Abstract: In a bearing lubrication delivery mechanism, a primary member is supported for rotation about a first axis and defines a bore having a second axis approximately parallel to and radially offset from the first axis. A sleeve is positioned in the bore and at least two anti-friction bearings are slidably mounted on an exterior surface of the sleeve. The bearings support the sleeve in the bore for rotational motion relative to the primary member and in combination define a first and second side. The sleeve also defines a central lubricant reservoir for receiving a charge of lubricant. A fluid conduit leading to the first side of the anti-friction bearings is defined by the sleeve and an interior surface of the bore, and a radial flow path communicating with the central lubricant reservoir and the fluid conduit is defined by an inner end of the sleeve and an end wall of the bore.

Abstract: In an assembly including preloaded bearings, a sleeve is provided and has an exterior surface and an externally threaded section adjacent to an end of the sleeve. At least two bearings, each having an inner bearing race, an outer bearing race, and a plurality of rolling elements positioned between the inner and outer bearing races, are slidably mounted on the exterior surface of the sleeve. The sleeve further includes a bore extending part-way into the sleeve adjacent to the externally threaded section, the bore defining inner interior surface. A bearing retainer is also provided and includes an internally threaded section engaged with the external threads of the sleeve for urging the inner bearing race of one of the bearings toward the inner bearing race of the other bearing, thereby preloading the bearings.

Abstract: A method and apparatus deals with a cutter used for cutting a fabric or other material sheet having a layer of active or activatable adhesive disposed on it and provides a lubricant in gel form to be applied to the surfaces of the cutting implement to keep these surfaces free from adhesive otherwise building up on them. The lubricant in the preferred embodiment is a compound of silicone and polytetrafluoroethylene. Further, a second lubricant is provided which is to be applied to the surfaces of the sharpener to keep the sharpening surfaces free from adhesive.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying and cutting sheet material has an endless conveyor belt trained over rotatable end units. The endless belt defines an upper run for supporting the sheet material, a lower run spaced below the upper run, and two arcuate end sections, each extending between the upper and lower runs. A first gap is formed in the conveyor belt between one end of the upper run and the adjacent end section, and a second gap is formed in the belt between the other end of the upper run and the adjacent end section. A cutting unit is supported over the upper run for cutting the sheet material, and a vacuum is introduced in the upper run for creating a vacuum bed to hold the sheet material against the supporting surface during a cutting operation. Two end sealing assemblies are mounted between the upper and lower run, and each is located adjacent to a respective gap in the conveyor.

Abstract: In an automated machine for cutting cloth or fabric and similar sheet materials the knife is made from a high-alloy tool steel to provide the knife with a sharp cutting edge capable under a given set of conditions to cut sheet material for a far longer period of time before requiring re-sharpening than the case with the knives previously used in such machines. A sharpener is also provided which allows the knife after becoming dull to be returned to a sharp condition while removing only a minimum amount of the knife material, thereby further increasing the service life of the knife.

Abstract: A device for cleaning a bristle bed of a conveyor type trained between the rotatable end units employs a carriage which is moveable relative to the conveyor member transversely of its advancement direction and includes a cleaner head which is engagable with individual slats indexed to a cleaning location in line with the head to accomplish cleaning by moving the head laterally of each slat to effect removal of debris contained within the bed.

Abstract: A jointed barrier seal is provided as part of the conveyor apparatus and is connected to support members such that the end faces of the members can be readily assembled with end seals without the need of adhesive or other materials otherwise used to affix the barrier strip to the involved support member.

Abstract: A stop brake for a supply roll mandrel includes at least one brake arm pivotally connected to a support and capable of being pivoted out of braking engagement with the mandrel in response to advancement of sheet material from a supply roll against the return bias of a spring element. The brake arm cooperates with sheet material which is caused to follow a path around a dancer bar secured to the lower end of the brake arm causing the disengagement of the brake. The brake is caused to cooperate with the outer surface of a mandrel upon which a supply roll is mounted through a intermediary of a strap which holds the mandrel surface against rotation when advancement of sheet material is stopped.

Abstract: An automated cutter bed employs a sealer which is mechanically coupled to a tool carriage and moves with it along a first coordinate direction. A first roller is connected with a second roller disposed at the take-off end of the table by an air impermeable sheet which is tensioned between the two rollers by a resilient member housed within each of the rollers causing a preload to be exerted on the air impermeable sheet material. The first roller moves between ends of the table paying out a length of the air impermeable material. As the carriage moves to the cutter datum, equalization is effected by the preloads given in each of the first and second rollers.

Abstract: A tool carriage includes a main beam along which a subcarriage carrying the tool travels and is supported above a supporting table by two end parts each associated with opposite ends of the main beam. The main beam has a length sufficient to straddle the widest width of conventional supporting tables and is adjustable at one of the two end parts to accommodate different table widths. The end parts have rollers which support the carriage above the table support surface and against lateral displacement on the table. The lateral rollers on one end of the carriage are capable of being adjusted relative to horizontal and vertically extending directions allowing either end of the carriage to be generically adaptable to any table edge configuration.

Abstract: A cutter for cutting closed shape pieces into sheet material has a bristle bed conveyorized member advancing the sheet material from a receiving end to a discharge end past a cutting tool performing a cutting operation on the material. Disposed at the discharge end is a take-off ramp responsible for separating the sheet material in a single ply or a layup form from the underlying conveyor member at the juncture where the slats making up the bed depart from the upper run of the conveyor defining the support surface.

Abstract: In a machine and method for automatically cutting a length of sheet work material segment-by-segment to separate two dimensionally shaped pieces from it, registration between lines cut in adjacent segments is enhanced by the use of X and Y coordinate sensors carried by the X beam of the machine and having X and Y wheels respectively rotatably engaging the top surface of the work material to detect displacement changes between the X beam and the work material in the X and Y coordinate directions which detections are used to slave the advancement of the X beam to the advancement of the work material and to provide X and Y coordinate offset adjustments to the X and Y sets of control signals used to drive the cutter head in the X and Y coordinate directions during the cutting of the next segment of the work material.

Abstract: A track expanding device is employed in a conveyorized transport system to spread apart adjacently disposed sections of track thereby tensioning an endless chain travelling with these track sections. The expanding device comprises a splice and an expander having a threaded member for engaging with the splice with each of the splice and the expander being connected to an associated one of the adjacently disposed track sections thereby tensioning the endless chain as the threaded member is rotated.

Abstract: A switch is employed in a conveyorized transport system which has a first actuator capable of imparting a first linear movement and a second actuator capable of imparting a second linear movement, which actuators being oriented parallel with one another and are slidably mounted on two guide rods secured to a switch base plate. A bracket carrying a transfer rail section is also supported for movement on the guide rods and is moved between a gap in a first rail and in the entrance end of a subsidiary loop or loops oppositely disposed relative to one another by combined or individual movement of the first and second actuators.

Abstract: A track expanding device is employed in a conveyorized transport system to spread apart adjacently disposed sections of track thereby tensioning an endless chain travelling with these track sections. The expanding device comprises a splice and an expander having a threaded member for engaging with the splice with each of the splice and the expander being connected to an associated one of the adjacently disposed track sections thereby tensioning the endless chain as the threaded member is rotated.

Abstract: Gravity fed trolleys are stacked up for storage on a rail and the lead trolley is accelerated downstream away from the stack by an air operated device that includes a single bellcrank with trolley engaging surface portions that not only hold back the stack, but that also accelerate each trolley away from the stack to avoid depending solely on the potential energy of the trolley to move it out of the stack.

Abstract: A variable height workstation includes a trolley delivery apparatus for controllably moving a rail section from a gap formed in a subsidiary loop rail to a workstation located remotely from the loop. A pivotal cam is controllably rotated by an actuator and moves with the rail section and arrests travel of a trolley on the moveable rail section so that rail section may be removed toward the workstation while carrying the trolley. The pivotal cam is also capable of accelerating a trolley off the rail section either after the rail returns to its normal bridging position or from the rail section without it being lowered. The trolley delivery apparatus is employed in a subsidiary loop system whereby a preworkstation indexer is located upstream of it to advance individual diverted trolleys onto the moveable rail section.

Abstract: A chain is used in an automated transport system to propel free travelling trolleys riding along a rail toward designated workstations, the chain runs within a U-shaped recess in a track channel on wheels rotatably supported by axles carried by individual links of the chain. The wheels are formed from a self-lubricating material and the axle carried by each of the links of the chain have finished outer surfaces thereby substantially enhancing the pressure-velocity value of the chain so that the chain may be run at velocities greatly in excess of those velocities presently achieved by known chains used in such automated transport systems.

Abstract: A subsidiary work station loop for a work station conveyor system has a gravity fed rail assembly for trolleys shunted from the main conveyor. An elevator returns the trolleys from the lower end of the rail assembly. Four rail segments define this rail assembly and three of the four are supported by a single bracket and a single fastener. The rail segments are coupled by a pin and slot connection that permits limited angular rotation of one segment relative to the other, but which prevents relative axial misalignment.