Patent ID: 7156646

Claim:
Article handling apparatus for moving contact lens carriers, around a defined area, comprising: a first set of article handling devices for receiving a multitude of contact lens carriers, for forming a first array of lens carriers in a first section of said area, and for moving said lens carriers trough said first section; and a second set of article handling devices for receiving contact lens carriers from said first section, for forming a second array of lens carriers in a second section of said area and for moving the lens carriers of said second array through said second section; wherein the first set of devices includes: a first assembly for assembling a group of lens carriers in a row in a first position, with neighboring carriers in the row contiguous to each other, a second assembly for moving said row of lens carriers from the first position and into the first section of the area; a third assembly for moving said row of lens carriers, across the first section and into a final position therein; and a fourth assembly for moving said row of lens carriers from the final position and out the first section and, wherein the third assembly includes: a support member located below the first section; an arm subassembly supported by the support member for horizontal and vertical movement; and means to move the arm subassembly vertically from a position beneath the first section, to a position extending above the first section, and to move the arm subassembly horizontally to engage said row of lens carriers in the first section and to move the row of lens carriers across the first section and into said final position therein.