Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transferring an item to be transported from an end portion of a flow storage system to a removal device, comprising the steps of: using an end stop arranged in a shut-off position for retaining at least one first item to be transported on the end portion of the flow storage system and/or using a separator arranged in the shut-off position to retain at least one second item to be transported on a retaining section of the flow storage system; arranging the removal device adjacent to the end portion of the flow storage system in a removal position; using at least one sensor of the removal device for checking whether the end stop and/or the separator is arranged in a shut-off position and transferring the first item to be transported from the end portion to the removal device.

Abstract: A method of shape sorting abrasive particles involves disposing initial crushed abrasive particles with agitation against the surface of a tool, the surface defining a plurality of shaped cavities having an average aspect ratio of at least 1.2, thereby causing a first portion of the initial crushed abrasive particles to become retained within at least some of the shaped cavities, and causing a second portion of the initial crushed abrasive particles to remain as loose particles on the surface. Substantially all of the shaped cavities contain at most one abrasive particle. The second portion of the initial crushed abrasive particles is separated from the tool. The first portion of the initial crushed abrasive particles is then separated from the tool and isolated as loose sorted crushed abrasive particles. The average aspect ratio of the loose sorted crushed abrasive particles is greater than that of the initial crushed abrasive particles.

Abstract: A method and system for removing foreign grains from oat grains to establish gluten-free oats, i.e., oat grains having gluten levels below 20 ppm and, more preferably, below 10 ppm, relies upon performing various mechanical differentiation operations on a combination of grains, including oats and foreign, or gluten containing, grains. The mechanical differentiation operations can be arranged in series or in a combination of series and parallel operations. The various operations preferably include width grading and multiple length grading steps, as well as an aspirating steps, as well as a potential debearding step. The resulting oats can be used to make a wide range of gluten-free oat food products, including cereal and granola products.

Abstract: A method and system for removing foreign grains from oat grains to establish gluten-free oats, i.e., oat grains having gluten levels below 20 ppm and, more preferably, below 10 ppm, relies upon performing various mechanical differentiation operations on a combination of grains, including oats and foreign, or gluten containing, grains. The mechanical differentiation operations can be arranged in series or in a combination of series and parallel operations. The various operations preferably include width grading and multiple length grading steps, as well as an aspirating steps, as well as a potential debearding step. The resulting oats can be used to make a wide range of gluten-free oat food products, including cereal and granola products.

Abstract: A component sorting mechanism is disclosed. The component sorting mechanism includes a vibrating plate, a feeding tray having a plurality of grooves in an inner bottom surface thereof, the feeding tray mounted on the vibrating plate, and a first driving device connected to the feeding tray. The first driving device drives the feeding tray to swing within a predetermined angle range.

Abstract: An particle separation microstructure comprising a body and a flow channel extending through the body, having an inlet and an outlet for receiving a flow of particles therethrough. The flow channel comprises opposing first and second walls disposed in a spaced-apart relationship and at least one protrusion extending from the first wall into the flow channel and extending along a length of the flow channel. At least a portion of one of the first and second walls is reversibly actuatable between a first and a second position and the first and second walls are substantially parallel in the second position. In the first position the flow channel is open for receiving the flow of particles and in the second position the at least one protrusion abuts the second wall and the flow channel is constricted for restricting the flow of particles and separating particles from the flow of particles.

Abstract: The apparatus, which serves for the optical inspection of workpieces, comprises a transport device driven by a drive unit, which transport device is supplied with workpieces delivered by a loading device, which workpieces are transported by the transport device to at least one inspection position, where an optical inspection is performed, and further to at least one discharge position, where the inspected workpieces are selectively extractable by a discharge device. According to the invention, a plurality of transparent receiving bodies are firmly mounted or rotatably supported on the transport device, each of the receiving bodies comprising a recess, into which the workpieces can be inserted individually or in groups, and wherein an inspection radiation can be guided through each receiving body in order to image the held workpieces.

Abstract: A document sorting machine having dual feeders which feed documents onto common tiers of sort pockets from each end of the machine. The machine includes an induction buffer section which prevents a document already in the transport on a particular tier from colliding with a document being fed into the same transport by a different feeder. Also, the machine includes a serpentine piggy-back unit which can stack consecutive documents going to the same sort pocket.

Abstract: A device for delivering bulk material consisting of individual products has a supply container for storing the bulk material of individual products, the supply container having a product outlet. A perforated plate is arranged downstream of the product outlet of the supply container on a base stand. The perforated plate serves to receive the individual products from the product outlet and to move them further in a transport direction while removing broken products and dust. A bulk material leveler formed as a leveler strip rotatable around a pivot axis is arranged downstream of the product outlet above the perforated plate.

Abstract: A liftings trough for mounting in an interior space of a rotatable member of a length grading machine is defined by walls that are contoured to provide a maximum clearance between the mounted trough and an inlet opening through which grain flows into the interior space of the rotatable member, while maintaining a maximum capacity of the trough to receive granules in a particular size range, which are lifted by pockets located along an interior surface of the rotatable member, when the grain flows into the interior space of the member and the member rotates about the trough.

Abstract: The sort station system includes at least one outer support member and an elongated inner member. The at least one outer support member defines a channel along a first longitudinal axis thereof, and the elongated inner member is slideably disposed within the at least one outer support member such that: (A) a first status is indicated by the at least one outer support member being disposed at a first position relative to an end of the channel and (B) a second status is indicated by the end of the elongated inner member being disposed at a second position relative to the end of the channel. The first position and the second position are spaced apart axially from each other.

Abstract: Apparatus for eliminating the trimmings of rolls or logs of ribbonlike material coming out of a cutting machine, where at least one roll or log is cut into rolls (14) and small rolls or trimmings (15) from the leading portion of the log and/or trimmings (15?) from the trailing portion of the log, said rolls (14) and trimmings (15, 15?) being made to advance one after another by means of at least one conveyor (11), which acts in a plane of feed (13), in which the plane of feed (13) comprises two sets of fixed supporting elements (16, 16?) for supporting the rolls, said fixed supporting elements being set at a distance apart from one another so as to define an opening (19), in which there are arranged guides (18) for mobile supporting elements (17) for supporting the rolls, the mobile supporting elements (17) being controlled so as to displace to and fro between two sets of fixed supporting elements (16, 16?) and with respect to the opening (19) on the guides, which are set at a distance apart from one another,

Abstract: A spherical body sorter for sorting spherical bodies having a predetermined diameter dimension is made by opening multiple concave parts in the side of one surface of a plate-shaped body made of single-crystal silicon. Each of the concave parts formed in the spherical body sorter is formed in the same shape and dimension.

Abstract: An in-line sorter for fasteners which includes a track for receiving the head of a fastener. Fasteners move along the track, past one or more stations which reject those fasteners which do not meet certain specifications. Specifically, four stations may be provided—a first station for rejecting fasteners which have bolt portions which are too short; a second station for rejecting fasteners which have too long a head or too long a shaft portion extending above the head; a third station for rejecting fasteners which have bolt portions which are too long; and a fourth station for rejecting fasteners which have too large a head or washer portions which are either too small or too large. More or less than four stations may be provided. Also, the stations may be provided in a different sequence. Still further, in some cases, stations may be combined.

Abstract: A device for sorting pharmaceutical products such as tablets into cavities of a blister web has an endless sorting belt equipped with recesses. Two drive units drive the sorting belt by means of a deflecting gear. Depending on the orientation of the recesses in the sorting belt, the second drive unit generates oscillations that are oriented transversely in relation to the feed direction of the sorting belt. The device makes it possible for the degree to which the sorting belt is filled with tablets to be adapted or optimized in relation to the orientation of the recesses in the sorting belt.

Abstract: A slat arrangement for use with an apparatus that removes undesirable pieces from a plurality of pieces based upon size. The slat arrangement comprises a plurality of slats, wherein adjacent slats define a plurality of pockets.

Abstract: A material classifier for classifying a liquid-solid mixture containing solid material to be separated. The material classifier includes a tank and an angularly mounted scoop wheel for scooping solid material which has settled on the bottom of the tank.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the automated manufacture of frame components for window assemblies and the like. More particularly the invention includes: an automated apparatus for collating kits of frame components; an automated manufacturing system incorporating a collating device of this kind; and a frame components finishing operations station adapted for operation as part of the automated manufacturing system.

Abstract: A device for the elimination of trimmings of rolls or logs of ribbon-like material that can be connected below a cropper machine of at least one roll or log, in turn fed by a feed surface (11) of rolls (12) and top and/or tail crop ends (21), one after another, comprising, below of the feed surface (11), at least one conveyor element (16) closed in a ring which moves around a pulley (14) and which receives the rolls (12) and top and/or tail crop ends (21) on an upper section, the conveyor element (16) having an opening (17) with a dimension at least equivalent to the diameter of a log, inside which the top and/or tail crop ends (21) fall, the opening (17) being positioned as the conveyor element (16) rotates at the beginning of the upper section when the top and/or tail crop ends (21) reach this point.

Abstract: A high-speed, high-volume coin sorter includes a coin feed device and a coin sorting device. The coin sorting device includes a number of stationary sorting plates, each plate associated with a respective coin denomination. Coins are successively driven along each sorting plate, with coins associated with the sorting plate discharged at the end of the plate. The other coins drop through the plate and fall onto a conveyor to be transferred to the next sorting plate.

Abstract: A table separator is provided, wherein the table separator comprises a plurality of solid-bottom trays and a plurality of dimples for facilitating separation of degerminated corn into endosperm and germ fractions, the dimples being aligned in linear juxtaposition on the surface of the trays and having a center portion raised with respect to the perimeter of the dimples.

Abstract: A rotating lumber sorting device has a rotatable transfer element provided on its periphery with a plurality of receptacles which are spaced from one another in a peripheral direction and have different widths substantially corresponding to different thickness of boards to be sorted, and a plurality of guiding elements having inlet ends located close to the transfer element and also having different widths substantially corresponding to the widths of the receptacles, so that the boards of different widths are first received into the receptacles of the transfer element with each part received in a corresponding one of the receptacles, and thereafter the boards are transferred to the guiding elements and each board is transferred from a corresponding one of the receptacles of the transfer element into a corresponding one of the guiding elements, the guiding elements having outlets which are spaced from one another so as to guide having different thickness into separate accumulating places.

Abstract: A product size grading system comprises a roller bed having a plurality of rotary shafts wherein each shaft supports product sizing roller members. A motorized transmission is coupled to the plurality of rotary shafts and drives the rotary shafts in a uniform direction wherein each shaft in the roller bed rotates at a different speed. The speeds of the rotary shafts become progressively faster from the input end of the roller bed to its output end. The roller members comprise alternating conveyor disks and nubbin rollers threaded onto each of the rotary shafts. The nubbin rollers are relatively thick disks having a substantially polygonal cross section with flexible nubbins or vanes projecting radially outwardly therefrom. Each nubbin roller is sandwiched by a pair of thin conveyor disks which are also generally polygonal in shape, but have rounded crown portions between their flat portions. The combination of the nubbin rollers and the conveyor disks form product sizing pockets.

Abstract: A separator disc for use in a disc separator for separating a mixture of grain and/or grain-like particles according to particle length. The disc separator, of conventional construction, is characterized by a series of spaced parallel discs, mounted for rotation on a common shaft. The discs are partially submerged in the mixture. Pockets in the exposed plane surfaces of the discs lift shorter grains from the mixture and dump them as the discs rotate, to thereby separate the particles. The separator disc is formed of a castable polyurethane material and is radially split to provide for removal from the shaft and replacement of individual discs in a direction transverse to the axis of the shaft.

Abstract: A paper selecting apparatus includes an upstream side transportation passage having an inclined bottom surface(s) held in the inclined state in the transverse direction, a lower stage transportation passage extending in continuation from the downstream end of the upstream side transportation passage, an upper stage transportation passage disposed above the lower one with a predetermined distance kept therebetween and a guide wall disposed between the upstream side transportation passage and the upper stage transportation passage for determining the direction of further movement of paper which has been displaced from the upstream side transportation passage to selectively bring it to either of both the upper and lower stage transportation passages in conformance with the width of paper to be selected.

Abstract: Potatoes which are to be graded according to their size prior to further processing, for example in the manufacture of a snack food product, are deposited in a hopper 16 at the lower end of an upwardly inclined walking beam conveyor 18. Pockets 35, 37 formed in the conveyor 18 pick up potatoes from the hopper 16 and convey them along the conveyor by transferring each potato from pocket to pocket. Any potatoes whose dimensions are greater than those of the pockets 35, 37 are either not picked up or fall out of the pockets under gravity as the conveyor 18 is operated and drop back into the hopper 16. Periodically, a base wall 17 of the hopper 16 is opened to discharge the accumulated large-size potatoes therefrom.

Abstract: A driving device of sorting cylinders for use in a rotary type rice hulling and sorting device, characterized by comprising a hulling part, a pneumatical sorting part and a rotary type sorting part provided with sorting cylinders rotatably installed therein with one end thereof as the feeding side of rice grains to be sorted and the other end thereof as the discharging side of rice hulled and sorted and having a large number of recesses formed on the internal surface thereof and receiving troughs for taking out the rice grains scooped up by said recesses, said hulling part, said pneumatical sorting part and said rotary type sorting part being integrally constructed and interlocked, and the rotational speed of said sorting cylinders being controllable optionally in no connection with the revolution of said hulling part and said pneumatical sorting part.

Abstract: A machine for hulled grain employs a single horizontally disposed rotating hollow cylindrical body having its interior surface covered with a multiplicity of recesses designed to scoop up individual hulled grains at the bottom and to drop them out near the top. A partition separates the body into two compartments and two troughs containing screw conveyors extend the length of the cylindrical body and an arrangement of longitudinally extending plates are combined with the partition so that in the first compartment one of the conveying troughs brings the grains from a huller to the far end of the compartment while the other conveying trough catches the dropped grains and carries them to the far end of the second compartment and discharges them at that point to the bottom of the cylindrical body for re-sorting while the first conveying trough in the second compartment catches the re-sorted grains as they drop from above and carries them on to be discharged at the far end of the cylindrical body.

Abstract: A separator device for separating from a succession of objects in a conveying path those objects having less than a desired length in the conveying direction, including an input channel via which the objects are conveyed to the separator device, an abutment member located downstream of the input channel for limiting movement of each object leaving the channel, a discharge path located below the input channel for conveying objects away from the device, and a mechanism which transfers each object in turn from the input channel to the discharge path while separating out each object which immediately follows an object being thus transferred and which has less than the desired length.

Abstract: In order to sort a quantity of hard gelatin capsules of the type having at least a top and bottom and being filled with powdery contents, and to remove therefrom defective capsules which do not have a top or which may be cut or deformed in some way, the apparatus includes a first member with apertures for the capsules and a second member with similar apertures which are aligned with the first apertures in a first relative position of the two members. By applying suction to the top of the second member, intact capsules are urged into the second member while defective or deformed capsules are retained in the calibrated bore of the lower member. The two members undergo a relative displacement subsequent to which a discharge device moves rods into the individual orifice causing the discharge of intact capsules and defective capsules into different receiver chutes.