Abstract: A belt conveyor construction in which narrow belts are trained about rollers supported on square flanged holders that slidably fit in opposite ends of square spacers. Simple screws adjust belt tension and secure the holders in the spacers. The weight supporting run of the belts pass over flanged support rollers journalled on the spacers, and the support roller flanges extend less than the thickness of the belts.

Abstract: A detector unit for mounting on conveyors for automatic shut off of the drive portion of the conveyor which includes a detection and control device attachable to the tail or idler sprocket of the conveyor such that if the tail sprocket is moved forwardly, the detector will trip a switching control mechanism to shut down the drive portion of the conveyor and further, if the chain should break, the detector is provided with an automatic return mechanism to trip the switching control mechanism to again shut down the drive portion of the conveyor. The detector basically includes a movable tail sprocket assembly having a first range of adjustable movement and having a detector arranged to move with the sprocket over the adjustable range of movement such that when the sprocket is shifted beyond this adjustable movement area the switching control mechanism will be tripped to shut off the driving portion of the conveyor.

Abstract: In a magnetic substance conveying apparatus, to convey the magnetic substance along the outer periphery of an outer cylinder made of non-magnetic material by the relative rotational movement between the outer cylinder and an inner cylinder inside the outer cylinder and having magnets wound therearound in a spiral fashion, the angle of the spiral of the magnets wound over the inner cylinder gradually increases as the spiral advances toward the end thereof.

Abstract: Switching apparatus for hot rolling mill. Alternate hot rolled bars are diverted and guided alternately along respective diverging paths. The paths are defined by opposite sides of a trough and a pivoting knife switch located between the trough sides. Pivotable persuader elements upstream of the knife switch are pivoted to deflect alternate bars toward alternate paths. The knife switch pivots between alternate positions to provide a wide mouth for the path toward which the approaching bar is deflected by the persuader elements and to constrict the other path. The persuader elements block a bar from entering a path toward which that bar is not deflected. Movement of the persuader elements and knife switch, for changing the path of an approaching bar, is relatively slow. No slamming into or squeezing or scratching of bars by the persuader elements or knife switch.

Abstract: A rubber scraper is slidably received in a guide frame. A horizontal cross member supports the bottom edge of the scraper. Counterweight assemblies are attached to the ends of the cross member and function to raise the scraper through the frame toward the underside of the conveyor belt to be scraped. The counterweight assemblies each include a counterweight running in a downwardly curved guide so that, as the weight of the scraper diminishes due to wear, friction and the support of the curved guide acting on the weight gradually decreases the force with which the counterweight pulls on the cross member, thereby ensuring that the scraper applies a generally constant pressure against the belt.

Abstract: A device for delivering items such as stacks of cheese slices from an intermittently operating feed device to a rapidly and regularly operating packaging machine. A series of rollers feed the items regularly at lower speed to the packaging device after having received these items at higher speed from the intermittent feed device. A control unit controls the speeds of individual rollers to cause their speeds to change in a pre-determined sequence from the low speed to the high speed in a way which minimises spacing between successive articles.

Abstract: A C-shaped resilient housing for encompassing at least three sides of an escalator belt and biasing a solution bearing pad into continuous abutment with the escalator belt. Ribs interior to the housing and flanges exterior to the rear of the housing may be included to hold the pad in place.

Abstract: A scraper conveyor has a conveyor trough composed of at least two longitudinally adjacent trough sections having respective side walls and juxtaposed terminal faces. A pair of first connecting members is welded to the side walls of one of the sections and recessed longitudinally thereof from the terminal face of the one section. These first connecting members have convex first end faces directed towards the terminal face of the one section, and exposed outer surfaces. A pair of second connecting members is welded to the side walls of the other of the sections and each of these has an end portion projecting beyond the terminal face of the other section. The end portions have second end faces which are each formed with a concave recess in which one of the convex end faces is received, and also exposed outer surfaces.

Abstract: An apparatus for inductive hardening different types of production parts, such as automobile axles, in a device of the type having a pair of rotatable spiders with a plurality of arms for clamping therebetween the parts for indexing movement from a clamping station to a releasing station, the parts being sequentially presented to the clamping station by a lifting bar conveyor. The type of part presented for clamping and type of part which the arms at the clamping station can clamp are compared and the part only clamped when the types are the same.

Abstract: A pivoted bucket conveyor is disclosed in which pivotally mounted buckets carried by a chain conveyor is provided with the buckets normally arranged to travel in a horizontal position across a reject station and, upon receipt of a signal from an inspection station, to pivot and discharge their contents at the reject station. A flexible bucket guide member is provided at the reject station to engage beneath projections on the sides of the buckets and guide the buckets across the reject station. Pins carried by a second chain conveyor engage and support the flexible bucket guide member at points between each bucket and permit the flexible guide member to be deflected upon dumping of a bucket at a position beneath the bucket being dumped and still direct movement of adjacent buckets. Modified forms of guide members are also disclosed to stabilize and direct movement of all buckets other than the particular bucket being pivoted or dumped.

Abstract: A conveyor system for conveying pies from an oven to a pie wrapping machine comprising a cooling conveyor, an accumulator conveyor and a retarder conveyor. Optical sensors extend along the sides of the accumulator conveyor to determine the backlog. The output of the sensors are utilized to vary the rate of speed of the cooling conveyor to assure a proper backlog on the accumulator conveyor.

Abstract: Specially formed yoke links in an endless chain conveyor are provided with replaceable plastic or equivalent anti-friction pads for protection against wear on lateral curving of the operating run and on curved and straight portions of the return run, and have interchangeable top plates of different widths for accommodating a variety of wares to be conveyed.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for each conveyor in a pair of merged conveyors inclusive of a member supported to engage conveyed articles prior to arrival thereof at a junction location common to the conveyor pair. A system is operative to selectively energize brakes associated with such article-engaging members to maintain the same in arresting or releasing relation with respect to engaged articles. The brake arrangement for one conveyor permits preselected movement of such member while the brake is energized to inform the system of conveyor loading.

Abstract: For measuring the load output of a lifting conveyor powered by a three-phase motor, electric measuring apparatus is coupled to the motor power supply conductors by voltage take-off leads and current transformers. Voltage and current, proportional respectively to motor supply voltage and current, are fed to a solid state watt transducer, which produces a millivolt output proportional to the total power consumption of the motor. The transducer output signal is fed to a solid state transmitter, which amplifies the signal, and which includes a zero output adjustment for producing a zero output for a selected input proportional to the motor load driving an unloaded conveyor. The transmitter output is fed to a solid state integrator through an intervening potentiometer which is adjusted to calibrate the apparatus to the length and lift of the conveyor. The integrator produces voltage pulses representative of a selected ton fraction, and it triggers a counter which records cumulative tonnage conveyed.

Abstract: Apparatus for assembling predetermined numbers of containers into groups, and then successively shifting the groups into a machine where they are loaded in cartons. The apparatus can simultaneously assemble two groups of containers, and superimpose one group upon the other before the two groups are simultaneously moved into the loading machine.

Abstract: An adjustable orienter mounts along the output path of a vibratory feeder for axially orienting uniform cylinders having a length-to-diameter ratio of approximately 1. The orienter includes a guide plate having a bottom edge in close proximity to the output path and extending upward with an upper surface inclined away from the inside edge of the output path with distance above the output path. A wiper plate is mounted above the inclined surface of the guide plate, and both the guide plate and wiper plate are adjustable and cooperate with each other to allow the cylinders with their axes aligned with the inside edge to move along the output path between the inside edge and the guide plate with a cylindrical side portion overhanging the inclined surface of the guide plate, while the cylinders having axes transverse to the inside edge are tipped over the inside edge by the guide plate or, if they reach the wiper plate, are knocked over the inside edge by the wiper plate.

Abstract: The conveyor is formed of a plurality of endless belts arranged with their upper reaches parallel in horizontally spaced rows and include a pair of downwardly directed loops. The diverting or deviating apparatus comprises a second set of endless belts, at least one being movable in each loop in a direction transverse to the conveyor, the second set being mounted to be raised and lowered selectively to dispose their upper reaches above or below the plane of the conveyor. A suction generating device is arranged to apply suction to objects so as to cause them to be engaged by the transversely directed belts at selected times. Fingers are provided on the downstream side of the loop pair and are arranged selectively to intercept and stop the object traveling along the conveyor. When the object is stopped, the second set of belts is raised above the plane of the upper reach of the conveyor and suction applied. The transversely directed belts engage the object and direct it transversely of its original path.

Abstract: A workpiece elevator is disclosed having a series of workpiece carriers thereon which move in an endless vertical path and from which workpieces are discharged by gravity. On each carrier there is mounted a latch mechanism which selectively blocks or opens the outlet end of each carrier. The elevator includes a plurality of outlet chutes for receiving workpieces from the carriers. Members are mounted on a stationary part of the elevator for selectively actuating the latch mechanism as the outlet of each carrier aligns with an outlet chute in accordance with the workpiece requirements of the outlet chute.

Abstract: The invention provides improved apparatus for transferring articles from a transfer station to a receiving station which comprises gripping members including oppositely disposed elastic bands for gripping the sides of an article to be transferred, engagement members for displacing the elastic bands toward one another to grip the sides of the article at the transfer station, and transfer members for transferring the gripping members from the transfer station to a receiving station. The use of the oppositely disposed elastic bands renders the apparatus especially suitable for transferring fragile articles such as bakery products from a transfer station to a package or packaging station.

Abstract: The present invention relates to conveyors for the transportation of piles of newspapers and can be used with the utmost effictiveness for conveying piles of newspapers delivered by a web-fed rotary printing press.The disclosed conveyor for piles of newspapers comprises a chain supporting carriages carrying clamps thereon in the form of fork-shaped flaps together making a closed receptacle for piles of newspapers, with one of the fork-shaped flaps having the prongs thereof bent at both ends toward the other one of the fork-shaped flaps, with the central part of each one of these prongs being a curved one, with the convex portion facing the same direction as the bent ends, and with the flaps being associated with flap opening mechanism. The disclosed structure provides for reliable retention of the newspapers in the clamp preventing displacement of the newspapers in the pile being conveyed.