Abstract: This application describes a guide plate for collecting and discharging bulk products (12), comprising a first segment (14), said first segment (14) comprising damping means (19, 20), which, during use, dissipate the collision energy of each product (12) to be collected essentially individually. Further, this application describes a sorting machine for the sorting of a continuous single layer stream of products, in which said sorting machine contains a feeding unit, an analysis unit, a removal unit and transport unit, where said transport unit contains such a guide plate in order to collect the products coming from the feeding unit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for collecting, sorting and storing samples from multiple batches of copper cathode is disclosed. Samples are collected at a sampling station and transferred to a collection container. The samples are then transferred to a sorting container by way of chutes forming a continuous path from the collection container to the sorting container. The sorting container is affixed on the top surface of an automated carousel having a plurality of sorting containers for sorting samples from multiple batches. Samples in the sorting containers are recovered into storage containers through an access door panel and a funnel placed beneath the access door.

Abstract: A device for use with conveyor means and a detector station, said conveyor means for moving empty beverage containers, suitably bottles of different shapes and sizes, past the detector station, and said detector station for providing characteristic data about the containers, and means which based on such data are capable of determining how the containers are to be handled subsequent to detection.

Abstract: An object sorting and orienting apparatus is for sorting, orienting and discharging a plurality of objects, such as, container closures dispensed from a hopper. An endless conveyor transports the closures from a loading area, through an intermediate area, to a discharge area. At least one regulator, including an adjustable spill-plate, regulates the effects of object fill-level within the hopper during a sorting run. Orienting means, including an extension of the adjustable spill-plate and a plurality of flights on the endless conveyor, arrange the closures in a correct orientation. Sorting means, including a belt path disruptor and a substantially vertical belt path, sort incorrectly oriented closures from correctly oriented closures. Discharge means, including a removal device and at least one discharge chute, discharge correctly oriented closures from the discharge area.

Abstract: A transporting and escapement device includes an internal guide member extending along the conveying path and extending through an aperture in each conveyed article. The guide member will serve to guide the article along the conveying path. The guide member is supported by at least one escapement assembly. Each escapement assembly includes at least two independently operated guide member engaging supports which can selectively engage the guide member at spaced locations along the guide member. At least one support of at least one escapement assembly will be engaged with the guide member at any given time.

Abstract: Apparatuses for article handling, comprising one or more of a) an article-moving conveyor belt (1) designed to move along an underlying plate (55) which has a ridge portion (56), so that a substantial part of each article (21) will lie on one side or the other of the highest point of the conveyor belt; b) a lifting apparatus (4) for moving articles, e.g., PET bottles, from an in-feed point to discharge point located above the in-feed point, with the aid of a continuous row of movable article-carrying baskets (26-36) spaced apart along the length of driving belts or drive chains; and c) an article sorting apparatus (6) that is conveyed on a continuously moving conveyor belt (22) and includes a gate (15) that is designed to be able to move an article (21) away from the conveyor belt (22) sideways, and which in the neutral position of the gate (15) is designed to allow the article (21) to move past the gate (15) unaffected thereby.

Abstract: A sorting and conveying system has a longitudinally extending conveyor having at least one tilt tray, but preferably a plurality, on the conveyor for diverting selected articles from the conveyor. There is at least one hanger for holding a plurality of bags. A chute extends between the tilt tray and the hanger. A movable bowl diverter has an entrance opening near the top adjacent the chute and an exit opening near the bottom, so that articles diverted from the conveyor will be delivered to the exit opening. Means are provided for moving the bowl diverter so that the exit opening is positioned to deliver a selected article into a selected bag on said hanger. There are a plurality of tilt trays along the conveyor and a plurality of hangers so that a selected article on the conveyor may be delivered from a selected tilt tray to a selected bag. Means are provided for mounting the bowl diverter for rotational movement, and there is a drive for rotating the bowl diverter.

Abstract: In a film processor, filmstrips are contained in their specific cartridge shells with their film leaders attached to a leader plate, and are fed into processing baths with the leader plate in the lead, while being pulled out from the cartridge shells. After the filmstrips are separated from the cartridge shells, the cartridge shells drop on a chute and slide down on the chute. Smaller cartridge shells sift through a sifting slit formed through the chute along the sliding direction, while larger cartridge shells slide down to a lower end of the chute. A lateral guide plate extends under the sifting slit, to guide smaller cartridge shells having sifted through the sifting slit in the lateral direction of the sifting chute toward a cartridge recovery box. Larger cartridge shells drop from the lower end of the chute down to a second cartridge recovery box.

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 device for a reverse vending apparatus which has a conveyor (102, 201) for moving containers of different shapes and sizes, e.g., cans or bottles of glass or plastic, past a detector station (100) in order to produce characteristic data about the containers (B). Such data determines how the containers shall be handled thereafter, e.g., sorted out, compacted, further treated or recycled. At the downstream end of the conveyor (201) there is located a bottle raiser (301) for putting transported bottles (B) which arrive bottom (B2) first into a standing position, and wherein the bottle raiser comprises a, preferably curved, guide duct or shaft (302) which guides the bottle in standing position down towards a shock-absorbing rest (303). The device also comprises a bottle stabilizer (304-307, 309-310) which on the basis of said data is held with the aid of a motor (305) in a first position (FIG.

Abstract: A circuit board handling and testing apparatus comprising a housing which defines a top surface. Attached to the housing is a magazine assembly which accommodates a plurality of circuit boards and is adapted to dispense the circuit boards onto the top surface of the housing one at a time. Each of the circuit boards stored within the magazine assembly defines a longitudinal axis. Also attached to the housing is a testing assembly for receiving the circuit board dispensed onto the top surface and performing a testing protocol thereon. A reciprocal transport assembly attached to the housing pushes the circuit board dispensed onto the top surface laterally relative to its longitudinal axis into the testing assembly. A sorting assembly which is also attached to the housing selectively directs the tested circuit board into a particular containment vessel based upon the outcome of the testing protocol.

Abstract: A circuit board handling and testing apparatus comprising a housing which defines a top surface. Attached to the housing is a magazine assembly which accommodates a plurality of circuit boards and is adapted to dispense the circuit boards onto a testing assembly attached to the housing one at a time. Each of the circuit boards stored within the magazine assembly defines a longitudinal axis. The testing assembly includes a modular testing component for receiving the circuit board dispensed onto the testing assembly and performing a testing protocol thereon. A reciprocal transport assembly attached to the housing pushes the circuit board dispensed onto the testing assembly laterally relative to its longitudinal axis into the modular testing component of the testing assembly. A sorting assembly which is also attached to the housing selectively directs the tested circuit board into a particular containment vessel based upon the outcome of the testing protocol.

Abstract: A device for sorting rod-like articles, for example cigarettes, according to their weight. The device feeds a single article from a hopper into a channel with the aid of two ribbed drums. The article then drops into a groove in a delivery shaft where it is tipped onto a series of "V"-shaped members located on the top of a balance. The weight of the article is determined and the article is then ejected by lifting arms onto the top wall of a ramp. The article is allowed to roll freely down the ramp. A microprocessor causes one of a number of doors in the top wall of the ramp to open according to the weight of the aritcle and the article then drops into a compartment below the ramp.

Abstract: A first rotatable conveyor section (16) is positioned axially between upper and lower fixed sections (14,18) of a gravity conveyor. Rotatable conveyor section (16) rotates about an axis extending perpendicular to the conveyor section. A gate (42,44) is provided at each end of the rotatable conveyor section (16). An identification device (84) is positioned upstream of the rotatable conveyor section (16). It identifies the end-to-end orientation of an article (10) which is travelling along the gravity conveyor (12). A computer controls the gates (42,44) and a mechanism (104) for rotating the rotatable conveyor section (16). When an article (10) having an improper end-to-end orientation is encountered, the rotatable conveyor section (16) is rotated 180.degree. for the purpose of reversing the article's orientation. A second rotatable conveyor section (120) is mounted for sideways rotation about an axis which extends longitudinally of the slide conveyor (12).

Abstract: A lower blow box of a device for heat tempering glass sheets in horizontal position exhibits a series of nozzle plates which are placed at a distance (A) from one another. Between nozzle plates there are obliquely placed sheet-metal chutes, U-shaped in cross section, which laterally convey out the broken glass pieces arising in the breaking of the glass sheet during tempering. The sheet-metal chutes are vibrated with a vibrator.

Abstract: An optical inspection machine has a discharge chute provided for receiving fragile articles thrown from a high speed belt in the course of ejecting such articles. The chute has an "S"-shaped bottom with the top of the "S" under the trajectory of the ejected articles, the mid portion of the "S" positioned to receive the falling articles at a minimum impact angle, and the bottom of the "S" discharging the sliding articles after being significantly decelerated due to the variable slope of the "S"-shaped chute bottom. The inspection machine has another "S"-shaped chute for receiving articles from an infeed conveyor and transferring them to the high speed belt while minimizing deceleration.

Abstract: The device comprises a flat element (9), mounted on a pivot (12) substantially lying in the plane of symmetry of the conveyor belts, and having a stroke that runs from a first lateral sorting position of the carried objects (8), to a second symmetrical position with respect to the pivot, and moreover a set of chutes (7) with convergent axis, placed symmetrically and below on both sides with respect to this pivot, to convey the objects being transported to their respective containers (3), situated below said chutes, said stroke being controlled by a suitable actuator.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing electrical harnesses, the apparatus comprising a wire feed path extending horizontally and axially of the apparatus, a connector attaching device located alongside the wire feed path. The attaching device includes a punch and a die to press the wires into the connectors, and a cutter located adjacent to the punch and die such that the cutter is operated independently of the punch and die. A wire measuring and feeding device is reciprocally movable along the wire feed path, with the wire measuring and feeding device including an intermittently movable chuck enabling the connected-attached wires to be pulled to a desired length. A connector selecting and supplying device enables the connectors having a desired number of poles to be selected from connectors and supplied onto the die. A wire selecting and supplying device includes a chuck for selecting the wires which correspond to the selected connectors and supplying the selected wires to the connector attaching device.

Abstract: In a product grading apparatus in which the articles are conveyed in trays which are allowed to tilt downwardly at a discharge station to deposit an article onto an inclined chute leading to a support underlying the path of travel of the trays, each tray is provided with a flexible strip which trails down the chute and intercepts an article discharged by a tray and gently guides it to and onto the support.

Abstract: In an article elevating apparatus, articles such as cigarette cartons, are picked up at a loading station by inclined roller carriers moving in an upward vertical direction. During upward movement the articles are held on the roller carriers by sliding engagement of the downward end of the articles against a vertical rail. The articles roll off of the carriers at a discharge station defined by the upper end of the rail.

Abstract: An article weighing machine having a turntable with fixed rakes for directing articles, i.e., fruits or vegetables, on the turntable along prescribed paths into side-by-side metering assemblies where successive articles are placed in successive pockets formed by opposed fingers on continuous chains, the fingers moving in linear parallel paths above cooperating parallel feed belts. Brushes over the entrance and exit of each assembly engages each article as it enters and leaves the fingers. The parallel belts receive the successive, equally spaced articles thereon and transport them successively to weighing cells where such articles are individually weighed and analog signals corresponding to the weight of the individual article are fed to a control logic which then converts such signals to digital form and transfers the logic output to a computer.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting workpieces belonging to different classification classes from a loading device, to a plurality of outputs for the different classification classes, comprising a quide chute to direct the workpieces towards the relevant outputs and control apparatus adapted to receive signals responsive to the class of each workpiece in order to actuate the guide chute, the guide chute including a support adapted to let the workpiece to be sorted while in transit from the loading device to the relevant output, the support including a first end communicating with the loading device and a second end mobile in order to be selectively placed in communication with one of the outputs, the control apparatus being adapted to position the second end in correspondence to the output related to the workpiece to be sorted.