Abstract: A material finishing line including a essentially linear array of work stations is disclosed. A stationary support beam extends over the work stations and substatially encloses a transmission, and supports at least one crane body and a drive means to selectively propel the crane body along the support beam. The crane body is an assembly of components arranged to raise workpieces from the work stations towards the support beam. A `U` shaped cart supports lift means to provide power to raise a lift arm and supports the lift arm and a lift arm guide. The vertical extensions of the support beam and of the cart are reduced and nearly overlap, and the vertical extension of the lift arm may be lifted into substantially overlapping relationship with the vertical extension of the cart.

Abstract: An automatic set-up system is provided for setting up on a pallet work to be machined by a flexible manufacturing system automatic machine tool. The pallet has a support plate and a jig plate which overlies the support plate on which the work is placed. The support plate, the jig plate and the work are sequentially conveyed by a convey unit on a setting table. The relative positions of the support plate and the jig plate, and of the jig plate and the work are usually held constant by the engagement of positioning recesses and positioning pins. Even if the position of the jig plate or the work conveyed by the convey unit deviates from a predetermined position, a float base and a support plate (the float base, the support plate, and the jig plate) are floated by means of air bearing pads. The horizontal movement of these components can be readily controlled, so that positioning pins can be easily fitted in the positioning recesses.

Abstract: In case of a device for treating flexible synthetic printing plates having a thickness of 2 to 7 mm with a depth of profile of 1 to 4 mm, including at least one washing-out step, a flushing step and a drying step, there are provided for the washing-out step an approximately horizontal table which is vertically adjustable, and for the aftertreatment steps containers in which the printing plates each can be perpendicularly suspended.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided wherein solid material, such as semiconductor wafers, are sequentially transported into and out of a series of process solution containers. Process solution from each container and particulate matter is removed from the material by providing means for rotating the material in a vertical plane above each container. The apparatus includes a housing maintained substantially free of particulate matter.

Abstract: A mechanized work transfer system in which a robot assembly riding on a horizontal rail and driven by an external motor acts to convey a basket carrying work along a row of processing stages on a work bench. The assembly includes a robot provided with an elevator operated by an internal motor which serves to lower the basket at each stage on the work bench and to deposit it into a processing tank for a predetermined dwell period, after which the basket is hoisted out of the tank and transferred to another stage where the procedure is repeated. To render the assembly substantially immune to corrosive vapors emanating from the tanks, the robot housing is sectioned into left and right compartments, the left compartment being reserved for those moving and stationary components which can be fabricated of corrosion-resistant materials.

Abstract: A film developing machine includes a film loading section for receiving therein frames supporting film to be developed, a developing section having a series of basins for containing chemical baths used for development, a transferring system for transferring film supporting frames through the developing section and immersing the film in the chemical baths in the basins, and a drying and unloading section for receiving developed film from the developing section and drying the film. A light-tight casing houses each of the sections. A vertically movable guide moves film supporting frames downwardly within the film loading section to a lower portion thereof. A feeder is located in the developing section at a position beneath the lower portion of the film loading section and receives film supporting frames transferred from the guide and feeds such frames to the transferring system.

Abstract: An automatic work transfer system for conveying a basket carrying work through a row of processing stages at a work station in any desired sequence. The basket is lowered into a tank at each stage and oriented therein for processing for a predetermined dwell period, at the conclusion of which the basket is hoisted out of the tank and transferred to the next stage where the procedure is repeated. The system includes a supporting rail laterally displaced from the row of stages and parallel thereto. Riding on the rail is a robot provided with a pair of vertical shafts supported on an elevator. Cantilevered from the shafts are a pair of arms which extend over the stages, the ends of the arms being pivotally connected to a cross piece. Depending from the center of the cross piece is a rod terminating in a hand adapted to engage the handle of the basket.

Abstract: Spraying apparatus for cleaning filter plates embodies a support frame which is mounted for movement beneath the filter plates and is adapted to align with each space formed between adjacent filter plates to be cleaned. A spraying unit is mounted for pivotal movement on the support frame selectively to a lowered position beneath the filter plates and to a raised position extending upwardly into the space between adjacent filter plates. A spray dispenser carried by the spraying unit moves within the space to apply spray to the adjacent vertical surfaces of the filter plates being cleaned.

Abstract: Developing apparatus mainly for the developing of films, comprising developing tanks (1-9), hangers (11) for films, transporting means (13-15) for transporting the hangers into register with the developing tanks, and a control unit (16) with clock unit (17), said control unit being arranged to control the transporting means with the aid of the clock unit. The apparatus has provided with separate tank switches (18) in register with the tanks (1-9), these switches having been arranged to cooperate with the hangers (11) under their control, and with a display unit (19) which has been connected with the tank switches and arranged to indicate those hangers which are in the tanks, and that the clock unit is adjustable so that the staying time of the hangers can be regulated.

Abstract: A corrosion protection pretreating apparatus, wherein articles to be treated such as reinforcement-arranged frame or the like are subjected to pickling prior to the corrosion protection treatment including mortar coating and the like.

Abstract: In the phosphate immersion treatment of a steel sheet structure such as an automobile body, a method is provided wherein the bottom of a treatment tank is flat. An object to be treated such as an automobile body is submerged in the treatment solution. The object to be treated is inclined upward and downward at least once to remove oil, reaction cases, and air collected inside the object. An apparatus for performing phosphate immersion treatment of the object is also provided wherein the treatment solution is sprayed toward the feeding side of the treatment tank to cause small waves, so that formation of a border line mark on the surface of the object due to temporary interruption of the feeding operation may be prevented. An undulation is formed in a conveyor arranged above the treatment tank, or a pair of drop lifters which are individually operable are mounted to the conveyor, so that the object may be inclined upward and downward.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for use in pickling facilities for tubular members such as zirconium or zirconium alloy tubes. The apparatus includes a travelling crane for conveying and loading the tubular members from one cleaning tank to another, a pair of endless wrapping connectors such as endless chains spacedly and circulatably provided in at least one tank, for example, in a first cleaning tank filled with slightly warm water below the level of its cleaning fluid, and a plurality of feed claws provided with an interval therebetween on each of the endless wrapping connectors along the length of the same so as to prevent the tubular members from contacting one another during cleaning treatment. Thus, development of stain or physical damage such as scratches or dents is eliminated or minimized. It is possible to tentatively stock the tubular members on the endless wrapping connectors so as to perform a smooth and continuous pickling and cleaning operation of such tubular members.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying tubular members along a plurality of treatment liquid tanks in pickling facilities. The apparatus includes a pair of guide rails and a travelling car adapted to reciprocate on the guide rails. The travelling car includes at least one pair of tube-supporting hooks which can be reciprocated upwardly and downwardly and turned between positions parallel to the rails and other positions perpendicular to the rails. The tube-supporting hooks can be lowered or raised independently so as to support the tubular members aslant near the treatment liquid level in each of the treatment liquid tanks, thereby allowing immersion of the tubular members into the treatment liquid or retraction of the tubular members out of the treatment liquid without forming considerable air bubbles in the liquid. Since such bubbles are known to develop stains on the tubular members, tubular members of high surface quality can be obtained.

Abstract: A hoist plating line comprising a plurality of plating tanks disposed in a linear array and an elongated track extending longitudinally above the tanks and including means for bodily moving the track between raised and lowered positions above the tanks. A plurality of carts are mounted on the track and are coupled by drive chains to electric motors disposed at one of the track ends for translating the carts longitudinally of the track above the tanks in both the raised and lowered positions of the track. The carts include carrier hands adapted to cooperate with pick-up adapters associated with workpieces suspended in the various tanks for lifting, translating and depositing the workpieces among the plating tank locations. A plurality of proximity detectors are spaced longitudinally of the track and cooperate with the carts for identifying plating locations associated with the various tanks disposed beneath the track.

Abstract: In a dip treating apparatus for carrying out a multiple-step process, e.g. for film processing, the objects to be treated are transferred in separate groups step by step through a row of stations by means of a series of individually operatable conveyors, one for each adjacent pair of stations. Each such conveyor comprises a vertically extending guideway along which a slide member is reciprocatable by means of a working cylinder, the piston of which is pneumatically driven at an operating speed controlled by a flow of liquid through a variable restriction.

Abstract: Animal carcasses are thoroughly cleaned by a single pass through a cleaning unit having a pair of oscillating spray bar assemblies, each equipped with a plurality of nozzles arranged to collectively contact all exposed surfaces of the carcass. The cleaning unit is enclosed within an open-ended chamber having at either end a vestibular system of baffles for containing the spray liquid while permitting uninhibited passage of the carcasses.

Abstract: Apparatus for coating articles with enamel slip comprises an evacuatable container 1, which is divided in a vertical plane into parts 2, 3, which are movable toward and away from each other. The articles 29 to be coated are suspended in a row from an endless conveyor track and are introduced into the container 1 when its parts 2, 3 have been moved apart to open the container 1. The container 1 is then closed. In the closed container, the suspension means are held between soft seals 12, 13 which cover the confronting edges of the container parts 2, 3. When the container 1 has been closed, the air contained therein is sucked off and slip is sucked into the container. As soon as the coating operation has been completed, the slip is drained from the container 1 and the latter is then opened and the coated article is removed.

Abstract: A treatment apparatus using a walking beam transporter is provided with an indexing mechanism for enabling barrels supported on the beam to be indexed rotationally in use, either in a treatment solution or when raised above it. The drive mechanism comprises a rod extending along the transporter beam and supported in low friction bearings for linear reciprocated movement. The rod is driven by a piston and cylinder assembly housed inside the beam, via a pendulum link. Each barrel is provided with a ratchet and pawl mechanism operated from the rod via a lever link on the barrel mounting.

Abstract: A developer unit for sheet film in which individual sheets are moved through processing tanks by holders moved by an elevator from tank to tank and thence the sheets are disposed from the developer, the holders are recovered in the developer after disposal of the sheet film and are conveyed via a holder store to a film reception station where sheets are loaded individually with the holders for processing.

Abstract: A motorized carriage for depositing and removing heated metal articles such as cast or rolled slabs, into and from adjacent compartments of an enlongated cooling basin. The carriage consists of a movable carrier crossbeam which has several vertical downwardly extending rotatable spaced-apart fingers, each having two horizontal perpendicular extensions. Upon a 90.degree. rotation the fingers release a hot slab and grasp a cooled slab.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically processing photogravure images onto curvilinear surfaces including automated conveying means, etching means, etch terminating means, staging material removing means, and etching resist removing means.

Abstract: A device for heating an elongated workpiece having a central axis which device comprises first and second axially spaced and axially aligned multiturn induction heating coils, each of which has a workpiece receiving passage extending therethrough. Means are provided for indexing a workpiece axially first into the passage of the first coil and then, after a time delay, axially into the passage of the second coil.

Abstract: Hot slabs to be carried to a soaking pit by a railborne transporter, provided with two sets of vertical guide bars flanking an array of vertically reciprocable gripper arms, ride prone on a first roller conveyor to a pickup area where they are erected by a first group of swingable prongs for engagement by the gripper arms as the transporter moves over that area. Cooled slabs coming from the soaking pit are delivered by these gripper arms to a receiving area alongside the pickup area where they are transferred to a second group of swingable prongs subsequently depositing them prone on a second roller conveyor for removal to another destination.

Abstract: An improved article conveying apparatus suitable for conveying an article to be processed from an article receiving station to a processing station and for conveying a processed article from the processing station to a product delivery station in a highly efficient manner. This article conveying apparatus has an apparatus main body supported on a track and capable of travelling along said track, an arm supporting frame mounted on the apparatus main body so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis, at least a pair of arms mounted on the frame in a vertically movable manner, and article supporting devices mounted on the respective arms at an equal distance from the vertical axis.

Abstract: Rows of stakes rising from several parallel beams in a soaking pit form a multiplicity of compartments each designed to receive one or more slabs coming to rest on a pair of such beams. The slabs are carried hot to the pit and cold from the pit by a railborne transporter including a traverse provided with two sets of fixed vertical guide bars hanging down between the rows of stakes, these sets being separated in the direction of travel by twice the stake spacing and flanking an array of vertically reciprocable gripper arms lowerable to the level of the beams between the rows of stakes. The gripper arms, mounted on carriages guided by the bars, define with them two carrying cages, alignable with a pair of adjacent pit compartments, and are provided with retractable feet that can be alternately extended across the bottom of one or the other cage for supporting a hot slab to be deposited in one compartment and then extracting a cooled slab from the adjoining compartment.

Abstract: A vertical grinder wherein at least two rotating grinding tanks are provided on a horizontally movable bed body, vertically movable and rotatable rotary tanks containing grinding materials respectively for coarse, medium and lustrous finishes are arranged in parallel with them, a vertically movable main spindle is provided above one of said rotary tanks and a plurality of collect chucks are made rotatable and are suspended with a work fitted on the peripheral edge of the lower end surface of said main spindle and are inserted in turn into said rotary tanks respectively for coarse, medium and lustrous finishes to grind the work.

Abstract: In a metal surface treatment apparatus in which a work article is immersed successively in a plurality of treatment tanks disposed in a line and containing respective treatment liquors, a traveling crane handling the work article in this operation is automatically controlled to travel over the tanks with a repeated horizontal speed pattern comprising an initial period of steady acceleration from the center of each tank, a period of high speed, and a period of deceleration upon approaching the center of the succeeding tank, at which the crane is stopped, and is automatically controlled to lower and raise the work article at the center of each tank with a vertical speed pattern comprising, in sequence, an initial period of descent at low speed, a period of high speed, a period of low speed as the lower end of the article approaches and enters the surface of the treatment liquor in the tank, a period of high speed, a period of low speed as the article approaches the lower limit of its descent, an initial period