Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric vibration actuator including: a flat cover member; a vibration portion including a vibration plate that is spaced apart from the cover member in parallel by a predetermined distance and a piezoelectric element that generates a vibration force by repeatedly expanding and contracting according to power applied from the outside; a weight portion disposed on the vibration portion to increase the vibration force of the piezoelectric element; and a binding member fixing the vibration portion and the weight portion. In addition, an enclosure portion is interposed between the weight portion and the vibration portion to enclose the center areas of the vibration portion, thereby making it possible to protect the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to side tensioning assemblies for retaining screen media to the side plates of a vibrating-type screening machine. The side tensioning assembly includes a tensioning rail and at least one angle box mountable to a side plate. At least one bolt assembly provided for fastening the tensioning rail to the side plate and to angle box. Bolt assembly is provided with is a shoulder bolt that is secured to a terminal end of the bolt. The angle box includes an aperture sized to allow the bolt assembly passage therethrough, and a movable plate with a cutout. The cutout is sized larger than the bolt but smaller than a nut. The movable plate has a bolt-securing position and a bolt-releasing position to allow access to the aperture in the angle box such that the bolt assembly can be detached from the angle box without being disassembled.

Abstract: A mailpiece transfer apparatus uses a transfer box to unload a plurality of mailpieces from an open tray, while maintaining an orientation alignment of the flat items. The tray is placed in the transfer box, after which the transfer box, holding the tray, is rotated to cause the mailpieces to rest against a cover of the transfer box. The tray is then removed, and the transfer box rotated again, allowing the substantially flat items to rest against a bottom of the transfer box, but without the tray. The mailpieces are then guided to a next workstation. The mailpieces may be edged for delivery to the next workstation.

Abstract: An inspection and ejector unit for preforms for plastic containers in a transportation line, has at least one driver device which picks up preforms travelling from an inward conveyor device to the inspection and ejector unit, transports them further and passes on at least some of the preforms to an outward conveyor device, at least one detection device by which faulty preforms in the driver device are detected, and at least one ejection device by which preforms which are detected as faulty are removed from the driver device, and a corresponding method.

Abstract: A substrate mark detection apparatus includes: a detecting module, configured to detect a depth at which a mark is embedded in a substrate to be detected and determine whether the substrate is valid or not according to the depth at which the mark is embedded in the substrate; an information extracting module, configured to parse the mark to obtain parsed information in a case where the substrate is valid, query pre-stored information corresponding to the mark, determine whether the parsed information conforms to the pre-stored information or not, and if yes, to extract the pre-stored information and output the pre-stored information; a sorting module, configured to remove the substrate in a case where the substrate is invalid or the parsed information does not conform to the pre-stored information.

Abstract: A tunnel-type machine to wash objects comprises a containing structure which internally delimits a work volume and is provided with at least an entrance door to feed the objects in a loading direction. The work volume comprises at least two processing chambers contiguous in the loading direction, a single separation door is provided between the two processing chambers, and is mobile through a passage aperture of the containing structure. At least a front packing is provided between the two processing chambers, and at least an upper packing is provided at the passage aperture, and the separation door is configured to contact, in a closed and separated position of the two chambers, both the front packing and the upper packing.

Abstract: To provide a cleaning apparatus which is flexibly adaptable to a wide variety of workpieces so as to improve productivity while being suitably adaptable to high-pressure cleaning so as to improve cleaning work efficiency. The cleaning apparatus 10 for cleaning a workpiece W by jetting cleaning liquid from nozzles 22 disposed in a cleaning region E includes: a moving device 70; a feeding device 40 that is disposed facing the cleaning region E to hold and move the workpiece W; a holding device 17 that is disposed on the feeding device 40 to hold the workpiece W; a moving device 70 that movably supports the feeding device 40; and a cover device 14 that shields the moving device 70 from the cleaning region E and allows the feeding device 40 to pass therethrough. The feeding device 40 moves the workpiece W to the cleaning region E for cleaning.

Abstract: A pneumatic chip collector includes a free-floating head with a connector configured to be coupled to a pneumatic system. The head has a bottom with at least one slot disposed on the bottom of the head, the at least one slot parallel to the longitudinal axis of the head. The head also has at least one spacer disposed beyond the bottom of the head, the at least one spacer having a outermost surface defining a spacing relative to the bottom of the head with the outermost surface disposed on a surface.

Abstract: An antibacterial cleaning composition for hard surfaces is made from a flexible superabsorbent material and an antibacterial agent. The composition can be applied to various liquid and solid surface contaminants, including blood, vomit, fecal matter, urine, glass, food, etc. The composition may be applied to the contaminated hard surface by several methods including pouring, rolling, spraying or foaming. Once cured, the antimicrobial cleaning composition is removed from the surface, taking the contaminant along with it and leaving behind a clean surface.

Abstract: A Steckel mill has a reversing unit for rolling a rolled product and winding furnaces arranged on the entrance side and exit side of the reversing unit. When rolling the rolled product in a region of a head of the rolled product, a target thickness of the rolled product is ignored, while measuring a current thickness and/or a hardness of the rolled product and comparing this with a setpoint value. One the measured variable reaches or is below the setpoint value, the reversing unit is operated with a view to achieving the target thickness of the rolled product. The Steckel mill is operated to allow for rolling of a cold, non-rollable piece of the rolled product, so that malfunctions are avoided and the usable part of the rolled product is as large as possible.

Abstract: A selectable symbol engraving tool for use with a CNC machine. The engraving tool includes a housing and an array of styluses supported in the housing. A pattern disk is rotatably supported in the housing and is connectable to a spindle of the CNC machine. The pattern disk includes a plurality of hole patterns, each selectable via rotation of the spindle and including one or more clearance holes corresponding to a symbol. The array of styluses is positioned to confront a selected one of the plurality of hole patterns such that styluses corresponding to the clearance holes are refracted and the remaining styluses are extended. The extended styluses are operative to engrave the symbol corresponding to the selected hole pattern in a work piece via orbiting about a virtual axis of rotation when the selectable character engraving tool is moved in a circular motion by the CNC machine.

Abstract: A spinning forming device includes: a receiving jig supporting a central portion of a plate to be formed; and a rotating shaft to which the receiving jig is attached. The spinning forming device also includes: a heater configured to locally heat a transform target portion of the plate by induction heating; and a processing tool configured to press the transform target portion to transform the plate. The spinning forming device further includes a pair of holding rollers configured to sandwich an outside portion of the plate, the outside portion being located outside the transform target portion.

Abstract: A method of assembling a first part (1) with a second part (2) having at least one crimping lip (4), a crimping anvil (3) and a crimping groove (9) designed to accept an edge (10) that is to be crimped belonging to the first part, in which method the edge that is to be crimped is introduced into the crimping groove and magnetic crimping is performed by applying to the crimping lip a magnetic field that is designed to bend the crimping lip over and close the crimping groove onto the edge that is to be crimped, characterized in that the crimping anvil has at least one inclined portion.

Abstract: A draw die for use in a draw stage configured to process a work piece in a forming operation is provided. The draw die includes a first segment, a second segment positioned adjacent to the first segment, and an isolation material positioned between the first segment and the second segment and configured to substantially isolate the second segment from ultrasonic vibrations of the first segment.

Abstract: The machine includes: a bending head movable with at least two degrees of freedom in a transverse vertical plane; a first drive is arranged to move the bending head in the plane and to move a tool of the bending head between an open position, in which it defines with a die of the bending head a free space adapted to receive a tube to be bent, and a closed position, in which it clamps the tube against the die. A tube-carrying structure is rotatable about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the plane; a second drive is arranged to cause the tube-carrying structure to rotate about its own axis of rotation; and an electronic control unit is arranged to control the first and second drives so as to move the bending head and the tube-carrying structure in a position such that the tube is received with a desired orientation in the free space between the die and the tool.

Abstract: A box-shaped protective cover that covers an upper structural portion of a body of a vibrating compactor is manufactured by executing a cutting process for fashioning a single metal plate into a shape including a first planar portion, a second planar portion, an intermediate portion, and a plurality of side flaps, a bending process for bending or curving the side flaps and the intermediate portion, and a welding process for welding a side flap of the first planar portion to a side flap of the second planar portion.

Abstract: A blind tack fastener includes a pull stem having an elongated shaft with an extended tail portion. The blind tack fastener also includes a crush-initiating washer, a crush sleeve, and a swage collar, surrounding the elongated shaft of the pull stem. The elongated shaft has a breakaway groove configured to create a predictive fracture point below the head-end surface of the swage collar, such that a hole in the swage collar serves as a centering lead-in for a drill that can be used to remove the blind tack fastener.

Abstract: A method and manufacturing unit for producing a rotor blade (5) of a wind turbine (1) from at least a first rotor blade element (11, 11?, 12, 12?) and a second rotor blade element (11, 11?, 12, 12?). The first rotor blade element (11, 11?, 12, 12?) and the second rotor blade element (11, 11?, 12, 12?) are positioned in the desired relative arrangement with respect to each other such that a joint gap (13) remains between the first rotor blade element (11, 11?, 12, 12?) and the second rotor blade element (11, 11?, 12, 12?). Adhesive is introduced into the joint gap (13) for joining the first rotor blade element (11, 11?, 12, 12?) and the second rotor blade element (11, 11?, 12, 12?).

Abstract: The invention relates to molding material mixtures containing barium sulfate in combination with refractory basic molding materials and a waterglass-based binder system for producing casting molds and cores for the foundry industry in order to obtain cast pieces, in particular aluminum ones, which have an improved cast surface.

Abstract: A molding method of a sand mold including a hardened layer in a predetermined thickness range from an outer layer part, includes: forming a cavity and a filling opening of a die so that a dimension, which is a largest dimension between two intersections of straight lines passing through a section of a boundary portion between the cavity and the filling opening of the die, with respect to an outside line of the section, is less than a predetermined ratio with respect to a thickness dimension of that part of a product portion of the sand mold from which a blowing opening molded in the filling opening projects, the product portion being formed by the cavity of the die; and filling foamed sand into the cavity from the filling opening of the die.

Abstract: A hoisting type continuous casting device includes a keeping furnace, a first shape regulating member, an imaging section, an image analysis section, and a casting control section. The keeping furnace keeps a melt. The first shape regulating member is mounted in the vicinity of a molten surface of the melt kept in the keeping furnace and regulates a cross-sectional shape of a casting to be casted by the melt passing therethrough. The imaging section captures an image of the melt that has passed through the first shape regulating member. The image analysis section detects swinging motion in the melt from the image and determines a solidification interface based on presence or absence of the swinging motion. The casting control section changes a casting condition when the solidification interface determined by the image analysis section is not within a predetermined reference range.

Abstract: A sleeve (10) allows flow against gravity of molten metal into a casting mold. The sleeve has a sleeve body (20) with a longitudinal axis that defines a flow conduit for the metal. A check valve (30) is positioned in the flow conduit, arranged for limited axial movement in the sleeve between a closed position and an open position, although it is operatively positioned to be in the closed position in the absence of the pressurized metal. The check valve has a spool (32) with an internal flow conduit, a top end of the conduit blocked by an end cap (40). Flanges (36, 38) on the spool provide the limited axial movement in the sleeve. When lifted into the open position, metal flows into the spool flow conduit and through a porous structure of the spool, causing laminar flow and filtering inclusions.

Abstract: A casting nozzle to be used in a nozzle exchange (insert and/or removal) device of nozzle in continuous casting which comprises the nozzle which constitutes a tubular part provided with a channel, a rectangular flange or plate having the channel for casting, wherein the plate has an upper surface and a rear surface having two arcs, which are provided with a radius R arranged on the both sides of the plate in the perpendicular direction of a nozzle insertion (hereafter called X direction) and a supporting faces on both sides of the nozzle in the direction of a nozzle insertion (hereafter called Y direction), and a metal case for reinforcing and covering the flange or plate and the upper part of the tubular part.

Abstract: An article and a method for making shaped cooling holes in an article are provided. The method includes the steps of depositing a metal alloy powder to form an initial layer including at least one aperture, melting the metal alloy powder with a focused energy source to transform the powder layer to a sheet of metal alloy, sequentially depositing an additional layer of the metal alloy powder to form a layer including at least one aperture corresponding to the at least one aperture in the initial layer, melting the additional layer of the metal alloy powder with the focused energy source to increase the sheet thickness, and repeating the steps of sequentially depositing and melting the additional layers of metal alloy powder until a structure including at least one aperture having a predetermined profile is obtained. The structure is attached to a substrate to make the article.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing methods, apparatuses, and systems using, inter alia, a controller that regulates formation of at least one 3D object (e.g., in real time during the 3D printing); and a non-transitory computer-readable medium facilitating the same. For example, a controller that regulates a deformation of at least a portion of the 3D object. The control may be in situ control. The control may be real-time control during the 3D printing process. For example, the control may be during a physical-attribute pulse. The present disclosure provides various methods, apparatuses, systems and software for estimating the fundamental length scale of a melt pool, and for various tools that increase the accuracy of the 3D printing.

Abstract: A cutting insert for threading of the present invention includes two opposing end surfaces and a peripheral side surface extending therebetween. The peripheral side surface has a first side surface portion and a second side surface portion arranged at different positions in a circumferential direction. A cutting edge is formed at an intersecting ridgeline portion between the first end surface and the first side surface portion and at least a portion of this cutting edge has a shape corresponding to a thread groove. The second side surface portion has an inclined portion which enlarges outward from the side of the first end surface toward the side of the second end surface. This inclined portion is configured to engage with a side wall surface of a tool body so as to prevent floating of the cutting insert.

Abstract: A recess surface portion 123 is formed in a predetermined range L1 from a front end 103 toward a rear end, of a lateral flank 120 of a front end portion 102 of a holder 100, so as to be recessed relative to a lateral flank 120b of a rear portion 122, a circular arc surface portion (frontward-facing surface) 125 formed in a circular arc shape as seen from a rake face 105 side is provided on the rear of the recess surface portion 123, and an ejection port 150 is opened in the frontward-facing surface. Accordingly, supply of the coolant at the lateral flank side is ensured, and cutting can be performed at a position closer to a chuck Ck due to no protruding portion being present at the lateral flank side of the holder as in the conventional art.

Abstract: A clamping device for clamping a workpiece or a tool or a tool holder to a machine component of a machine tool, including an axially movable tension rod, a clamping assembly which can be moved by the tension rod between a clamped position and a released position, a spring assembly dedicated to the tension rod for generating the clamping and draw-in force of the clamping assembly, and a releasing unit by which the clamping assembly can be moved by the tension rod against the force of the spring assembly into the released position. The spring assembly has a minimum of one spring unit with a plurality of flexible spring members disposed between a first and a second spring holder, with the first and second spring holders being secured against torsion relative to the tension rod.

Abstract: A hand tool support device includes an attachment bracket, at least one armband, at least one transfer rod, and a flexible connector. The attachment bracket is configured to be attached to a hand tool body of a powered hand tool having a hand tool grip configured to be held by a user. The hand tool body has a tool bit rotatable about and/or reciprocative along a tool axis. The armband is configured to receive a forearm of the user. The armband has an armband axis. The transfer rod extends between and couples the armband to the attachment bracket. The flexible connector is included at a lengthwise location of the transfer rod and enables movement of the armband axis relative to the attachment bracket, and absorbs at least one of torque, vibration, and shock on the gripping hand, wrist, and forearm of the user.

Abstract: A drill bushing for a drill unit. In one embodiment, the drill bushing includes a base member having an upper surface, a lower surface configured to rest on a workpiece having a pilot hole, and a retaining member that projects from the lower surface of the base member. The retaining member has a cylindrical outer diameter that fits within the pilot hole. The drill bushing further includes a drill hole that passes from the upper surface of the base member through the retaining member to provide a passage for a drill bit. The drill bushing further includes an expandable slit that passes through the base member and the retaining member to the drill hole, and an adjustment member configured to expand the expandable slit to increase the cylindrical outer diameter of the retaining member within the pilot hole.

Abstract: A starting hole for milling in a surface of a workpiece by a CNC milling machine with a milling cutter mounted to a rotating spindle is created by milling a first hole at a first diameter to a first depth into the workpiece along the axis of the starting hole; and then successively milling a second hole at a second diameter to a second depth into the workpiece along the axis of the starting hole, wherein the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter. One or more additional holes may be successively milled to additional depths at successively smaller diameters.

Abstract: A power tool has a cutting element driven by a motor assembly, the motor assembly driving a fan for flowing air over the motor assembly. The power tool includes a foot plate configured to be supported on a workpiece, the foot plate defining an opening through which the cutting element extends, and at least one alignment opening arranged relative to the cutting element opening to allow the operator to visualize the cut line of the cut created by the cutting element. A motor housing is provided that supports the motor assembly on the foot plate, in which the motor housing defines a cavity substantially enclosing the motor assembly and arranged to receive airflow from the fan. A nozzle is defined in the motor housing that is configured to direct airflow from the cavity of the motor housing in an airflow line of action intersecting the at least one alignment opening.

Abstract: A method or process of fabricating a solder cartridge and solder cartridge made according to the process is disclosed. The solder cartridge made according to the process provides a self-temperature regulating solder tip for an inductive current soldering station having improved heater quality and stability with reduced manufacturing costs.

Abstract: A welding system includes a welding wire feeder, and the welding wire feeder includes a motor and an adjustable drive shaft assembly. The motor is and configured to rotate a feed roll with respect to the wire drive assembly housing. The adjustable drive shaft assembly is coupled to the motor and configured to couple with the feed roll. The adjustable drive shaft assembly includes a drive mechanism configured to urge rotation of the feed roll and to adjust a position of the feed roll relative to the wire drive assembly housing.

Abstract: In embodiments, a welding apparatus includes an automated wire feed mechanism to output wire at a wire feed rate, where the wire is to provide a welding arc to a weld site. The wire feed rate is based at least in part on selected power to be provided to the weld site. Additional embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A system and method for a plasma system includes a plasma torch actuated by a trigger, a consumable installed in the plasma torch, and a gas flow system constructed to receive pressurized gas and provide a gas flow to the plasma torch. A gas flow regulating system is included and configured to regulate the gas flow, and a sensing device is included and configured to monitor a gas pressure in the plasma torch. The plasma system also includes a controller configured to receive a signal from the sensing device and to determine one of a length parameter of the plasma torch and a type of the consumable therefrom.

Abstract: A wedge bonding tool including a body portion including a tip portion is provided. The tip portion includes a working surface configured to contact a wire material during formation of a wedge bond. A plurality of notches are defined by one or more surfaces of the body portion.

Abstract: A mounting tool (1) for mounting a friction-welding boss (9), wherein the mounting tool (1) includes a drive shaft (2) with a first end section (3) adapted to create a detachable force coupling with the friction-welding boss (9) or an adapter and a holder is arranged spring-loaded at the first end section (3) and at least one cutting means (6) is arranged at the holder (5). A milling adapter (10) includes a first end section (11) adapted to create a detachable force coupling with a mounting tool (1), and a second end section (12) including at least one cutting means (13).

Abstract: A friction stir welding method which permits advantageous production of a product which has a sound welded area without joint defects, by joining together two members formed of the same material or respective different materials selected from a cast aluminum alloy and 2000 series, 4000 series, 5000 series and 7000 series aminum alloys which are considered difficult to be joined together by the friction stir welding method. A termination tab member formed of a 1000 series, 3000 series, 6000 series or 8000 series aluminum alloy is disposed in abutting contact with end faces of joining portions of first and second members (in an abutting part), on the side of termination of the welding operation, and the friction stir welding operation is terminated after a probe of a rotary tool is moved from the joining portions of the two members into the termination tab member.

Abstract: Laser drilling devices are disclosed which include a laser beam source and a laser drilling head. The laser drilling head includes a beam manipulator system in which the only dynamically moving optical element is a mirror. The mirror is dynamically and reciprocally translatable along the direction of the incoming laser beam and is also dynamically and reciprocally tiltable about an axis that is perpendicular to the nominal optical axis of the drilling head. The drilling head also includes a spinnable laser beam rotating system, a simplified compensation system, and a focusing system. The compensation system includes as its only laser beam path shifting optical elements one or two wedge plates which, if two, are fixably rotatable relative to one another in planes which are perpendicular to the nominal optical axis of the laser drilling device.

Abstract: Laser systems and methods improve the processing velocity of the routs or other features to avoid exceeding the laser system's dynamic limits. A laser processing system divides laser processing commands corresponding to a plurality of features to be processed on or in the workpiece into process segments. Laser processing parameters and beam trajectories are simulated to determine a maximum processing velocity for each of the process segments. The laser processing system selects one or more of the maximum processing velocities for processing the plurality of features on or within the workpiece. A slowest processing velocity of the maximum processing velocities may be used to process each of the plurality of features. Alternatively, each continuous rout sequence may be processed using a different processing velocity. In other embodiments, each process segment is processed using its corresponding maximum processing velocity.

Abstract: A method of forming a cutting element for an earth-boring tool may include directing at least one energy beam at a surface of a volume of polycrystalline superabrasive material including interstitial material disposed in regions between inter-bonded grains of polycrystalline superabrasive material. The method includes ablating the interstitial material with the at least one energy beam such that at least a portion of the interstitial material is removed from a first region of the volume of polycrystalline superabrasive material without any substantial degradation of the inter-bonded grains of superabrasive material or of bonds thereof in the first region.

Abstract: A test piece preparation step of preparing a test piece (50) including a welding structure in which a welding material formed of an austenitic alloy is welded to a member formed of low-alloy steel or low-carbon steel, a hydrogen supply step of supplying hydrogen to the test piece (50), and a characteristic stress acquisition step of applying a load (F) to the test piece (50) to which hydrogen was supplied and acquiring a characteristic stress showing material mechanical properties of the test piece (50) are executed.

Abstract: A solder alloy is a tin-silver-copper solder alloy substantially consisting of tin, silver, copper, bismuth, nickel, cobalt, and indium. With respect to the total amount of the solder alloy, the content ratio of the silver is 2 mass % or more and 5 mass % or less; the content ratio of the copper is 0.1 mass % or more and 1 mass % or less; the content ratio of the bismuth is 0.5 mass % or more and 4.8 mass % or less; the content ratio of the nickel is 0.01 mass % or more and 0.15 mass % or less; the content ratio of the cobalt is 0.001 mass % or more and 0.008 mass % or less; the content ratio of the indium is above 6.2 mass % and 10 mass % or less; and the content ratio of the tin is the remaining ratio.

Abstract: An assembly comprising: two ceramic bodies, which are joined by means of a joint of an active hard solder, or braze, wherein the active hard solder, or braze, has a continuous core volume, which is spaced, in each case, from the ceramic bodies by at least 1 ?m, and an average composition CK with a liquidus temperature Tl(CK), wherein the composition CK has a coefficient of thermal expansion ?(CK), wherein ?(CK)=m·?(K), wherein m?1.5, especially m?1.3 and preferably m?1.2, wherein ?(K) is the average coefficient of thermal expansion of the ceramic material of the ceramic bodies, wherein the joint has boundary layers, which border on the ceramic body, wherein at least one of the boundary layers, which lies outside of the core volume, has an average composition CB with a liquidus temperature Tl(CB), which lies not less than 50 K, preferably not less than 100 K, and especially preferably not less than 200 K, under the liquidus temperature Tl(CK) of the average composition CK of the core volume.

Abstract: A pair of upper and lower pressure rollers 3, 4 is disposed so that their axes 15, 16 are tilted in a horizontal plane in respective directions opposite to each other with respect to a straight line perpendicular to a welding line of a joint portion J. The pressure rollers 3, 4 are positively driven by corresponding electric motors 63, 64 to thereby roll the joint portion. Thus, steps defined at the joint portion can be smoothed and a step gradient can be reduced to ensure a high degree of joint strength. Thus, it is possible to prevent a step portion from being interfolded into the base material of the meal plates 5, 6.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for repairing a receiving hook for guide vanes, wherein the receiving hook is arranged in a housing of a turbomachine. The method comprises removing first material in a region of the receiving hook, which region extends over the circumference of the housing and thereafter applying second material in or on a region which extends over the circumference of the housing. The application of second material is performed using localized heat.

Abstract: A pierce nut insertion tool is provided. In another aspect, a pierce nut feeding mechanism has a mechanically independent driver actuator from that of a punch. A further aspect of the present tool employs a member, moveable with a punch, that retains a pierce nut prior to fastening of the nut to a workpiece. An additional aspect uses a fluid actuated nut feeder including a piston.

Abstract: The present invention is an installation system for ceiling mounted items that is comprised of a tubular hollow extension. The first end of the tubular hollow extension is adapted to receive a suspension member and the second end is adapted to be attached to a drill bit or operated manually.

Abstract: A conveyor installation for the transportation of articles along a predefined path includes a running rail, at least one running carriage which is freely movable along the running rail, and a driven engagement device which extends at least in sections along the running rail and which includes a multiplicity of engagement elements movable along the running rail. Reliable and quiet operation is achieved in that the engagement elements are movable back and forth between two stable positions, wherein, in the first stable position, the engagement elements can be moved relative to the at least one running carriage past the running carriage without entering into engagement with the running carriage (non-engagement position), and wherein, in the second stable position, the engagement elements, during a movement relative to the at least one running carriage past the running carriage, compulsorily enter into engagement with the at least one running carriage (engagement position).