A capsule direction restricting mechanism includes a supply path 10, a restricting device 20, and a discharge path 30. The restricting device 20 includes: a pressing member 40 that presses a capsule 90 at a predetermined position P in a width direction, and moves the capsule 90 toward the discharge path 30; and a slit-like posture changing portion 50 that is disposed between the predetermined position P and the discharge path 30, and changes the posture of the capsule 90. The posture changing portion 50 causes the cap 92 to slide and generate a frictional force when the capsule 90 passes through the posture changing portion 50, and thus causes the body 91 to precede the cap 92. The pressing member 40 includes: a protruding portion 41 that presses an axially central portion of the capsule 90; and cap pressing portions 42 and 43 that are provided on both sides of the protruding portion 41, and presses the cap 92 of the capsule 90 whose posture has been changed by the posture changing portion 50.

A multistage multi-lane singulator conveyor system for separating side by side packages in stages. A first conveying lane having a high friction surface is combined with a second conveying lane adjacent thereto in lateral flow communication therewith having a lower friction conveying surface including both forward and lateral conveying forces urging parcels forward and away from the first conveying lane. The conveying surface of the second conveying lane may form an inclined plane extending above an inner lateral receiving edge of an adjacent third conveying lane having a high friction surface in lateral flow communication therewith. Each of the high friction conveying lanes may utilize a plurality of narrow belts to vary the area of the high friction surface. Assembling one or more multi-lanes comprising narrow belts on a conveyor end to end, or assembling multi-lane conveyors end to end in flow communication provides means to control the residence time and lateral movement of articles with formation of high friction surface conveying lanes of narrow belts in selected locations in lateral flow communication with conveying lanes having a low friction conveying surface with forward and lateral movement to control movement of parcels.

A cartridge dispenser (1) has: a receptacle (10) delimiting a cavity (10) for storing cartridges (2); a cartridge outlet (11) for dispensing a single cartridge at a time from said cartridges (2), the single cartridge being dispensed in a predetermined cartridge dispensing orientation; and a cartridge transfer device (12,13,14) for transferring cartridges (2) from the cavity (10) to the cartridge outlet (11). The cavity (10) is so dimensioned that cartridges (2) can be stored in bulk therein at random capsule orientations. The transfer device comprises a delivery conveyor that is configured to displace cartridges from the bulk of cartridges towards the outlet and to deliver the cartridges (2) to the outlet (11) via an orientation-discrimination passage (15) which ensures that the cartridges (2) are delivered one at the time to the outlet (11) and that each cartridge (2,2a) that is delivered to the outlet (11) is in the predetermined orientation at the outlet (11).

A cartridge dispenser (1) has: a receptacle (10) delimiting a cavity (10) for storing cartridges (2); a cartridge outlet (11) for dispensing a single cartridge at a time from said cartridges (2), the single cartridge being dispensed in a predetermined cartridge dispensing orientation; and a cartridge transfer device (12,13,14) for transferring cartridges (2) from the cavity (10) to the cartridge outlet (11). The cavity (10) is so dimensioned that cartridges (2) can be stored in bulk therein at random capsule orientations. The transfer device comprises a delivery conveyor that is configured to displace cartridges from the bulk of cartridges towards the outlet and to deliver the cartridges (2) to the outlet (11) via an orientation-discrimination passage (15) which ensures that the cartridges (2) are delivered one at the time to the outlet (11) and that each cartridge (2,2a) that is delivered to the outlet (11) is in the predetermined orientation at the outlet (11).

A destacking conveyor having a conveyor belt with pushers selectively pushing stacked packages transverse to the conveying direction to one side of the conveyor against a vertical wall with a gap between the bottom of the wall and the belt to block the top package of a stack and allow the bottom package to pass through the gap and off the side of the belt to a reject bin. In another version a destacking conveyor uses a force applicator to apply a downward force against the top of a stack to hold the top package while the pushers slide the bottom package from under the top package.

A destacking conveyor having a conveyor belt with pushers selectively pushing stacked packages transverse to the conveying direction to one side of the conveyor against a vertical wall with a gap between the bottom of the wall and the belt to block the top package of a stack and allow the bottom package to pass through the gap and off the side of the belt to a reject bin. In another version a destacking conveyor uses a force applicator to apply a downward force against the top of a stack to hold the top package while the pushers slide the bottom package from under the top package.

A feeder assembly includes a hopper which can receive components to be fed and a sorting means which comprises at least a first mesh and a second mesh having different sized openings. The size of the openings in one of the meshes is larger than the size of the openings in the other mesh, so that the mesh with the larger sized openings can separate good components from malformed components and particles which are larger than the size of a good component, and the mesh with the smaller sized openings can separate good components from malformed components and particles which are smaller than the size of a good component. A first track can receive good components from the sorting means. The first track vibrates so as to move good components along the first track. One or more baffles positioned along the first track move good components into a predefined orientation. Also disclosed area method of feeding and a component handling assembly.

A feeder assembly includes a hopper which can receive components to be fed and a sorting means which comprises at least a first mesh and a second mesh having different sized openings. The size of the openings in one of the meshes is larger than the size of the openings in the other mesh, so that the mesh with the larger sized openings can separate good components from malformed components and particles which are larger than the size of a good component, and the mesh with the smaller sized openings can separate good components from malformed components and particles which are smaller than the size of a good component. A first track can receive good components from the sorting means. The first track vibrates so as to move good components along the first track. One or more baffles positioned along the first track move good components into a predefined orientation. Also disclosed area method of feeding and a component handling assembly.

A device for singulation of used beverage or food containers received in bulk into individual objects, including: a first receiving area arranged for simultaneously receiving and keeping a plurality of containers; a second receiving area positioned at a higher vertical level than the first receiving area, wherein the device further includes a transporting device comprising a container elevating member for transporting a container from the first receiving area to the second receiving area wherein the elevating member is attached to said transporting device, moves along and is locked to a circumferential path around a first axis upon activation of the transporting device, and the first axis is inclined at an angle of 1 to 45 relative the horizontal plane.

A process for recognizing the orientation of a fruit (F), having a central axis of symmetry passing through the concave parts of the fruit (F), comprises an initial measurement step in which the measuring instrument measures its distance from the sample fruit (Fo), an individual measurement step of each fruit (F) to be treated travelling on the fruit multiple lanes tape (7), a comparison step in which the distance measured in the individual measurement step of each fruit (F) to be treated is compared with the distances measured in the initial measurement step of the sample fruit (Fo), in order to assess whether the distance measured in the individual measurement step is that one of a concave part of the fruit (F) or that one of a convex part of the fruit (F), and a check step that determines that the fruit (F) is correctly oriented or not. An apparatus that embodies this method is also described.