Abstract: An escalator in which the lateral edge of each step is provided with a resilient, cleated demarcation strip. The outermost cleat of the demarcation strip is flexibly and integrally hinged to the remaining portion of the demarcation strip, and is movable from an unbiased position towards, and away from the adjacent skirt panel, to first and second stops, respectively. The first and second stops assure long life in flexure, and the first stop limits the forces which can be applied to the skirt via the cleat. In another embodiment of the invention, the surfaces of the step-skirt demarcation strips which are exposed to the passengers are provided with a surface configuration which resists sliding movement of an object towards the skirt panel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling can tops separates single layer can top grid frames from palletized stacks and loads and unloads the can tops automatically without damaging the can tops. The apparatus has five work stations interconnected by conveyors. Conveyors move the grid frames through the stations sequentially from the first station to the fifth station to depalletize or palletize can tops.

Abstract: A transfer for conveyors has a spiral shaped sweep which is rotated to cause it to engage selected articles on a conveyor and push them off laterally. The sweep is supported on and rotated by a shaft which is inclined to the vertical and toward the conveyor whereby the circular path traced by its outer end is in an inclined plane and as it moves to its retracted position it moves upwardly. As it moves across the conveyor it has a zone of maximum approach to the conveyor surface which moves across the conveyor surface and outwardly along the sweep as the sweep rotates to its maximum extended position.

Abstract: This invention provides a feed arrangement for chips in a pick-and-place machine in which a vertical magazine feeds chips into a groove in a vibrating table, with the chips being advanced toward a pick station by a gravity actuated lever which will be stopped in the event the groove is full of chips rather than causing the machine to jam or cause damage.

Abstract: A round bale loading device is provided that can be stowed in flush mounted relationship with the working surface of a flat bed vehicle. The apparatus includes a pair of cooperating bale gripper arms that are received in grooves in the flat bed surface for stowage, an extensible piston and cylinder assembly coupled to and depending from the underside of the flat bed, and linkage coupling the piston and cylinder with the gripping arms for shifting of the arms from their stowed position to an operation position wherein the arms extend outwardly in bale gripping alignment from the vehicle. The invention provides a conventional flat bed vehicle with the ability to pick up and transport round bales without detracting from the vehicle's ability to transport general purpose loads.

Abstract: A fixed quantity feed apparatus which includes a feeding device for shaping various kinds of articles such as bean sprouts, various cut vegetables, spaghetti and noodles, into the form of belt and conveying them, a weighing device for detecting that the articles which are being conveyed by the feeding device have reached a predetermined weight, and a dividing-feeding device for splitting up the belt-shaped articles when the weighing device has detected the predetermined weight, wherein the articles are divided by the fixed weight and fed to a packing device or the like, while they are continuously conveyed.

Abstract: An article handling device which is particularly well suited for loading articles into a reactor furnace for processing and subsequently unloading the processed articles. The article handling device is supported and vertically movable into alignment with the reactor furnace and includes an article moving device which is reciprocally vertically elevatable and reciprocally horizontally extensible for loading the articles into the reactor furnace and subsequent unloading thereof with minimal disturbing of the reactor process residue which is inherently deposited in the interior of the reactor furnace.

Abstract: A conveyor system has a track defining an endless path traversing a loading station and an unloading station and having a transport stretch therebetween, an annular succession of longitudinally spaced trucks riding on the track, and an endless conveyor belt extending along the track and having a pair of longitudinally extending edges one of which is suspended from every other truck and the other of which is suspended from the remaining trucks. A drive element extends along the track and engages the trucks to advance the belt in a longitudinal transport direction from the loading station through the transport stretch to the unloading station and then back to the loading station. At least one carrier is connected to the lower end of at least one hanger having an upper end releasably attachable to the belt so as to suspend the carrier from the belt in the transport stretch. The carrier can be a flat rigid pallet having corners each connected to the lower end of a respective such hanger.

Abstract: A junction diverter with a supporting surface disposed below a main conveyor path when in an inoperative position can be lifted above the main conveyor path to an inclined position in which it is flush with one or the other of a pair of lateral conveyor paths. The supporting surface consists of wheels or rollers extending upward from an inner carrier frame which at one end is pivotally connected to an outer carrier frame which at its opposite end from its connection to the inner frame is pivotally connected to a main support frame of the main conveyor path, with a jack connected to raise the outer frame from the main support frame and a second jack to raise the inner frame from the outer frame, thus tilting the supporting surface toward one or the other of the lateral conveyor paths.

Abstract: Side by side pairs of flexible rubber belts having molded driving lugs on the bottom surface and at least one row of molded cleats with a bore in each cleat on the top surface. The belts are transversely spaced apart with many transverse connecting links positioned in the cleat bores extending between the belts to form a conveying assembly. The conveying assembly is useful in drag or raddle chain conveyors in combines or in round balers to form and compress the large bales.

Abstract: Two chain conveyor systems have two sets of grouper pins mounted on flight bars at a predetermined pitch so that the pins move upwardly between articles fed through a common upper run of the chain conveyors. One chain conveyor system is driven at a speed that varies sinusoidally and is synchronized with the speed of the articles. The other chain conveyor system is driven through a differential means so that its pins move at a speed which varies oppositely to the one chain conveyor system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transferring semiautomatically cattlehides from one hide transport conveyor to a second faster moving transport conveyor.

Abstract: A vibratory apparatus is provided for depiling or unpiling a mass of particulate material. The apparatus is positioned in a recess or opening in a base, such as the ground, and particulate material piled thereover. Upon being vibrated, the apparatus delivers the material from a pile at a regulated rate onto a conveyor system for transport to a place of use. Gate means that are translationally and rotationally adjustable are provided in the discharge opening to arrest the flow of particulate material when the vibratory apparatus is not operating.

Abstract: A cylindrical goods lifting and placement apparatus comprises a platform, an angularly disposable frame pivotably connected to the platform and having a drill pipe holding system for holding a length of drill pipe. An angularly displaceable member is pivotably connected to the platform and has a cylinder and piston assembly for angularly displacing the member from a first position substantially adjacent the holding system. Drill pipe grippers are connected to the member and the grippers are rotatable on an axis from a first position to a second position substantially aligned with the holding system. A drive system for rotating the pipe grippers is provided. Similarly, a drive system for operating the grippers is provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for forming stacks of nested containers, such as cups and the like, and more particularly, an apparatus and method for isolating or separating stacks each consisting of a requisite count of isolated nested containers from a continuous supply of the containers.

Abstract: An apparatus for assembling tubes, bars, rods and other like elongated elements preparatory to bundling the same.

Abstract: A chip transporting conveyor includes a conveyor frame and an endless conveyor belt mounted on the conveyor frame and movable in circulatory motion for transporting and discharging chips at a terminal end of a conveyor zone. The endless conveyor belt having at least one magnet housing extending transversely of the endless conveyor belt. A permanent magnet body is accommodated in the magnet housing and movable therein between an attractive position in which the permanent magnet body is located adjacent to an inner wall surface of the magnet housing for attracting the chips to an attracting surface of the magnet housing while the chips are being transported and an unattractive position in which the permanent magnet body is located remotely from the inner wall surface for discharging the chips off the magnet housing when the latter is inverted around the terminal end.

Abstract: The invention relates to an insertion flap for guiding letters during their insertion into the compartments of a rotary drum. It is a question of the axial insertion into the compartment of a drum rotating at an angular velocity .OMEGA. of a letter arriving at speed v. For this purpose, a flap takes up the letter at the interface between the conveying system and the drum and the flap pivots in the rotation direction of the drum at the same angular velocity as the latter and consequently accompanies the latter, whilst increasing the available insertion time before suddenly returning to its initial position for recommencing a new cycle. This makes it possible to compensate rapid speed fluctuations of the drum and bench, whilst a calculation of the departure time for each letter makes it possible to compensate the slow speed fluctuations of the drum and bench.

Abstract: A "no-lift" container trailer is disclosed having a vertically movable roller tray with parallel rollers thereon which when tangent to the roll plane, and solely support a container thereon allow the container to be moved onto or off the trailer. A vertically movable caster tray of the trailer has fixed caster wheels thereon with their axes of rotation intersecting a vertical axis near the center of the trailer. When the wheels provide sole support for the container at the roll plane the container may be rotated about the vertical axis to any desired position. Manually operated cams are provided to sequentially move only the rollers tangent to the roll plane for supporting the container only on the rollers to move both the rollers and wheels tangent to the roll plane, and to move the rollers below the roll plane for supporting the container only on the wheels thus transferring the containers between the rollers and the wheel at the roll plane without lifting the container.

Abstract: The invention relates to a conveyor device consisting of endless chains or the like, which are adapted to be driven and which are led over end rollers, while cross-bars extend between the chains, the cross-bars carrying teeth, the path which is followed by the cross-bars with the teeth including a conveying portion and an inactive portion which is positioned lower than the conveying portion. According to the invention the inactive portion of the path comprises a stretch, which extends partly towards the conveying portion and partly away from the conveying portion. The invention further relates to an apparatus for loosening and apportioning silage or the like material provided with a storage container, which comprises a carrier conveyor and a loosening conveyor, which loosening conveyor joins this carrier conveyor and is inclined upwardly. This loosening conveyor may be executed as the conveyor device described hereinabove.