Abstract: An apparatus for loading a furnace with semiconductor wafers is known, which has at least two heat treatment chambers (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D), each of them having an associated stationary loading unit (8) with a receptacle movable in the direction of the furnace axis via a feed apparatus and having a loading system (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D) for semiconductor wafers. In order to provide such an apparatus for automatically loading the furnace with semiconductors which facilitates loading and overcomes the disadvantages of the known apparatuses, the apparatus according to the invention has a common central loading station (9) for all the semiconductor loading systems (2), and these loading systems are removable from the loading unit (8).

Abstract: A lifting and swiveling table mechanism having a swiveling table with a table plate rotated by a stepping drive. The lifting mechanism has a lift slide movably guided up and down in vertical direction and placed co-rotationally on the table plate, with which an indexing slide mounted non-rotatably on a rigid part of the swiveling table is in driving association in the lift direction. The indexing slide has at least one indexing pin projecting at right angles to the lift direction and engaging an indexing groove in the circumferential surface of a vertically disposed cylinder which can be driven in rotation.

Abstract: The present invention resides in a device comprising a package stock truck moved in the row direction of warper creels, a package feeding conveyor for feeding yarn supply packages to the position of the stock truck, a first package transfer mechanism for transferring the packages on the package feeding conveyor onto the stock truck, and a second package transfer mechanism for transferring the packages on the stock truck to each of pegs of the warper creels.

Abstract: A dispenser for attachment to liquid containers is disclosed which allows a contained liquid to be dispensed by pumping rather than pouring from the container, having a top cylinder containing a pump which is located over a mouth of the container, so that the mouth of the container contacts a gasket of relatively large surface area, and further having a base member pivotally attached to a top cylinder which is pivoted underneath the container to force the mouth of the container against the gasket to provide a seal. The relatively large surface area of the gasket and the design of the base member allow the device to be used with containers of varying size, and the seal achieved thereby allows pump of simple design to be incorporated.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rotary vacuum arm bag or sheet transferring and stacking device and a stack-handling system enabling an indexing of counted bag stacks. The transferring device grasps and retains the bags adjacent margins transverse to the direction of web advance while at least a portion of the opposed margins parallel to such direction are spaced inwardly from the arms to define a slot or gap thru which stack-retaining fingers project contributing to remove a bag from a pair of arms and retaining the bag in a stack wherein respective margins overlie each other. Also disclosed is a stack-handling system having the ability to remove a completed stack from the stacking station and yet allow, if desired, continuous bag machine operation and, as a result, uninterrupted transfer of sheets or bags to the stacking stations.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically depositing parallelepipedic articles into an upwardly open collecting hopper, carton or the like, including a pair of article support members pivoted in spaced opposed facing relation, the support members respectively having spaced upper and lower jaw members defining respective opposed channel areas. The support members reciprocate in synchronous opposed pivotal movement between an article supporting position wherein their channel areas open in facing relation for receiving and supporting articles at their lateral sides on the lower jaw members and an article depositing position wherein the channel areas open downwardly for releasing the articles to drop gravitationally into the hopper or carton.

Abstract: An apparatus for posting materials into and out of an enclosure through a port in a wall of the enclosure. A container for the materials has a lid engageable with a door for the port and the container is supported in a cradle. An interlock bar extends between the port and a clamp assembly for the container, the bar being axially displaceable between first and second positions. In the first position of the bar one end thereof arrests movement of a door release mechanism and the bar is locked against axial displacement in the absence of a container in the cradle. In the second position of the bar the opposite end thereof engages and locks the clamp assembly for maintaining the container at the port.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rotary vacuum arm bag or sheet transferring and stacking device and a stack-handling system enabling an indexing of counted bag stacks. The transferring device grasps and retains the bags adjacent margins transverse to the direction of web advance while at least a portion of the opposed margins parallel to such directions are spaced inwardly from the arms to define a slot or gap thru which stack-retaining fingers project contributing to remove a bag from a pair of arms and retaining the bag in a stack wherein respective margins overlie each other. Also disclosed is a stack-handling system having the ability to remove a completed stack from the stacking station and yet allow, if desired, continuous bag machine operation and, as a result, uninterrupted transfer of sheets or bags to the stacking stations.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rotary vacuum arm bag or sheet transferring and stacking device and a stack-handling system enabling an indexing of counted bag stacks. The transferring device grasps and retains the bags adjacent margins transverse to the direction of web advance while at least a portion of the opposed margins parallel to such direction are spaced inwardly from the arms to define a slot or gap thru which stack-retaining fingers project contributing to remove a bag from a pair of arms and retaining the bag in a stack wherein respective margins overlie each other. Also disclosed is a stack-handling system having the ability to remove a completed stack from the stacking station and yet allow, if desired, continuous bag machine operation and, as a result, uninterrupted transfer of sheets or bags to the stacking stations.

Abstract: A transport system (10) for transporting a litter carrier (40) from one location onboard a first ship to a second location onboard another ship includes a retractable boom (12) having a stationary member (16) and a telescoping member (18) slidably engaged therein. Boom (12) also includes a hoist unit (28) which is operatively connected through a hoist cable (34) to carrier (40) to cause movement thereof. Carrier (40) includes acoustic rangefinders (50) and contact detectors (52) which are electrically coupled to a control circuit (60) located onboard one of the vessels through internal electrical conductors in hoist cable (34). Rangefinders (50) generate signals indicative of the distance between carrier (40) and a selected one of the ships. Contact detectors (52) provide signals which indicate whether carrier (40) is in transit or has landed onto a ship.

Abstract: A multi-level transport truck apparatus, particularly suitable for use with trucks that release contents through rearward tilting of the container portion, having a main container portion divided into at least upper and lower container portions by plate members insertable within u-shaped channels within the main container and defining seperate container spaces. There is further provided rear door members corresponding to each of the container spaces for selectively dumping the contents of each of the spaces depending if the doors are secured or unsecured. Further, there are identification tags on each door member indicating the contents of each container space, with each tag removeable as the contents of the space is changed.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in a system of containerized handling of fish onboard an ocean-going vessel. Fish are stored in closely stacking containers within the hold of the fishing vessel and are cyclically removed from within the hold to working positions on the deck of the vessel, where they are charged with fish and ice and returned to storage positions, by the cooperative use of an in-hold travelling hoist adapted to move a selected plurality of containers to and from chosen position within the hold compartment without disturbing other containers and an above-deck conveying system operable to convey the plurality of containers between a position inside the hold compartment directly below the hatchway through the deck overlying the hold compartment and a selected working position on the deck.

Abstract: A device and method for removing and reinstalling tube bundles from and into heat exchanger shells. The device features a portable base with a pivotally mounted vertical telescoping column. A bundle support member is movably attached to one side near the top of the telescoping column. A carriage which is connected to the tube bundle is driven along the bundle support member thereby extracting or inserting the tube bundle. An off-loading mechanism comprising a pair of telescoping masts pivotally mounted to the bundle support member and having a boom pivotally mounted at the top of said masts can be used to transfer a tube bundle from the bundle support member to an adjacent bundle dolly. The masts feature a linkage which is attached to the boom thereby pivoting the boom as the telescoping masts are raised or lowered.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for separating sheets or plates from a bundle and for placing said sheets or plates spaced-apart on a support rack. The bundle of sheets or plates is inclined to a position causing the sheets or plates to slide relative to each other by gravity and to abut at their lower edge on a substantially horizontal surface. The bundle of sheets or plates is subsequently erected to an approximate vertical position causing the sheets or plates to separate at their bottom. The sheets or plates are then separated at their top by means of a "comb" member, and a rack provided with support and separating pins is lifted into engagement with the bottom of the spaced-apart sheets or plates. The apparatus may be used in reverse for rebundling spaced-apart sheets or plates.

Abstract: The spent anodes to be stacked are vertically suspended by their lugs to hooks.The anodes are lifted from the hooks and then rotated alternately 90.degree. and -90.degree. around a horizontal axis; the rotated anodes are lowered to a lower position wherein they are released; the released anodes form a pile on a support positioned under said lower position; and the support is lowered in such a way that the top of the anode pile being formed on it remains under said lower position.

Abstract: A method is provided for conveying container ends en masse wherein the container ends are first placed in stacks of substantially equal height. These stacks are conveyed by conventional air conveying means through an accumulator which includes air mass conveyor table which has a top cover spaced above the top of the stacks of container ends at a height which is less than the overlap of the nested container ends so that the container ends remain in their respective stacks when subjected to lateral forces. These container end stacks can be brought into single file by air conveying single filing technology at the outlet of the accumulator.

Abstract: A machine for stacking bundles of signatures and like products supplied in a continuous flow with their backs oriented in the same direction is provided by this invention. The machine comprises a support frame, a substantially horizontal endless conveyor supported by the frame having an input end for supplying the products to be stacked and an output end of loading the stacked products, and a platform for rotating an individual product. The platform is mounted rotatably on the frame about a vertical axis passing through the conveyor, and is translatable along the axis between a lowered position of substantial alignment with the plane of the conveyor, and a raised position in which the products on the conveyor can pass beneath the platform.

Abstract: A travelling service device of a yarn processing machine is equipped with a bobbin magazine for receiving a multitude of sticks of conical bobbin tubes which are telescopically nested within one another. The magazine includes a conveyor belt which extends along and can be moved in an endless path and which carries a multitude of bounding elements which bound respective compartments, each for receiving one of the sticks for movement with the belt. At a predetermined location of the endless path, there is provided an arrangement for removing the respective stick from the associated compartment, and for transferring such stick to an arrangement for separating the individual tubes from the stick for subsequent feeding to the respective station of the machine. The compartments may be arranged so that their axes extend normal to the trajectory of movement of the travelling service device, in whic case the removing arrangement includes an arrangement for turning te stick through 90.degree.

Abstract: The off loading of bulk particulate cargo from self unloading ships creates considerable dust. A self erecting canopy arrangement is described which connects between a ship's boom and a dockside hopper and which can adjust to sudden movement of the boom created by the effect of wind and waves on the ship. The canopy comprises a pliant skirt and resilient, self supporting means such as an inflatable framework for supporting the skirt.

Abstract: A lifter-carrier for lifting and carrying cylindrical objects such as hay bales on two booms adapted to slide under the curved sides of at least one cylindrical object. The booms are raisable to a position above the ground to carry the objects on wheels under the booms and under a towing assembly which can be a tractor or truck.