Abstract: To replenish containers that are relatively inacessible and/or perform advancing or oscillating movements with thin, cut-to-size wire pieces, such as lead-in wires to be filled into hoppers of stem making machines for electric light sources related to the rate of depletion of the wires, the wires are charged in this replenishing apparatus into storage containers e.g. hoppers, which are temporarily stationary and remote from their actual working positions, and the depleted storage containers are replaced at predetermined intervals with the thus charged full containers.

Abstract: This invention is conerned with conveyors using reciprocating flights to convey material along the length of the conveyor. The conveyor consists essentially of a bed of articulated plates, a track constraining a chain adjacent a first longitudinal edge of the bed, spaced flights attached to the chain and located to extend across the bed and means for reciprocating the chain along the track. The chain is preferably made of rigid members of substantially uniform cross-section and the flights are shaped bars having one end adapted to be pivotally attached to the chain and are reduced in their height towards their free ends with the trailing edges of each flight tapered downwardly towards their bottom surfaces and inclined towards the leading edges at their free ends which ends are chamfered.

Abstract: A conveying device for transferring articles, such as pallets, between a first conveyor running in one direction and at one level and a second conveyor running in a right angular direction to the first conveyor and at a different level, wherein the article transfer is accomplished by a power operated mechanism which not only controls the movement of the article between the conveyors but also accomplishes the change in levels between the conveyors.

Abstract: A suction conveying device which has a belt conveyor and at least one vacuum chamber extending parallel to the conveyor belt characterized by an obturator engaging an upper surface of the vacuum chamber to close the opening therein when a blank is not engaged thereon. The obturator is preferably a resilient sheet of spring steel which is lifted from a position closing the openings by the movement of a blank across the opening.

Abstract: A scraper apparatus for cleaning the operating surface of an endless conveyor belt is disclosed as mounted in scraping engagement with the belt's operating surface for limited pivotal swinging movement from a belt engaging position to a safety and maintenance position. The apparatus has a biasing portion formed as a pressurized bladder carried by a support member mounted transversely of the belt which individually biases each member of an aligned series of scraper blades into continuous scraping engagement with the belt so as to locally compensate for worn belt areas and worn scraper blades or for obstructions on the belt occurring at one scraper blade without preventing or disturbing continued scraping action of the next adjacent scraper blades. Such localized biasing maintains a constant scraping pressure at each scraper blade and allows the series of scraper blades to float with the belt as it rises and sags with tension variations.

Abstract: A double chain conveyor which is adapted to run in a conveyor trough which has a trough bottom in which it is guided, comprises first and second chains having interconnected horizontally and vertically arranged links which are adapted to run in the conveyor trough in spaced parallel relationship. The construction includes transversely extending drivers engaged over the chain link which have a central part with seating lugs which extend downwardly into engagement with the trough bottom. The driver also includes side portions on each side including a core which engages over the top and around the outer end of each horizontally disposed chain link to which it is connected. In addition, it has a cutout portion for accommodating the upper part of the vertical chain link which is connected to each side of the horizontal chain link to which it is connected.

Abstract: In a conveyor for conveying articles in a helically curved path, an endless conveyor belt is driven in a helically curved path between the circumferential surface of a cylindrical envelope and a rotary drum coaxially arranged in the envelope. One edge of the conveyor belt is supported by the circumferential surface of the envelope while the other edge of the conveyor belt is engaged between consecutive convolutions of an entraining belt which is passed around and driven by the drum at the rotation thereof so as to carry along the conveyor belt in its movement.

Abstract: In a packaging machine having a load transfer station and a packaging station there is provided an improved mechanism for loading articles onto a main conveyor for movement through the packaging station. A plurality of article receiving compartments are carried by the main conveyor at longitudinally spaced intervals thereon, each compartment having a front wall and a back wall projecting outwardly from and spaced longitudinally with respect to the main conveyor, the compartments opening upwardly away from the main conveyor. A loading platform is located in the load transfer station and disposed in a transfer plane. The loading platform has a discharge edge at one end thereof. A mechanism is provided for depositing articles onto the loading platform.

Abstract: A mounting and support arrangement for conveyor belt cleaners which provides for selective incremental rotation of a cross-shaft on which is carried a plurality of belt cleaner blades suspended from mounting arms. A radial ratchet and pawl arrangement is provided exterior to the housing of the conveyor belt to be cleaned which provides for rotation of the shaft to bias the cleaner blades against the belt until the desired blade pressure is attained. A locking pawl secures the shaft against counter-rotation.

Abstract: Concave potato chips are arranged in edge standing, nested, aligned relationship, with their rectilinear dimensions extending upwardly, and the line of potato chips is moved along its length toward a packaging apparatus. Juxtaposed separator blades are inserted downwardly into the line of potato chips as the blades move with the line of potato chips, and the blades are moved apart to form a gap in the line and therefore create separate groups of potato chips as the potato chips move to the packaging apparatus.

Abstract: A feeding device for feeding goods or materials of the kind having several layers and/or having a tendency to separate into layers into a processing machine in a direction generally parallel with those layers, for example, for feeding pulp bales into a disintegrating machine comprising a roller conveyor for displaceably supporting the goods and a driving device to engage the goods and displace those goods along the roller conveyor in order to force the goods into the processing machine wherein the driving device includes a pusher drivable along the roller conveyor which pusher is adapted to engage with substantially the entire rear or trailing surface of the goods for forcing the goods into the processing machine while substantially uniformly acting on all of the layers of the goods. The pusher is mounted on a carriage which is connected to a drive chain by means of a pin.

Abstract: Shown is an apparatus for distributing particulate material onto a conveyor belt for a dryer comprising a feed-chute which is pivotally mounted above the belt so that the discharge end of the chute laterally traverses the conveyor belt surface. The drive to pivot the chute comprises an endless chain with an adjustable linkage between the chain and chute reciprocating the chute into successive traverses with a quick return at the end of each traverse.

Abstract: A drive station or machine frame assembly for a scraper-chain conveyor has a convertible frame with side walls between which a drive drum for the associated scraper-chain assembly is mounted. The frame has first and second plates arranged one above the other and extending between the side walls. The uppermost plate is detachable whereas the lowermost plate is fixed. Both plates are inclined and can form part of an ascending conveying surface prolonged by using one or more channel structure with side walls and a floor plate aligned with the plate of the frame which is used. The uppermost plate is used with a larger-size drive drum and can be removed to expose the lowermost plate for use with a smaller-size drive drum. Known forms of tongue or guide plates and chain deflectors can be mounted to the frame.

Abstract: A cover for acoustically enclosing a conveyor is described. The cover includes a curved, dome-shaped or gabled top portion and two side walls which project downwardly from the top portion to a support structure for the conveyor. Also, the cover includes acoustically absorbent or dissipative material for attenuating noise internally generated within the cover. At least one of the side walls includes a pivotally mounted door which provides access to the conveyor. Since the cover is curved, dome-shaped or gabled and does not include any horizontal surfaces, an accumulation of moisture within the conveyor cover is prevented.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for orienting and feeding articles, in particular closure caps having a panel, a skirt and an ear extending from the skirt wherein articles are deposited on an inclined, preferably conical, surface from which they slide down onto a slowly rotating table. Articles are urged by airflow to a peripheral gap which receives only correctly oriented articles and conveys them to a discharge station. Incorrectly oriented articles are returned by airflow to the inclined surface to be re-presented.

Abstract: A mining machine having a body portion mounted on propelling tracks includes an endless conveyor mechanism that extends longitudinally on the body portion. The conveyor mechanism is rotatably supported at the front and rear end portions thereof by roller assemblies. The rear roller assembly is longitudinally movable and driven by a hydraulically operated motor to advance the conveyor mechanism from a receiving end portion to a discharging end portion. The discharging end portion is supported for lateral swinging movement relative to the main conveyor portion. Hydraulically operated take-up devices are connected to the rear roller assembly and maintain a preselected tension on the conveyor to prevent slack developing therein. Each take-up device includes a cylinder with a rod having a shoulder portion of a preselected differential area against which fluid pressure is applied to extend the rod from the cylinder.

Abstract: Successive filter cigarettes of two rows of parallel cigarettes are admitted into pairs of parallel aligned flutes on a rotating drum. The first flute of each pair is rotated through 180.degree. and is moved radially outwardly about an axis which is normal to and crosses in space with the drum axis. The second flute of each pair is thereupon moved radially outwardly between the neighboring inverted flutes by a pivot member which is parallel to the drum axis whereby the cigarettes in the first and second flutes form a single row and can be transferred seriatim directly into successive flutes of a rotary testing drum.

Abstract: A round rod is supported at its ends by the parallel runs of two sprocket chains used in a conveyer. In order to permit easy replacement of a rod when damaged, the rod is equipped with spring biased means for holding the rod captive on the conveyer chain runs during normal use and for permitting the rod to be quickly snapped out without necessity of disassembling the conveyer chains or their protective shield.

Abstract: A tilting tray apparatus for use in a sorting conveyor includes a tray carrier and a yieldable spring latch for yieldably holding the carrier in an article carrying position, a bank position, and a discharge position. The latch yieldably resists tray carrier tilting to provide tray control. A tip-up cam surface is provided integrally on the tray carrier for engagement by a tip-up device to tilt the tray carrier to discharge articles thereon.

Abstract: This vibration generator intended more particularly for impressing a vibratory motion to vibrating apparatus such as handling circuits and treatment stations for loose materials and products comprises an excitation eccentric rotatably driven from a motor and adapted, during at least one fraction of its stroke, to co-act with a roller lined with resilient material mounted in a fixed position on the apparatus, the axis of rotation of this eccentric being coupled to means controlling its movement substantially in the direction towards the apparatus. Thus, the amplitude and frequency of the vibratory motion can be modified while in operation, either manually or automatically.