Abstract: A conveyor system including an induction subsystem for producing a desired spacing between packages as they are discharged from a single induction line. The induction line includes a conveyor and a speed controller for controlling the running speed of the conveyor in a manner that discharges a package as close as possible to a time necessary to provide a desired gap with a previously-discharged package. A control monitors movement of packages on the conveyor and includes a device for determining a speed adjustment required for each speed controller to cause the packages on the line to reach the discharge conveyor as close as possible to the desired time. Speed adjustments include a constant acceleration to a higher discrete speed or deceleration to a lower discrete speed from a nominal discrete speed with a return to the nominal speed prior to discharging the package.

Abstract: A control system for a power driven conveyor line having power driven conveyor zones adjoined end to end. Each conveyor zone includes a single drive motor, a transmission, driven conveying elements extending the length of the conveyor zone, and an adjacent workstation having a designated stopping point located therein. The control system includes a local controller for controlling the operation of one or more conveyor zones via remote command signals, a respective zone controller associated with each conveyor zone for controlling the operation of the conveyor zone in response to the remote command signals, and first and second sensors coupled to each zone controller for detecting different load positions along the conveyor zone. The first sensor detects the load which causes the zone controller to linearly decelerate the motor, and necessarily the load, from a first speed to a second speed.

Abstract: An accumulating conveyor includes a plurality of zones extending from the first end of the conveyor to a second end. Each zone includes its own independently operable electric drive motor which can be activated independently of the drive motors in the other zones of the conveyor to drive a respective zone in either a reverse or forward direction. Each zone includes a sensor for sensing the presence or absence of a load in such zones and the direction of a respective zone. An electrical control circuit is operatively connected with the sensing means and the electric motor for each zone. The control circuit is operable to actuate a first one of the accumulating zones and the immediately adjacent downstream zone when a load is present in the first one of said zones and no load is present in the immediately adjacent downstream zone.

Abstract: An aircraft cargo control system (12) controls powered rollers (24, 26) for moving pallets (28) in the cargo area of an aircraft (30). The control system (12) includes a joy stick (60) for controlling longitudinal movement on the right side (46), left side (48), or both sides, and lateral movement into and out of the aircraft (30). The motor (51) of each roller (24) includes a sensor (90) and switch (76) for sensing a pallet (28) thereover and powering the motor (51) only when a pallet (28) is sensed and the joy stick (60) is appropriately selected. Therefore, only powered rollers (24) moving the pallets (28) are powered, while the remaining rollers (24) remain unpowered.

Abstract: An electrical control system is disclosed for industrial conveyor systems which includes plural individual conveyors. The system includes a single main controller and a sub-controller for each individual conveyor in the system. Each sub-controller is located adjacent its own conveyor and is wired directly to the input and output devices of its own conveyor, thus requiring only localized field wiring for the electrical system. The control logic for each individual conveyor and the overall conveyor system is provided by a programmable controller in the main controller coupled through a communication line to the sub-controllers. The electrical control system is provided with a diagnostic system with the diagnostic circuitry located in each of the sub-controllers. Each of the sub-controllers is provided as a standardized module with a printed circuit board containing all of the interconnections required by the sub-controller except the local wiring connections to the conveyor itself.

Abstract: In a conveyor system including a main conveyor line and a plurality of branch lines, when there is a stoppage in one of the branch lines, the operating speeds of the branch lines which are still active are increased so as to ensure that the entire flow of articles is disposed of. Each branch line which is still active changes to the faster operating speed only after it has been found that articles have actually accumulated on that branch line.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering cards or like paper stock fed singly from a stack of the cards to a demand location for dispensing in sequence, in which each card fed from the stack is advanced through a plurality of stages of a conveyor, each stage being independently operable, each stage and all preceding stages and the stack feeder being actuable when no card is present at that stage, the leading stage being also operable to deliver a card on demand, the cards being feed at a higher rate than the dispensing rate.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for conveying and synchronizing the movement of articles. Two conveyor belts are thereby provided. A synchronizing device is arranged between the conveyor belts. The phase relationship of the individual articles and the speed of a receiving belt can be adjusted with the help of the synchronizing device. To facilitate the adjusting of the position of the articles and to make such adjusting more precise, the invention provides that the first and the second conveyor belt are moved at a faster speed than the receiving belt.

Abstract: A zone controlled conveyance system includes a series of modular sections arranged end-to-end to define a path along which a workpiece is propelled. Each section is divided into one or more zones. Each zone includes a number of rollers that support the workpiece and propel it in the downstream direction in accordance with the energization of a separate motor drivingly connected to each roller. Sensors associated with each zone sense the presence or absence of a workpiece within the zone. The sensors cooperate with a controller to selectively energize or deenergize the motors of the various zones in a manner that controls downstream propulsion or accumulation of the workpieces. The sections include radiussed sections and sharp corner sections. The sharp corner sections may include a turntable that changes the workpiece orientation.

Abstract: An Accumulator Conveyor having plural zones in which beds or tracks of closely positioned roller elements provide a planar support for moving chains or driven endless elements in successive zones, each zone separately driven from the others. At each end of the zone is a shaft which extends across the conveyor. A drive is connected to each shaft and drives the chains or driven endless elements at one end of each zone and the endless elements idle over the shaft on the other end. The drive is selectively energized to result in an extremely low friction conveyor and is coordinated to result in the accumulating function. In each successive zone the bed or track is offset or staggered from the next in parallel aspect in providing planar bridging support of the endless elements across each of the zone transitions.

Abstract: A light contact feeder for receiving randomly spaced articles, lightly abutting the articles and delivering single articles or paired articles to individual flights of a flighted conveyor. A first feeder conveyor lightly abuts articles from a supply conveyor and delivers the abutted articles to a second feeder conveyor which times the articles relative to the flights of the flighted conveyor. A third feeder conveyor matches article speed to flighted conveyor speed and a fourth feeder conveyor phases individual articles for placement between the flights of the flighted conveyor. The fourth conveyor can also group articles in pairs and phase the pairs for placement between the flights of the flighted conveyor.

Abstract: A feeder conveyor system for transferring randomly spaced products received from an input conveyor to precise locations within flites of a wrapper conveyor. A plurality of conveyors, prior to the wrapper conveyor, are independently driven by product positioning drive subsystems. Each product positioning drive subsystem associates products on its respective conveyor with target flites on the wrapper conveyor, and characterizes positional errors of the products on the conveyor relative to their associated target flites as being in one of a plurality of discrete positional error states representing a range of errors. The velocity of the conveyors controlled by the positioning drive subsystem as a function of the positional error state and the fill state of the associated target flite and flite previous to the target flite. A plurality of spacing conveyors are positioned upstream from the positioning conveyors and are independently driven by products spacing drive subsystems.

Abstract: This invention relates to a conveyor apparatus or roller train with a series of conveyor stations, the support rollers of which can be optionally driven or shut off. To create an economical and reliable roller train with a separation and storage function, each conveyor station of the roller train has its own drive motor with a switchgear unit and the several switchgear units are connected together for control purposes into a cascade so that only the first switchgear unit of the cascade is connected to a higher-voltage switch cabinet.

Abstract: In an elliptic vibratory part-feeding device which includes a feeder bowl in which a spiral track is formed; a first spring for supporting the feeder bowl so as to be vibratile in a horizontal direction; a first electro-magnet for exciting the feeder bowl in the horizontal direction; a second spring for supporting the feeder bowl so as to be vibratile in a vertical direction; a second electro-magnet for exciting the feeder bowl in the vertical direction; an alternating electric power source; a phase-difference forming circuit through which voltages different from each other in phase are supplied to the first and second electro-magnet from the alternating electric power source; and a part-jamming detector when part-jamming is detected in the feeder bowl by the part-jamming detector, the feeding direction of the parts on the spiral track is reversed by the change-over or adjustment of the phase-difference forming circuit.

Abstract: A horizontal storage silo or bin for particulate matter such as, for example, peanuts and cereal, includes a moving apron or floor and a dam for gently receiving product, controlling product deposit into the silo and supporting the rear face of the product pile during discharge to insure a uniform discharge rate throughout the discharge cycle. Full bin storage capacity is utilized. First-in, first-out processing is attained. Various alternative apparatus and methods are disclosed and various product infeed points and bin orientation are accommodated.

Abstract: A system for controlling the operating speed of a can machine having an input conveyor for temporarily storing cans while moving them along a path toward the machine includes a metal wire capacitance sensor. The wire may be formed in a repeating pattern and serve as an area mass sensor. The capacitance formed by the sensor wire and the can is connected in a capacitance bridge circuit which is excited by an oscillator. A detector circuit coupled to the bridge circuit generates an output signal representative of the number of cans in the conveyor. Output drive circuitry including an optical coupler for isolating the detection circuitry from the machine under control, transmits a signal for a desired control function to a remotely located variable speed drive controller for controlling either the machine to which the cans are being fed or a machine which is feeding the cans to keep the size of the can queue at a desired value.

Abstract: A control system for a cigarette making and pack aging system including a cigarette making machine, a cigarette packaging machine with a variable operation speed, and a reservoir mechanism provided between the cigarette making machine and the cigarette packaging machine, a current reserve amount calculating unit for calculating a current reserve amount in the reservoir mechanism, an intermediate reserve amount calculating unit for calculating an intermediate reserve amount, a desired value setting unit for setting a maximum reserve amount and a minimum reserve amount of the reservoir mechanism on the basis of the intermediate reserve amount, a comparison unit for comparing the current reserve amount with the maximum reserve amount and the minimum reserve amount, and a speed control unit for controlling the speed of the packaging machine on the basis of a comparison result by the comparison unit.

Abstract: Conveyors are interposed between a product-supply station and a product handling station and are divided into several sections in cascade on which products accumulate when the handling station stops. When the handling station stops, the sections also stop in turn as the accumulating products gradually fill each section. The handling station is then restarted at a speed higher than its normal operating speed so as to use up the products accumulated previously. The handling station has an associated conveyor for metering the products and an associated conveyor for spreading out the products, arranged in cascade. The movements of the metering conveyor and of the accumulation sections are regulated in a coordinated manner so as to minimize the pressures applied to the products.

Abstract: Apparatus for the production and packaging of cigarettes. In the production and packaging of cigarettes, the capacities of, where appropriate, several cigarette-producing machines (10, 11, 12) have to be coordinated with the productive capacities of, where appropriate, several packaging machines (13, 14). The cigarettes (15) are conveyed directly from the cigarette-producing machines to the packaging machines by means of cigarette conveyors. A cigarette store (16) for compensating differences in output is located in the region of the conveying zone. The cigarette store (16) makes it possible to achieve closer matching to the productive capacity of the coupled machines by avoiding the use of the conventional blind-end store.

Abstract: Packages to be wrapped, weighed and labeled are fed manually into an infeed station of a wrapping and weighing machine from an operator's position. A conveyor then carries them to a wrapping station. The packages are automatically wrapped at the wrapping station and returned to a weighing scale positioned above the infeed station at the operator's position where the packages are weighed and a label is printed adjacent the weighing scale and within convenient reach of the operator. The label is then manually applied by the operator as the wrapped and weighed package is removed from the scale. The wrapping station engages in continued cyclic operation so long as there are any packages in the machine. However, the conveyor operates on a demand basis in response to the placement of packages into the infeed. When a package is sensed, the conveyor goes through one operating cycle in synchronism with the operation of the wrapping station.

Abstract: Rod-like articles, particularly cigarettes or cigarette filter rods, are conveyed in a stream in a direction transverse to their lengths at a speed which is progressively reduced, so that the height of the conveyed stream is increased. Prior to the reduction in conveyance speed the speed of individual articles is increased briefly to avoid damage from following articles. The speed reduction takes place in a path having divergent boundary walls.

Abstract: A cigarette conveying system for connecting several makers, packers and reservoirs is arranged with cross linking conveyors (22) which allow sub-division of the system into sub-systems which can be operated independently and can therefore handle different brands. Sub-systems may be defined by activating or de-activating selected conveyors and/or closing and opening gates provided at junctions between conveyors. In a preferred arrangement the system comprises a main loop and the cross linking conveyors sub-divide the main loop into sub-loops.

Abstract: In apparatus for the signaling of a back-up in a container conveyor, the actual translation speed of all containers passing a measuring zone is determined separately with the aid of the measuring of the transit time and compared with the simultaneously measured momentary travel velocity of a hinge-belt-chain conveyor. If the translation speed of the containers is smaller by a determined amount than the travel velocity, or in a predetermined relationship, a jam or back-up signal is produced. The device has two photodetectors arranged at the same level with a fixed spacing in the direction of bottle transportation. A sensor registers the presence of a bottle in the measuring zone. A tachometer generator is attached to the drive shaft of the conveyor and provides an analog signal to a processor indicative of conveyor speed.

Abstract: Cigarettes in multi-layer stack formation are delivered from a maker (10) to a packer (12) on a path having a first junction (24) connected to a tray filling unit (30) and a second junction connected to a tray unloading unit (38). Control circuitry (54-72) is provided to control transfer of cigarettes at the first junction (24) according to the relative speeds of the maker and packer and/or the capacity of a reservoir (46) associated with the path. The control circuitry (54-72) prevents too frequent operation of a gate (32) associated with the first junction (24) and allows operation of the tray filling unit (30) at an optimum speed.

Abstract: A system is provided for controlling the feed rate of material being loaded onto a conveyor train of variable configuration to prevent overloading. The system involves monitoring the power drawn by the various drive motors of the train to establish which is the limiting conveyor under prevailing operating conditions. The instantaneous weight of feed material loaded onto the conveyor train, at its input end, is continuously measured and the current average feed rate is computed from the instantaneous weights measured over a pre-set time interval. A rolling average of the total load to be carried by the limiting conveyor downstream is computed from the average feed rate, taking into account the length of the limiting conveyor. The feed rate is then adjusted in response to the computed rolling average to thereby avoid overloading the limiting conveyor and optimize loading of the conveyor train.

Abstract: A microprocessor is used to control at least one conveyor in a system linking a delivery device (e.g. a cigarette maker) and a receiving device (e.g. a cigarette packer). The conveyor may be controlled in accordance with the calculated deviation in a detected value (e.g. corresponding to stack height) from a target value. Where an analogue signal is produced by the detector device this is converted to digital form and is preferably operated on by a program function so that a linear digital representation or signal relating to the detected value may be produced. For example, the angular displacement of a pivoted sensor arm is used to provide a direct indication of stack height by use of cosine look-up tables held in memory.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding, selecting and sorting has a coding and feeding unit, a sorting machine and a synchronizing unit. The coding and feeding unit has a keyboard for keying in codes of respective unloading-station destinations of respective items thereat and conveys the items from the keyboard. The sorting machine has a monorail of T-shaped cross section, a plurality of conveying devices for conveying respective items in one direction along the monorail, a chain for moving the conveying devices along the monorail in the one direction one after the other, and pairs of feed rods spacedly parallel to each other, the pairs of feed rods being spaced along the monorail for defining an unloading station at each pair of the feed rods therealong and spaced from the monorail for sliding contact with slidable contacts of each conveying device as it moves therepast along the monorail in the one direction.

Abstract: Successive stacks of paper sheets are turned during travel along two parallel paths one of which is defined by a first conveyor and the other of which is defined by a set of two or more consecutive conveyors. The speed of the conveyor or conveyors defining one of the paths is greater than the speed of the conveyor or conveyors defining the other path so that the orientation of stacks changes during travel along the two paths. The orientation of successive stacks in at least one intermediate portion of each path is monitored by a battery of photoelectronic detectors whose signals are processed to ascertain whether or not the monitored orientation matches a desired intermediate orientation. The processed signals are used to change the speed of the conveyor or conveyors which define at least one of the paths so as to ensure that each stack assumes a predetermined orientation at the latest on reaching the ends of the two paths.

Abstract: Apparatus for supplying rows of stacked frusto-conical cups to a feeding assembly of a cup printing apparatus includes a rotatable, hollow, crossed turret comprised of an outer turret section formed by four radially and equiangularly oriented connected tubes, and a central tubular section positioned centrally within the outer turret section, the crossed turret supplying a first row of stacked cups to the feeding assembly and automatically supplying a subsequent row of stacked cups in stacked relation on the first row after a level of the first row has decreased to a lower predetermined level and before a last cup of the first row has been supplied on a respective mandrel assembly of the cup printing apparatus; a rotary actuator which rotates the central tubular section; a motor driven assembly which rotates the outer turret section; a first sensor which senses when the level of the first row has decreased to the lower predetermined level to actuate the motor driven assembly to cause the outer turret section a

Abstract: A material magazine for automatically feeding material such as long steel bars to a metal working machine including at least two parallel chain-conveyers, material guide rollers, a material arrival detecting means, and a material feed roller. The chain-conveyers are driven by a hydraulic motor which runs with a predetermined rotating force continuously produced when overloaded and have material push rollers with the axes vertically upward of the carrying faces of the chain-conveyers. The material push rollers are not only spaced in the direction of the conveyers but also arranged to form straiaght rows in the direction perpendicular to the conveyers, forming material holding spaces between them in the direction perpendicular to the conveyors. The material guide rollers are provided at or near one end of each of the conveyers with the axes kept vertical so that the material guide rollers may be arranged straight and parallel to the rows of the material push rollers.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting fully wound packages doffed on and discharged from a spinning frame. The transporting apparatus of the present invention includes a main conveyor, sub conveyor and a lifter, wherein the two conveyors are individually controlled such that a package which is to be transported next by the lifter is always held ready at a predetermined stand-by position. The lifter is able to change the orientation of doffed packages during lifting operation of the package.

Abstract: A printed circuit (PC) board feed apparatus includes a feed roller arrangement adapted to receive sequentially delivered PC boards and to position the PC boards in lateral edge engaging contact with a pair of aligned, linear support rails. The opposed lateral edges of each of the PC boards are directed by a respective pivoting idler/guide roller into a guide slot in each of the parallel support rails. Once positioned in the spaced, facing guide slots, the PC boards are sequentially engaged and displaced by a pair of pneumatically actuated roller/drive belt assemblies positioned adjacent to the guide slots. A pneumatic cylinder displaces a first plurality of engaging rollers in each roller/drive belt assembly in a timed manner toward and away from an adjacent respective drive roller/belt combination so as to sequentially position each of the PC boards in contact with the pair of roller/drive belt assemblies for sequentially displacing the edge-to-edge arranged PC boards in a stepwise manner.

Abstract: At least three storage devices (6,7,8) are serially arranged between an entrance station (1) and a processing station. Transfer devices are disposed between adjacent storage devices and between a last storage device and the processing station. The transfer devices are operated independently of each other, a given transfer device being operated whenever both a storage device which precedes the given transfer device in the direction of travel of the sets of sheets is occupied and a storage device which succeeds the given transfer device in the direction of travel of the sets of sheets is ready to receive a set of sheets.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus is divided into a plurality of end-to-end arranged conveyor tracks to advance flat items, in an edgewise upstanding, face-to-face engaging orientation to an item processing machine situated downstream of the conveyor apparatus. Each conveyor track is separately driven and is associated with a sensor which detects the extent of inclination of the items on the respective conveyor track. The drive of any individual conveyor track is de-energized if the items situated thereon assume an orientation having a steepness of predetermined extent and if, at the same time, the item processing machine and the drives of all conveyor tracks situated downstream of the individual conveyor track are at a standstill.

Abstract: A composite-motion drive unit comprises an electromagnet and a drive shaft extending through a hole defined in the electromagnet. The electromagnet and the drive shaft are energized and actuated independently of each other for driving distribution tables coupled respectively thereto in a composite motion pattern. A combinatorial weighing apparatus incorporating the composite-motion drive unit has sweep conveyors for transferring articles from the distribution tables, and a guide chute rotatable in a horizontal plane for distributing articles to be supplied to the distribution tables.

Abstract: A buffer and injector apparatus for use in an automated article handling system is adapted to operate between one process which periodically outputs a plurality of articles and another which requires a steady input of individual articles. A particular embodiment is adapted for use in an automated integrated circuit handler between a sleeve unloader and a transport apparatus. Integrated circuits are slideably contained by a buffer track and moved thereon by a belt. Neither the track nor the belt contact the leads of the integrated circuits. A sensor mid-way down the track triggers the sleeve unloader to input more integrated circuits. An injector apparatus at the output end of the track comprises a wheel which engages each integrated circuit until the transport apparatus is ready, then rotates rapidly to inject the integrated circuit into the transport and simultaneously engage another integrated circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring shaped articles comprising, a first conveyor for conveying shaped articles at a constant speed, a detecting unit disposed at a predetermined position above the first conveyor so as to detect the shaped articles being conveyed on the first conveyor, a second conveyor for conveying at a variable speed trays spaced apart a predetermined distance from each other, the second conveyor being disposed beneath and opposite to the delivery end of the first conveyor, a rotary encoder coupled to the second conveyor; and a control device which receives information from the detecting unit, information from the rotary encoder, and information concerning the positions of the shaped articles placed on the trays. The control device controls the speed of the second conveyor on the basis of the above three kinds of information, whereby the shaped articles are automatically transferred onto the trays.

Abstract: Apparatus for manufacturing battery plates includes a mechanism for transferring battery plate panels between conveyors comprising a supply conveyor having a discharge end, a receiving conveyor having a receiving end located adjacent to and below the discharge end of the supply conveyor and including an endless member movable along a predetermined path and having thereon a battery plate drive lug adapted to engage a battery plate panel and thereby to cause transport of the battery plate panel along the receiving conveyor, and a drive for periodically advancing the endless member in the direction of conveyor advance and through a predetermined distance greater than the length of a battery plate panel, guides stationarily located adjacent the discharge end of the supply conveyor for guiding battery plate panel travel from the supply conveyor to the receiving conveyor, another drive for advancing the supply conveyor so as to deliver battery plate panels onto the guides for delivery to the receiving conveyor, and

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for synchronizing a series of packaging machines positioned along a chain conveyor, expecially in the confections industry, that is intended for use when articles are to be packaged individually in one packaging machine and supplied to a downstream packaging machine for packaging as a set, characterized in that a chain-and-pusher buffer is interposed in the chain-conveyor section (C) connecting two (A & B) of the packaging machines and carrying the pushers (6) for the individually packaged articles (1) and in that each packaging machine (A & B) has its own chain-drive mechanism (8 and 9 respectively), both of which are connected to one set of electronic controls that carry out the synchronization.

Abstract: For supplying tobacco from a redryer to a packer, the invention provides apparatus comprising four consecutive conveyors, the first conveyor operating continuously in one direction to feed tobacco from the redryer to the second conveyor, the second conveyor being reversible to act selectively as a holding conveyor and a supply tobacco to the third conveyor, the third conveyor being a weighing conveyor operated at a slower speed to weight and at a faster speed to deliver the weight quantities onto the fourth conveyor which carries the successive weighed quantities of tobacco to the packer. The conveyors are so controlled that the weighed quantities, when on the fourth conveyor, are spaced apart by intervals and the packer is operated through a packing cycle during each such interval.

Abstract: A multi-sectioned conveyor for receiving serial products from a supply conveyor, inspecting and rejecting out-of-tolerance products and adjustably conveying the products so as to establish a predetermined spacing therebetween, before transferring the products from supporting belts to the individual flights of a pusher member containing conveyor and from which the product flow is synchronized relative to an infeed conveyor to a wrapping station. The feeder comprises a microprocessor controlled, DC driven accumulation, transition and backlog conveyors, along with wrapper driven separation, transfer and infeed conveyors.

Abstract: A transfer system is utilized for automatically transporting a master microfiche from a computer output microfiche unit to a duplicator unit, thereby avoiding the physical handling of the microfiche by operating personnel. In addition to effecting the transfer of the microfiche, the transfer system further diverts those microfiche with errors in their bar code instructions to an error hopper so that optimum use of the duplicator time in making copies is assured. Appropriate switches are provided for diverting all microfiche to the error hopper when the duplicator is being serviced. Also, switches are provided for bypassing the bar code reader so that all microfiche will go to the feed hopper for the duplicator regardless of whether or not an error in the bar code exists.

Abstract: A flexible membrane (54) confines the rod-like articles in a transition zone (10) (which may be the filling head of a tray filler). The membrane is extended or retracted under tension in response to pressure of articles in the zone. The amount of extension or retraction is used to generate a signal which controls a conveyor (18) feeding articles to the zone (10) or a conveyor (38) taking articles away from the zone (e.g. in trays 36). The signal may be generated by a rotary potentiometer (64) rotatable with a spiral spring (62) to which the membrane (54) is connected.

Abstract: A system for feeding a flat article has a suction chamber; a suction belt for picking up one of a plurality of flat articles which are stacked in a vertically standing state. The suction belt moves along the front surface of the suction chamber. The flat articles are carried over a transport path by the suction belt. At an upstream position in the transport path, the intervals between the flat articles are detected. First and second motors drive the suction belt, varying the rotational motor speeds. A roller along the transport path contacts the transferred flat articles in accordance with the interval which is detected by the detecting member.

Abstract: The system for regulating the feed of articles to a wrapping machine, includes a conveyor for feeding a series of longitudinally-spaced articles to the wrapping machine sensors for detecting the position of each article on the conveyor at predetermined instants, and a control circuit for varying the speed of the conveyor in dependence on the output signals from the sensors, so that the articles are fed to the wrapping machine in a predetermined phase relation relative to it. The sensors are arranged to provide signals indicative of the degree of any deviation of each article from the correct position in phase with the wrapping machine and the control circuit is arranged to correct the speed of the conveyor in proportion to the degree of deviation detected.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding and wrapping products comprising a wrapping machine, which machine has a driving element, and a device for feeding products to the wrapping machine. The feeding device includes a first conveyor for receiving products from a dispensing apparatus, which conveyor continuously moves at either a high or a low speed, and a second conveyor which connects the first conveyor to the wrapping machine and which continuously moves at one speed in the same direction as the first conveyor. A stop element is located at the end of the second conveyor adjacent the wrapping machine. There are provided first and second controls positioned along the second conveyor at selected spacings from the wrapping machine, with each control sensing the presence or absence of products on the second conveyor. A first drive is connected to the first conveyor and is adapted to operate the first conveyor at either the high or the low speed.

Abstract: A drive control circuit for assuring equal spacing of folded paper boxes in a stacker mechanism during manufacturing. Each box is folded in a gluer. As each box, in succession, transfers to the stacker mechanism a counter produces a variable width pulse. These pulses are converted into fixed width pulses with frequency proportional to the rate at which the folded paper boxes transfer to the stacker mechanism. The control circuit converts these fixed width pulses to constant energy pulses and integrates the constant energy pulses to provide a DC set point signal for a DC motor drive speed control circuit. During operation, the control assures that the stacker mechanism advances a substantially fixed, incremental distance each time a folded paper box is received from the gluer, thereby to ensure substantially even spatial distribution of the boxes along the stacker mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying individual items to a conveyor moving at an operating velocity has a loading device and a drive for varying the conveying speed of the loading device. The drive includes a controlling arrangement which varies the conveying speed of the loading device during conveying of an item on its conveying surface in a manner that the acceleration force resulting therefrom does not exceed the static friction force between the item located on the loading device and the conveying surface of the loading device so as to avoid overturning and sliding of the item.

Abstract: A magazine which contains a supply of parallel filter rod sections has an outlet which discharges a multi-layer stream of sections onto a receiving conveyor which delivers the sections into a gap between two parallel belt conveyors wherein the sections form a single layer and are positively advanced into successive flutes of a rotary drum-shaped withdrawing conveyor. The speed of the receiving conveyor equals or exceeds the speed of the flutes, and the speed of the belt conveyors exceeds the speed of the receiving conveyor. This ensures that the gap invariably contains a layer of parallel sections so that the belt conveyors can admit a section into each oncoming flute of the withdrawing conveyor. The sections which issue from the outlet and are about to enter the gap accumulate in a pileup zone which is disposed above the receiving conveyor and from which the receiving conveyor accepts sections in the absence of adequate delivery via outlet of the magazine.

Abstract: A system for orienting cants for edging by the side cutters in an edger including an infeed unit for moving the cant into the edger along a prescribed path; a manually controllable positioning assembly remotely of the infeed unit for selectively positioning the cant with respect to a positioning axis to preorient the cant with respect to the positioning axis; a sensing device operatively connected to the positioning assembly for sensing the position of the cant with respect to the positioning axis when the cant is preoriented with respect to the positioning axis; memory unit operatively connected to the sensing device for storing the sensed position of the cant with respect to the positioning axis; a conveyor for selectively moving the cant from the positioning assembly to the infeed unit; an infeed stop responsive to the sensed position stored in the memory unit to position the cant with respect to the edging path with the same orientation the cant had with respect to the positioning axis when the cant was p