Abstract: A transport device for transporting upright containers arranged in a single row, comprising a first clamping belt and a second clamping belt, between which the containers arranged in a single row are held and transported, and at least one first rotary cylinder and one second rotary cylinder, around which the containers held by the clamping belts are transported. The containers and the clamping belts are guided one after the other around the at least two rotary cylinders in such a way that the containers are each pressed against the respective rotary cylinder by the radially outer clamping belt.

Abstract: A transfer system for removing articles from trays includes a supply conveyor and a discharge conveyor A separation and transfer arrangement, including an article transport member, is interposed between a downstream end of the supply conveyor and an upstream end of the article discharge conveyor. The article transport member. Which may be a vacuum conveyor, acts on an upper end defined by each article to suspend the articles therebelow, and advances the articles from the downstream end of the supply conveyor to the upstream end of the discharge conveyor, which are at generally the same elevation. A tray transport member extends from the downstream end of the supply conveyor, and advances the trays downwardly in an upstream-to-downstream direction so that the trays are positioned below the upstream end of the discharge conveyor as the articles are deposited on the upstream end of the discharge conveyor by the article transport member.

Abstract: A roller assembly for use in a conveyor system is disclosed. The roller assembly includes a shaft and a roller rotatably mounted to the shaft. In one embodiment, the roller is made of ultra-high molecular weight plastic. Each roller has first and second ends. The roller assembly further includes a first collar and a second collar mounted on the shaft. The first collar is positioned at the first end of the roller and the second collar is positioned at the second end of the roller. Each collar is selectably affixable to the shaft so as to hold the roller in a fixed position along the length of the shaft.

Abstract: Method of adjusting and tracking an conveyor belt arranged around at least two rotatable drums, the belt having a direction of travel along its length and orthogonally an axis of the at least two drums, whereby the adjustment of the belt is made by displacing at least one of the drums sideways seen in the direction of travel of the belt and thus the belt so that the belt directly gets into a desired position. A conveyor belt tracking arrangement, the drums are arranged with their axles in a frame and at least one drum is arranged with its axle in a pivot frame and the pivot frame is in turn adjustably arranged in the frame, and movable by means of a drum moving force, which in turn makes the whole drum, with the belt, to move with the pivot frame around a pivot point provided in an orthogonal plane along the centre of the belt seen in the direction of the belt at a distance from the drum, so that the belt is directly moved to a desired position.

Abstract: An overhead conveyor system with an elongate box girder (9) having a first inner space with rails (12) and a second elongate inner space comprising an endless driven drive element (5, 6) is provided with at least one carrier (14, 14?) adapted to run on said rails (12) wherein said carrier is provided with an elongated body (C) supporting at least one friction driver (15), wherein said at least one friction driver is in the form of a friction arm assembly (19) with an upper end (20), a lower end (21) and an intermediate portion (22) between said upper and lower ends, said upper end comprising a friction shoe (25) adapted to be pressed upwards by the force of gravity towards engagement with the drive element (5) so as to transfer drive to the carrier.

Abstract: A transport system for transporting capsules within a machine for preparing capsules for producing capsules. Housings, wherein each housing is configured to house a capsule for producing beverages, and wherein the housings comprise at least a first housing for holding a first capsule and a second housing for holding a second capsule, wherein the second capsule is different in size and/or shape from the first capsule. Seats are configured to receive one of the housings with each seat configured to receive either the first housing or the second housing. An extractor extracts the first housing from a seat in which it is received. An insertor inserts the second housing into the seat. A machine for preparing capsules for producing beverages in which such a transport system is implemented is also presented.

Abstract: The temporary store has circulating continuous chains on both sides of the product conveyor section, said continuous chains running through vertical chain loops via upper and lower deflections. Product carrier gondolas with product carriers are suspended on the chains, said product carriers being used to receive incoming products and convey the products to a product outlet. Each chain runs through an inlet-side and an outlet-side vertical loop. The upper deflections of the chain loops can be moved vertically in opposite directions.

Abstract: A brake mechanism for a brake caster is disclosed. In various embodiments, the brake mechanism includes a shaft; a guide plate having a roller; and a slider plate having a first axial facing surface with a slider plate trough and a slider plate peak, the slider plate configured to slide on the shaft in response to the roller interacting with the slider plate trough and the slider plate peak.

Abstract: A material-conveying system comprises a main conveyor for conveying material, a swing conveyor for conveying the material to the main conveyor and a processor for controlling a speed of the swing conveyor based on a feedback signal. The feedback signal may be indicative of a speed of the swing conveyor and/or a speed of a main conveyor. The feedback signal may be indicative of material level, belt slippage, flow rate, belt angle and/or material rollback.

Abstract: A discrete conveyance unit for blueberries and similar fruit or vegetable products that can be installed in series along a processing line for blueberries, or similar fruit or vegetable products, includes a central plate, which can be moved cyclically along at least one portion of the line. The unit further includes a plurality of axially symmetrical supporting elements which are coupled to respective opposite lateral edges of the plate. Each adjacent pair of elements defines a respective support and accommodation seat for a corresponding blueberry, or similar fruit or vegetable product, so as to allow its discrete conveyance along the at least one portion of the line.

Abstract: A machine includes a frame having a first frame member selectively coupled to a second frame member. The machine also includes an alignment and connection assembly including a protrusion coupled to the first frame member. The protrusion is receivable within the second frame member to align the first frame member with the second frame member. The alignment and connection assembly also includes a fastener coupled to the protrusion. The fastener is operable to secure the first frame member relative to the second frame member.

Abstract: An end unit (100) for a conveyor (1000) for use in a stage assembly comprises a first frame (110) installable in the stage assembly and a second frame (120). The second frame (120) comprises a rotatable body (130) for supporting a conveyor belt (300), and is arranged to pivot with respect to the first frame (110), so as to open in a direction transverse to a direction of motion of the conveyor belt (300). An intermediate unit (200) for a conveyor (1000) for use in a stage assembly is configured to be disposed between a pair of end units (100), and comprises a first frame (210) installable in the stage assembly and a second frame (220) comprising a support surface (223) for supporting a conveyor belt (300). The second frame (220) is pivotally attached to the first frame (210), so as to open in a direction transverse to a direction of motion of the conveyor belt (300). A conveyor (1000) comprises a pair of end units (100), and optionally one or more of the intermediate units (200).

Abstract: A conveyor belt cleaner system comprising a platen positioned transversely of the conveyor belt; a steam chamber transversely disposed over a first portion of the conveyor belt, the steam chamber including a tubular steam header; a vacuum chamber adjacent the steam chamber and disposed over a second portion of the conveyor belt, the vacuum chamber having an outlet connectable to a source of vacuum; a first wiper in wiping contact with the conveyor belt defining an entrance to the steam chamber; a second wiper having a discontinuous wiping surface defining a septum between the vacuum and steam chambers; a third wiper defining an exit from the vacuum chamber; and apparatus including a rotatable bolt cooperative with the steam header to vary the width of steam application from the steam header onto the conveyor belt in accordance with a width of conveyor belt presented to the conveyor belt cleaner system.

Abstract: A shoe sorter is described. The shoe sorter can include a switch plate that supports movement of a shoe pin of a pusher shoe, a finger, and an actuation arm. In some examples, the finger can be configured to be moved in a first direction in response to a portion of the shoe pin contacting a portion of the finger. The actuation arm can be pivotably engaged to the finger so that a movement of the finger in the first direction can cause a movement of the actuation arm in a second direction. In this regard, the actuation arm in the second direction can cause a change in a signal outputted by the photoelectric sensor coupled to the shoe sorter. This change in the signal can be used by a processor to determine that the shoe pin is misaligned.

Abstract: A mail processing system utilizes a conveyor to shingle or de-shingle mailpieces as they move through the processing system and utilizes belts to move the mailpieces. A first shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece to overlap with a second mailpiece to create shingled mailpieces. A second shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece away from a second mailpiece to de-shingle them to create singulated mailpieces. A camera takes images of the mailpieces in the conveyor and image analysis software is used to determine dimensional aspects of the mailpieces that are used to control the belt speeds to move mailpieces with respect to each other. A mail processing system may include a mail processing station that scans addresses, applies postage and/or weighs the mailpieces. Mail may be de-shingled prior to being weighed and then re-shingled for subsequent processing, or mail may be shingled prior to passing through a scale if weighing is not necessary.

Abstract: A device is adapted to be coupled to a conveyor system and recondition at least one chain of the conveyor system. The device includes a base and at least one attachment element coupled to the base. The attachment element is adapted to detachably couple the device to the conveyor system. At least one reconditioning element is coupled to the base, and the reconditioning element is adapted to engage and recondition the chain as the chain moves relative to the reconditioning element. At least one biasing element is coupled to the reconditioning element, and the biasing element urges the reconditioning element away from the base and into engagement with the chain.

Abstract: A method for formatting food products on a conveyor device includes a) receiving the food products in a plurality of parallel conveyor tracks, some of which include product gaps; b) outputting the food products into the parallel conveyor tracks in a specific product format; c) detecting the product supply in the conveyor tracks incoming on the input side individually for each of the conveyor tracks; and d) filling the product gaps in the conveyor tracks with food products, so that on the output side all of the parallel conveyor tracks are supplied with the food products. The product gaps are also filled with food products from a product buffer in that at least one of the food products is transferred from the product buffer to the conveyor track only when an odd number of product gaps exist in one of the conveyor tracks.

Abstract: The invention relates to a conveyor belt arrangement of a material processing device having a conveyor belt (20) and a receiving and adjustment mechanism for adjusting the conveyor belt between a transport position and a working position. To this end, the conveyor belt is mounted on bearing elements (40, 60), which are rotatably connected to receiving elements (30, 50) of the receiving and adjusting mechanism. According to the invention, the receiving elements are each coupled to a pivot bearing each having a pivot axis (30.1, 50.1) for the pivotable attachment to the material processing device, and at least one bearing element is connected to the conveyor belt in a linearly adjustable manner, and/or between the conveyor belt and the pivot bearing of at least one receiving element, a compensating mechanism is provided, by means of which a spacing change between the bearing elements can be compensated for.

Abstract: A system for processing fruit or vegetable products of the type of blueberries and the like, includes a first unit, in its turn having in series at least one loading station, at least one pre-sizing station, at least one pre-selection station and at least one first alignment station. The system further includes a second unit, in its turn having in series at least one second alignment station, at least one optical sizing station and at least one distribution station. Each of the first unit and the second unit has dimensions and space occupation compatible with its accommodation and transport in a single container.

Abstract: An upstream-side guidance part 400 is provided with plural upstream-side guidance members 410 guiding disc-shaped members 300. A downstream-side guidance part 500 is provided with plural downstream-side guidance members 510 guiding the disc-shaped members 300. The positions of the upstream-side guidance members 410 in the circumferential direction of the disc-shaped member 300 are different from the positions of the downstream-side guidance members 510 in the circumferential direction of the disc-shaped member 300, and at least one of the upstream-side guidance part 400 and the downstream-side guidance part 500 is able to move forward and backward with respect to the other.