A camfeeder system that uses an eccentric disk kicker having a friction surface that contacts surface of a heavy elongated object to smoothly and simultaneously move the elongated object in a transverse direction towards a conveyor and accelerate the elongated object in a lineal direction the conveyor travels. A method of changing a direction a heavy elongated object travels from transverse to lineal using the camfeeder system.

Problem To improve the efficiency of a combination weighing operation.

Solution An article conveyance device 110 includes an article discharge container 10, an article conveyance mechanism 30, an article detection mechanism 60, and a control unit 90. The article discharge container 10 has discharge outlets 20 and discharges, from the discharge outlets 20, articles A it is holding. The article conveyance mechanism 30 has plural feeders 40 including a first feeder 41 to an n-th feeder 4n. The plural feeders 40 convey the articles A they have received from the discharge outlets 20. The article detection mechanism 60 has plural sensors 70. The plural sensors 70 include a first sensor 71 to an n-th sensor 7n. The first sensor 71 to the n-th sensor 7n detect the presence of the articles A in the first feeder 41 to the n-th feeder 4n, respectively. The control unit 90 judges whether or not jamming of the articles A is occurring in the discharge outlets 20 based on output of the article detection mechanism 60. The control unit 90 increases a conveyance intensity of some feeders receiving the articles A from places where the jamming is occurring in the discharge outlets 20.

Problem To improve the efficiency of a combination weighing operation.

Solution An article conveyance device 110 includes an article discharge container 10, an article conveyance mechanism 30, an article detection mechanism 60, and a control unit 90. The article discharge container 10 has discharge outlets 20 and discharges, from the discharge outlets 20, articles A it is holding. The article conveyance mechanism 30 has plural feeders 40 including a first feeder 41 to an n-th feeder 4n. The plural feeders 40 convey the articles A they have received from the discharge outlets 20. The article detection mechanism 60 has plural sensors 70. The plural sensors 70 include a first sensor 71 to an n-th sensor 7n. The first sensor 71 to the n-th sensor 7n detect the presence of the articles A in the first feeder 41 to the n-th feeder 4n, respectively. The control unit 90 judges whether or not jamming of the articles A is occurring in the discharge outlets 20 based on output of the article detection mechanism 60. The control unit 90 increases a conveyance intensity of some feeders receiving the articles A from places where the jamming is occurring in the discharge outlets 20.

The present invention relates to a method for removing a rod-like element from a loading position of a hanging line in which the rod-like element can successively be loaded with sausage-shaped products, each of which contain a flowable filling material in a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing provided with a suspension element through which the sausage-shaped products can be suspended on the rod-like element in the loading position. The method comprises the steps of feeding successively sausage-shaped products to a take-up position of the hanging line at a basic feeding speed, taking up one sausage-shaped product being positioned in the take-up position, by one of several transportation elements of a transport device of the hanging line, the transportation elements circulating along a circulation path at a basic transportation speed, loading by the transportation elements a predefined number of sausage-shaped products on the rod-like element being positioned in the loading position by the transportation elements, and replacing the loaded rod-like element by an empty rod-like element after the final sausage-shaped product has been suspended on said rod-like element. The method further comprises the steps of varying the basic transportation speed of the transport device or the basic feeding speed, or both, after the final sausage-shaped product to be stored on the rod-like element, has been picked up by a transportation element, such that the subsequent transportation element remains empty, and setting back the varied transportation speed and/or the varied feeding speed to the basic transportation speed and/or the basic feeding speed during loading of the subsequent rod-like element.

The present invention relates to a method for removing a rod-like element from a loading position of a hanging line in which the rod-like element can successively be loaded with sausage-shaped products, each of which contain a flowable filling material in a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing provided with a suspension element through which the sausage-shaped products can be suspended on the rod-like element in the loading position. The method comprises the steps of feeding successively sausage-shaped products to a take-up position of the hanging line at a basic feeding speed, taking up one sausage-shaped product being positioned in the take-up position, by one of several transportation elements of a transport device of the hanging line, the transportation elements circulating along a circulation path at a basic transportation speed, loading by the transportation elements a predefined number of sausage-shaped products on the rod-like element being positioned in the loading position by the transportation elements, and replacing the loaded rod-like element by an empty rod-like element after the final sausage-shaped product has been suspended on said rod-like element. The method further comprises the steps of varying the basic transportation speed of the transport device or the basic feeding speed, or both, after the final sausage-shaped product to be stored on the rod-like element, has been picked up by a transportation element, such that the subsequent transportation element remains empty, and setting back the varied transportation speed and/or the varied feeding speed to the basic transportation speed and/or the basic feeding speed during loading of the subsequent rod-like element.

A dispensation system having a hopper that is located remote to the remainder of the dispensation system. The hopper can be located remote from a delivery system and a conveyor or other transmitting device can connect the hopper to the delivery system. The hopper can therefore be located in an area that is more accessible or less valued than the area in which the products or objects are dispensed, allowing a more efficient product distribution system.

A dispensation system having a hopper that is located remote to the remainder of the dispensation system. The hopper can be located remote from a delivery system and a conveyor or other transmitting device can connect the hopper to the delivery system. The hopper can therefore be located in an area that is more accessible or less valued than the area in which the products or objects are dispensed, allowing a more efficient product distribution system.

A sortation system uses short conveyors or transporter units on a lift to move products or packages to totes in a storage rack. The lift may be a carousel. Automated components remove the totes from the rack and place them on outfeed conveyors. The system to remove the totes can include a transfer vehicle. The sortation system may be modular.

A sortation system uses short conveyors or transporter units on a lift to move products or packages to totes in a storage rack. The lift may be a carousel. Automated components remove the totes from the rack and place them on outfeed conveyors. The system to remove the totes can include a transfer vehicle. The sortation system may be modular.

A membrane bearing device, a membrane attaching apparatus and a method for attaching a membrane are provided in embodiments of the disclosure. The membrane bearing device includes: a base plate, comprising a first bearing surface configured to bear a membrane; and a roller, which is rotatably mounted onto the base plate, and is configured to transfer and attach the membrane from the first bearing surface to a substrate onto which the membrane is to be attached, by rolling on the membrane.