Abstract: A passenger conveyor apparatus comprises a plurality of steps endlessly connected to each other and guided along a circulating conveyor path, each of the steps having a tread on which a passenger stands and a riser adjacent the forward edge of the tread, at least a portion of the riser of the steps being constituted by a light transmissive material, and a light source for throwing light on the light transmissive material of the riser, the light source being disposed inside the circulating conveyor path.

Abstract: Conveyor belt cleaning apparatus having a scraper assembly including at least one scraper element urged into engagement with the conveyor belt, the opposite ends of the scraper assembly being connected to respective locating arms and the locating arms being mounted at their ends remote from the scraper assembly on respective mounting blocks of composite construction which can be subjected to torsion, there being at least one other resilient means acting to urge the at least one scraper element into engagement with the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A lumber positioner having one or more parallel straight decks, and one or more parallel angle decks disposed transversely of, and adjacent a straight deck to extend at an angle thereto. One or the other of the straight deck or angle deck, is raised and lowered so that at least a portion of a piece of lumber extending across aligned lumber carrying surfaces of respective decks, can be transferred between a normal position, corresponding to the piece sitting on the lumber carrying surface of the straight deck, and a position vertically spaced therefrom in which it is sitting against a lumber contacting surface of the angle deck, so that the lumber piece can travel in a direction along either as desired. Preferably, a plurality of straight decks are constructed alike with each having at least one section.

Abstract: In a low pressure accumulator conveyor of the type where cartons are conveyed on a surface defined by successive freely rotatable rollers which are driven from beneath by frictional engagement with a continuous belt, the belt is held in periodically released driving engagement with the rollers by a plurality of vertically movable supporting assemblies, each of which includes a compound sheave wherein the bottom wall of the groove supporting the belt includes a major portion cylindrically curved about the rotational axis of the sheave, and a minor portion convexly curved about a radius which varies at a substantially uniform rate from a maximum at each end thereof equal to the radius of the major portion of the groove wall to a centrally located minimum less than that of a cam lobe on the sheave which thereby periodically disengages the belt from its associated carton-carrying roller.

Abstract: The present invention provides a feeder apparatus for timber harvesters, the apparatus being intended to pull the log in for trimming and preferably featuring a three strand roller chain rotating around a turning wheel and a cog wheel with log grabbing members attached to the outer plates of the roller links of the roller chain. It is the intention of the present invention to realize a track-operated feeder apparatus simpler yet sturdier than conventional designs. In a feeder apparatus in accordance with invention, the chain is powered by a cog wheel driving the center strand of roller links, and all strands of roller links are supported essentially for their total grab length by rolling beds supporting the rollers.

Abstract: A tubular belt conveyor is supported by a plurality of support frames, some of which comprise a fixed roller and a pressing roller which is biased by compression springs to get close and away with respect to the fixed roller. Between the two rollers, narrow space is formed through which the forward belt is elliptically deformed so that the conveyed materials may be compressed. Particularly, with a steep slope, the materials thus solidified by the rollers can be easily carried by the tubular belt conveyor without slipping down.

Abstract: The device for testing or processing small electrical component parts having end face contacts includes an endless conveyor belt having a plurality of holes therein that are sized to fit the electrical components. The belt also includes a second parallel row of positioning holes. A component container maneuvers a single component into a complementary hole in the belt. A measurement and/or processing station includes a swing arm which extends across and above the belt and which moves towards the belt. On the swing arm is a pin-like positioning element that depends vertically from the swing arm and has a conical or spherical point. The diameter of the pin is slightly greater than the diameter of the positioning hole on the belt thereby providing an air cushioning effect when the pin approaches the belt. The swing arm also includes a contact element that contacts the end face contacts of the electrical component located in the component hole.

Abstract: A bobbin conveying apparatus comprising a plurality of trays each of which has a bobbin supporting pin insertable in the bobbin; a pair of guide rails assembled in loops for guiding the trays; a round belt running along the guide rails, the belt being kept with the bottom surfaces of the trays so that the trays are frictionally moved in accordance with the movement of the belt; a mechanism for stopping the bobbin so that the belt continues to run away from the arrested bobbin; and a bobbin take-up means for taking up the arrested bobbin from the tray.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating axially-aligned rods of the cigarette industry comprises a first pair of conical drums (14,16) mounted on a first common sleeve (32) and arranged to receive respectively the two rods (10) of each pair to be separated, the axes of rotation (22, 24) of the drums being inclined so as to separate the rods carried by the respective drums; a second pair of conical drums (25,26) mounted on a second common sleeve and arranged to receive the cigarettes from the first pair of conical drums, the second pair of conical drums having axes inclined so as to space the rods further apart while returning the rods to axially-aligned orientations; and device (28) for receiving the spaced-apart rods from the second pair of conical drums.

Abstract: Apparatus for temporary storage of cigarettes has a collecting vessel with a lateral inlet for a mass flow of parallel cigarettes and with a vertical duct at the bottom for evacuation of a mass flow of cigarettes. The top portion of the vessel carries two pivotable flaps whose lower portions are connected with spaced-apart portions of a flexible membrane in the form of a wire mesh which rests on the supply of cigarettes in the vessel. That flap which is adjacent the inlet of the vessel is heavier than the other flap and carries the mobile portion of a level monitoring device serving to regulate the rate of admission and/or evacuation of cigarettes and/or to arrest the machine which makes the cigartettes.

Abstract: A bend segment for a chain conveyor comprising a chain movable over a track including one or more bends, said chain being composed of links of a magnetizable material having a substantially rectangular load bearing surface, the successive links in the chain being pivoted together. The bend segment includes a device for producing a magnetic field to retain the load bearing surfaces of the links flat on the track, which consists of a pair of rails of a magnetizable material wherebetween are provided, at predetermined distances, members for interconnecting the rails and/or for keeping these spaced apart. A synthetic plastics strip is provided in at least the inner bend of the bend segment against the inside of the rail. The device for producing a magnetic field include magnets placed between the rails, with the magnetic lines of force of the magnetic field produced by the magnets extending through the rails to attract the chain links against the rails.

Abstract: A moving staircase having an arcuate conveyor passage in plan view is disclosed in which the tread boards articulated in an endless fashion along the arcuate conveyor passage are each rotatably provided with a tread board axle in the widthwise direction, the tread board axle rotatably carrying outer and inner drive rollers near its outer and inner ends, respectively, and these outer and inner drive rollers are adapted to be supported on and guided by the outer and inner rails, respectively, secured to the main frame. The outer and/or inner drive rollers are prevented from derailing from the outer and/or inner drive rails by presser rails secured to the main frame, and side rollers mounted on the tread board axles to resist the radially inward force applied to the tread boards in operation are adapted to abut against the side surfaces of the outer and/or inner drive rails and the presser rails.

Abstract: The invention relates to a platform conveyor, comprising a plurality of rectangular platforms, each being flexible in one direction, and two pairs of endless chains having equal lengths, and the pairs being connected to the corners at the front and rear side, respectively, of the platforms and being led over pairs of aligned guide sprockets, the chains extending substantially parallel to each other and guiding the platforms in a horizontal position through a transport part from an upper load or unload point to a lower unload or load point or vice versa, and bringing the platforms back through a return part, wherein the transport part includes a section having a substantial vertical component, and the platforms are deflected at both load and unload points. A guide assembly is provided to adjust the height between the upper load or unload point and the lower unload or load point.

Abstract: A cable conveyor for transporting articles through a curved path of transport is disclosed. The conveyor has a plurality of pulley assemblies rotatably mounted on a conveyor frame. A cable tangentially contacts and is guided by each successive pulley assembly. The cable carries and transports the articles as it is pulled through a path defined by the pulley assemblies. The pulley assemblies may be spaced so that the path they define is shaped substantially the same as the shape of the conveyor frame. The conveyor may provide a spiral path of transport so that the articles may be raised or lowered. Alternatively, the conveyor may provide an arc to transport the articles from one direction of transport to another.

Abstract: A conveyor having a conveying surface, which contacts an object to be conveyed, by plural coiled springs which rotate endlessly in accordance with the rotation of a main roller. The springs are trained over the main roller and a subordinate roller, which is provided at an appropriate distance from main roller and which rotates freely, in such a manner as the axis of spiral of each coiled spring runs in the direction of conveyance.

Abstract: The invention is a support for a chain for a selective diverting device for diverting an individual cookie from one conveyor belt path to another location. It is preferably used in combination with a sensing device, such as a weigher, optical sensor, color sensor, or the like, the sensor selecting out "rejected" articles and actuating the diverting member.

Abstract: In an apparatus for accumulating conveying of goods constructed in the form of a roller conveyor with rollers (10, 12) in which via inflatable hose sections (42) a chain (28) is adapted to be brought into engagement with the goods to be conveyed, between the chain (28) and each hose section (42) a support and guide profile for the chain (28) is disposed in a U profile (14). The support and guide profile (62) is made in the form of a comb with teeth (64) and between every two teeth (64) the shaft journals (16, 18) carrying the rollers (10, 12) can be accommodated. By this arrangement the U profile (14) may be made very narrow.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling a plurality of flat, collapsed, folded paper boxes which have been produced on a high speed, folder-gluer, delivered in shingled formation onto the advancing apron of a stacker, counted into slugs of about fifty each and must be packed into cases for shipment. To enable an operator to grasp individual and successive lifts of the flats between her hands and remove them for packing, the apparatus includes a secondary apron traveling at less speed than the stacker apron to raise the shingled flats upstanding on edge, hold down belts to prevent misalignment and a transversely movable segregation rod mounted on a carriage movable horizontally alongside the path of the flats. The carriage has one-way clutch rollers so that the rod will hold back the leading flat but the carriage will roll freely back to the next slug. Speed reduction mechanism may be used to advance the carriage at less speed than the apron to compress the line of flats when edge stacking is desirable or necesary.

Abstract: The device for transporting fiber sliver cans employs pairs of rails for supporting a can during travel in a non-linear path. The pairs of rails are moved relative to each other in an endless path so that a can is supported on only one pair of rails during the forward movement of that pair of rails. No floor plate is required to support the cans. The straight rails of each set are interconnected by curved rails of an intermediate set of rails.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying an article, as during a sewing operation, includes a pair of driving pulleys supported on a first support simultaneously rotatably by an electric motor and spaced apart from each other transversely of the apparatus and a pair of driven pulleys supported simultaneously rotatably on a second support and spaced apart from each other transversely of the apparatus. A pair of first fixed intermediate pulleys and a pair of first movable intermediate pulleys are supported simultaneously rotatably on the first support below the driving pulleys and between the driving pulleys and the fixed intermediate pulleys, respectively. The second support is spaced apart from the first support longitudinally of the apparatus and the first and second supports are horizontally movable to and away from each other.