Abstract: An accumulating and transfer unit for handling electronic devices such as integrated circuits (ICs), especially surface mounted devices (SMDs). The unit includes guideways mounted circumferentially around a central shaft between two end plates and is inclined from the horizontal to utilize gravity, in cooperation with the levitation provided by a continuous or pulsed stream of air, to move the parts longitudinally in a column from the raised end of the unit to the lower end. In one embodiment, the guideways consist of a generally U-shaped track mounted on a track support and secured with a locking plate. A pair of longitudinally extending spaced apart walls on the bottom of each track act in cooperation with the track support and the locking plate to form a channel that directs the pulsed air from a supply tube at one end of the channel to a series of spaced apart apertures formed in the bottom wall of the track disposed so that the air acts through the apertures on the ICs held in the track.

Abstract: Device and process for introducing a powder with catalytic activity into a fluidized bed polymerization reactor (1), the said device comprising:a storage enclosure (2) for powder with catalytic activity, provided with a feed line (3) for powder with catalytic activity and a shut-off valve (26), this enclosure being connected to a metering device (4) making it possible to deliver periodically a given volume of powder with catalytic activity,an intermediate chamber (5), placed below the metering device to receive direct the powder delivered by the latter, this intermediate chamber comprising in its upper part a tube (6) bringing in a inert carrier gas, provided with a shut-off valve,piping for conveying the powder (8) connecting the bottom part of the intermediate chamber to the fluidized-bed reactor, this piping having a portion which is more or less horizontal, the said powder conveying piping being provided with a full-bore rapid-opening valve (10).

Abstract: An improved mechanism is disclosed for receiving a supply of randomly oriented articles and for continuously feeding the articles into a single file line in a feed chute. The mechanism includes a rotating disc within a hopper with a series of air vents positioned around the disc edge for directing streams of air over the disc top to engage the articles and to cause the articles to move with the moving disc surface towards and into a single line feed chute.

Abstract: A machine for applying pellets and powder, especially micropellets, to the soil, incorporating, first, a reservoir with outlets, second, ridge wheels that are rotated by a drive shaft at varying rates and the distribute uniform volumes of the material flowing out of the reservoir through the outlets into exit pipes that communicate with a blower and that have outflow openings, and, third, base plates below the ridge wheels. To ensure uniform application of material that tends to clog up the ridge wheels the machine is provided with scrapers that are intended for cleaning the ridge wheels, that engage the depressions between the ridges, which are positioned one after the other in the sense of rotation, and that are appropriately constructed to scrape the depressions out.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for distributing a substance (18) from a container (16) among a plurality of delivery channels (22) is disclosed. Apparatus (10) includes an auger (20) for moving a stream of substance (18) upwardly for outward centrifugal deflection by paddles (44) into a plurality of distributor pockets (60). Substance (18) which impacts and is retained in distributor pocket areas falls gravitationally into delivery tubes (22) for subsequent movement by pressurized air to outputs (26).

Abstract: A metering and/or feeding device for materials is disclosed. A plurality of vertically oriented, elastic-walled tubes are arranged at equal distances from the axis of a rotatable helical rod which, as it rotates, sequentially engages and constricts each of the elastic-walled tubes, beginning at their upper portions and progressively moving down the length of the tubes. The material being metered and/or fed is introduced into the elastic-walled tubes at their upper ends. A cover member is provided to cover the infeed ends of the tubes at selected intervals to prevent entry of the material being fed and/or metered into the tube at the time that the helical member engages the upper portion of the tube to constrict the tube so that it is substantially free of material. A plenum, through which a stream of pressurized gas is discharged, communicates with the discharge ends of each of the tubes, the gas conveying the material entering the plenum from the tubes to a work location.

Abstract: A constant feed apparatus in which a straight tubular housing into which a material is fed has provided therein at least one rotary arm which rotates in the proximity of the bottom surface of the tubular housing, and at least one discharging port is provided in the internal surface of the tubular housing which the rotary arm comes to oppose while the rotary arm is rotating, whereby the material in the tubular housing is conveyed to the discharging port by the rotary arm and discharged out through the discharging port.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for extracting silage for a cylindrical silo, of the kind including a suction extractor pipe and a suction aperture means including toothed wheels for feeding silage material to the suction aperture, the wheels directly carrying the extractor device. According to the invention, these toothed wheels are freely rotatably journalled on a plurality of supporting radial arms, and a cutting wheel is positioned obliquely with respect to a plane extending above and parallel to the silage surface. The peripheral part of the wheels next adjacent a vertical wall of the silo is spaced from the silo wall by a small amount and is freely rotatably journalled at the extremity of each of the radial arms.

Abstract: Transporter and method for directly transporting powdered materials or the like by a pressurized gas from the delivery container to a hopper connected to packaging or pilling machines through a pipe arrangement connected to the container at its one end and the hopper at its other end. The container is combined with a conical part to form an airtight system by a connecting device, inverted by a turning mechanism and then connected to the pipe arrangement through the conical part, and thereafter, the powdered materials in the container are transported to the hopper by the pressurized gas fed from pressurized gas feed-pipes connected to specified locations of the sigmoid pipe.

Abstract: A manufacturing processing system comprises a plurality of processing stations, preferably vacuum stations, interconnected by air track, preferably an axi-radial air track with novel sections rotatable about a transverse axis in the plane of the track and normal to the travel of the objects, hereafter referred to as swivelators. Certain of the swivelators are formed with axial movable portions capable of moving beyond the plane of the air track surface and returning to the plane, so that these swivelators can pick up and set down objects in predetermined positions in the manufacturing processing station with an air force so as to not make physical contact with the objects. A novel gas lock device is positioned in the air track between those processing stations, in which the gas pressure must be separated so as to essentially eliminate the possibility of gas contaminant passing from one station to the next.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a take-up head for a conveyor installation that removes bulk material from the hold of a ship. The take-up head includes a vertical conveying tube carried by a frame, the lower end of the tube defining a take-up aperture. A rotary feeder having a plurality of radially extending spiral veins is rotatably driven to drive material inwardly to the take-up aperture. A holding device, which takes various forms in the several embodiments, projects downward in coaxial relation relative to the feeder to engage the bulk material and resist lateral movement of the take-up head. Anchoring apparatus, which takes the form of a plurality of laterally extending pivotal arms or a laterally extending auxiliary conveyor, is constructed for lowering into engagement with the material to resist rotation of the frame as the feeder rotates. The take-up head is suspended from an on-shore jib that moves the head to various positions within the ship's hold to remove all bulk material.

Abstract: An apparatus for singling assembly parts from a coherent mass comprises a rotary drum storing the mass and including a slotted peripheral wall with openings of a width permitting single parts to pass therethrough by gravity and a length permitting a plurality of the parts to pass whereby clusters of the parts resolved by the rotation of the drum from the coherent mass pass through the openings by gravity. A whirlpool chamber is arranged downstream of the rotary drum and has an inlet receiving the clusters from the drum openings through a passageway. Nozzles are arranged at the inlet for directing a tangential jet of gas into the chamber and creating a gaseous whirlpool in the chamber for moving and separating the clusters into individual assembly parts, and restricted outlet pipes communicate with the whirlpool chamber remote from the inlet and are arranged to receive individual assembly parts moved by the gas jet so that the individual parts are oriented along the axis of the outlet pipe.

Abstract: Powder is fed from a container into a continuous annular groove on a rotating metering plate. A doctor member ensures that the powder is correctly filled into the groove. The powder is then sucked out of the groove after the plate has rotated through a certain angle by a suction device which has a projection extending into the groove.

Abstract: An arrangement for feeding a carding group with a pneumatic conveying system in which the feeding supplies a plurality of feed chutes. A flake flow is broken up, and is distributed with uniform circular motion, and is then converted into a flake accumulation of rectangular cross-section. The flake flow is distributed by centrifugal force effects, and the flake accumulation may be vertically compressed. A pneumatic conveying duct is followed by at least one feed chute with rectangular exit cross-section, in which an opening and distribution element with circular delivery is located between the conveying duct and the feed chute. The opening and the distribution elements, moreover, operate pneumatically, and may have a cone-shaped outer surface. The rotary speed of the opening and distribution elements may be made continuously variable, and the feed chute may have a circular entry cross-section.