Abstract: In order to provide improved efficiency, e.g. in terms of how to operate and maintain a liquid natural gas (LNG) transfer system, while also improving the environmental friendliness of the transfer operation, there is disclosed a method and system of transferring liquid natural gas from a first container 104 to a second container 106 via a pump station 108. The first container 104 is positioned close to the pump station 108 by a truck 110, and the second container 106 is positioned close to the pump station 108 by a ship 112.

Abstract: A sorter conveyor having laterally tiltable transport trays, instead of comprising a conventional transport chain driven by a driving station, in which a driving wheel or worm cooperates with the chain links, these being advanced arranged with guiding rails along a small mutual spacing and carrying both the transport trays and the tilt mechanisms associated therewith, which conventional arrangement causes considerable problems with respect to tolerances for both the longitudinal pitch of the chain links and the mounting of the guiding rails, comprises carts that are advanced along mutually widely spaced guiding rails (2), whereby the tolerance demands on the latter are reduced considerably; the carts are advanced by way of stationary linear motors (26), which renders any tolerance demands on the longitudinal pitch of the tray units entirely superfluous. Also the tilting mechanisms may be given a very simple design.

Abstract: In airports, large amounts of luggage have to be sorted and transported. Departing the luggage comes from check-in areas (14) to various finger conveyors (4) that radiate from a central area. A large amount of transit luggage must be handled directly between different finger conveyors (4). Arriving luggage comes from the finger conveyors for delivery to a central delivery area. The invention provides for a transportation system having a high degree of simplicity and clearness both in construction and in operative control. A central rotating conveyor system (2) receives luggage both from the check-in areas (14) and from individual conveyor loops (4) that extend along the separate finger conveyors, whereby departing luggage, as well as transit luggage can easily be sorted out to the correct finger conveyors (4), and arriving luggage conveyed to the central delivery area.

Abstract: A converyor sorting system wherein articles to be sorted are loaded on letter towable trays adapted to be moved past a plurality of unloading or receiving stations at which the articles are selectively unloaded. A control system is provided which includes a plurality of decentralized control units, with the control system being based upon the utilization of trays or the like having identification codes adapted to be detected in unloading stations so as to cause of actuation of the tilting off of the articles for the identified unloading station. Control units are provided to receive the load of the specific tray, the identity of which is detected by the loading of the tray.

Abstract: In a sorting system for flight luggage it it well known to put individual pieces of luggage in totes (4) which are entered onto a conveyor with sideways tiltable carrying platforms (2), whereby the pieces of luggage may be selectively unloaded from the totes at their destinations (D1,D2) or at a storage unit (W) where the totes are released and stored with their content for later re-introduciton into the sorting system. This known art has required a particular construction of the sorting conveyor with a large-angle tilt and a complex mechanism for releasibly holding the totes. According to the invention the totes have upper surfaces (8) which are of a concave shape in order that the pieces of goods may be slid off the totes while secured, at the same moderate angle required for the sliding-off at the storage unit. Hence the conveyor itself may be quite conventional, at the same time as the holding mechanism may be limited to mere retractable flanges (14) on the sides of the carrying platform.

Abstract: In connection with a feeding conveyor for feeding articles laterally onto a sorter conveyor is mounted a retractable V-shaped stop for the articles as conveyed on the feeding conveyor, whereby these articles are temporarily stopped and concurrently centered towards the top point of the V-stop. Hereby it is achieved that the remaining article transfer distance is well defined such that the transfer of the article to the sorter conveyor, upon retraction of the V-stop, may take place in a well defined manner. When the respective edges or sides of the V-stop are orientated parallelly with and orthogonally to the moving direction of the sorter conveyor, it is achieved, additionally, that a rectangular article as fed to the feeding conveyor with any arbitrary orientation, will be orientated so as to take up a minimum space on the sorter conveyor, whereby the capacity of the latter may kept at a maximum.

Abstract: For controlling the selective lateral tilting of the conveying trays of a sorter conveyor there is provided, on each tray support, a crosswise oriented cylinder, which by a protruding radial arm, is turnable between a "normal" position and a "tilt" postion in response to the radial arm engaging with an actuated guiding track associated with the stationary conveyor chassis. The tray has a lever engaging with an oblique cam track in the surface of the cylinder, whereby the tray is tilted by the turning of the cylinder. The cam track has non-oblique end portions, which lock the tray in both its horizontal and fully tilted position, without a separate lock being required. The cylinder may be split in two individually turnable halves selectively operable to tilt the tray to either side.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying individual items to a conveyor moving at an operating velocity has a loading device and a drive for varying the conveying speed of the loading device. The drive includes a controlling arrangement which varies the conveying speed of the loading device during conveying of an item on its conveying surface in a manner that the acceleration force resulting therefrom does not exceed the static friction force between the item located on the loading device and the conveying surface of the loading device so as to avoid overturning and sliding of the item.

Abstract: A sorting conveyor of the tilt tray type comprising an endless train of carrier elements moved along a guiding rail system past a number of unloading stations in which the trays are selectively laterally tiltable for unloading articles therefrom. The guiding rail system extends partially along vertically sloping portions, and control means are provided for automatically holding the trays in their horizontal article carrier positions while the respective carrier elements or lower rail engaging support portions thereof are generally inclined during their passage along the sloping rail portions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loading containers with articles, such as post parcels, includes the use of a carrier device which is lowered into a container by suitable hoisting means at a rate dependent upon the number of articles deposited on the carrier device. The carrier device is positioned within the upper portion of a container in which articles are to be stored, and a conveyor belt delivers articles onto a pivotal flap member of the carrier device. Once the articles reach a certain height on the flap member, photocells signal the hoisting means to lower the carrier device further into the container, and this process continues until the carrier device is near the bottom of the container. Once the carrier device reaches its lowermost position, the pivotal flap member swings downwardly to release the accumulated articles into the container. The carrier device is then withdrawn from the filled container, and the container may then be removed.

Abstract: A conveyor system including an overhead conveyor rail system for a plurality of traction members each having a depending tie rod provided at its lower end with a snap coupling for releasably receiving the outer end of a handle rod of any of a plurality of wheel supported carts belonging to the system, for moving the carts on the floor along a predetermined path. The snap coupling an elongate extension member on the tie rod having adjacent its top end a snap latch arrangement for receiving an outermost transverse standard handle bar on the handle rod, and the lower end of the extension member having a transverse portion for abuttingly engaging the adjacent portion of the handle rod itself, when the handle bar is received in the snap lock arrangement, such that by stoppage of the traction member the cart is prevented from moving further by its inertia, without the handle rod having to be of any special design for being usable in the system.

Abstract: A conveyor of the tilting tray type having the trays tiltable about an axis parallel to the moving direction for transverse unloading of conveyed articles at selected stations along the conveyor. Each of the trays is tiltably mounted on a carriage and has two rollers mounted at either end of a shaft secured to the tray transversely projecting to either side of the tilting axis. The rollers are respectively engaged with diametrically opposed surface portions of a disc member cranked so as to show a horizontal diameter section between respectively upwardly and downwardly slanting side portions, the disc member being mounted by the mid portion of the horizontal section on the upper end of a vertical drive shaft in such a position that the horizontal diameter section supports the rollers and thereby the tray in a locked horizontal position.

Abstract: A conveyor such as especially a sorting conveyor having an endless conveyor belt structure comprising a plurality of juxtaposed belt links each constituted by a conveyor element provided with an endless conveyor belt mounted crosswise so as to have an exposed upper run constituting part of the article supporting surface of said conveyor belt structure, means being provided for driving any selected cross conveyor belt in order to effect diversion of an article from said conveyor belt structure at a selected place therealong said driving means such as driving rollers being arranged substantially stationarily at least relatively to said conveyor elements so as to be able to drive the cross conveyor belts without participating in the movement thereof, actuator means being provided for making said driving means operative in response to an article approaching the place in which it is wanted to be diverted from the conveyor.

Abstract: A sorting conveyor made as a train of consecutive, closely juxtaposed article carrier elements capable of carrying articles each resting on the top side of one or more carrier elements, the carrier elements being constituted by rotatably supported discs each arranged so as to partly overlap the preceding or following disc and be partly overlapped by the respective following or preceding disc, whereby when the discs are caused to rotate at a selected discharge station along the conveyor the article resting thereon will be caused to move laterally off the conveyor.

Abstract: A sorting conveyor having a row of elements each having an article support face operable to be laterally displaced in a selective manner in response to rotation of a drive shaft. The rotation is transmitted to the shaft through a selectively operable power transfer device provided on each element and including a first pulley for rollingly engaging an elongated rack mounted adjacent one or more unloading stations along the conveyor that has a concentric gear wheel portion, a second pulley is mounted concentrically on the shaft and has a gear wheel portion cooperating with the gear wheel portion of the first pulley. The gear wheel portions are arranged in a planet gear like manner with the first pulley being laterally displaceable between a retracted position out of engagement with said rack and an operative position in which it is engageable therewith and in driving engagement with said second pulley, the displacement of the first pulley being effected by means of a selectively operated actuator means.