Abstract: Method of and apparatus for sorting tobacco into two groups: a group of satisfactory leaves and a group of unsatisfactory leaves. Tobacco leaves, spaced so that they pass one by one along a conveyor, travel through a zone illuminated by pulsed polychromatic light and an optical sensor receiving light reflected from the tobacco leaves. In a manner which is synchronous with the pulsations of light there is measured the quantity of the light reflected by each of the leaves in the green, orange, red, and infrared areas of the spectrum. Sums are formed from the values corresponding to the reflected light in such areas of the spectrum and relations are obtained between sums corresponding to the green and orange as well as to the red and infrared ranges, of time in which the value of the reflected light in the infrared area is greater than a value preliminarily preset by the operator.

Abstract: Apparatus to move rectangular blanks from a receiving station to a loading station position. The apparatus has a support framework and a driven track to move the blanks from the receiving station towards the loading station. A feed station receives the blanks. Alignment devices in the feeding station position a blank. A blank is prevented from moving along the feed station while a further blank is being aligned. A separator separates the stacked blanks and a scanner system detects blanks of a predetermined width. A magazine stores blanks detected by the scanner system. Blanks detected by the scanner system can be moved from the track to the magazine. An end stop is on the track and a transfer device, over the track, before the end stop, receives a course of blanks. A scanner system, remote from the end stop, determines how a partially formed course of blanks should be completed.

Abstract: Equipment for disentangling bars, particularly elongated concrete-reinforcing bars comprising a storage bed consisting of relatively longitudinally spaced frames extending at right angles to the length of the bars each provided with upwardly directed substantially V-shaped mutually aligned cut-outs, vertically liftable supports between said frames also extending at right angles to the length of the bars each having a central portion formed with an upper edge the width of which is less than the maximum width of the V-shaped cut-outs, a vertical slot extending downwardly through the central portion of each liftable support, each slot being provided with vertical guide means for a bulkhead which is vertically displaceable relative to its associated support. In the raised position these bulkheads essentially form the central portions of the supports whereas in the lowered position they lie below the level of a conveyor formed by conveyor rollers mounted in the supports.

Abstract: An apparatus for the movement of articles in a predetermined upright position from a first station to a second station, spaced from the first station, by a foraminous transfer belt. A vacuum plenum has a wall against the back side of the transfer belt with spaced longitudinal slots therein so that maximum vacuum is drawn in the plenum through jet openings in the belt which is sufficient to just lift and support properly oriented articles from the first station and transfer them to the second station. The transfer belt can be run at a higher speed than that with which articles are supplied to the first station to space articles longitudinally along the transfer belt. The second station includes a conveyor with converging side walls for moving the separated containers into single file arrangement over a much shorter longitudinal distance than would otherwise be possible.

Abstract: A bottle single filer for combining bottles (10) fed in a plurality of rows on an inlet conveyor (11) to a single row on an outlet conveyor (14), has a plurality of oblong separators (38), which are controlled so as to be movable through a closed path in which they extend obliquely across the inlet conveyor in parallel with the transverse rows of bottles on it. At a specific location in this path the individual separator moves down between two bottle rows which it follows until the bottles contact and slide along a barrier (17), which is formed by a transfer section of one side rail and forms a smaller angle with the transport direction than the separators, the bottles being pushed on to the outlet conveyor along said barrier. In connection with the side rails the separators ensure that only one row of bottles at a time can pass, to thereby obviate bridge formation and jamming. This also reduces the risk of bottle collision and thus the noise level.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a support base for a hopper designed to receive articles, a drum supported in a rotatable manner about a horizontal axis by the base, the interior of this drum communicating with the hopper, and an elevator having conveyor elements or pockets disposed tangentially to the rotary drum and provided at its top with a chute for discharge into the feed hopper of a device for handling these articles. The shell of this drum is provided with perforations in the manner of a sieve with countersink holes having their smallest diameter towards the exterior of the hollow drum slightly greater than the maximum diameter of the integral articles. Chute collection means for the articles selected via the countersink holes with a discharge in the vicinity of the conveyor elements or pockets of the tangential elevator are provided peripherally below the drum. The drum and the elevator are actuated with a continuous movement in the same direction.

Abstract: For the purpose of feeding glass tubes (2) to a glass-processing machine, use is made of an appliance which essentially comprises a glass-tube magazine (1), a separating unit (17), and an endless conveyor (25), the latter being fitted with feeding tongs (23). Individual glass tubes (2) are supplied to the feeding tongs (23) by the separating unit (17). The glass-tube magazine (1) can be loaded with a bundle of glass tubes.

Abstract: A product accumulator for a conveyor system includes a movable through-lane belt having an in-feed end and an out-feed end, at least one first auxiliary belt disposed adjacent the through-lane belt and movable in the same direction, and at least one second auxiliary belt disposed adjacent the through-lane belt and movable in the opposite direction, adjustable stationary guides, one guide disposed adjacent one end of the first auxiliary belt near the out-feed end of the through-lane belt to guide product from the first auxiliary belt onto the through-lane belt, and another guide disposed adjacent one end of the second auxiliary belt near the in-feed end of the through-lane belt, to guide product from the second auxiliary belt onto the through-lane belt, said guides disposed closely above the belts and arranged to move product from belt to belt whenever product is prevented from moving along the out-feed end of the through-lane belt.

Abstract: A potato handling apparatus includes a roller conveyor for receiving a continuous stream of irregularly sized potatoes with an aligning section at the upstream end of the conveyor which includes a series of two parallel flaps for turning and pushing the potatoes lengthwise into the valleys of the roller conveyor. To eliminate all but one potato from each valley, a singulating section is provided. The singulating section includes a rod longitudinally disposed adjacent one edge of the roller conveyor and a series of parallel overlapping sprocket-like discs which extend diagonally across the conveyor to a downstream position which is inwardly spaced from said edge of the conveyor. Each disc has cogs formed on the periphery thereof which perforate the valleys in succession to a depth which prevents the potatoes from being pinched between the discs and rollers.

Abstract: A conveyor having a plurality of indentations sufficiently wide to receive a single article and a bar transverse to the movement of the conveyor, the bar being suspended from filaments above the conveyor a distance sufficient to pass a single layer of articles and to gently nudge superposed articles into a successive unoccupied indentation.

Abstract: To permit random loading of workpieces for passage through a furnace, and removal of the workpieces for subsequent handling by presses and the like, the furnace is constructed as a roller hearth furnace in which the width of the roller hearth is a multiple of the diameter of the ring-shaped workpieces, and adjacent the outlet an aligning means is provided in the form of a funnel of which one side wall is movable, for example by longitudinal or transverse reciprocation to align the randomly positioned workpieces in single file. A roller conveyor, with progressively increasing conveyor speed, is located beneath the aligning funnel to remove the aligned workpieces in single file for subsequent handling and treatment.

Abstract: An ampoule filling and sealing machine with feeding, filling, sealing and loading stations. A horizontally oriented endless chain drive moves the ampoules through the filling and sealing stations. Belts or a reciprocating agitator are provided in the feeding station. A plurality of spring-loaded movable rails and a final stationary rail guide the line of ampoules in the filling station. The filled ampoules in the sealing station are spun by rotating pinions of cylindrical rollers on the endless chain drive in cooperation with inclined discs. In the loading station a channel receives a line of sealed ampoules. One side of the middle portion of the channel is a horizontal flat spring backed up by a spring-loaded bar. A fixed stop is spaced from the backing bar. A spring-loaded gate is at the inlet to each loading tray.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus employing a cleated endless conveyor belt to receive and convey plastic containers on to an orientation apparatus provided with like cleated endless conveyor belt, moving in synchronism with the conveying apparatus. A pair of rotatable brushes positioned along and above the conveying apparatus causes containers to individually and separately lodge within the spaces between the cleats as they advance in a forward direction along the endless conveyor belt. A cross belt disposed along the downward travel of the conveyor belt engages the containers and moves them in a lateral direction within the spaces between the cleats until container engagement with an abutment at the edge of the conveyor belt. After traveling through a prescribed course on the conveyor apparatus belt, the respective containers are individually discharged through a passage in the conveyor apparatus on to respective spaces on the advancing orientation apparatus belt cleats.

Abstract: A parts feeder is shown illustrated with a rotary type feeder having circular side walls in which the parts are picked up by a feed nozzle on the periphery of the side walls, and delivered to an induction ring assembly in which jets pneumatically transfer the parts into a feed tube which elevates the parts and delivers the same to a dispenser, the latter serving to drop the same onto counter rotating rollers for orientation. The counter rotating rollers are positioned over the rotary feeder so that parts not accepted by the same are dropped into the feeder for recirculation.

Abstract: A conveyor line between two working stations for objects such as bottles and comprising a single or multi-row buffer section between the discharge conveyor of a preceding working station and the feed conveyor to a subsequent working station and provided with means for currently checking the number of objects present in the buffer section, said means being adapted to adjust the speed of the buffer section conveyor continuously in response to the detected number of objects.