Abstract: A powder supply system for a powder-coating installation, especially a parts painting installation using electrostatic powder, according to the invention, comprises a tank designed to contain the powder, means for feeding powder into the tank, means for injecting compressed air into the bottom of the tank in order to fluidize the powder, and an exit pipe in which the powder is entrained by the air from the tank, this pipe being connected to at least one powder using device situated at a distance, in particular a spray gun. The system also includes means for reducing the pressure in the tank below that of the feed means in order to fill the tank with powder.

Abstract: A set of roller conveyors is described, the members of which include a plurality of driven rollers disposed in two parallel tracks. Each member of the set has at least one electric feed-in block, which is connectable to the locally available system voltage and from this generates an output voltage, which is the same for all members of the set and is lower than or equal to the lowest system voltage, for which a member of the set is designed. The drive motors of the driven rollers are in this case designed for the output voltage of the feed-in block. In this way, the manufacturer of the roller conveyors may carry out the design, warehousing, and assembly of a roller conveyor independently of the different system voltages available from site to site and in this way may considerably reduce the costs associated therewith.

Abstract: A handling device for handling a motor vehicle rim in an installation for its surface treatment has at least one gripping arm which can be inserted into a hub of the rim and carries at least one pressure element which can be pressed against an inner surface of the hub. According to the invention, the at least one pressure element is designed as a cutting edge or as a pointed peg.

Abstract: The invention relates to a surface treating installation, especially for treating plastic parts or automotive bodies, which includes a transfer station for vertically or horizontally transferring an object. The transfer station comprises a stationary support structure, a carriage which can travel in relation to the support structure and receives an object, and at least one guide roller via which the carriage is supported on the support structure. The at least one guide roller has a rolling surface which contacts the support structure when rolling off. The invention is characterized in that the rolling surface of the at least one guide roller consists of an antistatic material whose volume resistivity ranges between 10 ?m and 109 ?m. The invention allows to counteract the deposition of dirt particles on the guide rollers and on the mating surfaces, thereby reducing time and/or costs required for cleaning the transfer station or for post-processing the objects.

Abstract: A device and a process are described for non-contacting determination of a state variable, in particular the position, of at least one pipeline pig which is displaceable in a supply path. The pipeline pig includes a magnetic-field source. The device exhibits at least one sensor responding to the presence of the magnetic-field source. Said device is, in addition, provided with a circuit arrangement, to which the sensor-output signal of the sensor can be supplied and which generates an electrical output signal that is representative of the state variable of the pipeline pig at the sensor. A plurality of preferably identical sensors connected in parallel are arranged in succession along the supply path in the direction of motion of the pipeline pig.

Abstract: A roller conveyor system includes multiple carrier slides, which have runners, carry readable data memories and in particular are provided for transport of motor vehicle bodies. The roller conveyor system also has readers for reading out the data stored in the data memories, and a roller conveyor to convey the carrier slides. The roller conveyor comprises roller rails, which are arranged parallel to each other, and multiple rollers which are accommodated in the roller rails, and of which at least some can be driven independently of each other by drives, and of which at least some are provided with flanges. According to the invention, the data memories are accommodated in the runners, and the readers in the roller rails.

Abstract: A device for conveying workpieces along a path of movement is described. The device includes a conveyor driven by a conveying drive unit. Spindle or spindle-like elements, on which the workpieces may be arranged, are fastened to the conveyor. The device also includes a synchronizing mechanism with at least one guide device, driven by a synchronizing drive unit, for guiding the spindle or spindle-like elements during movement of the conveyor. The synchronizing drive unit is mechanically coupled with the conveying drive unit to achieve synchronicity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transport system for simultaneously transporting workpieces and assemblers on a production line comprising at least one rectilinear production section for several guided motor vehicles, each of which is provided with a mounting platform which extends along the entire vehicle length and on which the assemblers can move, wherein said vehicles can form a train during the displacement thereof along the production line. Each mounting platform is provided with its own drive. Said drives are controllable in such a way that the vehicles are driven in the form of a train during the displacement thereof along the production section. A method for simultaneously transporting workpieces and assemblers along the production line provided with at least one rectilinear production section. The inventive method consists in driving the vehicles in the form of a train by means of the drives mounted on the vehicles during the displacement thereof along the production section.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrodipping device comprising, in a known manner, a bath of enamel, and a transport device used, during the continuous method, to dip the workpieces (1a, 1b, 1c) to be coated into the bath of enamel, to move the workpieces through the bath, and remove the same therefrom. Electrodes are arranged in the bath of enamel, along the path of displacement of the workpieces (1a, 1b, 1c), said electrodes being connected to a voltage source (20) with one pole thereof. The second pole of said voltage source (20) is connected to a contact rail (2) extending along the path of displacement of the workpieces (1a, 1b, 1c). Each workpiece (1a, 1b, 1c) is provided with a contact device (3a, 3b, 3c) which is in contact with the contact rail (2). A controllable voltage regulating unit (4a, 4b, 4c) is arranged between each contact device (3a, 3b, 3c) and the corresponding workpiece (1a, 1b, 1c).

Abstract: The roller conveyor for transporting good carriers, in particular skids used in the automobile industry, comprises a conveyor path consisting of several in series arranged roller path modules. Each roller path modules comprises two roller borders which are parallel to each other and between which at least one transport roller is arranged. The roller conveyor also comprises an operation unit movable with respect to the conveyor path. According to said invention, the operation unit is embodied in a modular manner and comprises the roller path module and moving gear modules fixed thereto.

Abstract: A skid for supporting at least one object which is conveyable in a conveying direction inside a conveyor installation comprises at least two support runners disposed parallel to one another. Running means different from the support runners are fastened to the skid. In addition, a transfer station for transferring an above-mentioned skid from conveying means to a guide structure is specified. Also specified are a self-propelling drive unit with a chassis and a coupling device by means of which a skid can be coupled detachably to the chassis, a drive system for driving a skid and a conveyor installation, in which a drive unit is provided inside a conveying area.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for cutting or welding tubes (3) or similar workpieces, said device comprising a guiding mechanism which is used to control the cutting or welding torch (17) along a pre-determined line and is provided with a stand-type portal (7). Said portal comprises a through opening (8) into which the workpiece (3) to be machined can be guided in the axial direction. A rotary part (14) can be rotated about the axis of the through opening (8) in a motor-driven manner, guiding a holding arm (16) therewith, which carries the cutting or welding torch (17) on the free end thereof. Said holding arm (16) is fixed to the rotary part (14) and embodied in such a way that the cutting or welding torch (17) moves radially in relation to the axis of the through opening (8) and can be brought into various angular positions in relation to the surface of the workpiece (3).

Abstract: An installation for the cataphoretic dip coating of articles, in particular of vehicle bodies, comprises in known manner a dip tank, into which the articles can be immersed. The negative terminal of a coating voltage source can be connected with the immersed articles; the positive terminal of the voltage source is connected with at least one anode immersed in the coating liquid present in the dip tank. This anode has a cross-sectional profile which, in at least one portion, is adapted as a curved surface to the outline of the articles to be treated in such a manner that the anode follows the outline of said article in approximately parallel manner. This is made possible by the electrodialysis apparatus, by means of which the acid formed during the coating operation is removed from the coating liquid and which is necessary for such installations, being arranged outside the dip tank.

Abstract: The invention relates to an installation for coating objects, said installation having, in a manner known per se, a coating chamber which is arranged upstream from a drying chamber. The objects to be coated are carried by skids which are guided through the coating chamber and the drying chamber by means of a skid transport system. Each skid comprises two skid runners, extending parallel to the direction of displacement, and is embodied in such a way that adjacent skids can travel inside each other such that they partially overlap in the direction of displacement. In this way, the objects carried by successive skids can be separated from each other in the coating chamber such that all of the surfaces of the objects to be coated can be easily reached by the application devices.

Abstract: An installation for powder coating articles, in particular vehicle bodies, comprises a coating booth, in which a plurality of application devices for the powder coating may be arranged. The articles to be coated are located during the coating process on a rotating rotary stand. Application devices located in various angular positions relative to the axis of the rotary stand may be charged with powder coatings of different colours. A collecting hopper is located at the bottom of the coating booth, the outlet opening of which collecting hopper may be brought as desired into connection with various recovery devices for powder overspray. To coat articles of different colours, the application devices charged with powder coating of the appropriate colour are activated in each case and the recovery device which collects the powder of the corresponding colour is brought into connection with the outlet opening of the collecting hopper.

Abstract: A powder coating cabin for a powder coating installation comprises a flat floor section arranged horizontally or inclined, and a blow-off nozzle for blowing off powder that has settled on the floor section. According to the invention the blow-off nozzle is movably arranged, and in particular preferably parallel to the floor section. As a result of the movability a relatively large floor section can be freed from powder very effectively using only one blow-off nozzle.

Abstract: A door positioner for holding open a side door of a vehicle body, in particular during a surface treatment of the vehicle body, includes a U-shaped bracket with a first limb, a second limb and a connecting element connecting the two limbs. The two limbs are deflectable elastically against one another in a shear plane. Arranged at the free end of the first limb is a fastening piece for the detachable fastening of the door positioner on an inner surface of the side door. Provided at the free end of the second limb is an actuating part for deflecting the second limb relative to the first limb. Located on the second limb between the connecting element and the actuating part is a fixing means for spring locking of the door positioner on a door spar of the vehicle body.

Abstract: A roller conveyor including a plurality of driven rollers disposed in two parallel tracks. With each driven roller a separate drive motor is associated, which takes the form of a low voltage motor. The drive motors are supplied from at least one low voltage source. They are preferably hub motors, which are operated with direct current. By virtue of the low voltage technology, less expensive components may be used and the safety requirements may be reduced.

Abstract: A large-capacity booth for the treatment, in particular for the spraying and/or drying, of workpieces, in particular motor vehicles, rail vehicles, aircraft or watercraft, having at least two opposite booth walls and one booth ceiling is described. The booth walls each have at least two vertical supports composed of open sectional elements, which are connected to one another via wall elements. The booth ceiling has at least two lattice beams extending in a planar manner in the vertical direction and composed essentially of open sectional elements. The lattice beams connect mutually opposite supports of the booth walls in such a way that the booth walls and the booth ceiling stabilise one another.

Abstract: What is described is a process and an installation for drying articles, in particular painted vehicle bodies, in which the articles are moved through a drying zone in which they are hardened in an inert-gas atmosphere. Inert gas is taken from the drying zone constantly or intermittently and is first of all conducted along a first face which is at a first temperature at which higher-boiling contaminants condense out. The condensate that forms in the process is discharged. After that, the inert gas which has been pre-cleaned in this way is conducted along at least one second face which is at a lower temperature than the first face. Lower-boiling contaminants are precipitated at this point. These condensates, too, are then discharged. This process and installation work more favourably, energy-wise, and with higher cleaning efficiency than known processes and installations of a similar type.