Abstract: A transfer device to transfer articles by removing the articles from a removal zone and depositing the articles in a discharge zone, wherein a support plane and a deposit direction substantially perpendicular to the support plane are defined at the discharge zone. The transfer device includes a gripping head with retention elements, each for retaining a respective article, and a movement mechanism configured to move at least one retention element with respect to at least one other retention element in a staggering direction having a non-null component parallel with the deposit direction.

Abstract: A system and a method for conveying a tire component includes a conveyor and a measuring unit, wherein the measuring unit has a field of view, wherein the measuring unit is positioned relative to the conveyor such that the field of view overlaps with a measuring slot in the conveyor for measuring height values in said field of view. The system further includes a control unit that is configured for: monitoring the height values measured by the measuring unit in the field of view; and detecting a step in the height values at the measuring slot from a first height level below the plane of conveyance to a second height level above the plane of conveyance.

Abstract: In one aspect, a gap blocker is provided for a roller conveyor having rollers for conveying an object in a downstream longitudinal direction. The rollers include adjacent rollers having a longitudinally extending gap therebetween and at least one of the rollers has an annular groove for receiving a drive member. The gap blocker includes a body configured to be supported in the gap by the adjacent rollers and an upper blocking portion of the body to extend across the gap. The body further includes a locating member configured to extend into the annular groove and inhibit lateral movement of the body in the gap.

Abstract: Provided is a conveyor belt including at least two parallel chains each including a plurality of consecutive links; and a plurality of rods extending between the at least two parallel chains for linking the consecutive links. Each rod extends with each end through the corresponding chain linking two consecutive links to each other. One of the two consecutive links is at least axially locked to the rod to avoid movement of the link relative to the rod. The other of the two consecutive links is rotatably arranged around the respective rod. Also provided is at least one device for providing the lock between a rod and a respective link of the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A conveyor system includes a conveyor having an endless loop flexible member and a plurality of inserts. The conveyor system additionally includes a drive shaft and a sprocket coupled to the drive shaft. The sprocket includes a hub and a plurality of teeth extending radially outward from the hub, where at least one tooth is substantially planar and defines a channel having a plate disposed within the channel. The sprocket also includes a sprocket tooth cap fixedly coupled via an interference fit to the tooth and the plate. The sprocket tooth cap includes a first end defining a channel and an engagement face configured to drivingly engage the endless loop flexible member, and a second end defining a cavity. The cavity defining a pair of opposite facing surfaces, where the pair of opposite facing surfaces is configured to form the interference fit with the at least one tooth.

Abstract: A rod belt for agricultural machines includes at least three belts, fasteners, and rods. The at least three belts are pull-resistant, elastic, and continuous, and run parallel to one another. The at least three belts each extend in a direction of movement. The fasteners are connected to the belts. The rods are arranged perpendicular to the direction of movement and are parallel to one another.

Abstract: A continuous pipe feeder machine which avoids clamping against welded joints of a pipe is provided. The continuous pipe feeder machine is especially suitable for use in pipeline and tunnel construction. The system includes soft pads for moving a pipe. The soft pads of the machine for moving the pipe are located at strategic locations on the machine so that a pipe fed into the machine gets moved without the pads compressing and damaging the welded joints of the pipe.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, systems, assemblies, and/or the like are provided. An adjustable block assembly may include an outer block with a first engagement surface; a wedge block including a first slidable mounting component and a second engagement surface configured to engage the first engagement surface; an inner block with a second slidable mounting component configured to operably engage with the first slidable mounting component; and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the distance between the outer block and the inner block along a first direction by translating the wedge block relative to both the outer block and the inner block along a second direction. The second direction is different than the first direction. Translating the wedge block may cause the second engagement surface to slide relative to the first engagement surface, and the first slidable mounting component to slide relative to the second slidable mounting component.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking a location of a moving element on a conveyor system. The system including: magnetic sensors; a magnetic encoder strip that is readable by the magnetic sensors; and a processor for receiving and processing the sensor readings to determine a location of the moving element. The method including: sensing a current location of the moving element, wherein at least one of the magnetic sensors and magnetic encoder are associated with the moving element; and providing a current location to a conveyor system controller. The system may further include: color sensors; and a color gradient encoder strip that is readable by the color sensors, wherein the color gradient encoder strip and color sensors provide moving element location at start up and the magnetic sensors and magnetic encoder strip track moving element location during operation. In this case, the method is adjusted accordingly.

Abstract: A palletizer for palletizing packages, including a conveying device, which has a conveying element for conveying packages, and a stacking table. The conveying device includes three rotating devices for rotating the packages. In the method using such a palletizer, a predetermined number of packages are fed to the palletizer, a predefined number of packages are rotated by the rotating devices, and the packages are conveyed further and subsequently fed to the deposit table.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to automated warehouse facilities that are configured to assemble mixed pallets. The warehouse facilities can include one or more layer handling devices that are configured to remove layers from pallets in a delayering operational mode, and to add layers to pallets in a palletizing operation mode. The warehouse facilities also may include one or more item retrieval devices that are configured to retrieve individual items from storage racks. The warehouse facilities can include other automated devices as well.

Abstract: A bolt escapement device includes holding rails, a blade disposed downstream of the holding rails, and a chute disposed downstream of the blade. The blade includes: a blade body configured to reciprocate in a direction intersecting the holding rails to pass through a first position and a second position; a bolt passageway extending in the blade body in a direction acute to a moving direction of the blade body; and a closure portion provided on a side surface of the blade body. At least one of the holding rails and the chute is provided with bolt guides. When the blade body moves from the first position to the second position, a corner portion of the bolt passageway that is closer to the holding rails is inserted between a bolt having entered the bolt passageway and a subsequent bolt and the rail gap is closed by the closure portion.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a helical track and a conveyor belt which is drivable along the helical track. The helical track is provided with an inner rail and an outer rail surrounding the inner rail. The conveyor belt is provided with slats that are mounted to a flexible conveyor line, such as a side-bow chain. Each of the slats is provided with a guide roller having an axis of rotation including a vertical component, which guide roller is upwardly, downwardly and radially supported by the inner rail. Each of the slats is upwardly supported by the outer rail and movable in upward direction with respect to the outer rail. The upper contact location between the guide roller and the inner rail where the guide roller is radially supported lies above a line along which a resultant radial force of the conveyor line towards a centerline of the inner rail acts.

Abstract: Elongate workpieces are transported in a transport direction and assembled to a string in the transport direction. A leading elongate workpiece is removed from the string and accelerated in a downstream discharge device such that a gap is formed between the leading elongate workpiece and a following elongate workpiece of the string. A stop is moved into the gap and prevents the following elongate workpiece of the string from being transported farther. The stop is removed when the leading elongate workpiece has left the discharge device and then the following elongate workpiece is removed from the string.

Abstract: A feeding device for feeding stacks of standing flat-folded cartons to a receiving station, comprising a conveyor track having a flat bearing plane adapted to support the stacks, where the conveyor track comprises at least two rows of teeth where each row of teeth comprises a plurality of spaced apart teeth adapted to support the stacks of flat-folded cartons, where the teeth can be positioned in either an erected position or in a folded position, and where the feeding device comprises a guide track arranged along the bearing plane adapted to hold the teeth in the selected position, and where the guide track ends at an end region of the conveyor track, such that the teeth are unsupported at the end region. The advantage of the invention is that stacks of flat-folded cartons can be merged continuously at an outfeed region.

Abstract: A circulating conveyor may comprise: a first conveying line and a second conveying line, wherein both the first conveying line and the second conveying line have a loading position and an unloading position at the two ends and clamps may be circularly conveyed between the first conveying line and the second conveying line in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction; and a circulating adapter. The circulating adapter may comprise a first circulating adapter and a second circulating adapter arranged in pairs at both the loading position and the unloading position, wherein the first circulating adapter and the second circulating adapter may be used for conveying the clamps between the first conveying line and the second conveying line.

Abstract: Replacement cleaning blades offering flexibility to be installed onto a variety of differently configured conveyor belt cleaning systems. The replacement cleaning blades are suitable for mounting frames having varied through-hole patterns as well as mounting frames that are devoid of any attachment through-holes.

Abstract: Present embodiments relate to a tie plate dispenser which selectively changes the orientation of the tie plates being ejected, if needed. An actuator is used to flip the tie plate as it falls from an ejection location of the dispenser.

Abstract: A lift gate apparatus includes a movable conveyor device and a bracket. The movable conveyor device is configured to transition between a conveying position and a non-conveying position. The bracket configured to bridge a gap between the movable conveyor device and a fixed conveyor device, wherein the bracket pivots and slides over the fixed conveyor device when the movable conveyor device is transitioned from the conveying position to the non-conveying position.

Abstract: An efficient transplanting device with an automatic seedling pick-up and supplementation function includes a seedling pick-up device, a seedling discharging device, and a seedling supplementation device. The seedling discharging device is used to discharge plug seedlings for transplantation; the seedling pick-up device is used to transfer the plug seedlings and the seedling supplementation device is used to supplement the plug seeding. A seedling pick-up photoelectric sensor, a detection camera, and a controller are provided for the operations of plug seedling pick-up, supplementation and discharge of the plug seedlings.