Abstract: Capsule orienting and turning apparatus and method for use in a wrap-around capsule printing procedure. Many capsules, randomly arranged in a hopper, are picked up in a rotary conveyor which arranges them first in an upright arrangement relative to the path of movement of the conveyor, some capsules arranged cap-up and some body-up, and novel gaging block means cooperates with air means to tilt the body portions of the bodies-up capsules in the machine direction while retaining the caps-up capsules substantially untilted so that all the cap portions can subsequently be shifted in a sidewise direction by a subsequent sideward-directed air suction means. Those capsules which are arranged caps-up are not affected by the first means because of a novel gaging block which prevents substantial tilting movement; the cap portions of these capsules are then drawn sidewise by a sidewardly-directed vacuum.

Abstract: Randomly oriented capsules are arranged so they are all in a definite direction by an efficient rotary system, rather than by an inefficient linear reciprocating system. In addition, an efficient rotary device takes the cap off each capsule, fills each capsule, and then caps each capsule all in an automatic manner. Various mechanisms of this invention are so constructed as to rotate synchronously with one another.

Abstract: An automatic conveyor system wherein identical carriers that have coaxial circular and non-circular surfaces and axially oriented pockets to receive articles to be moved from one work station to another, roll along track sections that connect the several work stations and, upon arriving at the successive work stations, are presented thereto in predetermined rotary orientation established by coaction between a surface thereof that is part of their non-circular portion, and an adjacent track section. At certain of the work stations the carriers enter transfer mechanism by which the carriers are tipped from axially horizontal to axially vertical disposition and back to the horizontal orientation.

Abstract: A capsule positioning machine for supplying a plurality of capsules successively in a predetermined posture, which is useable with the capsules each composed of a container and a cap mounted thereon. The machine comprises a transport drum and an inverting drum both supported for rotation in the opposite directions at the same peripheral velocity and formed with a plurality of pockets. Each of the pockets in the transport drum is stepped to provide a large diameter portion of a diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the cap of each of the capsules and a reduced diameter portion of a diameter substantially equal to or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the cap, but slightly greater than the outer diameter of the container. Any of the capsules received in the respective pockets in the transport drum with the container engaged in the reduced diameter portion can be transferred to the inverting drum thereby to invert the posture of the capsule.

Abstract: Improved apparatus and method for automatically withdrawing silicon wafers or like articles from a supply magazine, transporting the same on a fluid bearing to a station where such articles are pre-aligned in sequence prior to treatment thereof at an adjacent mask aligner or like mechanism, and automatically discharging the articles following such treatment thereof onto another fluid bearing for transportation thereof into a discharge magazine. Improved sensor means is provided in conjunction with the supply magazine and discharge magazine for automatically indexing such magazines to feed and receive wafers in sequence moving relative thereto.