Ackley Machine Corporation

Ackley Machines Corporation

Mark Ford

E Michael Ackley

Daniel J Palmer

Vincent M DeLuccia, Jr

An inspection system is configured for use with a conveyer apparatus including carrier bars. Each carrier bar conveys pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path. The inspection system includes at least one camera unit for sensing a predetermined characteristic of the pellet-shaped articles, a removal unit, and a controller. The removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera unit, removes selected pellet-shaped article(s) from the carrier bar(s) depending on whether the characteristic is sensed by the at least one camera unit. The controller is in communication with the at least one camera unit and the removal unit. The controller provides a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the sensed characteristic. The removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having extended vacuum nozzles along its length, equal to the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar. Each vacuum nozzle selectively removes article(s) from the carrier bar(s) by suction.

Inspection system

A system for marking pellet shaped articles includes a conveyer to convey the pellet-shaped articles along a transport path, and a laser to generate at least one beam to print or etch information on one or more of the pellet-shaped articles. The information includes at least one of alphabetical characters, numeric characters, and/or logos. The information comprises at least one engraving, e.g., two engravings or holes, apertures, etc., that are adjacent one another and at least partially overlapping. The system includes a controller to control x and y or x, y and z coordinates of the beam of the laser relative to the transport path to align the beam with the one or more of the pellet-shaped articles.

Method and apparatus for processing and/or inspecting pellet-shaped articles

A conveyer apparatus for transporting and processing tablets includes a conveyer and an ejection system. Each of the tablets includes a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a belly band that interconnects the first and second sides. The conveyer includes a plurality of carrier links to convey a plurality of tablets along a predetermined conveyer path. Each carrier link has a pocket to receive and transport a tablet in a vertical orientation along the predetermined conveyer path. The ejection system is structured to selectively accept or eject a tablet from the carrier link in response to a signal provided by a sensor positioned upstream of the ejection system. The ejection system includes at least one ejection finger movable between a non-ejection position in which the ejection finger is positioned out of the conveyer path of the carrier link and an ejection position in which the ejection finger is positioned with respect to the carrier link to contact and eject the tablet from the carrier link. At least a portion of the ejection finger defines a width that is smaller than a tablet width of the tablet and larger than a link width of the carrier link.

Ejection system

A method and apparatus for processing and inspecting pellet-shaped articles, comprises structure for of the step of conveying the plurality of pellet-shaped articles along a transport path. Each of the pellet-shaped articles includes a first side and a second side. The conveyer has a plurality of article receiving recesses () configured to convey the pellet-shaped articles such that either the first side or the second side of the pellet-shaped articles is randomly exposed in the recesses. A first process (laser etching, printing and/or drilling) is performed only on the pellet-shaped articles having the first side exposed. The pellet-shaped articles are manipulated such that the exposed side of all of the pellet-shaped articles is reversed. A second process is performed only on the pellet-shaped articles with the second side exposed.

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Deptford, NJ, United States of America

Mark Ford