Abstract: An apparatus for discharging powder and/or pellets from a hopper defining an outlet adjacent the base thereof. The apparatus includes a control member associated with the outlet to control the rate of flow of the powder and/or pellets and a chute located under the control member to receive the powder and/or pellets, there being an outlet from the chute through which the powder and/or pellets may be discharged.

Abstract: The distributor of a cigarette maker has an upwardly travelling conveyor which transports particles of tobacco past a rotating paddle wheel serving to remove the surplus of particles and to return the removed surplus into the magazine of the distributor. The paddle wheel is connected with a tachometer generator or is designed to actuate a switch in response to a reduction of its rotational speed and/or in response to deflection by one or more foreign objects in the mass of tobacco particles on the conveyor. The signal which is generated by the tachometer generator or in response to actuation of the switch entails a stoppage of the motor for the conveyor and/or of the motor for the paddle wheel.

Abstract: A transport conveyor for empty conical winding tubes includes a recirculating band system to drive jammed tubes for rotation in a direction causing them to remain mutually parallel along the chute of the conveyor. Every alternate tube is reversed by means of a holding pin and a rotating shoe. A fin upstanding from the conveyor floor supports all the tubes with their axes parallel.

Abstract: A shifting device installed between a discharge conveyor for objects, such as eggs, to be processed and a receiving conveyor for the same and below the discharge conveyor, and provided with delivery devices for the objects to be processed, the delivery devices extending laterally and supported vertically in two rows and including receiving seats for the objects to be processed, which seats are disposed in parallel to each other and have the bottoms freely opening or closing so that the objects to be handled, after once received by the upper delivery device, are shifted to the lower delivery device and the lower delivery device lowers in proximity to the lower receiving conveyor, thereby shifting the objects thereto in safety without injuring the objects to be handled.

Abstract: A torsional vibrating device is disclosed for operation as a two mass vibrating system consisting of a first mass having a generally circular work member and a spring mechanism connecting the first mass to the second mass excited by a motor driven eccentric weight or weights so that the second mass vibrates in a circular path having a circular component and a vertical component which will cause material on said work member to be conveyed in a circular direction. The spring member is unique in this combination. The entire system is isolated from the supporting means. This system has application for controlling the flow of bulk material from a hopper, screen or feeder or for elevating or lowering a material in a helical trough or for orientation of discrete particles or other applications depending on a properly designed work member.

Abstract: Rapidly descending articles are decelerated in a segmented walled mechanism which alternately decreases in cross-sectional area to decelerate and restrain an article and subsequently increases in cross-sectional area to permit the article to fall safely to a reception device, such as a conveyor, below. The decrease in cross-sectional area is synchronized with the delivery of the article from an associated fabrication device. The mechanism also includes a synchronously oscillating receiving tube which alternately tracks one moving discharge site on the fabrication device and then returns to engage and track an adjacent discharge site. Orientation of the article is maintained as it passes through the cross-sectional area and onto the conveyor.

Abstract: Storage installation permitting the automatic selection and removal of articles stored at different levels on carrying elements of one or more shelf units, each carrying element (5) being fitted with a device for transporting the articles and with an individual and self-governing control member (6) for actuating this transporting device. The articles removed in this way can be grouped and moved by a common transporting means towards a central packaging and distributing station.

Abstract: An axially leaded diode (12), travelling at a high rate of speed in a longitudinal direction, is terminated within a bin assembly (18). The bin (18) has first and second ends (43 and 44) and first and second sidewalls (21 and 22) including magnets (33-41) therein to orient a diode (12) transversely to such sidewalls. A tube (48) guides the diode (12) on a path forming a given angle "A" with the sidewalls (21 and 22). A discharge end (49) of tube (48) is located at the first sidewall (21) such that the diode (12) is discharged toward the second sidewall (22). A deceleration apparatus (54) is provided at discharge end (49) of tube (48) and spaced therefrom. Apparatus (54) includes a vertical bar (65) with a row of deceleration elements (66) extending therefrom toward the first end (43) of the bin (18). The row of elements (66) provides a penetrable restraint (64) such that a first lead (14) of a diode (12) discharged from tube (48) penetrates between the elements (66).

Abstract: An oscillating feeding apparatus has an oscillating cup and a storage hopper. A rotatably driven separating disc is at the foot of the storage hopper and, at the lower edge of the storage hopper, there is provided an annular output opening which is closed by a flexible annular curtain. A separating disc defines a spiral path so that the parts are urged individually through the annular curtain into the oscillating cup.

Abstract: The specification describes a beet harvesting machine having apparatus for digging the beets and apparatus for elevating them either to a truck or to a holding tank in which the holding tank is provided with a horizontal conveyor for discharging the beets from the holding tank and with a downwardly and inwardly sloping front wall which terminates short of the horizontal conveyor and the bottom portion of which is hinged on a horizontal axis so that it can be swung to a vertical position to minimize the opening between the front wall and the horizontal conveyor or to a forward extended position to maximize the opening between the front wall and the horizontal conveyor.

Abstract: For a newspaper mail room having a closed-loop track and an endless cart train whose carts are adapted to carry a pair of newspaper bundles for delivery to the exit end of the system, an exit conveyor system is provided which includes a first bundle-spacing section comprising a power-driven roller conveyor disposed parallel to the cart-train track and having drag means for effecting desired spacing between individual bundles, followed by a second bundle-turning section comprising a power-driven off-center belt conveyor parallel to the cart-train track for applying forward pull to the undersurface of only a portion of a received bundle for rotating the bundle about its vertical axis into an angular orientation for delivery into the 90.degree. bend of a gravity exit chute which extends at right angles to the cart-train track.

Abstract: A conveyor arrangement for carrying a continuous row of component parts from a container or supply to an automatic assembling machine. A feeder chute is provided for feeding the component parts to a guide or feeder track which is operatively connected with a supply chute or hose connected to the assembling machine. A device is provided for maintaining the component parts in the guide or feeder track and an advancing mechanism is provided for advancing the component parts from an end of the guide track to an entrance of the supply chute or hose. Pawls are provided at the advancing mechanism and the supply chute for facilitating the advancement of the component parts and preventing return of advanced component parts from the supply chute or hose to the guide track.

Abstract: A method of aligning sticks in which the sticks are oscillated in a receiving zone where they are aligned and conveyed to a collecting zone where they are stacked in parallel side-by-side relationship. The collecting zone is vibrated to dispense the sticks laterally, still in parallel alignment. An aligning tray has two sets of parallel, elongated channels and is reciprocated vertically and in a direction parallel with the channels. Randomly oriented sticks are fed to the first set, aligned in the channels, fed to the second set, which has half as many channels, and then fed through sloping chutes to a set of hoppers. The hopppers and chutes are vibrated vertically and receive the sticks in parallel stacks. The vibrating motion causes the sticks to leave the hoppers laterally and roll down ramps to a non-vibrating conveyor belt which translates the sticks in a direction perpendicular to the long dimension of the sticks to a receiving location.

Abstract: A vibratory apparatus for de-piling or unpiling a mass of particulate material. The apparatus is to be positioned in a recess or opening in a base (presumably the ground) and particulate material piled thereover. Upon being vibrated, the apparatus delivers the material from a pile at a regulated rate into a conveyor system for transport to a place of use.

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: A bulk material handling apparatus includes a traveling slot feeder which runs on tracks at opposite sides of the endless belt conveyor beneath a row of bins permitting selective emptying of the bins. The feeder includes inclined, shiftable side skirts which can be adjusted to vary the width and elevation of the unloading slot and an adjustable striker at the downstream end of the feeder which establishes the contour and height of the bulk material deposited on the endless belt conveyor. The material handling apparatus may employ power means so as to permit remote control of the bin emptying operation and adjustment of the skirts and striker. The invention is illustrated in a ship where remote control is a particularly desirable feature to reduce space for workmen in the bottom of the ship and to reduce exposure of workmen to dusty working conditions.