A low-profile, high-capacity elevator conveying system that is operably able to reduce spatial requirements for the elevating system to not less than about one third (⅓) of the overall lift height, and preferably having a height to base ratio in a range of between 4:1 to 8:1. The present invention also relates to a high capacity elevator conveying system which can elevate both fine and coarse materials through a range of between 300 μm and 300 mm, while limiting belt side travel to 150 mm maximum, or +/−75 mm as required to prevent edge damage to the conveyor belts.

A system for forming horizontally stacked groups of containers includes an infeed screw set, an orienting screw set, and a grouping mechanism. Containers are presented to the infeed screw in a vertical orientation, and are progressed from the infeed screw set to the orienting screw set via a transitioning pocket defined by overlapping pockets of the infeed and orienting screw sets. As containers are progressed through the orienting screw the containers are rotated via a series of orienting pockets to a horizontal orientation and progressed via a series of nesting pockets to form a series of horizontally nested containers. The series is discharged to a grouping mechanism which separates a predefined number of containers from the series to form a horizontally stacked group, which is outfed from the stacking system.

A system for forming horizontally stacked groups of containers includes an infeed screw set, an orienting screw set, and a grouping mechanism. Containers are presented to the infeed screw in a vertical orientation, and are progressed from the infeed screw set to the orienting screw set via a transitioning pocket defined by overlapping pockets of the infeed and orienting screw sets. As containers are progressed through the orienting screw the containers are rotated via a series of orienting pockets to a horizontal orientation and progressed via a series of nesting pockets to form a series of horizontally nested containers. The series is discharged to a grouping mechanism which separates a predefined number of containers from the series to form a horizontally stacked group, which is outfed from the stacking system.

A sorting conveyor and bagging device for selectively depositing packages in bags through collapsible openings in the bags themselves or in sleeves protruding from the mouths of bags. Sliders are positioned between the bags at the ends of chutes. Actuators slide the sliders along the slide tracks to selectively open and position the opening to one bag to receive packages from the chute while the opening to the other bag is closed and positioned out of the way.

A sorting conveyor and bagging device for selectively depositing packages in bags through collapsible openings in the bags themselves or in sleeves protruding from the mouths of bags. Sliders are positioned between the bags at the ends of chutes. Actuators slide the sliders along the slide tracks to selectively open and position the opening to one bag to receive packages from the chute while the opening to the other bag is closed and positioned out of the way.

A powder spreading apparatus includes a hopper having a first end, a second end opposite from the first end, a front wall, a rear wall opposite from the front wall, and a floor. The front wall, the rear wall, the first end, the second end, and the floor define an interior. An impeller is disposed within the interior of the hopper. The impeller includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced flutes and is configured to rotate about an impeller axis that extends from the first end of the hopper to the second end of the hopper to deposit powder onto a print area. A spreader rod is coupled to the hopper and extends along a spreader rod axis parallel to the impeller axis. The spreader rod is configured to rotate about the spreader rod axis to smooth the powder as it is deposited onto the print area. A powder spreading method is disclosed that operates an impeller to start depositing powder from a hopper into a print area located within a build box as a gantry moves the hopper in a first direction across the print area; operating a spreader rod to smooth out the powder on the print area as the gantry moves the hopper and the spreader rod across the print area in the first direction; and upon the gantry reaching a predetermined position in the print area, stopping the impeller to stop depositing the powder while continuing to operate the spreader rod.

A powder spreading apparatus includes a hopper having a first end, a second end opposite from the first end, a front wall, a rear wall opposite from the front wall, and a floor. The front wall, the rear wall, the first end, the second end, and the floor define an interior. An impeller is disposed within the interior of the hopper. The impeller includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced flutes and is configured to rotate about an impeller axis that extends from the first end of the hopper to the second end of the hopper to deposit powder onto a print area. A spreader rod is coupled to the hopper and extends along a spreader rod axis parallel to the impeller axis. The spreader rod is configured to rotate about the spreader rod axis to smooth the powder as it is deposited onto the print area. A powder spreading method is disclosed that operates an impeller to start depositing powder from a hopper into a print area located within a build box as a gantry moves the hopper in a first direction across the print area; operating a spreader rod to smooth out the powder on the print area as the gantry moves the hopper and the spreader rod across the print area in the first direction; and upon the gantry reaching a predetermined position in the print area, stopping the impeller to stop depositing the powder while continuing to operate the spreader rod.

A transport device for transporting bulk products includes a fixed supply portion and a fixed discharge portion which is arranged downstream in a conveying direction and an ejection device including a first and second ejection unit which are arranged in the conveying direction. The first ejection unit includes a fixed or movable end which is arranged adjacent to the fixed supply portion and a movable end which is arranged downstream thereof, and the second ejection unit includes a movable end which is arranged adjacent to and downstream of the first ejection unit and a fixed or movable end which is arranged downstream thereof adjacent to the fixed discharge portion, wherein the first and second ejection unit each include a drive unit for independently driving the respective ejection unit and by moving apart the movable end of the first ejection unit and the movable end of the second ejection unit forms a gap through which bulk products are ejected from the transport device.

A raw material supply device and a device for processing electronic and electrical device part scraps, which can control dropping positions of a raw material containing substances having different shapes and specific gravities, and a method for processing electronic and electrical device part scraps using those devices. The raw material supply device includes a receiving port, a discharge port, a first guide surface, and a second guide surface on a surface opposing to the first guide surface. The processing device includes a first conveying unit, a raw material supply device, a second conveying unit, and a pyramid-shaped disperser. The processing method comprises a sorting step, wherein the sorting step comprises dropping the electronic and electrical device part scraps onto a plurality of dispersion surfaces of a pyramid-shaped disperser, and dispersing the electronic and electrical device part scraps in a plurality of directions on a conveying surface.

A raw material supply device and a device for processing electronic and electrical device part scraps, which can control dropping positions of a raw material containing substances having different shapes and specific gravities, and a method for processing electronic and electrical device part scraps using those devices. The raw material supply device includes a receiving port, a discharge port, a first guide surface, and a second guide surface on a surface opposing to the first guide surface. The processing device includes a first conveying unit, a raw material supply device, a second conveying unit, and a pyramid-shaped disperser. The processing method comprises a sorting step, wherein the sorting step comprises dropping the electronic and electrical device part scraps onto a plurality of dispersion surfaces of a pyramid-shaped disperser, and dispersing the electronic and electrical device part scraps in a plurality of directions on a conveying surface.