Abstract: An auger finger assembly. The assembly includes an excenter shaft configured to be mounted inside a rotatably driven tubular auger body and parallel and excentric to a central rotation axis of the auger body. The assembly further includes a plurality of auger fingers, each extending along a central longitudinal axis, and a plurality of finger holders mounted adjacent to each other on the excenter shaft along the direction of the rotation axis. Each of the plurality of finger holders includes an axial finger bearing at least partly enclosing the excenter shaft and a radial finger seat configured to hold a respective one of the plurality of auger fingers at an inward end. Along a direction of the rotation axis, the radial finger seat of each of the plurality of finger holders at least partly overlaps with the axial finger bearing of an adjacent one of the plurality of finger holders.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tubular clamp module and a system thereof, and in particular, to a tubular clamp module and a system thereof applicable to a roll material cutting machine. In the tubular clamp module of the present invention, a slope is disposed at a top end of a support, and support rods slide on the slope to support tubular plates to form an appropriate radian, so as to provide a desirable tubular clamping force in combination with the force applied by a pressing belt. In the tubular clamp system of the present invention, a plurality of tubular clamp modules is used and various driving wheels and driving belts are disposed to enable synchronous adjustment of the positions of the support rods and the length of the pressing belt, so as to rapidly complete clamping of rolls having different diameters and provide a desirable tubular clamping force.

Abstract: A bean sprouts-like articles loosening supply device can exhibit a sufficient dispersing function even for fine and light weight bean sprouts-like articles liable to be entangled with each other, such as alfalfa sprouts. The loosening supply device includes two conveyors having both of their end portions constructed to turn so as to run endlessly, having their outer surfaces provided with needle members, and running at velocities different from each other. The conveyors are arranged to have their running paths opposed to each other so that their running directions are both downward and so that at least one portion of the needle members of the two conveyors mesh into each other. Alfalfa sprouts are supplied into the running paths from above and encounter the needle members of the two conveyors running at velocities different from each other and intersecting with each other. Each time the needle members intersect with each other, the alfalfa sprouts are separated upward and downward and dispersed.

Abstract: A bean sprouts-like articles transfer conveyor is provided in which bean sprouts-like articles are uniformly delivered from a delivery end of a transfer conveyor without loss and in a dispersed state. The transfer conveyor device comprises a transfer conveyor (3) and an air supply means. The transfer conveyor (3) has a permeability and turns at its both ends so as to run endlessly and also has its outer surface provided with needle members (5). The air supply means leads air to an inner side of the transfer conveyor (3) at a delivery end (15) thereof so that the air ejected from an air ejecting port (25) is blown out from the surface of the transfer conveyor (3) provided with the needle members (5) through the transfer conveyor (3) having the permeability. Thereby, bean sprouts on the surface of the transfer conveyor (3) at the delivery end (15), sticking to or being caught on the needle members (5) of the transfer conveyor (3), are separated and removed to be delivered.

Abstract: A finger for a crop gathering auger of a grain header for an agricultural combine, a forage harvester, or the like, the finger including a resilient elastomeric retainer retractor which spans a failure region of the finger and will retain a free end of the finger in connection with a mounting end thereof when the failure region is broken, and which is configured and operable for automatically retracting the broken off free end into an auger drum and retaining it therein during subsequent rotation of the drum for limiting potential damage from the broken end and preventing entry of the broken end into crop handling equipment of the combine or other machine.

Abstract: A stripper for lifting crop off flat rigid tines of a rotary conveyor is molded of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. The stripper is oval-shaped in side view and is constructed of identical halves which each include a pair of spaced apart, parallel side walls that have marginal portions defined by rims which have a thickness greater than that of the side walls. An intermediate, concave wall extends between and is joined to the bases of the rims, which have a height measured from the respective base that is approximately twice the thickness of the associated side walls.

Abstract: A bearing and finger assembly for journaling on a crank shaft. The assembly includes two bearing halves, each having a bearing portion with a semi-cylindrical bearing surface such that the bearing halves may be mated to define a cylindrical bore for journaling on the crank shaft. The bearing halves are pivotally joined together to wrap around the crank shaft. Each bearing half includes a finger retaining portion extending radially from the bearing portion. The finger retaining portions define a socket for receiving the an end portion of the finger so that the finger extends generally radially with respect to the crank shaft. A sleeve surrounds the finger retaining portions to hold the bearing halves together about the crank shaft. The sleeve, the finger, and the finger retaining portions have transverse bores aligned with one another and receive a retaining pin that holds the sleeve on the bearing halves and the finger in the socket.

Abstract: An apparatus for the transfer of flat workpieces from a first conveyor to a second conveyor consists of a first conveyor with two endless pulling members circulating parallel to each other over guide wheels or drive wheels which carry in pairs supporting elements with pins. The pins perforating and conveying the workpieces project above a table forming the conveyance path by virtue of the supporting elements and the pins having attachments which run in guides that are parallel to the table and which displace the attachments towards each other. The pulling members of the second conveyor carry in pairs supporting elements with pins which project above a table forming the conveyance path. In the transfer zone of the two conveyors, a plunger is arranged in the frame and mounted in guides. The plunger can be raised and lowered and impales the workpieces onto the pins of the second conveyor.

Abstract: A multiplicity of teeth are mounted to a beam in a comb structure, with the space between the teeth defining slots. The edges of the slots are lined with upstanding flanges which are sharpened to form cutting edges. The comb structure is arranged to be substantially parallel to an array of bag breaking bars. The bars interdigitate with the teeth and thus pass through the narrow openings between the teeth where the knife edges scrape the bars, thereby cutting free any material adhering to or impaled upon the bag breaking bars. Alternatively, an apparatus for cleaning a bag breaker has a pivotally mounted are having a fork which is aligned to receive a bar between the tines of the fork. The fork engages the base of the bar and then proceeds to slide up the bar as the forward motion of the bar causes the arm to pivot. In this way, material impaled upon a bar is slid or scraped upwardly towards the top of the bar.

Abstract: A rotary conveyor includes a cylindrical housing forming part of a centering auger having opposite ends respectively mounted for in a pair of supports for rotation about a horizontal axis. A finger assembly is mounted in a central portion of the housing between auger flighting secured to opposite end portions of the housing. The finger assembly includes a crankshaft having a cranked central portion that is eccentric to and located in the central portion of the housing. Fingers are mounted for pivoting about the cranked central portion of the crankshaft and are slidably received in openings provided in the housing. Opposite ends of the crankshaft are supported in the pair of supports for rotating about said horizontal axis. One end portion of the crankshaft extends through one of the supports and has a retainer fixed thereto.

Abstract: A multiplicity of teeth are mounted to a beam in a comb structure, with the space between the teeth defining slots. The edges of the slots are lined with upstanding flanges which are sharpened to form cutting edges. The comb structure is arranged to be substantially parallel to an array of bag breaking bars. The bars interdigitate with the teeth and thus pass through the narrow openings between the teeth where the knife edges scrape the bars, thereby cutting free any material adhering to or impaled upon the bag breaking bars. Alternatively, an apparatus for cleaning a bag breaker has a pivotally mounted are having a fork which is aligned to receive a bar between the tines of the fork. The fork engages the base of the bar and then proceeds to slide up the bar as the forward motion of the bar causes the arm to pivot. In this way, material impaled upon a bar is slid or scraped upwardly towards the top of the bar.

Abstract: A saw mechanism for logs convolutely wound on cores and method wherein the upstream end of the log has its core supported on a support member attached to a log-advancing pusher, the chain carrying the pushers being equipped with stripper plates immediately downstream of the pushers to strip trim annuli from the pusher support members incident to arcuate movement of the stripper plate around the chain tail sprocket.

Abstract: This application discloses removing scrap trimmed from a moving web with a series of pins mounted upon a disc which brings the pins into an impaling engagement in the scrap. The movement of the pins into such engagement is carefully synchronized between the cutting roller and the pins. The scrap is removed from the pins by causing it to be grasped between an abutment on one side and a nip roller on the other side and pulled from the pins at the same time as the pins are being withdrawn.

Abstract: A conveyor system for conveying veneer sheets with spacings therebetween comprising a sheet supply conveyor for feeding a train of cut veneer sheets of a predetermined length in contact with one another, the cut sheet length measured in the direction of sheet feed; at least first and second conveyors arranged downstream of the supply conveyor to carry the cut sheets; a stick-and-carry conveyor spanning between the downstream end of the supply conveyor and the upstream end of the second conveyor, the circumferential length of the stick-and-carry conveyor being equal to an even number of times the specified length of the cut sheet, the stick-and-carry conveyor having nailing, or sticking, areas and non-nailing areas arranged alternately at the interval of the specified cut sheet length, the nailing area having a large number of nails embedded therein the stick-and-carry conveyor being driven so that the front of the nailing area will meet the front end of the cut sheet at a sticking operation start position; an

Abstract: Veneer handling apparatus having a veneer clipper at one end thereof and a veneer sheet stacker at the other end is disclosed. Veneer sheets cut into a format size by the clipper are sorted so as to allow defective sheets to be discharged from the apparatus. Sound veneer sheets sorted from the defective sheets are distributed selectively into two ways alternately. Two conveyors arranged one above the other and converging at a position adjacent their downstream ends are provided in the apparatus, and one sheet is distributed to the upper conveyor and stopped at a predetermined position thereon until its succeeding sheet distributed to the lower conveyor is moved to another predetermined position. The sheet on the upper conveyor is allowed to move again at such controlled time that it is combined at the converging position with the succeeding sheet moving on the lower conveyor into a pair with one sheet placed over the other.

Abstract: A device for separating slices of bread from sliced loaves of bread and for transferring the separated slices one by one to a conveyor for further processing. The device incorporates an inclined, intermittently driven infeed conveyor for conveying the slices of bread in generally upright positions and in surface-to-surface contact with one another to a separating and transfer position. The separating and transfer position incorporates a primary rotatable member which rotates about its horizontally extending central axis. The primary rotatable member carries a plurality, for example, four, of secondary rotatable members, each of which rotates about its longitudinal central axis, which is spaced outwardly from and extends generally parallel to, the longitudinal central axis of the primary rotatable member.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for placing wafer pieces into molding depressions of casting molds. The casting molds are continuously conveyed by a conveyor in a direction of travel. The wafer pieces are delivered with upwardly facing top faces to a support plate or a separating device which is spaced above the plane of conveyance for the casting molds and are moved on said support plate or through said separating device in a direction which is opposite to the direction of travel of the molds. A transfer device is provided between the conveyor, on the one hand, and the support plate or the separating device, on the other hand, and is provided with retaining elements for retaining the wafer pieces operable to gradually reverse the wafer pieces until they move upside down in the direction of travel of the casting molds in synchronism therewith and in register with respective ones of said molding recesses.

Abstract: A conveyor system for conveying veneer sheets with spacings therebetween comprising a sheet supply conveyor for feeding a train of cut veneer sheets of a predetermined length in contact with one another, the cut sheet length measured in the direction of sheet feed; at least first and second conveyors arranged downstream of the supply conveyor to carry the cut sheets; a stick-and-carry conveyor spanning between the downstream end of the supply conveyor and the upstream end of the second conveyor, the circumferential length of the stick-and-carry conveyor being equal to an even number of times the specified length of the cut sheet, the stick-and-carry conveyor having nailing, or sticking, areas and non-nailing areas arranged alternately at the interval of the specified cut sheet length, the nailing area having a large number of nails embedded therein the stick-and-carry conveyor being driven so that the front of the nailing area will meet the front end of the cut sheet at a sticking operation start position; an

Abstract: A machine for connecting successive rows of coil springs together into a coil spring assembly. The machine, in preferred form, initially picks up a row of coil springs by inserting a pick up finger into the barrel of each coil and moving the springs onto a support platen. In the course of transporting the coils between pick up and the support platen, the pick up fingers change the spacing of the coils. The springs are then compressed against the support platen to a desired height through use of a reciprocable compression bar. Thereafter, and through use of rotatable transfer fingers on a transfer shaft, the springs are removed from under the compression bar, and are moved into clamping dies. Leading rotary transfer fingers on the transfer shaft first pull the row of springs out from under the compression bar, and trailing rotary fingers then push the springs into the downstream one of upper and lower clamping dies.

Abstract: A material unloading conveyor is arranged in overlapping relation to the discharge end of a bristle conveyor and includes an endless belt which has a plurality of U-shaped staples secured to its surface to pivot relative thereto. The staples move in combing relation to the bristles, which comprise the bristle conveyor, and the material supporting surface defined by the bristles to lift sheet material from the bristle conveyor and onto the unloading conveyor as the material is discharged by the bristle conveyor.

Abstract: A bag opening machine has an endless conveying band provided with spikes which conveys a bag (impaled on the spikes thereof--when in an extended position) to and past cutting means which act to make a continuous cut around three sides of the bag so that after cutting thereof it comprises two halves joined only at the rear or trailing side of the bag, unfolds the two halves of the bag as the half thereof engaged by said spike members is drawn to the forward end of the conveyor, thus to empty the contents of the bag into receiving means therefor and releases the emptied bag (by retraction of said spike members) to collection means therefor.

Abstract: In the central beater portion of the platform auger of a conventional grain cutting platform for a combine harvester, the finger and finger bearing assemblies are constructed so that each may be removed individually for repair or replacement without disturbing other finger assemblies or the fixed crankshaft on which the finger assemblies are journaled. Each bearing assembly consists of two halves hinged together and closing to define a cylindrical bearing bore embracing the finger shaft. Portions of the two bearing halves opposite the hinge are recessed in their facing surfaces to receive the enlarged butt end of a finger, so as to align, clamp and retain the finger. A single clamping fastener is used to maintain the integrity of the finger and bearing assembly in operation.

Abstract: Clay pipes and the like (3) are fired in a kiln (1) through which they are conveyed by a pusher conveyer (2, 4) as individual articles, instead of being carried on cars or in containers. In the main firing zone of the kiln the pipes (3) roll along a surface (6) to maintain roundness and ensure uniform heating. In the preheating zone of the kiln the pipes are carried by carriers (5) of the conveyer without rotating. The pipes may also be carried without rotating in the final cooling zone of the kiln.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, an elongated base element has as a part thereof, a hinge mechanism mounting a lever for pivotal movement of the lever by a handle whenever movement of the base element causes the handle to strike a cam mounted in the path of movement of the handle attached to the mounted lever, and there being spaced-apart screw-receiving holes in the elongated base element at spaced dimensions such that the screw-receiving holes are alignable with screw-mounting holes in a traveling base and in the selvage pin-mounts and strip carrying the pins, whereby the traveling base is with ease and economically mountable between the strip carrying the pins and the elongated base element, with the lever including a plurality of portions extending across a width of the strip carrying the pins, and with the handle extending downwardly beneath the elongated base element, the lever extending above the elongated base element and above the pin-carrying strip, adapted such that the plurality of portions lying beneat

Abstract: A self-propelled sod harvesting machine includes a cutter head which separates a strip of sod from the ground, an elevator for raising the sod strip on the machine, and a blade assembly for cutting individual sod pads from the strip. A conveyer for the sod pads includes a plurality of spaced apart chains drawn around sprockets and carrying outwardly projecting teeth which penetrate the pads from the top. The teeth are arranged to pinch the sod in a manner to retain it on the conveyer as the individual pads are successively carried to a sod box containing a pallet. A stripping mechanism is lowered in a rocking type stroke to strip the sod pads off of the conveyer teeth and onto the pallet in a stack.

Abstract: An automatic pick-up and release mechanism including a curved surface having an axis of curvature; a rotatable shaft having an axis parallel with and eccentric to the axis of curvature; at least one pick-up element extending radially from and fixed to rotate with the shaft; each element extending beyond the curved surface in an area of the curved surface which is closer to the shaft axis and short of the curved surface in an area farther from the shaft axis; and a slot, corresponding to each of the elements in the curved surface, extending circumferentially about the axis of curvature for accommodating motion of its associated element.

Abstract: An apparatus for orienting a flat workpiece has upper and lower hubs rotatable on a support about respective spaced-apart upper and lower rotation axes. Respective radially extending elongated upper and lower arms are mounted on the upper and lower hubs and carry respective upper and lower levers pivotal on these arms about respective upper and lower pivot axes parallel to the upper and lower arms at locations thereon spaced from the upper and lower rotation axes. Respective upper and lower workpiece-engaging needles are mounted on the upper and lower levers at substantially like spacings from the upper and lower rotation axes. Each lever is pivotal between an operative position with the respective needle engageable with the workpiece and an inoperative position unengageable with the workpiece and can be locked in the operative position by locking means.

Abstract: Kernel corn is dried by piercing the pericarp prior to drying. Apparatus for doing this comprises means to feed the kernels in uniformly oriented relation to a needle cylinder with a stripping comb. The kernels are resiliently pressed against the needle cylinder by a resilient surface which may be either on a cylinder or an endless belt. Orientation of the kernels may be effected either between that endless belt and another endless belt, or else in a vibrating chute.

Abstract: A flight conveyor for conveying material includes a frame, drive and idler wheel(s) rotatably mounted on the frame, segments for supporting the material, shafts for pivotally interconnecting the segments to an endless row which has an upper row and a lower row running, during operation, over the drive and idler wheel(s) and a number of conveyor flights for bringing the material along in the conveying direction. A scraper is arranged at the drive wheel for successively scraping off adhered material from segments and flights such that the conveyor can be used for conveying products tending to adhere to the surfaces of the segments and the flights since the adhered products are automatically removed by the scraper.