Provided is an inspection machine capable of inspecting even an article that has a substantially circular side surface. The present invention is provided with: a conveyance means for an inspection device, the conveyance means conveying an article; an identification information acquisition means that acquires identification information about a second side surface of the article, the identification information acquisition means being disposed facing the conveyance surface of the conveyance means; an imaging means that captures an image of a first side surface of the article, which is disposed on a side opposing the imaging means across the conveyance means; and a determination means that compares an image captured by the imaging means and the identification information acquired by the identification information acquisition means to determine the degree of matching between the two portions of information, a conveyance member of the conveyance means comprising a material having high transparency.

A work reversing apparatus includes: a first conveyor that transports a work; a second conveyor that transports a work; and a rotary driving unit that integrally rotates the first conveyor and the second conveyor. The rotary driving unit rotates the first conveyor and the second conveyor around a rotation center axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to a transporting direction of a work on the first conveyor and the second conveyor. By driving the rotary driving unit, a work can be reversed around the rotation center axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to the transporting direction.

A work reversing apparatus includes: a first conveyor that transports a work; a second conveyor that transports a work; and a rotary driving unit that integrally rotates the first conveyor and the second conveyor. The rotary driving unit rotates the first conveyor and the second conveyor around a rotation center axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to a transporting direction of a work on the first conveyor and the second conveyor. By driving the rotary driving unit, a work can be reversed around the rotation center axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to the transporting direction.

A flipper apparatus according to an embodiment disclosed herein includes: a Y-axis flipper unit configured to hold an object in a Y-axis direction and rotate the object about a Y-axis; an X-axis flipper unit configured to hold the object in an X-axis direction and rotate the object about an X-axis; and a Z-axis elevation unit supporting the Y-axis flipper unit and the X-axis flipper unit and configured to move the Y-axis flipper unit and the X-axis flipper unit up and down in a Z-axis direction.

An object inspection apparatus according to an embodiment disclosed herein includes: a first flipper apparatus configured to rotate a first object; a second flipper apparatus configured to rotate a second object; and a single camera device configured to move from a position corresponding to one of the first flipper apparatus and the second flipper apparatus to a position corresponding to the other, the camera device being configured to inspect object surfaces of the first object and the second object. Each of the first flipper apparatus and the second flipper apparatus includes at least one flipper unit.

A battery plate loading system includes a battery plate separator apparatus having a work surface for receiving a stack of battery plates, and a loading mechanism including an arm coupled to the work surface. The arm is pivotable to move the work surface between a substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical position. A pallet has a surface arranged to receive a plurality of stacks of battery plates, each stack being arranged in at least a first or a second orientation; and, a robot head arrangement configured to transfer stacks of battery plates from the pallet to the battery plate separator apparatus. The robot head arrangement includes a sensor configured to detect the orientation of each stack. The pivotable arm is configured to move the work surface to the substantially horizontal position or to the substantially vertical position in response to the detected orientation of a selected stack.

A rotative lumber piece charger for transferring lumber pieces. The rotative lumber piece charger comprises: a driving shaft rotating about a longitudinal axis and a transfer wheel comprising a main body mounted to the driving shaft and rotating therewith. The rotative lumber piece charger also comprises a lumber piece grasping assembly rotatably connected to the main body and rotatable with respect to the main body about a lumber rotation axis. The lumber piece grasping assembly is operative to grasp a section of a corresponding one of the lumber pieces, temporarily retain the section of the lumber piece and release the lumber piece. The rotative lumber piece charger further comprises an angular orientation control system connected to the lumber piece grasping assembly. The angular orientation control system rotates the lumber piece grasping assembly about the lumber rotation axis.

A rotative lumber piece charger for transferring lumber pieces. The rotative lumber piece charger comprises: a driving shaft rotating about a longitudinal axis and a transfer wheel comprising a main body mounted to the driving shaft and rotating therewith. The rotative lumber piece charger also comprises a lumber piece grasping assembly rotatably connected to the main body and rotatable with respect to the main body about a lumber rotation axis. The lumber piece grasping assembly is operative to grasp a section of a corresponding one of the lumber pieces, temporarily retain the section of the lumber piece and release the lumber piece. The rotative lumber piece charger further comprises an angular orientation control system connected to the lumber piece grasping assembly. The angular orientation control system rotates the lumber piece grasping assembly about the lumber rotation axis.

A method for grouping elongated products (4). The products (4) are delivered by a delivering conveyor device (5) and are deposited onto a conveyor belt (3) such that there are no gaps between the lateral surfaces, and the products are conveyed along a conveyor direction (F) at a conveyor speed. Of the products (4) being conveyed without gaps, multiple products (4) which form a product group and adjoin one another without gaps are removed from the conveyor belt (3) simultaneously using transfer means (7), wherein during the removal process, the transfer means (7) are moved along the conveyor section (S) from a starting position (24) to a removal position in the conveyor direction (F) in a synchronized manner with the conveyor belt (3) and the product group which is to be removed and which is being conveyed on the conveyor belt, and the products (4) of the product group are then aligned perpendicularly to the conveyor direction (F) simultaneously by means of a pivoting movement after the removal process and are deposited on a shelf in the aligned state as a row extending along the conveyor direction (F) without gaps.

A method for grouping elongated products (4). The products (4) are delivered by a delivering conveyor device (5) and are deposited onto a conveyor belt (3) such that there are no gaps between the lateral surfaces, and the products are conveyed along a conveyor direction (F) at a conveyor speed. Of the products (4) being conveyed without gaps, multiple products (4) which form a product group and adjoin one another without gaps are removed from the conveyor belt (3) simultaneously using transfer means (7), wherein during the removal process, the transfer means (7) are moved along the conveyor section (S) from a starting position (24) to a removal position in the conveyor direction (F) in a synchronized manner with the conveyor belt (3) and the product group which is to be removed and which is being conveyed on the conveyor belt, and the products (4) of the product group are then aligned perpendicularly to the conveyor direction (F) simultaneously by means of a pivoting movement after the removal process and are deposited on a shelf in the aligned state as a row extending along the conveyor direction (F) without gaps.