Abstract: For transporting sensitive articles, in particular cigarette groups, an endless conveyor (19,20) in the form of a toothed belt (21) is provided, carry-along elements (30) for gripping in each case one article being arranged on the same. The carry-along elements (30) are positively controlled such that, when an article is received and/or the movement direction is changed abruptly, an in particular rearwardly directed compensating movement of the carry-along elements takes place.

Abstract: A reversible shelf type vertical conveyor wherein a plurality of shelves are pivotally mounted between two endless chains that are driven by pairs of upper and lower sprockets, the shelves pivoted to a space saving vertical orientation during the return run and to a horizontal orientation during the working run. Positive control of the orientation of shelves is provided by pairs of rollers attached to the shelves which straddle a guide bars during the return run and ride within guide channels during the working run. During the transition between return and working runs at the top and bottom, shelves are held tight against bosses adjacent the sprockets. Each successive cycle pivots the shelves 180 degrees, and the shelves are symmetrical about their pivot axis.

Abstract: A continuous motion robotic device including a first robotic arm, a second robotic arm, a third robotic arm, and a drive system. The robotic arms are coaxially arranged, each including an end effector for performing useful work on an object and can continuously rotate a full 360°. The drive system commonly controls the three robotic arms and defines a central axis about which the device rotates. The device is capable of high-speed operation in that the robotic arms are sequentially presented to various work environment stations via rotation about the central axis. In one preferred embodiment, each of the robotic arms provides three degrees of freedom. In another preferred embodiment, each robotic arm includes at least a first primary joint and a second primary joint, with the first primary joints being coupled and the second primary joints being coupled. Alternatively, the primary joints are decoupled.

Abstract: A overhead conveyor in which a pair of front hanger arms 2a, 2a for loading the bottom part of front part of a vehicle body and a pair of rear hanger arms 2d, 2d for loading the bottom part of rear part of a vehicle body are arranged at a hanger body 2d which moves along with the running rail established in the ceiling side, characterized in that one of said pair of front hanger arms 2a, 2a and said pair of rear hanger arms 2b, 2b is movably attached to said hanger body 2d, said hanger body 2d having an engaging groove 13 for engaging said movably attached pair of hanger arm at each engaging position of vehicle body through each engaging lever 14, having an actuator 16 to control the engaging-and-disengaging movement of said engaging lever.

Abstract: A transport system, particularly for forming machines for cold forming or warm forming, has a holding rail with gripper devices which are each separately controlled by way of servomotors. The transmissions provided for the force transmission between the servomotor and the clamping jaws of the gripper device can be self-locking, but transmit independently thereof the rotating movement of the respective servomotor continuously to the clamping jaws which therefore swivel. For a better control or automatic control of the gripper devices, these transmissions can be provided with sensors for detecting the force and/or the position.

Abstract: A transport device in a packaging machine, in particular a tube filling machine, comprises an endless belt guided via at least two deflection pulleys on the outer side of which a plurality of supporting devices are disposed. One end of each supporting device is borne for pivoting on the endless belt via a bolt extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the endless belt with the opposite end engaging with the neighboring supporting device in a pivoting manner and also in a displaceable manner in the longitudinal direction of the endless belt. For precision bearing thereof, the supporting device is connected to the neighboring supporting device via at least one joint plate, connected to the supporting device for pivoting about a first axis and connected to the neighboring supporting device for pivoting about a second axis which is parallel thereto.

Abstract: A bottling apparatus has a frame and an endless conveyor element on the frame, having a horizontal working stretch extending in a transport direction through a filling station, and carrying a plurality of holder plates each formed with a row of seats adapted to fit snugly around necks of bottles. Couplings releasably secure the holder plates to the conveyor element with the holder plates spaced in the transport direction along the working stretch and the rows extending transverse to the transport direction. A drive advances the conveyor element stepwise in the transport direction in the working stretch and arrests each of the holder plates in the filling station with the bottles in its seats aligned with the fill tubes. A plurality of stationary upright fill tubes in the filling station above the working stretch are aligned with the seats of the holder plate in the filling station. The plates are lifted in the filling station off the conveyor element to engage the fill tubes down into the respective bottles.

Abstract: A rotary transfer apparatus, comprising: a frame structure; a rotatable main shaft supported by the frame structure; a primary body connected to the main shaft; at least one first planetary shaft rotatably connected to the primary body and rotating in relation to the main shaft; a secondary body connected to each first planetary shaft; a second planetary shaft rotatably connected to each secondary body and rotating in relation to the first planetary shaft; an article transfer mechanism connected to each second planetary shaft; and an in-line cam mechanism. The article transfer mechanism is adapted for picking and placing articles, and has at least one stem connected to the second planetary shaft. Each stem has a distal end whose motion defines a product path about the main shaft. The product path has at least one apex at which point the distal end of the stem moves in an in-line motion. The in-line cam mechanism is adapted for extending the in-line motion at the apex(es) of the product path.

Abstract: The installation for the transport of helical-shaped wound springs comprises a star turret with gripper hands. The gripper hands consist of two jaws of which at least one is pivotable and is pressable with the force of a tension spring against the second. The spring produced on the winding machine is pressed by the insertion means into the gripper hand and is held firmly by this by the force of the tension spring during the transport and during the heat treatment. For the transfer of the spring to a transport device insertion jaws are pivotably connected to the transport means and push the spring out of the gripper hand, overcoming at least a part of the tension force of the tension spring, into a receiver on the transport device.

Abstract: An electronic-component mounting system, including a printed-circuit-board supporting device which positions and supports a printed circuit board, a movable table which is movable, relative to the printed-circuit-board supporting device, in at least one of an X direction and a Y direction which are perpendicular to each other and cooperate with each other to define an X-Y plane parallel to a board-support plane on which the printed circuit board is supported by the supporting device, an electronic-component supplying device which is mounted on the movable table and which includes a component-supply portion from which electronic components are supplied one by one, and an electronic-component mounting device which is mounted on the movable table together with the electronic-component supplying device and which receives the electronic components one by one from the component-supply portion of the supplying device and mounts at least one of the electronic components on the printed circuit board positioned and sup

Abstract: The conveying method comprises a flying takeover of containers (1) being fed into a takeover area (U.1) in a container stream, hanging conveyance of the containers along a conveying path (FS) with a freely selectable course and delivery of the containers in a delivery area (U.2). For taking over the containers, a sequence of individual and equidistant holding means (5) is supplied to the takeover area (U.1) along a descending curved path (7′) joining a container feeding path (8) tangentially at the end of the takeover area (U.1) and the holding means (5) are introduced into the container stream each between two containers (1). At the beginning of this introduction, the holding means have a speed (v′) greater than the container speed (v) and during introduction they are decelerated to the container speed (v). Thereby, the feeding of containers and holding means is matched such that each holding means (5) reaches the container feeding speed (v) when it encircles the container downstream, i.e.

Abstract: A method and unit continously transferring a group of cigerettes between conveyers, whereby the group of cigarettes is formed in a first seat on a group-forming first conveyor, and is fed by the first conveyor to a transfer station where the longitudinal ends of the group are engaged by a movable seat, which is moved with respect to the first seat to transfer the group from the first seat to a second seat on a wrapping conveyor.