Abstract: Provided is a medicine filling apparatus used for filling a medicine container with solid medicines, including: a medicine housing unit configured to house the medicines and having a plurality of medicine outlets configured to eject the housed medicines; a rotor located within the medicine housing unit, having a plurality of temporary medicine housing units configured to temporarily house the medicines, and configured to move the medicines housed in the plurality of temporary medicine housing units to the plurality of medicine outlets by rotating; and a drive unit configured to rotationally drive the rotor, wherein when at least one of the temporary medicine housing units coincides with at least one of the medicine outlets so that the medicines can be ejected, the temporary medicine housing units and the medicine outlets that are not in coincidence with each other are shifted by an angle such that the medicines cannot be ejected.

Abstract: The unit for supplying and inserting products (2) to and into container elements (3, 3A) advancing along a line of a packing machine (M) comprises a flat element (8) provided with a through-slit (10), and a disc (4) affording through-holes (6). The unit (1) is positionable with respect to the line of the packing machine (M) such that the slit (10) is arranged above the container elements (3, 3a). Products (2) are supplied onto the disc (4) which products (2) are to be inserted in the container elements (3, 3a), each through-hole (6) being of such a size as to be able to receive and house internally thereof a product (2). The disc (4) is mounted above the flat element (8) such that the products (2) housed in the through-holes (6) rest on the flat element (8).

Abstract: A component loader orients a component along its long-axis for transfer from a rotatable load plate. The load plate has an outer peripheral edge and an upper surface inclined from a horizontal plane. Slots on the upper surface terminate at the outer edge of the load plate and are sized to receive at least one elongate chip lying with its long axis perpendicular to the axis of the load plate and in parallel with radius of the load plate. An outer wall conforms to the curvature of the outer edge and is mounted adjacent thereto. A transfer slot extends axially from and into the upper surface of the load plate on outer ends of the slots and terminates at the outer edge of the load plate. Each transfer slot is shaped so that a chip descending therein from a slot has a ninety degree rotation about the long axis.

Abstract: A singulating apparatus is therefore provided that utilizes a plurality of singulating cavities, each singulating cavity having a plurality of movable wall segments enabling the size and shape of the singulating cavities to be changed to correspond to the size and shape of the object being singulated.

Abstract: A component loader for orienting a component along its long-axis for transfer to transmission means such as a carrier belt. The loader includes a rotatable load plate having an outer peripheral edge and an upper surface where the upper surface is inclined from a horizontal plane. A plurality of slots is on the upper surface, and each is located about the outer edge of the load plate. Each of the plurality of slots is sized to receive at least one chip, preferably lying with its long axis perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotatable load plate. An outer wall conforms to the curvature of the outer peripheral edge and is mounted adjacent thereabout. A transfer slot extends axially into the upper surface of the load plate. Preferably, each transfer slot is shaped so that a chip descending into each transfer slot from a respective slot has a ninety degree rotation about the long axis.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) is provided for feeding capsules (4), preferably single-use capsules for the preparation of beverages, infusions and the like, for beverage vending machines. The apparatus includes a storage chamber (2, 22) for storing capsules (4) in a random arrangement, pick-up means (10, 210) for picking up the capsules (4), a capsule transfer device (13, 213) provided with one or more compartments (14, 214) for the capsules (4), at least an unloading conveyor (19, 219) for unloading the capsules (4). The apparatus is characterized in that, between the storage chamber (2, 22) and the at least an unloading conveyor (19, 219), the apparatus (1) comprises a first orientating device (8, 28), which is adapted to orientate the capsules (4) according to at least a substantially horizontal-axis position, and a second orientating device (20, 220) which is adapted to arrange the capsules (4) according to a same vertical-axis position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for singulating individual product items, such as pills, in unit-dose or multi-dose dispersing packaging that utilizes a pill-filling mechanism for reducing a large amount of bulk pills to a single-file stream of pills; a pill separation mechanism for singulating a variety of different sized and shaped pills; and a mechanism for delivering pills to a package, such as a blister-pack. Bar-code scanning and identification software may also be implemented to adjust the mechanisms to adapt the apparatus to different pills as they are presented to the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for the sanitary dispensing of small stirring straws comprising a dispensing apparatus for dispensing rod-shaped objects comprising a hopper assembly comprised of a hopper bin, and a cylindrical cavity formed beneath said hopper bin; disposed within said cylindrical cavity of said hopper assembly, a conveyor drum for acquiring and indexing at least one rod shaped object; a wheel for accepting and discharging an indexed rod shaped object; and a linkage for triggering said dispensing apparatus to effect the discharge of a rod shaped object.

Abstract: Spring nail (32, 34, 72, 96) for a sheet feeding device (10). The spring nail (32, 34, 72, 96) has a mounting end (36, 74) for attaching to the sheet feeding device (10) and a free end (38, 78) opposite the mounting end (36, 74), the free end (38, 78) being disposed to engage a top sheet (16) of a stack of sheets (14) to be fed and exert a resilient biasing force thereagainst to form a loop or bow in the top sheet (16) for separating the top sheet (16) from the stack (14) when the top sheet (16) is to be removed from the stack (14). The spring nails (32, 34, 72, 96) are preferably positioned for engaging the respective leading corners (28, 30) of the top sheet (16) and each has a spring arm portion (40, 80) between the mounting end (36, 74) and the free end (38, 78) having properties of a spring for resiliently biasing the free end (38, 78) against the top sheet (16).

Abstract: Apparatus for single file transporting of bottles and molded articles from a mass of initially disposed horizontally and standing bottles and molded articles includes a receiving container made of dimensionally stable material, with the interior space of this container being open at the top and receiving a molded article in the horizontal position. Each receiving container removes an individual article from the mass of molded articles with the help of a transporting unit, and the molded articles and receiving container are together received by a processing machine.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for loading and positioning of elongate terminated electronic components include a load plate having vertical slots extending therethrough, the slots being spaced apart at regular intervals and each slot having parallel opposing sidewalls. Components are positioned and retained in the load plate slots with the long axes of the components in an orientation transverse to the upper surface of the load plate. At a predetermined time, each component is allowed to drop out of the slot and through a curved chute, the chute bending from an upper opening to a medial point and flaring outwardly from the medial point to a lower opening, and having a width at the medial point larger than the short axis of the component and a width at the lower opening slightly larger than the long axis of the component so that the component is rotated through about 90.degree. on passage through the chute.

Abstract: Machine for automatically positioning and aligning containers, such as plastic bottles, including a hopper (48, 48a, 48b, 48c) for receiving randomly containers (4, 4a, 4b) to be sorted, a hopper bottom (12, 12a, 29) with a peripheral edge portion spaced at a distance from the side wall of the hopper to provide a space through which the containers can drop by gravity towards a lower section, a rotatable disc (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) below the hopper bottom and container holders supported on the disc for movement therewith and having recesses therein for receiving and holding containers in a lying position. A container support shelf (28, 59) with a discharge section extends below container holders for supporting containers in the holder recesses during movement.

Abstract: An unscrambler for unscrambling and orientating containers such as plastic bottles includes a hopper (1), having straight or slightly curved walls, a plurality of travelling carriages (20) having holding elements (5) with openings (6) for receiving individual containers and passageways (22) for receiving and positioning the containers, the travelling carriages (20) moving along an enclosed path and being interconnected and drawn by a flexible or hinged drive belt (33), and adjustable shelf (8) disposed between holders (5) and passageways (22) for supporting the containers (2) until they reach a discharge station where they drop through an opening in the shelf.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bar-like article supplying apparatus in a hopper, and more specifically to an apparatus for supplying bar-like articles such as cigarettes or filter plugs to the hopper, wherein a bottom lid comprises a plurality of small bottom lids obtained by dividing the bottom lid in a radial direction of bar-like articles, whereby these small bottom lids are rotated in a radial direction of the bar-like articles to make the moving stroke of the bottom lid small to miniaturize the entire apparatus and bar-like articles are supplied preferentially from a depressed portion in the upper surface of the bar-like articles within the hopper, thus eliminating a disturbance of the bar-like articles.

Abstract: The casings are guided through a supply duct to a sorting roller which possesses an arresting duct with a pin extending axially and, in the same cross-sectional plane, a transit duct. Those casings which arrive with the casing base directed upwardly penetrate into the arresting duct, with the case base resting on the free end of the pin. On subsequent rotation of the sorting roller through 180.degree., the casing falls into the outlet duct with base directed downwardly. Casings, which arrive with base pointing downwardly, run up against the pin and rest on the periphery of the roller until, after 180.degree. rotation of the transit duct, they align with the supply duct and can fall unhindered into the outlet duct. All casings fall into the outlet duct with their base directed downwardly.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a support base for a hopper designed to receive articles, a drum supported in a rotatable manner about a horizontal axis by the base, the interior of this drum communicating with the hopper, and an elevator having conveyor elements or pockets disposed tangentially to the rotary drum and provided at its top with a chute for discharge into the feed hopper of a device for handling these articles. The shell of this drum is provided with perforations in the manner of a sieve with countersink holes having their smallest diameter towards the exterior of the hollow drum slightly greater than the maximum diameter of the integral articles. Chute collection means for the articles selected via the countersink holes with a discharge in the vicinity of the conveyor elements or pockets of the tangential elevator are provided peripherally below the drum. The drum and the elevator are actuated with a continuous movement in the same direction.

Abstract: There is described a mechanism for feeding and orienting elongated workpieces. The mechanism comprises a hopper which receives the workpieces in bulk, an inclined rotatable plate forming the bottom of the hopper and provided on its periphery with cavities for collecting the workpieces one by one, and a plurality of devices for orienting the workpieces. The orienting devices are fixedly mounted below each cell, such devices each including a closure member operated by a cam which selectively opens the bottom of the cell, and a feeding spout or channel which orients the workpieces in the desired manner as they fall thereinto. The mechanism of the invention may be applied to advantage in the feeding of partially finished workpieces to a machine tool in which they are further shaped or operated upon.

Abstract: Elongated articles are randomly received through the open top of a housing in which an inclined disc is rotatably mounted. The disc has a circumferential edge adjacent the housing and the edge defines equidistantly spaced openings capable of permitting article to pass therethrough into shafts associated therewith and descending therefrom. A stationary annular support plate is mounted in a plane immediately below the plane of the disc and in registry with the openings, the support plate defining an opening at the zenith of the disc for permitting communication between a respective one of the openings in the circumferential disc edge and the shaft associated therewith. This shaft has a perpendicular axis whereby the randomly received articles gravitate to the nadir of the disc, are revolved by the rotating disc to the zenith while supported in the openings on the annular support plate and pass sequentially through the opening at the zenith into the shaft while being erected therein.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling a multiplicity of like bodies such as pills or tablets has a drum rotatable in a housing about a horizontal axis and formed with a multiplicity of throughgoing holes constituting body-receiving pockets. A pair of axially spaced end walls axially close the drum and a pair of inner and outer shields insure that except for an inner input location and an outer retrieval location bodies in the apertures of the drum will not fall out as the drum rotates. A pair of transparent end walls are rigidly mounted together by way of axially extending bolts and carry feed plates, a separating comb, and a separating disc. These end plates and the elements carried on them are slidable axially into and out of the drum. The separating comb is formed of a plurality of axially spaced and parallel elements that define slits that are aligned with the rows of apertures in the drum and between which fit elastomeric discs carried on the separating roller.

Abstract: A mechanism for automatically and sequentially feeding each of a plurality of pins, for supporting aperture masks adjacent the glass face plates or viewing panels of color television picture tubes, to a mechanism or gun for insertion of each of the pins into the glass of the face plates or viewing panels. The mechanism includes a rotatable turret or cylindrical pin magazine or canister which holds a relatively large quantity or plurality of the pins vertically stacked in columns adjacent the outer periphery of the turret or magazine for the pin feeding operations and which can readily and rapidly be removed from the mechanism and replaced by another full turret or pin magazine when the first one is empty of pins.