Abstract: A device for dispensing sheet media comprising a storage location for storing sheet media to be dispensed; a receiving location accessible to a patron from which the sheet media may be received; a receptacle for retaining sheets of the media; a stacking assembly for stacking individual sheets of the sheet media into a stack; a transport assembly for transporting individual sheets from the storage assembly to the stacking assembly and for transporting sheets of the media from the receiving assembly to the receptacle; a transfer assembly for transferring a stack of sheets from the stacking assembly to the receiving location; and, a divert assembly associated with the transport assembly operable to cause sheets transported from the storage location to the stacking assembly to be diverted to the receptacle.

Abstract: A non-palletized unit of cargo is formed of multiple bales of hay bound together as a unit by an elongated sheet of a polymer film pre-stretched and wrapped in multiple layers around and in direct engagement with the peripheral sides of the bales so that it can be handled by direct engagement of the bottom surface thereof by the tines of a forklift truck, includes an attaching member attached to at least one of the plurality of bales and extending from a side thereof for towing the unit of cargo laterally for positioning it for unloading from cargo space.

Abstract: A horizontally displaceable receiving table for picking up and setting down package-like articles includes a displaceable transporting device, with roller-like pick-up members at its end relative to the direction of travel. The receiving table is displaced towards the articles by a first drive at a velocity which is decreased when the table is in close proximity to the vertical face surface of the articles. The pick-up member is then driven by a second drive such that the pick-up member engages the article and lifts the article onto the receiving table. The receiving table and the transporting device are then driven countercurrently at the same speed until they have substantially moved under the article. The receiving table permits picking up and setting down package-like articles at designated times and locations without damage to the articles.

Abstract: A process and device for the input and carrying away of smoking rods or cooking rods to and from a station for the automatic suspension of sausages provided with loops on a rod which in turn is tightly chucked at one end works as follows: the rods are first brought out of a storage area one after the other in horizontal arrangement into a readiness position. Then one rod is tightly chucked there and is fed by a horizontal movement to the loading station; finally the loaded rod is picked up at both ends and fed in the same direction as before to a holding station, in which a number of loaded rods are collected for transfer by being moved onto a smoking or cooking wagon. The process is carried out nearly without dead time, and is accomplished by an operator who remains for the most part independent of the filling and suspending cycle.

Abstract: An apparatus for unloading non-palletized units of cargo from cargo containers without docking facilities comprising an elongated mounting bracket for detachable attachment to a bottom door frame of a cargo container, and having a plurality of mounting studs extending outwardly therefrom, a pair of support rails having sockets at one end for receiving and detachably attaching to the mounting studs, and upstanding support legs at the other end for supporting the rails in a horizontal position, and a towing link for attachment at one end to a cargo unit to be pulled onto said rails and attachable at the other end to towing apparatus for towing the cargo unit onto said rails.

Abstract: In a stacking and forwarding apparatus, an array of work is continuously transported or rails by belts and a preceeding one of works is located and stopped in a receiving space defined by stoppers. The preceeding one of works is lifted by three guide rails which are located at left and right sides and front side of the work. Thus, a next work is received in the receiving space under the preceeding work and also lifted by the rollers. The pair of stacked works is pushed outside of the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically stacking molded articles successively trimmed by a trim press from a web of thermoplastic material, the trim press having a stationary die member which includes a die plate and a die shoe, the apparatus comprising: (a) a frame; (b) a carriage mounted to the frame; (c) at least one stacking mechanism, the stacking mechanism comprising: (i) a plurality of stack rods rotatively mounted to the carriage each of the stack rods having a stack dog located substantially perpendicular to a first end thereof the stack dog positionable within a corresponding aperture of the die shoe of the stationary die member; and (ii) mechanism for rotating the stack rods so that the stack dog engages an endmost article of a completed stack of articles, the stack of articles located at least partially within the die shoe of the stationary die member; and (d) mechanism for transporting the completed stack of articles from within the die shoe of the stationary die member to a position for removal from the

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a conveying device for the removal of objects, in particular square objects, preferably cardboard boxes, from a base, in particular of objects from a pack formed from identical objects. There are provided a process and a conveying device, by which the objects can be removed from the base even if the objects cannot be gripped from the top and are relatively unstable, such as for example open cardboard boxes, and the base is secure against slipping by increased friction resistance. Each object to be removed is tilted at one bottom edge opposite to its free side and is then removed.

Abstract: A method for stocking a plurality of containers in a stocking device and feeding one container at a time to a robot includes the steps of separately supporting each container in a vertically moveable frame and moving the frame to align a selected container at a drawing position. The selected container is withdrawn from the frame and a lid of a pallet on the withdrawn frame is removed. The articles are then supplied to the robot.

Abstract: For the transport of blank stacks (22) to a packaging machine, there are re-usable cassettes (21) which have chambers (23) for receiving a multiplicity of blank stacks (22). The cassettes (21) are filled with the blank stacks (22) in a paper factory and are emptied in the region of the packaging machine. The cassettes (21) are designed so that several emptied cassettes (21) can be nested in one another and returned as a space-saving unit to the paper factory. Furthermore, the cassettes (21) are designed so that they can be transported by overhead conveyors and supported on downwardly directed carrier arms (49) which include horizontally directed carrier spars (50) having a step-shaped configuration (60, 62, 64) which also accommodates different sizes of material reels associated with the packaging machine.

Abstract: An arrangement for loading and unloading a ship comprises a boom having an upper portion in the form of a continuous box girder attached to a portal. An upper trackway is supported on a forward region of the boom on top of the box girder. A platform is suspended from a rear region of the boom and has a lower trackway mounted thereon. A movable feed head including an associated supply and discharge device and having one end adapted for cooperating with a loading and unloading device in the forward region of the boom is mounted for moving on the upper and lower trackways. A pylon is attached to a top side of the box girder between the ends of the boom, the upper trackway terminating approximately at the pylon. Guide cables are fixed to the boom and supported by the pylon. A drive is disposed on the box girder in the forward region of the boom for displacing the feed head, and struts are arranged for fixing the feed head to the drive.

Abstract: A method for stacking and unstacking reusable plastic trays for storing and transporting beverage containers, such as twelve-ounce metal cans and two-liter PET bottles. When the tray is a can tray, the bottom surface of the floor has a pattern of protuberances and recessed areas therebetween. A loaded can tray is stacked on a similar tray therebeneath, such that the lower can rims fit into the recessed areas and the protuberances are positioned both inside of and outside of the rims thereby locating and locking the upper tray in place. To unlock the upper tray it is simply twisted so that the protuberances ride up their bevelled edges onto the rims and into a sliding position.

Abstract: In a paper processing machine, the method and apparatus of this invention apply an opposite electrostatic charge to stacks and reams of paper to eliminate the repelling force from like charges on both sides of the individual sheets of the stack or ream to thereby temporarily bond them together. With the sheets thus temporarily bonded, the stacks and reams of paper can be easily transported between work stations without undesirable sliding of the sheets.

Abstract: A boat support framework including an elevating cradle supported between a plurality of cable and pulley containing lift towers via a plurality of roller bearings in engagement therewith. A cable take up axle includes separate cable drums and cables to each lift tower and is controlled from a handwheel or winch operated articulating drive arm and multiple endless chains coupled therebetween. Hinged frameworks pivotally coupled to cross frame members of a base frame and the cradle articulate to support the cradle over the range of lift travel.

Abstract: An arrangement in a press feed line for picking up and conveying metal blanks at generally the same rate of speed they exit speed from the press, and automatically stacking them on a stacker. The stacker car has a rotatable base supporting a pallet, which in turn supports the stacked blanks, and is designed for side-shifting and raising and lowering of the base, in the stacking station, thereby allowing the desired positioning of the stacked blanks on the pallet and the pallet on the base. Automated adjustable devices which conform to the configuration of the blank neatly stack the blanks and variations to the arrangement allow more than one blank to be removed from different sources in the press, thereby permitting more than one stack to be made simultaneously.

Abstract: A device for unstacking flat objects comprises an unstacking head (2) provided with a suction cup (88) for grasping the first flat object in a stack of such objects presented thereto and for moving a grasped flat object towards an exit position (40) in which the object is released. The suction cup (88) is a bellows suction cup made of a flexible material such that when it grasps the first flat object in the stack, it retracts under the effect of the suction and entrains at least the surface of the grasped object therewith as it retracts. A shoe (90) having a surface close to the grasping plane of the suction cup is disposed adjacent to the suction cup in fixed relationship relative to the mount (50) carrying the suction cup. The shoe thus constitutes an obstacle to the surface of a grasped flat object, thereby warping said surface as the suction cup retracts.

Abstract: A technique for cutting and selectively edge, face or flat setting brick or similar articles. The machine includes a cutter bank for receiving the slugs from a pusher and a device for selectively moving the cutter bank between an operable position and an inoperable position with respect to the pusher. An elevator is located downstream of the cutter bank for receiving bricks from the cutter bank. A controller is connected to the pusher and the elevator whereby the pusher and the elevator are operated in a cooperative relationship.

Abstract: A sod stacking machine includes a conveyor system for receiving sod pieces from a sod harvesting machine and aligning the pieces in rows. The sod pieces can be translated laterally from the conveyor to form a full layer for movement to a stack of the layers. The full layer is then grasped and lifted simultaneously for movement to the stack. The lifting is carried out by a planar lifting element which has a plurality of screw elements mounted thereon and which are rotatable in a screw direction and a release direction simultaneously by a chain drive system. Each screw element is surrounded by a compressing device for engaging the sod around the screw as it is screwed into place. The lifting device thus lifts all of the sod pieces simultaneously and transfers them to a pallet. The device can be used either with rolled sod pieces or folded slab sod pieces.

Abstract: A hands-free dump wagon includes a harness with a universal hitch attached directly to the tongue of the wagon, permitting the user complete freedom of movement while the wagon is attached. A handle is positioned near the universal hitch and includes an actuator mechanism for locking and unlocking the wagon bin relative to the tongue to permit both a tilting and dumping action. A linkage assembly is connected to the tongue and pivotably secured to an end gate, automatically opening the gate for dumping the contents of the wagon when the wagon bin is moved from the locked position to the unlocked, tilted position.

Abstract: A system for handling bales of feed includes a freight trailer with a tongue that can be offset laterally to cause the trailer to follow a path to one side of the path of a tractor to permit a front-loading device on the trailer to engage bales of feed and raise them onto a load-carrying platform of the trailer. The platform is tiltable downward to the rear to induce sliding movement of loaded bales, and to release said bales in a vertical stack. The platform is provided with a device to grip the top bale of a stack and insert a lifting member under the stack to retrieve it for feeding operations. The platform is tiltable downward-forward to induce forward movement of the bales for release onto a bale shredder carried in part on the tongue of the trailer.