The West Company

Eric E Shoup

Edward F Vander Bush

William J Covert

Charles Papciak

Bruce D Smith

James W Sloan

Thomas A Stalnaker

Roy B Melton

Paul W Sirgenson

J Donald Birtwell

Bernard F Sykes

Christopher Cumens

Frank C Tammaro

An apparatus for applying and verifying a printed mark on the periphery of generally cylindrically-shaped objects as they travel on a path. The apparatus comprises at least a first conveyor mounted for movement on a first side of the path. The first conveyor is located to engage the objects to translate the objects at a known translational velocity along the path. A transport assembly is mounted for cyclic movement back and forth along a transport assembly path parallel to the path of the objects at least part of the cyclic movement being approximately at the known translational velocity of the objects. A mark applicator is mounted on the transport assembly and is located in a position to apply a mark on each object as the object is translated by the first conveyor. A sensor is mounted on the transport assembly. The sensor is located in a position to read the applied mark on each object as the object is translated by the belt. The sensor generates a signal representative of the mark.

Apparatus and method for applying and verifying marks on the periphery

In a system for transferring groups of containers from one location to another, a loading station including a transfer mechanism for continuously delivering rows of containers from the transfer station to a tray loading station. A device at the tray loading station is included for cycling the tray in a predetermined controlled sequence to receive rows of containers delivered by the transfer mechanism and to position them in a compact array in the tray.

Robotic tray loader system, method and apparatus

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Exton, PA, United States of America

Eric E Shoup