Abstract: Expandable powered conveyors featuring a number of roller power motors located externally of the rollers. The conveyors include a pair of lazy tong trusses which may be supplemented, as desired, by telescoping rigid frames, leg structures or other structures. The motors are mounted between the trusses so that their drive pulleys are located substantially coaxial to the middle connection points of the scissor bars in the trusses and thus maintain a substantially constant distance from rollers connected to those scissor bars. Drive belts connect the motor drive pulleys to power such rollers. The conveyors also include a number of transfer pulleys which are also mounted substantially coaxial to corresponding middle connection points of the trusses. A single motor may thus power one or more rollers directly, and other rollers indirectly via motor drive belts and transfer drive belts.

Abstract: Telescoping rigid frame/scissor conveyors. Such conveyors are formed of a plurality of telescoping frame segments which may be positioned at any number of desired nested/unnested configurations. The frame segments bear a lazy tong or scissors conveyor structure which assures uniform roller spacing, and rollers positioned at one height along the conveyor rather than at different heights for each frame segment. Counterintuitively, the increased structural complexity is more than outweighed by the benefits resulting from the uniformly positioned rollers of a uniform height, which are thus adapted to convey articles in a reliable and jam-free fashion unlike previous expandable rigid frame conveyors. Conveyors according to the present invention may contain automatic locks to prevent overextension, powered rollers and motive devices for automatic and reliable extension and retraction.

Abstract: A fractional distillation column and method for its use are provided which employ n sets of trays, where n is an integer and n.gtoreq.2. An equivalent number n of separate liquid streams are passed generally downwardly through the column so that each liquid stream flows onto and between individual trays of its corresponding set of trays.

Abstract: Bale shape monitoring apparatus for use in combination with a round baler having an expandable bale forming chamber. The apparatus alternately illuminates first and second indicator lights in response to predetermined expansion of the bale forming chamber. The apparatus includes first and second electrical switches arranged in quadrature and connected to the first and second indicator lights by a microcomputer, and a plurality of cam lobes formed on the outer periphery of a ring for activating the switches. A method for monitoring bale shape in a round baler utilizes the first and second indicator lights and the first and second electrical switches. According to this method, the first indicator light is illuminated by opening the first and second switches and by closing the first and second switches. The second indicator light is illuminated by closing the first switch while the second switch remains open and by opening the first switch while the second switch remain closed.

Abstract: A power supply system comprises several power supplies, each of which has output terminals that are coupled in parallel to supply respective DC output currents at the same time to a single load. Each power supply also has a branch of a control circuit, and each branch from every supply is coupled in parallel to thereby form a complete control circuit. In these branches, control currents flow that cause the respective output currents from the several power supplies to equalize. Each power supply also has a circuit for automatically turning the supply off independent of the other power supplies when a component in the supply fails; and under such conditions, a switch in the control circuit branch of the failing supply automatically opens which prevents control current from flowing therein and enables the remaining supplies to share the added load.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed using a robot to load and unload precut pieces of sheet molding compound and the like between an upper die and a lower die of a sheet molding press.

Abstract: A breakaway mechanism for a twine wrapping apparatus on a roll baling machine couples a twine dispensing member to a pinion which is in intermeshing engagement with a gear rack. The pinion and the gear rack cooperate to effect pivoting movement of the twine dispensing member. The breakaway mechanism permits the twine dispensing member to be uncoupled from the pinion when a predetermined load is exerted on the twine dispensing member during its pivoting movement.

Abstract: A twine wrapping apparatus for a roll baling machine includes a shuttle member which carries a gear rack that intermeshes with a pinion connected to a twine dispensing member such as a twine tube. When the shuttle member is moved generally transversely of the roll baling machine, the pinion is rotated by the gear rack resulting in pivoting movement of the twine tube.

Abstract: A twine cutting and clamping apparatus for a roll baling machine includes an arm having one edge which cooperates with a cutting member such as a knife to cut twine therebetween. The arm has another edge which cooperates with a resilient member such as a spring clip to clamp twine therebetween.

Abstract: A twine cut and clamp mechanism for a roll baling machine includes a pair of arms and a pair of intermeshing spur gears connected, respectively, to the arms. A lever is connected to one of the arms to pivot it. The spur gears cause concurrent pivoting of the other arm when the one arm is pivoted by the lever.

Abstract: A tower of contact media, having thereon bio-slimes kept wet and active by a recirculating nutrient liquid, and through which gases, such as foul air of a sewage treatment plant, pass for odor removal by biochemical action aided by liquid trickling downward through the media, and which may be conventional in many respects, is provided with:(a) A gas recirculation system, i.e., means for drawing off gas which has passed once upwardly through the media and reintroducing it for passage through the media with raw incoming gases so that on the average the gases have more than one passage through the media,(b) Means for distributing on a layer of the media higher than the usual recirculation of liquid a solution such as hypochlorite for removal of residual odors left or caused by the recirculating liquid, and(c) Successive sections of media of differing coarseness.