An unload stacking assembly includes a discharge hopper for receiving container closures from a conveyance assembly. A deflector deflects the container closures into the discharge hopper in a desired orientation, and a control system detects the container closures and operates a pusher assembly to control movement of the container closers. The conveyance assembly is disposed in a horizontal plane and the discharge hopper is disposed at a discharge angle with respect to the horizontal plane.

Tray flipper automation tools are described. In one example, a tray flipper includes a flip arm positioned along a conveyor, a tamper arm, a drive system, and a controller. The controller is configured to detect alignment of a tray on the conveyor with the flip arm, direct the drive system to rotate the tamper arm to a position over the tray, and actuate a tamper plate of the tamper arm to secure contents in the tray. The controller is also configured to rotate the tamper arm and the flip arm, with the tray secured between them, to an inverted position off of the conveyor. Items positioned within the tray can be flipped over when the tamper arm and the flip arm rotate away from the conveyor. The flip arm and tray can then be rotated back, leaving the items resting on the tamper plate for inspection and materials handling steps.

Tray flipper automation tools are described. In one example, a tray flipper includes a flip arm positioned along a conveyor, a tamper arm, a drive system, and a controller. The controller is configured to detect alignment of a tray on the conveyor with the flip arm, direct the drive system to rotate the tamper arm to a position over the tray, and actuate a tamper plate of the tamper arm to secure contents in the tray. The controller is also configured to rotate the tamper arm and the flip arm, with the tray secured between them, to an inverted position off of the conveyor. Items positioned within the tray can be flipped over when the tamper arm and the flip arm rotate away from the conveyor. The flip arm and tray can then be rotated back, leaving the items resting on the tamper plate for inspection and materials handling steps.

A Knuckle Jointed Lance (KJL), comprising a segmented lance including a plurality of connected KJL segments in a concatenated string thereof. The first end of one KJL segment is rotatably connected to the second end of a neighboring KJL segment via a pinned connection. Responsive to user assignment of a predetermined length to each KJL segment in the concatenated string according to the KJL segment's corresponding pre-ordained position in the concatenated string, the lance is disposed to spool onto a reel in nested fashion, such that as the lance makes spooling revolutions onto the reel, (a) KJL segments stack in circumferential registered layers around the reel and (b) pinned connections trace substantially radial vectors from a center of the reel. Other embodiments provide additional features to facilitate nesting and to generally strengthen the KJL.

A Knuckle Jointed Lance (KJL), comprising a segmented lance including a plurality of connected KJL segments in a concatenated string thereof. The first end of one KJL segment is rotatably connected to the second end of a neighboring KJL segment via a pinned connection. Responsive to user assignment of a predetermined length to each KJL segment in the concatenated string according to the KJL segment's corresponding pre-ordained position in the concatenated string, the lance is disposed to spool onto a reel in nested fashion, such that as the lance makes spooling revolutions onto the reel, (a) KJL segments stack in circumferential registered layers around the reel and (b) pinned connections trace substantially radial vectors from a center of the reel. Other embodiments provide additional features to facilitate nesting and to generally strengthen the KJL.

A machine (1) for orienting objects (T) includes a hopper (2) for receiving the objects (T) in bulk and a belt conveyor (3) with a plurality of small blades to withdraw the objects (T) from the hopper (2). The belt conveyor (3) has an ascending length (5) suitable to select the objects (T) having a predetermined orientation, so that, at the upper end of the ascending length (5) only the objects (T) having all the same predetermined orientation are present on the belt conveyor (3). The small blades form a rest surface facing upwardly in the ascending length (5) and have a plurality of reliefs suitable to prevent free rolling of the objects (T) rested on the rest surface.

A machine (1) for orienting objects (T) includes a hopper (2) for receiving the objects (T) in bulk and a belt conveyor (3) with a plurality of small blades to withdraw the objects (T) from the hopper (2). The belt conveyor (3) has an ascending length (5) suitable to select the objects (T) having a predetermined orientation, so that, at the upper end of the ascending length (5) only the objects (T) having all the same predetermined orientation are present on the belt conveyor (3). The small blades form a rest surface facing upwardly in the ascending length (5) and have a plurality of reliefs suitable to prevent free rolling of the objects (T) rested on the rest surface.

An adjustable conveyor gate for receiving goods from a conveyor and for selectively being adjusted to direct the received goods to one of at least two receiving structures, the adjustable conveyor gate having a rotatable trough extender with an opening therein with a proximal drop wall and a distal drop wall angularly and axially spaced from the proximal drop wall. Positioning the proximal drop wall at an elevated position, with the distal drop wall at a lowered position, causes goods moving through the adjustable conveyor gate to drop from the distal drop wall to a first receiving structure there beneath. Positioning the distal drop wall at an elevated position, with the proximal drop wall at a lowered position, causes goods moving through the adjustable conveyor gate to drop from the proximal drop wall to a second receiving structure there beneath.

A method of using conveyor belts for hydroponic growing includes distributing seeds onto at least one conveyor belt, watering the seeds on the conveyor belt, providing lighting to the conveyor belt to facilitate photosynthesis of the seeds thereon, advancing the conveyor belt in intervals as the seeds sprout and grow, and harvesting the sprouts at the end of the conveyor belt.

A method of using conveyor belts for hydroponic growing includes distributing seeds onto at least one conveyor belt, watering the seeds on the conveyor belt, providing lighting to the conveyor belt to facilitate photosynthesis of the seeds thereon, advancing the conveyor belt in intervals as the seeds sprout and grow, and harvesting the sprouts at the end of the conveyor belt.