Hurst Corporation holds a number of broad based pioneer patents in the U.S. and abroad. Internationally recognized for patented label removal technology, Hurst also holds patents in micro-filtration, envelope feeding, and tablet powdering technologies.

United States Patents:

CAPPING MACHINE
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Patent Number: 3,964,234
Date of Patent: June 22, 1976
Inventor: Richard F. Hurst
Abstract: An electric capping machine for crimping the caps of containers, in which each cycle of operation takes place fully automatically, once initiated by the operator: in the course of each operation, a container-receiving member is automatically raised into engagement with a spring -loaded abutment roller of the crimping mechanism which, upon further upward movement, causes the crimping roller to be positively brought into engagement with the edge of the cap by the use of a quadrilateral linkage connection actuated by the cam follower. To increase the safety of the operating personnel, both hands must be placed in a predetermined position relative to the machine before the cycle of operation can be initiated.  

LABEL STRIPPING MACHINE
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Patent Number: 4,122,734
Date of Patent: Oct. 321, 1978
Inventor: Richard F. Hurst
Abstract: A semi-automatic Label Stripping Machine for detaching labels from round containers in which a labeled container is placed on a container receiver platform means, a spring loaded stabilizing top roller means is brought down overtop and abutting the container, the container is rotated on its central vertical axis by a rotary drive means operably connected to said container receiving platform means, and, while said container is rotated, a razor means, operably connected to a vertical drive means, moves down the outside circumferal labeled wall of the container, spirally cutting off the label from the container.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING BACTERIA FREE DRINKING WATER
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Patent Number: 4,441,996
Date of Patent: Apr. 10, 1984
Inventor: Richard F. Hurst
Abstract: An apparatus for producing drinking water from bacteria contaminated cold water is provided. The cold contaminated water is placed into a flexible collector having a sub-micron porous filter in the bottom. When the flexible collector is squeezed, the pressure forces the contaminated water through the filter and into a holding chamber. The drinkable filtered water is removed from the holding chamber through a sterile exit opening.

HIGH SPEED ENVELOPE FEEDING APPARATUS
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Patent Number: 4,846,455
Date of Patent: Jul. 11, 1989
Inventor: Richard F. Hurst
Abstract: A high speed envelope feeder is provided with a pair of pinch rollers for extracting an envelope from a stack of closed envelopes in a magazine. The flap of a closed envelope is opened by raising a cam surface under the flap to position the flap between a fixed pinch roll and a movable pinch roll. The movable pinch roll is articulated to grasp the flap between the pinch rolls. The flap is pulled to extract the envelope from the magazine and is subsequently pushed by the pinch rolls into the transport device.

PICKER-STRIPPER FEEDER FOR ENVELOPE FEEDING APPARATUS
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Patent Number: 4,884,793
Date of Patent: Dec. 5, 1989
Inventor: Richard F. Hurst
Abstract: Apparatus for stripping a single envelope from a stack of envelopes without misfeeding or double feeding is provided. The apparatus includes a picker blade which is articulated by a drive to impart a plurality of motions to the leading edge of an envelope after the picker blade has been engaged under the flap of an envelope to be separated from a stack of envelopes in a magazine. The novel stripping action of the picker blade ensures that the leading edge only of the envelope to be fed from the magazine is first stripped and separated from the stack of envelopes and directed past a restrainer which prevents the stack of envelopes adjacent the envelope to be fed from being moved in a feed direction.

APPARATUS FOR DECOMPOSING COMPRESSED TABLETS
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Patent Number: 5,148,995
Date of Patent: Sep. 22, 1992
Inventor: Richard F. Hurst
Abstract: Apparatus for decomposing hard compressed tablets into powder includes a housing having a hopper for receiving the tablets therein and a discharge chute in the housing for discharging the decomposed powdered tablets directly into a patient’s cup. The housing is further provided with a cylindrical aperture therethrough which is adapted to receive an imperforate rotor in the cylindrical aperture. The imperforate rotor is provided with helical blades which protrude from said imperforate rotor means for decomposing said hard compressed tablets by a slicing and cutting action which controls the size of the powder by the height of the slicing blades.

METHOD FOR CLEAN REMOVING LABELS FROM CONTAINERS
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Patent Number: 5,152,865
Date of Patent: Oct. 6, 1992
Inventor: Richard F. Hurst
Abstract: An apparatus and a method is provided for removing an adhesive backed label from a cylindrical container and includes the steps of positioning a tilted blade at an attack angle which forces the blade behind the label between the adhesive and the cylindrical container and the speed of descent of the blade and the rotational speed of the container is adjusted so as to peel the label from the container with the adhesive side out as an integral unit.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING THE PRINTED LAYER OF LABELS FROM SEMIRIGID CONTAINERS
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Patent Number: 5,651,846
Date of Patent: Jul. 29, 1997
Inventor: Richard F. Hurst
Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for delaminating the top printed layer from a three layer paper label adhesively bonded to a semi-rigid plastic or metal container. An underlying pulp layer of the three layer paper is selectively removed leaving only a smooth adhesive layer of the paper label and thereby providing a smooth unprinted surface for relabeling. An apparatus and method are also provided for simultaneously delaminating both the top printed layer and the bottom adhesive layer of a two layer label bonded to a semi-rigid container.

INCLINED TRAY BOTTLE TRAYING MACHINE
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PATENT NUMBER: 6,089,001
DATE OF PATENT: JULY 18, 2000
INVENTOR: RICHARD F. HURST
Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to sequentially capture the lead bottle from a row of bottles in a multi-pocketed bottle indexing wheel means, and sequentially rotate and push pocketed bottles from said index wheel means to an inclined tray means, automatically collecting said bottles in a gravity compressed hexagonal pattern within said inclined traying means. Inclined traying means includes a means for trayed bottle removal.

TRAY UNLOADING MACHINE
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Patent #6,651,802
Date of Patent: November 25th, 2003
Inventor: Richard F. Hurst
Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to manually discharge bottles from a tray of bottles onto a sloped surface at the bottom of which gravity fed individual bottles are captured at the top receiving edge of a parallel sloped multi-pocketed rotatable indexing wheel and sequentially: (a.) discharged tangentially at the bottom edge of said indexing wheel in a single row, (b.) corrected to a vertical axis, and (c.) exited onto adjoining equipment for further operations.

UK Patents:

APPARATUS FOR COMMINUTING COMPRESSED TABLETS
UK Patent Number: 2258169
Patent Date: Dec., 21, 1994
Inventor: Richard F. Hurst

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEAN REMOVING LABELS FROM CONTAINERS
UK Patent Number: 2255496B
Date of Patent: March 22, 1995
Inventor: Richard F. Hurst

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