Abstract: A flexible endless conveyor belt with fold-over capacity contains support cables longitudinally oriented and internally disposed to the belt. The support cables are distributed throughout the medial portion and the flaps of the belt. In one embodiment of the invention, the hinged areas intermediate the flaps and the medial portion further contain fold cables of a significantly smaller cross-section than those contained in the medial portion and the flaps. In a second embodiment of the invention the hinged areas do not contain fold cables. The first and second embodiments can additionally include transverse cables oriented transversely to the support cables, thus providing third and fourth embodiments of the present invention. The four embodiments can additionally contain grooves in the hinged areas or can contain no grooves, thus providing four additional embodiments.

Abstract: An ice transporting assembly transports ice and includes a sleeve and a tapered auger. The sleeve defines a frusto-conically shaped channel with an inlet having an inlet diameter and an outlet having an outlet diameter less than the inlet diameter. The tapered auger is mounted for rotation within the sleeve and is sized and adapted for positional agreement with the frusto-conically shaped channel. Ice at the inlet is transported through the frusto-conically shaped channel and out of the outlet by rotating the tapered auger about a rotational axis. Another embodiment of the ice transporting assembly includes a reducing sleeve having an upstream conduit section with an upstream conduit diameter, a downstream conduit section with a downstream conduit diameter less than the upstream conduit diameter and a tapered conduit interposing the upstream conduit section and the downstream conduit section. The tapered conduit defines a tapered channel that receives the tapered auger in positional agreement.

Abstract: A conveyor device comprises a conveyor belt including a plurality of slidable links which can slide on guiding elements. The conveyor belt is driven by a timing belt through link teeth formed on each of the links, and designed for engaging corresponding teeth of the timing belt.

Abstract: A conveyor for transporting parcel goods and the like over a track comprises a frame and an endless conveyor belt comprising a transport portion and a return portion, which is supported by the frame and which is driven by a driving device. The conveyor belt is provided with a number of elongated (in transverse direction), substantially rigid supporting elements, which are directly or indirectly interconnected and which can pivot relative to each other at least about an axis parallel to the plane of transport and perpendicularly to the direction of transport. Movable cover flaps projecting from the supporting elements in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor are formed on at least a number of supporting elements, wherein the length dimension of the flaps is such that each is capable of covering at least one gap to an adjacent supporting element.

Abstract: The vessel or vessels (7, 7′, 7″) in contact with the solvent used for cleaning the conveyor (T) are designed and arranged in such a way that they are enclosed, and the portion of conveyor belt which is wetted with solvent is also isolated by suitable means from contact with the external environment containing the ventilation air of the painting chamber. In a preferred solution, where rotating scraping cylinders (1, 5) are used, the solvent vessel (7, 7′, 7″) is placed in such a way that it is enclosed by the two successive cleaning cylinders, by the portion of conveyor belt which runs between these cylinders, and by its lateral walls which are as close as possible to the said cylinders and to the said portion of the conveyor belt. At the end of each painting cycle, clean solvent is made to flow into the solvent vessel and the cleaning cylinders and the conveyor belt of the painting machine are temporarily kept active so that they clean themselves.

Abstract: The invention relates to a material conveying assembly (10) of the kind comprising an outer tubular casing (11) and a rotary feed screw (12) mounted within the casing (11) on a tubular drive shaft (13), wherein the intake end of the auger is provided with a replacement intake auger sub-assembly (14) comprising flexible helical flighting (15) freely rotatably mounted on a drive shaft extension (17) which is connected to the main drive shaft (13) and a clutch device (30) which drivingly connects the intake flighting shaft portion (25) to the drive shaft extension (17). The clutch device is arranged so that it will automatically disengage drive to the shaft portion (25) in the event of an overload occurring. A soft pliable extension sleeve (19) is co-axially fitted over the open leading end of the outer casing (11) and is arranged to encircle a portion of the intake flighting (15).

Abstract: A controlled material transport system (MTS) for carrying materials to and from workstations, test equipment, and processing and assembly tools in a common facility. The present invention includes a rigid robot vehicle mountable to a passive track system, which can be routed to service all processing tools on the factory floor. The robot vehicle includes a hoist assembly and gripper assembly, which together perform such functions as picking up magazines, placing magazines, and loading magazines into the processing tools. The hoist assembly is capable of functioning in an operational envelope, which includes any target location within a 3-axis Cartesian coordinate system, to the extent of the range of motion of the hoist assembly. The hoist assembly also provides rigid and controlled z-axis travel, while being compact when retracted. The gripper assembly facilitates loading of the magazines, especially chute style magazines, which are commonly found on many existing processing tools.

Abstract: A drive unit (1) for a subsoil drilling rig comprises a drive unit (5), an engagement unit (12) for releasably engaging a tube section (13) extending therefrom in a drilling direction and a gripper (15) movable relative to the engagement unit (12) between a first position for gripping a tube engaged by the engagement unit (12) and a second position for gripping a tube section (13) in a transfer position. Supplied tube sections (13) can be handled reliably and movements of supplied tube section (13) can be controlled accurately. Co-ordination of positions and movements between the supplied tube sections (13) and the drive unit (1) is simplified. A drilling rig incorporating such a drive unit (1) and a method employing such a drive unit (1) are described as well.

Abstract: A roller adapted to be rotatably mounted on a bushing of each link assembly of a chain comprises a split roller composed of two roller segments assembled together. The split roller can be easily mounted on the bushing from a radial direction of the bushing even though the bushing is integrally formed with links to form a single link assembly. The link assembly has a one-piece structure and hence is improved in strength and rigidity. The bushing of the link assembly is free from damage or break even when the chain is subjected to a great tensile force.

Abstract: An intermediate discharge assembly to remove granular material from a conveyor belt used in an enclosed roller belt conveyor assembly. The intermediate discharge assembly includes a first pair of leading and trailing pulleys, a second pair of leading and trailing pulleys and a plow. The first pair of leading and trailing pulleys supports the conveyor belt in a substantially concave manner. The second pair of leading and trailing pulleys supports the conveyor belt in a substantially flat manner. The plow is positioned between the first and second pairs of leading and trailing pulleys. The plow is operable to remove the granular material from the conveyor belt when the second pair of leading and trailing pulleys supports the conveyor belt and the plow is positioned atop the conveyor belt, such that the granular material is removed from the conveyor belt.

Abstract: Manually positioned wheel chocking apparatus are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the chocking apparatus includes a track secured adjacent a parking area; a movable chock; and means for temporarily fixing the chock to the track to substantially prevent the chock from moving. The movable chock has a surface which can be selectively positioned within the parking space at a location for engaging a tire of a vehicle. It also includes an extension for operatively engaging the track. The fixing apparatus may optionally comprise a pin sized to mate with a bore in a track or a frictional lock, preferably constructed as an over-center toggle.

Abstract: The invention disclosed consists of a modular conveyor formed by a number of removably attachable conveyor sections, which form an elongated, endless conveyor. Each section contains a frame, a guide roller, and a plurality of legs. A drive roller is attached adjacent to the conveyor section located at one end of the elongated endless conveyor and an end roller is attached adjacent to the conveyor section at the opposite end of the elongated endless conveyor. An endless conveyor belt is mounted over the frames, the drive roller, and the end roller. The endless conveyor belt is further supported by the guide rollers. A drive motor is connected to the drive roller to provide motive power to drive the conveyor belt.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for transporting a load from a source to a destination. The apparatus includes a freight container (1) which has a plurality of cells (7) each for containing a discrete load and a conveyor (10) for conveying loads between cells (7). Plural discrete loads are loaded into the container (1). The loads are allocated amongst the cells (7) according to the destinations of the individual loads and then each individual load is conveyed to its allocated cell (7).

Abstract: The invention provides a gripper assembly comprising a mounting base having a first magnet coupled thereto and having a moveable gripper coupled to the mounting base. The moveable gripper has a second magnet coupled thereto and comprises an end effector adapted to contact a wafer. The first and second magnets are adapted so that the magnetic force therebetween biases the end effector away from the mounting base. An inventive method of gripping a substrate comprises coupling a moveable gripper to a mounting base and magnetically biasing the moveable gripper in a closed position.

Abstract: An assembly for adjusting the height of a gripping mechanism on a machine for molding glass articles has an upright supporting a gripping head for gripping the glass articles, and an actuating assembly for activating the gripping head and, in use, moving the gripping head, with respect to the upright, between a gripping position gripping the glass articles, and a release position releasing the glass articles onto a supporting surface; the upright has a bottom connecting portion, which is connected to a structure of the machine so as to slide in a vertical direction, and the height of which is adjustable by means of a motor located beneath the supporting surface and in parallel with a transmission activated by a crank.

Abstract: An improved apparatus useful in feeding articles from a bulk supply through lanes confining articles into single file for metering and segregation from upstream articles. The apparatus includes a lane guide insert removably mounted on one of two opposed preferably fixed lane guides. The insert narrows or constricts the effective lane width through a selected length, and as a function of the diameter of the articles handled. The maximum width between the fixed lane guides of a lane is that which will permit passage of the smallest pre-determined diameter of articles to be handled without forming an “A” pattern orientation in the lane.

Abstract: A conveyance-direction-changing device using a mechanism in which two rotational outputs caused by forward and reverse rotations of a single motor are extracted using first and second drive gears which are rotated in the same direction regardless of the rotational direction of the motor. A work-piece-conveying roller is held by a second driven gear which is rotated in an interlocked manner with the second drive gear, and the circumferential surface of the roller is set so as to be in contact with a first driven gear which is rotated in an interlocked manner with the first drive gear.

Abstract: For transporting bottles with a carrying ring in the neck region, particularly PET bottles, along a specified path of motion through processing stations (2, 3, 4, 5, 6), of a processing installation particularly a bottle-filling installation, in each case a number of bottles (8), grouped in a row (9) transversely to the direction of transport (20), is transported by a carrier (13) and positioned relative to the latter. The carriers (13) can be moved by conveying chains (11) or similar driving means at uniform intervals consecutively from a bottle feeding station (1) past at least one processing station, especially a filling station, to a bottle delivery station (7) and, from there, empty back to the bottle feeding station. As carrier for a row (9) of bottles (8), a cellular board-like flat carrying strip (13) is provided.

Abstract: An improved idler roller for a belt conveyor for conveying bulk materials includes a cylindrical roller shell, and a pair of cast roller heads fitted to respective opposite open ends of the roller shell. Bearing assemblies fitted within each of the roller heads mount the roller for rotation on a pair of stub shafts. Notably, the configuration of the stub shafts and bearing assemblies desirably acts to minimize deflection of the shafts, and thus misalignment of the bearing assemblies. Greater service life for the bearing assemblies, and thus the idler roller, are thus achieved, or alternatively, the rated load for the idler roller, for a given service life, is increased.

Abstract: A subject part-aligning apparatus has a simple structure and causes less damage to chip parts, and operates well even if a chip discharge passage thereof is clogged or overflows with the chip parts. The apparatus has a part-holding chamber for accommodating a number of chip parts. An arc-shaped chute groove is formed in the inner surface of the bottom of the part-holding chamber to orient the chip parts in a given direction and to slidably guide the chips. A gate port is formed at the lower end of the chute groove to permit the chip parts sliding downward in a given orientation along the chute groove to pass in series (e.g., one by one). The discharge passage is formed to be tangential to the chute groove to align the passed chip parts in a line and to discharge the chip parts. A rotary impeller having blades is mounted in the part-holding chamber. The blades urge any chip part halted in an abnormal orientation in the gate port toward a direction opposite to the direction in which the chips are discharged.