Abstract: The invention relates to a device for sorting any desired pieces of products in dependence on criteria, and a method for operating the same. It is the object of the invention to provide a solution which permits a very fast at least three-channel fractionating of a product flow with a simultaneous mild treatment of products, at low expenditures for energy, and at a high wear resistance. The object is realized in that the products pass a first approaching zone, arrive in a second zone in which a separating element set into rotations by operation of a stepper-motor, including on its circumference with equidistantly spaced fingers, and which, in dependence on a respective control, transfers the products to be sorted into at least three further zones. A real-time image tracking system is provided which is adapted to capture the entire path of the products through the zones.

Abstract: System for grouping and transferring articles from an upstream station to a downstream station. Articles are pushed onto a transfer station table and transferred as a row of articles to a downstream conveyor extending at right angles to the direction of the upstream conveyor. The transfer cycle is initiated by an article deflecting a whip switch, which actuates a pilot actuator. The pilot actuator sends air to a lifting ram, thus causing a rocker arm with a tooth to disengage from a timing wheel; the disengaged rocker arm opens an air valve, pressurizing a master cylinder. The master cylinder forces a ratchet arm to rotate a shaft having push-rod assemblies mounted on it. As the shaft rotates, push-rods jut up through slots in the transfer station table and push the row of articles onto a staging area, as new articles continue to move onto the transfer station. Flow of air to the lifting ram is interrupted as the article loses contact with the ship switch.

Abstract: A pusher bar assembly (20) having a flexible, horizontally extending pocket bar (22) of sufficient longitudinal extent to push a linear array of glass containers on a cross-conveyer transversely of the cross-conveyor into an annealing lehr. The pocket bar, which engages the containers to be pushed, is disengageably secured to a pair of aligned horizontal pusher bars (26, 28), whose adjacent ends are spaced apart from one another. The pusher bars are secured, respectively, to first and second downwardly extending beams (30, 32).

Abstract: A baggage pusher device for pushing baggage off a moving conveyor comprises a pusher cam with a pusher surface, a shaft supporting and rotating the pusher cam in a generally horizontal plane, a motor assembly and a frame to support at least the shaft. The pusher surface follows the Archimedes spiral function so that baggage contacting the pushing surface at any point therealong sees the same velocity. Control of the velocity assures that the baggage will not be damaged by high speed contact with the pushing device. The motor assembly utilizes a servo control with flux vector technology for quiet motor operation and smooth pusher device acceleration and deceleration.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting individual pieces includes a plurality of conveying elements which are guided along a closed track and are coupled to each other to form an endless conveying chain. The conveying elements have an at least approximately horizontal support plane configured to place the individual items thereon. For feeding the conveying elements, they travel along the track past at least one feeding station and they travel past several target stations for emptying the conveying elements. Each target station is provided with a sweeping or deflecting device which travels alongside of the conveying elements and pushes the individual piece from the conveying elements.

Abstract: Provided is an improved sorter assembly that is capable of directly receiving articles from multiple upstream sources and directly sorting to multiple downstream destinations, and that can sort a wide variety of articles, including heavy, bulky articles. The sorter assembly includes a carrying conveyor having a conveying surface that carries the articles being sorted. The carrying conveyor carries articles in a longitudinal direction between an upstream end and a downstream end of the carrying conveyor. The sorter assembly also includes a diverter that extends perpendicularly from and moves across the conveying surface to define a plurality of diverting orientations. While the articles are being conveyed by the carrying conveyor, the diverter engages and directs the articles at least partially laterally across the conveying surface toward the articles' destinations.

Abstract: Described is an apparatus for transferring an article from a first conveyor to a second conveyor which branches therefrom. The apparatus has a drive shaft from which at least one pivot arm radially projects. A displacement member is rotatably mounted on an end portion of the at least one pivot arm. The displacement member is connected to the drive shaft by an endless loop so that, upon a rotary movement of the drive shaft the associated displacement member performs a circular movement around the drive shaft and in so doing remains in parallel orientation with respect to the direction of advance movement of the first conveyor. The pivot arm involves a lower angular speed during the phase of contact of the displacement member against an article to be transferred than during the phase of displacing the article.

Abstract: A rotary motion feeder for use in placing work products into one of the flights of a feed conveyor of a packaging machine is disclosed. The rotary motion feeder includes a planetary feeder assembly supported on a framework, the planetary feeder assembly being moved in timed relationship with the feed conveyor. The planetary feeder assembly includes a plurality of upwardly extending planetary shafts, each planetary shaft having a feed paddle mounted on the end thereof, the feed paddle being constructed and arranged to at least partially extend through a comb plate formed as a part of a feed magazine for stripping work products therefrom, and moving the work products through an arcuate path into one of the flights of the feed conveyor as it moves along the path of travel through the packaging machine. The rotary motion feeder is also constructed and arranged to move horizontally stacked work products into the flights of the feed conveyor.

Abstract: An insulator support assembly apparatus and process is provided, which includes a vertically oriented tubular frame with one or more insulator supports, one or more insulators and a pushbar mounting mechanism integral to the rearward frame support. Further provided is an insulated pushbar mechanism for moving glass containers which includes an insulator support assembly and a pushbar.

Abstract: A conveyor system for transferring yarn packages or other yarn packages from one conveyor belt to another downstream located conveyor belt traveling in the same conveying direction and at the same speed. The conveyor belts are guided on support structures which are embodied as lateral guide elements which are height-adjustable in a selected area. The lateral guide elements are connected by a linkage such that, when the inward guide elements are lowered, the outward guide elements are simultaneously raised, thereby to cause yarn packages to gravitationally roll from the first belt to the other belt.

Abstract: A crosspush conveyor moves cans laterally of a can conveyor into cartons that are also moving at the same speed as the can conveyor. The crosspush conveyor is mounted on a pair of sprockets that support roller chains to form two straight lengths, with the lengths being positioned at an angle relative to the direction of movement of the can conveyor. A plurality of paddles or pushers are mounted onto the chain conveyor and are pivotally mounted so that they can pivot away from a working position as they move through a selected portion of their path of travel. The paddles are supported in a working position on guide rails to hold the pusher members so that they will move cans laterally of the can conveyor on one side of the conveyor. The crosspush conveyor operates without a separate control cam for holding the crosspush members in position throughout the travel of the conveyor.

Abstract: A billet live roller bed upstream of cooling beds, where conveyor rollers designed in a worm or screw shaped manner and arranged to be parallel to the roller bed rollers transfer the rolled materials transversely to the conveyance direction onto the cooling bed, can be adapted to changing rolling speeds with small resources in machining technology, if the transverse conveyor rollers have screw turns with different pitches.

Abstract: An apparatus removes textile articles such as empty tubes or full yarn packages from the individual posts on which such articles are supported simultaneous with advancing movement of the posts. The textile articles are removed in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the posts so that during removal detrimental binding of the textile article relative to the post does not occur. According to one aspect of the invention, at least one pair of endless belts are mounted in spaced, parallel relation to one another to form an elongate opening therebetween. The elongate opening is aligned with the travel path of the textile articles being advanced on the posts so that the textile articles automatically enter the elongate opening and are engaged by the endless belts without the need to stop or otherwise control the advancing movement of the textile articles.

Abstract: An apparatus removes textile articles such as empty tubes or full yarn packages from the individual posts on which such articles are supported simultaneous with advancing movement of the posts. The textile articles are removed in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the posts so that during removal detrimental binding of the textile article relative to the post does not occur. According to one aspect of the invention, at least one pair of endless belts are mounted in spaced, parallel relation to one another to form an elongate opening therebetween. The elongate opening is aligned with the travel path of the textile articles being advanced on the posts so that the textile articles automatically enter the elongate opening and are engaged by the endless belts without the need to stop or otherwise control the advancing movement of the textile articles.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating a food product from a tray having apertures defining a supporting lattice to which the food product is adhered. A conveyor belt carries the tray in an inverted position with the food product on the bottom and engaging the upper surface of the belt. The undersurface of the belt is slidably supported by a first row of fixed, transversely spaced apart supports. A first row of roller bands with radially directed fingers is located above the belt with the roller bands midway between the supports. The fingers project through the tray apertures and move the product away from the tray and toward the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt sags between the supports, providing room for the product to move for separation from the tray.

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 separating larger foreign bodies from a granular feed including a conveyor for moving a mixture of the larger foreign bodies and the granular feed, is provided. The apparatus comprises a wheel having an axis of rotation, a circumference and a plurality of outwardly extending resilient fingers, preferably projecting at a trailing angle from the circumference. The wheel is mounted so that its plane forms an angle with respect to the direction of travel of the conveyor. The wheel is positioned so that the conveyed mixture contacts and pushes the fingers causing the wheel to rotate and the fingers to rake the larger foreign bodies from the mixture.

Abstract: A conveyor system transports keyboards for automatic testing by a keyboard testing mechanism located at a test station, and a discharge conveyor accepts rejected keyboards. At the testing station the keyboard and the keyboard testing mechanism are brought into a testing relationship (where the keyboards and test mechanism are located physically closer and in electrical contact); they are thereafter removed from that relationship. On the main conveyor there is a separation element for effecting a right-angular turn of rejected keyboards from the normal conveyance direction for the passed keyboards.

Abstract: A bobbin feeding device includes a plurality of trays placed on a running belt under guidance of the side walls of the feeding device. Each tray includes a seat having a larger diameter than that of the bobbin, a bobbin supporting pin erected on the seat, and a boss having a smaller diameter than the bottom diameter of the bobbin. A shovel is pivotally connected to a terminating end of the bobbin feeding device. The shovel includes a groove having a width sufficient to enable the boss of the tray to fit into it. An actuator rotates the shovel so that each bobbin is scooped from its tray and slid down the shovel to a downstream production line.

Abstract: Device for unloading textile coils from a coil conveyor provided with take-up mandrels, the textile coils having coil tubes by which the coils are stuck onto the take-up mandrels, includes at an unloading station of the coil conveyor, a fork pivotable about a pivot shaft in a plane perpendicular to the axis of a take-up mandrel thereat and a textile coil stuck thereon for gripping under the lower end of at least one of the coil and the coil tube and supporting the coil tube, the fork being connected to a counterbearing disposed above the textile coil and pivotable in the same rotational sense as the fork, a lifting device connected to the pivot shaft of the fork for lifting the textile coil, a deflector wall located adjacent the coil conveyor, the fork being pivotable with the lifted textile coil and, with upper parts of the textile coil disposed against the counterbearing, until the fork is beneath the deflector wall and the textile coil comes into contact with the deflector wall, the textile coil being slid

Abstract: An apparatus for use in releasing a fragile food product which has become stuck to a support surface as a result of a prior processing operation, and for transferring the released food product from the support surface in an orderly fashion so that the food product can be further processed and the support surface returned for reuse. In a preferred embodiment, a releasing roller having flexible rubber projections thereon rotates below a tray which supports strips of an extruded meat product stuck to the tray, with the projections extending upwardly through apertures in the tray to gently contact the underside of the meat strip. A back-up roller above the tray and offset horizontally from the releasing roller restrains the trays and strips from moving upwardly, thereby cooperating with the releasing roller to free the adhered food product.

Abstract: A pusher mechanism supported on a framework for deflecting objects from a conveyor has a retractable pusher which is mounted for linear movement transversely across the conveyor. A paddle is pivotably attached at its midportion to an outer end of the pusher. A movable link is secured between the framework and an end of the paddle. Due to these paddle connections, controlled linear movement of the pusher will cause the paddle to articulate on the pusher from a rest position to an operating position at which an object is deflected from the conveyor and back to the rest position.

Abstract: A device for rotating a moving, overlapping stack of flattened boxes on a conveyor belt comprising a motor, a driven pulley driven by the motor, a freely rotating pulley, and an endless belt rotating around both of the pullies, wherein the device is positioned slightly above the conveyor belt at an obtuse angle to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt. The stack of flattened boxes are positioned on the endless belt wherein the rotation of the endless belt causes the flattened boxes to rotate on the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A diverter assembly, for diverting baggage from a main belt conveyor to an intersecting conveyor, includes a single row of diverter rollers pivotally mounted therein. The diverter rollers are continuously rotated with power mechanically derived from the main conveyor. The diverter assembly is mounted in a gap formed in the main conveyor and a lift mechanism raises and lowers the diverter rollers while a swivel mechanism simultaneously pivots the rollers so that the articles are diverted. The lift mechanism and swivel mechanism are synchronized, so that when the rollers are lowered they are oriented coaxially to take up very little horizontal space, and to decrease the size of the gap over which articles pass unsupported. When the diverter rollers are raised, however, the rollers are automatically pivoted, in part taking advantage of the greater room available, and the rollers divert articles from the main conveyor.

Abstract: Diverter apparatus for rapidly and gently diverting articles, typically fruit, from a moving conveyor. The apparatus comprises an ejector lever member, an air cylinder assembly, and a stationary ejector lever mount, the two former sharing a common pivot point while each of the two is pivotable with respect to each other while pivoting on pivot pins mounted to the stationary mount. The working end of the ejector lever is caused to swing arcuately over a certain distance to divert the fruit when the piston rod of the air cylinder assembly travels a much shorter distance, thus permitting very rapid cycling of the diverter. Diverting and retraction strokes of the piston are controlled by air from a solenoid valve, the solenoid valve receiving control signals from a computer controlled relay.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering articles from a high-speed production achine manufacturing hygienic articles, such as sanitary napkins, whereby the sanitary articles, which are separated from the production line and transported at high speed, are turned, aligned and slowed down successively, whereby the interval in the timed sequence of the articles is reduced significantly. Packs of the articles containing a preselected number of units are formed from the flow of sanitary articles so slowed down, and delivered for further processing.

Abstract: A transfer for conveyors has a spiral shaped sweep which is rotated to cause it to engage selected articles on a conveyor and push them off laterally. The sweep is supported on and rotated by a shaft which is inclined to the vertical and toward the conveyor whereby the circular path traced by its outer end is in an inclined plane and as it moves to its retracted position it moves upwardly. As it moves across the conveyor it has a zone of maximum approach to the conveyor surface which moves across the conveyor surface and outwardly along the sweep as the sweep rotates to its maximum extended position.

Abstract: A junction diverter with a supporting surface disposed below a main conveyor path when in an inoperative position can be lifted above the main conveyor path to an inclined position in which it is flush with one or the other of a pair of lateral conveyor paths. The supporting surface consists of wheels or rollers extending upward from an inner carrier frame which at one end is pivotally connected to an outer carrier frame which at its opposite end from its connection to the inner frame is pivotally connected to a main support frame of the main conveyor path, with a jack connected to raise the outer frame from the main support frame and a second jack to raise the inner frame from the outer frame, thus tilting the supporting surface toward one or the other of the lateral conveyor paths.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus is provided for inserting continuously supplied products into containers. The insertion apparatus includes an ejection device which moves parallel to products along an endless conveyor system, and a curved directrix which is adapted to guide the ejection device in a direction which effects lateral movement of the products. The directrix is inclined relative to the direction of movement of the products, and a device is provided for bypassing movement of the ejection device with respect to the directrix so that the ejection device will move independently of the movement of the products.

Abstract: A cargo transfer system (10) for loading a unit-load (26) into and unloading the unit-load from the lower hold (12) of an aircraft fuselage (14) and for transferring the unit-load into and out of storage position along the fuselage, includes a tiltable platform (22) constructed with a lateral belt drive in the form of conveyors (32) to receive the unit-load from ground equipment. After receipt of the unit-load (26) the platform (22) is returned to a horizontal position thereby causing the unit-load to be removed from the lateral belt conveyors (32) and instead supported by a longitudinal belt drive in the form of belt conveyors (34) and (35) mounted on the lower deck (24) of the aircraft.

Abstract: A right angle transferring conveyor system comprising a right angle transfer assembly which includes a base, a pair of support plates connected to the base, and a plurality of rollers rotatably attached in proximity to the top of each of the support plates. A drive sheave is rotatably secured to each of the support plates at a situs on the same below the rollers. A pair of endless belts is trained over and carried by two sets of rollers and drive sheaves. A drive shaft is interconnected between the two drive sheaves to provide common rotary power for the two drive sheaves when the drive shaft receives the same. A first beveled gear is integrally bound to the drive shaft to aid in transmitting rotary power to the drive shaft means. A right angle power sheave is bound to one end of a power sheave shaft. The other end of the power sheave shaft terminates with a second beveled gear that meshes with the first beveled gear. A pneumatic assembly is provided for elevating the right angle transfer assembly.

Abstract: A machine for removing oversize solids such as large rocks from other material carried by a conveyor. This separator has a wheel with external spokes which radiate outward from its circumference and which is mounted above the conveyor at an angle to the centerline thereof. Requiring no external power source, the device is actuated by the solids to be separated with the energy for separation being derived from their motion on the conveyor. When solids larger than the desired size come into contact with the spokes of the wheel, part of the momentum of these objects is converted to rotational motion of the wheel. As it rotates, it has a tendency to deflect them laterally across the conveyor belt until they are pushed off the side of the conveyor.The wheels can be used singularly or in combination. Their use in combination is most desirable for wider belts. The wheels can be located at varying locations, angles, and heights above the belt. By experimental methods, the wheels are adjusted for optimum placement.

Abstract: A mechanism (10) for deflecting objects (16) off of a conveyor belt (12) includes a link (24) which is rotatably driven at one end. An arm (26) is pivotally mounted, at a central position thereof, to the free end of the link. A paddle (34, 36) is pivotally mounted to each end of the arm. The link, arm and paddles are rotatably driven at specified speeds and relative direction such that the paddles subsequently engage and deflect objects off of the belt.

Abstract: An ejection device for ejecting finished slats from apparatus for making slats for a slatted blind, which apparatus has a discharge table with associated stamping and cutting stations, comprises a pivotable arm to engage the slats remote from its pivot point and to be pivoted by an actuating member, which preferably includes some resilient means, in such a way that its initially acceleration is kept low so that upon initial engagement the slats are not damaged.

Abstract: This invention relates to a power-driven conveyor system for transporting and accumulating a plurality of items along a path of movement from a source to a destination. The system includes a horizontally oriented section for accumulating the items along the path and an apparatus for transporting the items therealong. The apparatus may be either a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart endless belts or a plurality of conveying sections interconnected together to form an endless carrier. Each section of the carrier may constitute itself a device for directly carrying one of the items. The invention provides an effective horizontal accumulator for items on a production or an assembly line operating at a relatively high speed. The accumulator operates on the FIFO principle so that, upon a malfunction of either upstream or downstream equipment, dated or otherwise sequentially marked items are stored in such a manner that the first item into the system is the first item to come out.

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: 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 system including a conveyor which is adapted to move articles past a predetermined area and a diverter device at said area for removing articles from the conveyor. The diverter device includes a ratchet which is shock mounted in order to hold the diverter at the initial position alongside the conveyor and to absorb energy when the parts of the diverter are stopped by the ratchet device. The diverter further includes a linear air cylinder that is mounted by a simple clevis mount and utilizes a crank arm which is offset from the top dead center of the air cylinder when the diverter is in the initial non-diverting position.

Abstract: A self-contained, moveable material handling apparatus is characterized by a chassis having a material conveyance surface mounted for rotation with respect to the central vertical axis thereof. A deck is also mounted for rotation with respect to the chassis, independently of the material conveyance surface. A loading boom, having a loading device on the end thereof, is mounted to the deck for rotation about the central vertical axis of the chassis. The boom is also pivotable about a horizontal axis and extendable and retractable along its own axis. The loading device and the boom cooperate to load material from the interior of a carrier onto the material conveyance surface. The surface rotates the material until it is deflected from the surface by a deflector conveyor onto a carry-off conveyor. The speed of the material conveyance is less than the speed of the deflector conveyor, which speed is less than the speed of the carry-off conveyor.

Abstract: On a conveyor belt, an ejection mechanism ejects objects travelling thereon which do not fulfill predetermined requirements as detected by a detecting device. To speed up the return of the ejection mechanism to its home position, the ejection cycle is divided into several movements. First a striking element is propelled against the object to be ejected, then the striking mechanism pivots on a fixed point to bring the striking element out of the path of the objects. Next the striking element is retracted and the ejection mechanism pivots back to its original position. A locking device may be used to retain the ejection mechanism in the deflected position to ensure that the striking element is completely retracted before the ejection mechanism pivots back to the home position.

Abstract: This device for longitudinally-moving rod-like cylindrical objects in a transversal direction, notably for transferring cigarettes issuing in end-to-end relationship and in-line from a cigarette making machine to a conveyor drum formed with spaced peripheral grooves each adapted to receive a cigarette comprises a pair of cams adapted to off set the leading cigarette and to accelerate same as required for causing the cigarette to penetrate accurately into the corresponding groove of the drum while avoiding any detrimental contact between the cigarette and the walls of the groove. The velocity of rotation of the cams expressed in number of r.p.m. is equal to the number of cigarette delivered by the cigarette making machine.

Abstract: A method of placing bulk potatoes in a storage facility, the method comprising a powered potato conveyor external to the storage facility upon which a stream of potatoes is deposited. Thereafter the stream of potatoes is deposited upon at least one potato conveyor belt located in the upper portion of the storage facility and extending the full axial length thereof. Potatoes are shaken by vibration of the external conveyor to remove dirt and other tare, and a picking station is provided exterior to the facility wherein remaining foreign objects are removed manually prior to storage, tare conveyor belts being provided to collect and displace the dirt and foreign objects to tare trucks for disposal. Inside the storage enclosure, the potatoes are moved gently from one or more main storage conveyors by a rotating brush onto one or more cross conveyor belts selectively settable at any point along the entire length of the main storage conveyor, and are evenly distributed across the enlarging potato pile below.

Abstract: A device for cleaning a conveyor belt comprises a rotatable annular scraper blade disposed below the belt, and inclined slightly to the plane of the belt so that one edge of the blade scrapes against the belt. The scraper is mounted on a carriage with side members having slots therein for adjustment of the position of the scraper relative to the belt and a worm device is disclosed for retrieving scraped material from below the scraper.

Abstract: A conveyor structure of the roller type includes an alignment device for maintaining relatively flat objects in aligned positions with respect to each other. The device includes a plurality of second rollers disposed between the rollers of the conveyor, the second rollers being eccentrically rotatable about axes extending longitudinally or perpendicular to the axis of the first rollers. The second rollers move upwardly between the first rollers to engage the flat underneath surface of articles traveling on the conveyer to lift them up and to move them laterally into engagement with a positive stop position to one side of the conveyer, whereby the objects are then relatively aligned with respect to each other.

Abstract: Containers are discharged from a continuously operable, closed loop container carrier, having a multiplicity of parallel longitudinally and transversely aligned rows of container baskets with each container basket being offset from adjacent container baskets in adjacent rows, by a method and apparatus in which containers in alternate transverse rows of container baskets are transferred from the container carrier to a first discharge conveyor by a first container transfer means and containers in the other alternate transverse rows of container baskets are supported in the carrier past the first container transfer means and are transferred from the container carrier to a second discharge conveyor by a second container transfer means.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for filling cans with measured amounts of wet material, having improved methods and procedures for the conveying and controlling the feeding of such materials. Feeding from a conveyer belt employs a deflecting barrier having two or more adjacent rotating rollers. The height of the column of material maintained in an upright tube of the can filling unit is controlled by an electrical probe assembly and associated electronic circuitry. The probe of the assembly is positioned above the column of material, and the arrangement is such that when it is contacted by the upper surface of the column, the associated circuitry effects a reduction in the feed of material to the column.

Abstract: The invention involves the transfer of rod-like articles to or from an endless belt conveyor which has protrusions at regular intervals on its operative face by a pulley having a middle part around which the conveyor passes and two coaxial outer parts on opposite sides of the middle part which are of a larger diameter than the middle part for guiding the rod-like articles.

Abstract: The form of a moving stack of cigarettes or other rod-like articles is improved (so that it more closely resembles a compact honeycomb formation) by subjecting the stack to transverse (periodic) displacement in a direction parallel to the lengths of the cigarettes. In order to displace the cigarettes without drag the surfaces which cause the displacement are moved at about the same velocity as the stack. In one arrangement these surfaces comprise bands alongside the stack and are displaced by reciprocating plungers. In another arrangement the bands are displaced by rotary cam surfaces.

Abstract: An improved system for removing modules of seed cotton either from a pallet, a transport vehicle, or, with slight modifications, from the ground when incorporated as a part of a transport vehicle. The apparatus comprises a conveyor with a discharge end and a receiving end. At the receiving end there is provided a cotton module engaging and lifting mechanism comprising a plurality of driven, toothed, disc-like lifting members, a multiplicity of the same being mounted in a framework for vertical reciprocation so that upon engaging an oncoming mass of seed cotton the entire unit moves downwardly, thus to get under and lift the seed cotton onto the conveyor. The cotton is fed to a disperser unit which breaks it down into individual locks, or at least groups of locks small enough to be fed to a gin.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a machine for clearing bulk material from a bin table by moving therealong a movable support carrying a pivotally mounted rotatable clearing wheel including a first drive mechanism for moving the movable support and a second drive mechanism for rotating the clearing wheel and a control mechanism responsive to operational conditions of the second drive mechanism for controlling the operation of the first drive mechanism whereby the rotational speed of the clearing wheel may be increased or decreased as might be the speed of the movable support in dependence upon the resistance of the bulk material being offered to the clearing wheel during the rotation of the latter.