Abstract: A material handling system includes a depalletizer comprising a tower frame and a tilt bed which extends into the tower frame and is tilted to a predetermined angle. A lift bed raises a loaded pallet to the level of an exit conveyor. A back dam is disposed opposite the exit conveyor and is movably mounted to the frame to exert a stop against a layer of articles to be removed. An endless collector belt, mounted to the tower frame, extends over a slidable frame provided with a polygon shaped roller. The endless belt simultaneously rotates and moves between a position adjacent the exit conveyor and a position adjacent the back dam to remove the entire layer of articles.

Abstract: A material handling system includes a depalletizer comprising a tower frame and a tilt bed which extends into the tower frame and is tilted to a predetermined angle. A lift bed raises a loaded pallet to the level of an exit conveyor. A back dam is disposed opposite the exit conveyor and is movably mounted to the frame to exert a stop against a layer of articles to be removed. An endless collector belt is mounted to the tower frame and simultaneously rotates and moves between a position adjacent the exit conveyor and a position adjacent the back dam to remove the entire layer of articles.

Abstract: A roller conveyor is provided with a rotating turning wheel disposed along one side of the conveyor and engaging and turning products as the products are moved along the conveyor. The rotating wheel is provided with a conically-shaped upper surface having a lower edged disposed below the level of the plane of the conveyor. An adjustable guide bar directs products to an area of the wheel displaced from the outer edge of the wheel by a selected distance. As the product engages the wheel, a portion of the product is raised to facilitate turning of the product and a force extending in the direction of travel is applied to the product in the area of contact with the wheel. The wheel is mounted on a vertically extending shaft further having a drive disc mounted thereon. A drive wheel mounted on a horizontally extending shaft rotates the drive disc. A pulley mounted on the horizontal shaft is driven by the conveyor roller drive belt.

Abstract: A conveyor comprises parallel side frames provided with a plurality of apertures and C-shaped cross members provided with apertures in the side walls disposed in juxtaposition to apertures in the side frames. The cross member apertures are each defined by a flat inner wall. The cross members are fastened to the side frames by means of hook-bolts having a hook portion extending through the side wall apertures and a shaft extending to a juxtaposed aperture in the side frame and provided with a nut and washer to secure the bolt in the side frame. The hook portion of the bolt is provided with a flat surface extending a substantial distance across the inner surface of the hook portion of the bolt to provide a load bearing contact area with the inner wall of the side member aperture. The cross members have tabs extending outwardly from each end which are inserted into complementary apertures in the side frames. The resulting bolted conveyor frame construction ensures frame alignment under heavy loads.

Abstract: A roller conveyor for aligning and separating material placed on the conveyor comprises a frame having side walls connected by crossmembers and a plurality of rollers mounted between the side walls. The frame further comprises a pair of supplemental side walls disposed between the parallel side walls to define an opening in which is disposed an aligner/separator assembly. The aligner/separator assembly comprises two frame mounted counter-rotating rollers driven by a motor. The counter-rotating rollers extend at a predetermined angle above the plane of the conveyor. The counter-rotating rollers rotate in the direction of the corresponding side wall and any unit contacting one of the rollers is laterally translated in the direction of the corresponding side wall. The counter-rotating rollers serve to separate adjacent units and to align the units with respect to the counter-rotating rollers.

Abstract: A material handling system includes a depalletizer comprising a tower frame and a tilt bed which extends into the tower frame and is tilted to a predetermined angle. A lift bed raises a loaded pallet to the level of an exit conveyor. A back dam is disposed opposite the exit conveyor and is movably mounted to the frame to exert a force against a layer of articles to be removed. A collector roller is mounted to the tower frame and moves between a position adjacent the exit conveyor and a position adjacent the back dam to assist in the removal of any articles remaining after the force has been applied by the back dam.

Abstract: A conveyor comprises parallel side frames provided with a plurality of apertures and C-shaped cross members provided with apertures in the side walls disposed in juxtaposition to apertures in the side frames. The cross member apertures are each defined by a flat inner wall. The cross members are fastened to the side frames by hook-bolts having a hook portion extending through the side wall apertures and a shaft extending to a juxtaposed aperture in the side frame and provided with a nut and washer to secure the bolt in the side frame. The hook portion of the bolt is provided with a flat surface extending a substantial distance across the inner surface of the hook portion of the bolt to provide a load bearing contact area with the inner wall of the side member aperture. The cross members have tabs extending outwardly from each end which are inserted into complementary apertures in the side frames. The resulting bolted conveyor frame construction ensures frame alignment under heavy loads.

Abstract: An article sorting conveyor includes an endless flexible carrier having a series of longitudinally spaced cross slats or tubes supporting article transfer pushers for lateral movement on the carrier relative to the direction of movement of the carrier. Each pusher has a vertically movable shaft which carries a follower or roller for selectively engaging an upper linear track or a lower curved or diverting track. Each shaft is releasably retained in an upper retracted position where the corresponding roller engages the upper track and is spring biased to a lower extended position where the roller engages the lower track. A controllable actuator is positioned ahead of each diverting station along the conveyor to release a series of selected shafts and rollers, and an inclined ramp at the end of the conveyor successively shifts the shafts and rollers from their lower extended positions back to their upper retracted positions.

Abstract: A load supporting conveyor having live rollers forming a load conveying path in which the rollers are driven by a chain having horizontally placed links and vertically positioned rollers with vertical axles that project upwardly toward the live rollers to be engaged by a flexible pad substantially aligned with the drive chain and an aperture pattern formed in the pad to establish a series of apertures that have a tight fit with certain ones of the vertical axle projections and a series of other apertures that have a loose fit with a like series of vertical axle projections.

Abstract: The invention herein is concerned with not only limiting the velocity of packages on a downwardly inclined conveyor trackway, but effecting a cyclically operable system of brake assemblies that not only brake the flow of packages down the trackway but effect reversal of groups of rollers in the trackway for short periods of time so that gaps are created between packages as they accumulate at the end of the trackway so that the pressure between packages is redudced so as not to damage the contents. The brake assemblies are distributed in adjacent series along the trackway and operate in association with different groups of rollers and in timed cycles so that packages are prevented from developing a free or unretarded flow under gravity influence.

Abstract: An endless flexible apron or carrier assembly includes a pair of parallel spaced endless drive chains connected by longitudinally spaced parallel cross tubes which slidably support a series of package transfer pushers. The drive chains are supported by parallel spaced elongated side frame members which also support one or more sets of modular crossover sender, receiver and switch units. The side frames have longitudinally spaced sets of holes for conveniently positioning the sets of units at longitudinally selectable locations. Each pusher has a load carrying roller and a smaller guide roller which engages long wearing guide surfaces on repositioning blocks and on the sender and receiver units, and the guide rollers also engage a multiple step divider block on the sender unit.

Abstract: An endless chain having a tension and a relaxed non-tension run, and a lubricant delivery control including friction responsive elements to sense the friction condition between the chain and a part of a supporting track and respond on increasing friction to dispense lubricant into the non-tension chain run which is carried to the friction sensing element to eventually reduce the friction and allow the sensor to cut-off lubricant supply.

Abstract: An article conveyor having live rollers forming an article conveying run and in which a continuous padded drive chain is operably mounted to have flexibility in a direction substantially parallel to the conveying run, and in which a first direction of article conveyance is provided with controllable pressure fluid lifters for zoning the first direction of conveyance to control the drive of articles approaching a standing article. In addition, controls are provided to render the conveyor reversible as to travel of articles.

Abstract: A live roller conveyor in which the conveyor path defined by a plurality of rollers is provided with roller drive means normally continually driving all of the rollers for conveying articles, and in which one or more article sensing rollers normally slightly raised above the conveyor path are depressed by articles propelled over the same and when depressed beyond a predetermined time interval serve to operate a combined brake and roller elevating means for arresting the article propelling drive of a group of rollers located upstream from the location of the depressed sensing roller and elevating the arrested group of rollers off of the roller drive means to reduce the drag on the drive means.

Abstract: A roller conveyor having a series of rollers forming a main path of travel for articles, a second series of rollers branching from the main series of rollers and forming a branch path of movement, mechanisms at the junction of the first and second series of rollers for selectively diverting articles to the second series of rollers in a predetermined manner, a flexible drive member having roller engaging passes for both the first and second series of rollers and idle passes out of roller engagement for simultaneously driving the first and second series of article supporting rollers, and a drive for said flexible means for effecting the simultaneous operation of the first and second series of rollers.

Abstract: Article conveying apparatus having a suitably wide conveying surface for receiving articles from a plurality of delivery conveyors, and wherein the articles are directed on the conveying surface by laterally movable pushers carried by the conveying surface to a single discharge conveyor, the pushers being guided along paths which are initially spaced apart adjacent the plurality of delivery conveyors so as to be at the outside of the articles delivered from any of the delivery conveyors and which move laterally on the conveying surface to engage the articles and progressively direct them into alignment with the single discharge conveyor, and guide means cooperating with the pushers for moving the pushers between the initially spaced apart relation and the positions aligned with the discharge conveyor.

Abstract: This invention relates to a threaded pinch-bolt sleeve which is utilized in conjunction with an associated retaining nut to hold a replacement shock absorber within the cylindrical housing of a vehicular suspension system of the type commonly referred to as a MacPherson strut suspension system. The sleeve includes a generally cylindrical main body portion which is placed over the upper portion of the cylindrical housing. A pinch bolt attached to the outer side wall of the main body portion is tightened to secure the sleeve to the cylinder. The upper end of the sleeve is provided with either internal or external threads to receive a retaining nut to hold the replacement shock absorber in the associated cylindrical housing.

Abstract: Conveyor means of roller type in which the rollers may be set up to define a straight path or a curved path, and in which the objects are moved with a low pressure drive through the cooperation of a low friction type round belt or rope powered by a drum and sheave mechanism that effectively operates the low friction belt or rope, the drum being provided with a wear resistant and high friction surface that will withstand the abrasive action of the belt or rope and obtain a grip on the rope.

Abstract: A conveying device for transferring articles, such as pallets, between a first conveyor running in one direction and at one level and a second conveyor running in a right angular direction to the first conveyor and at a different level, wherein the article transfer is accomplished by a power operated mechanism which not only controls the movement of the article between the conveyors but also accomplishes the change in levels between the conveyors.

Abstract: An article antiscrambling and accumulating conveyor in which a series of principal article propelling rollers are aligned along the conveying path and driven by suitable means, in which the principal propelling rollers are aligned with supplementary article supporting rollers having an impositive driving connection with the principal rollers through drive transmission means, so that articles of varying size are all propelled by the principal propelling rollers to avoid the problem of wide articles tending to turn or skew against narrower articles on the conveyor. A conveyor of this character develops propelling forces under an accumulated group of articles in a common line, regardless of the variations in dimensions of the articles being accumulated.