Abstract: A device on a machine handling package units (24) comprises a conveyer with endless elements (10) running in parallel for the conveyance of the units, a number of abutments (16A-16E) for the conveyed units, spaced in the longitudinal direction of the conveyer, said plates being arranged in parallel and with the flat sides thereof in the longitudinal direction of the conveyer, and a gripper (20) for lifting of the units detained against the plates.

Abstract: A system for loading friable nuclear fuel pellets into sintering boats from a pellet press which ejects newly made pellets. A chute receives the ejected pellets and discharges them into an upright bowl at a location towards the top of the bowl near its inner surface with a tangential horizontal component of velocity. The bowl, which has an open smaller diameter bottom, is rotated such that the bowl near the pellet-discharge location has a velocity which generally matches the magnitude and direction of the horizontal component of the velocity of the pellets at the discharge location. A conveyor moves a line of adjacently positioned boats horizontally beneath the bottom of the bowl. A flexible strap which cushions the pellets as they enter a sintering boat also acts as a seal between boats.

Abstract: A distributing apparatus for transferring bottles between conveyors or processing machines like labelling machines or capping machines and the like includes a rotating carrier supporting at least one transfer member which rotates or oscillates with respect to the carrier. The transfer member is of segmental shape and includes a plurality of circumferential pockets for receiving the bottles. The outer face between the pockets is of convex contour so that the transfer member rolls off the conveyor or processing machine when picking up or delivering the bottles.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for arraying and conveying rows of products is provided. The apparatus comprises a first conveyor, a second conveyor, and a third conveyor. The delivery end of the first conveyor is adapted to move forwardly and rearwardly to transfer rows of products onto the second conveyor. The second conveyor is adapted to intermittently move transversely of the conveyance path and receives additional rows of products from the first conveyor and when a sufficient number of rows of products are arrayed on the second conveyor, they are transferred to a third conveyor at a high speed to be carried to a subsequent station. The third conveyor is then restored to a position to receive a fresh rows of products from the first conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus for accumulating rows of paper sheets which are disposed in vertical planes has two pairs of endless chain conveyors whose upper reaches advance at a relatively low speed below two sheet feeding conveyors which deposit successive sheets between the front and rear sheet confining plates of one pair of chain conveyors while the chain conveyors of the other pair advance a fully grown row at a relatively high speed below a pair of claws which lift the fully grown row and transfer it sidewise to the next processing station. The chain conveyors of the other pair then advance their sheet confining plates at the high speed to a waiting position in which their leading confining plate is located immediately behind the trailing confining plate of the chain conveyors of the one pair. The cycle is thereupon repeated except that the growing row of sheets is being accumulated between the plates of the chain conveyors of the other pair.

Abstract: Apparatus for arraying/conveying web-like workpieces such as unvulcanized treads delivered from an extruder. A plurality of forks sequentially lift the workpieces to and from roller conveyors and arrange the workpieces in selected uniform spaced-apart relation on a flat storage area.

Abstract: A distributing device for placing cakes of meat into trays comprising a frame, a carriage mounted on the frame for reciprocating movement therealong between a home position where meat cakes are received to a meat drop position where the meat cakes are dropped into trays, and a pair of trap doors mounted on the carriage for reciprocating movement therealong in opposite directions and arranged to receive meat cakes. A drive device is connected to the carriage for movement of the carriage relative to the frame, while another drive device is connected to the doors for movement of the doors relative to the carriage. Provisions are made for successively moving the carriage with its load of meat cakes from its home position to its meat drop position where the trap doors are aligned with a row of trays, opening the trap doors to drop the meat cakes into a corresponding number of trays, closing the trap doors and returning the carriage to its home position.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying tubular or bar-shaped rolled stock is provided having a collecting device which collects pieces of tube or bars from a cooling bed in closely spaced pockets, a transverse conveying device having the same pocket spacing as the collecting device which picks the collected pieces from the collecting device and transports them to and deposits them on a longitudinal conveyor, by means of which the pieces of rolled stock are fed to a cutting device which has a clamping device also provided with the same pocket spacing as the collecting device and which cuts the stock into portions of predetermined length.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mechanism which is automatically operable for removing articles from a single work station, inverting the articles and transporting them in groups of plural pieces aligned in a row.

Abstract: An indexing conveyor system wherein a feed conveyor section receives items, which are rapidly dispensed from a source thereof, and transports the items, one behind the other, on a plurality of endless belts to a pivotal conveyor section. A counter counts the items moving on the pivotal conveyor section and effects rapid pivotal movement of the pivotal conveyor section when a predetermined number of items have been counted. The distal end of the pivotal conveyor section pivots between positions aligned first with one and then the other of a pair of elongated receiving conveyor sections arranged in tiers and each having a plurality of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced endless belts. A guard conveyor section closely overlies the pivotal conveyor section, is movable in unison therewith, and prevents items from being thrown off of the pivotal conveyor section when the latter pivots between its respective positions.

Abstract: An assembly system for loading glass sheets of different size on a conveyor that comprises a plurality of loading tables for assembling a group of consecutive or non-consecutive glass sheets on any selected one or other of said loading tables. The formed group of glass sheets has a greater density than that of a group formed by assembling consecutive glass sheets of different size onto a single loading table. Means is provided to transfer each group of glass sheets when completed onto a treatment conveyor without disturbing the arrangement of the glass sheets within said group.

Abstract: A device for causing holders transporting objects to release the objects so as to place them at predetermined positions. The holders comprise a rotatable shaft, and a driving arm and an object-gripping arm both connected to the rotatable shaft and are carried by an endless conveyor so that the holders pick up an object at a first station and release the object at a second station. As the holders are conveyed from the first to the second station, the object-gripping arm gripping an object is kept parallel with the running direction of the conveyor. At the second station the driving arms of the holders are selectively moved into engagement with a device to turn the object gripping arm from the parallel position to a position perpendicular to the running direction of the conveyor and the object is released.

Abstract: A grouping apparatus for articles, in which articles conveyed from plural wrapping machines or plural production equipment are respectively transferred through the feeding conveyors to grouping conveyors driven intermittently and grouped as a group in a row on the conveyor. The groups in rows are then grouped for loading a tray and conveyed to a tray loader.

Abstract: A rock picker has a plurality of high capacity conveyors, one of which is used for storing rocks during the picking operation. The conveyors quickly unload the stored rocks into a truck or at some other desired location. The storage conveyor is arranged so that it does not take up any substantial amount of space greater than the rock picker frame, but yet is sufficiently large in capacity so that it can store a large number of rocks as they are picked. Loading conveyors are sequentially placed so that first and second normally continuously operating conveyors load into the third storage conveyor in sequence. A storage hopper is provided at the input end of the storage conveyor, and the conveyor is intermittently operated to carry the rocks from the hopper in a layer along the length of the storage conveyor. When the storage conveyor is loaded with rocks, the storage conveyor is run to discharge the rocks off one end.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing liquid from or evenly distributing liquid over magnetically attractible articles by using centrifugal forces. The articles are fed to a non-magnetic rotating drum, a helical series of magnets being arranged inside the drum adjacent the inner surface thereof.

Abstract: An arrangement for counting and apportioning uni-directionally arranged rod-like goods, such as electrode rods. The arrangement includes a horizontal driven conveyor belt which transports the electrode rods along a predetermined feed path thereof to a rod feeding end of the conveyor belt. A paddle wheel and curved guide member are mounted immediately underneath the rod feeding end of the conveyor belt and conjointly form a rod receiving compartment. A light barrier having a light emitting path extending across the conveyor belt emits a pulse each time a rod moves past the light emitting path. A belt conveyor having a plurality of equidistantly mounted rod receiving chambers mounted thereon is disposed immediately underneath the paddle wheel and moves in synchronism with the paddle wheel.

Abstract: Linear objects are removed from a processing drum, one at a time and are deposited to form groups or bundles of said objects in the slots of a transfer drum. Then the groups or bundles of said objects are pushed out of the slots in the transfer drum for feeding same to another apparatus.

Abstract: A conveyor system for grouping columns of articles into spaced group each containing a predetermined number of articles. The columns of articles are fed onto a conveyor having an extendable noser arrangement at the output end which is positioned over the input end of a second conveyor. The noser arrangement is extended to interrupt the flow of articles from the first conveyor to the second conveyor and provide a space on the second conveyor between successive groups of articles. The articles are transferred to the second conveyor as the noser arrangement retracts. A photo-electric device counts the articles as they are transferred and actuates the noser extending mechanism when the predetermined count is reached.

Abstract: An item accumulator and conveyor for accumulating a row of items and then conveying it off to one side for collection and stacking of the row. A first conveyor brings the items to two other conveyors, or to one conveyor having two sections. One of the two sections supports the items at one elevation and accumulates them in a row, and conveyor supports then permit the first section to lower and thereby transfer the items to the second section at a lower level, and the second section then moves the items off to one side. The two conveyor sections include movable support members and they may be at a declining angle so that the items can move under the force of gravity.

Abstract: The encasing apparatus of this invention comprises a feed mechanism, a turnabout mechanism, and a slide mechanism, and may be additionally provided with a partition sheet feeder depending upon the type of articles to be packed. The turnabout mechanism receives articles delivered from the feed mechanism with a tray, allows each prescribed number of such articles to line up successively in a first direction of the tray so that the articles lie in the same direction, and, after turning the tray around a vertical shaft through a fixed angle, inclines the tray to move the articles in a second direction at an angle of 90.degree. to the first direction, thereby delivering the articles to the slide mechanism. Subsequently, the slide mechanism lines up the articles so as to true up the ends of the articles in the second direction, and then introduces them regularly into the packing box.

Abstract: An all purpose indexing device primarily for interrupting the motion of baking pans on a continuously moving conveyor, the baking pans having spaced indentations therein, comprising a U-shaped index bar pivotally mounted to fixed portion of the conveyor frame having a central crosspiece disposed across the conveyor, at least two indexing fingers extending downwardly from the crosspiece toward the conveyor and engagable with the indentations of a baking pan. Air cylinders are connected between the U-shaped index bar and the fixed portion of the conveyor frame at points adjacent respective lateral ends of the index bar. A sensing rod is pivotally mounted to the conveyor frame and disposed parallel to the index bar. A sensing finger is connected adjacent the middle of the sensing rod and extends downwardly towards the conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for proofing lumps of dough has an endless conveyor. A series of first cups are mounted on one side of the conveyor for transporting lumps of dough and series of second cups are mounted on the opposite side of the conveyor of transporting lumps of dough. The second cups are spaced from the first cups, and the first and second cups have the conveyor disposed therebetween. Also, the first and second cups are staggered relative to each other so that the distance between each first cup and an adjacent second cup is equal to the distance between that second cup and the next first cup along the conveyor. Lumps of dough are loaded into the first and second cups and, after having been transported, are discharged from the first and second cups. The endless conveyor and the first and second cups are contained in an enclosure in which a proofing environment for the lumps of dough is provided.

Abstract: Apparatus for stacking articles in columns and loading the columns into conveyor buckets in side-by-side relationship in which articles are fed by a conveyor to a set of dual wheels having article engaging serrations. The wheels carry the articles downwardly and set them on edge on a pair of rails extending downwardly at an angle from between the wheels. An air blast starts the articles down the rails and air jets along the rails keep the articles upright and moving along the rails. The first article in the column is supported by a finger which extends upwardly between the rails and moves from the wheels toward a turret at a rate about equal to that of the growth of the column. The rails lead to a turret having its axis parallel to the rails and having pockets for receiving columns of articles. A conveyor positioned over the turret carries projecting plates which extend downwardly for supporting the article column as it is moved into the turret recess.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conveying parts from a production machinery includes a first normally energized conveyor which conveys the parts from the production machinery to a first location, and discharges the parts into a parts stacking hopper at the first location, which stacks the parts on a second normally deenergized conveyor, and a photooptic control system which deenergizes the first conveyor and energizes the second conveyor when a predetermined number of parts have been stacked on the second conveyor to permit the stack of parts to be conveyed to a second location.

Abstract: Apparatus for simultaneously transporting and coating bar stock has a conveyor system and a loading device feeding a coating station. A plurality of stock pieces are serially fed into the loading device and temporarily stored therein for concomitant movement to the coating station.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling individual sliced stacks of a comestible product includes a first roller dropper unit which arranges the output of a slicer into adjacent stacks, and drops the stacks onto a weighing scale. Accepted pairs of stacks are carried by parallel transfer conveyors to second and third roller dropper units which each accumulate two stacks, and which then drop them simultaneously onto a channelizer assembly. The channelizer assembly includes a plurality of parallel, drivable rollers mounted in a frame which is selectively translatable laterally in the direction of the roller axes. The channelizer receives four stacks from the roller dropper units, indexes laterally and receives four more stacks to form a 2.times.4 matrix. The rollers are then driven to unload the stacks onto a ramp conveyor which leads to a vacuum packaging machine. The ramp conveyor includes momentarily actuable stop tabs which bring the rows into exact alignment before being wrapped simultaneously.