Abstract: A ball return assembly for use with a pitching machine in a batting cage includes a conveyor having an endless loop belt with a transport surface provided with a plurality of spaced depressions each adapted to receive a ball. The belt is supported and guided along a generally horizontal ball return path to permit balls in the batting cage to be returned to the pitching machine.

Abstract: A conveyor for transporting articles over a floor. The conveyor is a continuous belt the bottom run of which slides either on the floor or on a slider pad supported on the floor. The upper run supports the articles and slides on the lower run. The conveyor is run at slow speeds and can extend over long distances. It is well suited for moving large relatively lightweight articles such as bulky packages of insulation. Multiple lengths of conveyors can be used in series to move articles relatively great distances.

Abstract: In manufacturing concrete tiles a stiff concrete mass is molded and heavily compacted by means of a rapidly rotating pressing roller on sheet metal molding trays, which during the molding operation are supported by carriers having relief-like supporting surfaces which are generally complementary to the bottom sides of the tiles. The tray carriers form parts of an endless conveyor passing a concrete extruding station, in which the pressing roller is included, the tray carriers being formed as platforms placed freely between a pair of driving chains, to which each platform is connected by one pair of coaxial pivots only. Each platform is composed of two segments, which are hingedly interconnected independently of the chains. When passing the concrete extruding station the tray carrying platforms rest on an endless intermediate belt moving over a stationary supporting bed, through the top side of which pressurized air is supplied in order to reduce the friction.

Abstract: An enclosed tubular continuous mechanical conveying system and method are provided for transporting bulk material or passengers at high speed along straight, curved or twisting paths with unlimited length in three-dimensional space. The conveying medium is a moving endless flexible toroidal surface that is elongated along the direction of motion. The inner surface of the toroid forms a moving enclosed duct that comprises the carrying portion of the surface while the outer portion forms another duct that moves in the opposite direction which encloses the inner duct and comprises the return run of the surface. A rigid, duct-like structure, is mounted inside the moving surface to maintain its shape. The surface is constructed with an elastic material to enable it to move around the rigid inner duct without tearing. The moving surface is mounted inside a rigid protective outer duct which completely encloses the conveyor.

Abstract: A double-walled rotary tubular conveyor includes a stabilizing drive means which prevents the conveyor tube from moving backward, forward or sideways. Two pairs of driven rollers are located in the hollow interior of the conveyor tube. A rubber drive wheel located on the outside of the conveyor tube presses through the tube against the driven rollers. The drive wheel includes a protruding circumferential disc around its middle which is received in the spacing between the four driven rollers through the conveyor material. Two or more synchronized double-walled rotary tubular conveyors can be employed as drive conveyors for a driven tubular conveyor of unlimited length.

Abstract: Apparatus for transporting, agitating, rotating and treating discrete objects, such as metallic parts, has an endless band which is trained over two sets of rollers and forms a trough between the two sets of rollers. The band is driven by at least one set of the rollers and is tensioned at a level below the trough. The objects are admitted into one end of the trough and move up and down in response to movement of the band as well as in a direction toward the other end of the trough, either because the trough slopes downwardly toward the other end or under the action of a helix in the trough. The helix can form part of the band, or it can constitute a discrete part which is rotated in the trough. One or more impellers and/or nozzles are provided above the trough to spray solid or liquid treating agents onto the objects.

Abstract: A conveying device having a flexible member with inside and outside surfaces and first and second end positions forming inlet and outlet orifices. Support mechanisms disposed intermediate the inside and outside surfaces and a drive mechanism for engaging the flexible member and propelling it in a continuous closed loop such that the inside surface becomes the outside surface and the outside surface becomes the inside surface; that the relative shape and orientation of the first and second end portion is not altered; and, that the inside surface and the outside surface move in substantially opposite directions.

Abstract: A flexible coated wire cable conveyor structure which includes one or more flexible wire cables coated with a flexible plastic resinous cable-coating material, such as nylon, and novel means for attaching the conveyor flights to and supporting them on the flexible coated wire cable or cables including flight-attaching and supporting members integrally united, as by molding or heat-bonding to the flexible plastic resinous cable-coating material on the flexible coated wire cable or cables and for attaching the conveyor flights to and supporting them on the flexible coated wire cable or cables. In a preferred embodiment thereof, the invention includes means for detachably latching the conveyor flights to the flight-attaching and supporting members.