Abstract: An escalator system comprises an endless loop of chain links extending between two landings, a plurality of steps pivotally connected to the chain link loop, a guide rail system for guiding the steps, and a drive means for driving the chain link along the chain link loop with the steps thereon. At least one of the escalator steps comprises a step main body pivotally connected to a chain link loop and guided by a guide rail system, and a drop-down portion pivotally mounted to the main body and movable between a horizontal position in which the main body and the drop-down portion together forms a usual step tread and a drop-down position in which the drop-down portion is dropped down for allowing a wheel chair to be carried on the steps.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a tube belt conveyor in which a flat belt (1) is like a helically seamed tube at least over the length of its transporting part. Tubularity of the belt (1) has been achieved by winding the flat belt helically to be tubular about its longitudinal axis and by disposing the helically seamed tube between the bending drum (3) and traction drum (5) of the conveyor. The helical configuration is produced and maintained by the aid of roller sets (7 and 9). In the helically seamed tube belt it is possible, if desired, to make bends by means of bending roller sets (8). It is possible to transport material with the tube belt conveyor in different planes between the horizontal plane and the vertical plane.

Abstract: A storing installation for carrying a number of helically extending turns of an endless conveyor belt laid upon one another in a pile, where the various belt turns in the pile are supported by one another, comprises two endless chains which are arranged under the belt pile, support the two edge portions of the belt and are carried by supports, said chains being each adapted, after the ingoing or outgoing lower part of the conveyor belt, to follow the belt in its rise throughout a complete revolution, whereupon it travels in a direction opposite to the rise of the conveyor belt in a path beside said revolution so as to form the endless chain.

Abstract: A plurality of machine tools are disposed along a circulating conveyor transporting materials to be processed by the machine tools, and material selector subsystems associated with the respective machine tools are provided together with a load/unload command subsystem. The material selector subsystems exchange information therebetween to track materials loaded on the conveyor under command of the load/unload command subsystem so as to reserve materials requested by the individual machine tools. Each of the reserved materials is unloaded from the conveyor under command of the load/unload command subsystem as soon as it arrives at the position of the corresponding machine tool.

Abstract: Two cigarette making machines discharge discrete files of coaxial plain cigarettes which are moved axially in parallel guides, and successive foremost cigarettes in each guide are engaged and accelerated by a discrete rotating cam which propels the cigarettes into the oncoming axially parallel peripheral flutes of a rotating drum-shaped conveyor. Each flute receives a cigarette from each of the two guides and the distance between a pair of neighboring flutes on the conveyor exceeds the distance between the two files of cigarettes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for orienting substantially identical containers. Each container has a base for supporting the container. Each container is asymmetrical in a plane substantially perpendicular to the respective base. The apparatus includes a longitudinal conveyor for moving the containers from one end of a frame to the other. A first turning assembly is mounted on the frame to turn the containers relative to the longitudinal conveyor to arrange the containers in an attitude wherein the asymmetrical plane of each container is parallel to the direction of movement. An attitude detector apparatus is positioned adjacent to the discharge end of the first turning assembly and detects the attitude of containers discharged. A second turning assembly rotates the containers discharged from the first turning assembly 90.degree. either clockwise or counterclockwise in response to a signal from the attitude detector to align all of the containers in the same attitude.

Abstract: An arrangement for conveying of materials on conveyer rollers is disclosed in which the rollers are arranged sequentially one behind the other and the ends are supported in bearings in carrying brackets. The roller shafts are driven, each roller shaft is furnished with a torque transmitter, and the roller shafts are prevented from axial shifting by way of the bearings. At least one carrying bracket is divided, into two parts, at the horizontal central plane of the roller shaft bearing, thereby providing an upper part and a lower part. Dish-like recesses are arranged in the upper part and the lower part, at a distance to one another and in sequence one behind the other, with each recess serving to receive a pertaining roller-shaft bearing.

Abstract: A belt system of the type having a transparent belt entrained about a pair of support rollers which includes an improved alignment apparatus having a plurality of opaque flags positioned along an edge of the belt and shaped to taper in a transverse dimension, an encoder for detecting movement of the belt about the rollers and generating a signal proportional in frequency to the speed of the belt, a fixed photodetector which senses the passage of a portion of the flag through a narrow window so that the time of passage is determined by the position of the belt and flag relative to the sensor, an adjusting roller actuated by a stepper motor which laterally positions the belt relative to the support rollers, and a microprocessor which determines the position of the belt from the number of pulses generated during a period of time in which the sensor detects the passage of a flag and actuates the stepper motor to position the tracking roller to shift the belt laterally in response to the number of pulses counted.

Abstract: A moving staircase is disclosed wherein along the circulating path of a number of conventional tread boards thereof which are articulated together in an endless fashion at least one pair of specifically constituted tread boards are disposed between any two conventional tread boards so as to be articulated thereto. The specifically constituted tread boards each have substantially the same configuration as that of the conventional tread board and are articulated one behind the other in the circulating direction of the conventional tread boards. The rear one is provided with a movable footboard so as to be moved up and down relative thereto, the movable footboard being adapted to be normally locked to the rear one of the specifically constituted tread boards by a lock means provided therein.

Abstract: A reciprocating linear drive for conveyors and like applications including a pair of cars mounted for translation on associated tracks. A reversible motor is coupled by a drive chain to the drive car for translating the drive car selectively in either direction through a defined drive stroke. An endless chain loop on the drive car is coupled by sprockets to revolve in one complete cycle during one stroke of the drive car. The conveyor car is coupled by a drag link to the chain loop to obtain uniform velocity of the conveyor car during an intermediate portion of the stroke and terminating in smooth cycloidal acceleration and deceleration at opposing ends of the drive stroke. In one embodiment, a pickup car is carried by the conveyor car and is selectively coupled by rack and pinion assemblies to the drive car for imparting continued motion of the drive car to the pickup car at ends of the stroke when the conveyor car is stationary.

Abstract: The loading ramp (1) of a heading machine or longwall shearing machine has swivelable loading arms by means of which the cut material is removed onto a conveying means. The surface of the loading ramp (1) can be increased by outwardly swivelling of parts (2). The loading arms (5) are driven by using a pivotal point (6) on a rotary disc (7), noting that a further swivel point (12) is provided outwardly of the circle described by a rotary pivotal point (6) on the rotary disc. The loading arm (5) is guided in a shiftable manner at the swivel point (12) and sweeps when driving the rotary disc (7) over a removal area (15, 18) defined by the relative position of the pivotal point (6) and the swivel point (12). The swivel point (12) is connected with the laterally extendable part (2) and is displaced together with the laterally extendable part (2) thus varying the removal area (15, 18).

Abstract: A bucket elevator including a bucket having a bottom wall and an integral, upwardly-extending rear wall. The bottom wall includes a longitudinal slot therein which receives one of a plurality of links of an endless link chain. A shield is provided to cover each link to inhibit product being conveyed from passing between laterally-spaced side bars of the link.

Abstract: A tracked vehicle is tethered so that as it skids on a pile of bulk material, the cleated tracks transfer the material toward the tethered end. The tethering rope hitch point on the vehicle is translatable laterally to effect controlled sideward skiding for sweeping bulk material from a wide area and is located at one end above the vehicle center of gravity so that the vehicle can be lowered by the tethering rope through narrow openings in storage chambers yet come to rest upright. The tracks comprise cleated endless belts coupled to endless wire ropes at the end pulleys by resilient rail members made of two rows of discrete blocks bolted to the belts which are wedged against the wire ropes by grooves in the pulleys so that tension induced in the wire ropes resists the lateral forces tending to cause the belts to creep along the pulleys.

Abstract: Apparatus particularly well suited for successively transferring generally flat workpieces through a series or processing stations in a transfer press. Included are a pair of transfer bars extending horizontally in parallel spaced relation to each other. Disposed adjacent one end of the transfer bar pair, a feed mechanism longitudinally reciprocates the transfer bars. A pair of clamp mechanisms and a pair of lift mechanisms, disposed adjacent the opposite ends of the transfer bar pair, move the transfer bars toward and away from each other, and up and down, respectively. The transfer bars repeats the longitudinal, transverse, and vertical motions in a prescribed sequence for work transfer through the successive press stations. The feed, clamp, and lift mechanisms are all driven by respective DC servomotors so that the longitudinal, transverse, and vertical strokes of the transfer bars ar infinitely variable.

Abstract: A deflectable pin assembly mountable on a conveyor chain for use in transporting open ended containers comprising a first elongate sleeve for supporting an open ended container thereon; a second elongate sleeve for mounting the deflectable pin assembly on a conveyor chain; connection apparatus for seating and pivotally connecting the first elongate sleeve and the second elongate sleeve; a biasing device for biasing the first sleeve in a predetermined position relative the second sleeve; the pin assembly having a biased position wherein the first sleeve is positioned in substantially coaxial relationship with the second sleeve, and having a plurality of deflected positions wherein the first sleeve is positioned in obtuse angular relationship relative the second sleeve.

Abstract: A conveyor belt cleaner having at least one blade mounted on a blade carrying member for scraping an endless conveyor belt. The blade carrying member substantially encloses and is telescopically received on an arcuately pivotal elongate support member. A plurality of rollers are located between the blade carrying member and support member for rolling the blade carrying member on and off the support member to service the conveyor belt cleaner. An adjustment mechanism is provided for arcuately shifting the support member to change the amount of pressure with which the blade engages the endless belt. The tubular support may be segmented to facilitate removal in confined areas and to permit repair by replacement of individual segments.

Abstract: Apparatus for the lateral feeding and transfer handling of successive cants into and through a wane scanning station, with subsequent adjusted-position placement on the infeed conveyor for an edger. Featured in the apparatus are a main carriage, which is driven reciprocally with what might be thought of as sinusoidal motion, and thereon a relatively moveable subcarriage which can translate, and rotate about a central upright axis, under the influence of a pair of conventional setworks. The subcarriage includes cant transport blades which directly support a cant, and which are rockable between raised and lowered positions and about axes which substantially parallel the reciprocation axis of the main carriage, all for the purpose of effecting a simple pick-up and final hand-off transfer of a cant as it travels and is scanned on the fly between intake and discharge stations. During cant transfer, there is no relative movement occurring between the cant and the structure directly supporting it.

Abstract: An accessory attachment for a conveyor has one or more straps mounted on the accessory which can be seated in openings in the side rail of the conveyor. Openings are provided at suitable intervals to permit accessory relocation along the conveyor. The lower end of the strap is inclined to form a cam finger to pull the accessory tightly against the conveyor to form a stop against further downward movement when the top of the strap engages under the wall forming the upper end of the opening in the conveyor rail to prevent unintentional upward movement. The strap has sufficient resilience to permit it to be flexed when it is desired to detach the accessory.

Abstract: An endless belt with bottomless buckets or other gripping elements bolted to its outer surface at spaced locations, has endless wire ropes each loosely received in a longitudinal bore formed in confronting faces of two rows of discrete blocks of resilient material bolted to the inner surface of the belt to form a continuous rail member. The wire ropes are firmly coupled to the endless belt as they pass around end pulleys together by the wedging action created as the tension in the endless belt pulls the associated two rows of discrete blocks which have tapered side walls down into peripheral grooves in the end pulleys which also have tapered, but slightly narrower side walls. With the belt firmly coupled to the wire ropes, radial digging forces tending to pull the belt away from the end pulleys, and lateral forces generated as the digger is advanced into a pile of bulk material on a bias which tends to cause the belt to creep laterally on the pulleys, are resisted by tension developed in the wire ropes.

Abstract: A fluid pressure operated reciprocating conveyor in the form of a pan feeder comprises a base, an elongated conveyor trough reciprocably mounted on the base, a drive cylinder connected between the base and trough, a constant volume pump, a solenoid-operated reversing valve connected between the pump and the drive cylinder to direct pressure fluid to opposite ends of the cylinder to reciprocate the trough through a stroking range in a forward stroke and in a rearward stroke at a substantially higher speed than the forward stroke. Forward and rearward limit switches connected to the reversing valve are automatically operable by the moving trough to reverse the drive cylinder at opposite ends of the stroking range.