A wire singulating device includes a stationary plate and a movable plate that define a wire funnel and a wire channel therebetween. The movable plate is movable relative to the stationary plate to control a width of the wire channel. The wire funnel receives a wire bundle that includes plural wires. The wire channel is below the wire funnel and receives the wires from the wire funnel through a top opening in the wire channel. The wire channel directs the wires one at a time to a take away zone below a bottom opening of the wire channel. A wire transfer member below the bottom opening of the wire channel has a slot that receives the wire in the take away zone. The wire transfer member moves relative to the stationary plate and the movable plate to separate the wire in the slot from the wire bundle.

A back bumper can be provided for slowing cans inserted into a can rack system. The back bumper can include a first flap, which can flex downward in response to pressure exerted by a can descending through a compartment of the can rack system. The first flap can further flex upward when the can descending through the compartment is below and no longer in contact with the first flap. The back bumper can also include a second flap, which may be positioned perpendicular to the first position of the first flap. The back bumper can further include a raised step positioned between the second flap and the first flap. The raised step can allow the first flap to move independently of the second flap. Additionally, a flange can protrude from the second flap. The flange and the second flap can removably couple the back bumper to the can rack system.

A handling device for dividing a main product stream (12a; 12b) comprises at least one main stream transport unit (18a; 18b) which includes a main conveyor belt unit and by which the main product stream (12a; 12b) can be conveyed along a main conveying direction (20a; 20b) of the main stream transport unit (18a; 18b). At least one division conveying unit (22a; 22b), which is configured for dividing the main product stream (12a; 12b), includes at least one division conveying element (28a; 28b), which is movable along a division conveying direction (26a; 26b) of the division conveying unit (22a; 22b), running at least substantially perpendicularly to the main conveying direction (20a; 20b), and which includes a division conveyor belt and by which the main product stream (12a; 12b) can be divided.

A handling device for buffering products includes a transport unit having at least one feed conveying element for conveying products along a main conveying direction of the transport unit. A transverse conveying element is configured as a transverse conveyor belt having a conveying direction that runs transversely to the main conveying direction, and includes a conveying element for conveying products along the main conveying direction after an influencing of a product arrangement by the transverse conveying element. The transverse conveying element is arranged downstream of the feed conveying element along the main conveying direction. The handling device includes at least one control or regulation unit for controlling or regulating a drive parameter of the transverse conveying element for influencing a product arrangement on the conveying element. The transverse conveying element is arranged inclined relative to a main conveying plane of the transport unit.

A method for measuring dustiness of a product. The method can include providing the product onto a ramp. The method further can include allowing gravity to move the product down the ramp through a dam. The dam can be configured to control a mass flow rate of the product moved down the ramp. The method additionally can include measuring, by a sensor, airborne particles to determine the dustiness of the product, wherein the airborne particles are generated by the product exiting the ramp and freely falling onto a support surface. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A system for discharging dry solids into high pressure environments is disclosed. The system includes a hopper, a feeder device coupled to the hopper, and a discharge device disposed downstream relative to the feeder device. The feeder device includes a rotatable casing including a plurality of pockets, a stationary core disposed within the rotatable casing, and a plurality of valves. Each pocket includes an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of first through-holes. The stationary core includes a plurality of channels, where each channel includes a plurality of second through-holes. Each valve is disposed at the outlet of a corresponding pocket from the plurality of pockets. The discharge device includes a valve actuator configured to actuate each valve.

A material handling system for the disposal of materials in multi-floor buildings. The material handling system has one or more main chutes each having one or more sets of loading stations, queue chutes, and gates. The queue chutes store material to be disposed, which is held back from entering into the main chute by the gate. The material is loaded into the queue chute via an opening in the loading station. The opening of the gates is controlled using a material handling system controller, which is controlled via a control panel or automatically using a timer or based upon the output of one or more level sensors that can determine the fullness of the queue chutes. The main chutes can have primary gates to allow for safe maintenance of the system. The loading stations can have secondary access to the main chutes.

A missort prevention system prevents missorts in a sortation conveying system. The missort prevention system includes a sensor for detecting the presence of an unexpected article on a chute transitioning articles off of a conveyor and a missort preventer for blocking the further passage of the unexpected article on the chute.

A picking device for piece goods is disclosed, in which cleaning of the picking device is facilitated. The picking device may include a shelf row having shelf bases, each including a plurality of storage chutes, and a retrieving device, via which piece goods can be retrieved. A shelf base may include a frame structure, chute partitions, chute bases, and blocking devices, which are coupled to a control device. Two chute partitions and one chute base may define one elongate storage chute, assigned to each chute base is a support device, on which the chute base rests and which is designed such that another chute base can be slid between the resting chute base and the support device. Assigned to each chute base is a holding means, which prevents the chute base from sliding in the longitudinal direction of the storage chute when the chute base is on the support device.

A hopper has a gate pivotable to open and close the lower opening of a hopper body, wherein opposing side parts more spaced apart than a width of the body are extending from the gate, and the opposing side parts of the gate are externally fitted pivotably to fulcrum shafts protruding from outer side surfaces of the hopper body. The hopper further includes regulating members interposed between the outer side surfaces of the body and the opposing side parts of the gate. The regulating members are configured to regulate movements of the gate in pivotal directions thereof and are detachably engaged with the fulcrum shafts circumferentially around the fulcrum shafts.