An apparatus for guiding products along a conveyor in a conveying direction is provided. The apparatus includes a first guide rail for at least partially forming a conveying path for products on the conveyor. At least one flexible support provides support for the first guide rail along the conveyor. The at least one flexible support is adapted for being extended and retracted to selectively position the first guide rail relative to the conveyor. The support may be pivotally mounted to the guide rail. The guide rail may also include fixed and slidable portions, including possibly curved portions, which allow for a sliding joint to be formed.

An apparatus includes a processing station with a container conveyor, a discharge apparatus including a discharge star with a carrier for transporting the containers, a discharge device arranged around the discharge star and defining a discharge curve for guiding the containers, a container inlet arranged at an end of the discharge device for receiving the containers, and a container outlet arranged at a second end of the discharge device for discharging the containers. The discharge device includes a discharge edge at the first end arranged in a region of the container conveyor such that, in the operating state, the container is received by the discharge edge into the container inlet, and the discharge star is rotatable such that the container is transported by the carrier on a guideway delimited by the discharge curve and the discharge star from the container inlet to the container outlet.

A container conveyor apparatus that conveys containers along a container path includes a front rail of an adjustable railing apparatus that is arcuately shaped along a container path and forms part of a surface facing radially inwardly; and a rear rail of the adjustable railing apparatus that is arcuately shaped along the container path and forms another part of the surface facing radially inwardly; the front rail and the rear rail of the adjustable railing apparatus move with respect to one another to change the width of the container path and accommodate containers of different sizes

A guide unit for a container-handling system includes a basic body portion having a format part, a railing support, and a railing crosspiece that are all integrated into a unitary piece. A container guide railing is arranged on the railing support. The railing crosspiece connects the basic body portion to the railing support.

A format-part fastener for attaching an interchangeable format part to a machine frame includes a first connecting element having a mounting stud that extends along the stud's axis and that has an angled face that defines an acute angle relative to the stud's axis. A second connecting element has a locating sleeve for receiving the mounting stud. The locating sleeve has walls forming a slot. When used to attach a format part, a spring cotter's undulating section surrounds part of the locating sleeve's circumference while the slot supports the spring cotter's shank against the mounting stud's angled face. This converts some of the spring cotter's radial force into an axially directed force along the stud's axis.

An article feed system for aligning and singulating incoming articles includes a rotatable upper rim surface and an article delivery device that delivers articles received by the article delivery device to the upper rim surface. A drive system is operatively connected to the disk assembly that rotates the bowl assembly and the assemblies rotate at different speeds but in the same direction. A guide wall extends upwardly above the upper rim surface that guides the articles travelling along the upper rim surface toward an exit opening in the guide wall. A vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor is at the exit opening in the guide wall. The vertically oriented article engaging-type conveyor includes a moving article engaging surface that is exposed to the exit opening in the guide wall for receiving the articles when they exit the exit opening.

An electric turnout unit (1) serves for determining and changing the conveying path of object holders being moved by and together with a conveying means (28) of a conveying apparatus (29). The electric turnout unit (1) includes a pivot angle definition element (15) being rotatably supported and one sensor (6) or a plurality of sensors (6) for determining a first pivot position (35) and a second pivot position (36) of the pivot angle definition element (15). The first pivot position (35) and the second pivot position (36) differ by a first pivot angle difference (37) being greater than zero. The pivot angle definition element (15) includes a first detection point (17) being associated with the first pivot position (35) and a second detection point (17) being associated with the second pivot position (36).

A battery conveyor belt includes a base, a plurality of parallel connecting shafts arranged on the base at intervals, and a plurality of conveying wheels arranged on the connecting shafts and each include a stator sleeved on the connecting shaft and fixed thereto, a rotor, a coil sleeved outside the stator, a pusher, a receiver located on the rotor, a control circuit, and a hub; the rotor is sleeved outside the coil, and there is a gap between the rotor and the coil; the hub is sleeved outside the rotor, and a first bearing is connected between the hub and the rotor; the pusher is connected to the hub and the rotor; the rotor drives the hub to rotate through the pusher; the control circuit is electrically connected to the coil and the receiver; and when a battery is placed on the hub, the pusher is pressed against the receiver.

A guiding device for contacting and guiding objects and in particular containers with a contacting device which is suitable and intended for contacting an outside surface of the object to be guided by means of a contact surface, wherein this contacting device comprises a support extending along a predetermined extension direction. According to the invention, a plurality of contact elements is arranged on the support, wherein these contact elements are each rotatable relative to the extension direction of the support such that a spacing between at least a portion of the contact surface and the extension direction can be varied by means of this rotational motion.

A container conveyor arrangement is used to convey containers, which arrangement includes a replaceable guide structure to guide containers. The guide structure comprises an upper guide element and a lower guide element, which are connected by an elongated connecting device to a carrier element. The connecting device can be rotated between a secure position, in which the lower guide element is secured to the carrier element, and an unsecured position, in which the lower guide element is not secured to the carrier element.