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 outer bowl that rotates the outer bowl. 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 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 outer bowl that rotates the outer bowl. 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.

A device and a method for singulation of used beverage containers received in bulk into individual containers and forwarding them towards a receiving station. The used beverage containers have different shapes and sizes. The device includes a rotating surface, a conveyor at least partly encircling the rotating surface and adapted to receive used beverage containers from the rotating surface and transport them away from the rotating surface; and an outer wall along the periphery of the conveyor at least along the part of the conveyor that encircles the rotating surface. The conveyor includes a first section where it is capable of receiving used beverage containers from the rotating surface, and a second section where it is only capable of transporting used beverage containers one by one and aligned with the direction of movement of the conveyor or otherwise fall back onto the rotating surface.

An unjamming system is used in connection with mass-produced parts fed through a process by a rotating bowl feeder. The bowl feeder has a bowl with an axis of rotation and an outer wall. The parts are disposed against the outer wall by centrifugal force. The unjamming system includes a jamming region adjacent the bowl, wherein unjamming is carried out. A sensor adjacent the jamming region detects a jam. A pneumatic cylinder actuator and an air blow jet adjacent the jamming region removes the parts from the jam. The parts are returned to the bowl by the air blow jet.

An unjamming system is used in connection with mass-produced parts fed through a process by a rotating bowl feeder. The bowl feeder has a bowl with an axis of rotation and an outer wall. The parts are disposed against the outer wall by centrifugal force. The unjamming system includes a jamming region adjacent the bowl, wherein unjamming is carried out. A sensor adjacent the jamming region detects a jam. A pneumatic cylinder actuator and an air blow jet adjacent the jamming region removes the parts from the jam. The parts are returned to the bowl by the air blow jet.

A feeder bowl and preparation system for packaging stick-like objects including a feeder bowl, vee shaped spacing conveyor, and a collator mechanism which permits a robotic pick-up station sufficient time to pick and place the stick-like object. The system simplifies programming the transfer of the objects by presenting a desired amount of product for a specific picker and allowing time to pick and place the object, the system eliminates a feed rate by a robotic process in the system, the system allows for essentially higher feed rate overall due to an oriented pick-up area presentation, and the system provides a sanitary design compatible with a transfer of food products in a food industry.