Abstract: A slat conveyor comprises a plurality of transverse slat units interconnected by links at the sides of the conveyor to form an endless chain-like structure mounted on sprockets at the ends of the conveyor, the slat units being fitted with rollers which roll along endless tracks. Each slat unit comprises a thin elongated plate having the longitudinal margins bent through an angle in excess of 90.degree. to form an inverted channel-shaped slat member and two side plates secured one in each side of the slat member. Each side plate is fitted with two locating studs and an axle spindle. Each slat unit is connected to an adjacent slat unit by two of the links arranged one on each side of the conveyor, each link having two bores which receive the studs on the associated side of one slat unit as a close fit and a third bore which receives the axle shaft on the associated side of the adjacent slat unit as a rotational fit.

Abstract: An accumulator conveyor having a load support frame defined by side rails each having a series of idler wheels, the load support frame defining a load support plane adapted to support a series of loads along its length. A shuttle frame is reciprocable relative to, and preferably supported by, the load support frame. The shuttle frame carries a series of pusher bars spaced one from the other to define a series of load stations along the conveyor's length. A novel drive mechanism reciprocates the shuttle frame, and therefor the pusher bar assemblies, relative to the stationary load support frame, for indexing any load on the load support frame from an upstream station to an adjacent downstream station. The conveyor also includes a novel station lock out system which causes the pusher bar of a station to be latched down beneath the support plane of the load in that station when loads are parked in all stations downstream therefrom.

Abstract: A variable speed conveyor drive system, which is programmable to suit various operating conditions; comprises a master drive unit (7) having a drive motor (16), at least one slave drive unit (8-10, 14, 15) having a drive motor (16), a monitor and control unit (23), a control loop (24, 26, 27, 37, 58) from the master drive unit (7) to the monitor and control unit (23), a multiplexer (25) with a master outlet (26) and a slave outlet (27) for each slave drive unit (8-10, 14, 15), the master multiplexer outlet (27) being connected to the master drive unit (7) to form a part of the control loop (24, 26, 27, 37, 58), whereby all motors (16) share the load at a pre-programmed level at any speed of operation, and each slave multiplexer outlet (27) having an individually adjustable and programmable time delay operable both before start-up and during running of the conveyor (1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a side scraper which serves for the discharge of loose material from a heap of loose material and in which the free space between the surface of the heap to be cleared and the upper face of the scraper scoops is covered by a support element. In this way the mound of material which forms in the lower region of the heap on the cutting side of the scraper conveyor in the known constructions is avoided.

Abstract: A tray positioning arrangement for delivery system in which a tray is formed of a casing opened at its top and an article receptacle member accommodated therein and having plural article holding pits. The article receptacle member has abutment portions and the casing has openings at its positions corresponding to the abutment portions of the article receptacle member so as to allow a positioning device directly act on the article receptacle member through the openings of the casing and the abutment portions of the article receptacle member.

Abstract: An apparatus for tipping a bucket carried by a conveyor chain around a circuit to empty the contents thereof at a predetermined location. The apparatus is characterized by providing a dwell time to the bucket in its inverted position as the bucket is rotated 360 degrees around a fixed pivot degrees to permit complete emptying of the buckets. The apparatus comprises a sprocket mounted concentric with the pivot about which the bucket rotates and fixed for rotation with the bucket. The sprocket has a plurality of radially outwardly-extending uniformly spaced-apart projections and at least one space on the sprocket defined by the absence of a projection. An elongate rack is positioned adjacent the chain at the bucket tipping position and has sprocket engaging portions thereon positioned in engaging alignment with the projections of the sprocket as the bucket passes, thereby to arrest rotation of the bucket while the bucket is in its inverted position to permit the contents to empty entirely.

Abstract: A conveyor assembly for use with conveyor belt systems of the type utilizing articulated links having downwardly extending opposed feet. The conveyor assembly includes a guide ramp for supporting the conveyor belt and guiding it to a drive sprocket. The guide ramp has a horizontal leading end and a downwardly inclined trailing end. The opposed feet of the conveyor belt are supported within a clearance between two sides of the guide ramp. Due to the incline on the ramp the drive sprocket may be lowered allowing implementation of a coverplate at the same height as the main, horizontal section of the conveyor belt. Use of this coverplate protects the operator and prevents items being transported on the conveyor belt from falling into the drive bed of the conveyor assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus for delivering singularized stacks of paper sheets to a packing machine has a first conveyor which intermittently receives groups of several abutting stacks and is intermittently driven by a variable-speed electric motor to advance the groups onto the individual endless bands of a gathering conveyor which serves to accumulate the groups into a row of abutting stacks ready to be singularized and delivered to the packing machine. The bands of the gathering conveyor are normally driven at a constant speed by a prime mover which further drives a first encoder serving to transmit a first signal whenever the bands cover a unit distance. A second encoder generates second signals whenever the motor is on and the first conveyor covers the same unit distance. The motor can also drive the bands at a speed higher than that at which the bands can be driven by the prime mover whenever the speed of the first conveyor exceeds the speed of the bands.

Abstract: A collapsible conveyor comprises a frame supporting a plurality of rollers and a support structure comprising a pair of legs pivotally secured to the frame. The conveyor also includes braces which extend between the frame and the legs and maintain stability of the legs in their extended position. Each leg comprises a first member slidably receiving a second member therein. The second member includes an inclined surface which tapers towards an opposite surface downwardly towards the lower portion of the inserted leg member. A locking plate is pivotally secured to the first leg member adjacent the inclined surface, and is abutted against the upper leg member by a bolt threadably engaged within a mounting plate secured to the hollow leg member.

Abstract: A runway for a conveyor whereby a transporting pallet which straddles the runway is floated in the air by air discharged from the runway and is conveyed by a linear motor provided in the runway. Air ducts to supply air to the upper part of the runway are provided symmetrically. Compressed air discharged upwardly and sideways from nozzle holes at the upper part of the runway floats the transporting pallet which runs above and along the runway by operation of the linear motor. The runway having open spaces for air ducts and an open space for installation of linear motors is made by extrusion from a metallic mold.

Abstract: The can transporting device transports the cans by using rails which are driven synchronously by crank drives. In one embodiment, the cans rest on a floorplate while the rails are moved so as to transport the cans in a forward step-wise manner along the floorplate. In non-linear arrangements, straight rails are jointed to each other by curved rails. In this embodiment, an additional crank drive is provided to support the outer curved rail for vertical movement. The transport direction of the cans can be selected through selection of the direction of rotation of a gear motor which drives the transmission for the crank drives.

Abstract: This invention concerns a device (10) to count bars which is suitable for performing the counting with counter (16) to count bars (11) arranged even in heaps on a conveyor (12). The device (10) includes in cooperation a guide funnel (14) which ables to arrange at least one end of such bars (11) in an ordered manner, and withdrawal device (15) which withdraws at least such ordered ends of such bars (11) one by one from the guide funnel (14).

Abstract: In order to achieve the ability to negotiate curves, the toothed-belt-like conveyor belt is formed in the plane of the conveyor belt by plates, which consist of a rigid, hard plastic, are at a distance from each other in the longitudinal direction of the belt and have a driving cog molded to their underside. Along the center line of the belt, the plates are connected together by a narrow rib, which is molded to the underside of the plates, is continuous in the longitudinal direction of the belt, stands out from the underside of the plates, consists of a soft, rubberlike, elastically deformable plastic, and contains an embedded tensional reinforcement.

Abstract: Apparatus for wrapping shrinkable plastic labels about bottles as they are moved in a single file. As the bottles exit the wrapping machine, they are resting on a moving belt conveyor which is driven in the direction of a heat shrinking tunnel. In order to have the bottles, with the labels applied, pass through a circulating hot air, infrared tunnel in properly spaced intervals to assure proper shrinkage of the tubular labels, a spacing device in the form of a bottle side-engaging set of brushes is used. The brushes have their bristles extending horizontally across the path of movement of the bottles on the conveyor. The bottles are actually pushed at the speed of the labeling machine through the gap between the brushes and therefore the bottles are released by the brushes at equally spaced time intervals and thus become equally spaced on the moving conveyor belt that carries them to the heat shrink tunnel.

Abstract: In the packaging industry finished packing containers are frequently transported by means of chain conveyors between different machines or handling points. A reorientation of the packing containers, e.g. from a horizontal to a vertical position, may then be required. To achieve this, an arrangement may be included as an integrated part on a conveyor, making use of the chain and drive elements of the conveyor. The chain is then led with the help of pulleys on a path which is such that several parts of the chain, while successively changing position, travel close to the packing container conveyed so that the latter during its advance through the arrangement is reorientated from a horizontal to vertical position.

Abstract: This invention relates to improvements in reciprocating floor conveyors. A problem with some reciprocating floor conveyors is that they are not capable of being mounted in relatively narrow spaces. This invention divides the hydraulic drive assembly into two small size assemblies, each of which is capable of being mounted into a relatively narrow space. In each assembly, piston rod portions (42, 45, 44, 48) of two linear hydraulic motors (16, 20, 18, 22) are connected at their opposite ends to two spaced apart transverse frame members (50, 52, 54, 56). A cylinder (84) is driven back and forth along each piston rod (42, 46, 44, 48). Two transverse drive beams (24, 28, 26, 30) are provided. Each drive beam (24, 28, 26, 30) is directly connected to an associated one of the cylinders (84). The transverse drive beams (24, 28) of the first assembly are connected to the first and third set of floor slat members (40).

Abstract: A pallet is releasably attached to a car which is stopped automatically at a work station in a coarse alignment with a robotic system at the work station. A movable plate, which tends to be distorted from a given shape, is releasably secured to the car and lifted from the car at the work station, aligned in the desired fine alignment during the lifting and then clamped in place relative to a reference plane in the fine alignment relative to the robotic system to remove the distortion. The plate is later dropped by gravity onto the car in a given alignment therewith for transfer to the next work station which repeats the fine alignment and distortion removal action.

Abstract: A feed conveyor delivers bulk material which is transferred to a belt conveyor by a loading device. The loading device consists of a feed screw in a feed screw casing and imparts to the bulk material a motional component in the direction of travel of the belt conveyor. The discharge opening of the loading device is provided in the circumferential surface of the feed screw casing and is facing the conveyor belt and extends along it, such that the bulk material is discharged as a layer of material on the conveyor belt.

Abstract: In a cigarette packeting machine, the formation of groups of cigarettes to be packeted disposed in superposed layers of which at least one is incomplete in that it lacks at least one intermediate cigarette. The cigarettes of the incomplete layer being kept in position, inside a formation and advancement pocket for the relative group, by the cigarettes of an immediately upper complete layer which are fed into the pocket so that they become disposed quincuncially to the cigarettes of the incomplete layer.

Abstract: A robot comprises a plurality of arms connected in series and articulated with one another so as to cooperatively move along a horizontal plane. A plurality of drive units are connected to rotate one arm relative to another around respective vertical axes. Each drive unit has an outer cylindrical frame from which one arm horizontally extends, and an inner cylindrical bracket from which another arm horizontally extends, the inner cylindrical bracket being coaxially disposed within and rotatable relative to the outer cylindrical frame. A drive motor is fixedly mounted within the inner cylindrical bracket and has a rotatable output shaft extending along the vertical axis. A reduction gear unit is interconnected between the drive motor output shaft and the inside of the outer cylindrical frame and transmits the rotational movement of the output shaft to the inner cylindrical bracket at a reduced rate so that the inner cylindrical bracket rotates around the vertical axis relative to the outer cylindrical frame.