Abstract: A load-entry assembly for a conveyor system includes a conveyor section having laterally spaced side frame members supporting a plurality of load-carrying rollers for rotation about transverse axes which are arranged in a common plane above the side frame members to transport a load in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end of the conveyor section. A pair of first elongated tracks is mounted longitudinally to opposed sides of the conveyor section, and each track includes a lower horizontal track section, an upper horizontal track section, and an inclined track section connecting the lower and upper horizontal track sections in angular relationship thereto. A pair of second elongated tracks is also mounted longitudinally to opposed sides of the conveyor section.

Abstract: An elevator having a bucket conveyor for moving material, as grain, from a hopper to a discharge location. The conveyor has an endless belt trained about idler and drive pulleys. A plurality of cups secured to the belt carry columns of material from the hopper to the head of the elevator. The cups include a plurality of open bottom cups and a closed bottom cup located below a column of open bottom cups to carry a column of grain. An arcuate curved material guide element is located adjacent the cups moving around the drive pulley at the upper end of the elevator to retain material in the cups as they move around the drive pulley. The guide element is a curved baffle that is adjustably mounted on the elevator head housing allowing the position of the baffle relative to the outer lips of the cup to be adjusted to retain the material in the cups as the cups move over the head pulley and to control the discharge of the material from the cups.

Abstract: A board feeder is described for loading boards one at a time from a feed station to a delivery station. The individual boards are gripped on opposite horizontal surfaces, lifted over a stop, and deposited at the delivery station. Clamp members are situated on opposite horizontal board sides for moving together to grip the board and for movement between the feed station and the delivery station. A top clamp member moves in an arc back and forth over the stations and stop. A bottom clamp member moves in a closed curve matching the stroke of the top clamp arc. A top part of the closed path represents a delivery stroke starting at the feed station and passing over the stop. The top part of the path ends at the delivery station. The remainder of the top clamp path is a return stroke situated below the stop and stations.

Abstract: A transverse conveyor for a multi-station processing system for pin-shaped workpieces, includes a plurality of pivoted swivel arms, a pair of gripper arms being pivoted to each swivel arm. The pairs of gripper arms have mutually engaging teeth for coupling motion therebetween, and springs are provided to bias the arms closed. The swivel arms are intercoupled for mutual pivoting about their respective axes. The gripper arms are mounted for movement between pairs of adjacent processing stations. One of the gripper arms of each pair is coupled to a roller positioned to engage a circular guide, and the guide is on a pivoted lever whose displacement is controlled by a rotary cam. The rotary cam is shaped to hold the circular guide away from the roller except when the gripper arms are to be opened.

Abstract: A magnetic conveyor has a directional transition zone in which magnetically permeable pole plates are arranged with permanent magnets underlying the traveling belt. Magnetic elements of comparatively large magnetic moment per unit volume are situated in the space between the belt and the pole plates in order to concentrate the available lines of magnetic flux in the transition zone.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a natural tobacco leaf from a continuous, flexible conveyor belt to a generally flat leaf receiving member at a preselected position in the normal path of travel of the belt. The apparatus includes a plenum box having a pressure opening defined by a peripheral edge of the box, an arrangement for forcing the belt and box from the normal path position toward the receiving member at the preselected position and a mechanism for creating a positive pressure adjacent one surface of the belt to force the leaf from the belt onto the receiving member.

Abstract: An apparatus for laterally deflecting selected articles from a first conveyor to one or more other conveyors comprises either extensible and retractable deflective segments, or gas nozzles whose intensity is adjustable. The deflective segments have tapered front faces which jointly form a smooth deflecting face whose taper increases in the direction of conveyance. The number of segments used depends on the speed component required, and the segments are extended by only a portion of the lateral distance the articles are to cover, the remainder of the distance being covered by the imparted inertia.Alternative embodiments include a deflecting wedge or flap.

Abstract: An apparatus for outfeeding printed products arriving in an imbricated product stream, in which, in each case, the leading edge of a printed product overlies the rearward edge of the preceding printed product. The arriving imbricated product stream is infed, by means of a conveyor belt or band, to the conveying gap of a deflection or turning device where the imbricated product stream is turned through about 180.degree.. This deflection device comprises a deflection drum about which there is guided an endless conveyor belt. A pressing or contact belt, held under tension, is arranged opposite the deflection drum and forms together therewith the conveying gap. The pressing belt presses the printed products, traveling through the conveying gap, against the deflection drum. The conveyor belt guided about the deflection drum conveys the printed products, departing out of the conveying gap, towards an individual conveyor.

Abstract: This invention relates to stockyard transporter and tripper car equipment which is movable on rail disposed on both sides, comprising portal uprights provided with running gears, a tripper car frame and a boom, which is mounted so that it can be lifted and lowered and/or rotated. Here the stockyard transporter is supported in the tripper car substantially without a counterweight.

Abstract: A wire mesh band or belt for a conveyor having downwardly extending protuberances for engaging peripheral grooves in rollers of a conveyor system to maintain the band in proper transverse position. The protuberances are formed on guide wires woven into the band at lateral and longitudinal intervals in the weft direction. The guide wires have at least one flattened surface so that they cannot rotate about their longitudinal axis. In a second embodiment, instead of continuous guide wires, a plurality of guide wire sections may be arranged at intervals transversely across the band.

Abstract: A bucket conveyor includes a plurality of spaced buckets which pass through a loading zone with gaps between adjacent buckets. Flexible sheets are enclosed at their leading ends to a fixed part of the conveyor and extend over the buckets in the loading zone to cover the gaps and so prevent material passing between the gaps. The trailing end of one sheet extends beyond the leading end of the following sheet.

Abstract: A coupling device is disclosed for attaching an implement such as a backhoe to a tractor or other prime mover. The coupling device includes a pair of implement support assemblies connected together by a transverse cross bar for mounting an implement support frame. Each implement support assembly includes a frame bracket or weldment having an attachment pin receiving recess or hook at its lower end for holding a transverse attachment pin which is secured to the lower implement support frame. Yoke assemblies are pivotally attached between the implement support frame and each implement support assembly for the purpose of tightly securing the implement attachment pins against the frame bracket recesses, thereby eliminating any tolerance movement at the attachment points between the implement and prime mover.

Abstract: For fixing conveyor elements (7) to the chain strands (5, 6) in a chain conveyor having two chain strands (5, 6) running over sprockets (1, 3), pairs of projections (9, 10) are used which grip one chain link in each case and which each have an arcuate outline on one side and are pivotably mounted on the conveyor element (7).

Abstract: A magnetic rail arrangement for use in a conveyor system comprises parallel runs of permanent magnets spaced laterally apart to receive bucking magnet means therebetween. This rail arrangement controls magnetic flux between the permanent magnet runs.

Abstract: A plurality of sensors (61), (62), (63), (64) are spaced along a sheet feed path (14) to sense the presence of a copy sheet (13) adjacent thereto. A timing signal generator (53) feeds timing signals to the sensors (61), (62), (63), (64) at times when the sheet (13) should be present at the sensors (61), (62), (63), (64), the timing signals enabling the sensors respectively. The outputs of the sensors (61), (62), (63), (64) are connected in a wired-OR configuration to produce a logical sum output. Each sensor (61) typically comprises a light source (88), a photosensor (91) and a power switch such as a transistor (86). Each power switch (86) is constructed to connect the light source (88), the photosensor (91) or both to a power source (+V) in response to the respective timing signal.

Abstract: A low noise air nozzle system for fanning and separating stacked sheet to facilitate single sheet pick-up. The system employs nozzles which are provided with a diverging air ejection channel which terminates at the nozzle face in an orifice slit 0.025" wide.

Abstract: A conveying machine for transporting work pieces through a series of work stations including a plurality of work carriers disposed at spaced intervals on a framework and intermittently movable therealong from one station to the next adjacent station. Each work carrier incorporates a vertically movable carriage thereon from which the work pieces are suspended and the carriage is selectively positionable at a fully raised position, a fully lowered position and at least one intermediate position therebetween to provide for a desired treating sequence at one or more treating stations. Each carriage is vertically movable independently of the other carriages and control means are provided for coordinating the transfer movement of the work carriers and the vertical positioning of each carriage at a treating station at the desired elevated position in accordance with a preselected operating sequence.

Abstract: A feeder table for laminar stacked objects has a thrust member for supplying stacks to a processing machine. An arcuate slide path for the stacks extends between the table and the machine. The thrust member follows the arcuate path to separate the objects by deforming the stack. The stack is placed against a stop member for supply to the machine.

Abstract: A storage and conveying unit having two helically shaped guideways on which workpieces are adapted to be supported in a position inclined slightly to the vertical. One of the guideways is mounted on an outer cylindrical support and the other guideway is mounted on an inner cylindrical support. The guideways are parallel and uniformly spaced apart in a direction axially of the storage unit. The inner cylindrical support is reciprocated in a helical path parallel to the helical inclination of the guideways to advance the workpieces in the direction of their inclination.

Abstract: A passenger conveyor has a plurality of steps each including a treadboard provided with a number of cleats and grooves defined therebetween, the cleats being adapted to mesh with teeth of a comb-like plate at each terminal of the conveyor, and a frame to which the treadboard is secured; handrails adapted to run in synchronism with the travel of the steps; handrail frames disposed beneath the handrails; and balustrade panels. The treadboard is formed of a corrugated stainless steel sheet and is reinforced by at least one reinforcement member attached to the underside of the treadboard. The handrail frame is formed by first and second members both made of stainless steel sheets and having U-shaped cross-sections. The first and second members are welded together in back-to-back relationship so that the open side of the first member is directed toward the handrail while the open side of the second member is directed toward the balustrade panel.