Abstract: The invention relates to a plant for the treatment, in particular the cataphoretic dip coating of objects, in particular of vehicle chassis (4), whereby the objects (4) are run by means of a transport car (5) through several treatment stations and on so doing are dipped in at last one treatment container (91) and retrieved therefrom again. The transport car (5) comprises a chassis (7, 8, 9 to 12), which travels along the trajectory of the objects (4), at least one pivot arm (50, 51), connected to the chassis (7, 8, 9 to 12), a mounting (61) joined to the pivot arm (50, 51), for at least one object (4) and independently operated drives (32, 33, 56, 57, 80, 81) for the translational displacement and the pivoting displacement of the at least one pivot arm (50, 51) and the mounting (61). The transport car (5) can be used not only for transport of the objects (4) for treatment but can also have a service basket (90) fixed thereto, suitable for the accommodation of at least one operative.

Abstract: A rack serving unit comprises a carriage which may be moved along a rack aisle on substantially horizontal carrying rails. Carried along by the carriage there is a lifting platform which is suspended on the carriage by way of at least two traction mechanisms, preferably cables, and may be moved in the vertical direction with respect to the carriage. To stabilise the lifting platform against undesired lateral movements, a stabilising device is provided which comprises at least one guide element extending substantially horizontally parallel to the translatory movement path of the lifting platform. This guide element is in constant engagement with the lifting platform in such a way that the position of this latter in the direction of the translatory movement is constantly defined. Provided at both ends of the translatory movement path, there is a lifting device for each guide element by means of which the guide element may be moved synchronously with the lifting platform in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A heat medium distributor for an air inlet system having multiple heat exchangers includes a box-like housing, which is divided by a dividing wall into a first flow chamber, which is used as the forward collection pipe, and a second flow chamber, which is used as the return collection pipe. For each heat exchanger to be connected, a forward connection nozzle branches off the first flow chamber and for each heat exchanger to be connected, a return connection nozzle opens into the second flow chamber. The arrangement of the connection nozzles is such that all flow paths of the heat medium through the various heat exchangers and the distributor are of equal length. The heat medium distributor replaces traditional heat medium distributors which are produced by welding together individual pieces of pipe, and which are structurally relatively large and therefore expensive, and in general cannot be housed in the housing of the air inlet system.

Abstract: A lifting apparatus for lifting and lowering a load comprises, in a known manner, a lifting drum and a drive, by which the lifting drum can be set in rotation in both directions. Serving as the pulling mechanisms are bands which are secured by one end to the lifting drum and at the other end carry a holding device for the load. At least two bands can be wound up on the lifting drum, by rotation of the latter, with accurate tracking and so as to lie one above the other, in such a way that all the turns of the bands lie one above the other. This lifting apparatus combines a high carrying capacity, high precision in the guidance of the bands and a high level of operating safety.

Abstract: A storage and retrieval unit comprises a supporting carriage which is movable along a rack aisle on at least one substantially horizontal supporting rail by a drive. A vertically adjustable lifting platform is suspended from the supporting carriage via at least three traction devices. In order to prevent the lifting platform from being laterally deflected or starting to oscillate during accelerations of the supporting carriage, a stabilizing device is provided. The latter comprises at least three traction devices fastened to the sides of the lifting platform which are opposite in the direction of travel. At least two traction devices run to at least two fastening points arranged in the region of one end of the aisle; at least one further traction device runs to a fastening point arranged in the region of the other end of the aisle. The effective length of each traction device between the lifting platform and the fastening point can be changed by a drive.

Abstract: When vehicle wheels are powder-coated with powder coating, those surfaces on which no coating is wanted are always also coated. To suck off the powder coating from these surface areas before it is baked in, a device which includes a conveyor system, an electronic camera and a suction station is used. The electronic camera records the axial and angular position of the vehicle wheels which pass it, and supplies corresponding data to a controller. After a certain time delay, this causes a suction head in the suction station to move, in such a way that it approaches the vehicle wheel with appropriate alignment of its axis and angular position, and using suction nozzles sucks off those surfaces of the vehicle wheel on which the powder coating is not wanted. During the suction process, the suction head moves together with the vehicle wheel, at the same speed.

Abstract: A conveying device for conveying articles, in particular vehicle bodies, in a known manner comprises at least one skid, which comprises two parallel skid runners and a supporting structure, which connects the skid runners to one another, for the article to be conveyed. The skid runners are supported on two parallel tracks, which extend along a conveying path. As a driving device a linear drive is used, which comprises a plurality of energizable primary parts disposed in a stationary manner along the conveying path. Provided on each skid is a secondary part, which interacts with the actually adjacent primary part. The length of the secondary part in conveying direction is tuned to the distance between the primary parts such that at least one primary part is disposed in the immediate vicinity of the secondary part.

Abstract: A reservoir for powdery media, in particular powder coating, comprises a housing having at least one inlet and at least one outlet for the powdery medium. A fluidising floor of porous, air-permeable material is located in the interior of the housing at a distance from its base. A pressure chamber which is chargeable with compressed air is located between the fluidising floor and the base of the housing. The outlet has the shape of an upwardly open funnel which is located in the lower partial zone of the housing adjacent to the fluidising floor. In this way well-mixed powdery medium the grain-size distribution of which corresponds to the maximum extent to that of the fluidised powdery medium inside the reservoir is always withdrawn.

Abstract: A lifting device for raising and lowering a load comprises in a known manner a lifting drum that can be driven in both directions of rotation, as well as at least one belt serving as traction mechanism that is secured to one end of the lifting drum and carries at the other end a holding device for the load. The belt can be wound on the lifting drum by rotation of the latter, in such a way that the windings come to lie on top of one another. In order to reduce repeated mechanical stress reversals at the step that is formed by the end of the belt secured to the circumferential wall of the lifting drum, at least one spacing element is arranged on the circumferential wall of the lifting drum, against which element rests the first winding of the belt.

Abstract: A mobile lifting device comprises a supporting carriage which is capable of travelling along a specific path and from which there is suspended, via a hoisting apparatus having at least two traction members a lifting platform which can be moved with a vertical component of direction in relation to the supporting carriage. In order to prevent uncontrolled lateral movements of the lifting platform, a stabilizing apparatus is provided which is formed by at least one essentially rigid pivoting member. The latter is swivellably connected, in one end region, to the supporting carriage and, in an opposed end region, to the lifting platform. In this way, a movement of the platform that possesses a vertical component of direction is always linked with a defined horizontal movement. If desired, this defined horizontal movement can be compensated for, wholly or partially, by a corresponding, oppositely directed translational movement of the supporting carriage.

Abstract: A burner for a thermal post-combustion device comprises a combustion nozzle, which comprises a substantially hollow-cylindrical base member (1) at least virtually closed at one end by a cover (2). Fuel gas is supplied thereto axially at a particular pressure. The fuel gas flows out radially via main discharge openings (8) of the combustion nozzle. These main discharge openings (8) are at such a radial distance from the axis of the base member (1) and exhibit such a cross-section that, at the particular pressure of the supplied fuel gas, individual flames form at the main discharge openings (8) which substantially do not overlap. While maintaining the same total burner power, in this way the individual flames remain colder than in known burners, which produce a cohesive ball of flame instead of individual flames.

Abstract: A booth for coating objects with powder, in particular for powder painting, comprises in a manner known per se a housing, in which there is situated at least one application device, with which powder can be applied to the objects. Situated in the upper region of the housing is an air plenum, which is fed with supply air via an inlet opening. The air plenum is closed off downwardly by a filter ceiling. In contrast to known filter ceilings, the one according to the invention is air-permeable in its marginal region only, while in its central region it consists of air-impermeable material. The supply air is thus introduced into the interior of the booth as a kind of “air curtain” which flows mainly along the side walls of the housing of the booth, entrains in the process stray excess powder which has not adhered to the objects to be coated, and supplies it to at least one extraction opening situated in the bottom of the booth.

Abstract: An installation for powder coating articles, in particular vehicle bodies, comprises a coating booth, in which a plurality of application devices for the powder coating may be arranged. The articles to be coated are located during the coating process on a rotating rotary stand. Application devices located in various angular positions relative to the axis of the rotary stand may be charged with powder coatings of different colours. A collecting hopper is located at the bottom of the coating booth, the outlet opening of which collecting hopper may be brought as desired into connection with various recovery devices for powder overspray. To coat articles of different colours, the application devices charged with powder coating of the appropriate colour are activated in each case and the recovery device which collects the powder of the corresponding colour is brought into connection with the outlet opening of the collecting hopper.

Abstract: A reservoir for powdery media, in particular powder coating, comprises a housing having at least one inlet and an outlet. A fluidising floor of porous, air-permeable material is located in the interior of the housing at a distance from its base. In this way a pressure chamber which is chargeable with compressed air is formed between the fluidising floor and the base of the housing. In order to reduce the quantity of compressed air required for fluidising and to keep low the mechanical stress imposed on the powdery medium when in the fluidised state, the cross-section of the housing narrows downwardly towards the fluidising floor. In addition, this shape of the housing generates turbulence in the fluidised powdery material.

Abstract: An installation for powder coating articles, in particular vehicle bodies, comprises a coating booth, in which a plurality of application devices for the powder coating may be arranged. The articles to be coated are located during the coating process on a rotating rotary stand. Application devices located in various angular positions relative to the axis of the rotary stand may be charged with powder coatings of different colors. A collecting hopper is located at the bottom of the coating booth, the outlet opening of which collecting hopper may be brought as desired into connection with various recovery devices for powder overspray. To coat articles of different colors, the application devices charged with powder coating of the appropriate color are activated in each case and the recovery device which collects the powder of the corresponding color is brought into connection with the outlet opening of the collecting hopper.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dryer for objects, in particular for motor vehicle bodies (1). Known dryers comprise a drying tunnel (6), located within an insulated housing (2), a number of nozzles (25) being arranged in the lateral walls (8) of said tunnel. These nozzles are used to direct hot circulatory air against the objects (1). The circulatory air is extracted from the drying tunnel (6) by means of extraction openings (7) below the objects (1) and is supplied to two air chambers (13) located at the sides of the drying tunnel (6). The circulatory air is extracted upwards via said chambers with the help of fans (18). A heat register (26) is located in each of the two air chambers (13) and is aligned in a substantially vertical direction, said registers consisting of a number of intercommunicating pipe sections that are traversed by hot primary air and are surrounded by the circulatory air.

Abstract: An installation for treating, in particular coating, articles, especially vehicle bodies, comprises at least one treatment zone, in particular a bath containing a treatment liquid, into which the articles are introduced. The articles are conveyed through the installation in a continuous or intermittent translational movement. To this end, the installation comprises at least two transport carriages combined to form a pair, which in turn each comprise a running gear and at least one swivel arm, which is connected to the respective running gear so as to be swivellable about a first pivot pin and with which a supporting structure for the article to be treated is connected so as to be swivellable about a second pivot pin. The unit consisting of the two transport carriages effecting a correlated movement actually has six degrees of freedom of motion, wherein drives are provided for at least three of these degrees of freedom of motion.

Abstract: A drier for objects, particularly for vehicle bodies, comprises, in a per se known manner, a housing in which is formed a drying chamber which accommodates the objects. In the said drying chamber, the objects are subjected to an IR radiation generated by at least one catalytic radiator. The drier can be used as a device for purifying air which contains pollutants, in that the intake air supplied to the drying chamber is routed exclusively via the catalytically active layer of the catalytic radiator, so that the organic impurities contained in the intake air can be catalytically oxidized there in a controlled manner. In this case, the catalytic radiator must be of heat-resistant design, such that it does not require air cooling. Both unpurified air, originating from another location, and the air containing organic impurities which is produced in the drier itself can be purified in the drier.

Abstract: A lifting device for raising and lowering a load comprises in a known manner a lifting drum that can be driven in both directions of rotation, as well as at least one belt serving as traction mechanism that is secured to one end of the lifting drum and carries at the other end a holding device for the load. The belt can be wound on the lifting drum by rotation of the latter, in such a way that the windings come to lie on top of one another. In order to reduce repeated mechanical stress reversals at the step that is formed by the end of the belt secured to the circumferential wall of the lifting drum, at least one spacing element is arranged on the circumferential wall of the lifting drum, against which element rests the first winding of the belt.

Abstract: A lifting apparatus for lifting and lowering a load comprises, in a known manner, a lifting drum and a drive, by which the lifting drum can be set in rotation in both directions. Serving as the pulling mechanisms are bands which are secured by one end to the lifting drum and at the other end carry a holding device for the load. At least two bands can be wound up on the lifting drum, by rotation of the latter, with accurate tracking and so as to lie one above the other, in such a way that all the turns of the bands lie one above the other. This lifting apparatus combines a high carrying capacity, high precision in the guidance of the bands and a high level of operating safety.