Abstract: A bucket wheel for a bucket wheel unloader has a series of buckets mounted on pivots around its periphery so that the buckets can be displaced between opposite end positions to correspond with either direction of rotation of the wheel. Latching means engage the buckets to retain them in their required end positions and operate automatically when the direction of rotation of the wheel is reversed.

Abstract: A mechanism (10) for deflecting objects (16) off of a conveyor belt (12) includes a link (24) which is rotatably driven at one end. An arm (26) is pivotally mounted, at a central position thereof, to the free end of the link. A paddle (34, 36) is pivotally mounted to each end of the arm. The link, arm and paddles are rotatably driven at specified speeds and relative direction such that the paddles subsequently engage and deflect objects off of the belt.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the essentially horizontal transport of elongate workpieces transversely to their longitudinal direction, consisting of a supporting framework with vertical legs and with horizontal guide beams which are supported by the legs and which are arranged, at a distance, parallel to the transport direction of the workpieces, of lifting carriages, the track wheels of which are movable in lateral longitudinal channels of the guide beams, but are secured against vertical movements, of a lifting device for lifting the lifting carriage over the top side of the guide beams and for lowering the lifting carriages under the top side of the guide beams, and of a flexible pulling member, of which the ends provided in the upper section of the pulling member are each connected to a lifting carriage and which is guided underneath each guide beam around a direction-changing wheel and a drive wheel in a vertical plane, the direction-changing wheel being mounted with its horizontal pivot axl

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a continuous elongated loosely felted mat of thin elongated wood flakes with the flakes being aligned in mutually parallel interleaved relation. The apparatus includes a plurality of belts positioned in adjacent side-by-side relation and for continuous movement so as to define a supporting surface for the mat. A plurality of sets of thin planar baffle plates are provided, each set including a plurality of thin planar baffle plates supported in coplanar alignment and in edge-to-edge adjacent relation. The baffle plates are positioned between a hopper for depositing wood flakes and the supporting surface and function to align the wood flakes in substantially mutually parallel relation in substantially parallel relation to the direction of movement of the supporting surface and to maintain the wood flakes in substantially parallel alignment as the flakes fall from the hopper onto the supporting surface.

Abstract: A gear box for a drive head of a conveyor comprises a casing 11 and a gear train contained within the casing 11 and including a plurality of shafts on which gear wheels are mounted, the shafts being rotatable about parallel axes and all the axes 16 being located in a common plane, with at least an output shaft having its axis of rotation off-set with respect to the common plane, whereby the at least one off-set axis is located above or below the common plane.

Abstract: An installation for monitoring the state of an endless conveyor belt, where the condition of imbedded sensor conductors in the belt provides a warning indication and/or shutdown of the conveyor when damage occurs to the imbedded conductors. The installation consists of a control unit for receiving the signals, a programmed counter, a belt stop control, display, and manual controls.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for supplying a conveyor of an article sorting machine. It also relates to a method for using this apparatus. The apparatus essentially comprises a storage system (1) constituted by a plurality of belts (t.sub.1 . . . t.sub.n) and a tilting chair-like support (2) able to occupy a raised position (P.sub.1) and a lowered position P.sub.2. The articles are placed on the first belt t.sub.1 only when the latter is completely free of articles and when the following belt is also free. Movement of the said belt is then commenced. Movement of each of the following belts is only commenced when the belt following it is free. The final belt t.sub.n is put into movement when it carries an article and when the support (2) is free and in the raised position P.sub.1. When a free rack (4) of conveyor (5) arrives at the right of the support, tilting takes place and the article then drops into rack (4).

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus for receiving and transporting cylindrical stock or articles past work stations includes a plurality of rollers disposed along spaced-apart parallel axes. The rollers are driven through one-way or overrunning clutches and rotate cylindrical stock disposed between adjacent pairs of rollers. At a work station, a moving member such as a belt engages the stock and rotates it at a speed higher than the speed imparted to it by the rollers. The overrunning clutches release the conveyor rollers and rotate with the stock at a correspondingly higher speed. The constant, non-slipping contact between the rollers and stock minimizes such difficulties as scoring of the stock and significantly improves product quality and appearance.

Abstract: An improved conveyor system for transporting die-cut blanks from a rotary die cutter to a blank stacking device includes a blank take-up section comprising a spring biased take-up guide which insures that blanks are positively engaged by the conveyor system before they are released by the die cutter. The conveyor system includes a vacuum belt which serves to suspend and transport die-cut blanks while maintaining them in precise registry to a blank stacking device. An improved snubbing device is disclosed which decelerates blanks without damage to the blanks themselves and then causes the decelerated blanks to rebound back toward the die cutter for improved stacking. A ramp structure is disclosed which flexes blanks near the blank release section of the conveyor system such that the trailing edge of transported blanks snap away from the conveyor system, thereby positively disengaging the blanks from the conveyor.

Abstract: A plunger feed system for feeding stiff or thickened material into the injection unit barrel of an injection molding machine, minimizing the feed path of the material, to minimize the degradation of the fibers in the material. The system comprises a pair of pressurizable rams acutely arranged over an injection barrel, each ram also arranged perpendicular to the other, to facilitate the feeding operation and minimize material degradation.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for transferring pieces of goods onto conveyor belts or the like, particularly for pieces susceptible to deformation made from dough-like material, wherein pre-molded individual pieces are delivered to a conveyor belt and are transferred onto the same by a transfer device. The transfer device consists of a rotatable transfer table which is provided in the region of its periphery with swingably mounted transfer plates for the individual pieces and at least a part of the region of the transfer table is disposed above the conveyor belt, the transfer plates being downwardly swingable by a control device within the region of the table.

Abstract: A scraper blade assembly for use in a central chain scraper conveyor, especially in a double central chain scraper conveyor, includes a lower and an upper blade part forming respective channels that complement each other at a parting plane between the blade parts into openings for receiving transversely spaced portions of respective horizontal links of the chains. The blade parts have overlapping portions one of which extends across the parting plane and is received in a correspondingly configurated recess juxtaposed with the other overlapping portion. The overlapping portions are provided with aligned holes at least one of which is elongated in direction normal to the parting plane, and bolts extend through these holes parallel to the advancement direction of the conveyor to connect the blade parts to one another.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding mats to a press, e.g. for the production of particleboard or the like, comprises a feed conveyor with a discharge nose which lies in a plane tangent to the plane of a receiving conveyor entraining the mat into the press. Between the pick-up side of the receiving conveyor and the discharge end of the feed conveyor, this plane is tangent to a drum whereby press underlays are positioned beneath each mat with a head bar disposed ahead of the leading edge of the mat. According to the invention, the surface of the conveyor is provided with recesses to receive each bar so that the latter lies at least in part inwardly of the circumference or periphery of the drum while an underlay sheet lies along a drum surface which progressively merges with the circumference from this recess, i.e. is progressively asymptotic. When the recess is fixed, it can have a flank ahead of the bar against which the bar is positioned.

Abstract: A scraper-chain conveyor has channel-sections or pans arranged end-to-end along which a scraper-chain assembly is circulated. Each pan is composed of rolled side walls with a floor plate welded therebetween. The side walls are reinforced by upper and lower elongate bars welded to their exteriors. These bars have shaped apertures designed to accept and locate the heads and shanks of bolts used to fix attachments to the side walls. The side walls are recessed behind the apertures and these recesses define with the apertures, pockets for receiving the heads of the bolts.

Abstract: Web-tracking method and apparatus periodically reduces tension on endless web, laterally adjusts the position of the web, and then restores web tension.

Abstract: Orienting apparatus for elongated finger cookies or other elongated bakery roducts supplied in uniform groups. The finger cookies are supplied to the orienting apparatus in upright conditions and are then laid flat on a packaging conveyor. Usually, the groups of cookies are supplied in two rows in side by side relation relative to each other with groups in each row of uniform count and conveyed along drop gate members in upright positions to a dropping station, where the drop gate members are swung from supporting engagement with a group of cookies conveyed and accommodate the group of cookies to drop through a drop chute assembly in their upright positions and then are turned at 90.degree. and laid onto a conveyor plate along which the oriented groups of cookies are conveyed in a flat condition to a loading station for packaging or wrapping.

Abstract: A vertical conveyor comprises a driving drum; a tensioning drum spaced vertically from the driving drum and supported shiftably for varying its distance from the driving drum; a vertically oriented endless carrier trained about the driving drum and the tensioning drum; a tensioning weight situated spaced from and in vertical alignment with the tensioning drum; and coupling elements situated between and in vertical alignment with the tensioning weight and the tensioning drum. The coupling elements are secured to the tensioning weight and to the tensioning drum for directly transmitting forces from the tensioning weight to the tensioning drum urging the tensioning drum vertically away from the driving drum, whereby the endless carrier is tensioned.

Abstract: A transport system for transporting fixtures adapted to hold a workpiece sequentially from a fixture transferor station to a fixture transferee station. A fixture guide rail interconnects the two stations and is provided with a chain guide recess that extends from one station to the other. A continuous plastic timing chain cable is mounted on a plurality of sprockets so that the chain can be made to rotate. The sprockets are positioned so that the timing chain is positioned in the chain guide recess. Drive pins are mounted in selected ones of the links of the chain so that the pins will project from one side of the chain. The drive pins initially contact a fixture positioned in the transferee station and move each fixture, in turn, along the guide rails to the transferee station. A drive motor is connected to one of the sprockets to cause the sprocket to move the chain. The distance between drive pins is substantially constant and greater than the corresponding dimension of the fixtures being transported.

Abstract: A fastener feeding apparatus includes a hopper for the bulk storage of fasteners, an oscillating scoop plate body for scooping up the fasteners from the hopper and letting them slide down onto a vibrating chute rail and a spring biased exclusion plate which moves back and forth above the chute rail to return any improperly oriented fasteners back into the hopper.

Abstract: A conveyor system includes a number of closely spaced pallets (14) having nested pairs of ears (47,48 and 56,57) mounted on chain pins (33). First rollers (37) are mounted on pins (33) to ride between guide walls (38 and 39) and are engaged by a drive sprocket (12) to move the pallets through a number of work stations (16 to 19). Additional horizontal rollers (63, 71 and 72) are rotatably mounted on the pallets (14) to ride on one of the guide walls (30) and a third guide wall (74). A crowder pin device (81,82) is operated to engage a pallet at a work station to thrust the pallet rollers (37) against the wall (38) to fixedly position the pallet at the work station. Further precise positioning is attained by moving a tapered shot pin (84) into a hole (87) formed in the positioned pallet.