Seed handling

Claim 2

Apparatus for handling seedlike small articles, comprising: a longitudinally bored elongate member mounted at one end for cyclic movement of the other, free end around a closed path through an article supply station and past an article receiving station; valve means for selectively applying a vacuum to the bore of said member during movement through the supply station and to the receiving station whereat the vacuum is cut off from said member; means for applying draught over said member after movement through said supply station and before reaching said receiving station; and bladed means rotatably mounted on said member for actuation by said draught to vibrate said member.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said valve means comprise a first valve member rotatable relative to a stationary second valve member with a space therebetween corresponding to the path of said elongate member between said supply station and said receiving station, said elongate member being mounted to project from said first valve member and to communicate said bore with said space, means for evacuating said space, and a sealing member mounted between said first and second members in the part of said space corresponding to said receiving station to dIscommunicate said bore from said space.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said valve means is adapted to apply a positive pressure to said bore when said elongate member passes said receiving station.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said sealing member is bored to communicate the bore of said elongate member with a positive pressure source.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said supply station comprises a trough and an article heaping member reciprocatable therein in predetermined relation with the cyclic movement of said elongate member therethrough to heap articles in the path of the latter member.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said article heaping member is arranged for lifting movement during its return stroke away from said path.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said receiving station comprises a pair of crimping rollers of which one is provided with a sequence of discrete recesses around its crimping surface and within the lateral bounds of such surface, guide means for receiving an article from said elongate member and conveying the same to a predetermined zone of the path of movement of said crimping surface, means for passing tape material between said rollers to be driven thereby with part of said material passing over said zone, and means for driving said one roller in stepped manner to locate one of said recesses at said zone in predetermined relation with the cyclic movement of said elongate member.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said one roller is bored to communicate said recesses with a vacuum source.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said article receiving station comprises guide means for receiving an article from said elongate member and conveying the said article to article packaging means, and means for detecting the passage of articles along said guide means.

Claim 11

Apparatus for handling seedlike small articles, comprising: a longitudinally bored elongate member mounted at one end for cyclic movement of the other, free end around a closed path through an article supply station and past an article receiving station; valve means for selectively applying a vacuum to the bore of said member during movement through the supply station and to the receiving station whereat the vacuum is cut off from said member; and means for vibrating and applying draught over said member after movement through said supply station and before reaching said receiving station; said supply station comprising a trough and an article heaping member reciprocatable therein in predetermined relation with the cyclic movement of said elongate member therethrough to heap articles in the path of the latter member.

Claim 12

Apparatus for handling seedlike small articles, comprising: a longitudinally bored elongate member mounted at one end for cyclic movement of the other, free end around a closed path through an article supply station and past an article receiving station; valve means for selectively applying a vacuum to the bore of said member during movement through the supply station and to the receiving station whereat the vacuum is cut off from said member; and means for vibrating and applying draught over said member after movement through said supply station and before reaching said receiving station; said supply station comprising a trough and an article heaping member reciprocatable therein in predetermined relation with the cyclic movement of said elongate member therethrough to heap articles in the path of the latter member.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said article heaping member is arranged for lifting movement during its return stroke away from said path.

Claim 14

Apparatus for handling seedlike small articles, comprising: a longitudinally bored elongate member mounted at one end for cyclic movement of the other, free end around a closed path through an article supply station and past an article receiving station; valve means for selectively applying a vacuum to the bore of said member during movement through the supply station and to the receiving station whereat the vacuum is cut off from said member; and means for vibrating and applying draught over said member after movement through said supply station and before reaching said receiving station; said receiving station comprising a pair of crimping rollers of which one is provided with a sequence of discrete recesses around its crimping surface and within the lateral bounds of such surface, guide means for receiving an article from said elongate member and conveying the same to a predetermined zone of the path of movement of said crimping surface, means for passing tape material between said rollers to be driven thereby with part of said material passing over said zone, and means for driving said one roller in stepped manner to locate one oF said recesses at said zone in predetermined relation with the cyclic movement of said elongate member, said one roller being bored to communicate said recesses with a vacuum source.

Claim 15

Apparatus for handling seedlike small articles, comprising: a longitudinally bored elongate member mounted at one end for cyclic movement of the other, free end around a closed path through an article supply station and past an article receiving station; valve means for selectively applying a vacuum to the bore of said member during movement through the supply station and to the receiving station whereat the vacuum is cut off from said member; and means for vibrating and applying draught over said member after movement through said supply station and before reaching said receiving station; said receiving station comprising a pair of crimping rollers of which one is provided with a sequence of discrete recesses around its crimping surface and within the lateral bounds of such surface, guide means for receiving an article from said elongate member and conveying the same to a predetermined zone of the path of movement of said crimping surface, means for passing tape material between said rollers to be driven thereby with part of said material passing over said zone, and means for driving said one roller in stepped manner to locate one oF said recesses at said zone in predetermined relation with the cyclic movement of said elongate member, said one roller being bored to communicate said recesses with a vacuum source.