Abstract: Universal component lift apparatus for moving components of electronic device manufacturing systems is described. The universal component lift apparatus includes a track, a truck moveable along the track, and a lift apparatus adapted to couple to the truck, the lift apparatus including a wheeled base, a lift portion, and a boom adapted to couple to the component. Electronic device processing systems and methods of moving components thereof are described, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract: A synchronous running safeguard for transfer stations or devices for handling containers, in particular for handling bottle-like containers made of glass or plastic, having a first and a second rotary element, which each have holding elements for the containers and each have a motor drive. The rotary elements are disposed in relation to one another such that the containers can be transferred in a transfer area from one of the first holding elements to one of the second holding elements. The rotary elements, each rotationally connected, have a control element having engagement elements, and the control elements are in meshing engagement with one another. The control elements are disposed in such a way that, during operation the control elements are interengaged without contact during the rotary movement of the rotary elements and that, in the event of a fault, the control elements are interengaged with contact.

Abstract: A conveyor installation for conveying and accumulating hanging items comprises a drive chain which is mounted to a guide rail, and retaining members which are mounted on rollers below the drive chain. The retaining members—together with the items to be transported which are suspended therefrom—are conveyed by the drive chain in a direction of conveyance and, if required, stopped and accumulated by means of a stopping device, with the drive connection being released between the drive chain and the retaining members by displacing the drive chain upwards due to a particular design of coupling members arranged on the lower side of the drive chain.

Abstract: Drive dog chains are assembled with alternating universal inside attachment links and outside sidebars and riveted pin connections. The universal inside attachment links have full size end sections and central sections of reduced height. Filler attachments are attached with machine screws to the central sections. Upper surfaces of the filler attachments are level with upper surfaces of the end sections and upper surfaces of the outside sidebars. Filler attachments are removed from selected ones of the center sections and replaced with pusher attachments secured at an end of each selected center section. A drive dog chain is manufactured and stored in uniform strands. Upon ordering, the pusher attachments replace the filler attachments at selected spacings on the chain.

Abstract: A transport system according to the invention comprises a guide device having a first guide rail in the form of a first pipe (11) and a second guide rail in the form of a second pipe (12). The transport system comprises a toothed driving disk (330), which is engaged with an engagement element (340) extending along the lower pipe (12) and forms a positive drive. The engagement element (340) comprises counter-toothing, disposed along the pipe (12).

Abstract: The invention presented comprises an operation system in which items to be processed by an operator, such as a washer/dryer, bulk sterilizer, or kiln, are fed into and removed from the operator by a continuous conveyor. A microcontroller controls actuators in loading zones distributed along the conveyor that switch the individual loading zones from bypass to push mode to alternately allow the items to remain stationary on the moving conveyor or be moved to a downstream loading zone when in the push mode. In a preferred embodiment, at least one loading zone is located at least partly within the operator.

Abstract: Drive dog chains are assembled with alternating universal inside attachment links and outside sidebars and riveted pin connections. The universal inside attachment links have full size end sections and central sections of reduced height. Filler attachments are attached with machine screws to the central sections. Upper surfaces of the filler attachments are level with upper surfaces of the end sections and upper surfaces of the outside sidebars. Filler attachments are removed from selected ones of the center sections and replaced with pusher attachments secured at an end of each selected center section. A drive dog chain is manufactured and stored in uniform strands. Upon ordering, the pusher attachments replace the filler attachments at selected spacings on the chain.

Abstract: An assembly and method for controlling movement of a chain section during removal, including a mounting body providing a connector adapted for connection to a chain, a pair of rollers secured to the mounting body, the rollers being adapted for rotational movement along the channeled track, and an engaging member positioned between each roller and said mounting body, wherein the engaging member is configured to extend the roller between a disengaged and engaged positions, so that movement of the chain is retarded as the roller extends towards the engaged position.

Abstract: A railroad car positioning apparatus for positioning a railroad car along a railroad track includes a battery-powered and radio-controlled carriage assembly and first and second dog members mounted on the carriage assembly. The apparatus includes a main control unit for controlling the carriage assembly. The carriage assembly is controlled via radio communication between the carriage assembly and the main control unit. The dog members are generally extendable to an axle height of the railroad car to be acquired for contacting one of the axles of the railroad car. The apparatus further includes a plurality of hydraulic cylinders for moving the carriage assembly in a forward or reverse direction on a guide way disposed between the railroad tracks on which the railroad cars travel. The batteries on the carriage assembly may be remotely recharged using a contactless power transfer device, which includes a battery recharging device situated on the guide way.

Abstract: A chain drive assembly for elevating a load such as a vehicle carriage on a leisure ride. The assembly comprises an endless loop lift chain and a plurality of drive chains. The lift chain has a plurality of chain links comprising a pair of laterally spaced outer link plates pivotally connected to inner link members disposed at least in part between the outer link members. The inner or outer link members of each link have a row of teeth for engagement in openings between links of the drive chains. The drive chains being disposed so as to engage the teeth at a rectilinear stretch of the chain loop so as to drive the chain in a longitudinal direction. The inner and outer links of the lift chain being arranged to define an opening designed to receive a projection on the load. The assembly serves to spread the load between the drive chains and their drive systems. The conveyor chain does not articulate under load and can be reduced in weight.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a conveyor assembly and carrier for use with a conveyor wherein the carrier includes a frame having a longitudinal axis, a first pair of load wheels rotatably coupled to the frame, and a first pair of stabilizer wheels positioned laterally outward of the first pair of load wheels and rotatably coupled to the frame. The conveyor includes the carrier, a drive, and a stabilizer track having first and second channels spaced from one another. The first pair of stabilizer wheels are disposable for movement within the channels.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low clearance, compact guideway, train positioning system that can be installed in close quarters alongside an existing railroad track. The system is chain driven and features an improved over/under or vertical sprocket carriage drive system in which parts normally exposed to the elements are protected while, at the same time, horizontal space requirements alongside the track are reduced. The system employs a vertically oriented chain drive which employs enclosed vertically mounted drive and idler sprocket units and a chain tube enclosing the lower chain strand which further minimizes exposure of the mechanism chain to the elements by totally enclosing the lower chain path in the over/under arrangement.

Abstract: An enclosed track conveyor chain assembly and method of construction includes a plurality of guide link assemblies and load link assemblies connected to form a conveyor chain assembly. Each load link assembly includes a pair of side walls and forward and rearward ends defining an opening. A pair of wheel assemblies supports the load link on the horizontal surfaces of the track. A guide link member is inserted into the opening of adjacent load links. Distal ends of the guide links are connected via a fastener to thereby connect adjacent load link members to form the enclosed track chain. Each guide link member includes a plurality of flat areas on the distal ends of the arms to provide a connecting surface. A fastener is inserted through openings in the distal ends to secure the guide link members together. Preferably, the connection between guide link members is pivotal to allow pivoting action of the guide link.

Abstract: A powered pushing unit transfers ads no greater than a predetermined magnitude in one direction along the length of a load transfer system. The pushing unit includes a frame and a source of power for moving the pushing unit back and forth along the length of the load transfer system. A dog for engaging a load is pivotally mounted with respect to the frame. A restricting mechanism applies a load engaging force to hold the dog at a load transfer range of positions until the load is greater than the predetermined magnitude. A toggle joint is mounted between the dog and the frame. The toggle joint forms an angle in a first angular direction to lock the dog in a load engaging position during engagement of a load under the predetermined magnitude. The toggle joint further shifts to form an angle in a second angular direction upon engagement of a load in excess of the predetermined magnitude, thereby allowing the dog to pivot away from the load which is in excess of the predetermined magnitude.

Abstract: A dog carriage for a railway car indexing system for positioning a railway car or a trip of coupled railway cars having railway wheels mounted in and carrying bogey wheel truck frames by engaging and pushing against the bogey wheel truck frames using dogs includes a dog carriage frame moveable along a railroad track, a pair of spaced opposed dogs pivotally attached to the dog carriage frame for pivoting between a lowered position and a raised position to engage a bogey wheel truck frame in the raised position by movement of the dog carriage frame. A bogey wheel truck frame sensing device is carried on the dog carriage and a dog operating system is provided for controlling the position of each of the dogs individually between the lowered and the raised position.

Abstract: A retractable pusher dog for an overhead power and free conveyor system is provided. The retractable pusher dog comprises a body portion formed from a rectangular cylinder with a spring and pusher member disposed within the cylinder. When a force greater than the static spring force is applied to the pusher member, the pusher member retracts into the body portion thus reducing the overall height of the pusher dog. Due to its self-actuating retraction, the retractable pusher dog of the subject invention requires no modifications to the powered and free rails or to the load trolleys. The retractable pusher dog will prevent jamming of load trolleys by allowing the pusher dog to bypass an off-timed load carrier, introduced from a different powered rail, until it is properly aligned on the main rail. Also, the body plates of the pusher dog facilitates coupling the pusher dog to the drive chain without disassembling the drive chain thus reducing downtime of the conveyor system and labor costs.

Abstract: A hybrid carrying truck is disclosed which has merits of both of a skid carrier and a carrying truck such that it can successively and smoothly transfer between different carrying lines to carry a work whatever the carrying lines are and can secure a removing position from the carrying line to a refuge area freely and with safety. The hybrid carrying truck includes traveling wheels mounted at front and back positions on the left and right sides of a truck body for being rolled on a pair of rails to allow the truck body to travel along a carrying line, a pair of left and right skid members mounted on a bottom face of the truck body and elongated in a carrying direction of the hybrid carrying truck, and a truck hauling engaging member mounted at a central position of the bottom face of the truck body in a widthwise direction of the truck body.

Abstract: A train positioning system for moving railroad cars by engaging bogey frames from one side includes a dog carriage guideway spaced from and parallel to a railroad track, a dog carriage mounted to operate along the guideway, a first dog pivotally attached to the dog carriage to pivot in a generally horizontal plane between a retracted position and an extended position. The first dog is positioned to engage a bogey frame in a first direction and be deflected by the bogey frame in a second direction in the extended position. A second dog may be mounted in opposed spaced relation to the first dog also to pivot in a generally horizontal plane between a retracted and an extended position. The second dog is configured to engage a bogey frame in the second direction and be deflected by the bogey frame in the first direction. A system is provided for reversibly operating the dog carriage along the guideway.

Abstract: A stop mechanism for detaching a conveyor trolley from a drive system which normally drives the trolley along a conveyor track. A ramp can be moved into the path of a trolley dog so that the trolley dog moves upwardly along an inclined ramp surface to disengage the trolley dog from a drive dog carried by a driven chain of the conveyor system. The actuating mechanism for the ramp includes a pivotal cam plate actuated by a power cylinder. A cam slot in the cam plate receives a cam roller connected with a guide link which moves in a vertical guide slot. The guide link is connected with the ramp to move it up and down under the control of the actuating cylinder.