Abstract: A charging apparatus for handling stations for sheet-like, flexible articles, in particular envelopes, particularly for mail-processing machines, the drive in a feed-channel for stacks of articles standing on edge being controlled in dependence on a detector output signal produced by a light barrier, which responds to the formation of a gap and runs transversely to the conveying direction with the gap forming in the region of a transition between the feed channel and a discharge channel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing an unvulcanized tire tread from a storage device (14) includes the step of inverting the tread (12) and transporting it to a roller conveyor in a single step. The tread (12) is picked up by a vacuum bar (80) fitted with a series of suction cups (76). Individual suction cups (76) can be selectively supplied with vacuum depending on the length of the tread (12). After the suction cups (76) have engaged the tread, the tread is raised from the storage device (14), inverted through 180 degrees, and then set onto a special slotted roller conveyor (130). The slotted roller conveyor (130) has a center slot (142) to receive the vacuum bar (80) as it passes therethrough. Side slots (144,146) in the conveyor receive arms (90,92) attached to the vacuum bar (80).

Abstract: An ATV lift and carry apparatus for lifting heavy objects upon the rack member mounted to an ATV. The ATV lift and carry apparatus includes a main support assembly being adapted to be securely attached to an ATV; and also includes a hitch mounting member being adapted to adjustably attach to a hitch of the ATV; and further includes a rack support member being pivotally mounted to the hitch mounting member; and also includes a rack member being pivotally attached to the rack support member and being adapted to be supported upon the ATV; and further includes a lift assembly for lifting objects upon the rack member.

Abstract: A feeder system for incrementally feeding a tube along a linear tube path to a point of use. The feeder system includes a frame, and first and second belts on the frame. The first and second belts are capable of moving incrementally in respective first and second belt paths and thereby incrementally moving a tube engaged by the first and second belts in the linear tube path.

Abstract: A method for forming vertical stacks of documents and then conveying the stacks serially along a conveyor to further processing stations. The stacks are rapidly ejected onto a conveyor which is driven at a relatively slow delivery speed, and to avoid longitudinal shingling of the stacks caused by their rapid ejection onto the conveyor, and to correct any lateral misalignment of each stack, there is provided a pair of rotatably mounted resilient guide rolls along respective opposite sides of the conveyor for rotation about vertical axes. The rolls are spaced apart a distance such that the rolls resiliently engage the opposite sides of the stacks as they pass therebetween. Also, the guide rolls are rotated at an initial peripheral speed which closely approximates the speed of the advancing stacks when the stacks engage the two guide rolls, which serves to square the stacks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for stacking curved, triangular snack food chips, e.g., tortilla chips, for packaging in a sleeve-type container. The chips are fed into a first, U-shaped vibratory chute, which automatically causes the apex corners of the chips to extend beyond the opposing base edges of adjacent chips and which automatically orients the chips such that lines about which they are curved are oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction of the U-shaped chute. The chips are then fed into a W-shaped chute, with the chips facing in opposite directions falling automatically into opposite troughs of the W-shaped chute. The chips are then automatically reoriented by 120° such that their upturned apex corners point in the direction of travel, and the chips are stacked automatically as they slide up along one another in a shingled manner.

Abstract: A palletizer assembly is comprised of a conveyor (14), a pattern-making apparatus (18) for arranging objects received from the conveyor into a pattern, a main hoist (26) for supporting a pallet in position to receive a layer of objects, a sweep apparatus (22) for moving a discrete number of objects from the pattern-making apparatus into a layer of objects on the pallet, and a separator sheet handler assembly (50) for delivering separator sheets to the main hoist for separating layers of objects on the pallet. The separator sheet handler assembly (50) includes a first stage handler (70) including a chute (86), for moving a single separator sheet into the chute. The separator sheet handle assembly (50) also includes a second stage handler (74) for moving the sheet from the chute (86) into position in the main hoist (26).

Abstract: A lifting method and device. A first lifting device lifts a multi-layer stack of articles from a lower position upwardly to a raised position at which the uppermost layer is at a desired level for removal of articles. The first lifting device continues to move the stack upwardly in increments for subsequent removal of articles in subsequent layers at the desired level. A second lifting device engages the bottom of the stack at locations different from the areas engaged by the first lifting device for continuing upward movement of the stack for positioning the remaining layers at the desired level for the removal of articles therefrom. The first lifting device is then movable downwardly to receive a new stack and the second lifting means is foldable to a retracted position and movable to a position below the new stack.

Abstract: A bale handling device including a bale frame and and an attachment mechanism for attaching the device to a vehicle such that the bale frame can be raised and lowered. The bale frame includes a support beam as a primary bale support, a pair of arms connected with the support beam, and a pair of bale engaging members connected with the arms as a secondary bale support. The secondary bale support is located relative to the primary bale support such that when a bale is positioned within the bale frame and lifted by the device it is supported by both the primary bale support and the secondary bale support and its center of gravity is located between the primary bale support and the secondary bale support.

Abstract: Boxes each having opposing top and bottom walls adjoining opposing end walls and opposing side walls spaced apart a width adjoining the opposing top and bottom walls and the opposing end walls and having recessed end structure wherein a portion of the opposing side walls adjacent at least one of the opposing end walls that is narrower widthwise than the width are disposed diagonally inwardly and at least one of the top and bottom walls is tapered inwardly to the at least one of the opposing end walls that is narrower widthwise than the width, and arranging the boxes in an array of at least one row wherein each row contains the boxes disposed abreast one another with respective opposing end walls adjacent one another such that an opening is formed between adjacent opposing end walls.

Abstract: A wheelchair carriage in which an upright support post detachably couples to a towing frame of a vehicle. A tubular housing slidably receives an end of the post and is biased against the post. An enclosure for holding a wheelchair includes a base member mounted to the housing, a platform mounted to a lower end of the base member, and a rack attached to an upper end of the base member. A lever has a lever arm pivotally attached to the upright support post, and a lever handle joined to the lever arm at a fulcrum pivotally attached to the housing. The lever handle, being moved in a first direction, bears against the fulcrum to move the enclosure to the first position for wheeling a wheelchair onto the platform. The lever handle, being moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction, raises the enclosure to the second position to a height sufficient to prevent the carriage from impeding the clearance of the vehicle for traveling.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveyance of a semiconductor chip. The apparatus includes an arm for conveying a semiconductor chip, a pickup on the arm for holding the semiconductor chip. A first transmission mechanism is provided for producing power acting in a first direction. The first transmission mechanism includes pulleys and a wire. An interconnection mechanism is provided for interconnecting the wire and the arm for causing movement of the arm in the first direction. A second transmission mechanism is connected to the arm for moving the arm in a second direction which is substantially orthogonal to the first direction. The interconnection mechanism is configured to permit movement of the arm with respect to the first transmission mechanism in the second direction and to transmit the power from the first transmission mechanism to the arm.

Abstract: A part transporting apparatus comprises: a guiding groove for lining up parts in one row and guiding the parts; a transporting member which is provided at the base of the guiding groove and transports the parts in a forward direction by itself moving forwards and backwards along the groove; and a driving means for reciprocally driving the transporting member in the forward and backward directions; wherein the transporting member is advanced slowly and retracted rapidly, so as to transport the parts forwards.

Abstract: A substrate transporting apparatus includes a wafer transfer arm 10 for carrying a plurality of semiconductor wafers W being processed horizontally, a pitch changer 20 for carrying the wafers W at predetermined intervals vertically and a posture changing device 30 positioned between the wafer transfer arm 10 and the pitch changer 20, for changing the posture of the wafers W to the horizontal and vertical arrangements. The pitch changer 20 includes a first holding part 21A and a second holding part 21B which are adapted so as to elevate relatively to each other. The wafers W are held by either one of the holding parts 21A, 21B at the predetermined intervals. The posture changing device 30 has a pair of holders 31 between which the semiconductor wafers W is interposed. The holders 31 are respectively provided, on their sides opposing each other, with a plurality of holding grooves 32A, 32B for retaining the wafers W independently.

Abstract: Apparatus for modifying conventional automatic three table bale wagons handling small bales to load, transport, and stack big bales with dimensions in excess of 3 feet×4 feet ×8 feet. With the apparatus a modified bale wagon picks up and handles big bales during traversal of a field in which big bales of vegetative material have been deposited. The modified bale wagon with its apparatus loads the big bales one at a time and orders them without rotation, two at a time, on a loading table of a conventional three table automatic bale wagon which pivots vertically, placing the two big bales on end on the bale wagon load bed side-by-side in the bale wagon load bed. When the load bed reaches capacity, six to eight big bales, the bale wagon is driven to a storage area where the load bed pivots 90°, allowing the big bales to be pushed off the load bed, forming a compact stack of six to eight big bales.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus for an article or group of articles includes a carriage assembly (6) for moving an article substantially horizontally from a first location to a second location. The carriage assembly (6) includes an elongate transfer member (19) and a conveyor (20) which is movable relative to the elongate transfer member (19). A support (1) engages and supports the carriage assembly (6) so that the elongate transfer member (19) is movable substantially vertically on the support (1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drilling vessel with drilling tower or drilling mast for drilling in the earth's surface from said vessel, for example for oil or gas. The drilling vessel according to the present invention is characterized by an auxiliary tower or mast placed next to the drilling tower or drilling mast, and a clamp carriage which is fixed so that it is movable between a first position near the drilling tower or drilling mast and a second position near the auxiliary tower or auxiliary mast, said clamp carriage having at least one gripping clamp for clamping the drill string. The presence of an auxiliary tower or auxiliary mast next to the drilling tower or drilling mast means that a substantial time gain can be achieved during the construction and dismantling of the drilling string.

Abstract: Specimen edge-gripping prealigners (8, 80) grasp a wafer (10) by at least three edge-gripping capstans (12) that are equally spaced around a periphery (13) of the wafer. Each edge-gripping capstan is coupled by a continuous synchronous belt (14) to a drive hub (15, 84) that is rotated by a drive motor (18, 88). The belts are tensioned by idler pulleys (22, 92) that are rotated by a motive force (25, 96, 102). The edge-gripping capstans and the drive drums are mounted to hinged bearing housings (28, 112) that are spring biased to urge the capstans away from the drive hub. Deactivating the motive force rotates the idler plates into a belt tensioning position that draws the capstans inward to grip the periphery of the wafer. Once gripped, rotation of the drive hub is coupled through the tensioned belts to the capstans. Driving all the capstans provides positive grasping and rotation of the wafer without surface contact with the wafer and thereby reduces wafer damage and particle contamination.

Abstract: A substrate arranging apparatus has a carrier support table 40 for supporting thereon carriers C holding a plurality of wafers in arranged in a row, first support mechanisms 42, 43 capable of moving upward relative to the table 40 to support the wafers contained in the carriers C, and a second support mechanism 60 capable of supporting the even or the odd wafers among the wafers supported by the first support mechanisms 60 and of raising the wafers supported thereon relative to the rest of the wafers. The first support mechanisms 42, 43 or the second support mechanism is able to turn through an angle of 180° relative to the other. As a result, the wafer are arranged in a front-to-front and back-to-back disposition. Thus, the carrier support table, the loader mechanism and the substrate arranging section are integrally combined and the time needed for the transfer of the wafers is shortened.

Abstract: A palletizer (10) for stacking a series of items on a pallet (P), the palletizer (10) including a pallet hoist (34) for supporting a stuck of pallets therein; a pallet lift mechanism (82) mounted for vertical movement within the pallet hoist (34) adjacent to and relative to the stack of pallets (P), the pallet lift assembly (82) including a pair of spaced, opposed pallet support members (110) mounted on the pallet lift assembly (82) for movement between a retracted position wherein there is clearance between the pallet support member (110) and the stack of pallets, and an extended position wherein the pallet support member (110) is in an interference position relative to the stack of pallets; a top frame dispenser (38) for supporting a supply of top frames (T); and a carriage for moving pallets and top frames from the pallet hoist (34) and the top frame dispenser (38), respectively.