Abstract: A conveyor (20) for transporting and inverting strap pans (22) or other pans used for baking. The conveyor includes a closed-loop drive chain (26) to which a number of pan cars (54) are pivotally attached. The pan cars are provided with magnetic bars (36) that create attractive force to hold the strap pans to the pan cars. The conveyor also includes an incline guide (204). When the conveyor is actuated, the pan cars run against the incline guide so as to cause the initial inversion of the pan cars. As the pans cars are inverted they abut against a positioning rail located along side of the drive chain. The positioning rail is shaped to control both the rate at which the pan cars are inverted from their normal upright position and then it is further shaped to force the pan cars to then return to their initial upright position. The inversion of the pan cars causes a like inversion of the strap pans secured to the pan cars.

Abstract: A conveyor (20) for transporting and inverting strap pans (22) or other pans used for baking. The conveyor includes a closed-loop drive chain (26) to which a number of pan cars (54) are pivotally attached. The pan cars are provided with magnetic bars (36) that create attractive force to hold the strap pans to the pan cars. The conveyor also includes an incline guide (204). When the conveyor is actuated, the pan cars run against the incline guide so as to cause the initial inversion of the pan cars. As the pans cars are inverted they abut against a positioning rail located along side of the drive chain. The positioning rail is shaped to control both the rate at which the pan cars are inverted from their normal upright position and then it is further shaped to force the pan cars to then return to their initial upright position. The inversion of the pan cars causes a like inversion of the strap pans secured to the pan cars.

Abstract: A roll slicing mechanism includes a conveyor which moves in a first direction and supports a roll cluster having a pair of joined rolls spaced in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A rotatable shaft perpendicular to the conveyor has at an end nearest the conveyor a disk knife parallel to the conveyor, and a roll breaking arrangement spaced opposite the first direction from the shaft in feeding alignment therewith breaks apart a portion of the joint. A spreader arrangement spaced opposite the first direction from the roll breaking arrangement in feeding alignment therewith positions and spreads the rolls of the pair prior to engagement of the rolls with the roll breaking arrangement. In a preferred embodiment, the spreading arrangement includes two rotatably supported wheels oriented to converge toward the conveyor and opposite the first direction, the wheels being supported for movement toward and away from the conveyor and being resiliently urged toward the conveyor.

Abstract: A conveyor includes two spaced guide rails over an upwardly facing support surface which can slidably support an article to be conveyed, the support surface having a plurality of parallel slots. Two movably-supported chains below the support surface support a plurality of pushing assemblies each having several central fingers which can project upwardly above the support surface through respective slots and having two outermost fingers which can move between positions projecting above the support surface through respective slots and disposed below the support surface. An arrangement responsive to the positions of the guide rails automatically positions the outer pushing fingers in one of the two positions thereof.

Abstract: A roll slicing machine includes an endless conveyor belt moving in a first horizontal direction and having rolls thereon, a pressure applying arrangement spaced above the conveyor which can engage the tops of the rolls, and a roll slicing knife provided vertically between the conveyor and the pressure applying arrangement. The pressure applying arrangement includes an endless belt movably supported by two spaced rollers, and a pair of rollers rotatable about horizontal axes are movably supported above the lower reach of the belt and biased downwardly into engagement with the lower reach of the belt. The rollers engage the belt at locations which are approximately aligned with each other in the direction of movement of the belt portion and are approximately adjacent each other in a direction transverse to the belt portion.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus includes two space guide members over an upwardly facing support surface which can slidably support an article to be conveyed, and a pushing assembly supported for horizontal movement about the surface and having a plurality of pushing fingers which can engage the article and slide it across the surface. The pushing assembly is designed to permit movement of the outermost pushing fingers between a downwardly projecting position and a horizontally projecting position spaced above the surface and the guide members. A mechanism responsive to movement of the guide members toward each other is provided to automatically move the outermost fingers of the pushing assembly from the downwardly projecting position to the horizontally projecting position.