A flipping apparatus, a system for processing articles comprising a said flipping apparatus, and a method for processing articles are provided. An article is picked by a first flipping arm. The first flipping arm rotates from a pick position into a pass position, at which the article is passed to a second flipping arm, which is in a receive position. The second flipping arm rotates from the receive position to a place position and places the article. By the passing of the article from the first to the second flipping arm and the rotations a flipping of the article is achieved. The first flipping arm and the second flipping arm each rotate at a higher speed when not carrying an article than when carrying an article. In addition, first and/or second flipping arm may perform a translation movement.

A turnover mechanism configured to turn over workpieces includes a bracket, a drive device, and a turnover module mounted on the bracket. The turnover module includes a rotating shaft, a plurality of suction assemblies, a plurality of horizontal drive assemblies, and a plurality of connecting rods. The guide rails are mounted on the rotating shaft. The suction assemblies are slidably coupled to each guide rail. The horizontal drive assemblies are mounted on the corresponding guide rails. Each connecting rod is connected between each two of the plurality of suction assemblies adjacent to each other. The connecting rod is configured to adjust distance between the two suction assemblies. Each horizontal drive assembly is connected to the suction assembly mounted at one end of the corresponding guide rail, and the horizontal drive assembly is configured to drive the suction assemblies coupled to the corresponding guide rail to move.

A turnover mechanism configured to turn over workpieces includes a bracket, a drive device, and a turnover module mounted on the bracket. The turnover module includes a rotating shaft, a plurality of suction assemblies, a plurality of horizontal drive assemblies, and a plurality of connecting rods. The guide rails are mounted on the rotating shaft. The suction assemblies are slidably coupled to each guide rail. The horizontal drive assemblies are mounted on the corresponding guide rails. Each connecting rod is connected between each two of the plurality of suction assemblies adjacent to each other. The connecting rod is configured to adjust distance between the two suction assemblies. Each horizontal drive assembly is connected to the suction assembly mounted at one end of the corresponding guide rail, and the horizontal drive assembly is configured to drive the suction assemblies coupled to the corresponding guide rail to move.

A machine for automatically positioning objects is disclosed. The machine has one inlet conveyor to transport objects in a lying position; a detector system to identify the orientation and/or shape of the objects; a robotic collection device to collect and position the objects according to information received by the detector system; a transfer conveyor having transfer fasteners arranged in fixed positions along a periphery of the transfer conveyor defining a closed loop around a tilted axis; an outlet conveyor to receive and transport the objects in an upright position; and a transfer fastener seat for the objects at each transfer fastener. The conveyor moves the fasteners seats because of the movement of the transfer conveyor between an upper receiving position, in which the object is held in a lying position, and a lower delivery position, in which the object is held in an upright position. The transfer conveyor and said outlet conveyor are synchronized.

A machine for automatically positioning objects is disclosed. The machine has one inlet conveyor to transport objects in a lying position; a detector system to identify the orientation and/or shape of the objects; a robotic collection device to collect and position the objects according to information received by the detector system; a transfer conveyor having transfer fasteners arranged in fixed positions along a periphery of the transfer conveyor defining a closed loop around a tilted axis; an outlet conveyor to receive and transport the objects in an upright position; and a transfer fastener seat for the objects at each transfer fastener. The conveyor moves the fasteners seats because of the movement of the transfer conveyor between an upper receiving position, in which the object is held in a lying position, and a lower delivery position, in which the object is held in an upright position. The transfer conveyor and said outlet conveyor are synchronized.

Apparatus for identifying, measuring and positioning piece goods with an increased throughput of piece goods are provided. An apparatus includes an optically transparent turntable having a support surface for piece goods which support surface extends in an X and Y direction of the apparatus, a first conveying device for arranging a piece good on the support surface of the turntable, a first optical reading device arranged below the turntable for detecting the dimensions of a piece good and an identifier, a second optical reading device for detecting the height of a piece good resting on the support surface and an identifier, a storage area for a plurality of piece goods which storage area is arranged downstream of the turntable, a second conveying device with a gripping device for piece goods, wherein the gripping device is movable over the storage area, at least in an X and Y direction, in such a way that piece goods can be arranged side by side in the storage area in the X and/or Y direction. Methods for identifying, measuring and positioning piece goods are also provided.

An apparatus for manipulating a bulk seed box having a lower box and an upper box, the upper box defining a cavity and opposing upper and lower edges, the apparatus including a base assembly; a lift assembly mounted to the base assembly for selective raising and lowering of a clamp assembly between lower and upper positions; a clamp assembly having a gripping assembly that has at least one upper clamp tab and at least one lower clamp tab and defines clamping and released positions, the clamping position including the at least one upper and lower clamp tabs being for clamping a seed box therebetween; a swivel assembly defining a horizontal axis and being mounted to and between the lift assembly and the clamp assembly for allowing the clamp enabling to be rotated at least 180 degrees about a horizontal axis relative to the lift assembly; and a height locator assembly operable to locate the clamp assembly at a home position with the at least one upper and lower clamp tabs being horizontally aligned with respective the upper and lower edges of the upper seed box of a bulk seed box positioned proximal thereto.

A rotational device is provided that reorients a container from a first orientation to a second orientation in a manufacturing line and receives and reorients containers with different dimensions. The rotational device has an enclosed passageway defined by four continuous, turning surfaces that contribute to the ability of the rotational device to receive and reorient containers with different dimensions. In one embodiment, the passageway of the rotational device rotates 90 degrees in a clockwise manner. The bottoms of the different sized container are aligned with a right edge of an entrance of the passageway that corresponds to a surface that turns and defines the bottom edge of an exit of the passageway. Thus, the rotational device can receive containers with different dimensions while reduces the movement or jostling of the containers within the passageway.

A system for harvesting insects from a habitat. The system configured to separate waste, live insects, and dead insects in a manner that the live insects may undergo a first processing procedure and the dead insects may undergo a second processing procedures. For example, the first processing procedure may include processing the insects for human consumption and the second processing procedure may include processing the dead insects for minerals or materials.

A system for harvesting insects from a habitat. The system configured to separate waste, live insects, and dead insects in a manner that the live insects may undergo a first processing procedure and the dead insects may undergo a second processing procedures. For example, the first processing procedure may include processing the insects for human consumption and the second processing procedure may include processing the dead insects for minerals or materials.