Abstract: Web-tracking method and apparatus periodically reduces tension on endless web, laterally adjusts the position of the web, and then restores web tension.

Abstract: A workpiece transporter for a sewing machine comprises an endless conveyor belt looped around a driving sheave and several deflecting rollers, the latter including a first and a second roller carried on the free ends of respective spring-loaded levers placing that belt only under a moderate tension. The first deflecting roller is closely juxtaposed with the upstream side of the driving sheave, its axis defining with that of the sheave and with the fulcrum of its lever an obtuse triangle whose vertex angle increases as that roller approaches the sheave when an obstacle retards the belt motion, such approach clamping the belt more tightly between the roller and the sheave for firmer entrainment.

Abstract: A part of the arcuate guides for the hinged belt (13) of the conveyor consists of solid curved pieces (247, 270) which are fastened releasably to parts of the conveyor frame. In the region of the drive station, guide plates (35; 299) which are fastened to the side pieces (17, 18; 220) are assigned to the empty side of the hinged belt. A U-shaped baseplate (20; 232) is connected with its upwardly projecting legs, to the side pieces (17, 18; 220). If the conveyor is a lifting conveyor with a lower and an upper horizontal longitudinal section as well as with a longitudinal section which is directed obliquely upwards, the arcuate guides consist of curved crosspieces (33, 34; 276, 294) which extend between the side pieces (17, 18; 220), in the region of the mutually angled longitudinal sections.

Abstract: A conveyor system that may be driven in a forward or a reverse direction is provided with jam detectors that are effective to interrupt the operation of the conveyor chain (10) upon encountering a jam condition in either direction of drive. The chain (10) is driven about idler sprockets (19 and 53) mounted in housings (21 and 51) that are slidably mounted on a T-bar frame (22). When the chain is driven in a forward direction A, a jam condition causes housings (21) to slide and operate a switch (23) to interrupt power to a motor (18). When the direction of drive is reversed, housing (21) is held from movement by a lock (47), and a lock (54) associated with housing (51) is released to allow the housing (51) to shift in response to a jam condition to operate a switch (58) to again interrupt the power applied to the motor (18).

Abstract: The idler drum shaft (59) of a feeder conveyor (28, 29) has a pair of detachable extensions (68, 69, 168) which when removed permit a floating idler roller (47) and the central portion (63) of the shaft (59) to be removed in a direction parallel to the conveyor side walls (41, 42, 116). The idler roller support arms (66, 67) of inside mounted tensioning mechanisms (56, 57) are connected with the shaft extensions (68, 69, 168) and also serve as abutments cooperating with upper and lower stops (81, 82) limiting vertical swinging movement of the floating idler roller (47). Washers (114) may be used to lengthen the idler drum shaft and to maintain a predetermined minimum lateral spacing between the idler drum support arms (66, 67).

Abstract: A pair of tensioning mechanisms (56, 57) for an idler drum (47) of a conveyor (28) transferring crop material from the header (21) to the processor (31) of a harvester are located entirely within the conveyor housing (22). Each tensioning mechanism (56, 57) includes an arm (66 or 67) secured by a combined pivot and lost motion connection (88, 91, 93, 96 or 89, 92, 94, 97) to the conveyor housing side walls (41, 42) and biased by a tension spring (104 or 106) disposed at its inboard side.

Abstract: A gravity roller conveyor has a pair of side frames, a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted between the side frames, with provisions for conveniently converting the conveyor to a power roller conveyor including a mounting plate to receive a motor, a center bracket disposed between the side frames to receive and mount a drive shaft and end pulley at each end of the conveyor, provision for mounting a plurality of guide pulleys between the end pulleys, and a belt tightener so that an endless belt may be looped around the pulleys and tightened in place. A center spine may be provided extending the length of the conveyor to strengthen it and minimize the size of the side frames. The guide pulley mount includes a tee bar extending between the side frames with a cross bar mounted to the leg of the tee. A tension adjustment includes a tension spring and nut which threads on the leg to compress the spring against the cross bar and urge the guide pulleys mounted on the cross bar against the drive belt.

Abstract: The sheet transportation belt apparatus comprises a plurality of juxtaposed transportation belts trained over a plurality of guide rollers and a cylindrical member which is in pressure contact with the juxtaposed transportation belts and sheets are brought into pressure contact with the surface of the cylindrical member by the juxtaposed transportation belts and are then carried on the juxtaposed transportation belts. The tension applied to each transportation belt is decreased in the direction from the central portion to each side portion of the juxtaposed transportation belts.

Abstract: A music teaching apparatus, useful for requiring the student to play notes in correct relative timing and suitable for employment on a piano, includes a holder for sheet music, a continuous transparent web having a plurality of opaque covering sections thereon, such as strips of pressure sensitive tape of substantial width, so as to be capable of covering at least one note "width" and preferably more, with such opaque sections being positioned to permit (and require) continuous reading and playing of the music by the player ahead of the covering sections when the web is moved across the music, and means, such as a pair of vertical cylinders about which the web is held in tension, for continuously moving the web across the music and in contact with it or close to it (so as to prevent optical distortions). Preferably, individual opaque sections extend over a treble staff and a corresponding bass staff but do not extend to other treble and bass staffs. A method of teaching music is also disclosed.

Abstract: Modular conveyor units are described as including a movable, continuous, spiral conveyor surface mounted on a frame. Spiral conveyors are constructed by stacking one or more of the modular units one atop the other depending upon the height of the spiral conveyor to be constructed, the conveyor surface of each modular unit forming a segment of the thus assembled spiral conveyor. The conveyor surfaces of all modular conveyor units are driven in the same direction to pass articles carried thereon from one unit to the next in the direction in which driven.

Abstract: A belt drive system featuring an adjustable belt tightener including coordinated gauge means for designating the proper belt tension according to changing positions of the belt tightener as the belt stretches during operation of the drive.

Abstract: Self-adjusting handrail apparatus, including a handrail member which is both pushed and pulled about the substantially continuous guide loop. The guide loop includes a gap linked by a biasing arrangement which maintains a slight tension in the handrail member, notwithstanding changes in the loop length of the handrail member.

Abstract: A conveyor suitable for displacing pans containing dough portions in a proofing chamber according to a continuous spiral, actually helical track, of which conveyor the conveyor is formed by at least one chain and a plurality of driving devices which engage the chain at different levels of the spiral track, said spiral track comprising parallel, rectilinear sections and curved connection bends, the driving devices being designed as pocketed sheaves which in rectilinear track sections engage the chain or chains, said chains being designed as a link chain of the ship's anchor chain type and guided in fitting sections, there being disposed chain tensioners means at each driving pocketed sheave.

Abstract: A conveyor system of a type including a tube, a cable having discs rigidly attached to and equally spaced along the cable for conveying granular or powdery materials within the tube is characterized by having an improved drive unit for causing and controlling the movement of the cable and discs through the tube.

Abstract: A device for balancing, tightening, and guiding an endless apron in the drafting part of a spinning frame comprised of a base plate in the shape of an angle bar with acute angle having a guiding element on one side thereof, a sliding base equipped with an automatic balancing and tightening mechanism on its lower end which is guided by the above said guiding element, and integrally incorporating thereinto a plate spring having a spring latch. A pressing element is provided between the sliding base and the back surface of the base plate, and a locking lever is slidably disposed at right angles to the guiding element.

Abstract: A shaft mounting on a frame includes a strap with an opening in it through which slidably projects a plunger also guided in an aperture in a clip joined to the strap. The plunger is pressed in one direction by a spring. A shaft lying across the strap is seated in a partially open, arcuate groove in a rectangular block. The groove has a surface curved about the axis of the shaft and is located at different distances from the various flat sides of the block. The block, in engagement with the shaft, is rolled between different positions against the strap and a position against the plunger and a bracket on the strap below the block.

Abstract: A crop material roll forming machine, such as a large round baler, has a mobile frame adapted to travel across a field, an upper apron movably mounted on the frame that cooperates with an improved lower apron in defining a roll forming region therebetween. The lower apron is movably mounted on the frame below the upper apron and includes a series of fore-and-aft extending transversely spaced apart flexible members which are supported at their respective forward end portions by a first series of transversely spaced apart elements and at their respective rearward end portions by a second series of transversely spaced apart elements. The first series of elements are individually mounted on the front end of the frame and are yieldably movable in a fore-and-aft direction for maintaining a level of tension on the flexible members sufficient to facilitate coiling of crop material into a roll in the roll forming region.

Abstract: A chain drive includes an endless chain formed of forked links and trained about a drive sprocket and a return sprocket. Each sprocket includes circumferentially arranged teeth and a polygon which radially supports the chain links as they travel about the sprockets. The drive sprocket engages the links only with the leading flanks of the sprocket teeth, while the return sprocket engages the forked links only with the trailing flanks of the sprocket teeth.

Abstract: In a mobile agricultural machine large cylindrical bales are formed from crop material picked up from the ground and fed to a baling zone between upper and lower bale-forming belt conveyors. In the lower generally horizontal conveyor, a plurality of side-by-side flat endless belts are trained around fixed forward and rear rollers and a belt tensioning idler roller, adjacent to but forward of and below the rear roller. A series of radially extending disks mounted on and concentric with the idler roller space the belts and control their tracking on the rollers.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for maintaining the relative phase shift between an endless conveyor and a rotary or rotatingly indexing table and/or additional conveyors attached thereto, wherein the endless conveyor has a fixedly journalled drive wheel and a displaceably journalled tensioning wheel, process tools e.g. holders, jaws and similar fixtures being attached to the conveyor at equal spacing along its length and being associated with the rotary or indexing tables and/or additional conveyors elements driven synchronously, by means of a common drive, with the conveyor, the drive shafts of the table(s) and/or additional conveyors being linked by a shaft coupling, consisting of an axially fixed sleeve and an axially movable sleeve, the sleeves having complementary helicoidal bearing surfaces with a predetermined pitch of thread, and a transmission, a predetermined transmission ratio connecting the displaceably guided bearing of the sprocket wheel and the axially movable sleeves of the shaft coupling.