letter displacement zone, the plate has a step extending parallel in the direction of transport of the side belts and has a width equalling the thickness of a side belt, for the purpose of avoiding tearing of the letter flaps. The guide plates extend to the upper edge of the side belts and, by the flutter-free movement of the side belts, achieve a smooth sliding of the letters between the side belts.

Abstract: A plastic cutlery feeder for receiving a backlog of cutlery items from a source and for feeding individual items in proper orientation and proper phase to a flighted conveyor of a wrapping machine. The backlogged items are received in a vertically oriented position by the cutlery feeder which changes the items to a horizontal orientation with a single item supplied to each flight of the wrapping machine conveyor.

Abstract: An inverter adapted to gently invert multi-cell moulds used in a brick making machine includes a first carrier for transporting a mould through a first arcuate path, a second carrier for transporting a mould through a second arcuate path to cause inversion of the mould, and means for transferring a mould from the first to the second carrier. When the inverter is in use, the cumulative effect of transporting a mould through said first and second arcuate paths is to cause inversion of the mould without subjecting the mould to undue shock loads and to accurately locate the mould for subsequent operations thereon. The first and second carriers preferably include pairs of holders rotating synchronously in opposite directions.

Abstract: The device comprises a disc interposed between a first station, supplied with articles by means of a first conveyor, and a second station, positioned downstream of the first station, in the region of the initial part of a second conveyor.To one side of the said disc are articuled a plurality of transfer means angularly equidistant with respect to one another, each of which provided with a square shaped element that is turned towards the outside of the disc and the spatial orientation of which is entrusted to corresponding regulating means.

Abstract: Univeral conveying apparatus and method for automated inspection and classification of a variety of natural or man made product classes, having various geometrical configurations, e.g. spheroidal, spherical, cylindrical, parallelepiped, disc and plate shaped objects, or massive and hollow amophous objects. Incorporating a plurality of sensors interfaced to a plurality of microcomputers, measuring different product features, while predetermined combinations thereof are used for separating the objects or products, into a plurality of categories. Part of the sensors are stationary, while another part thereof are located and rotating on revolving inverter wheels. The stationary and rotating sensor groups are interfaced respectively to one or more stationary or rotating microcomputers, attached to the inverter wheels. The revolving and stationary microcomputers are electrically interconnected via slip rings, on the shafts on the inverter wheels.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring a lithographic plate (S) from a horizontal conveyor (10) to an overhead conveyor (14) comprises has an elevator (19) in the form of a pair of endless chains (20) travelling around an endless vertical path. The chains (20) carry opposed hooks (22) for engaging a folded end portion (S1) of a lithographic plate and supporting the plate therebetween as the chain conveys the plate to a plate bed (24) on which the plate is deposited and which presents the plates to the overhead conveyor. Guide rails (23) are provided for guiding the hooks apart as the plate is deposited on the plate bed. A pair of elevators (19) may be provided to supply the lithographic plate to either one of a pair of overhead conveyors (14) depending upon the orientation with which the plate is supplied to the apparatus.

Abstract: A device is provided for transferring a lithographic plate (S) from a horizontal conveyor (1) to an overhead conveyor (25). The transfer device has orienting means (2) for receiving a transversely extending lithographic plate from the horizontal conveyor (1) and positioning a folded over end portion (12) of the lithographic plate in the path of a hook member (13) carried by an endless chain (30) of an elevator (3), so that the plate (S) is lifted into a vertical position and then deposited on a positioning bed (4). An upper part (23) of the bed (4) is pivotable by a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder (22) to position the end portion (12) of the plate (S) inwardly of the locus of the hook member (13) as the hook member passes around a lower sprocket wheel (15) of the elevator, so that the hook member passes by without again picking up the lithographic plate.

Abstract: In an apparatus for preparing absorbent pad lined packaging trays, means sense the tail end of a liner supply that is to be discarded, determines and cuts off the length thereof, withdraws the cut off length from the line of machine operation and feeds into such line the lead position of a fresh liner supply. Other means denest a supply of flanged trays to be pad lined by at least two denesters that comprise synchronized, vertically oriented rotary bodies that during parts of a single rotation each have a bottom laterally extending plate that supports the bottom-most tray of a stack, an upper laterally extending plate that supports at tray flanges the next in line tray to be denested an a laterally extending, vertically inclined cam plate that is adapted to ride on the upper flange surface of a tray that is in the process of being denested to thereby forcibly eject same.

Abstract: A conveyor system for conveying planar panels in single file. The conveyor system can be used for receiving panels from bulk storage to a workstation. The conveyor system includes a conveyor belt apparatus located to receive the panels at its upstream end from the bulk supply device. A panel turning device is located at the downstream discharge end of the conveyor device for receiving the panels from the conveying device and redirecting them into the inlet end of a chute. An accumulative device is located over the conveyor to maintain a steady supply of panels to the chute. A photo cell control at the chute controls the number of spacers stacked in end-to-end relationship in the chute.

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: Conveyor apparatus for changing the orientation and/or velocity of the objects being conveyed.

Abstract: A transporting apparatus having a main transport path and a plurality of incoming paths extending from the main transport path. Cases, each having a cover, are transported in the main path, with their covers facing to the right of the main transport path. A case-outlet section and a case-orienting mechanism are provided on each of the incoming paths. The case-orientating mechanism rotates a case such that the case is oriented, with its cover facing upward, when it is removed from the case-outlet section. Every case-orientating mechanisms rotates an article in the same direction, whether it is provided on an incoming path located on the right of the main transport path, or on an incoming path located on the left of the main transport path.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying continuous corrugated elongated members having a conveying belt which conveys the corrugated members in the longitudinal direction thereof, a rotor which has open slots for receiving the corrugated members and which is rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of the rotor, a driving device for intermittently rotating the rotor, a transferring device for forcing the corrugated members fed by the conveying device into the open slots, a plurality of cartridges having grooves for receiving the corrugated members, a carrier for intermittently carrying the cartridges in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a pusher for pushing the corrugated members received in the open slots of the rotor out of the open slots into the receiving grooves of the cartridges.

Abstract: A transfer mechanism cooperates with an envelope insertion machine and a postage metering machine to transfer an envelope between the insertion and postage metering machines while rotating the envelope 180.degree. and weighing the envelope such that the metering machine applies proper postage thereto. A drive mechanism allows independent control of rollers for transferring an envelope into a transfer cage of the transfer mechanism, rotation of the cage and subsequent reverse rotation of the rollers to discharge the envelope. Braking and locking devices are provided with the drive mechanism to ensure proper position of the cage. The cage is constructed to receive an envelope in either of opposite ends.

Abstract: Oblong articles such as sanitary pads moving in the direction of their length dimension are deposited on article carriers at the lower level of an ascending run of an input closed loop chain conveyor with corresponding one sides of the articles facing up. There are means for pivoting the carriers laterally at the upper level of the run to initiate turning of the articles about the line along which they are being conveyed. They turn 90.degree. by the time they land on the paddles or carriers of an adjacent output conveyor which has a run descending from said upper level to a lower level so the articles which have been turned are also inverted when they complete their descent.

Abstract: The tubular body is laid in a horizontal position on a tapered suction drum and pivoted thereby into a vertical axis which is in coaxial relationship with the axis of a mandrel with a punch. The tubular body is then pushed from the surface of the suction drum on to the mandrel by a thrust member. The mandrel and/or the die is mounted displaceably in a vertical direction, which permits particularly stable and precise guidance. A plurality of dies with mandrels and punches associated therewith is disposed on a rotary member. In the course of a revolution of the rotary member, the tubular body on the mandrel is connected to a squeeze moulding in the die.

Abstract: In this printing machine, which is of the type comprising a horizontal printing station and, in vertical alignment with the latter, an exchange station, there are two transfer arms which are disposed at 90.degree. relative to each other, one on each side of a rotation axis inclined at 45.degree. which is common to them, in a plane containing the latter, and which occupy alternately a vertical position at the exchange station and a horizontal position at the printing station, and the holding means equipping each of these transfer arms for grasping an object to be printed comprises at least one clamp the two branches of which are each provided at their free end with a jaw adapted to encircle at least partially, in conjunction with the jaw of the other one, an object of this kind.

Abstract: Collation of folded printed signatures or sheets is accomplished by a rotating collating cylinder or rotary collator which is rotatably driven about its longitudinal axis of revolution. The rotary collator comprises a plurality of collating conveyors arranged substantially parallel to this longitudinal axis. These collating conveyors are substantially annularly positioned about this longitudinal axis and extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rotary collator. The folded printed signatures or sheets are fed or conveyed by three feeding conveyors or infeed devices and are deposited to straddle the collating conveyors or the respective folded printed signatures or sheets already straddling the collating conveyors. The folded printed signatures or sheets are displaced in the direction of conveyance of the rotary collator while revolving about the longitudinal axis of the rotary collator.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming article groups each consisting of a plurality of edgewise upright oriented, generally flat stacked articles, includes a first conveyor for individually advancing the articles in a lying orientation; a second conveyor for receiving the articles from the first conveyor and for depositing the articles individually on a gathering channel in an edgewise upright orientation; a first article group shifting unit for periodically forming one group of articles of predetermined number from articles accumulating on the gathering channel as deposited by the second conveyor and for individually advancing that group on the gathering channel away from the second conveyor; a second article group shifting unit forming a second group of articles of predetermined number from articles accumulating on the gathering channel as deposited by the second conveyor, and simultaneously advancing the first and second groups on the gathering channel to a discharge end thereof.

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: An improved packaging apparatus includes a linear conveyor belt above which there is mounted an automatic reciprocating turning device which turns flat elements moved by the conveyor. At the end of travel of the conveyor, there is a clamp loader which presses the flat elements and transfers them from a horizontal position to a vertical position, dropping them in this position onto a horizontal dual conveyor, whereby they are displaced with an intermittent forward movement. The elements are faced in pairs and grouped in quantitatively scheduled packages, until they are deposited on a roller table to group various laterally faced packages and to obtain a scheduled volume for the packaging thereof. The upper belt of the horizontal dual conveyor moves at the same speed as the belts below it and maintains the members forming the package in a vertical 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 board is held in fixed position on a board conveyer, and placed into an upright state with the board conveyer to position the upper or leading edge of the raised board always at a predetermined height.

Abstract: A device for feeding and orienting cigarette packets includes a driven wheel 10 having a plurality of rearwardly directed resilient members, such as spring arms 12, mounted on the periphery of the wheel. Packets P are fed to the wheel down a twisted chute 20, and they leave from an outlet 23 under the wheel, where the packets are pushed out by the spring arms 12 to form a short stack. At the bottom of the stack each packet is transported away in a regular manner by a flighted horizontal conveyor 27.

Abstract: The invention relates to an insertion flap for guiding letters during their insertion into the compartments of a rotary drum. It is a question of the axial insertion into the compartment of a drum rotating at an angular velocity .OMEGA. of a letter arriving at speed v. For this purpose, a flap takes up the letter at the interface between the conveying system and the drum and the flap pivots in the rotation direction of the drum at the same angular velocity as the latter and consequently accompanies the latter, whilst increasing the available insertion time before suddenly returning to its initial position for recommencing a new cycle. This makes it possible to compensate rapid speed fluctuations of the drum and bench, whilst a calculation of the departure time for each letter makes it possible to compensate the slow speed fluctuations of the drum and bench.

Abstract: An inner lead bonder for bonding dies to leads of carrier tape with improved positional accuracy and improved work efficiency. In the inner lead bonder, dies are fed to a die positioning spot one at a time and positioned. Then, said positioned die is carried to a bonding position. On the other hand, leads of a carrier tape are fed to the bonding position and positioned at the spot above the aforesaid die. Thereafter, the leads of the carrier tape are pressed onto the die and bonded by using a bonding tool. This inner lead bonder is characterized in that it includes a rotary table with the size covering the die positioning point and the bonding position, and after positioning the die on the rotary table, the rotary table is rotated in order to bring the die positioned as mentioned above to the bonding position to place the die at a proper position for bonding.

Abstract: A machine for collating signatures has a pair of side-by-side gathering chains as well as feeding apparatus along the chains, with each feeding apparatus being adapted to open signatures and deposit them on the chain along that apparatus, so that the signatures accumulate on the chain in a saddle format. The compiled signatures are trimmed as they pass along the chain, and at the end of the chain they are discharged into a layup unit where they are turned from a vertical disposition to a horizontal disposition. The layup unit has at the end of each gathering chain a pair of high friction belts which come together at a nip into which the chains project the compiled signatures. The belts grip the compiled signatures near the folds in those signatures and move the depending portions of the signatures against and over a bar which deflects the depending portions laterally and into a horizontal disposition.

Abstract: A spacing and transport apparatus for cigarette packs 10 includes a linear feed conveyor 11, a first rotary wheel 15 having peripheral depressions 25 for spacing the packs and conveying them along a first quadrant, a second rotary wheel 16 having peripheral arms 40 for further spacing the packs and conveying them along a second quadrant, and a linear discharge conveyor 17. The depression entrances are contoured to minimize pack impact, which is further reduced by oscillating the feed conveyor outlet in synchronism with the arrival of the depressions.

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: Article feeding apparatus includes a series of equally spaced pushers for advancing along a platform a procession of sweets or the like lying flat on the platform. The platform has a downwardly extending ramp and as the sweets travel down the ramp they are turned through 90.degree. to an erect position under control of one or more restraining fingers which move in timed relationship with the pushers. A further turnover device may be provided for turning the erected sweets through a further 90.degree..

Abstract: A device for mainpulating and orienting elongate tubular stock receives such stock in a horizontal position, separates and individually spaces such stock, reorients it vertically and transfers it to associated equipment. Elongate stock is manually loaded onto a horizontal bed from packing containers or other supply means unrelated to the invention. Guide wheels separate and horizontally juxtapose the stock in a single-file horizontal row. A chain conveyor then individually engages each piece of stock, and lifts and rotates it generally about one end into a vertical position. The stock is then transferred horizontally as necessary, to associated equipment. The elongate stock may be cylindrical such as glass tubes or rods or define various cross-sections such as triangular, square or polygonal.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling objects such as container lids utilizes a separator assembly comprising a downwardly extending chute having an essentially L-shaped cross-section, for the rotation of the lids from a vertical disposition, to a horizontal disposition upon their ejection on to a horizontal conveyor or the like. An endless, movable platform is adjacent the chute and is adapted for downward movement in a line of travel that is essentially parallel and inboard of the chute. A plurality of cleats are mounted on the movable platform, and sweep through the channel within the chute, to urge the container lids to enter and make full traverse without jamming of the assembly, or damage to the lids. The present assembly is capable of high speed operation with minimal jamming and container lid damage.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming groups of upright-oriented, stacked articles includes a supply conveyor for advancing the articles in a flat-lying, spaced relationship, a conveyor wheel and transfer pushers pivotally secured to the conveyor wheel in a circular array. The transfer pushers extend outwardly from the wheel and are arranged for consecutively lifting off flat-lying articles from the supply conveyor and for conveying the articles in a curvilinear path from an upstream end to a downstream end thereof. A guiding mechanism imparts a pivotal motion to the transfer pushers during their travel along the curvilinear path.

Abstract: Dry offset printing apparatus for high speed printing on cylindrical objects fed either horizontally or vertically to the printer, which comprises a three-roller system including a single roll ink-metering system, plate cylinder and blanket or print roll. The ink roll is provided with a relatively soft, smooth elastomeric surface as is also the offset print roll blanket. A doctor blade is configured and oriented with respect to the ink roll to meter a uniformly even, thin film of ink onto the roll. Means are provided for evenly distributing the ink film on the ink roll in both horizontal and vertical embodiments of the printer. Means are also provided to prevent excessive ink buildup on print roll when skips occur at the printing station. Rotary transfer means are provided for positively feeding the cylindrical objects to the printer at high speeds in either horizontal or vertical orientation.

Abstract: A device for piling up flat workpieces especially box blanks characterized by a conveyor for transporting the box blanks in at least one stream of staggered blanks, a device for braking and separating the blanks in each stream of box blanks, a device for removing box blanks having contingent flaws from the conveyor, a piling device for forming piles of box blanks from the stream of blanks in the conveyor, a removing device for removing the piles of box blanks created in the piling device, a device for creating batches of box blanks standing on their edges from the piles and a device for transferring the piles of box blanks in an aligned fashion to the device for creating the batches. In particular the device for conveying includes a plurality of conveyors aligned one after the other in the direction of transport with the last conveyor in the direction of transport being pivotable around the drive roller and being part of the device for rejecting box blanks having contingent flaws.

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: An indexable rotary cylindrical magazine has part pockets around the periphery parallel to the magazine axis. A guide supplies parts end-to-end to an entrance end of a pocket in a loading position. A reciprocable feed finger engages the downstream end of any part in a pocket at the loading position to index the magazine to the next pocket only if the part is substantially completely received in that pocket at the loading position. Stripper prongs remove the parts from the filled pockets and supply them side-by-side into a part chute. A utilization machine such as a planetary thread rolling machine has a feed mechanism to receive parts from the chute exit and feed them into the threading area. The feed mechanism has feed-in, retract and a dwell range and the parts have approximately twice the length of time to be received in a pocket at the loading position as the time duration of said dwell range.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring, in a substantially uniform manner, a plurality of shaped objects, such as tablets, from a hopper adapted to contain a plurality of the tablets to a conveyor system for subsequent processing comprising a transfer drum in rotary arrangement relative to the hopper, adapted to receive the tablets within a plurality of peripherally spaced cavities having a substantially radially aligned pocket and a communicating, substantially longitudinally aligned pocket, a guide for re-orienting the tablets from the substantially radial orientation in which the tablets are received by the cavities, to a substantially longitudinal direction, and carriers operatively associated with the conveyor system to receive the substantially longitudinally oriented tablets in a substantially longitudinal orientation. Also the method.

Abstract: The basic structure of the tray of the invention is specially designed to be produced in a high speed hot polystyrene foam press (such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,611) and the invention matches the production rate of this basic tray structure by a method and apparatus which denests the press product to effect its conversion in a horizontal serial fed chain conveyor operation, to absorbent pad lined trays, this operation automatically concluding with recompacting the finished product in a horizontal column delivered onto a counter for manual packaging.

Abstract: This invention relates to a machine which receives ballpoint pen barrel assemblies in bulk form, feeds these barrel assemblies in single-file order and orients them over a preassembled refill, spring and cap assembly which is carried along a predetermined path.

Abstract: Cleaned bottles, as from a bottle washing machine, travel along a path carried by conveyor in a predetermined orientation evenly spaced, one bottle from another. The carrier moves the bottles from a generally horizontal position to a position approaching the vertical at which time the bottle will slide out of its usual receptacle. At the bottle discharge point, a rotatable generally helical structure is provided made of spaced rods and this device carries one or more shoes, each shoe arriving at the specified point in time with the discharge of a given bottle from the arrangement of bottles in the bottle carrier. Guided by the shoe, the bottle then is lowered by the helical structure to land in an upright position on a receiving platform. The generally helical structure is so arranged that after a bottle is deposited on its platform, the rod structure, or similar structure pushes the bottle outwardly away from the machine onto its receiving conveyor.

Abstract: A method and a machine for continuously transferring starting sheets for the electrolytic refining of metals, particularly copper, from the horizontal into the vertical position for introduction into a stand in which the starting sheets are stored for subsequent suspension at equal intervals in the electrolytic refining baths, the sheets being taken up by their cathode bars and being advanced continuously at a substantially uniform speed along a path of movement which changes continuously from the horizontal to the vertical and are successively raised over the transition in the path of movement from the horizontal to the vertical.

Abstract: An items handler for successively handling a horizontal row of items in an intermittent or indexing, controlled dimension motion. The handler includes structure defining a movement direction change station and receiving structure for receiving a horizontal row of items thereon and lengthwise advancing the row of items along a predetermined path toward the aforementioned station. Structure for successively engaging items advanced toward the station is provided and for laterally shifting the endmost item in the row of items advanced toward the station. Second receiving structure is provided for successively receiving and stationarily supporting items laterally shifted by the items engaging and shifting structure and discharge structure is provided for successively discharging items received by the second receiving structure. The discharge structure includes features thereof operative to downwardly discharge, by gravity, items from said second receiver structure.