Abstract: An automatic continuously cycleable molding system wherein a plurality of mold sets are transported in predetermined timed cycles through a series of work stations wherein the various molding, curing and workpiece handling operations are accomplished, and wherein the mold sets are recirculatingly moved through the system for repeated usage.

Abstract: A preform carrier adapted to be received in the open end of a wide mouth tubular container preform for internally gripping the preform to permit carrying the preform from a heating station to a container blowing station. The carrier includes a flexible annular gripping member in the form of a gripping and sealing ring that is resiliently flexible in a radial direction, relative to the preform axis, for engaging the inner surface of the preform finish. The gripping member includes an annular sealing ridge on its outermost surface for gripping and sealing against the inner surface of the preform finish. The gripping member is of generally U-shaped configuration, and includes an inner annular U-shaped spring for urging the legs of the sealing ring outwardly to provide a gripping and sealing force against the inner surface of the preform finish.

Abstract: A log-transporting conveyor chain is described. The conveyor chain incorporates log-transporting links with attached guide blocks which, in combination with an enclosing chain raceway, prevent undesirable play in the chain.

Abstract: In a package sortation conveyor comprising an endless apron supported for movement on a frame defining a main line and one or more side outlets therefrom, and a plurality of pusher elements mounted for sliding movement on the apron from one side thereof to the other to push a package through one of the side outlets, each pusher element has a guide pin depending therefrom and an anti-friction bearing on the upper part of the guide pin for cooperation with a switching mechanism and a camming bar in such manner that when a pusher element is diverted from its rest position at one side of the apron, the bearing thereon will engage the camming bar during the balance of its travel across the apron. In addition, special guide members are provided for preventing any incompletely diverted pusher element from jamming against a stationary part of the conveyor and for preventing any pusher element from jamming against a package which has been held against forward movement on the apron.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process of linking the operation of a fabrication machine for envelopes and a conditioning machine by utilizing a movable device which in case of mal-functioning, may be short-circuited in favor of a classical system which is already present in fabrication machines for envelopes.

Abstract: A gravity conveyor chute section (10) includes a door/ledge assembly (20), having a ledge (30) which is hingedly attached to a sidewall (12) of the chute section below a side opening (16) into the chute section and first and second side supports (56, 58), which extend from side edges (32, 34) of the ledge to the chute sidewall beyond side edges (36, 38) of a front panel (18). The ledge can be moved to a laterally-extending position for forming a ledge below the side opening and to a closed position for closing the side opening. When the ledge is moved to the closed position, the side supports move along side panels (22, 24) of the sidewall beyond the first and second side edges of the front panel. A door (68) is hingedly mounted on the ledge for being selectively rotated to the laterally-extending position with the ledge and to a closed position with or without the ledge.

Abstract: The present invention provides a feeder apparatus for timber harvesters, said apparatus being intended to pull the log in for trimming and preferably featuring a three strand roller chain rotating around a turning wheel and a cog wheel with log grabbing members attached to the outer plates to the roller links of the roller chain. It is the intention of the present invention to realize a track-operated feeder apparatus simpler yet sturdier than conventional designs. In a feeder apparatus in accordance with invention, the chain is powered by a cog wheel driving the center strand of roller links, and all strands of roller links are supported essentially for a grab length sufficient to provide a firm contact to the logs by rolling beds supporting the rollers.

Abstract: A bag turner for rotating a bag having a front and side surface and moving along a path on a conveyor. The bag turner has a bag turning wheel having an axis of rotation substantially normal to the plane of the conveyor and offset to the side of the path of the bags. The wheel has a first and second radial member. Each the radial member extends from a hub on an axis in a horizontal plane to form a substantially right angle. The radial members engage a bag moving on the conveyor turn the bag as the wheel turns. A means for raising the bag turning wheel to permit free passage of the bags on the conveyor is provided.

Abstract: A precision indexing conveyor for moving workpieces incrementally along a longitudinal pathway from work station to work station, has a pair of in-line sprockets provided at opposite ends of a frame. An endless conveyor, comprising longitudinally spaced apart workpiece carriers mounting on a series of prestretched equal length, flexible, spirally wound cable links having precisely longitudinally spaced apart, rigid pins fixed to their ends at locations such as to provide a common cable length at a time when the cables are all under a predetermined common tensile load, is trained around the sprockets. A drive drives the conveyor in increments of revolution punctuated by periods of dwell sufficient for a work operation to be performed at the work stations and the mechanism maintains a predetermined tensile load on the conveyor substantially equal to the load applied to the cables when the pins are fixed thereto.

Abstract: A plug-in tubular carrier pin is provided for a chain assembly. The pin is larger in diameter than conventional carrier pins and has a plug pin insertable into one end of a cylindrical body being held in place by a crimp in the cylindrical body. A rounded nose is either integrally formed with the cylindrical body or inserted into the end opposite the plug pin and held in place by an additional crimp.

Abstract: A wheel turn bracket assembly is provided for an article conveying system for coupling inbound and outbound tracks of a moving surface conveyor to inbound and outbound sides respectively of a wheel turn at an angle between said tracks that can be adjustably selected depending upon the angle of the desired turn.

Abstract: A tray transfer device in which a tray carrying a bobbin is fed along a tray feeding path. The tray transfer device comprises a sliding member which slides along the tray feeding path reciprocally and engaging members which are located on the sliding member by a pitch equal to the predetermined pitch such that the trays may be pitch fed at a time by the engaging members.

Abstract: A switch track mechanism for selectively directing electronic components from a single trackway to one of a plurality of discharge or accumulator stations comprising a first fixed track sections adjacent the trackway, a second fixed track section adjacent to and downstream of the first fixed track section, movable first and second track members operatively associated with the first and second fixed track sections and each operable between first and second limit positions. The second movable track member has a plurality of track sectors disposed in an array, a plurality of accumulator stations downstream of the second track member corresponding in number to the number of track sectors, a cartridge for electronic components is mounted at each accumulator station. The movable track sections have actuable between limit positions whereby electronic components may be directed from the single trackway to a select one of the accumulator stations.

Abstract: A conveyor system for a multi-layer stream of cigarettes or the like includes a buffer reservoir (32) and a variable length elevator (12) for transferring cigarettes between a main conveyor (10) and the reservoir. The elevator (12) has a movable lower end (22,24) carrying a transfer conveyor (30) which rises and falls with the state of fill of the reservoir (32). The reservoir (32) comprises a rotatable drum (34) carrying an helical track (36). Drive devices (40,46) for the drum (34) and for the movable end (22,24) of the elevator (12) are synchronized and the conveying speed of the elevator is adjusted to compensate for movement of its lower end (22,24).

Abstract: A process for continuously forming a product having elongated members at least about one foot long which are oriented, compressed and bonded is provided, the process comprising depositing elongated members on a moving carrier with an orientation that is substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the carrier, the members being deposited on the carrier over a length of carrier that is at least as long as about one and one-half times the length of the elongated members and is at least as long as about 30 times the final thickness of the compressed, composite product.

Abstract: A sprocket and drive shaft assembly for a wide conveyor belt composed of modules pivotally connected in chain-like fashion and subject to environmentally caused fluctuations in width such as extreme temperatures. The assemlby includes a drive shaft with a polygonal cross section and a plurality of toothed sprockets each having an axial bore which slidingly engages the cross section of the shaft and permits the sprockets to move laterally in response to fluctuations in conveyor width and lateral alignment, as the rotating sprocket assembly drives the conveyor. Restraining devices such as set screws are provided on the drive shaft to prevent the sprockets from undergoing excessive axial movement (toward the ends of the drive shaft) while allowing the sprockets axial freedom to shift in response to lateral belt misalignment and width fluctuation.

Abstract: A bottle cap orienter has two rotating pin sorters, one positioned above and the other below a path over which randomly oriented bottle caps must travel. A stationary cam adjacent each sorter causes a plurality of pins at selected locations to project into the area of the path through which the bottle caps must travel. Thus, the projecting pins enter the cavity of the caps from above and below so that the caps are captured to rotate with the pin sorters. At one point in the rotation, the pins are withdrawn so that the caps are released to travel under their own inertia over a tangential path. The caps released by one of the pin sorters are inverted, so that all caps are ultimately oriented the same.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus for transferring objects to be processed, susceptible to damage, such as eggs and which includes a delivery conveyor for supplying rows of the objects successively. Adjacent to the delivery end of the delivery conveyor extend a secondary conveyor having a number of supporting stands which are fed in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the delivery conveyor. A transfer device is interposed between the delivery end of the delivery conveyor and the secondary conveyor. The transfer device has a number of object receiving stands. A row of objects delivered from the delivery conveyor is placed on the receiving stands which are temporarily stopped. Thereafter, the receiving stands with the objects thereon are accelerated so as to move in parallel with the supporting stands until they reach the same speed as the supporting stands.

Abstract: Distributive feeding apparatus for separating a plurality of articles fed to a receiving part (12) to a plurality of separated lanes has a bar conveyor (11) comprising two chains (103) with bars (104) extending therebetween and carrier elements (105) slidably mounted on the bars (104). Guide rails (106) are provided below the carrying run of the conveyor and are engaged by lugs (1055) provided on each carrying element (105). During advancement of the conveyor with articles on the carrying surfaces (1051) of the elements (105), the elements (105) are gradually slid apart, guided by the rails (106), so that the elements are directed along each lane so as to feed carried articles in those lanes for further processing.

Abstract: A bucket conveyor including self-scooping bucket elements, a support structure, and a mechanism for displacing the elements over a closed path along the support structure for conveying bulk material from a region below the structure to a region in the vicinity of the top of the support structure, the closed path having two substantially parallel reaches, each reach having a vertical portion. The support structure includes: a vertically oriented upper member extending from the region of the top of the support structure; a lower member connected to the upper member for pivotal movement relative to the upper member; and a base member connected to the lower member for pivotal movement relative to the lower member and having a longitudinal dimension which is inclined to the vertical and protrudes laterally from the structure.