A vacuum port assembly is provided for a press system including a die assembly and a transfer assembly. The transfer assembly includes a conveyor belt, a vacuum manifold coupled to the die assembly, and an airflow generator. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of holes for receiving and moving shells in a plane with respect to the die assembly. The vacuum port assembly includes at least one port member including inlet and outlet ends. The inlet end has a mounting portion for removably coupling the port member to the vacuum manifold. The outlet end is in fluid communication with the airflow generator, thereby establishing fluid communication between the airflow generator and the vacuum manifold. The inlet end extends outwardly from the vacuum manifold generally perpendicular with respect to the plane of the conveyor belt.

Disclosed is a conveyor device having a conveyor belt with a support surface and a rear surface facing away from the support surface, at least one flow path which connects the support surface to the rear surface, a suction box which is arranged on the rear surface of the conveyor belt and is fluidically connected to one end of the flow path which opens into the rear surface, and at least one valve element which is adjustable between a passage position and a blocking position, where the valve element interrupts or closes the at least one flow path in its blocking position and creates or releases it in its passage position, wherein the valve element protrudes at least partially from the support surface of the conveyor belt in the blocking position.

A distribution system for use in an induction system with an object processing system. The distribution system provides dissimilar objects into one of a plurality of receiving units. The distribution system includes an air intake system with an opening that is a fixed distance from a conveyor section, said air intake system aiding in moving an object on the conveyor section from the conveyor section to one of a plurality of adjacent transport units.

Method and device (1) for separating parts (2), for example rotationally symmetrical closures, containers and/or preforms, the device comprising a transport apparatus (10) by means of which the parts (2) to be conveyed are able to be conveyed to, through or out of the device (1) along a transport path (16) in a transport direction (11), the transport apparatus (10) having at least one transport means (12) for transporting the parts (2) in one row and an accumulation section (13); and a blocking assembly (20) comprising at least one blocking element (20.1; 20.2) which is in the form of a rocker and the length of which extends in the transport direction (11), which blocking element defines a range of action W for the parts (2). The device (1) further comprises an actuator (30). The actuator (30) is designed to pivot the at least one blocking element (20.1; 20.2) into a first position in which a part (2.1) advancing into the range of action W is held back, and to pivot said at least one blocking element from the first position into a second position in which the advancing part (2.1) is able to be received within the range of action W.

A closed-loop vacuum conveyor controlling the pressure in a plenum. Pressure sensors in the plenum send pressure signals to a processor that controls the speed of a blower motor sucking air from the plenum and through openings in a foraminous conveyor belt against which conveyed aluminum cans are held by air pressure. The processor controls the blower speed with a variable-frequency drive to adjust the pressure in the plenum to accommodate a varying product density or the shape, size, or weight of conveyed products on the outer surface of the conveyor belt. The plenum may be divided into separate chambers by partitions or adjustable dampers. The pressure in the chambers can be controlled by adjusting each chamber's blower speed or the opening of its dampers.