Abstract: This invention discloses a method for supplying a robot for assembling or working on works or component parts, with the works contained in pallets through a supply apparatus. The pallets in stacked state, containing the works, are delivered to an elevator in the supply apparatus, then moved to a work supply position by the elevator, and maintained in this position for effecting the pick-up operation of the works by the robot. When a pallet is emptied, the empty pallet is moved from the work supply position to a discharge position, and the empty pallets are circulated to an empty pallet discharge position.

Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic recording medium comprising at least two layers comprising at least one lower non-magnetic layer containing at least a non-magnetic particle and a binder on a non-magnetic support, and at least one upper magnetic layer containing at least a ferromagnetic particle and a binder on the lower non-magnetic layer, wherein a mean total thickness d of the upper magnetic layer is more than 0.01 .mu.m to less than 0.3 .mu.m, and a standard deviation .sigma. of the total thickness of the upper magnetic layer and the mean total thickness d of the upper magnetic layer satisfy the relationship of 0.05.ltoreq..sigma./d.ltoreq.0.5.

Abstract: In a pallet supply apparatus, pallets are stacked on a loaded pallet elevator and are conveyed by the elevator to the upper end position of a main body of the pallet supply apparatus. The uppermost pallet is separated from the remaining pallets by a shutter. A left side flange of the pallet is pushed by a left roller in a direction to approach rear and side reference surfaces, and a right side flange of the pallet is then pushed by a right roller in a direction to separate away from the side reference surface and to approach the rear reference surface, thus positioning the pallet. When all works are picked up, and the pallet becomes empty, the right and left rollers are escaped, and thereafter, the pallet is slidably moved toward an empty pallet elevator.

Abstract: An article delivery box for accommodating long articles includes an outer box having a bottom portion, which is formed to include through-holes, and upper side which is open, and a bottom-rest member laid upon a bottom surface of the outer box and formed to have projections that penetrate the through-holes and holding portions for holding lower ends of the articles. An article supply method using this article delivery box includes the steps of supplying article delivery boxes to continuous supplying units for supplying the article delivery boxes to the prescribed working location one box at a time, retaining and positioning the articles relative to the bottom-rest member of the article delivery box by a box supply member having a positioning member for performing positioning by acting upon the projections of the: bottom-rest member, and successively extracting articles by article extracting units after the articles have been positioned and retained.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is disclosed, comprising a nonmagnetic support having thereon a lower nonmagnetic layer comprising nonmagnetic particles dispersed in a binder and further having on the lower layer an upper magnetic layer comprising ferromagnetic metal particles comprising alpha iron crystals dispersed in a binder, wherein said upper magnetic layer has diffraction dots attributable to the ferromagnetic metal particles present on the magnetic layer surface when analyzed by reflection high-energy electron diffraction, the number of said diffraction dots is from 5 to 15 when counted in a 100.degree. range on a circular arc of diffraction dots caused by diffraction on a (211) plane of said ferromagnetic metal particles present on the magnetic layer surface.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus and a method for feeding articles, the apparatus containing a tape transporting apparatus, including a transporting member having plural containing portions in succession, a cover tape for covering the apertures of the containing portions of the transporting member, a first reel for simultaneously winding the transporting member and the cover tape, a second reel for winding the transporting member only, a third reel for winding the cover tape only, a drive assembly for rotating the first, second and third reels, intermittent drive unit for driving the transporting member, control unit for driving the drive assembly and intermittent drive unit, an aperture for loading or removing the articles into or from the containing portions of the transporting member, a first detector for detecting the presence or absence of the article in the containing portion, and a guide member for defining the position to an article assembling apparatus or an article manufacturing apparatus, wherein ea

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium having well-balanced properties with respect to head abrasion characteristics, head cleaning characteristics and drop out characteristics is disclosed, which comprises a non-magnetic support having thereon a magnetic layer containing a ferromagnetic powder and a binder, wherein the magnetic layer has been brought into contact with a carbon steel alloy or super hard alloy made from powders having a Mohs' hardness of at lease 6 and rubbed therewith. A process of producing the magnetic recording medium is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to an article supplying tape formed with recess for containing articles therein in a tape-like or plate-like member, and supplying the articles to an automatic assembling machine or a working machine by the tape member, and the specification discloses a mold apparatus for forming the article containing recess in the tape, and particularly a mold apparatus for forming the shape of the recess variably in conformity with the shapes of the articles to be contained therein.

Abstract: An article supplier is provided with a first elevator for supplying articles contained in a pallet to a robot, a second elevator for discharging an empty pallet, and a driving mechanism for seesaw-moving the first and second elevators with the pallet being moved to an article supply position and a discharge position for the empty pallet by the elevators. In addition, a plurality of detectors detect the positions of the elevators and the raising and lowering of the first and second elevators is based on signals from the detectors.

Abstract: An attitude reversing method for reversing up and down an attitude of an assembly consisting of a plurality of objects in the course of an assembling operation includes a setting step for setting first and second mounting surfaces of a jig for reversing operation, having at least the first and second mounting surfaces to a mounting position and a reversed position, respectively, a mounting step for mounting the assembly on the first mounting surface set at the mounting position, a superposing step for superposing the second mounting surface on the first mounting surface, and a reversing step for reversing the jig for reversing operation while maintaining the state in which the assembly is mounted on the first mounting surface and for setting the second mounting surface at the reversed position in a state in which the assembly is placed on the second mounting surface.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprising a non-magnetic support having thereon a plurality of magnetic layers each comprising a ferromagnetic powder dispersed in a binder, wherein the layer located within a thickness of 0.5 .mu.m from an uppermost surface of said plurality of magnetic layers and a layer located within a thickness of 0.5 .mu.m above the adjacent non-magnetic support have a higher packing density of ferromagnetic powder than an interlayer interposed therebetween. In a preferred embodiment, the interlayer consists of two layers and there are provided on the non-magnetic support a 1st magnetic layer, a 2nd magnetic layer, a 3rd magnetic layer and a 4th magnetic layer in this order from the non-magnetic support; the sum of the thickness of said 3rd magnetic layer and said 4th magnetic layer being not more than 3.5 .mu.m.

Abstract: An assembly (machining) apparatus and method for performing assembly or machining of an article. A first article supply device including a plurality of supply devices for supplying articles and a first robot for picking up the articles from the first article supply device to perform the assembly or machining are paired as an assembly unit, and a plurality of the assembly units are aligned. The apparatus also includes a buffer device for adjusting a difference in article assembly or machining time between the plurality of assembly units.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is disclosed, which comprises a non-magnetic support having on one surface of the support a backing layer containing carbon black and a binder and on the opposite surface of the support a magnetic recording layer containing a ferromagnetic power and a binder, the ferromagnetic powder being oriented in the magnetic recording layer such that the ratio of the number of diffraction points N(220)/N(113) measured at the surface region of the magnetic layer by high energy electron diffraction is at most 1.65; and the squareness ratio Br/Bm of the magnetic layer is from 0.830 to 0.860 at 25.degree. C. The medium has excellent running durability, S/N ratio, and dropout properties.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for feeding articles, containing a tape transporting apparatus, including a transporting member having plural container portions in succession, a cover tape for covering the apertures of the container portions of the transporting member, a first reel on which ends of the transporting member and the cover tape are fixed, for simultaneously winding the transporting member and the cover tape, a second reel on which the other end of the transporting member is fixed, for winding the transporting member only, a third reel on which the other end of the cover tape is fixed, for winding the cover tape only, a drive assembly for rotating the first, second and third reels, intermittent drive unit for intermittently driving the transporting member by engaging with successive perforations formed on the transporting member, a control unit for driving the drive assembly and intermittent drive unit, an aperture for loading or removing the articles into or from the container portions of the tra

Abstract: A pallet for supplying component parts has a flat bottom plate serving as a recess for accommodating plural parts and plural partition members protruding upwards from the bottom plate for separating the parts accommodated in the recess in mutually independent manner, wherein the partition members have a polygonal shape in plan view and are arranged at a constant pitch.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is described, comprising a non-magnetic support having thereon a magnetic layer containing ferromagnetic particles dispersed in a binder, the ferromagnetic layer containing abrasive agent particles alone or in combination with lubricating agent particles, wherein the weight ratio of (a) the abrasive agent particles which are present, or each of the abrasive agent particles and lubricating agent particles which are present, within 1 .mu.m in a thickness direction from the surface of the magnetic layer to (b) the abrasive agent particles or each of the abrasive agent particles and lubricating agent particles which are present, within the whole magnetic layer is at least 100/(thickness of the magnetic layer -1) % in which the "thickness of the magnetic layer" represents the thickness in ".mu.m" and is 2 .mu.m or more.

Abstract: A method for measuring the thickness of a multi-layer magnetic recording medium which provides a high accuracy and which can be used for continuous on-line monitoring of product thickness. First, first and second magnetic layers are simultaneously coated onto a running nonmagnetic support to form the recording medium. The first and second magnetic layers are made of materials having different responses to fluorescent X-rays. Then, the thickness of at least one of said first and second layers is measured by exposing the recording medium to fluorescent X-rays.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is described, comprising a non-magnetic support having provided thereon a magnetic layer comprising a binder having dispersed therein a ferromagnetic powder, in which said magnetic layer contains surface-coated inorganic particles having a Mohs hardness of 5 or more as an abrasive, said coated inorganic particles being present in a larger proportion in the vicinity of the surface of the magnetic layer. The magnetic recording medium has improved electromagnetic characteristics and improved running durability.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprising a non-magnetic support having provided thereon at least one underlayer containing non-magnetic particles and a binder, and a magnetic layer containing ferromagnetic particles and binder, in the order listed, the ferromagnetic particles being ferromagnetic iron oxide particles, cobalt-modified ferromagnetic iron oxide particles, or ferromagnetic alloy particles having an average long axis length of not more than 0.30 .mu.m measured by a transmission electron microscope and having a crystal size of not more than 300 .ANG. measured by X-ray diffractiometry.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprising a non-magnetic support having provided thereon plural magnetic layers containing ferromagnetic particles and binders, wherein the ferromagnetic particles contained in the uppermost magnetic layer have an average long axis length measured by a transmission electron microscope of 0.25 .mu.m or less and a crystal size measured by an X-ray deffractiometory of 300 .ANG. or less, and the ferromagnetic particles contained in the magnetic layers other than the uppermost layer have an average long axis length measured by a transmission electron microscope of 0.25 .mu.m or less and a crystal size measured by an X-ray deffractiometory of 250 .ANG. more, provided that the ferromagnetic particles of the uppermost layer have a crystal size measured by an X-ray deffractiometory smaller than the crystal size measured by an X-ray deffractiometory of the ferromagnetic particles of the magnetic layers other than the uppermost layer.