Abstract: A yoke for a pipe handling crane. The yoke includes a magazine having storage slots for tubular pipes, and a pipe lifting unit having a lifting tool. The lifting tool supplies a tubular pipe to and retrieves a tubular pipe from the magazine.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for heating objects. The apparatus may include two conveyer belts. Each conveyer belt may include a plurality of teeth. At least a portion of the two conveyer belts may be in parallel to each other. In the parallel portion, the conveyer belts may include opposite teeth that are symmetrical to each other and the object may be fitted in the opening of the symmetrical teeth and secured by the surrounding teeth.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are provided for a tote stacker machine. A tote stacker system may include a first conveyor belt, a sensor to determine an orientation of a first tote on the first conveyor belt, an end effector that moves in a lateral direction between a first position aligned with the first conveyor belt and a second position, and an elevator that is aligned with the second position and that includes a first track and a second track. The elevator may receive the first tote from the end effector and may down stack the first tote with a second tote. The tote stacker system may include a second conveyor belt at least partially positioned between the first track and the second track of the elevator, and the second conveyor may move the first tote and second tote away from the elevator.

Abstract: An unloading apparatus for unloading cargo items from a cargo group on a cargo bed includes a cargo bed lifting and lowering mechanism, a first detection unit that measures heights of cargos items and detects positions of cargo items forming the upper surface of the cargo group, a moving device that moves the cargo items to an unloading position, a second detection unit that detects whether a lower end of a cargo item being held by the moving device is above a position that is higher than the highest position of the cargo items at the upper surface of the cargo group, and a controller. The controller controls the raising and lowering of cargo bed in conjunction with the lifting of cargo items. The controller also controls the moving of the cargo items to the unloading position.

Abstract: An extraction device and method (1) for moving, from a pile (3), a batch (4) of stacked flat products (2) that are not connected to one another and that form the top of the pile (3), with the extraction device (1) including a frame (5), and, mounted in the frame (5), a gripping element (6) in the form of a controlled vise for firmly grasping section by section the batch (4) to be extracted. This device also includes, mounted in the frame (5), a separation element (8), separated from the gripping element (6), carrying a support surface (9) to come under the batch (4).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automated aerating and handling a sub stack of a stack of rectangular paper sheets where the sub stack is gripped near or at opposed corners of a common edge of the sub stack by means of two robotic grippers (A, B) having two opposed gripping fingers (A1, A2, B1, B2), lifting and rotating the corners in mutually opposite first directions such that the work stack achieves an upwards concave form, gripping the corners by the robotic grippers (A, B), and rotating the grippers in second directions opposite to the first directions such that the upper sheet of the sub stack has a curvature smaller than the bottom sheet of the sub stack, preferably a substantially plane form.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for supplying blanks to a marking apparatus, a conveyor device (1) and a transfer device (3) which can cooperate to actuate the method. The method steps include predisposing a quantity of blanks formed in a stack (2), arranging the stack (2) in an inclined configuration resting both on the base (21) thereof and on one side (22), bringing the stack (2) up to a removing position in proximity to the marking apparatus (4), rotating the upper blank (20) upwards and with respect to a horizontal axis (O) passing at an edge of the blank (20) which is opposite and more peripheral with respect to the edge of the same blank (20), raising the rotated upper blank (20), and bringing the upper blank (20) to the marking apparatus inlet (40), so that the blank is taken by the marking apparatus (4), and repeating for each blank.

Abstract: A mailpiece loader device comprising a storage tower for receiving mailpieces and whose mailpieces are separated into a plurality of independent stacks that are superposed one above another and that are held by a plurality of paddles, control means being provided for successively releasing, by gravity, each of said independent stacks separated in this way, it being possible for each paddle to retract horizontally from a support position to a retracted position under the action of rotation of a toothed wheel to which said paddle is connected via a mechanism of the crank and connecting rod type, said retracted position making it possible for said stack of mailpieces to be released by gravity.

Abstract: Disclosed is a paper supply unit having an improved paper supply structure. The paper supply unit includes a main body having an opening, a cassette configured to be attached to and detached from the main body through the opening. The cassette can include a first holding portion and a second holding portion, each configured to hold printing medium. The second holding portion configured to transfer printing medium from the second holding portion to the first holding portion. The paper supply unit can include a guide device disposed between the first holding portion and the second holding portion when the cassette is mounted in the main body and configured to guide the printing medium in the first holding portion.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus for placing battery plates in a line from a stack of plates including an elevator for receiving a stack of plates and sequentially elevating the stack to maintain, in use, the uppermost plate in the stack in a datum region lying between two parallel generally horizontal planes and a plurality of vacuum heads arranged in a closed loop for sequentially passing over the elevator with a fixed gap from the upper plane of the datum range for picking up the uppermost plate and for subsequently releasing the plate at a release position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes: a first sheet feeding unit; a second sheet feeding unit provided adjacent to the first sheet feeding unit; one or plural first shutter(s) provided in the first sheet feeding unit; a driving unit that drives the first shutter(s); and one or plural second shutter(s) provided in the second sheet feeding unit, the second shutter(s) opening and closing in association with the opening and closing of the first shutter(s) driven by the driving unit. According to the present invention, when plural shutters for designating a stacking range of sheets are provided, an operation of any one of the shutters can be suitably associated with operations of the other shutters.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for separating a pile of tortillas and individually depositing the tortillas on a conveyor to form a row of tortillas. The apparatus may include an accumulating device, an elevating device that is operable to remove a pile of tortillas from the accumulating device and elevate the pile of tortillas towards a vacuum conveyor. The vacuum conveyor is operable to continuously remove an uppermost tortilla from the pile of tortillas and transport the separated tortillas to a receiving conveyor. The separated tortillas are deposited on the receiving conveyor and may be transported to a subsequent processing operation.

Abstract: In a sheet supply/convey supporting device, a sheet placing unit includes a pair of guide members and a supporting plate that form a space for holding a sheet stack, and a carriage member supports the sheet placing unit and includes a driving mechanism for lifting or lowering the sheet placing unit. The supporting plate supports the sheet stack and is movable between an opened position at which a bottom of the space is opened and a closed position at which the bottom of the space is closed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for automated, continuous singling of loose sheet material, by the steps of feeding a stack of loose sheet material to be singled located on a first feeding element from a deposit position to a position in which the uppermost sheet of the stack can be grasped by the singling unit, sheet-by-sheet singling of the fed stack by the singling unit, the stack being fed by the feeding element such that the particular uppermost sheet of the stack can be grasped by the singling unit, feeding a further stack of loose sheet material to be fed located on a second feeding element from the deposit position to a position in which the uppermost sheet of the stack to be fed is located below the first feeding element, and uniting the stack to be singled and the fed stack by drawing the first feeding element out of the feeding path.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a first storing unit in which a sheet bundle is stacked, a second storing unit that is provided near the first storing unit and in which the sheet bundle is stacked, a transfer tray that is provided in the second storing unit and transfers the sheet bundle from the second storing unit to the first storing unit, and a stopper that regulates, when the transfer tray transfers the stacked sheet bundle from the second storing unit to the first storing unit and moves from the first storing unit to the second storing unit, movement of the sheet bundle on the transfer tray.

Abstract: A method for loading a pallet, including placing packages in layers on a first pallet disposed in a first pallet disposed in a first plane, providing a second pallet above the packed first pallet in a second plane, and transporting the packed first pallet away. Also, a method for unloading for unloading a pallet, including removing packages, particularly bottle crates, in layers from a first pallet disposed in a first plane, providing a second packed pallet below the first pallet in a second plane, and transporting the first pallet away. Also, a corresponding palletizer for loading or unloading a pallet in layers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a separating device (1) with a manipulating device (5) and with at least one carrier support (2) with at least one stacking shaft (3) for workpieces (4) disposed on it, in particular metal plates made ready for a bending operation on a bending press, and with a gripping mechanism (14) for removing the workpiece (4) from the stacking shaft (3) and transporting the workpiece (4) from a pick-up position into a transfer position. The manipulating device (5) and the carrier support (2) are positioned relative to one another by means of positioning means (65), and at least one fixed positioning space (27) for the carrier support (2) is provided in a reference position of the stacking shaft (3) with respect to the manipulating device (5).

Abstract: A method and a device combine auxiliary and main stacks in a delivery or feeder of a machine for processing printing materials. The device includes a rake that can be moved in and out between the main and auxiliary stacks by a motor drive. A control computer controls the motor drive of the rake. Different speed profiles are stored in the control computer for the drive of the rake as a function of the printing materials in the stacks. A sheet-fed offset printing press having the device is also provided.

Abstract: A breakdown hoist has a secondary stage that permits continuous operation. The breakdown hoist may be run with the secondary stage disabled. In some embodiments a primary and secondary stage can discharge lumber simultaneously onto two conveyors. Providing two conveyors can increase surge capacity.

Abstract: A multi-step press system includes a press that consists of a press frame, a table provided on the press frame and a ram provided above the table for making movement in a Z-axis direction. The table has a standby station into which workpieces are loaded one by one and a plurality of press-forming stations in which the workpieces are sequentially press-formed. The system further includes a press die set consisting of a lower die attached to the table and an upper die attached to the ram. The lower die and the upper die are adapted to simultaneously press-form the workpieces placed in the press-forming stations. On one side of the press, there is provided a destacker for periodically loading the workpieces into the standby station. A transfer feeder is provided between the table and the ram for simultaneously picking up and transferring the workpieces.

Abstract: A bottom board separator can remove the bottom board from a stack of lumber moving at process speed. The bottom board separator carries stacks of lumber on a first set of stack conveyors that are spaced apart along a path. Abutment surfaces push the bottom board transversely out from under the stack. A second set of stack conveyors follow the abutment surface and support the remaining part of the stack. Movable guides keep the remaining part of the stack traveling in the process direction.

Abstract: A device for destacking books, brochures, or similar cubic printed products (2), wherein said device comprises a separating belt (6) that is powered by a controllable drive and serves for the cyclic separation of the respective bottom printed product (2a) from the stack (3a), lateral boundaries (8a, b) that can be adjusted to the respective format and position the stack (3a) on the separating belt (6), a height-adjustable retaining element (9) that forms a passage for the respective printed product (2a) to be separated, a support (10) in the infeed region of the separating belt (6) in order to support the rear edge of the printed product (2) lying on top of the bottom printed product during the separation of the bottom printed product (2a), and a feeding belt (5) that is arranged upstream of the separating belt (6) and serves for delivering the next stack (3b) into the separating position.

Abstract: A paper money supply unit has a backup plate which presses paper money input to a first input unit to a pickup roller, and a support plate which supports a paper money additionally input to a second input unit. When the paper money additionally input to the second input unit is moved to the first input unit and joined with the paper money, the support plate supports the paper money by a pressing force in the direction reverse to a pressing force by the operator.

Abstract: A paper feed device includes a setting plate, a support unit, a driving unit, a power transmission mechanism, a link mechanism, and an operation lever. The support unit elevatably supports the setting plate, and elevates the setting plate when the support unit receives a driving force. The driving unit drives the support unit. The power transmission mechanism transmits the driving force from the driving unit to the support unit. The operation lever is switched between a first state and a second state. When the operation lever is in the first state, the power transmission mechanism transmits the driving force to the support unit. When the operation lever is in the second state, the link mechanism cuts off the transmission of the driving force to the support unit.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for delivering and feeding a stack of paper to a high-speed sheet feeder. A sheet handling cart is removably connectable to a docking station attached to the high-speed sheet feeder. The sheet handling cart comprises a paper trough which is liftable from the rest of the cart. The paper trough has a trough bottom which longitudinally forms an elongated opening narrower than the bottom of the paper trough, the elongated opening being dimensioned to accommodate a conveyor belt that will protrude upward through the rectangular opening, after the paper trough is lifted from the rest of the cart, in order to advance the stack of paper toward the high-speed sheet feeder.

Abstract: A tray destacker is operable to separate individual trays from a stack of trays and to discharge the individual trays. The tray destacker includes a tray separating device which engages an edge or handle of the individual tray and moves the tray away from the stack of trays, while a tray retaining device engages a next tray adjacent to the individual tray and retains the remaining trays of the stack. The tray separating device may be biased toward an engaging position so as to engage the individual tray when the trays and the tray separating device are in an appropriate position relative to one another. The tray retaining device may also be biased to engage the next tray and may release the next tray in response to the tray separating device returning to the stack of trays to remove the next tray from the stack.

Abstract: A feeder for porous battery plates has a vacuum-operated pickup head that is positioned above the plates. The pickup head pulls the top plate off of the stack of plates and moves it to an outfeed device. The opening in the pickup head has an area that is at least 50% of the surface area of the plate. The air flow through the opening in the pickup head is at least 200 CFM and the vacuum at the pickup head is less than 7 inches of water.

Abstract: On stack changing, in a sheet feeder, a remaining-stack carrying device (3) is used, of which the remaining-stack bars (7A, 7B) can be pulled in a staggered manner. For better access, a U-shaped mounting (6) is provided, in which the pull drives (11) of the remaining-stack bars (7) are displaceably mounted.

Abstract: An inductor station for a sortation conveying system is able to accommodate an assortment of substantially rectangular items which in general each have unique dimensions. A worker loads the inductor station with a charge of items each standing upright on edge and side-by-side. The charges are loaded in sequence to a feeder tray, and a programmably controlled feeding assembly feeds the charges along the feeder tray to a loading mechanism. The loading mechanism loads the endmost item from a discharge end of the feeder tray onto a takeaway conveyor. The items are loaded on the takeaway standing upright and on edge. An indexing motion stripping conveyor is used to time the loading of the items onto the takeaway conveyor so that the items are conveyed to an appropriate pocket on the core conveyor for the sortation conveying system.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for handling pallets, such as for inspection and sorting, are disclosed. In a disclosed embodiment, an up-ender includes a support frame, a pallet-tilting mechanism coupled in a pivotal manner to the frame, and first and second generally upright pusher arms coupled to the frame. The pallet-tilting mechanism is pivotable between an up position and a down position, such that when the pallet-tilting mechanism is in the up position, an upright stack of pallets can be loaded onto the pallet-tilting mechanism and when pivoted to the down position, the stack is rotated about 90° so that the pallets become generally vertically oriented. The pallet-tilting mechanism also is adapted to displace the stack of vertically oriented pallets along a support surface. The pusher arms are positioned to receive the stack of pallets from the pallet-tilting mechanism and automatically index the pallets in the stack along the support surface.

Abstract: A plate cassette loader for a platesetter comprises a cassette holder for receiving a cassette, containing a stack of plates. A cassette inverter then rotates this cassette to a feed position in which the plates can be fed into the imaging engine of the platesetter. In this way, the somewhat unwieldy process of loading plates into the imaging engine is handled by the cassette inverter, in combination with the fact that the stack of plates, contained in the cassette, can be loaded in one step, rather than requiring the feeding of individual plates by a dedicated operator.

Abstract: An automated cell is provided for handling parts received in part carriers. The device comprises a working space closed to the outside, within which a first, second and third stack position are sequentially arranged. A transfer device is provided with a first linear axis extending in a horizontal direction and a second linear axis coupled thereto extending in vertical direction. A bulkhead wall is arranged between the first and the second stack position, which together with a driveable hood guarantees a closure free of contact when the door on the front side of the device is opened. Handling procedures within the working space can then be decoupled from loading and unloading operations at the first stack position. The automated cell is very space-saving and inexpensive and also allows a stack-specific logistics.

Abstract: In a stack changing device, on a sheet feeder the remaining stack bars (7A, 7B) are pulled from the stack area, out-of-line in relation to each other. For improved stack joining, the inner remaining stack bars (7A, 7B) are each pulled more slowly than the outer remaining stack bars (7A, 7B).

Abstract: A remaining-stack carrying device (3) in a sheet feeder (2) is used in non-stop stack changing. The remaining-stack carrying device (3) is integrated into the stack feeder (2) to simplify retrofitting. A remaining-stack lifting gear (5) uses the lifting elements present in each sheet feeder (2) for lifting and lowering during stack exchange.

Abstract: A composite magazine for feeding to a filling or packaging machine pre-formed and flattened containers includes a main magazine suitably inclined in which the containers are piled up. The main magazine includes a long upper back portion which can be opened and closed downwardly. Below the main magazine there is provided an ancillary magazine which initially is in a substantially horizontal loading position in order to be easily supplied with a pile of containers on a bottom plane which leaves uncovered lateral portions of the bottom of the pile. When the upper back portion is emptied, the upper back portion is opened and the ancillary magazine is raised to insert the pile of containers in the main magazine. The upper back portion then closes to retain the pile, while the ancillary magazine returns in the low loading.

Abstract: An assembly for conveying and stacking lids for containers includes a doubled-strand conveyor, a stacking and alignment column at an input end of the conveyor for aligning a stack of lids, and a vertical feed column at an output end of the conveyor for incrementally lifting the stack of lids for removal and placement onto a container. Both the stacking and alignment column and the vertical feed column are each defined by a set of four guide rods for alignment of the lid stack. Each set of guide rods includes a pair of inboard, pivotable guide rods which pivot out of the path of the conveyed lid stack to allow the stack to move out of the stacking and alignment column or into the vertical feed column, respectively. A vertical feeder disposed under the vertical feed column comprises a vertical feed plate and a linear actuator regulated by a sensor device that controls the raising and lowering of the plate and senses when the feeder plate has been depleted of lids.

Abstract: An inductor station for a sortation conveying system is able to accommodate an assortment of substantially rectangular items which in general each have unique dimensions. A worker loads the inductor station with a charge of items each standing upright on edge and side-by-side. The charges are loaded in sequence to a feeder tray, and a programmably controlled feeding assembly feeds the charges along the feeder tray to a loading mechanism. The loading mechanism loads the endmost item from a discharge end of the feeder tray onto a takeaway conveyor. The items are loaded on the takeaway standing upright and on edge. An indexing motion stripping conveyor is used to time the loading of the items onto the takeaway conveyor so that the items are conveyed to an appropriate pocket on the core conveyor for the sortation conveying system.

Abstract: This invention provides an apparatus for separating and supplying plates from a stacked plate assembly capable of highly efficiently separating and conveying one plate by one from a stacked plate assembly of a storage cell without interruption and conveying and supplementing, one by one, the separated plate to a next step with improved reliability. In this apparatus, separation suction disks (6) for sucking, separating and holding the uppermost plate P are arranged on a support table (2) at an upper end portion of an elevation rod (1a) of an elevation mechanism (1) above a stacked plate assembly (A1) for separation having a large number of plates stacked in such a fashion as to be capable of moving up and down also included are rotary bodies (13) each having rotary suction disks (12) arranged along a circumference with predetermined gaps.

Abstract: In a device for changing a sheet stack in a sheet feeder, remaining-stack bars (7A, 7B) of different thicknesses are used to improve operation. Upon combination of a remaining-stack (H) with a H. sheet-stack (S), they are placed in graduations on a pallet (P) and successively pulled from the stack area.

Abstract: A tray destacker is operable to separate individual trays from a stack of trays and to discharge the individual trays. The tray destacker includes a tray separating device which engages an edge or handle of the individual tray and moves the tray away from the stack of trays, while a tray retaining device engages a next tray adjacent to the individual tray and retains the remaining trays of the stack. The tray separating device may be biased toward an engaging position so as to engage the individual tray when the trays and the tray separating device are in an appropriate position relative to one another. The tray retaining device may also be biased to engage the next tray and may release the next tray in response to the tray separating device returning to the stack of trays to remove the next tray from the stack.

Abstract: A handling device for feeding and/or removing workpieces as unfinished parts to and/or from machining or assembly equipment for machining and/or assembly purposes and for picking up workpieces as finished parts after machining and/or assembly has a feed position, at least one intermediate position and a removal position, in which in each case there are workpiece-carrier stack units comprising workpiece carriers which are arranged one above another, the workpiece carriers in turn being populated with the workpieces. A workpiece-carrier handling unit removes the workpiece carriers in a pick-up position and sets them down again in a removal position after machining, it being possible for these positions to be defined via a control device. A device of this type contributes to reducing the downtimes in machining equipment and has a beneficial influence on the cycle-time intervals during the machining of workpieces.

Abstract: This invention is made to prevent the user from re-setting paper by effecting a process for pushing a sheave of sheets of paper by a transferring guide towards the paper feeding side if setting of paper of a tandem type LCF is not correctly effected and when it is predicted that it is structurally safe based on information of an end guide switch and no-paper-on-the-wait-side switch. Thus, useless time and labor of the user can be alleviated and the reliability as a device can be enhanced by effecting the transferring process which is structurally safe.

Abstract: A folded box hopper in a packaging machine comprises a hopper shaft accepting a stack of flattened folded boxes as well as a transfer device having a gripper by means of which the lowermost folded box of the stack can be removed from the hopper shaft, and having an input belt for introducing the folded boxes into the hopper shaft. A first adjustment device serves for adjusting the height of the gripper and of the hopper shaft relative to a downstream transport belt and a second adjustment device is provided for aligning the hopper shaft relative to the gripper, wherein the height and/or tilt of the input belt can be changed. A simple adjustment of the input belt is effected in that the input belt is borne at the hopper shaft in a hinged fashion via a first bearing at its front end proximate the hopper shaft and is borne, via a second bearing proximate its rear end to follow a control path. The control path can thereby be defined by a pendulous support.

Abstract: This invention concentrates on relieving the ergonomic strain on a bindery line operator by always loading at an ergonomically correct height for minimum wrist strain and also performing the “jogging,” which is normally done by the operator prior to placing a stack onto the pocket feeder. The signatures are placed onto a lift at the same height because the signature stack support is being lowered automatically until the pivoted conveyor is full. Then, the entire log is pivoted upwardly and advanced to meet the rear of the previously loaded log. The log is advanced through a series of air blasts to aerate the signatures, a vibrating table to align the backbones, and a set of oscillating guides to align the signatures head to foot to eliminate the manual jogging of signatures and thereby repetitive movement of the operator's wrist to do the jogging.