Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for sorting differently identified articles, in particular for sorting differently colored gaming chips. The apparatus includes a rotating transfer disc arranged to remove individual chips from a random store and transfer them to a conveyor. The conveyor carries the chips first to a sensor which is arranged to sense the color of the chip and then to a chip ejector which is arranged to remove the chips from the conveyor and deposit them in a respective one of several containers depending on the color of the chip.

Abstract: A plurality of bottle release stations are arranged proximate to the path of movement of a plurality of bottle gripper heads. The gripper heads have grippers which can be switched from a gripping mode to a release mode. Containers of unsorted bottles are conveyed to a pick up station on an infeed conveyor where one of the gripper heads is guided to direct its grippers to the mouths of bottles at which time the grippers are switched to the gripping mode. All of the unsorted bottles in the container are carried to a first release station on an infeed conveyor where bottles having a certain characteristic such as the same color are released by switching the grippers to the release mode. The gripper head, in a continuous motion, then moves to another release station where, by means of a control system, bottles having another characteristic, such as a different color are released.

Abstract: The apparatus for recycling glass containers comprises an enclosure having at least one customer access opening and a rotatable carousel mounted in the enclosure. The rotatable carousel defines a plurality of glass container receiving recesses for subsequently receiving glass containers through the customer access opening. A fixed platform defining at least two openings underlies the carousel and a scanner, mounted in the enclosure, is positioned adjacent the carousel for scanning the code markings on the glass container. At least one trap door is provided, the trap door being operatively associated with a first opening in the fixed platform. The scanner electrically controls the movement of the trap doors so that glass containers, upon rotation of the carousel, will selectively fall through one of the openings in the fixed platform.

Abstract: The automatic sorting device allows nuclear-fuel pellets to be distributed into correct, acceptable or scrapped pellets.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the capacitance of tablets of varying shapes and sizes by conveying the tablets along a curved path which includes a zone of travel between the plates of a capacitive sensing device. The tablets are conveyed in a relatively fixed orientation by constructing a guide channel including a fixedly-positioned curved guide spaced away from a rotatable disk, and wherein a resilient clamp is provided above the guide channel so as to compress the tablet against the rotatable disk during its path of travel.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding tablets in an aligned and uniformly oriented sequence onto a tablet measuring device, including a movable turntable having a deflector for guiding the tablets to a circumferential edge, a guide member and plow assembly respectively aligned in parallel and spaced apart relationship, the guide member having longitudinally-spaced air jets and the plow assembly having respective edge surfaces for slidably guiding tablets to a uniform orientation, and including a gate for removing particles and broken tablets from the channel to prevent them from being conveyed onto the measuring system.

Abstract: An apparatus (19) for singulating a series of packages (17). The apparatus (19) includes a vertical wheel (12), a retainer spring (10), a gravity feed track (14), a pass track (15), and a reject track (16). The vertical wheel (12) comprises a plurality of slots (22-29), and rotates in a clockwise direction to deliver the packages (17) to an electrical test fixture (18). Upon completion of testing, the vertical wheel (12) rotates in a clockwise direction and delivers the packages (17) to either the pass track (15) or the reject track (16). A motor driven eccentric (37) actuates the retainer spring (10) to unblock the appropriate slot (22-29), thereby releasing the packages (17) from the appropriate slot (22-29).

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting defects in discrete articles, such as fasteners having an indexable article carrier with a plurality of article holders on the article carrier for supporting articles in a holding position so that each article in the holding position moves in a prescribed path as the article carrier is operated; structure for incrementally indexing the article carrier to position each article holder alternatively in (a) a first position in which an article can be inserted therein from a supply, and (b) a second position spaced from said first position; structure for shifting an article in a holder in the second position out of the holding position therefor into an inspecting position and for rotating an article in a holder in an inspecting position so that the complete periphery of an article to be inspected is exposed for examination is included; and eddy current scanning structure for examining the exposed part of an article while being rotated in the inspection position therefor.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuous production of intumesced, expanded, puffed, or exfoliated particles. A rotatable processing table is driven by a speed controllable motor connected to rotate the table at a desired rotational rate. Particulate feeding means overlie the table for depositing the particles to be intumesced onto a first sector in the path of the upper surface of the processing table during rotation thereof. Heating means are mounted above and below the plane of the processing table at a second sector in the rotational path of same which is spaced from the first sector, and heat expand the particles during passage through the second sector. A scraper blade is mounted above the processing table at a third sector in the rotational path of the table which is spaced and downstream from the second sector.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for feeding products, in particular packets of cigarettes (3) comprising a feeder (5) for feeding a succession of packets (2), a first conveyor (9) driven with intermittent motion and provided with seats (1) for receiving respective packets (2) from the feeder (5), and a receiver (3) for receiving the packets (2) from the first conveyor (9) in succession. The apparatus (2) also comprises a second conveyor (19) driven with intermittent motion and provided with seats (18) for containing respective packets (2), the path of travel of the seats (18) of the second conveyor (19) intersecting the path of travel of the seats (10) of the first conveyor (9) at a station (17) for the discarding and replacement of defective packets (2). During each of its stages of movement the second conveyor (19) is able to remove a defective packet (2) from a seat (10) of the first conveyor (9), and to introduce a sound packet (2) into the same seat (10).

Abstract: Seeds are sorted according to color by placing the seeds in uniform rows of indentations in a rotating drum and passing the seeds beneath a digital/imaging camera and strobe lights which create images of the seeds. The images are fed to a computer, which also receives information from a drum speed sensor. The computer generates a signal which causes a blast of air to blow through an opening in the bottom of any identation containing a discolored seed to reject such seed. Rejected seeds are fed into a reject hopper, and the selected or good seeds remaining in the drum indentations fall from the drum into another hopper.

Abstract: A selection device for candy, in which confections are dispensed loose onto a first table turning at relatively low speed and spiralled around a fixed guide before being scattered onto a second, annular table that is concentric and coplanar with the first and rotates at higher speed; this second table is encompassed by a cylindrical pan, rotated at the same higher speed about an axis angled away from the axis of the tables to the extent that corresponding peripheral stretches of the second table and the top edge of the pan are made to converge in the same plane. The top edge of the pan is castellated with tapered radial sockets that are designed to accommodate the confections singly, conveying them through a circular path and into contact with a number of fixed cam profiles by which they are deflected from the sockets in such a way as to enable centrifugal ejection at respective selection and reject stations.

Abstract: Sorting apparatus for electrical components includes:(a) an electrical test station,(b) a transport forming pockets for receiving electrical components and for sequentially lifting the received components to the test station,(c) test circuitry including relatively movable contacts, at the test station, for electrically testing the components in the pockets, sequentially,(d) and the tested components then being discharged form the pockets in accordance with their testing.A novel rotary transport is also provided, with an annular, frusto-conical guide slot for a swingable contact, to successively engage the components.

Abstract: A rotary feeder for articles is provided and consists of a rotating bowl that has a domed floor and an upper ledge, an inclined stationary ramp that will carry the articles from the domed floor to the upper ledge, a stationary guide ring that has an exit port and a device for rejecting improper positioned articles before the articles are discharged from the exit ramp of the guide ring, the device including an air jet positioned radially inward from the pathway provided by the ledge and oriented to direct an air jet angled downward and radially outward toward both said ledge and the stationery guide ring or wall structure whereby crown side up caps are blown off said ledge back into said bowl and cavity side up caps are retained on the ledge and passed on to the exit port.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for separating discrete items of different materials from a mixture. The mixed items fall vertically from a feeder device onto a plate spinning about a vertical axis. According to their difference in material, the items rebound with different trajectories so that they land on separate receiving surfaces lying at different radii from the axis. The receiving surfaces may be stationary or maybe vibratable, so that items received by them are conveyed along them by vibration to collection points.

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: 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 improved high speed egg grading system wherein a pair of opposed lifting bars disposed on rotating rings transfer eggs over a plurality of weighing stations, and a conveyor belt is provided for removing graded eggs spaced two abreast. An improved drive is provided for the bars which insures gentle pick-up and set down of the eggs at weighing stations where scales incorporating damping means to reduce settling out time are located.

Abstract: An inspection system for detecting excessive particulate matter in serially presented liquid filled vials. Vials are advanced by an in-feed star wheel, a rotating vial deck and an out-feed star wheel having the same number of vial locations and vial orbit speed. Along the vial deck orbit, each vial is successively clamped to a rotatable puck, spun momentarily to swirl the liquid therein, inspected for particulate content, and unclamped. Further rotating decks carry circumferentially arranged television cameras and light sources, respectively. Each camera looks radially inward, axially through an orbiting periscope and then radially outward to inspect a vial. Light from each light source passes radially inward and then axially to bottom light its vial. A separation unit enhances the camera video portion corresponding to swirling particles in the vial.

Abstract: Apparatus for sorting firm whole fruits and vegetables from those which are soft and broken by sliding or rolling the specimens to be sorted down an inclined plane to impart momentum and velocity and then dropping them on a rearwardly moving conveyer belt. The firm whole specimens will have achieved sufficient forward velocity on the inclined plane to overcome the rearward motion of the conveyer belt while the soft broken specimens will be carried rearwardly with the belt.