Abstract: In storage apparatus wherein asphalt hot mix is moved by gravity along a chute from the top of a bucket elevator to the inlet of a batching hopper at the top of a storage bin, a baffle in the chute, over the inlet, prevents segregation of mix entering the hopper. The baffle is spaced forwardly of the front end of the chute bottom wall, is oriented generally vertically and transversely to the length of the chute, and is flatwise swingable backward and forward. By means of a set screw through a front wall of the chute the position of swinging motion of the baffle is so adjusted that coarse mix components, carried against the baffle by momentum, are deflected by it towards the center of the hopper. Adjustable remixing baffles in the chute, adjacent its side walls and behind the front end of its bottom wall, deflect material away from the chute side walls to effect remixing of aggregate that became segregated during its charging into the bucket elevator.

Abstract: A receiving device for bruisable objects having obliquely and downwardly extending receiving members, which can yield downwardly and outwardly and a pivot mechanism for pivoting at least one receiving member downwardly and outwardly, a restriction member being provided for retarding or hampering the movement of the receiving member and for moving in unison with the receiving member when a pivot mechanism pivots the receiving and restriction member in unison.

Abstract: A fruit collector for hillside orchards, which includes a channel spaced chute formed of inflated tubes, the two sides of the chute being joined by a cross web having a series of fruit receiving openings approximately the spacing between rows of trees, the chute being laid downhill between sloping rows of trees. In a first embodiment, the openings are formed by U-shaped slits to receive fruit, and retarding flaps extend into the chute to retard movement of the fruit. In a second embodiment, the cross web is tubular, but non-inflated, and receives a series of longitudinally extensible and retractable ribbons protruding from the upper margins of the openings and extending into the chute between the openings; the strips serve to retard movement of the fruit and may be in axially overlapping relation, and adjustable to change their retarding effect thereby to compensate for different degrees of slope.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for manufacturing nuclear fuel rods by introducing elongated fuel pellets into cladding tubes. The pellets are arranged in end-to-end relationship on a support and are pushed axially from the support over a well defined break point and onto a downwardly inclined guide. The guide is disposed at a sufficient angle to cause the pellets to slide therealong under the influence of gravity. The cladding tube is disposed at the lower end of the guide in alignment therewith and in a position for receiving the sliding pellets.

Abstract: In a gravity-feed shelf having an endless flexible conveyor belt supporting a plurality of articles arranged in a column and automatically feeding the articles in said column forward in a columnwise direction when the foremost article in the column is removed, one or more frictional pads are located at a position underneath said conveyor belt and are responsive to the presence of an article on said belt and above said position, for stopping the movement of said belt.

Abstract: In a gravity-feed shelf having an endless flexible conveyor belt supporting a plurality of articles arranged in a column and automatically feeding the articles in said column forward in a columnwise direction when the foremost article in the column is removed, brake means are located at a position underneath said conveyor belt and responsive to the presence of an article on said belt and above said position, for stopping the movement of said belt.

Abstract: The grain retarder comprises a vertically extending tubular member of generally rectangular cross section having two sets of upwardly opening buckets mounted on a pair of opposite side walls of the tubular member. The buckets of one set are staggered vertically relative to the buckets of the other set. The bottom walls of the buckets are curved and provided with openings at the lowermost portions thereof to enable the buckets to empty themselves of grain when the flow to the upper end of the tubular member is terminated.

Abstract: A packer grid block assembly utilizing detachably securable fingers for guiding articles into an orderly array to facilitate packing of the articles into a predefined receiving location positioned therebelow including a plurality of equally spaced parallel grid plates having mounted thereon a plurality of generally triangular support blocks which each present outwardly facing block surfaces to which a plurality of guiding fingers are detachably securable, each block surface including secured thereto a cover plate which is maintained in a spaced relationship with respect to the block surface by a plurality of spacers which serve to define a separation space between the cover plate and the support block, the finger members serving to guide articles passing through the grid may be detachably securable in a location between the cover plates and the block members by detachably securing themselves around the spacers, the elongated finger members being of a resilient material and defining a longitudinal slot therein

Abstract: A fall brake for material in which a plurality of frames are suspended one beneath the other, each frame holding a material guide. The frames are pivotally interconnected in staggered positions and the lowermost frame is suspended to a lifting mechanism through a flexible member. In order to prevent the risk of damage in the case of shocks and to provide a small height of the fall brake in the lifted position, the lowermost frame can be upwardly pivoted from its operative position into an inoperative position, in which the frame is mainly parallel to the overlying frame, each frame having suspended to it a material guide being at an angle to said frame.

Abstract: An arrangement for dispensing grain, or other like material, characterized by (1) a cushion box communicating with a material passageway, at a material receiving bin, in a ball and socket relationship, including a material outlet and a slot for eliminating trapped material; and, (2) a ball joint, at the upper end of the material passageway, providing versatility in application.

Abstract: A feeder transfer chute lying in a vertical plane is adapted to convey elongated ammunition cartridges by gravity, each cartridge having a projectile at a first end and an extractor groove at a second end. The chute includes parallel spaced apart ribs which cooperate with the extractor groove to confine the second end of the cartridge proximate an end wall of the chute while not appreciably restricting the free fall acceleration of said second cartridge end. A descent restricter in the chute acts upon the first end of the cartridge, continuously retarding its downward progress to hold the acceleration of the second cartridge end to less than free fall acceleration.

Abstract: An apparatus for decelerating descending bodies includes a tubular arrangement vertically disposed or steeply inclined secured at its upper-end to an elevated location. The bodies to be transported are guided down through the tube which retards their movement. Within the wall of the tubular arrangement there is at least one extensible chamber filled with pressurized fluid and having associated with it pressure regulating means, which chamber serves to apply a retarding force to a descending body. The walls of the tubular arrangement are flexible and include a sleeve whereof the wall is non-extensible in the longitudinal and/or axial direction.

Abstract: Conveyor apparatus for conveying articles such as flat annular can ends and for controlling the rate of feed of the articles. The articles are transported through a conveying conduit defining an elongated passage with an inlet opening for receiving the articles and an outlet opening for discharging the articles. Feed control apparatus is associated with the conduit, preferably near the outlet opening, for controlling the rate of feed of the articles and comprises resilient liner means associated with the conduit means and located at least partially within the passage for frictionally engaging articles in the passage and controlling the rate of movement of the articles therethrough and force applying means associated with the resilient means for forcing the resilient means into frictional engagement with the articles in the passage. The force applying means is used to control the amount of friction exerted by the resilient means on the peripheral surface of the articles.

Abstract: A system for regenerating waste acid, comprises (1) a concentrator for concentrating the waste liquor, (2) a reactor for reacting the concentrated liquor at a temperature below 1000.degree. F. in the presence of oxygen and hydrocarbon combustion gases and on a recycled moving bed of particles without vibration of the reactor bottom, (3) a separator for separating the iron oxide dust from the other gases from the reactor, (4) the same concentrator cools these gases, (5) an absorber for absorbing the hydrogen chloride cooled gas in an aqueous solution from the following scrubber, (6) a scrubber for scrubbing the unabsorbed gases in water to absorb the hydrogen chloride gas remaining in the gases from the absorber, and (7) a condenser for condensing any liquids and any residual HCl remaining in the exhaust gases before exhausting them as non-polluting gases into the atmosphere and passing the condensate back into the waste acid concentrator.

Abstract: An apparatus for charging a succession of metal plates edgewise and downwardly into a metal melt from a position spaced above the top level of the melt, is provided by a plate support forming a declining surface down which the plates can gravitationally fall edgewise, this surface extending from the charging position downwardly to a position adjacent to the melt level, and releasable means being provided for releasably engaging each successive plate prior to it falling from the declining surface into the melt, and for thereafter releasing the plate so that it can immerse edgewise into the melt more gently than if it fell freely down the surface, thus avoiding splashing the melt.

Abstract: A pin is integral with a diaphragm and extends from one side of the diaphragm. The other side of the diaphragm is subjected to a pressure or vacuum to create a pressure differential across the diaphragm to move the pin into or out of engagement with an article within a controlled environment. The diaphragm isolates a fluid, which produces the pressure differential across the diaphragm, from the controlled environment. In one embodiment, the pin is formed at the center of the diaphragm and moves only in a straight line. In another embodiment, the pin is formed eccentric to the center of the diaphragm so as to have a combination movement of angular and straight. The pin can be employed to stop an article such as a semiconductor wafer, for example, or to raise or to lower the wafer without the actuating fluid contaminating the controlled environment in which the semiconductor wafer is disposed.

Abstract: A machine which processes discrete wafer-form items in a chamber is provided with a slot-form channel along which the items move between points inside and outside the chamber, a lateral opening exposing the channel from its side, exposed walls of the channel defining a sealing margin directed toward that opening. A resilient sealing member is movable through the opening between an open position, in which the channel is not obstructed, and a sealing position, in which the sealing member resiliently engages the sealing margin. The machine shown is an ion implanter in which a beam of ions strikes the exposed item in the chamber. Features include a channel which makes an angle with the horizontal for gravity movement of the items; the sealing member serving as a stop to position an item along the length of the channel; and a plurality of openings and associated sealing members to provide locks on the sides of the chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus permitting of a storage and removal of profiled members, such as rods, tubes or the like, in which at least two spaced apart parallel comb-like holders are provided, which have vertical comb tooth spaces which are aligned with each other and have a width which is substantially as large as the width of the profiled members in storage so that the same are individually vertically stacked with central symmetry. The holders are combined in blocks in which the aligned comb tooth spaces have the same width or different widths to enable a holding of profiled members having equal or different widths.

Abstract: This invention relates to a magazine for wares for use in automatic shops, comprising a shaft for receiving a pile of packages, wherein there are distributed along the shaft a number of suction cups for retaining the packages individually in the shaft without the packages being in contact with each other, and wherein the suction cups are individually controllable in order to be made inoperative temporarily during a short interval one at a time in a sequence beginning from below and continuing upwards.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for use in delivering a container within a conduit from a first, raised location, to a second lower location with the conduit remaining substantially at atmospheric pressure. The container includes a descent-regulating member having an exterior configuration which closely approximates the interior configuration of the conduit thereby providing a braking effect on the container as it traverses the conduit from the upper to the lower location and causing the container to descend within the conduit at a substantially constant, controlled rate. The apparatus includes provision for inserting containers within the conduit at the first location and removing containers from the conduit at the second location without substantially changing the amount of fluid within the conduit between the first and second locations. In a preferred embodiment, the conduit is closed at the ends proximate both the first and second locations.

Abstract: Flow control apparatus and method for controlling the flow of gravity fed substantially cylindrical objects through a gravity runway wherein a starwheel, a star-shaped ferrous pulse rotor and a ferrous rotor are each spaced from each other and axially fixed to a free wheeling shaft mounted in a frame connected to a gravity runway such that the starwheel lobes jut into and rotate through the gravity runway. Each starwheel lobe engages each of a successive line of gravity cans as the cans fall through the runway. A magnetic sensor is mounted on the frame near the star-shaped pulse rotor such that as cans free fall past the starwheels and rotate the free wheeling shaft star points on the pulse rotor rotate past the sensor and disturb the sensor's emitted magnetic field. For each disturbance, the sensor emits an electrical pulse signal.

Abstract: Apparatus for conveying articles of different physical characteristics, particularly bottles of different sizes and weights which comprises a generally upright tubular guide through which the articles pass and, towards a lower delivery end of the guide tube, a rotating roller projects into the tube to contact the articles and slow them down before the articles are delivered to article receiving members from which they are ejected to be transported to a receiving station.

Abstract: This noise reducing device is arranged in the discharge chute of a material granulating apparatus in which a rapidly rotating knife cuts strips or strands of material into granules. In one embodiment of the device a wing wheel or impeller type of wheel is supported off-center for rotation in a portion of substantially cylindrical cross section of the chute. In another embodiment, angularly arranged plates are positioned substantially oppositely each other in the discharge chute to deflect the granular material so as to follow a zig-zag path.

Abstract: A silo for pourable material, especially heavy-flowing chemical and mineral substances with an upper charging station and at least one lower withdrawing station, according to which additional friction walls are in vertically spaced superimposed arrangement provided on the inner silo wall and are inclined downwardly relative to horizontal planes while being provided with passages therethrough for the passage of silo material therethrough, the angle of inclination of the friction walls being at every area thereof greater than the specific pouring angle of the respective pourable material in the silo.

Abstract: A label magazine having a bend is provided with ratchet teeth formed on the outside wall of the bend to cause fanning of the labels as they negotiate the bend and thus facilitate movement of the labels around the bend without jamming therein.

Abstract: In a multi-rack can vending machine, an article release mechanism for controllably releasing articles from an article rack automatically into a vertical access as the article level in the access is lowered. The article release is a spring retained flapper plate which pivots about a pivot support to release multiple articles on demand. The flapper plate is normally retained against the force of the spring in an article retaining position until the level of articles in the access is sufficiently low to allow the flapper plate to pivot without contacting the uppermost article. Generally, two articles of sufficient weight are required on the flapper plate in order to overcome the force of its retaining spring to actuate the pivotal release of the two articles into the access.

Abstract: An ice-discharge chute of an ice-dispensing system of a refrigerator-freezer has first and second spaced-apart doors, each formed of a plurality of deflectable overlapping elements. The elements of each door are movable between a first position at which the elements seal the chute for preventing the passage of air therethrough and a second position at which the elements are deflected downwardly in response to contact by an ice piece for passage of the ice piece through the door and the chute. Heating elements are associated with the overlapping portions of at least a portion of the deflectable elements for preventing freezing of one element to another.