Abstract: A ski sharpening arrangement includes a portable powered grinder adapted to be manipulated by one hand of a user. The arrangement includes a motor assembly spaced from a ski having a top surface, a base, a side edge and a bottom edge coplanar with the base. The motor assembly drives an endless belt having an abrasive surface about an axis of rotation transverse to a plane of the base. The endless belt is entrained about a mounting framework extending from the motor assembly, and engaged against the side edge of the ski to provide sharpening thereof. A support structure is suspended from the mounting framework of the belt and is adapted to be manipulated by another hand of the user for guiding, stabilizing and changing the angle of the abrasive surface relative to the side edge of the ski.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing articles from a stack onto a moving conveyor. The apparatus includes a supporting structure or frame that supports a stack of articles and the supporting structure is canted at an angle of about 15.degree. to 25.degree. from the vertical. The supporting structure is generally L-shaped in cross section, having a pair of walls located generally normal to each other, while the opposite sides of the supporting structure are open so that the articles can be loaded into the supporting structure through the open sides. The lowermost article in the stack is supported on an L-shaped base, so that only peripheral portions of adjacent side edges of the lowermost article are supported. A pusher plate is mounted for sliding movement relative to the supporting structure and acts to push the lowermost article from the stack and the dispensed article will then fall onto the moving conveyor below.

Abstract: A conveyor construction including a frame having a pair of side rails with each side rail having a longitudinal T-shaped slot. A plurality of cross members are connected between the side rails and support a bed plate. An endless belt rides on the bed plate and is trained over an adjustable spindle assembly which is located at an end of the conveyor. The spindle assembly includes a spindle journalled between a pair of side members that are mounted for sliding movement in the T-slots of the respective side rails. A ratchet and pinion mechanism interconnects the conveyor frame with the spindle assembly and acts to move the spindle assembly longitudinally of the frame to tension the belt. A belt tracking mechanism is associated with each side of the spindle assembly and includes a cam member which is engaged with the respective side member of the spindle assembly. Individual rotation of the cam members serve to properly track the belt on the bed plate.

Abstract: An improved articulated link construction used in a conveyor belt tracking mechanism. The conveyor includes a frame having a pair of spaced parallel side rails that support a bed plate and an endless conveyor belt is supported on the bed plate. A spindle assembly includes a pair of side members that are mounted for sliding movement with respect to the side rails and a spindle is journaled between the side members. A plate-like link extends transversely of the spindle assembly and the ends of the link are pivoted to the side members. Each pivotal connection includes a vertical bolt that extends through an opening in the respective side member and a bushing is threaded on the bolt and is received within an oversized opening in the link.

Abstract: A conveyor constructing having a pair of spaced parallel side rails that support a conveyor belt, each of the side rails is provided with a pair of vertically spaced, parallel, longitudinal slots. Each slot is generally T-shaped in cross section and has an open side facing laterally outward of the side rail. The open side of the lower slot is offset laterally outward from the open side of the upper slot of the side rail. End units are associated with each end of the conveyor and each end unit includes a pair of spaced side plates having a belt supporting spindle journalled between the side plates. Slide blocks are mounted in the ends of the slots in the side rail and the side plates are disposed outward of the respective side rails and are connected to the slide blocks. Slide blocks can also be mounted in the slots and serve to connect auxiliary equipment at selected positions to the conveyor.

Abstract: A drive mechanism for a conveyor. The conveyor includes a frame and a drive spindle that carries a conveyor belt is journalled for rotation on the frame. The spindle has a longitudinal passage and a pair of bushings are disposed in spaced relation in the passage, with the adjacent ends of the bushings spaced apart. Each bushing has a non-circular or hexagonal-shaped opening and a similarly contoured end of a drive shaft is inserted into the opening of one of said bushings. The inner end of the drive shaft is provided with an axial recess and a plunger is located within the recess and is biased outwardly by a spring. A locking member is mounted in a radial hole in the wall of the inner end of the drive shaft and is engaged with a cam surface on the plunger.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking and storing articles and subsequently unstacking the articles. The apparatus includes a first conveyor to convey a plurality of articles, and a plurality of secondary conveyors are disposed normal to a side edge of the first conveyor. To store the articles, each article is stopped on the conveyor and is pushed laterally from the main conveyor into bearing engagement against a movable stop member on a secondary conveyor. Additional articles are pushed onto the secondary conveyor into engagement with the preceding aritlce to form a composite stack. The composite stack can be lifed from the secondary conveyor by a lifting mechanism to a storage site, and subsequently, when it is desired to release the stack from storage, the stack is lowered back onto the secondary conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for assembling containers from a pair of open faced container sections or halves comprising a frame having a first receiving station and a second receiving station straddling an assembly station. A plurality of first container sections are deposited on a supporting surface at the first receiving station and a plurality of second container sections are deposited on a supporting surface at the second receiving station. A transfer mechanism initially moves from a position above the assembly station to a position above the second receiving station, and an inverting unit moves the first container sections from the first receiving station to the assembly station and inverts the sections, and the transfer mechanism then transfers the second container sections from the second receiving station to the assembly station.

Abstract: A method for stacking small articles in a side-by-side stack and feeding the stacks to a discharge conveyor. A plurality of articles, such as small video cassette containers, are conveyed in an upright end-to-end relation on a first conveyor. As each article approaches the downstream end of the conveyor, it is pushed laterally across a platform against a movable backstop to form a side-by-side stack of articles. The stack is then transferred into a movable carriage and the carriage is moved to a position over a discharge conveyor. The end of the carriage facing downstream in the direction of movement of the discharge conveyor is provided with a movable gate and after the carriage is in position over the discharge conveyor the gate is opened to release the stack for movement on the discharge conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking and storing articles and subsequently unstacking the articles. The apparatus includes a first conveyor to convey a plurality of articles, and a plurality of secondary conveyors are disposed normal to a side edge of the first conveyor. To store the articles, each article is stopped on the conveyor and is pushed laterally from the main conveyor into bearing engagement against a movable stop member on a secondary conveyor. Additional articles are pushed onto the secondary conveyor into engagement with the preceding article to form a composite stack. The composite stack can be lifted from the secondary conveyor by a lifting mechanism to a storage site, and subsequently, when it is desired to release the stack from storage, the stack is lowered back onto the secondary conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking and storing articles and subsequently unstacking the articles. The apparatus includes a first conveyor to convey a plurality of articles, and a plurality of secondary conveyors are disposed normal to a side edge of the first conveyor. To store the articles, each article is stopped on the conveyor and is pushed laterally from the main conveyor into bearing engagement against a movable stop member on a secondary conveyor. Additional articles are pushed onto the secondary conveyor into engagement with the preceding article to form a composite stack. The composite stack can be lifted from the secondary conveyor by a lifting mechanism to a storage site, and subsequently, when it is desired to release the stack from storage, the stack is lowered back onto the secondary conveyor.

Abstract: A high speed apparatus for stacking articles in a side by side relation and transfering the stack to a conveyor. Each article is fed onto a pair of spaced support members and against a movable backstop to form a stack of side by side articles. When a stack of desired size has been formed, the support members are pivoted to a release position and the stack is lowered to a discharge station. When the stack is lowered sufficiently to clear the backstop, the backstop is returned to its original position, and as the stack is lowered to a position beneath the release support members, the support members are returned to their supporting position. The backstop and support members are then in a ready position to form a second stack before the first stack reaches the discharge station. The first stack is then discharged to a main conveyor while a second stack is formed at the stacking station.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking and storing articles and subsequently unstacking the articles. The apparatus includes a first conveyor to convey a plurality of articles, and a plurality of secondary conveyors are disposed normal to a side edge of the first conveyor. To store the articles, each article is stopped on the conveyor and is pushed laterally from the main conveyor into bearing engagement against a movable stop member on a secondary conveyor. Additional articles are pushed onto the secondary conveyor into engagement with the preceding article to form a composite stack. The composite stack can be lifted from the secondary conveyor by a lifting mechanism to a storage site, and subsequently, when it is desired to release the stack from storage, the stack is lowered back onto the secondary conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for inverting articles that includes a receiving chute which is mounted for movement between a generally horizontal receiving position and an inclined discharge position. A curved inverting chute has an inlet end disposed to receive articles from the receiving chute when the receiving chute is in the discharge position and has an outlet end from which the inverted articles are discharged to a discharge site. A releasable stop member is associated with the receiving chute and prevents the articles from sliding from the receiving chute as the chute is tilted to the downward inclined discharge position. The stop member is automatically released as the receiving chute approaches its discharge position, so that the articles can then slide from the receiving chute to the inlet end of the inverting chute.

Abstract: An apparatus for unstacking and stacking containers. The apparatus includes a frame defining a compartment to receive a stack of containers, and a guide mechanism mounted within the frame to guide the stack in vertical movement. Located beneath the compartment is a conveyor, which in the unstacking mode, will deliver a stack of containers to the compartment and discharge individual containers. A vertically movable lift mechanism is mounted in the frame and includes a plurality of pivotable lift members disposed to engage a rim on the second lowermost container, to elevate the stack, and a plurality of holding members mounted on the frame and disposed to engage the upper surface of the rim on the lowermost container to hold the lowermost container against elevation. After elevation of the stack, the separated lowermost container is in a ready position to be conveyed away on the conveyor, depending on a need in the conveying system.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking small articles in a side-by-side stack and feeding the stacks to a discharge conveyor. A plurality of articles, such as small video cassette containers, are conveyed in an upright end-to-end relation on a first conveyor. As each article approaches the downstream end of the conveyor, it is pushed laterally across a platform against a movable backstop to form a side-by-side stack of articles. The stack is then transferred into a movable carriage and the carriage is moved to a position over a discharge conveyor. The end of the carriage facing downstream in the direction of movement of the discharge conveyor is provided with a movable gate and after the carriage is in position over the discharge conveyor the gate is opened to release the stack for movement on the discharge conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking a plurality of articles in a side-to-side relation. The articles are conveyed in an upright end-to-end relation on a conveyor and a bin or article receiving member is positioned adjacent the downstream end of the conveyor and individually receives each article discharged from the conveyor. The bin includes a bottom wall and a rear wall and the bin is movable between a receiving position where the bottom wall extends downwardly and outwardly from the downstream end of the conveyor, to a discharge position where the bottom wall is disposed substantially horizontal. Each article being received within the bin is held in an upright position and is transferred laterally within the bin against a movable support plate, and each succeeding article received in the bin is transferred in a similar manner against the preceding article to form a stack.

Abstract: An apparatus for unstacking articles and feeding the articles to working equipment in an end-to-end uniformly spaced stream. Articles are stacked in a side-by-side relation and the stacks are conveyed in spaced relation on a conveyor. The speed of each stack is retarded while the conveyor is maintained at its operating speed to cause each succeeding stack to catch and engage the trailing end of the preceding stack. As each stack reaches the downstream end of the conveyor, each article is separated from the remainder of the stack and the article is transferred through a chute to a second conveyor, so that the articles are fed in end-to-end relation by the second conveyor to working equipment.

Abstract: An apparatus for vertically stacking and storing articles. The apparatus includes, in series, a stacking station, at least one storage storage, and an unloading station. A discharge conveyor is disposed beneath the stations. A stacking carriage is mounted for vertical movement in the stacking station, and with the carriage in an upper position, each article is individually fed onto the carriage and supported by a pair of supports that are movable between an inner supporting position and a release position. After each article is fed to the stacking carriage, the carriage is lowered in increments until the desired number of superimposed articles are applied to the carriage to form a stack.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading a group of side-by-side stacked articles into a relatively flimsy enlongated open-top container. The containers are conveyed on a conveyor and each container, when positioned beneath a loading unit, is elevated from the conveyor to an elevated position where a pair of parallel spreader plates are received within the container. The spreader plates are pivoted outwardly deflecting the opposite elongated side walls of the container to a generally flat planar condition. With the side walls spread apart, a stack of articles is lowered by the loading unit into the container and the filled container is then lowered back onto the conveyor.