Abstract: A servo valve has a miniature force motor embedded in a main fluid chamber to directly operate between two nozzles to generate a differential pressure in two ports. The miniature force motor includes two disc ring-shaped magnets in opposing magnetic orientation, an armature base and poppet ends of magnetic material coupled to an armature shaft having pilot ends that interface to form the pilot stage valves at each armature shaft end. The armature shaft extends through a center hole in the magnets, armature base, and the poppet ends and engages bearing elements at each end allowing lateral armature motion. Two elastic members provide restoring forces to the armature assembly. Guide/stops have shaped magnetic surfaces to control the magnetic path and to linearize the force versus stroke and to increase the proportional stroke of the armature.

Abstract: A bulk product stabilization conveyor 10 is described having a continuous-length wide belt 30 extending in an upper flight 44 and in a lower flight 46 between an infeed end 32 and an outfeed end 34. The outfeed end 34 is elevationally below the infeed end 32 and the distance between the infeed end 32 and outfeed end 34 is such that the upper flight 44 is slack with the upper flight forming a dynamic catenary profile as it is being driven at a high velocity in excess of 400 feet per minute and preferably between 400-800 feet per minute. The upper flight 44 has an inclined downward and forward section 52 adjacent the infeed end that has an inclination of between 30 and 45 degrees to initially receive a wide swath of articles from an article feeder 14. The upper flight 44 has an intermediate section 54 with a progressively decreasing radius of curvatures to progressively apply an increasing centrifugal force on the articles to stabilize the articles on the high velocity upper flight.