Abstract: Apparatus for discharging granular material from a bulk container tapering at its bottom, including a conveyor and a discharge chamber at the bottom of the bulk container. The discharge chamber includes an impeller rotated by a vertical shaft extending through the bottom of the chamber, and a traveler shaft connected at one end to the vertical shaft, by a coil spring knuckle-joint, and carrying at its other end a contactor which rides on the inner surface of the tapering bottom, the shaft being provided with projecting cross pins to move in the material and break up agglomerations and bridges. Power means are provided for driving the vertical shaft and the conveyor, either separately or serially, and the opening between the chamber and the conveyor is adjustable to vary the flow of material. The conveyor comprises a plurality of flights secured to an endless cable, which moves for at least a part of its travel through a tube leading from the discharge chamber to an area of discharge for the material.

Abstract: A centrifugal rotary loader apparatus for a multiple tray conveyor includes a plurality of similar spirally-shaped, conical supporting surfaces, each having a radially extending pickup vane.Each supporting surface includes an inner loading cone angle of 30.degree. and an outer angle of 20.degree. for a retail merchandise warehousing system.An outer encircling guide wall has a discharge opening with a vertical trailing edge and an inclined leading edge. The load moves outwardly as a result of centrifugal forces through the opening.The rotary loader is loaded perpendicular to the direction of rotation and the tray conveyor is located beneath the loader with the center line of the trays aligned with the periphery of the loader.

Abstract: A conveyor system comprising an endless belt for carrying articles past a series of transfer stations along the length of the belt. A plurality of longitudinally spaced rotatably mounted rollers are provided beneath the belt at each transfer station and a plate is positioned above the rollers for supporting the belt at each transfer station. The width of the rollers is greater than the width of the belt and the rollers are continuously driven by the return portion of the belt which extends beneath the rollers. A pusher at each transfer station is actuatable transversely to transfer an article from the belt onto the rollers which, in turn, propel the article in a direction parallel to the belt.

Abstract: A combined transfer table and article indexing apparatus comprises means for receiving and separating articles from an infeed conveyor and means for transferring the separated articles to an outfeed conveyor, in synchronous relation to movement of the outfeed conveyor. Means for automatically aligning the edges of stacked articles conveyed as a group, such as reams of paper, are also provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for continuous unloading of dry loose particulate material from especially ships. The apparatus provides continuous conveyance of paticulate materials through an entirely closed system whereby air pollution, spillage, irregular unloading and sensitivity to weather conditions are eliminated or highly reduced.

Abstract: A silage unloader is disclosed for use in cutting silage from silage stored in a silage trench or the like. The unloader comprises a frame means which is adapted to be connected to the three-point hitch of a tractor or the like. A vertically disposed boom means is secured to the frame and extends upwardly therefrom and comprises telescopically mounted boom members. A reel boom is secured to the boom means and extends therefrom and has a silage cutting reel means rotatably mounted on the outer end thereof about a horizontal axis. A double acting hydraulic cylinder is provided within the boom means for raising and lowering the boom means, reel boom and reel. An auger conveyor means is provided on the frame means below the reel means so that the cut silage will be gathered thereby and conveyed to a blower means for blowing the silage to a feed wagon, truck or the like. The boom means, reel and conveyor are hydraulically powered while the blower means is powered by the tractor PTO.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for continuously molding plastic parts. Basically, the method can be practiced with apparatus which comprises a pair of spaced, rotatable, indexable trunnion transfer units or wheels having a plurality of cradles thereon for receiving and transporting carrier bars. The wheels are indexable to a number of stations at which various activities take place and are positioned on either side of the mold area of a conventional molding machine. A carrier bar having affixed thereto a plurality of cores for the part to be molded, for example, is transported by the rotating wheel from the bottom of the first wheel to a first station where an insert may be added to the core and thence to the top position of the wheel where the carrier bar is transferred to a conveyor which in turn transports the carrier bar to the mold. After completion of the molding cycle, the carrier bar with the molded parts thereon, is transported by the conveyor to the top of the second wheel where it is inserted thereon.