Abstract: A wet film applicator is movable across a surface such that a blade edge extending transversely of the direction of movement and supported with a clearance above the surface causes a film of flowable substance, positioned ahead of the blade edge, to be spread as a film over the surface. The blade is adjustable in height so as to raise and lower opposite ends of the blade by the same amount for spreading films with selected constant thickness. The blade is also adjustable in height so as to raise and lower opposite ends of the blade by different amounts for spreading wedge-shaped films at selected shapes.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in the measurement of the thickness of a wet coating applied to a supporting surface includes a measuring disk having a support axis, a circumferential edge, the radial distance between the support axis and the circumferential edge varying at points along at least a portion of the edge, and indicia indicative of a coating thickness around that portion of the circumference. A disk support member supports the disk in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the coating and permits rotation of the disk about the support axis within the plane so as to permit a measurement of the thickness of the coating to be made. The disk support member includes at least one support leg adapted to penetrate the coating and rest on the supporting surface to position the disk in the substantially perpendicular orientation with respect to the coating surface and to maintain the disk in the orientation while a measurement is made.

Abstract: A guarded ring tensioned thickness standard for use with coating thickness gages includes a ring formed of a first material having a coefficient of thermal expansion which is less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of a second material from which a diaphragm is formed. The diaphragm is bonded to the ring at a temperature which is elevated with respect to room temperature so that after the standard has cooled to room temperature, the diaphragm is supported in tension on the ring. The diaphragm is formed of a thickness corresponding to the estimated thickness of a coating to be measured and may be used both in the calibration of a coating thickness gage and in the actual measurement of uncured powdered coatings.

Abstract: An in-line pattern forming apparatus includes a windowed endless roller conveyor disposed in a longitudinal system path for sequentially receiving sets of articles. A friction shoe shifts the set of articles through the conveyor window to an underlying turntable which is rotatable for selectively reorienting the set, whereupon the lead roller at the end of the window pushes the set off the turntable to a staging support which sequentially receives a plurality of sets to form a pattern. The pattern is then swept as a unit from the staging support to a container loader or other associated apparatus in the system path. Means may be provided for selectively shifting sets of articles on the staging support laterally of the path to facilitate formation of certain patterns.

Abstract: A stacker/unstacker for receptacles such as bread pans or baskets or the like includes a pair of laterally spaced-apart endless chains having receptacle carriers mounted therebetween for conveying receptacles between an infeed-outfeed conveyor and the top of a receptacle stack. The conveyor chains are horizontally spaced-apart in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction with the carriers mounted for rotation about two spaced-apart axes which are respectively fixed with respect to the chains so that the carriers are stably held in a predetermined orientation and undergo only translational movement along the conveyor path. The path has a transfer portion at the top of the stack wherein the carriers and carried receptacles remain stationary for a time during which the carriers are moved between support and release conditions to pick up or deposit receptacles at the top of the stack. Indexing mechanism moves the transfer portion vertically to keep it at the top of the stack as the stack height changes.

Abstract: A stacker/unstacker for receptacles such as bread pans or baskets or the like includes a pair of laterally spaced-apart endless chains having receptacle carriers mounted therebetween for conveying receptacles between an infeed-outfeed conveyor and the top of a receptacle stack. The conveyor chains are horizontally spaced-apart in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction with the carriers mounted for rotation about two spaced-apart axes which are respectively fixed with respect to the chains so that the carriers are stably held in a predetermined orientation and undergo only translational movement along the conveyor path. The path has a transfer portion at the top of the stack wherein the carriers and carried receptacles remain stationary for a time during which the carriers are moved between support and release conditions to pick up or deposit receptacles at the top of the stack. Indexing mechanism moves the transfer portion vertically to keep it at the top of the stack as the stack height changes.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically transferring elongated rows of articles from an oven hearth conveyor moving continuously in a first direction essentially normal to the longitudinal axes of the rows of articles thereon includes an outfeed conveyor continuously moving in a second direction disposed at an obtuse angle to the first direction and having a lateral width substantially less than the length of a row of articles. An endless transfer conveyor extends between the hearth and outfeed conveyors and carries thereon pickup mechanism mounted for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axes of the rows of articles for engaging and lifting a row of articles from the hearth conveyor and carrying it in a level upright condition to the outfeed conveyor without changing the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the row of articles. Cam-actuated unloading means at the outfeed conveyor engage the row of articles for removing them from the pickup means and holding them on the outfeed conveyor.

Abstract: An articulated chain conveyor has a plurality of links joined together by connecting pins each having a socket formed axially therein. A conveying surface is formed by a plurality of wire rod structures each having two ends respectively received in the sockets of adjacent ones of the pins and a support portion overlying the chain and extending laterally therebeyond to provide a support surface. Welded and non-welded rod structures for single-chain conveyors and a non-welded rod structure for double-chain conveyors are disclosed. Also disclosed are T-shaped mounting members and cooperating clips for connecting wire rod structures to a conveyor chain.

Abstract: A loader including a support for holding at a loading station a container having openings in the bottom, a continuous conveyor having alternating conveyor sections and window sections passing by the loading station and disposed above and in registration with the support, a platen disposed beneath the support and carrying a plurality of pins extending upwardly and having the upper ends disposed in a plane, means for moving the pins to a receiving position with the upper ends extending through the openings in the container bottom and disposed immediately below the loading station and a depositing position wherein the pins are withdrawn from the openings in the container on the support, and structure for feeding a package onto one of the conveyor sections and off the conveyor section at the loading station and into and through the trailing window section to deposit the package gently upon the pins, whereby upon moving the pins to the depositing position the package is deposited in the container; also disclosed i

Abstract: A stacking-unstacking machine for bread pans and the like includes an elevator having pan support means thereon for carrying stacked pans to or away from a stacking-unstacking station, guide means being provided properly to align the pans for the stacking or unstacking operations, and particularly the latter. The pan support means on the elevator include a fixed base and a support platform mounted for low-friction horizontal movement with respect to the base in response to aligning forces exerted on the top of the stack by the guide means. Bias means are provided to urge the movable platform toward a home position.

Abstract: A stacker/unstacker for receptacles such as bread pans or baskets or the like includes a pair of laterally spaced-apart endless chains having receptacle carriers mounted therebetween for conveying receptacles between an infeed-outfeed conveyor and the top of a receptacle stack. The conveyor chains are horizontally spaced-apart in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction with the carriers mounted for rotation about two spaced-apart axes which are respectively fixed with respect to the chains so that the carriers are stably held in a predetermined orientation and undergo only translational movement along the conveyor path. The path has a transfer portion at the top of the stack wherein the carriers and carried receptacles remain stationary for a time during which the carriers are moved between support and release conditions to pick up or deposit receptacles at the top of the stack. Indexing mechanism moves the transfer portion vertically to keep it at the top of the stack as the stack height changes.