Abstract: A computer-controlled object testing and measuring apparatus having a plurality of stations including a control center for initiating, controlling and terminating each procedure at each station. The control center also controls transport and handling of the objects such as tennis balls, between and at the stations. The plurality of computer controlled test and measuring stations initially condition objects and then test and measure such objects in a controlled and timed manner in a selected sequence. Data is gathered, recorded, processed and stored.

Abstract: An installation for processing of photograph envelopes intended to equip a large photography processing laboratory. The installation includes a picking station, a bar code reading station, a thickness detection station, a station for recognition of shapes and characters, a manual input and introduction station, a marking station, and finally a station for feeding a traditional sorting machine.

Abstract: A Method of Controlling the Withdrawal Process is carried out in a Singling Device and Arrangement to increase the throughput of singled shipments such a letters, postcards and the like from a singling device to a conveyor, the delivery of successive shipments from the singling device is controlled as a function of the measured parameters like length, height, thickness, stiffness, surface roughness, and weight of the shipment previously withdrawn from the singling device so that a minimum distance depending on the parameters of the preceding shipment can be adjusted between the withdrawn shipments on the conveyor. Thus, the singled, successive shipments can be offered to a distribution section, such as one equipped with directing switches and stacking compartments, via the conveyor, the minimum spacings between them and with the assurance of troublefree stacking of the shipment in the stacking compartments.

Abstract: An outer appearance quality inspection system comprising a mechanism for aligning objects to be inspected, a mechanism for transporting the aligned objects, light projectors for illuminating a light within a predetermined wavelength range against the objects being transported, light receiving devices for receiving the light reflected from each of the objects so as to convert the light into an electrical signal, an electronic circuit for obtaining the data representative of the conditions of the surfaces of the object in response to the electrical signal derived from the light receiving devices, and a mechanism for sorting the objects being transported in response to the data derived from the electronic circuit. The system can inspect the size, visible surface damages and coloring of an object such as orange automatically and reliably.

Abstract: A completely automated system for inspection and sorting of molded containers, such as glass bottles, as a function of mold cavity of container origin. In a first system section, finished containers are one hundred percent inspected for defects, and a cavity identification device is controlled to reject all containers from cavities associated with defective containers. The cavity identification device is also coupled to feed sampled containers from selected cavities to an automatic sampling indexer wherein the sampled containers are fed to one or more stations for testing physical container properties, such as rupture pressure, wall thickness and internal volume. The cavity identification device and the automatic sampling indexer are controlled by a hierarchy of interconnected computers which receive cavity and test information from the various sections and stations of the system and control the sampling and sorting process based upon predetermined quality standards.

Abstract: Containers, e.g. bottle crates, industrial containers, of a common issue (Fxx1), e.g. a manufacturing series, are provided with a specific marking which indicates that they belong together. The mixing up of the various issues (Fxx1 . . . Fyz1 . . . Fzz2) which occurs during the circulation (Z, RZ) can again be reversed in an automatic sorting process, which makes it possible to sort out a desired sub-quantity (Fxx1) and to subject same to a further process stage (Rxx1, Axx1). The marked containers display an optically readable marking (3, 4), from which the information for the automatic sorting out of an issue can be noted.

Abstract: In an automatic mail processing apparatus, a mail reject mechanism is disposed between a reading and sorting unit and labeling unit. The mail reject mechanism includes a reject member movable between a first position outside of a convey unit and a second position inside of the convey unit and a pneumatic cylinder for normally holding the reject member in the first position and being adapted, when the sorting data stored in a memory relating to a mail stack brought in an opposite position to the reject member is not appropriate to the mail stack, to move the reject member from the first position to the second position for removal of the mail stack from the convey unit.

Abstract: A conveyor system for sorting poultry carcasses comprises a plurality of poultry carcass carriers arranged successively to convey a plurality of carcasses along a closed path past a plurality of data input stations and then a plurality of carcass release stations. Sensors positioned along the conveyor path, one at each of the data input and release stations, are connected to a controller for receiving poultry grade and weight data from the data input stations, processing the data, and transmitting the resultant classifying data to the release stations for the selective release of carcasses from the carriers. The conveyor system maintains an individual identification of the poultry carcass carriers passing through each of the stations independent of the distance between the carriers and independent of the time lapse between a poultry carcass carrier passing one station and the next station.

Abstract: An apparatus for identification of animals passing through a packing plant including an elevated track extending through the packing plant for guiding carcasses through various processes and testing stations. A plurality of trolleys, one for each carcass, is provided for moving along the track. A gambrel is provided for attaching such animal carcasses to the trolley. The trolley identification is operably attached to each of the trolleys for providing positive identification of each individual trolley. Animal identification is attached to each carcass which is hung from each gambrel for providing individual carcass identification information. A trolley identification reader is provided adjacent to the track for automatically reading each one of the trolley identification numbers and inputting the information into a computer. Similarly, a carcass identification reader is provided adjacent to the path of the carcasses being moved along the track and this information is also input into the computer.

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

Abstract: Separation of metallic particles from non-metallic particles of processed solid waste such as garbage to obtain a metallic concentrate, including use of such separation as the mid-step in a process which begins with homogenizing and magnetically treating components of the waste and ends with isolating the metallic concentrate as a high-purity metal fraction, for example, high-purity aluminum.

Abstract: A method of removing product of an unacceptable height from a product line is disclosed. In the method, a quantity of the product is arrayed in a carrier and moved to a gauging station where the array is placed between a reference plate and a corresponding array of gauging members and gauged by raising the reference plate to a predetermined height position and measuring the height of the gauging members when the gauging members are supported on the product array. The signals from the gauging station are stored and the carrier plate is moved to a rejection station where unacceptable product is selectively removed in response to the stored rejection signals from the gauging station. The carrier plate is then returned to the product line with only acceptable product still in place.

Abstract: A method of eliminating errors in the radiation count of a scintillation detector in radiometric sorting caused by one or more adjacent particles. The spacing between the adjacent particles are determined, and statistically determined calibration factors are applied to the count to compensate for the adjacent particles. The calibration factors are dependent upon the spacings, the counts associated with the adjacent particles, and optionally on the shape, volume, mass and height of the adjacent particles.

Abstract: An article selection apparatus is disclosed having a first conveying device for conveying an article along a path and a second conveying device for receiving the article at an entrance end spaced apart by a predetermined distance from a conveying end of the first conveying device and for conveying the received article, wherein the first conveying device has a gap extending along the conveying path to the conveying end thereof, and a width of the gap is made smaller than the predetermined distance from the conveying end of the first conveying device to the entrance of the second conveying device.

Abstract: Cigarettes, as they are grouped in batches to be packed, have their ends detected for firmness or for missing filter tips, by having an array of individually actuated plungers (9) applied to their ends. Each plunger is actuated by air pressure acting on a piston (13) integral with the plunger. If a cigarette (C) is faulty a protuberance (21) on the plunger engages a common impingement plate (20), whose oscillation causes a piezoelectric transducer (22) to emit a fault signal, enabling that cigarette group subsequently to be rejected.

Abstract: Apparatus for inspecting nuclear fuel pellets in a sealed container for diameter, flaws, length and weight. The apparatus includes, in an array, a pellet pick-up station, four pellet inspection stations and a pellet sorting station. The pellets are delivered one at a time to the pick-up station by a vibrating bowl through a vibrating linear conveyor. Grippers each associated with a successive pair of the stations are reciprocable together to pick up a pellet at the upstream station of each pair and to deposit the pellet at the corresponding downstream station. The gripper jaws are opened selectively depending on the state of the pellets at the stations and the particular cycle in which the apparatus is operating. Inspection for diameter, flaws and length is effected in each case by a laser beam projected on the pellets by a precise optical system while each pellet is rotated by rollers.

Abstract: The installation comprises several inspecting devices disposed along a track and controlling a switch. Each inspecting device is followed by a device for detecting the passage of the sheets, associated with a cyclic counter assigning a consecutive number to each sheet. A logic circuit directs the information from the inspection devices to reference memories the number of which is equal to the number of possible content conditions of the counters, (i.e. consecutive numbers) the information being directed to the reference memory whereof the number corresponds to the consecutive number of the sheet as assigned by the counters. Since the sheets are assigned numbers during their passage through the inspection region, it is possible to have several sheets simultaneously in this region.

Abstract: A hydraulic actuated agricultural product sorting apparatus employing a hopper introducing products into a fluid flow which carries them into two counter-rotating spirals mounted side by side which align and merge the products and then moves them in line into a singulator which uniformly spaces them prior to their movement through an inspection station which inspects them and signals a gating means for sorting the products according to the signals received from the inspection station.

Abstract: A pellet dimension checker for determining the weight, length, and density of a pellet such as a nuclear fuel pellet. The checker comprises a rotatable arm for transferring a pellet from a pellet conveyor, to several dimensional measuring stations, and back to the conveyor if the dimensions of the pellet are determined to be within predetermined limits. Should the pellet be nonconforming, the rotatable arm removes the pellet from the process stream.

Abstract: An apparatus for eliminating metallic contaminations from a fibre transporting duct in spinning preparation, wherein an air stream transports fibre flocks through the duct. At a branching point of the fibre transporting duct leading to a waste duct there is pivotably arranged deflecting means operatively connected with and activated by a drive mechanism. The deflecting means are activated in response to the passage of a metallic object or other metallic contaminations through a section of the fibre transporting duct surrounded by a metal detector arranged upstream of the branching point, by means of a control device connected with a power source and the drive mechanism. Within a short time the deflecting means can be shifted from an idle or ineffectual position, where the transporting duct is open and the waste duct is maintained closed, into a working position, in which the transporting duct is closed and the waste duct is maintained open.

Abstract: An automatic document sorter particularly suitable for sorting retail store coupons employs a plurality of relatively coarse sorting processes in cascade. The sorting processes sequentially sort the documents according to predetermined properties of the document, including codes, such as bar codes or the like; physical properties, such as size, thickness, color, reflectivity and opacity; the characteristics of the inscriptions on the face of the document; and any uniquely marked areas of the document face. Such a sorting hierarchy permits the documents to be sorted rapidly by reducing the precision required in each sorting step. The hierarchy also permits each document to be classified during each sorting step as falling into a particular class of documents in order to simplify subsequent sorting steps. If a property uniquely identifying the document is found during any one of the sorting steps, the processing is terminated at that point without completing the subsequent sorting steps.