Abstract: A rotary valve for controlling flow of pulverulent solids has diametrically opposed obturators carried on a rotary support and cooperating with respective valve ports in an internal circumferential surface of a cylindrical valve body, the obturators being movable radially and urged by springs against the internal surface of the valve body so as to make a good seal when the valve is closed, while permitting unobstructed flow of material when the valve is open.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for cutting and metering slabs or bales of unvulcanized rubber to be fed to a single rubber mixing machine. The apparatus includes a conveyor belt and a carriage arranged to transport bales of rubber along parallel paths. A cutting machine is positioned to cut a slice off a bale carried by said carriage. By arranging for the carriage to undergo back and forth movement while intermittently effecting transverse feed of the bale, the cutting machine cuts a succession of slices off the one bale. To make up a load of rubber of a required weight, whole bales are transferred to a hopper via the conveyor belt until a weighing machine indicates that the required weight has almost been reached; thereafter the cut slices of rubber are added to the hopper under the control of the weighing machine to make up the weight required.

Abstract: A machine for the automatic preparation of proportions of different caoutuc blocks for filler mixtures in rubber manufacture has conveyor lines for the different kinds of caoutchouc block, each including a measuring conveyor and a block-weighing conveyor. A movable band saw cuts off portions of the blocks projecting from the measuring conveyors while the latter are stationary, and a storage unit disposed downstream of the conveyor lines stores excess portions of blocks severed in one measuring to deliver them to a collector conveyor during a successive cycle, under control of a processor which memorises the required weights of the different kinds of caoutchouc and controls the conveyors, the cutting unit and the storage unit in dependence upon the stored data and data sent to it by the block weighing conveyors to give the required proportions.

Abstract: A load carrying device for an overhead conveyor, comprising a carriage for ovement along an overhead rail and a load-bearing container suspended from the carriage by two substantially parallel connecting elements pivoted at their upper ends to the carriage and at their lower ends to the load-bearing container to form a pivoted parallelogram linkage which permits the two connecting elements to swing when the carriage is accelerated or decelerated sharply while holding the load-bearing container upright; energy dissipation means, such as one or more friction bush or hydraulic shock absorber are also provided to damp the oscillation of the container and limit its movement in order to cushion the articles in the container against shock.

Abstract: A system for transferring raw covers for motor vehicle pneumatic tires to vulcanizing autoclaves arranged in at least one row thereof from an overhead conveyor having a plurality of trolleys each carrying one raw cover, comprising a secondary conveyor branch of the overhead conveyor, onto which the trolleys can be diverted to a wait unloading, and a transfer mechanism comprising a plurality of transfer devices running on an overhead track system and each having a support column suspended from a trolley which runs on the track, the support column serving to guide a first frame for vertical displacement and the first frame itself supporting and guiding a second frame for horizontal movement, the second frame carrying at least one gripper device at the end of an arm which is rotatable about its longitudinal axis to position the gripper device pointing upwardly, in which position it is able to remove a cover from a trolley, or downwardly, in which position it is able to deliver the cover to the selected autoclave

Abstract: A machine for cutting up lumps of crude rubber (synthetic or natural) and weighing out an accurate quantity to be fed to a mixer in accordance with a selected formula, comprising two band saws having special blades with teeth having no "set" and lying entirely within the plane of the blades; crude rubber blocks are fed to a first of two band saws on two conveyor belts which pass one to either side thereof, one of the two conveyors being laterally displaceable and able to convey one of the portions into which the block of crude rubber is cut by the first band saw to be cut by the second band saw, the lateral position to which this portion is conveyed determining the relative size and therefore weight of the two pieces into which this portion is cut; all the cut portions and pieces are fed to an output conveyor which feeds them selectively to a hopper under the control of an automatic weighing machine.

Abstract: A blocking device for an overhead conveyor having a combined limit stop and shock absorber which acts to define the end positions of a drive device which moves the blocking device between an operative and an inoperative position. The combined shock absorber and limit stop device comprises a body having two parallel plungers sliding in parallel bores of the body, the bores being linked at their closed ends by a passage having a restrictor throttle therein, the interior passage and the chambers are filled with oil which, upon its passage through the restrictor throttle, when one of the plungers is depressed, dissipates energy causing the depression and also serves to push out the other plunger ready for a subsequent depression when the device moves from one position to the other.

Abstract: A low pressure die casting machine for light alloys, of the type in which a charge of molten alloy is received in a charging chamber which is then closed and pressurized to drive the molten alloy into a die chamber formed by a plurality of separable die elements, in which the problems due to head metal and casting sprue in the casting passages and gates is minimized by forming these latter, as well as the charging chamber, as recesses in cooperating faces of two of the die elements, these recesses being so shaped that upon separation of the two die elements the casting sprue and head metal are exposed and can be ejected still attached to the casting without fouling any part of the die casting machine and without leaving any solidified head metal behind which might cause blockage problems unless it were maintained in a molten state.