In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a cloud computer system for controlling a plurality of remote devices comprising a cloud server including a cloud based operating system comprising a data model stored in a computer memory. The data model includes commands that may be performed by a plurality of remote devices in a remote system and, for each remote device, one or more operations for triggering processes executed by the remote device. The cloud based operating system generates a set of instructions from the plurality of commands and corresponding operations to control a portion of the remote devices to perform a task.

Filling apparatus (10) and method for automatically filling containers (100) for smoking articles with an incoherent material (M) of a smokable type. The apparatus (10) comprises delivery devices (22) comprising metering means (40, 41) configured to deliver a determinate quantity of incoherent material in each container (100). Each delivery device (22) comprises a funnel-shaped conveying member (52) which is configured to be made to vibrate during the delivery of the incoherent material (M) so as to prevent the incoherent material (M) which has been delivered by said metering means (40, 41) from accidentally remaining inside the conveying member (52).

A method for filling a container with a pyrotechnic charge using a filling system, said method including, when the powder is conveyed, a step of regulating the powder flow rate in which at least one powder conveyor device is brought to vibrate according to a vibration frequency control sequence, the vibration frequency being inversely proportional to the filling ratio of the container of the pyrotechnic charge.

A conveyance mechanism (1) includes: a trough (10) that conveys an article; a support member (20) to which the trough is detachably coupled, the support member including a vibrator that vibrates the trough; and a coupling member (30) that couples the trough and the support member. The trough includes a first abutting member (11) that is located on a back side of a conveyance face for conveyance of the article and abuts on the support member. The support member includes a second abutting member (21) that is plate-shaped and has a second circumferential edge (22) vertically identical to a first circumferential edge (12) that is a circumferential edge of the first abutting member. The coupling member couples the trough and the support member by fastening the first abutting member and the second abutting member with the first circumferential edge and the second circumferential edge in superposition. The second abutting member (21) is provided with a through hole (23) passing through the second abutting member.

The invention is a weighing and feeding system for accurate weighing of small quantities of material in pelletized form and feeding the weighed material to processing machines. In particular the invention, is suitable for the preparation of weighed quantities of masterbatch to be added with resin directly into injection molding or extrusion machines for the manufacture of plastic products.

A combination weighing apparatus (1) includes: an article supplier (13) that has an outlet allowing articles supplied from outside to be discharged and conveys the articles in response to vibrations from a first vibrator (11); a distribution table (14) circular in plan view that discharges, in response to vibrations from a second vibrator (12), the articles supplied from the article supplier (13) in a radial direction while spiraling the articles in a circumferential direction; a wall (15) arc-shaped that is attached to a first circumferential edge (141) located downstream of the article supplier (13) and prevents discharge of the articles from the first circumferential edge (141), the first circumferential edge (141) being part of a circumferential edge of the distribution table; a plurality of feeding troughs (16) arrayed fanwise along a second circumferential edge (142) that is part of the circumferential edge of the distribution table (14) and is out of the first circumferential edge (141); and a controller (17) that controls the vibrations of the first vibrator (11) and the vibrations of the second vibrator (12) such that a discharge direction (D1) in which the articles are discharged from the article supplier (13) to the first circumferential edge (141) and a conveyance direction (D2) of the articles on the distribution table (14) corresponding to the first circumferential edge (141) are mutually inverse and an aggregate of the articles is formed at the first circumferential edge (141).

An apparatus and method for automatically removing dough pieces from overhead dough proffer, weighing the dough pieces and reinserting them back in to the process stream. The weight information is analyzed to determine whether it represents the weight of pieces or the empty scale weight, and may be used to provide a signal proportional to the weight of a dough portion, or group of dough potions in order to automatically adjust the rate at which dough is fed to the dividing mechanism, thereby increasing or decreasing the dough piece weights to maintain the desired amount of dough per piece.

A distribution supply apparatus includes: a distributor configured to receive articles dropped from above and distribute the articles circumferentially; a plurality of conveyors arrayed radially along a circumferential edge of the distributor, the plurality of conveyors each being configured to convey, in a direction away from the distributor, an article received from among the articles from the distributor; a support shaft extending vertically and upward from substantially a center of the distributor; a plate configured to change, in contact with each of the articles to fall, a falling direction of each of the articles; a universal joint coupling a center of the plate and a leading end portion of the support shaft; and a regulator configured to regulate an angle of inclination of the plate that slants based on the universal joint, within a range from an angle at which the plate is horizontal to an angle at which each of the articles falls from the plate in a sliding manner.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a cloud computer system for controlling a plurality of remote devices comprising a cloud server including a cloud based operating system comprising a data model stored in a computer memory. The data model includes commands that may be performed by a plurality of remote devices in a remote system and, for each remote device, one or more operations for triggering processes executed by the remote device. The cloud based operating system generates a set of instructions from the plurality of commands and corresponding operations to control a portion of the remote devices to perform a task.

A device and a method are for weighing capsules having a filling. The device has a weighing unit having a receptacle, a transporter for transporting individual capsules to the weighing unit in a direction of movement, and a stopping device. The receiving section of the receptacle is configured as a friction support and is inclined with respect to a horizontal direction. Upon reaching the weighing unit, the capsule is stopped from moving in the movement direction via the stopping device and is deposited in the receiving section in an inclined manner such that a front end, with regard to the movement direction, of the capsule is located lower down than a rear end of the capsule, and such that the capsule comes to rest on the receptacle in this position and with regard to the direction of movement solely because of static friction. The capsule is then weighed.