Abstract: There is disclosed a unit for forming a layer with at least one first batch and one second batch of first groups and second groups of articles, comprising: a first conveying line which may be fed with a first row of first groups and which outputs first batch separated from the remaining first groups travelling parallel to a first direction; and one second conveying line which may be fed with a second row of second groups and which outputs second batch separated from the remaining second groups travelling parallel to first direction; unit further comprises control means configured for receiving a signal associated to a misalignment between first batch and second batch along a second direction transversal to first direction, and for generating a modified first speed profile for at least one conveyor of first conveying line or of second conveying line, so as to recover misalignment.

Abstract: There is disclosed a unit for forming a layer with at least one first batch and one second batch of first groups and second groups of articles, comprising: a first conveying line which may be fed with a first row of first groups and which outputs first batch separated from the remaining first groups travelling parallel to a first direction; and one second conveying line which may be fed with a second row of second groups and which outputs second batch separated from the remaining second groups travelling parallel to first direction; unit further comprises control means configured for receiving a signal associated to a misalignment between first batch and second batch along a second direction transversal to first direction, and for generating a modified first speed profile for at least one conveyor of first conveying line or of second conveying line, so as to recover misalignment.

Abstract: There is disclosed a unit for forming a layer of a batch of groups of articles, comprising a first conveyor adapted to convey a plurality of groups in an abutting relationship; and a second conveyor adapted to separate batch from the remaining groups for a gap; unit further comprises manipulating means adapted to manipulate separated batch on an area defined by second conveyor, so as to form layer.

Abstract: A conveyor unit with accumulation of receptacles, such as bottles, includes an accumulation table onto which a feed conveyor opens out upstream, whilst downstream, the table supplies receptacles onto a passive aligner for leading the above in single file to a processing unit downstream. Furthermore, the passive aligner runs parallel to the accumulator table, the above having, in the downstream extension thereof, a transfer conveyor, on which receptacles are pushed laterally by a guide rail towards the passive aligner onto an adjacent transport conveyor running in the opposite sense which becomes the feed conveyor for the passive aligner.

Abstract: The planar conveyor belt is designed to move along curved trajectories and has a plurality of chain-links including, staggered at the fronts and at the rear of a central core, a succession of slots, each with an opening, in particular oblong in shape, so as to ensure play in a longitudinal direction of a chain-link relative to another adjacent chain-link. The conveyor belt is characterized in that at least on the side external to the curved trajectory it is designed to follow, at least some of the chain-links include, in their transverse extension, a chain-link modules providing, in particular across its slots a curvilinear contact zone with the pivot pins linking them.

Abstract: The planar conveyor belt is designed to move along curved trajectories and has a plurality of chain-links including, staggered at the front and at the rear of a central core, a succession of slots each with an opening, in particular oblong in shape, so as to ensure play in a longitudinal direction of a chain-link relative to another adjacent chain-link. The conveyor belt is characterized in that at least on the side external to the curved trajectory it is designed to follow, at least some of the chain-links include, in their transverse extension, a chain-link modules providing, in particular across its slots curvilinear contact zone with the pivot pins linking them.

Abstract: A conveyor unit with accumulation of receptacles, such as bottles, includes an accumulation table onto which a feed conveyor opens out upstream, whilst downstream, the table supplies receptacles onto a passive aligner for leading the above in single file to a processing unit downstream. Furthermore, the passive aligner runs parallel to the accumulator table, the above having, in the downstream extension thereof, a transfer conveyor, on which receptacles are pushed laterally by a guide rail towards the passive aligner onto an adjacent transport conveyor running in the opposite sense which becomes the feed conveyor for the passive aligner.

Abstract: A magnetic coupling assembly for selectively rotating rollers of a roller conveyor when the torque required to maintain this rotation does not exceed a predetermined threshold is described herein. The magnetic coupling is mounted to the side rail of a conveyor, below the conveyor rollers and include a driving portion rotatably mounted to the side rail and a driven portion rotatably mounted to the driving portion. Corresponding friction surfaces of the driving and driven portion are brought and maintained in contact via a magnet and an element made of magnetic material or another magnet. Means for varying the distance between the magnet and the element made of magnetic material are disclosed. The present invention is also concerned with means for simultaneously adjusting more than one coupling assembly and with means for detecting the rotation of conveyor rollers.

Abstract: A conveying system for lifting and orienting bottle caps comprises a conveyer belt of articulated sections and with guide rollers with an upper lifting section having an essentially vertical path of travel and a lower loading section with an angled path of travel. Sprockets on the guide rollers effect movement of the belt in an upward path of travel through the lower section and then the upper section. Cleats are secured to the exterior surface of the conveyer belts. Supporting surfaces of the cleats extend at right angles from the exterior surface of the conveyer belt for retaining bottle caps thereon when the upper surface of the bottle cap is in contact with the conveyer belt and the lower edge thereof supported in a trough of the supporting surfaces of the cleats but to effect the dropping thereof when the bottle caps are not in the proper orientation.

Abstract: A conveyor system has a housing with a plurality of horizontally extending lower support arms and a plurality of horizontally extending upper support arms spaced above the lower support arms and forming a plurality of guide sets. An upper pair of crossed scissor fingers and a lower pair of crossed scissor fingers are provided. A vertically oriented primary pivot shaft is secured between each upper support arm and its associated lower support arm and through each of the scissor fingers for rotation about a common first axis for each guide set. Four vertically disposed guide plates in each guide set with second pivot shafts are pivotally coupled to an associated end of one upper scissor finger and one lower scissor finger for rotation about second axes. Each guide plate has a radially inwardly oriented extension with a slot and fixed pin extending downwardly from an upper support arm into an associated slot.

Abstract: A conveyor roller for motorized conveyors including a lateral friction torque limiting mechanism to drive a roller tube via a rotation driving element. The torque limiting mechanism includes a first friction surface associated with the roller tube and a second friction surface associated with the drive element. The second friction surface is made of a magnetic material. The first and second friction surfaces are applied one against the other through a magnetic field generated by permanent magnets. When the force required to rotate the roller tube is higher than the frictional force between the first and second friction surfaces, slippage will occur between the first and second friction surfaces, stopping the rotation of the roller. The drive element includes ventilation channels to thereby cool the friction surfaces.

Abstract: There is provided a carrier puck for movement on a conveying circuit comprising at least one conveyor having lateral guides including at least two vertically spaced and distinct lateral guide plates adapted to slidably engage a distinct portions of said carrier puck to temporarily prevent rotation of said carrier puck while advancing on said conveying circuit. The carrier puck preferably comprises a rounded main body suitable for bulk conveying. Preferably, the carrier puck is manufactured by injection molding of separate parts, later assembled.

Abstract: A low pressure accumulation table for accumulating products is described herein. The accumulation table includes an inlet, an outlet, at least one feed conveyor and at least two accumulation conveyors. The feed and accumulation conveyors define an accumulation surface. The feed conveyor and the two accumulation conveyors are so mounted side by side that the feed conveyor alternate with the two accumulation conveyors. The two accumulation conveyors, when energized, convey the products from the accumulation surface towards the outlet at a rate which is a function of the conveying speed of the two accumulation conveyors.

Abstract: An automated method of manufacturing an air conveyor panel. The panel includes an array of holes used as air nozzles. The method generally includes the steps of mapping with a computer the desired location, shape and axial orientation of cavities to be machined in the panel, sequentially directing a laser beam at each desired location of cavities also with the computer; sequentially laser ablation drilling cavities by photothermally vaporizing a portion of the panel at each desired location. A major portion of the cavities consists of holes piercing the panel for use as air nozzles. The laser beam has an intensity sufficient to photothermally vaporize a portion of the panel at each desired location. In a preferred embodiment, the panel is constructed of steel and has a thickness of about 0.1 to 1.2 cm while the nozzles have a diameter of 3/4 mm to 2 mm.

Abstract: Pressureless apparatus for aligning miscellaneous objects, notably bottles, including a feed conveyor having a plurality of tracks, an intermediate conveyor consisting of a plurality of juxtaposed elementary paddled chains, a curvilinear guide plate overlying the paddle-chains, and a single-track output conveyor. To prevent the bottles from forming a double row at the ingress of the output conveyor and to reduce the overall dimensions of the pressureless aligner, the intermediate conveyor leads to a transitional conveyor that includes a mechanism for aligning the bottles which tend to form a second row in the single-track output conveyor.

Abstract: A pressureless conveyor for objects, bottles or similar items, including an input conveyor having single-channel paddle chains, a slowdown conveyor having a guide ramp, and an output conveyor with multiple juxtaposed channels. This conveyor includes a distribution system attached to the slowdown conveyor guide ramp for, imparting a serpentine path to the bottles on the output conveyor. More particularly, this distribution system transforms the straight-line motion of the bottles on the slowdown conveyor into an alternating movement combined with the progression of the different paddle chains of the output conveyor. This results in the distribution of the bottles over the entire working surface of the output conveyor.