Abstract: Methods and systems for transferring feed materials between zones having substantially different pressures, where the transfer can be continuous or semi-continuous. The methods and systems include a plurality of lock hoppers to receive feed material from a low pressure zone and pressurize it with fluid to a pressure of a high pressure zone. The pressurized material can be discharged to a circulation loop, which carries the pressurized material to one or more receiving unit(s) of a pressurized system. At least some feed material remains in the receiving unit(s) and at least a portion of the fluid exits to become part of the circulation loop. After discharge, the lock hoppers can be depressurized so the next pressurization cycle can begin with additional feed material. The lock hoppers can be operated in a time-staggered manner to provide continuous or semi-continuous transfer of material.

Abstract: An integrated elevator bin system for efficiently loading and distributing a particulate material within a storage bin. The integrated elevator bin system generally includes a storage bin having an elevator assembly positioned therein for aiding with the even distribution of particulate material being loaded into the bin. The elevator assembly, which vertically extends from a lower portion of the storage bin, includes an internal conveyor having a track and plurality of paddles for transferring the material up the elevator assembly. The upper and lower sections of the elevator assembly include louvered openings for selectively distributing the particulate material into the interior of the bin as the material is conveyed up the elevator assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to an unload access system for an unit load device, comprising a framework, the framework delimiting a cargo space arranged on a ground load deck and the framework comprising an unload deck for unloading shipments out of the unit load device, whereby the unload deck is arranged distant above the ground load deck and extends in an offset plane adjacent to the cargo space, the unload deck comprises a movable platform, and the platform extends coplanar with the unload deck and is movable between a retracted position and a maximum extracted position, whereby in the maximum extracted position the platform overlaps at least partly the cargo space by extending into the cargo space and in the retracted position the platform does not overlap the cargo space.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vertical unload system for an unit load device, comprising a framework, the framework delimiting a cargo space arranged on a ground load deck and the framework comprising an unload deck for unloading shipments out of the unit load device and comprising an elevator, whereby the unload deck is arranged distant above the ground load deck and extends in an offset plane adjacent to the cargo space, the cargo space and/or the elevator comprises rollers for loading and unloading the unit load device into and out of the elevator, and the elevator is adapted for vertically elevating the unit load device between the ground load deck and the unload deck such that the unit load device is stoppable at any intermediate stop locations.

Abstract: A storage tray (1) for automatically unloading stacks of flat articles stacked on edge, the storage tray having panels (4A, 4B, 5) and a bottom plate (2) provided with slots (10) through which moving fingers (110) can pass for moving the edges of said flat articles away from or towards said bottom plate (2) and for automatically unloading said flat articles from the storage tray (1), and for automatically loading said flat articles into said storage tray (1), said panels (4A, 5) defining bearing faces (72) suitable for receiving the flanks of the stacks of flat articles and provided with grooves (70, 80, 90) in register with the ends of the slots (10) so that the moving fingers (110) extend beyond the stack of flat articles into the grooves (70, 80, 90) so as to ensure that all of the flat articles are moved. A method of loading and of unloading the storage tray (1).

Abstract: A system for reducing wear includes a receptacle having at least one wall and a floor for holding material within the receptacle. An opening is located in the floor for accessing material held in the receptacle. A sliding frame is located above and parallel to the floor for agitating material held in the receptacle. At least one component is included inside the receptacle to reduce wear on the floor and/or sliding frame, and/or a wear indicator is located outside of the receptacle to monitor wear on the floor and/or the sliding frame.

Abstract: A transportation device of the glass substrate cartridges and a warehouse apparatus are disclosed. The transportation device includes supporting components for bearing the glass substrate cartridges, and positioning components arranged on the supporting components for elastically positioning the glass substrate cartridges along a horizontal direction. The glass substrates within the glass substrate cartridges are not displaced or fragmented due to the buffering effect between the glass substrate cartridges and the positioning components.

Abstract: The embodiments described comprise a method of filling a flat bottom or hopper bottom grain bin with grain, seeds, or other granular or particulate materials by pushing the granular material through a nominally horizontal or inclined cylindrical tube or u-trough into the bottom center floor opening, where a smooth pipe elbow or inclined plane causes the granular material to turn and flow upward where it cascades into a pile on the floor or into the coned bin hopper bottom, with the pile continuing to rise to a desired level, then reversing the embodiment direction of operation, removing all freely flowing material from the bin through the same tube, using this embodiment to fill and unload several bins, minimizing conveyors to fill and unload every bin. A vertical slotted fill pipe can provide a method to reduce friction while filling tall bins by reducing friction of forcing grain through grain.

Abstract: A method for the filling and optionally emptying transport containers with plastics granular materials, in which a flexible plastics inliner is inserted into a transport container. A front side of the inliner includes at least one receiving flexible hose connection for filling the inliner with plastics granular material, at least one discharge hose connection for discharging blown in conveying air from the inliner, and at least one emptying hose connection for emptying plastics granular material from the inliner. The front side of the inliner also includes a protective liner. The cabin and the transport container are positioned at a decanting station, the cabin being adapted to transfer plastics granular material from the decanting station and decant the transferred plastics granular material into the transport container through the receiving hose connection. The transport container is then filled with plastics granular material utilizing the cabin.

Abstract: A wafer treatment system including a load lock chamber in communication with a process chamber. At least one cradle is provided in the load lock chamber, each cradle being adapted to receive a wafer-holding cassette. The wafers contained in the cassettes assume angularly justified positions. A multiaxial transfer unit picks up wafers from the cassettes and delivers them to the process chamber for treatment after which they are returned to the cassettes. Because all of the wafers lean in the same direction and to the same degree in their cassette slots, an end effector carried by the multiaxial transfer unit can reliably capture and release the wafers in order to consistently remove them from and place them into the cassettes.

Abstract: Provided are a tray feeder which provides parts to a part mounting device and parts providing method using the same. The tray feeder includes: a magazine which houses at least one tray for accommodating parts; an inserting/extracting member which inserts a tray into the magazine or extracts a tray from the magazine; a buffer member which is positioned above the magazine and supports a standby tray from which parts accommodated therein are to be mounted on a board by a part mounting device; and a feeding member which is positioned above the inserting/extracting member and provides a tray supported by the feeding member so that parts accommodated in the supported tray are adsorbed by the part mounting device, wherein the inserting/extracting member is elevated or lowered to insert a tray into the magazine or extract a tray from the magazine.

Abstract: In order to provide a process container for carrying out a cleaning process, a drying process, a deburring process, a coating process and/or a coating removal process on a workpiece in the interior of the process container, comprising a wall delimiting the interior of the process container, which is usable in a maintenance-friendly and flexible manner, it is proposed that the process container comprises at least one medium passage, by means of which a medium is guidable through the wall of the process container, at least two different process elements of different types being adaptable to at least one of the medium passages.

Abstract: A seed carrier includes a main hopper coupled with a frame via leg members. The main hopper has a discharge. A base plate is coupled with the frame. A support arm is rotatably coupled with the base plate at a first end. A belt driven conveyor having a conveyor hopper at a first end and a discharge at a second end is rotatably coupled with a second end of said support arm at an approximate center of gravity thereof. A latch mechanism is provided for detachably coupling the first end of the conveyor with the first end of the support arm such that the conveyor hopper is position below the main hopper discharge. When the conveyor is uncoupled from the first end of the support arm, the conveyor can rotate to a loading position wherein the discharge thereof can be positioned over the main hopper.

Abstract: A method for the filling and optionally emptying transport containers with plastics granular materials is disclosed. A flexible plastics inliner is inserted into a transport container. A front side of the inliner includes at least one receiving flexible hose connection for filling the inliner with plastics granular material, at least one discharge hose connection for discharging blown in conveying air from the inliner, and at least one emptying hose connection for emptying plastics granular material from the inliner. The front side of the inliner also includes a protective liner. The cabin and the transport container are positioned at a decanting station, the cabin being adapted to transfer plastics granular material from the decanting station and decant the transferred plastics granular material into the transport container through the receiving hose connection. The transport container is then filled with plastics granular material utilizing the cabin.

Abstract: A case handling apparatus receives cases on a conveyor, picks cases therefrom and stores them, via a robot, in a bookcase storage system. The robot retrieves cases from storage and drops them on a discharge conveyor. Alternately, the robot does not pick cases, which then transfer or pass directly through respective pick-point and drop-point stations to discharge. Preferably cases are introduced and discharged from the apparatus on a single conveyor whether picked or passed through. A variety of bookcase storage systems are disclosed as are related and other methods.

Abstract: A system for reducing wear includes a receptacle having at least one wall and a floor for holding material within the receptacle. An opening is located in the floor for accessing material held in the receptacle. A sliding frame is located above and parallel to the floor for agitating material held in the receptacle. At least one component is included inside the receptacle to reduce wear on the floor and/or sliding frame, and/or a wear indicator is located outside of the receptacle to monitor wear on the floor and/or the sliding frame.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pharmaceutical container transferring system suitable for taking containers stored in a storage rack in closely-spaced relation into and out of the storage rack. The system has a storage rack mounting plate for holding the storage rack, a thrust-up member provided underneath of the plate to thrust up a target container through an insertion hole of the storage rack while abutting the bottom of the container, a picking member provided above the mounting plate and having compressible jaw members having a spacing smaller than the upper part of the thrust-up container which are compressed to pinch the incoming container by extending their spacing, an upper thrust-down member disposed vertically above the lower thrust-up member for thrusting down the container pinched by the picking member and a picking carriage provided with the lower thrust-up member, the upper picking member and the upper thrust-down member that sandwich the mounting plate as the carriage moves.

Abstract: A component transfer apparatus and method according to the present invention includes: a mounting member (30) on which a lower frame (R1) of a rack can be mounted and which is driven to move up and down in order to take out or retrieve components from the rack (R) in which the components can be aligned and accommodated in a vertical direction; an upper push member (50) that is arranged to face the mounting member from above and driven to move up and down in order to push the upper frame (R1) of the rack from above; and a carrying hand (70) that can reciprocate between a retracted position where it faces the upper push member from below and a protruding position where it protrudes from the upper push member in a horizontal direction and that is driven to move up and down so as to enter a space below the upper frame to carry and suspend the rack at the protruding position and so as to move down the rack onto the mounting member at the retracted position.

Abstract: A loading and unloading device for cargo containers, such as sea containers, silos and other vessels, of mobile design, whereby a container, one end face of which can be opened or closed and can be connected flush to a cargo container for bulk goods to be loaded or unloaded, whereby the device container is equipped with least one telescoping tube that can be inserted or withdrawn from the cargo container to be loaded or unloaded, an associated motive power aggregate and a connector for the conveyance of bulk goods into or out of the cargo container to be loaded or unloaded, a suction unit with propelling air outlet, a motor-compressor unit with propelling air inlet for propelling air supply into the cargo container to be loaded or unloaded, a vacuum and filter system and an operating and control unit.

Abstract: A container for storing and transporting a permanent magnet is provided. The container has an open space for storing the permanent magnet. The space is surrounded by a shell which has a thickness that provides that the permanent magnet does not come close enough to other magnetic material to exert significant force on it. Moreover, a method for replacing a permanent magnet from a first position to a second position is disclosed. The permanent magnet is placed from the first position into an inventive container. The container with the permanent magnet is transported to the second position and the permanent magnet is removed from the container and placed in the second position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a structure for storing a substrate that can be downsized compared to conventional techniques and is capable of suppressing an increase in footprint. The structure for storing a substrate pertaining to the present invention includes a holding section for holding a substrate horizontally, an inner component positioned around the holding section, which has a loading and unloading section for loading and unloading the substrate from the holding section in a horizontal direction, and an outer component positioned around the inner component, which has an opening corresponding to the loading and unloading section, wherein the inner component and the outer component are able to rotate independently of each other and a rotation axis of the inner component and a rotation axis of the outer component are orthogonal to a face of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is a system (1) for unloading or loading cargo, for example cargo packed in boxes (16), and including first transport means (5) with a handling apparatus (6) and a second longitudinally variable transport means (8), which first transport means (5) for transporting cargo (16) to and from the second transport means (8), and which handling apparatus (6) includes a conveyor (19) for transporting cargo (6) to or from the first transport means (5), and where the handling apparatus (6) furthermore includes a movable handling means (13) that interacts with the conveyor (19), and which engages the cargo (16).

Abstract: A grain loading and spreading device has a tapered housing with a grain flow restrictor valve assembly that will cause a uniform discharge of grain around the perimeter of a lower discharge opening. The valve assembly has upper and lower cam elements on a downwardly extending motor drive shaft. The lower cam element is fixed to the shaft, and the upper cam element is not fixed to the shaft. The cam elements are releasably engaged with each other. A horizontal plate with vertical baffles on the upper surface is secured to the upper cam element. When grain flow restricts the rotation of the plate and baffles, the upper cam element will be moved upwardly with respect to the lower cam element, to enlarge the width of the grain passageway between the perimeters of the plate and the side wall of the tapered housing.

Abstract: A jig comprises: a main body; a retainer for retaining a block in which at least one row of sections to be sliders is aligned; a middle load application section coupled to a portion of the retainer located in the middle of the length thereof; end load application sections coupled to portions of the retainer near ends of the length thereof; middle couplers located between the middle load application section and each of the end load application sections, respectively, for coupling the main body to the retainer; and end couplers for coupling the main body to the ends of the length of the retainer. The length between the middle of the retainer and each of the ends thereof is greater than the length between the middle of the retainer and each of the end load application sections.

Abstract: An air permeable pad to help load a bulk cargo into or unload a bulk cargo from a cargo container including a body and a hose. The body, in turn, includes a first, gas permeable layer and a second, gas impermeable layer. The two layers of the body are connected together and form an interior and a seal extending around that interior. The hose is connected to the body of the pad in communication with the interior thereof to conduct gas into or out from that interior. In use, one or more of these pads is installed in or on a cargo container or vehicle to help load a bulk cargo into the container and/or to help unload a bulk cargo from the container. More specifically, to help load a bulk cargo into a container, air is drawn from that cargo, via the air permeable pads and associated hoses, to compact the cargo therein, reducing the volume of space occupied by a given mass of the bulk cargo.

Abstract: Rows of rectangular bins for crop storage have open tops along which an overhead shuttle carriage moves for filling the bins one at a time. An auger on the carriage removes the contents from the incoming conveyor belt for deposit in an assigned bin. An array of declined baffles positioned in the path of the falling product buffers the fall. A product support over the discharge auger minimizes the product bridging effect between the vertical walls of the bin.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for supplying a silo with bulk material and for discharging the bulk material from the silo, using a clearing unit which can be raised and lowered in the silo, and which at the same time is mounted pivotably about the silo axis. In the silo a draw-off shaft is in the form of a telescopic gravity-descent tube, via which the bulk material removed by the clearing unit is conveyed out of the silo.In this invention the clearing unit is connected via a bearing to a bridge girder which extends transversely across through the silo and which at its ends is guided in vertical guides on the silo wall. The operating forces are transmitted to the silo wall via the bridge girder.

Abstract: A discharge installation to be used in a silo for bulk material in powdered or granular condition comprising a central column of interspaced annular collar plates surrounding a central discharge chute, subsequent collar plates merging into each other forming a mainly helical path, a traveling scraper device being provided in the space between subsequent collar plates.

Abstract: A force method of and assembly for trickling rock material from a silo. The bottom part of a silo is provided with a vaulting element and a pressure force is generated in a vaulting chamber or closed space below the vaulting element. For optimum trickling action, the forces facilitating trickling are concentrated on a vertical that extends through a trickling or draining outlet by mounting an upright friction plate for eliminating a frictional force and by directing a pressure force and a thermal force or power, which adds to the pressure force, on the same vertical through the trickling outlet along which the linear motion of a point of material occurs.

Abstract: This invention relates to the draining of bulk materials which are not spontaneously flowable, from a high-rise silo in which the bulk material is fed from the top layer of the bulk material at any instant, into a central gravity shaft having a bottom extraction facility. To this end, the invention consists in a gravity shaft which is combined with the gastight high-rise silo and is rigid, stationary, tubular and closable at the bottom. The shaft is provided with perforations distributed along its height and circumference, of which at least one is situated at each vertical position of the prevailing level of bulk material. The bottom of the shaft can be sealed off with a slider or a plug of the material which is permitted to be built up to a predetermined height.

Abstract: A container body for highway trailers, ships or aircraft, for loading and transporting goods provides a conveyor belt on the floor of the body with a vertical partition that is movable with the conveyor as the goods are loaded into, or removed from the body. The belt can be moved forwardly or backwardly by a transmission shaft and a separate portable, self-contained power source which can remain at a loading dock, thereby making it unnecessary to use the container vehicle's transport power source. An electrical control mechanism can be suitably connected to the container body at a loading dock to control operation of the conveyor belt because the portable power source, which may be an internal combustion engine provided with an electrically controlled reversing gearbox, also includes a battery and suitable connections to the container body to energize the control mechanism.

Abstract: Apparatus for stripping residual yarn from textile bobbins using an oscillating feed drum to feed bobbins singly to a position offset from the stripping position. Two pairs of centering forks transport the fed bobbin to a position in axial alignment with a plunger. Mounted with one pair of the centering forks is a pair of stripping blade support members, each having a pocket and a stripping blade having a plurality of symmetrically disposed stripping surfaces being slidably inserted in the pocket.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for the transfer of fiber material from one circuit of circulating liquid to another, where the fiber material is transported by circuits positioned at right angles to the axis of rotation of a rotary transfer or feed valve and the circulating, transporting liquids are screened off through self-cleaning screens. The transfer valve contains a pocket and three working positions, a filling circuit, an emptying circuit, and an intermediate position for preheating the fiber material or providing a temperature lock depending upon the rotation of the pocket.

Abstract: A transport container of conventional parallelepiped form is disclosed, wherein the container includes a perforated drum and a worm conveyor inside of the drum for loading and discharging bulk material into and out of the container. The drum and the worm conveyor are rotated in opposite directions, and are positioned in one of the corners of the container extending from one gable of the container to the other. The drum and worm conveyor permit the container to be completely and evenly filled with a bulk material, or completely emptied, without substantial dust formation. During loading operation the corner in which the drum and worm conveyor are located is turned upwards, and during discharge operation the same corner is turned downward.

Abstract: A grain bin loading and unloading system has a vertical auger located in the center of the bin, the vertical auger being in communication with a horizontal auger disposed beneath the floor of the bin. The novel sweep auger drive has a double row sprocket rotatably mounted about the center auger column. The sweep auger proper is rotatably mounted about the center column and is driven at its inner end by a gearbox which is also rotatably mounted. The input shaft of the gearbox extends vertically downwardly and has a sprocket located thereon. That sprocket is connected to one row of the double row sprocket located about the center column such that when the double row sprocket is driven the sweep auger assembly will rotate about the center column as well as be driven so as to transport the grain to be unloaded radially inwardly.

Abstract: An ice rake and hoist are disclosed. The ice rake is suspended over an ice storage bin by two pairs of cables, one pair on each side of the rake. The cables of each pair are joined together and connected to a chain which passes over a sprocket for connection to a counterweight and winch. Both sprockets are provided on a common shaft to insure that the ice rake remains level during movement of ice into and out of the storage bin.

Abstract: The food material to be processed is alternately transferred from two sources to an elongated treating chamber. The apparatus for carrying out the method includes rotary valve means employing two pocket areas, each pocket area including a plurality of pockets with each pair of diametrically located pockets having an interconnecting passage. The pockets of one area are angularly displaced or out-of-phase with the pockets of the other area. Owing to the out-of-phase relationship, the food material to be processed is alternately received by one pocket of one area, then by the next pocket of the other area and so on through each revolution of the valve means in which the pockets are contained, the material being discharged in the same out-of-phase relationship through the interconnecting passages and diametrically disposed pockets into the inlet of a pressurized elongated treating chamber.