Abstract: A paddle conveyor system for efficiently removing tare, dirt, small particles, and other debris from large bulky products such as sugar beets. The paddle conveyor generally includes a first pulley including a first side and a second side and a second pulley including a first side and a second side. A first linkage is connected between the first side of the first pulley and the first side of the second pulley and a second linkage is connected between the second side of the first pulley and the second side of the second pulley. A plurality of paddles is each connected between the first linkage and the second linkage such that the plurality of paddles forms a loop for conveying a material towards the second pulley. Each of the paddles includes one or more slots through which debris from the material may fall.

Abstract: A machine vision system for automatically identifying and inspecting objects is disclosed, including composable vision-based recognition modules and a decision algorithm to perform the final determination on object type and quality. This vision system has been used to develop a Projectile Identification System and an Automated Tactical Ammunition Classification System. The technology can be used to create numerous other inspection and automated identification systems.

Abstract: A tablet inspection apparatus includes a supply unit including a rotary plate inclinedly disposed, and a transfer plate having a downwardly inclined surface, inclined outwardly on the same level as top dead center of the rotary plate while rotating with the rotary plate around the rotary plate, a first rotary unit inclinedly disposed with respect to the supply unit, and formed such that suction force is applied in a certain section in a circumferential direction, and a second rotary unit installed on one side of the first rotary unit, and formed such that suction force is applied in a certain section in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: A method of creating quality grade discrimination criteria in a discrimination device that determines appearance quality grades of granular materials in accordance with the present invention includes a granular material placement step of sorting the granular materials on a per-quality-grade basis and placing the granular materials on an image-capture surface of the image-capturing unit; an imaging data acquisition step of capturing images of the granular materials placed on the image-capture surface by the image-capturing unit and thereby obtaining imaging data; a quality grade information acquisition step of obtaining, on a per-quality-grade basis, pieces of quality grade information on the respective granular materials on the basis of the imaging data; and a quality grade discrimination criteria creation step of creating quality grade discrimination criteria by using the quality grade information obtained on a per-quality-grade basis.

Abstract: An inspection system is configured for use with a conveyer apparatus including carrier bars. Each carrier bar conveys pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path. The inspection system includes at least one camera unit for sensing a predetermined characteristic of the pellet-shaped articles, a removal unit, and a controller. The removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera unit, removes selected pellet-shaped article(s) from the carrier bar(s) depending on whether the characteristic is sensed by the at least one camera unit. The controller is in communication with the at least one camera unit and the removal unit. The controller provides a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the sensed characteristic. The removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having extended vacuum nozzles along its length, equal to the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar. Each vacuum nozzle selectively removes article(s) from the carrier bar(s) by suction.

Abstract: A jig assembly for selecting and presenting fastener nuts in the correct orientation, each fastener nut including a nut cap and an assembling portion formed on an end of the fastener nut. The diameter of the nut cap is larger than the diameter of the assembling portion. The jig assembly includes an electric cabinet, a jig bracket, a feed container, and a sorting tray. The feed container includes a selector with an opening. The width of the opening is equal to the height of the fastener nut, the first sidewall of the selector forms a plurality of restricting protrusions, and each two adjacent restricting protrusions cooperatively define a restricting groove therebetween. The width of each restricting groove is equal to the diameter of the assembling portion, thus only fastener nuts in the correct orientation are capable of passing through the selector to be collected in the sorting tray.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting agricultural products, including: a conveyor line (1) to convey products (P) along an advancement direction (A); an entry section (3), where the products are arranged on the conveyor line; an unloading section (4); a control section (6), interposed between the entry section and the unloading section to attribute a signal indicative of predefined physical characteristics to each product. The conveyor line includes: a first conveyor device (9) to convey the agricultural products forward; a second conveyor device (20), to convey the products forward and to cause the products to roll over, extending from the entry section to at least as far as an intermediate tract of the control section and that is movable between a first operating configuration, wherein it supports the products, and a second operating configuration, wherein it releases the products onto the first conveyor device.

Abstract: A conveyor line for fruit or vegetables has a plurality of rollers defining seats for the products therebetween. At a selection station, a first member detects at least one feature of the product, and at a sorting station, a second member diverts similar products toward the same destination. Upstream of the selection station, the direction of rotation of the rollers is controlled to cause each product to settle correctly in its seat or shift into an adjacent seat, so that during detection of the features of the products, the products remain properly seated.

Abstract: There exists a demand for providing a method and apparatus capable of sorting articles whose upper and lower attitudes are inverted, in a simple and positive manner, from among different-formed articles such as candies having upper and lower portions different in outside diameter.

Abstract: An inspection system in which an inspection of a work is conducted by processing image data of the work. The inspection system includes a data processor for storing image data of the work in a memory and executing data processing of the image data stored in the memory, a set process storing section for dividing a plurality of inspection items, which need different data processing respectively, of the image data stored in the memory into a plurality of groups within performance of the data processor and storing the plurality of inspection items, and an execution controller for causing the data processor to execute sequentially data processing of the image data stored in the memory in unit of group which is stored in the set process storing section.

Abstract: A method and device for identifying small stacks of currency bills within a large stack of currency bills using a currency evaluation device. A stack of currency bills to be processed is received in an input receptacle and the bills are transported from the input receptacle, one at a time, past an evaluating unit to at least one output receptacle. The evaluating unit determines the face orientation of each of the bills. Next it is determined whether the face orientation of each of the bills matches a target orientation. If the face orientation of a bill matches the target orientation, the face orientation of that bill is maintained. If the face orientation of a bill fails to match the target orientation, the face orientation of that bills is reversed with a bill facing mechanism. Each of the bills are then stacked in the output receptacle. After a predetermined number of bills having a common face orientation are stacked in the output receptacle, the target face orientation is redefined.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for sorting documents contained with envelopes into selected batches of documents. An envelope feeder feeds a group of envelopes containing documents onto a document transport. A document extractor positioned along the path of movement extracts the documents from the envelopes. An orientation detector including a magnetic image reader and an optical image reader determines the orientation of selected documents along the path of movement. A document orientor changes the orientation of documents along the path of movement into a desired orientation. An image acquisition device acquires an image of the batch identification pieces and selected documents conveyed along the path of movement to enable the system controller to assign documents of selected transactions into selected batches. A non-volatile image storage medium stores the acquired images of the selected documents.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for sorting a group of documents contained with an envelope into selected batches of documents. An envelope feeder feeds a group of envelopes containing documents onto a document transport. A document extractor positioned along the path of movement extracts the documents from the envelopes. A system controller identifies the documents extracted from each respective envelope along with the respective envelope as a single transaction along the path of movement. An orientation detector including a magnetic image reader and an optical image reader determines the orientation of selected documents along the path of movement. A document orientor changes the orientation of documents along the path of movement into a desired orientation. An image acquisition device acquires an image of the envelopes and selected documents conveyed along the path of movement to enable the system controller to assign documents and the envelope from which it was extracted into selected transactions and batches.

Abstract: In order to inspect objects (10), particularly drinks bottles, these are transported on two conveyors (12, 14), which exhibit a mutual lateral separation and run at different speeds, so that the objects (10) rotate about their vertical axis. Within the distance separating the conveyors (12, 14) a bottom checking installation (30, 32) is provided. A rail (16) for guiding the objects (10) can be arranged, stretching in the direction of transport above the first, slower-running conveyor (12), in such a way that the objects (10) on the first conveyor (12) stand on the edge strip between the rail (16) and the edge of the first conveyor (12), and the width of this edge strip amounts to up to about ⅓ of the diameter of the objects.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for sorting a group of documents contained with an envelope into selected batches of documents. An envelope feeder feeds a group of envelopes containing documents onto a document transport. A document extractor positioned along the path of movement extracts the documents from the envelopes. A system controller identifies the documents extracted from each respective envelope along with the respective envelope as a single transaction along the path of movement. An orientation detector including a magnetic image reader and an optical image reader determines the orientation of selected documents along the path of movement. A document orientor changes the orientation of documents along the path of movement into a desired orientation. An image acquisition device acquires an image of the envelopes and selected documents conveyed along the path of movement to enable the system controller to assign documents and the envelope from which it was extracted into selected transactions and batches.

Abstract: A method and system for temporarily halting an article for sensing with a fixed sensing system without altering its average speed. While halted, the article's orientation is manipulated for seeking and presenting a specific area thereon for sensing. The time available for manipulation results from accelerating each article relative to the average speed of articles prior to sensing. The sensing of the article includes visually reading a label thereon to identify the article, and inspection of the article for determining its physical condition. If desired, the physical condition of the article such as a glass bottle may also be evaluated without halting movement thereof. Once the article has been identified and inspected, the article is categorized based on the visual information obtained. Articles in certain categories are rejected from those evaluated.

Abstract: An apparatus for the automated processing of bulk mail in a continuous and automatic procedure includes an operative combination of processing stations including an input station for receiving incoming mail in bulk fashion and for separating the pieces of mail for individual delivery to the remainder of the apparatus; a station for detecting irregularities in the contents of the envelopes, such as metal items, folded contents, or oversized items; a station for out-sorting envelopes rejected in accordance with the determinations made at the detection station; a station for opening the envelopes, preferably along multiple edges; a station for removing the contents from the opened envelopes, for subsequent processing of the contents; and a series of stations for handling and orienting the contents for subsequent delivery to a plurality of output stackers.

Abstract: An automated work center for use in materials handling operations is disclosed. The work center includes a randomly accessible vertically moving temporary storage queue 11 for receiving containers 25 that hold material goods. A fixed loading ramp 20 is arranged to receive containers 20 from an external system and to load the received containers onto the storage queue 11. A work area 5 having a plurality of rotatable work tables 7 provides an gives the operator access to the containers. A delivery system 14 transfers containers between the storage queue 11 and the work tables 7 and a takeaway system 16 transfers containers between the work area and the conveyor network. An automated control system 17 coordinates the delivery of containers between the temporary storage queue 11 and the work area 5. A consolidation queue 18 having a multiplicity of vertically spaced shelfs may be disposed opposite the work tables 7 to facilitate the consolidation of ordered goods.

Abstract: An apparatus for orienting a plurality of documents received in differing orientations relative to the apparatus, for delivery from the apparatus in a uniform orientation, generally comprises a device for determining the orientation of a document according to characteristic features of that document, and devices for orienting the document in accordance with signals received from the orientation determining device. The orientation determining device can operate upon the magnetic ink markings on a check to determine its orientation according to prescribed criteria representative of the anticipated locations for such markings. The orienting devices can then operate to invert the checks from end to end and/or from top to bottom and bottom to top, responsive to signals received from the orientation determining device.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting articles according to size inlcudes a plurality of moving belt assemblies and an elongated hopper provided above the moving belt assemblies for feeding a plurality of articles to the same. The fed articles are aligned and spaced apart as they are transported along the moving belt assemblies. A light emitting device is adjacently disposed on one side of each movable belt assembly, and a photodetecting device is disposed opposite the light emitting device and adjacent to the other side of the movable belt assemblies. The articles cast shadows upon the photodetecting device as they move past the light emitting device. The photodetecting device transmits electrical signals corresponding to the sizes of the shadows which are received by a control circuit. The control circuit classifies the detected articles according to the transmitted electrical signals and actuates a plurality of electromagnetically operated push rods.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for processing documents in a path wherein the documents each have first and second ends. Some of the documents have the first end being the leading end, and others of the documents have the second end being the leading end. The documents are conveyed to a receiver. The documents with the first end leading are conveyed into one end of the receiver. The documents with the second end leading are conveyed into the other end of the receiver from the opposite direction. The documents in the receiver then all have the same end orientation in the receiver. Two documents may initially be fed one on top of the other between a rotating wheel and retard pad. This selectively retards one document against the pad until the other document has been fed further forwardly beyond the leading edge of the one document.

Abstract: Univeral conveying apparatus and method for automated inspection and classification of a variety of natural or man made product classes, having various geometrical configurations, e.g. spheroidal, spherical, cylindrical, parallelepiped, disc and plate shaped objects, or massive and hollow amophous objects. Incorporating a plurality of sensors interfaced to a plurality of microcomputers, measuring different product features, while predetermined combinations thereof are used for separating the objects or products, into a plurality of categories. Part of the sensors are stationary, while another part thereof are located and rotating on revolving inverter wheels. The stationary and rotating sensor groups are interfaced respectively to one or more stationary or rotating microcomputers, attached to the inverter wheels. The revolving and stationary microcomputers are electrically interconnected via slip rings, on the shafts on the inverter wheels.

Abstract: Apparatus for positioning the seam of a welded tube comprises a plunger rod of a diameter less than the tube having a first longitudinal axis supported and journaled upon its first axis for reciprocal and rotational movements. A radial knife edge projects from the plunger which is adapted for advancing on its axis into a welded tube having a seam rotatably supported upon the first axis. Successive rotation of the plunger causes the knife edge to operatively engage the seam and rotate the tube a predetermined angle, there being preset angular final seam position for the tube, the knife edge having a preset initial position clockwise ahead of the desired seam position. Rotation of the knife edge is counterclockwise.

Abstract: Several conveyor rollers of singulators are made to rotate by a fruit orientation belt causing fruit carried thereon to rotate in accordance with movement of the belt such that the rotational axes of the fruit, typically lemons, orient themselves along their stem axes, or substantially perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the singulators. Downstream, the rollers contact a rotating spin-accelerating belt to substantially increase speed of rotation of the rollers and oriented fruit thereon in order to permit optical scanning devices to scan a much larger percentage of the fruit surface areas. Fruit rotate in the same direction of rotation during orientation and spin-acceleration, the latter occurring for only a very short duration.

Abstract: An apparatus for arranging the obverse and reverse sides of the bills or the like includes a carrying-in passage and a carrying-out passage. A reversible conveying passage is provided between the carrying-in passage and the carrying-out passage for conveying the bills from the carrying-in passage in a direction identical or opposite to the carrying-in passage.

Abstract: A sheet convey apparatus which conveys a mixture of obverse and reverse-sheets set at an inlet port to a collecting section, comprises a first convey path for conveying obverse-presented bills which are distinguished from reverse-presented bills by a sorting convey path, and a second convey path disposed parallel to the first convey path, for conveying reverse-presented bills which are to be reversed.

Abstract: A device for classifying handled objects. This device comprises a mechanical sorting system and an electronic control system. The former comprises two storage devices, each organized in the form of a queue or line, i.e., the objects can be removed in the order in which they are entered, and a third storage device organized in the form of a stack or pile, i.e., the objects can be removed in the opposite order to that in which they entered. The mechanical system also comprises conveyors for transferring the objects between the different storage devices. The electronic system comprises a control computer, equipped with two memory zones organized in the form of a queue, and a third memory zone organized in the form of a stack, in which are stored the codes allocated to each object. The computer controls the transfer of codes from one memory zone to another, in order to sort in one of them the codes in a given order, and controls the corresponding displacement of the objects carrying the codes.

Abstract: A mail processing apparatus feeds mail articles one by one, along a transport path. A stamp detecting device is disposed along the path to detect a stamp on the mail article. The stamp detecting device includes a light source for radiating ultraviolet light towards both sides of the mail article in the transport path, and converters for converting the luminescences excited by the ultraviolet light on both sides of the mail article. Two signal levels are detected and compared for determining where the stamp is located. This way, a stamp does not appear to be on both sides of a very thin article.

Abstract: Materials such as wood chips are classified by thickness by feeding same through a chip outlet onto a rotating disc adjacent the axis of rotation of the disc, the disc cooperating with a housing to define a tapering passage terminating in a narrow, restricted outlet adjacent the periphery of the disc, orienting bars project from the disc and extend radially from the axis of rotation to beyond the chip inlet. A frusto conical chip orienting surface extends from the radial outward extremities of the orienting bars toward the outlet in a position traversing the path of material leaving the orienting bars.In one embodiment, an oversized outlet is provided, positioned trailing the orienting bars in the direction of rotation behind a substantially unobstructed trajectory of material leaving the orienting bars. In another embodiment, the oversized outlets are replaced by breaker bars that cooperate with cooperating breaker bars on the housing to shear positions of the material away.

Abstract: A device for inspecting the external appearance of solid medicine having a solid medicine supplying section, a first drum-shaped conveying section for conveying solid medicines supplied by the solid medicine supplying section, at equal intervals so that one surface of each piece of solid medicine is observed. A second drum-shaped conveying section receives the solid medicine from the first drum-shaped conveying section and conveys the solid medicine at equal intervals so that the opposite surface of each solid medicine is observed. First and second observing units are provided adjacent to said first and second drum-shaped conveying sections for observing both surfaces of each piece of solid medicine respectively. A third observing unit is employed for observing the thickness of each piece of solid medicine conveyed by the first and second drum-shaped conveying sections at least before the piece of solid medicine reaches the second observing unit.

Abstract: Potatoes carried on a roller table conveyor are presented in transverse rows at an inspection area illuminated by a lamp from a first direction and observed by a line imaging camera along a second direction arranged by a mirror to be approximately at right angles to the first direction. The camera scans repeatedly across each row and provides an output detection signal representing the reflected radiation. The camera observes a sharply illuminated boundary of the potatoes against a dark background a micro-computer processes the detection signal to provide an information signal representative of the length of a potato along the direction of its row. Size grading, for example, may be effected by directing potatoes along different routes by deflecting fingers controlled in dependence upon the information signal. An operator may observe potatoes in the inspection area by means of a television camera and monitor, and may indicate by a lightpen a potato to be rejected by the subsequent deflecting fingers.

Abstract: A DIP-handling apparatus comprising a support chassis, an input tray attached to the support chassis and including a plurality of DIP-receiving input trays arrayed in parallel, a reorienting and metering device for receiving a DIP from one of the tracks of the input tray, for reorienting the received DIP and for discharging the DIP onto a track leading to a test head station, an output tray attached to the support chassis, and a shuttle device for transporting the DIP from the test station to a particular track of the output tray as determined by the result of the tests performed at the test station.

Abstract: An article, such as a light-emitting diode, for replacing a slide base switchboard lamp has polar characteristics. The article has a light emitting cap located at one end and a cylindrical slide base with two contacts located diametrically across the base extending from the emitter. Handling the articles for testing their light intensity and hue characteristics involves orienting them. The articles are first oriented longitudinally in a vertical direction and to face the emitter all in the same direction. The articles are then conveyed in sequence to a test station. An eccentric force is applied to the base through friction between the moving articles and a stationary ledge. The applied force rotates the articles into one or the other of two oriented positions in which the contacts on the base become located in a plane perpendicular to the direction of their conveyance. A preliminary test determines which of the two positions have been assumed by each article.

Abstract: An improvement in mail processing equipment is provided in which items of mail are presented to operators at stations adjacent a continuous transporter. An operator works at any desired pace because items of mail are presented repeatedly until removed by the operator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a machine that is capable, by itself alone, of detecting blemishes in olives and similar products, and subsequently to select the said products on the basis of the size of their possible blemishes. For this purpose the machine in question makes use of a television camera that supplies the corresponding video signal to an electronic unit which performs the operation of selection.