A magazine for storing elements which each have a shaft and a head. The magazine includes a cylinder defining a shell surface in which is formed a helical-shaped groove. The shaft of each element to be stored can be inserted into the groove while the head of each element protrudes outward radially over the groove. The head of each element can be impacted in the peripheral direction by a suitable carrier in order to move the elements through the groove one after the other to an outlet end of the groove where the elements are ejected individually.

A spiral chute having a center column assembly with a first center column segment is disclosed. The center column segment has a plurality of pairs of opposed apertures. The spiral chute also includes a plurality of chute assembly sections, each including a chute support arm, a chute section coupled to the chute support arm, an outer wall support coupled to a distal end of the chute support arms, an outer wall segment coupled to the outer wall supports, and a support arm bolt having a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end of each support arm bolt passes through a corresponding one of the first plurality of opposing apertures and engages a proximal end of the chute support arm such that the proximal end of the chute support arm abuts the first center column segment. A method of constructing a spiral chute is also disclosed.

The present disclosure is directed to underwater seismic exploration with a helical conveyor and skid structure. The system can include an underwater vehicle comprising a sensor to identify a case having a hydrodynamic shape, wherein the case stores one or more ocean bottom seismometer (“OBS”) units. The underwater vehicle includes an arm. The underwater vehicle includes an actuator to position the arm in an open state above a cap of the case, or to close the arm. The underwater vehicle can move the arm to a bottom portion of the case opposite the cap. An opening of the case can be aligned with the conveyor of the underwater vehicle. The conveyor can receive, via the opening of the case, a first OBS unit of the one or more OBS units. The conveyor can move the first OBS unit to the seabed to acquire seismic data from the seabed.

Disclosed is a parcel sorting system, it includes a main frame and a sorting tower; the main frame includes a vertically arranged spiral slide and a supporting plate horizontally arranged outside the spiral slide, and the lower end of the spiral slide is provided with a collection bag main outlet. The supporting plate is provided with a collection bag falling port facing the spiral slide; the sorting tower includes a receiving transfer device, a plurality of bagging output devices disposed below the receiving transfer device, and a tower housing disposed below the bagging output device; A plurality of sorting towers are arranged on the supporting plate around the spiral slides, and the collection bag discharge ports of each sorting tower are respectively connected to the falling ports of the collection bags of the supporting plates. The invention which greatly improves sorting efficiency compared to single-pass sorting of existing sorting systems.

An improved modular chute comprising a stanchion comprising a plurality of rib connection points; a plurality of rib assemblies extending from the stanchion, each of the rib assemblies comprising at least a first rib, a second rib, and a tie rod connecting the first rib to the second rib; and a lining disposed within one or more of the rib assemblies, wherein the lining comprises a plurality of lining sections.

An improved modular chute comprising a stanchion comprising a plurality of rib connection points; a plurality of rib assemblies extending from the stanchion, each of the rib assemblies comprising at least a first rib, a second rib, and a tie rod connecting the first rib to the second rib; and a lining disposed within one or more of the rib assemblies, wherein the lining comprises a plurality of lining sections.

A system for assembling and installing a modular spiral chute includes a base support assembly having a plurality of rear rollers and a slot, where the slot is orientated in the base support assembly to receive a vertically positioned stanchion of the modular spiral chute. The system also includes a removable roller clamp having a front roller and configured to be inserted into the slot to form an aperture in the base support assembly to encircle the stanchion so that when the roller clamp is inserted into the slot the stanchion is rotatably secured vertically within the base support assembly between the plurality of rear rollers and the front roller. In addition, the system includes a caster mounted plate positioned on top of the base support assembly and configured to increase stability of the stanchion when secured within the base support assembly.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for directed palletization using lights. In one embodiment, an example system may include a conveyor configured to support packages, a first set of LEDs disposed along a first side of the conveyor, the first set of LEDs having a first LED, a second set of LEDs disposed adjacent to the first set of LEDs, the second set of LEDs having a second LED, and a first sensor configured to identify packages. The system may include a second sensor disposed on the first side of the conveyor, and a third sensor disposed on the first side of the conveyor. A first color of the first LED may indicate the first package is to be scanned at the second sensor, and a second color of the second LED may indicate the second package is to be scanned at the third sensor.

An apparatus (10) for delivering particulate material (50) to a flowing stream of frozen confectionery material (40) to provide a single serving to a consumer, the apparatus comprising: a dispenser for the particulate material; and a dispenser for providing the flowing stream of confectionery material flowing vertically downwards from an outlet (22), the flowing stream having an outer surface; wherein the dispenser for the particulate material comprises a particulate material deposition device (12) for depositing the particulate material at a common particulate deposition location (30), and a plurality of chutes (26), each chute arranged to catch deposited particulate material and redirect it in a substantially horizontal direction to collide with the outer surface of the flowing stream of frozen confectionery, each chute (26) beginning at the common particulate deposition location (30) and spreading out from each other to each deposit the particulates at a different radial location around the flowing stream of frozen confectionery.

A modular chute system includes a support bridge having a main body and a plurality of mounting plates spaced apart along the main body. The support bridge has a first end configured to be secured to an infeed component and a second end configured to be secured to a discharge component. The system includes a plurality of ribs, each having an outer portion and an inner portion, where the plurality of ribs is secured to the plurality of mounting plates. The system also includes an inner lining secured across the inner portion of the plurality of ribs, and a plurality of panels each having a mounting bracket on a proximal end secured between the outer portion of adjacent ribs using the mounting bracket. A distal end of each panel is secured through a respective anchor slot to form a continuous sliding surface from the infeed component to the discharge component.