Abstract: An escalator having a drive unit mounted in a supporting truss via a deflection beam. Load forces developed in the drive unit are transmitted from the drive unit to the ends of the deflection beam via elongated mounting base members which are not subjected to bending moments sufficient to cause harmful deflection and misalignment of the driving and rotating elements of the drive unit. The midpoint of a deflection beam is attached to the truss. Positioning devices adjustably orient the drive unit in the truss, and the midpoint connection of the drive unit to the truss adjustably selects the position of the drive unit along the longitudinal axis of the truss.

Abstract: A conveyor construction for conveying materials, such as grain, to an elevated location. The conveyor construction comprises a base or supporting structure and an auger conveyor is mounted horizontally on the base. Grain is fed into a hopper at one end of the auger and the discharge end of the auger is provided with a pair of kicker paddles which propel the grain laterally into the lower end of a vertical endless belt conveyor. The endless belt conveyor includes a plurality of integrally molded cleats that convey the grain upwardly within a vertical passage in the conveyor housing and the grain is discharged from the upper end of the housing. The vertical conveyor is mounted for pivoting movement relative to the auger conveyor to adjust the angularity of the vertical conveyor.

Abstract: A pallet magazine for automatically supplying and removing pallets, each carrying a workpiece, to and from the working space of a machine tool. The pallets, which rest freely and with any desired spacing from one another on moving chains which effect the transport thereof, are lifted off the chains at a waiting station and are then moved to the working station where the workpiece is machined. At the same time a pallet at the working station with a workpiece which has already been machined is placed back on the moving chains. For lifting, sliding and moving out or lowering the pallets, there is provided a hydraulically operated slide mechanism, which effects the sliding and moving of the pallets to and away from the working station more quickly than the pallets are transported on the chains.

Abstract: Conveyor for transporting an object particularly for use in a system which treats objects while they are continuously in motion. The conveyor is made up of carriers which are combined with other carriers to form an endless chain for carrying the objects to be treated from one work station to another. Each carrier is connected to a similar carrier with at least a degree of freedom of turning of one carrier with respect to its neighbor or neighbors about the longitudinal axis of the conveyor chain whereby the conveyor can be gradually twisted or turned to be inverted in its travel. Each carrier is provided with a housing having guides for retaining an object within the carrier.

Abstract: A torsional vibrating device is disclosed for operation as a two mass vibrating system consisting of a first mass having a generally circular work member and a spring mechanism connecting the first mass to the second mass excited by a motor driven eccentric weight or weights so that the second mass vibrates in a circular path having a circular component and a vertical component which will cause material on said work member to be conveyed in a circular direction. The spring member is unique in this combination. The entire system is isolated from the supporting means. This system has application for controlling the flow of bulk material from a hopper, screen or feeder or for elevating or lowering a material in a helical trough or for orientation of discrete particles or other applications depending on a properly designed work member.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus for moving a plurality of spaced and interconnected support trays along horizontal pathways of different levels and thru pathways interconnecting the horizontal pathways. The apparatus includes tie rods interconnecting the sides of one support tray with another defining an endless chain of the latter and by crank members operatively connected to the tie rods and a pair of crank rods which extend into operative engagement with crank members of adjacent support trays, the latter as they travel through the conveyor pathways are maintained in uniform positions.

Abstract: An impact roller structure (10) for absorbing impact imparted on a conveying surface. The impact roller structure (10) includes a hub portion (11) having an opening (12) therein. The impact roller structure (10) further includes an outer ring-like portion (15) for making contact with the conveying surface. The ring-like portion (15) and the hub portion (11) are interconnected by a plurality of radially extending members (17). The radially extending members (17) define a plurality of hollow cylinders (18) between the hub portion (11) and the outer ring-like portion (15). The radially extending members (17) are constructed and arranged for cooperating with the hub portion (11) and the ring-like portion (15) so as to efficiently absorb shock imparted on the impact roller structure (10).

Abstract: For a multi-strand continuous casting installation there is proposed accomplishing the transverse conveying or transfer of the cut strand sections, not as was heretofore conventional practice by a single clearing or removal movement occurring over the entire width of the installation, rather by a number of successive partial conveying strokes or movements, wherein the strand section is displaced from its starting position either through the distance (s) or the distance (s'). Consequently, there is required for each strand section a number of shorter partial conveying strokes or displacement movements corresponding to the ordinal number of the strand from which it is derived, and thus, during cutting of shorter strand sections the clearing time can be better accommodated to the cycling of the cutting operation. The displacement paths, depending upon the technique employed, amount to either s=d.multidot.(N-1)/N or s'=d.multidot.N/(N+1), wherein N constitutes the number of strands and d their spacing.

Abstract: A work-clamp pallet of the exchangeable type for facilitating changing of works and intended for use with a machine tool of either the vertical or horizontal type with its base block provided with a plurality of hydraulic clamping devices and also with a special shut-off valve for shutting down its oil path. It is so arranged that its oil path may be shut down after supplying the hydraulic clamping devices with a set level of hydraulic pressure. This hydraulic pressure is maintained for a long time without any supplementary feeding of hydraulic pressure for the clamping devices to be kept in the clamping condition. When this work-clamp pallet is used, it is possible to change workpieces on the work-clamp pallet at a work-changing station outside the work table of the machine tool. The work-clamp pallet with workpieces clamped in position can then be transferred onto the machine tool to carry out the machining operations.

Abstract: A conveyor screw includes a substantially continuous row of wear-resistant elements mounted on the wearing surface thereof. Opposed complementary semi-circular recesses are formed in adjacent wear-resistant elements providing a combined circular recess. A retaining member is received in each such recess and is secured to the conveyor screw with its axis positioned in the radial dividing line between adjacent wear-resistant elements. The gap between the retaining member and the wear-resistant elements is filled with a resilient padding material. In a modified form of the invention each wear-resistant element includes a backing plate of ductile material with each wear-resistant element being off-set relative to its corresponding backing plate. Adjacent faces of the backing plates, in lieu of being straight, are formed at an angle of approximately 175.degree. so as to provide a small gap permitting use of uniform components along a conveyor screw having a changing diameter.

Abstract: Apparatus for converting successive groups of neighboring stacks of paper sheets into a row of spaced-apart equidistant stacks has a first transporting unit which receives at intervals groups of stacks from a maker and advances successive groups at intervals lengthwise so that the neighboring groups are separated by gaps. The first transporting unit is followed by a second transporting unit having a series of gathering conveyors which are driven at a relatively low constant speed and some of which can be driven at intervals at a higher second speed to thus cooperate with the first transporting unit, whose speed can be varied between zero speed and the second speed, in order to eliminate gaps between successive groups and to form a composite group of immediately adjacent stacks.

Abstract: Hot, elongated metallic products are delivered to a horizontal roller table and then transferred to one side of the latter transverse to the longitudinal dimensions of the products. The transfer arrangement for the products includes several pairs of I-beams which stretch from one side of the roller table to the other and are upwardly inclined in the direction of transfer. The I-beams of each pair are spaced from one another, and a wheeled carriage is located in the gap between the I-beams of each pair. The wheels of the carriages are situated between the flanges of the respective I-beams. The carriages are aligned with one another in the longitudinal direction of the products and are driven in synchronism. This permits each product in the path of the carriages to be engaged by all of the carriages simultaneously. As the carriages travel in the transfer direction, the carriages sequentially lift the products from the roller table along a direction which is inclined to the horizontal.

Abstract: A wafer transport system for use in in-line sputtering systems having a first magnet exterior to a process chamber and a second magnet in the process chamber connected to wafer support arms carrying wafers such that the magnetic coupling between the magnets permits the positioning of the wafer support arms in a desired location by movement of the exterior magnet.

Abstract: A conveyor feed mechanism, particularly adapted for multiple cut saw machines wherein lumber is fed onto an endless conveyor for moving and clamping during multiple cutting operations. A dual-truck conveyor mechanism is attached to the endless conveyor chain, one of the trucks having an access seat and backstop for receiving and supporting lumber, and the other truck having a pivotal clamp held in a spring-biased position for clamping against the lumber, both trucks having side rollers for guiding through a channel adjacent the conveyor line.

Abstract: A disc turnover device is mounted along a conveyor which supports discs in a flat horizontal position and carries the discs along a horizontal path.The turnover device includes a pair of wheels mounted on opposite sides of the conveyor for rotation about a common axis perpendicular to the path of the conveyor. Each wheel has a plurality of circumferentially spaced pickup arms pivotally mounted at one end on the wheel for pivotation toward and away from the conveyor. Each arm on one wheel is in parallel opposed relation with an arm on the other wheel to provide a plurality of opposed arms. A spring urges each arm toward the conveyor and caming projections move the arm away from the conveyor at selected positions along its path of rotation. A pickup head is mounted on each arm and is slidable longitudinally along the arm. Each head has fingers for engaging and holding the edge of a disc.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring articles suitable for use in combination with a press in which a pair of parallel feed bars, each having clamping jaws or claws are moved three dimensionally to transfer blanks sequentially through a series of die stations. The apparatus has a pair of movable frames each mounting two carriers from which the feed bars are suspended one from each carrier. The carriers on each movable frame are adapted to be moved toward and away from each other by the operation of fluid-operated clamp/unclamp cylinders mounted on the movable frame thereby to make the jaws or claws clamp and unclamp the blanks. The feed bars are movable also in the longitudinal directions thereof by fluid-operated advance/return cylinders associated with the movable frames, and also up and down by fluid operated lift/down cylinders mounted on the carriers.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for the handling of products or articles for the treatment of same by, for example, the carrying out upon them of specific operations of machining or processing, assembling, packing and the like through operative structure carried in continuous movement along a path of mixed form comprising rectilinear, spiral, circular and arcuate portions of whatever type, following one another and intercalated and at different velocities according to the type of operation to be carried out on the product.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring bar shaped articles from one conveyor to another wherein the two conveyors are each provided with equally spaced suction housings for holding the articles with the spacing in one conveyor being different from the other. The apparatus comprises a link-up conveyor which includes a first and a second rotating element that revolve in the same direction at identical angular velocity, around separate parallel axes. To the perimeter of the first rotating element are pivoted equally spaced cranks, each provided with a suction housing for holding and releasing an article. Each crank is connected to the second element by a link which, as the link-up conveyor rotates, causes it to oscillate at such a rate as to match the velocity of the crank suction housing to that of the suction housings of the two conveyors in the positions in which the articles are transferred thereto or therefrom by the link-up conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying flat goods having one face covered with a liquid layer comprises two roller trains for, respectively, delivering the goods to and removing the goods from, a generally vertically orbiting chain having a first group of fork-shaped carriers attached thereto, and at least one generally horizontally conveyed, parallelogram-guided, fork-shaped carrier. The rollers of the roller trains are supported each only at one of its roller ends. The carriers of the first group have prongs which pass through gaps between adjacent rollers of the roller trains. Likewise, the prongs of one of the two carrier systems (the first group and the horizontally conveyed carrier or carriers) pass through gaps between adjacent prongs of the other system. The two carrier systems are driven from a common motor (variable drive).

Abstract: A roller for a roller conveyor has a circular outer article engaging surface and a transversely extending through bore. A rotatable drive shaft extends through the bore for rotating the roller. The bore in the roller is offset from the transverse center of the roller to cause an eccentric rotational movement of the outer surface of the roller.