Abstract: Articles are conveyed along a singulator conveyor system by being conveyed upwardly along an inclined first conveyor which is inclined at an angle of at least twenty-five degrees, so that any articles disposed atop other articles will fall off. The articles are discharged onto a second conveyor travelling horizontally at a linear speed at least twice that of the first conveyor in a direction substantially perpendicularly to a direction of travel of the first conveyor. The articles are then discharged from the second conveyor onto a third conveyor travelling generally horizontally at a linear speed at least twice that of the second conveyor in a direction substantially perpendicularly to the second conveyor. The articles are discharged from the third conveyor onto a slide which guides the articles downwardly onto a fourth conveyor which travels in the same direction as the third conveyor at the same speed as the third conveyor.

Abstract: An automated separating and packaging system for continuously feeding warp flakes mainly makes use of the funnel-shape guiding plates at each of the front end of two tracks respectively to guide the warp flakes into filling conveyers which have partitions set up. Gravitational forces adjust the direction of the flakes along with the orientation guiding plate which slants downward and possesses concave surfaces and has a prop-up device underneath.

Abstract: A combinational weighing system receives articles sequentially in a plurality of mutually parallel supply lines to be sequentially transported to weighing devices which are individually associated therewith and weigh batches of the articles received therefrom. Combinations of the measured weight values are combined and a particular combination of article batches is selected as having a total weight which satisfies a predefined condition. The article batches in the selected combination are transported in a general direction of flow from the weighing devices to an outlet in mutually different travel modes such that they are automatically aligned one behind another in the direction of flow as they are discharged together through the outlet.

Abstract: Apparatus for transporting documents from two directions includes first direction transporting structure for transporting first documents seriatim over the deck in a first direction, and second direction transporting structure adjacent a downstream end of the first direction transporting structure for seizing control of the first documents and transporting the first documents over the deck in a second direction. The second direction is approximately at a 45.degree. angle to the first direction. A third direction transporting structure is downstream from the second direction transporting structure for transporting the first documents in the third direction as the first documents are released from the control of the second direction transporting structure. The third direction is orthogonal to the first direction. An in-line transport is located upstream from the third direction transporting structure and adjacent a downstream end of the second direction transporting structure.

Abstract: A transport system for mutually independent caddies carrying bobbins or bobbin tubes and having base plates, includes one transport path and another transport path entering the one transport path at a converging point. Moving surfaces, in particular surfaces of conveyor belts, carry the caddies along the transport paths by frictional engagement, with the caddies standing on the base plates. At least one additional contact surface is disposed at the converging point for touching a caddy passing through the converging point and imposing an additional motion component upon the caddy.

Abstract: An arrangement for converting a multi-track container stream supplied by a feed mechanism into a plurality of parallel container rows in a withdrawal mechanism. The container rows are separated from one another by a lane separation or separating elements. A transition zone is provided between the feed mechanism and the withdrawal mechanism. To increase the output and/or to provide a protective processing of the containers, a lane separation formed by lanes is already provided at the transition zone. In particular, the width of each lane in the transition zone has a conveying width that corresponds to a multi-track container stream yet is several times less than the conveying width of the feed mechanism. Furthermore, the lanes of the transition zone narrow in a direction toward the withdrawal mechanism.

Abstract: A conveying junction includes upstream and downstream conveyors, and an intermediate conveyor which transfers packages from the upstream conveyor to the downstream conveyor. A drop-off zone is located adjacent an outer edge of the intermediate conveyor. The upstream conveyor has a greater width than each of the downstream and intermediate conveyors, and the width of the intermediate conveyor is less than one-half the width of the downstream conveyor. This tends to ensure that the downstream conveyor receives only packages arranged in single file and having a width less than the width of the downstream conveyor, in order to minimize the risk of jams occurring in downstream turns of the conveyor system. A driven roller can be disposed adjacent and below the outer edge of the intermediate conveyor to accelerate the discharge of the packages.

Abstract: A conveyor is provided for producing a single file from a mass of articles comprising a conveyor surface, an article engager for engaging articles in the mass and transporting a single file of them off of the conveyor surface, and a guide rail mounted along the conveyor surface, the guide rail including a shifting portion for shifting articles toward the article engager, and a pressure relieving portion for relieving some of a back pressure on articles.

Abstract: A receiver unit for a pneumatic distribution system for rod-like articles, particularly cigarette filter rods, includes multiple vertically spaced devices (10) each of which receives axially moving rods and transfers them into a transversely-moving stream, the streams from the devices extending in different directions and being subsequently combined in a common junction zone (38, 46) to form a combined stream of increased height. Each device may cooperate with an adjacent channel (166) forming reservoir for rods and including detectors (168, 170) controlling conveyance of the transversely moving steam.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for merging articles on multiple infeed lines into a single outfeed line. The apparatus comprises a frame structure with an infeed end and an outfeed end, and at least two side transfer conveyors, each with a pair of parallel upstanding belts separated a predetermined distance and forming a central conveyance path. The side transfer conveyors are alternately operable to convey a predetermined number of articles to the outfeed end. A guide rail structure is located at the outfeed end and is aligned with the side transfer conveyors to direct output articles into a single line configuration.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for regularly and continuously supplying articles to an evacuation conveyor from at least one feed conveyor. The articles are arranged in successive rows on each feed conveyor and are deposited onto the evacuation conveyor which moves the articles in a single longitudinally extending row. The evacuation conveyor is positioned at an acute angle relative to each of said feed conveyors and each of the article is aligned and moved through an angle on the evacuation conveyor which is substantially complementary to the acute angle. The speeds of the feed and evacuation conveyors are adjusted so that the spacing between the last article in a given row deposited from a feed conveyor onto the evacuation conveyor and the first article in a successively deposited row is substantially the same as the spacing between adjacent articles within any row.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting a multi-row stream of upright articles into a single row comprises a rectilinear supply conveyor provided with guide surfaces, an intermediate conveyor consisting of a rotating surface, a removal conveyor, and a frame-fixed guide surface which, in the direction of rotation of the rotating surface, extends spirally outwardly and intercepts the articles. The rotating surface of the intermediate conveyor is a planar disc. Between the supply conveyor and the intermediate conveyor, two parallel guide surfaces are provided. One of the guide surfaces extends in an arc opposite to the spiral arc of the frame-fixed guide surface in a direction towards the center of the disc, and thereafter merges into the spiral arc of the fixed frame guide surface.

Abstract: A mass-producing filter tipping machine wherein two coaxial plain cigarettes of unit length are simultaneously severed to yield pairs of coaxial plain cigarettes of unit length which are moved apart to provide spaces for filter mouthpieces of double unit length. The filter mouthpieces are connected with the respective pairs of cigarettes of unit length by adhesive-coated uniting bands, and the resulting filter cigarettes of double unit length are subdivided into a series of formations of four coaxial filter cigarettes of unit length each wherein first and second outer filter cigarettes are respectively adjacent first and second inner filter cigarettes.

Abstract: A device for discharging rolled products onto a cooling plate. The device, which cooperates with a tail-brake for braking the discharging rolled products, includes two channels with movable vanes which are selectively opened and closed to selectively release rolled products from the channels. The vanes of both channels are opened and closed by a common actuator system. Closure of the vanes is achieved by positive actuation while opening of the vanes is effected by gravity upon release of the vanes by the actuation system.

Abstract: A vacuum single filer is provided for brining multiple rows of containers into single file at high speeds and over a relatively short distance. This is accomplished by discharging the containers in diagonal rows of three from a slotted dead plate onto a perforated conveyor belt extending over vacuum plenum chambers having slots therein for drawing a vacuum. The slot or slots aligned with the outermost container in each diagonal row draws sufficient vacuum to hold the outer container in fixed position and a deflector is used to direct the other containers into alignment behind the outer container and to slide them laterally across the belt as the belt moves them downstream until they are finally brought into single file alignment. An infeed vacuum conveyor cooperates with the slotted dead plate to arrange the containers in diagonal rows having a precise alignment prior to being picked up by the conveyor belt.

Abstract: An arrangement for converting a multi-track stream of bottles into a single-track stream of bottles. A conversion region is disposed between a feed mechanism that is provided with guide rails, and a withdrawing mechanism that is likewise provided with guide rails. The conversion region comprises a transfer plate and a conveying region of the withdrawing mechanism, with the conveyer belts of the latter being disposed at an angle to the transfer edge of the transfer plate. This transfer plate forms an essentially level transition between the conveyor belts of the feed mechanism and the conveyor belts of the conveying region of the withdrawing mechanism. Guide rails are also associated with the conversion region. These latter guide rails interconnect the guide rails of the feed mechanism and of the withdrawing mechanism. The track width of the transfer plate corresponds to the track width of the feed mechanism, and is disposed downstream of the latter when viewed in the direction of conveying.

Abstract: An orienting and combining device for use with conveyor systems where it is desirable to reduce a random orientation of a plurality of articles into a single file row for further conveying in that form. The device can be attached to existing conveying systems and is comprised of an outer frame structure which positions a plurality of triangular shaped blocks on each side of a conveyor belt. The blocks are offset from one another on opposite sides of the conveyor belt and together define a particular zig-zag course through which the article must pass. The dimensions of the blocks are dependent upon the diameter of the articles being conveyed and will orient the article efficiently and quickly virtually without jamming into a configuration that will easily permit the formation of the single file row.

Abstract: This relates to sheet feeding apparatus of the kind in which sheets following separate first and second belt transport paths are fed into a common belt transport path. At the junction of portions of the paths of belts 5 and 9 which define portions of the first and second belt transport paths, a sheet guide 8 is freely mounted for pivotal movement about the shaft of a roller 20, the guide 8 having surfaces tapering to a leading end which extends towards the meeting point of the belts 5 and 9. One of these surfaces assists in guiding notes from the first path into the third common belt transport path, defined by the belts 5 and 9 upstream of their meeting point and the other of the guide surfaces guides notes arriving from the second belt transport path into the common path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for high-speed processing of fruit or the like wherein the fruit is initially accumulated and aligned at a pick-up point for capture in spaced-apart pockets of a singulation conveyor at the pick-up point to maintain the fruit in predetermined linear spacing and to accelerate the fruit to a predetermined processing speed, a processing conveyor being operated at a synchronized speed relative to the singulation conveyor for receiving the individual units of fruit, the fruit being carried in trays past a sensor station after which the fruit is discharged from the trays into one of a plurality of discharge passages according to the individual characteristics of the fruit units. A preferred construction for accumulating and aligning the fruit at the pick-up point comprises multiple interconnecting ramps of different inclinations to further assure a continuous supply of fruit at the pick-up point.

Abstract: There is described a rotary trough type cooling bed run-in apparatus for dropping the roll bars of a steel round bar mill onto a cooling bed in an aligned state at high speed and absent the warpage associated with similar devices. Several troughs each having a longitudinal opening and an axial opening are rotatably mounted. A roll bar is introduced axially into each of said troughs following which said opening is closed off by a cover to ensure that said bar will not be prematurely ejected. As said troughs move downwardly said covers are simultaneously removed to expose the enclosed bars and these are allowed to fall downwardly onto a cooling bed.

Abstract: A collating conveyor arrangement in which two conveyors have closely spaced parallel sections provided with dam mechanisms for forming articles into groups and alternately releasing the groups. An on-edge transfer conveyor is pivotally positioned above the parallel conveyor sections to selectively extend obliquely across one of the parallel sections to direct the groups formed on one conveyor into spaces between the groups formed on the other conveyor.

Abstract: Products, accumulated on a supply conveyor having low-friction belts, are transferred to a flight conveyor with an intervening single level infeed conveyor system which includes a high-friction belt squeezer conveyor that accepts products at its inlet end from the supply conveyor and releases them for synchronous arrival in the flight conveyor. Means are provided for keeping the squeezer conveyor filled with a column of abutting products at all times during a production run so there is no speed change and, hence, no abrasion of products as they advance from the low-friction supply conveyor to the squeezer conveyor inlet.

Abstract: A device for staggering and aligning filter portions cut from multiple-length filter rods includes a first fluted drum which conveys the filter rods (already cut) to a second fluted drum with a rolling plate for rolling at least one portion of each filter rod into a staggered position with respect to another portion of the same rod, at least one stationary finger being arranged to hold adjacent filter portions out of the flutes until they have been rolled to their staggered positions at least some of the filter portions along the flutes of the second drum are then displaced to align all the filter portions.

Abstract: Combining apparatus wherein plural upstream conveyors feed articles into a single downstream conveyor lane. A swinging guide pivoted at its downstream end has an upstream end adapted to be moved from lane to lane at the discharge end of the plural conveyor lanes to receive articles from the conveyor lanes, one at a time, and feed them onto the single conveyor lane.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling lengths of timber which are both green and dried include the feature of simultaneously conveying, by way of suitable conveyors, both the green timber and the dried timber to a given location from where the two different types of timber are conveyed together by way of a single conveyor beyond the given location to a drop sorter having compartments into which the green and dried timber are dropped according to a given program. From the drop sorter batches of green timber and batches of dried timber are received by batch conveyors which serve to convey these batches to a packaging apparatus which serve to provide from the batches of green timber packages in which layers of green timber are separated by spacers, preparatory to transmitting these packages to a drying installation, while the dried timber batches are formed into packages which are suitable for further handling.

Abstract: Apparatus for sorting containers such as bottles according to their shape, size or color in which there is a conveyor along which the containers pass with a plurality of exits. Container recognition apparatus is provided which controls means to direct the different containers to selected ones of the exits.

Abstract: Device for single-lining a plurality of disorderly advanced containers, comprising a number of parallel adjacent conveyors of which a first set serve to advance the containers against an inclined ramp so as to push the containers upon a second set of conveyors moving at an increased speed rate.

Abstract: Stacking apparatus and method for generally flat objects, particularly useful for the stacking of magazines by zip code. According to the invention, a continuous input stream of the objects is alternately diverted in preselected numbers pursuant to a shift signal to first and second hoppers or bins wherein the objects are deposited in stacks, the stacks when completed being alternately ejected from the hoppers onto common conveyor means whereon they are merged into a single output series of stacks.In one form of the invention an input feeder receives the output flow of magazines from a labeler; a vertically shiftable separator alternately directs sequences of the generally flat objects to upper and lower feed conveyors which in turn alternately feed the sequences of objects to side-by-side hoppers. "Live" rollers moving at right angles to the feed conveyors underlie and extend as stack output conveyor means from the hoppers.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a container actuated converging apparatus wherein bailed containers in random order are delivered from one or two bail-applying mechanisms in oriented condition with their bails slidably retained in bail guides. These bailed containers are advanced to a converging mechanism where apparatus is provided to insure that only one container at a time is fed from these plural conveyors to a single conveyor. This converging apparatus is so arranged and disposed that it will accept and pass a stream of containers from either of the conveyors to the single conveyor when the other conveyor is empty of containers.

Abstract: The invention discloses a line-combiner apparatus for receiving two lines of packages in a production line, such as six or eight packs of containers filled with a beer or beverage product, and combining them into a single line of packages without interference and at rates on the order of 200 pieces per minute. The packs delivered from two wrap machines are carried by separate infeed conveyors in the initial section of the apparatus driven at a speed to randomly space packages in each of the lines. The second section of the apparatus includes individual chains engaging the bottom of packages of each line and the chains each have spring-loaded fingers spaced therealong which protrude in the plane of the packages at predetermined spacings. The finger-carrying chains running at the same speed have their fingers 180.degree. out of phase with each other so that the fingers are alternately spaced (staggered).

Abstract: Apparatus for staggering product delivered to multiple product lanes. A merging conveyor receives the staggered product from the product lanes and merges the product into a single lane.A split conveyor is disclosed in which alternate groups of product positioning supports and product conveying supports position and convey the product in staggered relation to a merging conveyor for merging into a single lane without product accumulation.