Abstract: For supplying sheet-like material to packaging machines and other processing machines, a rotating circular conveyor (32) is installed within a production or packaging plant. Reel carriers (34) rotate continuously in its conveying rail (33). Reels are automatically picked up in the region of a loading station (36, 36a, etc) and, after rotation about a vertical axis, are automatically taken off from the reel carrier at an unloading station (71) by being stripped off.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for controlling the movement of flat bottomed articles in a plurality of different directions relative to a supporting platform. The article is supported on a plurality of clusters of helical, freely rotatable rollers mounted on a plurality of shafts. Selected ones of the shafts, or groups of shafts, each lying in one of a plurality of zones, are selectively driven in a clockwise direction, a counterclockwise direction or are held stationary. Selective control of the shafts enable the apparatus to move the article parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform in two selected directions, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in two selected directions; diagonally of the longitudinal axis in four selected directions, and either clock or counterclockwise about an axis normal to the flat bottom of the article.

Abstract: A conveyor belt for circulating within a high temperature furnace, which is consisted of a desired number of flattened cylinders, each of the cylinders being composed of a number of carbon or ceramic fibers cylindrically wound up and flattened. The fibers extend substantially in parallel with a longitudinal or moving direction of the conveyor belt, so that they can exhibit well their tensile strength when the belt is circulated through the furnace. The flattened cylinders are hinged to each other by hinge pins made of carbon or ceramic materials, and are kept as flattened and stretched by means of planar stretchers located within an inner hollow space of each of the flattened cylinders and made also from carbon or ceramic materials.

Abstract: Disclosed is an anti-weaving conveyor belt comprising a belt body which is composed of a heat-resistant, fluoroplastic-impregnated sheet and at least one guide member fixed to the back of the belt body in its longitudinal direction, the guide member comprising a number of cords twisted together to form a round or square elongation, each cord comprising a number of heat-resistant, fluoroplastic-impregnated fibers twisted together. The round or square elongation is joined to the back of the belt body by stitches of heat-resistant, fluoroplastic-impregnated strands. Thanks to the sewing of the guide member to the belt body, an anti-weaving conveyor belt can be made of a material of good releasability even if the material has no good bonding properties to permit the guide member to be fixed to the belt body by an adhesive. The belt conveyor can be used in an atmosphere at an elevated temperature.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for aligning and transporting containers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a hopper having dividers with the dividers having top surfaces which decline from one end wall of the hopper at different angles. A conveyor is provided and positioned underneath at least a portion of the hopper for transporting containers aligned by the hopper. The containers are transported along the conveyor toward a movable deflector means for deflecting any containers which are not properly aligned. Containers which are in proper alignment pass underneath and drop away from the deflector means in uniform alignment and are further processed by a detecting or scanning device.

Abstract: A carrier unit for a transport system of the type having a flexible drive member defining a path and guide to guide the drive member around a curve in the path. The carrier unit comprises first and second engagement members for engaging respective faces of the drive member; the first and second engagement members being maintained at a fixed distance to define a passage therebetween. The second engagement member has a peripheral portion defining at least one projection, while the passage is of predetermined dimensions to permit the carrier to conform to the curve where the said second engagement member forms an arc of the curve and the projection engages with the drive member to secure the carrier thereto. A transport system utilizing the carrier is also disclosed.

Abstract: An insert for a roller for supporting a boat on a boat trailer includes a plastic sleeve surrounding a stationary shaft for the roller. The sleeve includes a plurality of spaced-apart longitudinal ridges extending radially outward along its length. A hollow rubber roller is fitted over the sleeve and the ridges are embedded into an interior diameter of the rubber roller, so that air circulates freely between the sleeve, the ridges and the roller. The roller may include load bearing sleeve supports, between the shaft and the sleeve, at each end of the insert.

Abstract: A vibrating separator comprises a tray which is mounted on a platform by front helical spring members and an elastic cantileverlike member has a front end fixed to the bottom of the tray and a rear end fixed to a rear rigid support mounted on the platform. An electric vibrator is mounted on the platform and connected to the bottom side of the front portion of the tray. Upon vibrating the tray, small entangled pieces are moved at a faster speed at the front part of the tray than at the rear part thereof, thereby separating the pieces and fowarding them to the front delivery end of the tray.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for the distribution of logs into the supply shafts of a plurality of successive grinders from a conveyor line consisting of several belt, chain or other conveyors placed in succession and carrying the logs transversely thereon. The logs are passed from one conveyor to the next and distributed into supply shafts through gaps between the conveyors, which are automatically started for moving the logs on the conveyor line so as to fill the supply shafts. The equipment previously known and used for this purpose has several disadvantages, e.g. the need for sorting of the logs, unnecessary operation of the conveyors, overfilling of the line, etc.

Abstract: A conveyor table connecting the various operating units of a cardboard box-packing station includes a series of idling rollers designed to support the boxes. To the conveyor table is releasably associated a motorization unit which includes a series of motorized rollers which can be coupled by friction to the idling rollers.

Abstract: A nested pattern of round containers accumulates on an infeed conveyor between side guides so spaced as to accommodate the containers in nested columns. Individual venturi, or lane conveyors, are non-linear and achieve a lateral spreading of the center columns without relying on a fixed lane guide or divider. Outer lane conveyors do the same immediately downstream of this center column spreading action and the containers are then fed to a case packer in orderly columns.

Abstract: In an automatic plant for the production of products, such as food products, in which modular supports carrying a determined number of products are used. A high-capacity physical and/or chemical treatment apparatus provides a temporary storage facility sufficient to ensure continuity of operation and production of the plants positioned downstream and upstream thereof, even if one or the other is momentarily at rest.

Abstract: The system is a plurality of wall board conveying sections which when interconnected form the wall board conveying system for the distance desired. In the preferred embodiment, each section provides a horizontally extending track frame housing a plurality of spaced apart freely rotating roller members throughout its length. Adjacent each roller there is further provided a first pair of lower free rotating guide wheels making contact with the front and back side of the wall board as it is conveyed along the rollers. There is further provided a second upper pair of free rotating roller guide wheels extending a distance above the lower guide wheels to a point approximately above the mid-point of the wall board being conveyed on edge, the guide wheels also positioned in making contact with both the front and back side of the sheet of wall board, and supporting it on edge as it is being conveyed along the rollers.

Abstract: Conveyor belt (1), comprises projections (2) and (3) of triangular shape, inclined in opposite direction. In this manner the article being conveyed (4) cannot slide even under the action of thrusts F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 directed in opposite directions, which may be applied on the article (4) by different machines during operation on the article (4) being conveyed by the conveyor (1).

Abstract: A balustrade structure for a curved escalator wherein at least one of an inner deck board and an outer deck board constituting a balustrade base portion of the escalator is constructed with a plurality of curved strips of a thin sheet which is straight in the transverse direction. A longitudinally-extending side edge of the curved sheet strips may be covered by a joint. The deck may comprise a main deck extending along the balustrade panel and an end deck disposed at the lengthwise ends of the main deck for covering the ends. The end deck has formed in its edge portion a slot into which the longitudinally-extending side edge of the main deck is inserted, and each of the deck boards comprises a main deck and an end deck.

Abstract: A turning device including a moving member movable along a linear path, and a turning member which is pivotable through an angle of 90 degrees about an axis perpendicular to the linear path during movement of the turning member along the linear path. A first and a second cam follower are provided on respective first and second surfaces of the turning member. A first cam provided on the second surface of the turning member has a first straight cam surface inclined to the linear path and engageable with the first cam follower, while a second cam spaced apart from the first cam in a direction parallel to the axis of of the turning member has a second straight cam surface engageable with the second cam follower. The second cam surface is inclined to the linear path such that the second cam follower is moved perpendicularly to the linear path in the same direction as the first cam follower as the moving member is moved.

Abstract: A vertical excursion accommodation apparatus is disclosed, which comprises a plurality of excursion shelf units disposed side by side and a control device for driving the excursion shelf units independently. Each of the excursion shelf units includes an endless chain passed round sprockets mounted on pair, i.e., upper and lower, parallel horizontal shafts and a plurality of trays each supported in a horizontal state by a support arm consisting of a pair of links having a stem pivoted to the endless chain. The trays are run around the horizontal shafts along an oval orbit by rotating the sprockets.

Abstract: A skirt board and mounting arrangement to seal the side edges of a conveyor belt to prevent the escape of material being conveyed. The skirt board sections include a pair of opposed side faces, one of which is placed against a mounting surface. One of the faces includes a specially constructed engagement surface which is operative, when engaged by a stop to permit the skirt board to be adjusted downwardly toward the conveyor belt but prevents the skirt board from moving upwardly away from the belt. A clamp secures the skirt board against a mounting surface.

Abstract: A belt guidance arrangement for use in a belt conveyor system, such as used in mining operations, includes in one embodiment at least one pair of rollers supported by interconnected frames in vertically spaced substantially horizontal relation so as to enable selective angling between the rollers. An endless conveyor belt is wrapped about the rollers so as to define a reach between the rollers which is twisted generally about a longitudinal twist axis and is subjected to transverse components of tension forces acting on opposite sides of the twist axis upon angled positioning between the rollers.

Abstract: An improved chain drive (13 or 109) live roller (12 or 101) conveyor apparatus (10 or 100) with belts (21 or 110) which are easily replaced is described. The apparatus has a drive wheel (25 or 105) mounted around a shaft (27 or 107 ) projecting from a frame (11 or 116) adjacent to the sprocket which may be permanently or intermittently driven by the sprocket. Various apparatus are described for providing accumulation by disengaging the sprocket wheel from the drive wheel and thus stopping the rotation of the rollers. The apparatus are relatively simple and inexpensive to construct and provides quiet operation.