Apparatus and methods for vending an item. The apparatus may include an insulated enclosure. The insulated enclosure may include a first elongated member supporting a first coupling mechanism. The insulated enclosure may include a second elongated member, opposite the first elongated member, supporting a second coupling mechanism. The apparatus may include a storage frame positioned within the insulated enclosure. A top face of the storage frame may include a ridge. The ridge may be slidingly and removably coupled to the first coupling mechanism and the second coupling mechanism.

A waste disposal system for the disposal of consumables through a waste chute into a waste container includes a waste chute having a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is situated outside the waste container and the second opening opens toward the waste container. The first opening and the second opening are arranged at a first distance from one another, wherein the waste chute includes a plurality of self-resetting lamellae for the partial or complete closure of the openings. The lamellae form at least two lamella annuli arranged at a second distance above one another, wherein at least one first lamella annulus closes the first opening and at least one second lamella annulus closes the second opening, and the second distance between the lamella annuli is at least one third, preferably at least half and particularly preferably at least three quarters of the first distance.

Disclosed are various embodiments for an adjustable chute configured to funnel containers or packages into different types of bulk containers and bulk containers of different sizes. In one embodiment, the adjustable chute comprises a front panel, a rear panel, and first and second flexible sidewalls that can expand and contract between the front and rear panels. The front panel has a first hinged connection configured to move between a first position and a second position along a path of a chimney chute. The rear panel has a second hinged connection to the chimney chute.

Bead feeding unit (1) on a production machine in the tobacco industry, provided with a unit of supply channels (4) feeding individual bead (2) streams from a store (2A) to holding pockets (14) situated at the outlets of the supply channels (4), a transferring unit (13) comprising two guiding discs (5,6) situated coaxially and movable feeding means (8) adapted to direct the beads to receiving channels (18) of the transferring unit (13). The unit (1) is characterised in that the transferring unit (13) has at least one cleaning element (25) adapted to clean the holding pockets (14).

A syringe tip cap is provided for use with an automatic syringe loading apparatus. The cap includes a body having an exterior surface and an interior surface, and having a first end and an opposite second end. The first end is defined by at least one generally V-shaped ramp on each of two sides of the exterior surface.

A conveyor system for conveying goods having a lying conveyor for conveying the goods horizontally, where the lying conveyor includes a sorting device with multiple delivery points, and having an overhead conveyor, by way of which the goods are conveyed in a suspended manner on a goods carrier, where the overhead conveyor is connected to at least one of the delivery points for delivering the goods.

The present invention relates to a package receptacle assembly that is integrated into a column of a home. The compartment in some embodiments has a door that is positioned in a front wall of the compartment so that the door is positioned between the rear wall of the compartment and a front door of a home, which obscures the door from view. The door in some arrangements has a locking assembly, which is configured to send out notification and provide remote control of the locking assembly in various iterations of the present invention. Some embodiments have a chute that extends through the column and between the compartment and the roof to allow delivery of a package onto the roof and through the column to the compartment, such as by way of a UAV. Other embodiments include a chute that extends from the compartment to the home.

A system, and associated method, for launching and delivering separated food product in organized groups to a robotized packaging station for the product. The system initiates the delivery via a metered hopper of food product delivering the product to a launch V-belt that aligns the product end to end. A successive singulator belt, positioned adjacent to and receiving product from the launch belt, further organizes the product into a single file alignment. An optional separator belt may follow the singulator belt to create gaps between successive product units. The product is then delivered to a pick belt for product to be provided to the packaging robot. The system product information is from a single (per product delivery line) sensor, enabling intergrated end-to-end control from hopper to robot, and a nearly continuous motion of said pick belt.

A device (30, 40) for the transfer of a plurality of watch components (2) arranged on a first support (10) to their arrangement on a second support (20), wherein it comprises an inlet surface (31, 41) comprising inlet orifices (33, 43) so arranged as to correspond to a first arrangement of the watch components (2) on a first support (10), an outlet surface (32, 42) comprising outlet orifices (34, 44) so arranged as to correspond to a second arrangement of the watch components (2) on a second support (20), and guide elements (35, 45) adapted to guide the watch components (2) automatically from the inlet orifices (33, 43) to the outlet orifices (34, 44).

A conveying facility with a drivable conveying member that forms a sheet-like main surface that faces the conveyed item and defines a conveying stretch. The conveying member includes at least one conveying element that forms at least a part of the main surface. The conveying member also includes rollers that, via roller holders, are rotatably mounted on the at least one conveying element about roller pivots and can selectively assume the state of a freewheel position, an arrested position or a drive position. The conveying facility also has at least one conveying container that lies on the conveying member in a connection-free manner, wherein the rollers project at least partly beyond the main surface of the conveying element so that the at least one conveying container lies on the rollers.