A combination weighing apparatus includes a retaining hopper that retains an article and supplies the retained article onto a transport path. The retaining hopper has a coupling portion adapted to be inserted in along the support rails and pulled off from support rails disposed in a pair. The retaining hopper is thus supportable by the support rails and is readily mounted to and dismounted from the apparatus without using any tool for cleaning and other purposes.

A vibratory apparatus includes a deck and an exciter assembly coupled to the deck. The apparatus also includes a motion sensor, a weight sensor, and a control system coupled to the exciter assembly, the motion sensor, and the weight sensor. The control system is configured to pause the rate of travel of the material across the deck for a weighing interval, to receive the signal from the weight sensor representative of a material weight on the deck during the weighing interval, to resume the rate of travel for a transporting interval, to receive a signal from the motion sensor representative of a material flow rate during the transporting interval, to determine a material mass flow rate based on the signals from the weight sensor and the motion sensor and the weighing and transporting intervals, and to vary the operation of the exciter assembly according to the material mass flow rate.

A brake mechanism for a brake caster is disclosed. In various embodiments, the brake mechanism includes a roller cylinder having a hollow interior and an inner cylindrical surface; a brake shaft disposed within the hollow interior of the roller cylinder and having an outer cylindrical surface; a piezoelectric disk disposed within the hollow interior of the roller cylinder; and a rotor disk disposed adjacent the piezoelectric disk.

A product inspection apparatus includes a conveyor system for transporting items. The conveyor system includes a weigh conveyor with a load detector for detecting the weight of items transported on the conveyor system and a transport conveyor adjacent the weigh conveyor. The apparatus also includes a support structure with a support beam. The transport conveyor is mounted to the support beam by at least one support column externally mounted to the support beam such that vibrations are suppressed by the at least one externally mounted support column.

A storage module is provided for an organic material handling system. The storage module has a levelling component for levelling out the organic material stored therein, and a removal component for discharging the organic material. A modular system and method is described for improving the receiving, processing, storing, and transloading of bulk materials such as organic waste. A system includes at least a receiving module to receive material, a storage module, a discharge module, and a control system. Systems can be adapted with additional modules, such as processing modules and transfer modules, depending on the site and materials to be handled. A control system interfaces with the modular components and local operators, and provides remote reporting and monitoring.

A conveying module includes a base structure; a first conveying device to convey a unit of goods in a first conveying direction (x) in the horizontal; a second conveying device to convey a unit of goods in a second conveying direction (y) in the horizontal, wherein the second conveying direction runs substantially perpendicular to the first conveying direction; a carrier structure to carry a unit of goods; a first lifting device to raise and/or lower the first conveying device in the vertical (z) between a lower position and an upper position; and a second lifting device to raise and/or lower the second conveying device in the vertical (z) between a lower position and an upper position; wherein a unit of goods located on the conveying module rests on the carrier structure when the first conveying device and the second conveying device are in the lower position.

Exemplary embodiments provide a sorting system using the principles of linear motors to move a magnetized mat in multiple directions. The sorting system uses a series of stator coils in particular patterns to direct the magnetized mat along predefined looping pathways such that the magnetized mat can move articles in a desired direction. Embodiments include the use of multiple magnetized mats to improve package sorting rates. The magnetized mat is comprised of a plurality of magnetized and non-magnetized tiles which are connected using flexible tabs that form a living hinge. The living hinge flexes and allows the mat to travel along the predefined looping pathways. The sorting system may be used as a node in a larger grid sorting system and may be connected to conveyors, chutes, or other means for moving articles.

Provided is a method of controlling a conveyor for item transportation and an electronic apparatus therefor, the method including acquiring information associated with a plurality of destinations, identifying a weight for each of the plurality of destinations based on the acquired information, determining, in response to an item being identified, a destination among the plurality of destinations based on the identified weight, wherein the item is placed in the determined destination, and controlling the conveyor to transport the item to the determined destination.

A cold planer can include a frame; a milling assembly including a drum housing and a cutting rotor located within the drum housing, the drum housing including a discharge port; a primary conveyor coupled to the frame, wherein the primary conveyor is positioned near the discharge port so as to receive material through the discharge port; a secondary conveyor positioned to receive material off an end of the primary conveyor; a sensor associated with the secondary conveyor to sense a load on the secondary conveyor; and a controller configured to receive information from the sensor regarding the load and to control a speed of the secondary conveyor based on the information.

A method for storing product items in storage bins in a storage system includes a bin storing grid in which storage bins are stored above each other in columns. The method includes: inserting product items to or retrieving product items from the respective storage bins at a port; determining a weight for each storage bin after one or more product items have been inserted to or retrieved from the storage bin; determining a storage position for the storage bin in the bin storing grid based on the weight; and transporting the storage bin from the port to the determined storage position by means of a vehicle and a bin lift device provided on each vehicle.