Abstract: A flat heald drawing method and apparatus that draws an arbitrary flat heald out of a number of stacked flat healds. To the method a drawing pin of a magnetic head is inserted into a guide hole of a front-side ring portion of the lowermost flat heald while the flat healds are vertically stacked. The front-side ring portion of the lowermost flat heald is magnetically attracted to a tip end portion of the magnetic head. The magnetic head is moved horizontally, drawing the lowermost flat heald while hooking the flat heald on the drawing pin. The apparatus includes a magnetic head is located below a guide hole of a front-side ring portion of the lowermost flat heald and a drawing pin which is extended from a tip end face of the magnetic head. The draw pin is inserted into the guide hole of the front-side ring portion of the lowermost flat heald. A driving device holds the magnetic head and moves the magnetic head horizontally.

Abstract: A planar article or sheet, such as a divider sheet for stacked products, and the method of supplying substantially planar articles from a supply magazine to an article transfer device, which then transfers the article to a desired location for further processing. The planar article itself can be a divider sheet for stacked beverage containers, folded paperboard cartons for carriers, or any other substantially planar article which is adapted to be consecutively arranged with other such articles in a group, and placed in a supply magazine for singular delivery to an article transfer device. The method of the present invention is specifically designed to insure that only one sheet at a time is removed from the group by the article transfer device. The sheets or articles themselves, are designed to cooperate with the supply magazine to facilitate singular delivery.

Abstract: A system is provided for vending products such as beverage and other food products, preferably individually packaged, from a storage unit to a customer terminal at a remote location through a pneumatic tube conveyor to move the product from storage to a dispensing unit at the remote location in response to product selection made by a customer at the remote location. Preferably, a vending system is provided for marketing products to customers of a facility at which they are engaged in a transaction for the purchase of another product or service of a diverse vending system. In such an embodiment, payment for the purchase price of the product is accounted for through the payment subsystem that accounts for the transaction with the diverse vending system. For example, an ancillary system may sell food, beverages or vehicle care products to gasoline customers by charging to a gasoline charge system having a credit card reader associated with a self-service gasoline pump to process the gasoline purchase charge.

Abstract: A hollow needle catches each seed in a seed vessel by suction, and a nozzle section receives the seed to form a gel film. An air blow-out nozzle opens toward the tip of the hollow needle. The mechanism includes an air cylinder for elevating the seed vessel, a lowering pipe line and a lifting pipe line each connected to the cylinder, a cylinder operating solenoid valve by way of which the pipe lines communicates with an air pressure source, and a branch pipe line communicating the lowering pipe line with the air blow-out nozzle. Further, air blows out from the air blow-out nozzle as synchronizing with the descent of the seed vessel.

Abstract: Sealing arrangement for a vacuum seed metering mechanism includes a housing assembly divided into a seed receiving chamber and a vacuum chamber by a circular seed disc having parallel and flat sides. The seed disc is provided with a circular row of openings proximate a periphery of the seed disc. Due to a pressure differential across the openings, seeds supplied to the seed receiving chamber of the seed metering mechanism are carried by the openings of the seed disc to a seed discharge area of the seed metering mechanism. The housing assembly of the seed metering mechanism includes a cover portion having an integrally formed sealing face; preferably formed of a pair of radially spaced annular flat sealing faces and a transverse ramp portion. The annular faces are joined to each other in a common plane to define the boundary of the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A seeding machine comprises: an air compressor for generating a positive air pressure; a soil hardness sensor for measuring soil hardness so as to produce a control signal to adjust the positive air pressure generated by the compressor; an air pressure adjuster for adjusting the positive air pressure generated by the air compressor in accordance with the control signal produced by the soil hardness sensor; a negative air pressure generator for generating a negative air pressure by making use of air under the positive air pressure; a change-over valve for effecting a change-over operation between the positive air pressure and the negative air pressure, so as to selectively supply the positive air pressure or the negative air pressure; a seed adsorber for catching a seed by virtue of the negative air pressure; a first air cylinder adapted to extend or contract by the positive air pressure, to cause a certain reciprocating movement of the seed adsorber; a second air cylinder adapted to extend or contract by the

Abstract: A hopper assembly for feeding literature to a literature dispenser. The literature dispenser and a label dispenser are positioned on opposite sides of a conveyor on which products being furnished with literature and labels are transported. The hopper assembly includes a chute which is designed to have an upstream chute portion adjacent the conveyor. The upstream chute portion is positioned within the reach of an operator who is stationed on the same side of the conveyer as the label dispenser, and a single operator can load both the hopper assembly and the label dispenser without moving from one side of the conveyor to the other. The hopper assembly also includes a literature escapement having a plurality of retaining members mounted on a pair of support elements. The retaining members engage a forward facing surface of a piece of literature and are arranged in spaced relationship to provide an opening through which the piece of literature is removable from the hopper assembly in the forward direction.

Abstract: A vending machine includes a refrigeration compartment, an oven compartment, structure for transferring a food product from the refrigeration compartment to the oven compartment, and structure for transferring the food product from the oven compartment to a user of the vending machine. The vending machine provides automated handling and cooking of packaged food products that enables a hot cooked food to be delivered to a customer in a cool package sleeve. The vending machine also includes a system for inventory control that enables vertical storage of packaged food products while minimizing crushing of packaged food products at the bottom of a stack. A magazine empty indicator automatically indicates when an inventory magazine is empty. An oven door latch mechanism eliminates the possibility that the oven can be operated while the oven door is open.

Abstract: A baffle assembly for a seed metering mechanism that is mounted in combination with a seed hopper holding a supply of seeds that are to be dispensed into a furrow with regularity by the seed metering mechanism. The seed metering mechanism includes a two-piece housing divided into a seed chamber and a vacuum chamber by a rotatable disc having a series of throughopenings or holes arranged circumferentially adjacent the perimeter of the disc. The disc picks up seeds from the seed chamber and carries them around to a discharge area of the seed metering mechanism whereat they are released for gravitational deposit into the furrow in the ground below. A seed delivery chute gravitationally directs the seeds from the seed hopper to an opening defined by the housing from which the seeds are deposited into the seed chamber.

Abstract: A particulate matter or seed dispensing system for an agricultural implement having a mobile frame with a plurality of row units mounted to the frame. The seed dispensing system includes an upright storage hopper that is adapted to be carried by the frame and has the capacity for holding a large quantity of particulate matter such as seed. A bin is adapted to be carried on each row unit for holding a quantity of particulate matter or seed. Notably, each bin holds substantially less than the quantity of particulate matter adapted to be held in the storage hopper. A metering unit is adapted to be arranged on each row unit proximate a furrow opener of the row unit. The metering unit is arranged in material receiving relation relative to a respective bin on each row unit. The dispensing system of the present invention further includes an apparatus for delivering particulate matter from the hopper individually to each bin as a function of the quantity of particulate matter or seed material in the bins.

Abstract: A vacuum seed metering mechanism arranged in combination with a seed hopper for uniformly dispensing seeds to the ground. The seed metering mechanism comprises a rotational distributor disc provided with a circular row of openings toward a periphery of the disc. The disc carries seeds from a seed reservoir to a seed discharge area under the influence of pressure differential. The disc is rotatably mounted in a housing whose interior is divided by the seed disc into the seed reservoir, on one side of the seed disc, and a suction chamber, lying around a portion of the path of movement of the openings in the seed disc. A salient feature of the present invention relates to the provision of an apparatus for imparting vibrations to the housing for facilitating the release of seeds from the openings in the disc in the discharge area of the seed.

Abstract: A system is provided for vending food products such as individually packaged beverages from a storage unit to a remote location such as a service counter or the service island of a gasoline service facility. Preferably, a pneumatic tube conveyor moves the product from storage to a dispensing unit at the remote location in response to product selection made by a customer at the remote location. Preferably, payment for the sale of the product item is coordinated with information from another vending or accounting system such as a gasoline charge system that includes a credit card reader associated with a fully automated self-service gasoline pump. The product is moved through the conveyor in a reusable carrier or in its own product packaging container that serves as a carrier. The carrier is formed with one or more annular seals to facilitate maintenance of pressure across the carrier and movement around curved sections of the tube.

Abstract: A boxing apparatus having a substantially horizontal conveyor feeds overlapping folded boxes into a upright gravity fed hopper with a bottom gate portion. The boxes are generally aligned axially in the hopper on the gate portion to be individually removed by a suction gripper positioned below the gate portion and which reciprocatingly moves up and down to grab and pull the bottommost folded box in the hopper through the gate portion. The box is opened and articles are fed into said box and said box is closed. The suction gripper having a reciprocating arm which reciprocates up and down to accomplish the reciprocating motion of the suction gripper. A tamper device comprised of a elongate member having a reciprocating stack tamper linked to the reciprocating arm and positioned such that the engagement portion of the tamper device follows the reciprocating motion of the reciprocating arm and translates said motion to the tamper for jogging the stack into alignment preventing hopper jams.

Abstract: An IC package transfer mechanism for transferring molded IC packages to and from a flat tray with a large number of IC holder nests in an array and an IC magazine adapted to accommodate a large number of IC packages in a row within a tubular housing to be turned into a tilted position in loading and unloading operations to let IC packages slide into or out of the cylindrical housing automatically by gravity.

Abstract: A paper feed system suitable for use with a portion control machine to provide paper sheets for separating portions, including a paper hopper mountable to a portion control machine and adapted to receive and temporarily retain a stack of paper sheets. The paper hopper has an open end having a front edge spaced opposite from a back edge and defining a ready position where a paper sheet lies in a first plane to be dispensed. The paper feed system further includes a paper support having a length to width ratio of 10 to 1 or greater. The paper support is mounted adjacent the open end of the paper hopper blocking the free exit of paper sheets therefrom, with the support extending from a central location on the back edge partially to a central location on the front edge. An upper surface of the support is substantially parallel with the first plane and is adjacent the first plane for retention of a paper sheet in the ready position.

Abstract: A system is provided for delivering particulate material from a material storage hopper to a remote discharge station on a wheeled frame structure of an agricultural implement. The system includes a material dispensing mechanism, a connector, and an elongated material conveying tube. The dispensing mechanism is adapted to receive material from the hopper and dispense the material through an outlet conduit. The outlet conduit is directed at an angle relative to the discharge station. The conveying tube delivers material from the dispensing mechanism to the discharge station. The connector interconnects the outlet conduit to one end of the tube and has a passageway therethrough to allow material to pass from the outlet conduit to the tube. The connector is configured to direct the axis of the tube generally closer to the discharge station relative to the axis of the outlet conduit.

Abstract: A global positioning planter system for planting of seeds by a seed planter. A population control controls the seed planter. A global positioning system computer with digitized maps connects to the population control. The population control connects to the seeder for planting of seeds such as corn or beans or to seed drills for controlling the seed drill, and plants the seeds according to the population control which receives and transmits data with the global positioning system computer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a process for a half-cell structure to make a hexagonal-cell honeycomb core. The structure has a plurality of peaks and valleys and a diagonal surface between each consecutive peak and valley. The apparatus comprises a stack holder for stacking the structure so that as one sheet is placed on top of a stack comprising at least one sheet, the peaks of one sheet contact the peaks of an adjacent sheet. The apparatus also comprises an air blower disposed beneath the top of the stack for reducing the air pressure surrounding the stack to a pressure below the air pressure on the top of the stack, thereby pressing the layers together to form the core. The present invention also relates to a transfer head and a process for holding a half-cell structure.

Abstract: In a solder ball attaching apparatus, a pickup head is lowered and raised just above a solder ball feed section so as to pick up a large number of solder balls. The pickup head then moves to a position just above a flux feed section where the pickup head is lowered and raised so as to flux the solder balls. Further, the pickup head moves to a position just above a workpiece where the pickup head is lowered and raised so as to attach the solder balls onto electrodes of the workpiece. Alongside a transfer path of the pickup head are arranged first and second line light sources, a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element for monitoring presence or absence of a solder ball pickup error, dislodging of the solder ball and a solder ball attaching error.

Abstract: A fastener feed system for selecting a fastener needed for a particular fastening location from a fastener storage area and delivering the fastener to a workpiece where the fastener is to be installed includes a tray having a floor and a grid partition arrangement defining a multiplicity of cells for holding single fasteners in a vertical orientation and a delivery tube for conveying the fasteners, selected and extracted from the tray, to a fastener inserting device for inserting the fasteners into holes in the workpiece. A suction head, attached to the proximal end of the delivery tube, contacts a top edge of the grid partition arrangement and applys suction to a selected cell to suck the fastener in the cell through the suction head and into the delivery tube. An X-Y motive device is provided for positioning the suction head over the selected cell.

Abstract: A system is provided for vending food products such as individually packaged beverages from a temperature maintained storage unit to a remote location such as a service counter or the service island of a gasoline service facility. Preferably, a pneumatic tube conveyor moves the product from storage to a dispensing unit at the remote location in response to product selection made by a customer at the remote location. Preferably, payment for the sale of the product item is coordinated with information from another vending or accounting system such as a gasoline charge system that includes a credit card reader associated with a fully automated self-service gasoline pump. The product is moved through the conveyor in a reusable carrier or in its own product packaging container that serves as a carrier.

Abstract: A nut feeding method and apparatus for an automatic assembly machine includes a carrousel for carrying a large supply of nuts on vertical feed rods hanging from a rotating head from which the nuts can be fed to a nut runner. A shaft projects on an axis of rotation from the rotating head, and a drive mechanism rotates the shaft to rotate the carrousel about the axis of rotation. The body of the apparatus has a sliding surface adjacent the lower end of the rods around which a lower nut on each rod slides in a circular path as the carrousel rotates. A nut on one of the rods can pass through an opening, when selectively uncovered by a movable plug, in the sliding surface at one radial position on the circular path for feeding to the nut runner. A nut channel beneath and communicating with the opening conveys the nut to a nut loading station. An air cylinder moves a nut feed pin to feed the nut to the nut driver socket in the nut driver.

Abstract: A suction tube for use with a medication dispensing system is provided, comprising a handle which houses a suction motor powered by an external power source; a stationary tube attached to and extending from the handle in fluid communication with the suction motor; a screen to prevent the passage of pills into the suction motor; a second tube slidably attached to the stationary tube, the second tube having a distal end; a pill obstructor on the second tube for preventing a retrieved pill from traveling through the second tube; collection cup retainer attached to the handle for holding a collection cup; a pill guide positioned adjacent to the collection cup retainer for guiding the retrieved pill to the collection cup; and a sensor located within the pill guide for detecting the passage of the retrieved pill through the suction tube. Preferably, the suction tube includes an adjustable pill exit aperture which can also be used to adjust the suction strength through the suction tube.

Abstract: A component supply apparatus includes a component feeding device for feeding components to a component feeding path, with the components arranged in a row while the components are being agitated by air, and a path forming member having a curved path extending from the component feeding path to a component supply position, for guiding the components fed from the component feeding path to the component supply position by changing a direction of each of the components by a predetermined angle. A plurality of air supply holes are provided at plural portions of the curved path for feeding the components fed to the curved path to the component supply position.

Abstract: A semi-automated medication dispenser is disclosed that greatly simplifies the logistics of correctly dispensing multiple medications to multiple patients in the correct dosages at the correct times, in a manner that is cost-efficient and labor-efficient, that greatly reduces the probability of errors, and that inhibits pilferage. The novel dispenser can be loaded with many days' worth of medication (e.g., 30 days) at one time, and requires no special packaging for the medications. The novel dispenser is controlled by a computer. Patient information and physician orders are entered into the computer's memory. Medications needed by all the patients in a ward are loaded into individual compartments, for example by a pharmacist. Many days' worth of medication may often be loaded at once. After the medications are loaded into the dispenser, access to the individual compartments is controlled by the computer.

Abstract: Apparatus for regularly weighing groups of cigarettes comprises a suction drum arrangement (4,6) for picking up a predetermined number of cigarettes from a multi-layer flow of cigarettes (2) on a conveyor (3) and for feeding the cigarettes as a row (25) onto a ramp (14) connected to a weighing device (18), and including an arm (20) for arresting the cigarettes on the ramp until weighing has been accomplished, whereupon the arm is arranged to release the cigarettes to allow them to slide or roll down the ramp and back onto the flow of cigarettes on the conveyor (3).

Abstract: The invention is a seed metering device for metered discharging of agricultural seeds and the like. The seed metering device is designed to collect seed in a singular or group fashion and deposit the same at predetermined and accurate intervals in a seed trench. The device includes a seed disk which contains a plurality of seed containment pockets. These pockets can be depressurized by imparting a partial vacuum. The seed disk sits between a manifold and a housing which define a seed collection area and a seed release area. Seed enters the seed collection area through a seed intake opening in the upper portion of the housing. This portion opens to a seed downfall region that widens into the seed collection area. As the disk rotates between the seed collection area and the seed release area, the seed pockets contained on the seed disk are pressurized thereby acquiring a seed and carrying or conveying the seed to the seed release point.

Abstract: An improved gate assembly for the carton blank magazine of a packaging machine includes a frame fixedly mounted on the magazine. The frame has a longitudinal opening formed therein for permitting the passage of a single carton blank therethrough. The frame has air ducts extending therethrough and receiving members extending from the air ducts. Each of the receiving members has at least one slot formed in the surface thereof facing the magazine. Each of the receiving members also has an interior channel formed therein for communicating air between the slots and the respective air duct. In operation, negative air pressure applied to the air ducts induces a carton blank from the magazine into contact with the receiving members.

Abstract: Apparatus for planting seeds or bulbs (e.g., potatoes, onions, flowers, etc.) using a seed metering mechanism which relies upon a vacuum to select seeds out of a hopper. The apparatus includes a plurality of arms extending radially outward from an axis, a cup secured to the outer end of each arm and a vacuum communicating with each cup such that a seed contacted by the cup in the hopper is retained in the cup by atmospheric pressure. When the arms are rotated, the cups pass through the hopper so that each cup can contact the seeds and retain one seed in the cup. At a designated point outside the hopper the seed is released so that it can pass through a spout or chute and into a furrow in the soil.

Abstract: Distributor for a seed spacing drill, including a casing having an overall cylindrical shape, inside of which a flat distributor disc is rotatably mounted. The disc is equipped with circumferentially-spaced holes which have dimensions smaller than the seeds to be distributed. The distributor disc separates a seed container from a auction device so that the holes are subjected to a depression for retaining the seeds taken up from the container during at least a part of their angular travel. A deflector member is provided to eliminate double seeds. A device is provided for discharging the seeds. The distributor disc includes at least two coaxial circular rows of holes which are subjected to the suction or depression until the holes register with the discharge device. The deflector is located, relative to the said distributor disc, so as to act only on the seeds located in the holes of the outermost or the innermost row.

Abstract: A hollow seed tube extending between a seed meter and a planting furrow is provided with a sensor aperture for receiving a seed sensor. The interior surface of the seed tube above the sensor aperture is provided with a ramp for directing the seed inwardly away from the sensor.

Abstract: Apparatus for effecting: a) selective withdrawal of cup-like members and the like in which bakery products such as muffins or cupcakes are baked, wherein each cup-like member nested in a stack is subjected to a suction within the cavity defined by the member to cause the sidewall thereof to move away from the next member in the stack while being moved from the stack, and providing positive air pressure between and around the sidewall of any such next member which is frictionally engaged to the member being withdrawn, thereby to force such next member out of frictional engagement and back into its nested position; and b) apparatus including high production apparatus for dispensing cup-like members and the like into bakery receptacles.

Abstract: A seed brake for a pneumatic agricultural seeding and/or fertilizing machine. The seed brake comprises a curved tube having an inner curved side and an outer curved side. The inner curved side is provided with an opening. The inner curved side is also provided with a baffle located between the opening and the outlet of the tube. The baffle extends into the tube and is integrally formed with the inner curved side. The baffle is formed by kinking the tube.

Abstract: An improved crane type vending machine is disclosed. It provides the customer the opportunity to position a vacuum suction inlet over a selected product item and initiate the descent of the suction inlet so as to pick up the product. The machine deposits the item in a dispensing chute. The suction device may be a vacuum motor housed in a flying saucer. A telescoping structure prevents the motor from twisting the electrical lead. A limit switch disconnects the suction motor from electrical power when it is over the product outlet and reconnects the power when it moves away. The product items may be encased in plastic bags.

Abstract: A vending machine includes a refrigeration compartment, an oven compartment, structure for transferring a food product from the refrigeration compartment to the oven compartment, and structure for transferring the food product from the oven compartment to a user of the vending machine. The vending machine provides automated handling and cooking of packaged food products that enables a hot cooked food to be delivered to a customer in a cool package sleeve. The vending machine also includes a system for inventory control that enables vertical storage of packaged food products while minimizing crushing of packaged food products at the bottom of a stack. A magazine empty indicator automatically indicates when an inventory magazine is empty. An oven door latch mechanism eliminates the possibility that the oven can be operated while the oven door is open.

Abstract: A single-seed dispenser of a pneumatic precision sower includes a seed supply container, a housing defining a suction chamber, and rotatable perforated dispenser disc interposed between the supply container and the housing. At least one partition member is disposed at the rear surface of the disc in the housing wherethrough air is aspirated for drawing the seeds onto the disc. The partition member(s) covers only portions of the perforations at least over the circumferential extent of the disc over which suction in the suction chamber acts through the perforations. Thus, elongate very narrow seeds are prevented from passing through the perforations. A drive disc for driving the dispenser disc includes pins projecting through bores in the dispenser disc not only to transmit rotation of the driver disc to the dispenser disc but also to agitate the seeds in the bottom of the seed supply container. A stripper for stripping excess seeds from the dispenser disc includes two spaced apart plates.

Abstract: A semi-automated medication dispenser is disclosed that greatly simplifies the logistics of correctly dispensing multiple medications to multiple patients in the correct dosages at the correct times, in a manner that is cost-efficient and labor-efficient, that greatly reduces the probability of errors, and that inhibits pilferage. The novel dispenser can be loaded with many days' worth of medication (e.g., 30 days) at one time, and requires no special packaging for the medications. The novel dispenser is controlled by a computer. Patient information and physician orders are entered into the computer's memory. Medications needed by all the patients in a ward are loaded into individual compartments, for example by a pharmacist. Many days' worth of medication may often be loaded at once. After the medications are loaded into the dispenser, access to the individual compartments is controlled by the computer.

Abstract: A vacuum operated system for individually dispensing items of oral solid medicine from bulk storage to a user, where the medicine is dispensed under computer control, and the quantity and type of medicine is selected in advance by the user. The invention includes medicine dispensing equipment and a computer that provides a user interface. A plurality of storage containers arranged in a rotatable carousel or a rectilinear array may contain various pharmaceutical articles, or various types, dosages, ages, and lot numbers of medicines. The storage containers may be easily refilled by inserting modular refill cartridges into the storage containers. After a user enters certain data into the computer, the invention aligns a universal vacuum probe with the storage container that contains the desired items. The universal vacuum probe is lowered to the desired storage container and engaged with a container probe that is exclusive to that storage container.

Abstract: A solder ball supply device comprising flux supply means 200 which supplies flux at the same time to input and output terminals on substrate 1 prior to supply of solder balls, and solder ball supply means 300 which takes out a number of solder balls from discharger 350 in which solder balls are held matrixwise at the same time in the same pattern as the pattern of said input and output terminals and supplies solder balls to said input and output terminals to which flux has been supplied.

Abstract: A tool for depositing seed uniformly along a prepared furrow. The tool uses the rolling motion of a ground engaging wheel to drive a seed pickup and delivery mechanism. A pickup wheel which is coupled to the ground engaging wheel contacts the seeds via a slot in the seed container. A suction force created by an oscillating bellow is channeled to a pickup aperture in the circumference of the pickup wheel. Picked seed is carried by the pickup wheel to a guiding duct to be released and delivered to the soil. The tool also includes an electronic monitor that produces a short audible beep for every deposited seed.

Abstract: A pneumatic seedling transplanter comprising a beating plate for a tray of seedlings to be planted in which the tray has open portions below the seedlings and the bearing plate has at least one opening which can be aligned with the open portions of the tray to permit a seedling to be dropped from the tray through the opening in the bearing plate, a guide tube below the opening in the bearing plate for guiding a dropped seedling downward to be planted, and a source of suction selectively applicable to the guide tube as an impulse of suction to quickly release the seedling to be planted from the tray and induce the seedling to fall through the opening in the bearing plate and into the guide tube and to continue to fall through the guide tube under the influence of gravity, the source of suction including first and second annular chambers, and a vacuum chamber in communication with the guide tube, whereby expansion of one of the annular chambers expands the vacuum chamber to create the impulse of suction and exp

Abstract: A hopper type supply device includes a rod hopper for storing a large number of filter rods. A grooved hopper drum rotatably disposed directly under the rod hopper is provided for closing the discharging port of the rod hopper. A roller is rotatably disposed near the discharging port in the rod hopper and rotated in a direction opposite to the rotating direction of the hopper drum, for accelerating the filter rods lying near the roller by rotation thereof. The hopper drum takes out the filter rods received into the receiving grooves from the rod hopper according to the rotation thereof.

Abstract: An external shutoff element for a multiple row pneumatic seed planter having a transverse frame, a plurality of seed planting elements thereon, a hollow rotary seed selector drum with a plurality of spaced apart rows of seed retaining perforations which correspond to the planting elements, an airblower forcing air outwardly from within the drum thereby suspending individual seeds in a depression associated with each perforation so long as the perforation is not blocked, a discharge portion for dislodging the seeds from the perforations and delivering them to the respective planting elements, the improvement comprising a shutoff element movably mounted on the frame above the discharge portion for selectively engaging the outside of the drum to cover a group of rows of perforations so that the usual radial pneumatic bias generated by the airblower ceases to hold the seeds in the covered rows of perforations and they fall before the discharge portion can deliver them for planting.

Abstract: In terms of their operational reliability, apparatuses for discharging from a magazine of flat-laid packaging container blanks of the type used for manufacturing packaging containers for liquid contents are greatly dependent upon the quality of the packaging container blanks themselves. In the event of variations in friction or abutment pressure between the packaging container blanks, there is a risk that more than one blank is discharged at a time, or alternatively that no blank is discharged at all. In order to ensure a dependable function with repeated discharge of one blank at a time and at a predetermined rate, the apparatus according to the present invention includes a pivotal lever provided with at least one suction cup. The lever displaces one packaging container blank at a time from the discharge end of a magazine past a segmented wheel which grasps the discharged blank between a rubber cladding and a counter wheel for further advancement to a conveyor.

Abstract: A vacuum beam product dispenser and singulator to dispense and singulate "soft" products in an automated order dispensing system (AOS) includes a product cartridge and an inclined conveyor belt. The conveyor belt picks the products from the bottom of the cartridge using a vacuum control element and carries it up the conveyor until it reaches a pinch roller that holds the product ready to be dispensed to a central conveyor of the AOS. Products are picked from the product cartridge by the inclined conveyor in a position such that a product will fall off the conveyor unless held by a vacuum generated by the vacuum control element. Thus, random multiples removed from the cartridge with the picked product fall off the conveyor. The product stream from the hopper is thereby singulated.

Abstract: A vacuum operated system for individually dispensing items of oral solid medicine from bulk storage to a user, where the medicine is dispensed under computer control, and the quantity and type of medicine is selected in advance by the user. The invention includes medicine dispensing equipment and a computer that provides a user interface. A plurality of storage containers arranged in a rotatable carousel or a rectilinear array may contain various pharmaceutical articles, or various types, dosages, ages, and lot numbers of medicines. The storage containers may be easily refilled by inserting modular refill cartridges into the storage containers. After a user enters certain data into the computer, the invention aligns a universal vacuum probe with the storage container that contains the desired items. The universal vacuum probe is lowered to the desired storage container and engaged with a container probe that is exclusive to that storage container.

Abstract: The invention is a seed metering device for metered discharging of agricultural seeds and the like. The seed metering device is designed to collect seed in a singular or group fashion and deposit the same at predetermined and accurate intervals in a seed trench. The device includes a seed disk which contains a plurality of seed containment pockets. These pockets can be depressurized by imparting a partial vacuum. The seed disk sits between a manifold and a housing which define a seed collection area and a seed release area. Seed enters the seed collection area through a seed intake opening in the upper portion of the housing. This portion opens to a seed downfall region that widens into the seed collection area. As the disk rotates between the seed collection area and the seed release area, the seed pockets contained on the seed disk are pressurized thereby acquiring a seed and carrying or conveying the seed to the seed release point.

Abstract: A device for delivery of fasteners having heads with tenons disposed beneath the heads to an insertion tool. The device includes a sloped track with two spaced-apart rails each having a fastener receiving surface to receive the undersides of the heads of the fasteners falling thereon. The fasteners drop onto the track from a rotating barrel and some are correctly aligned with the tenons between the rails and the undersides of the heads resting on the rails and many are misaligned. The fasteners slide to an orienting station which includes a plurality of fluid injector ports disposed around the track. Two of the ports face each other and a third port is disposed over the track. Blasts of air are directed through the ports sequentially so that misaligned fasteners on the track are forced into alignment or are removed from the track thereby leaving only properly aligned fasteners to proceed.

Abstract: A vending machine is designed to dispense multiple copies of a publication one at a time. The machine includes a storage member adapted to temporarily store multiple copies of a publication in a face-to-face orientation, a suction assembly formed of at least one suction cup that is adapted to seize and transport the front most copy of the publication to a dispensing position, a valve assembly associated with the suction cup to cause the cup to vent when in a dispensing position to dispense such copy into a delivery chute, and a slidable backplate biased to continuously urge the remaining copies of the publication forward.

Abstract: Apparatus for effecting selective withdrawal of cups and the like in which bakery products such as muffins or cupcakes are baked, wherein each cup nested in a stack is subjected to a suction within the cavity defined by the cup to cause the sidewall thereof to move away from the next cup in the stack while being moved from the stack, and providing positive air pressure between and around the sidewall of any such next cup which is frictionally engaged to the cup being withdrawn, thereby to force such next cup out of frictional engagement and back into its nested position.