Abstract: A method and apparatus for conveying printed products in an imbricated formation with different spacings between the products, from a feed conveyor to the grippers on a removal conveyor. The printed products are introduced into the grippers in groups without any change in the spacing between successive printed products, and the conveying speeds of the feed conveyor and the removal conveyor are coordinated such that the portion of each group of products which projects into a gripper is less than the depth of the mouth of the gripper. Also, a deflection device at the transfer location serves to deflect the leading end of each group of products toward the approaching gripper. Alternatively, the grippers are controlled so that in the transfer location, a leading clamping part of the approaching gripper engages a trailing clamping part of the preceding gripper so as to guide the next group of products into the mouth of the approaching gripper.

Abstract: A transport system, particularly for forming machines for cold forming or warm forming, has a holding rail with gripper devices which are each separately controlled by way of servomotors. The transmissions provided for the force transmission between the servomotor and the clamping jaws of the gripper device can be self-locking, but transmit independently thereof the rotating movement of the respective servomotor continuously to the clamping jaws which therefore swivel. For a better control or automatic control of the gripper devices, these transmissions can be provided with sensors for detecting the force and/or the position.

Abstract: A material handling apparatus includes a first support member, for supportively carrying a pair of opposed jaw members, and a second support member which is slidably attached to the first support member, for linear movement with respect thereto. The second support member has at least one slot formed therein. The apparatus also includes a pair of opposed jaws, which cooperate to define a workpiece-holding space therebetween. The jaws are pivotally attached to one another and to the first support member.

Abstract: A device for introducing containers into a treatment space and for removing the containers from said treatment space having at least one rotatable sluice wheel provided on the periphery with sluice chambers that are open toward the outside, the sluice wheel being provided with grippers that can be operated directly by the containers or indirectly by a control device, for securing the containers temporarily in the sluice chambers, preferably by suspending the containers without allowing them to come in contact with the chamber walls and without providing any bottom support. A trouble-free conveyance of the containers with a very high output is possible without damaging the containers, even when the containers are very susceptible to tilting.

Abstract: An apparatus and method designed to eliminate dog-earring of the comers of the open edges of a folded signature or book without the need for the use of electrostatic adherence. A guide mechanism is provided between a tape drive, a divert cylinder and/or a deceleration drum. The guide mechanism is preferably located at the position of the open edges of the signature which is being transferred. The guide mechanism is preferably of a width which accommodates variations in the folded width of the folded signature or books. The guide mechanism includes a series of narrow slots, or micro-slots, across its width. The gripping devices which are located in the area of the guide mechanism include a series of narrow fingers, or micro-fingers, across their width. The micro-fingers of the gripping mechanisms are designed to pass through the micro-slots of the guide mechanism.

Abstract: A device for feeding correctly orientated socks to a processing station, comprising: a laying unit, which can be fed with a sock and is adapted to lay out the sock in a substantially horizontal direction; a conveyor, which is arranged below the laying unit and forms a substantially horizontal resting surface for the sock that falls from the laying unit after being laid out. The conveyor can be actuated in order to produce the advancement of the sock in a direction which is parallel to the longitudinal extension of the sock, with its toe directed in the advancement direction. The device further comprising a positioner, which is provided with grippers for gripping the sock at its toe as it arrives from the conveyor and can be actuated so as to arrange the sock so that it hangs vertically at its toe.

Abstract: A bottling apparatus has a frame and an endless conveyor element on the frame, having a horizontal working stretch extending in a transport direction through a filling station, and carrying a plurality of holder plates each formed with a row of seats adapted to fit snugly around necks of bottles. Couplings releasably secure the holder plates to the conveyor element with the holder plates spaced in the transport direction along the working stretch and the rows extending transverse to the transport direction. A drive advances the conveyor element stepwise in the transport direction in the working stretch and arrests each of the holder plates in the filling station with the bottles in its seats aligned with the fill tubes. A plurality of stationary upright fill tubes in the filling station above the working stretch are aligned with the seats of the holder plate in the filling station. The plates are lifted in the filling station off the conveyor element to engage the fill tubes down into the respective bottles.

Abstract: A tube loading system includes two flat conveyor belts which are perpendicular to each other for holding a tube having an open end thereagainst with two lines of contact; a motor drive for moving the conveyor belts; a gap between the two lines of contact at meeting edges of the conveyor belts; a vacuum source positioned behind the conveyor belts for supplying a vacuum to the gap so as to pull the tube against both conveyor belts in engagement with the two lines of contact; a pin chain having a plurality of pins spaced therealong for receiving the open ends of the tubes thereon, the pins being positioned adjacent the conveyor belts; and a delivery device for supplying the tubes in sequence to the conveyor belts such that each tube is held in engagement against both conveyor belts with the two lines of contact by the vacuum at the gap, and as the belt moves, each tube is deposited on a respective pin of the pin chain.

Abstract: A recirculating device receives parts in bulk which are bunched together. The device includes a cone-shaped rotating disk which receives the parts and redistributes the parts into separate units. The parts are delivered to an inner periphery of the cone of the cone-shaped disk and then slide down the inclined slope of the cone. As the parts slide down the rotating cone, they become spaced further apart due to the increase in radius of the outer periphery of the cone as compared with the radius of the inner periphery of the cone. The separated parts may then be effectively handled by a picker-type robot utilizing a vision system or sensors to discriminate the individual parts.

Abstract: A support device for supporting, in a cantilevered-out position, a receptacle having a neck that includes a collar, the device comprising a resiliently-closable clamp having first and second hinged-together jaws, and a rigid support element presenting a lateral opening forming a housing for a portion of the neck and a support for the collar of the receptacle, the support element extending beneath the clamp and being spaced apart therefrom.

Abstract: Apparatus for transporting cartons of cigarette packets or analogous block-shaped commodities employs an indexible turret which advances a series of successive equidistant commodities along an arcuate horizontal path into the inlet of a straight horizontal second path defined by an elongated reach of an endless belt conveyor. The conveyor carries spaced-apart receptacles each defined in part by an outwardly extending retaining element affixed to the belt conveyor, and in part by a two-armed lever which is pivotably mounted on the conveyor and is biased by one or more springs to an idle position in which the respective receptacle can receive a commodity from the turret during travel past the inlet of the second path. A commodity which is in the process of entering a receptacle at the inlet bears upon one arm of the lever against the spring bias to thus move the other arm to a position in which the other arm cooperates with the retaining element to advance the commodity along the second path.

Abstract: A holder for picking up and holding a fitment and cap assembly prior to the bonding thereof on a filled and sealed carton. The holder is one of a plurality of holders mounted on a continuously moving conveyor. Each holder includes a body having an arcuate surface for engagement of the cap portion of the fitment and cap assembly, an arm pivotally mounted on the body, a compression spring mounted in an opening formed in the body and abutting against an inner end of the arm, and a pair of spaced abutments formed on the inner surface of the outer end for engaging vertical ribs formed on the cap adjacent the arcuate surface of the holder body.

Abstract: The installation for the transport of helical-shaped wound springs comprises a star turret with gripper hands. The gripper hands consist of two jaws of which at least one is pivotable and is pressable with the force of a tension spring against the second. The spring produced on the winding machine is pressed by the insertion means into the gripper hand and is held firmly by this by the force of the tension spring during the transport and during the heat treatment. For the transfer of the spring to a transport device insertion jaws are pivotably connected to the transport means and push the spring out of the gripper hand, overcoming at least a part of the tension force of the tension spring, into a receiver on the transport device.

Abstract: Apparatus for transporting and/or classifying objects such as fruits, comprising: a supply conveyor (11) for supplying the objects at a relatively small pitch; a discharge conveyor (13) for discharging the objects at a relatively large pitch, for instance for classification purposes; and a transferring device (12) for transferring the objects from the first conveyor (11) to the second conveyor (13), wherein the speed of forward movement of the transferring device is adapted to the speed of the discharge conveyor and wherein the transferring device comprises gripper members (17) arranged in pairs for gripping the objects.

Abstract: The conveying apparatus has a transport belt (10) which is intended to feed flexible, flat articles (12) arising in imbricated formation (S), resting freely, to a conveyor (14). The transport belt (10) is led around a deflection drum (16) and, together with the latter, forms a deflection and conveying gap (26) for the imbricated formation (S). On one side, an edge section (21) of said imbricated formation projects beyond the deflection drum (16). The circulation path (104) of the conveyor (14) runs alongside the drum. Said conveyor is equipped with grippers (20) which are intended to grip the deflected imbricated formation (S) in the edge section and to transport it further.

Abstract: Printed products are guided from an infeed to a delivery belt by a plurality of partially overlapping paddle blades. The paddle blades are secured to an endless carrier such as a chain or a toothed belt. The printed products are deposited on the delivery belt in a smooth, gentle manner as they slip out of the pockets defined by the adjacent overlapping paddles.

Abstract: The conveying method comprises a flying takeover of containers (1) being fed into a takeover area (U.1) in a container stream, hanging conveyance of the containers along a conveying path (FS) with a freely selectable course and delivery of the containers in a delivery area (U.2). For taking over the containers, a sequence of individual and equidistant holding means (5) is supplied to the takeover area (U.1) along a descending curved path (7′) joining a container feeding path (8) tangentially at the end of the takeover area (U.1) and the holding means (5) are introduced into the container stream each between two containers (1). At the beginning of this introduction, the holding means have a speed (v′) greater than the container speed (v) and during introduction they are decelerated to the container speed (v). Thereby, the feeding of containers and holding means is matched such that each holding means (5) reaches the container feeding speed (v) when it encircles the container downstream, i.e.

Abstract: The apparatus has an intermediate conveyor (18) with conveying elements (26) distributed in the circumferential direction on bearing plates (36). Each conveying element (26) has a roller segment (54), which is driven counter to the direction of circulation (U), and a belt conveyor (56) which is assigned to said roller segment. A control device (48) keeps the conveying elements (26) in a mutually parallel position during circulation in the direction of circulation (U). During movement past the receiving location (16), a rear section (82) of the roller segment (54) and the belt conveyor (56) form an introduction gap (24) for a product (14) fed by a feed conveyor (12) in each case. During further rotation, said product (14) is moved through the conveying element (26), in the conveying gap (90) now formed by the roller segment (54) and belt conveyor (56), and is deflected by means of the guide element (92).

Abstract: An apparatus and method designed to eliminate dog-earring of the comers of the open edges of a folded signature or book without the need for the use of electrostatic adherence. A guide mechanism is provided between a tape drive, a divert cylinder and/or a deceleration drum. The guide mechanism is preferably located at the position of the open edges of the signature which is being transferred. The guide mechanism is preferably of a width which accommodates variations in the folded width of the folded signature or books. The guide mechanism includes a series of narrow slots, or micro-slots, across its width. The gripping devices which are located in the area of the guide mechanism include a series of narrow fingers, or micro-fingers, across their width. The micro-fingers of the gripping mechanisms are designed to pass through the micro-slots of the guide mechanism.

Abstract: The apparatus for processing flexible, sheet-like products (14) has a feed conveyor (12) which is intended for feeding the products (14) to an intermediate conveyor (18). The latter has pivotably controlled grippers (22) arranged one behind the other and moved along a continuous circulatory path (26) in the direction of circulation (U). The intermediate conveyor (18) is intended for altering the position of the fed products (14), while the sequence of the products remains unaltered, such that the previously mutually facing sides of adjacent products (14) are reversed, and then for transferring the products to a removal conveyor (38). For this purpose, each gripper (22) is controlled such that the product (14) retained by it is drawn around the following gripper (22) as seen in the direction of circulation (U), from one side of the gripper to the other side.

Abstract: A device for transporting a sheet or a folded product by a transport belt includes at least one holder for holding the sheet or the folded product, the holder being operatable by an effect selected from the group consisting of magnetic and thermal effects.