An apparatus for dispensing microorganism culture plates, culture plate loader and culture plate reader comprising the same, as well as method dispensing microorganism culture plates, method of loading such culture plates into a culture plate reader, and method of counting microorganism colonies on such culture plates.

A device and method for delivering a laboratory sample carrier from a stack of sample carriers includes providing a retaining mechanism that retains the stack of laboratory sample carriers, and an ejector mechanism including a displaceable mechanism comprising a carrier support portion and a carrier transporting portion which are hingeably interconnected. The stack is supported by the carrier transporting portion and the carrier transporting portion is supported by a carrier transporting portion support of the ejector mechanism when the displaceable mechanism is in a first carrier receiving position and configuration. The displaceable mechanism is displaced from the first carrier receiving position and configuration to a second carrier release position and configuration by a further displacement mechanism of the ejector mechanism. This involves moving a lowermost carrier from the bottom of the stack in a carrier accommodating region of the carrier transporting portion as the displaceable mechanism is displaced from the first carrier receiving position and configuration. The displaceable mechanism is displaced such that the carrier transporting portion moves past the carrier transporting portion support and drops so that the displaceable mechanism adopts the second carrier release position and configuration and the carrier in the carrier accommodating region is released. The stack is supported with the carrier support portion when the displaceable mechanism is in the second carrier release position and configuration.

A container supplying unit is provided with a container storing part, a container discharging part, and a container aligning part. The container aligning part is provided with an aligning rail and a shutter mechanism. The shutter mechanism is provided with a support frame, a rotating shaft, a first shutter member, a second shutter member, and a driver. The first shutter member is fixed to the rotating shaft, and has a first shutter piece which prevents/allows the movement of the container. The second shutter member is fixed to the rotating shaft at a position spaced farther apart from a feeding position than the first shutter member, and has a second shutter piece which prevents/allows the movement of the container.

A magazine extraction system includes a carrier, an extractor, and a catch element. The carrier is disposed below the magazine. The extractor is configured to move an article out of the magazine and along the carrier. The catch element is configured to move the article away from the magazine and along a platform. The extractor is configured to move at a first velocity, which is less than a velocity of the catch element. The extractor is also configured to move at a second velocity, which is greater than the first velocity.

A method and device for stacking layers of goods (2) is based on a stacking device (1) that includes a handling mechanism (15) which handles, laterally moves, and stacks loose slip-on receptacles (3). The loose slip-on receptacles (3) are open on the bottom, accommodate a layer of goods (2) in the interior (11) thereof, and carry the layer of goods (2) along as the receptacles (3) are slidingly conveyed. An upward-facing bottom (7) of the slip-on receptacles (3) forms the supporting surface (8) for the subsequent layer of goods (2).

An automated mail tray filling apparatus for taking envelopes from a vertical stacker output of an inserter machine and placing them in mail trays. A vertical stack of envelopes rests on a long stacker table. The mail tray filling apparatus has a track positioned next the vertical stacker table parallel to the length of the vertical stacker table. A mail tray transport is positioned beneath the track and arranged to transport mail trays beneath the track in a direction parallel to the vertical stacker table. A movable mail tray filler is movably mounted on the track to travel in parallel next to the vertical stacker table and above the mail tray transport, and is arranged to withdraw envelopes from the end of the vertical stack in a sideways direction. Envelopes are then redirected into a downward direction and fed into a mail tray positioned beneath the movable mail tray filler.

A method and device for stacking layers of goods (2) is based on a stacking device (1) that includes a handling mechanism (15) which handles, laterally moves, and stacks loose slip-on receptacles (3). The loose slip-on receptacles (3) are open on the bottom, accommodate a layer of goods (2) in the interior (11) thereof, and carry the layer of goods (2) along as the receptacles (3) are slidingly conveyed. An upward-facing bottom (7) of the slip-on receptacles (3) forms the supporting surface (8) for the subsequent layer of goods (2).

An apparatus and a method for dispensing vehicle balancing weights are disclosed. The dispenser comprises a transport unit arranged below a cartridge for storing balancing weights. The transport unit moves a balancing weight from a selected section of the cartridge on a belt conveyor for further transporting the balancing weight to a handling device. The transport unit comprises a feeder, and a plurality of stack lifters for lifting a stack of balancing weights and allowing the feeder to push a selected balancing weight under the stack of other balancing weights towards the belt conveyor.

A fixture and a method for handling stacking objects which can improve automation degree of handling stacking objects. The fixture for handling stacking objects includes a frame; a first carriage which has a first upper arm; a second carriage which has a second upper arm; and a first actuator configured to synchronously move the first carriage and the second carriage in the first direction between a first position at which the first upper arm and the second upper arm to clamp a first object from two opposite sides of the first object.

An apparatus separates printed products that have been assembled into a stack. The apparatus includes a conveyor for transporting the stack, which is connected to an advanceable element, which implements separation of the printed products in the stack. The printed products in a receiving support are transferred into a skewed position, which leads to a reduction of the load on the printed products that are to be de-stacked. A retainer, which is part of the receiving support, and a support are set with a clearance with respect to the predefined printed product thickness.