Abstract: An apparatus for conveying preforms to a blow molding machine, including a sorter that sorts and uniformly orients the preforms. A gravity conveyor feeds the preforms from the sorter to the blow molding machine. A transfer device between the sorter and the conveyor transfers the preforms from the sorter to the conveyor. The sorter, the conveyor, and the transfer device all have stepless adjoined guiding surfaces with specific contours that guide the preforms through the apparatus. The transfer device is an element with a curved guiding surface adjusted to the contour of the guiding surface of the sorter at the end facing the sorter, while being adjusted to the contour of the guiding surface of the gravity conveyor at the end facing the gravity conveyor. The two contours of the guiding surfaces facing the ends of the two devices are different, the guiding surface is stepless between the two ends.

Abstract: A transfer modules arrangement (100) for an articles conveyor (110). The transfer modules arrangement includes at least one transfer module (125) in turn comprising a frame (310) housing a plurality of idle rollers (135) for allowing an inertial run of transported articles (140) between consecutive conveyor belt/chain elements (115a, 115b) of the articles conveyor. According to the invention, the transfer modules arrangement includes at least one positioning rod (120). Additionally, the frame of the at least one transfer module further includes a shaped cavity (315) for allowing a sliding insertion of the at least one transfer module on the at least one positioning rod.

Abstract: A conveyor device 2 for analyzer includes: a conveyance tracks 20A and 20B capable of conveying a specimen rack 3 along a fixed path; and a frame 21 positioned around the conveyance tracks 20A and 20B, the frame 21 being provided with separable and removable portions 24A and 24B which are separable and removable from the frame 21 and which are capable of providing the frame 21 with cutouts in open condition when separated and removed from the frame 21. When the frame 21 is provided with the cutouts in open condition, the cutouts allows the specimen rack 3 to be introduced onto and discharged from the conveyance tracks 20A and 20B from outer lateral sides of the frame 21 through the cutouts.

Abstract: Hitch guards are provided for spanning a gap formed in a conveying surface between two adjacent rollers. In one aspect, the hitch guards include hitch guard members positioned side-by-side along the gap. An elongate mounting member extends across the conveyor belt and has the hitch guard members releasable mounted thereto. In another aspect, an elongate hitch guard member extends across the belt width in the gap and includes a laterally elongated recess to capture debris.

Abstract: A conveyor system includes an extension section that slides inwardly and telescopes outwardly of a main section of conveyor. The extension motion is powered by at least one hydraulic ram. The conveyor has a stem that lowers to a loadable height by the retraction of double hydraulic rams upon a steel internal core. The conveyor then lifts vertically in a cantilevered manner upon a vertical ram and then rotates 360 degrees parallel to the plane of a truck bed using a cooperating gear plate and a hydraulic motor with a chain. Paddles push material secured to a chain drive or alternately a belt and the chain drive or belt moves through a series of sprockets or rollers in a continuous manner. The paddles eventually return to their initial location.

Abstract: A food buffet table system for conveying food articles around a tabletop to allow a person to access the food articles without reaching across the tabletop includes a base being positioned on and that extends upwardly from a support surface. A tabletop is coupled to the base and positioned above the support surface. The tabletop has a channel that extends into the tabletop through an upper surface of the tabletop in an approximate oval shape along the tabletop. A plurality of conveyor assemblies is positioned in and extends along the channel to receive and support the food articles. The conveyor assemblies are actuated to convey the food articles in an approximate oval path around the tabletop. A pair of drive assemblies is positioned in the tabletop. A plurality of the conveyor assemblies is coupled to one of the drive assemblies to actuate the conveyor assemblies.

Abstract: In application of a green-house effect, under such a concept as to collect solar energy passively into the house and to exhaust moist air passively from the house, an all weather passive-type solar Ogako drying house which is available for all day through a year was made up improving an agricultural vinyl-house in which Ogako is dried continuously during carriage on the belt conveyors due to solar energy and auxiliary heat, and then moist air yielded when drying Ogako is exhausted through an insulated cylinder. In this case, Ogako means sawdust or tipped small particles of wood which is raw material in order to produce a woody pellet fuel.

Abstract: An apparatus for diverting material in a controlled manner comprising a diverter plate attached to a mounting assembly. The diverter plate is shaped for receiving falling material and facilitating the flow of the material onto a conveyance means or into storage. The mounting assembly comprises a carrier spring assembly that permits the diverter plate to pivot about a shaft and thereby move from a default position to an unload position. The mounting assembly further comprises two adjustable locking mounts that hold the shaft in place and also allow the shaft to be adjustably rotated and thereafter fixed in place. A method for diverting material in a controlled manner comprises the steps of installing the apparatus at a transfer point and activating a first conveyance means that feeds material to the chute. A second conveyance means that receives the material after diversion by the apparatus can optionally be activated.

Abstract: A containment apparatus for a multi-pass oven consisting of guide rails and tapered guide chutes having side rails. A tapered guide chute directs product pieces from one conveyor to the center of a receiving region of an underlying conveyor. Guide rails are placed along the sides of the receiving region of an underlying conveyor and maintain baking product pieces on the conveyor. Diverters on the distal end of each guide rail further move product pieces toward the center of the conveyor. Such diverters help ensure that pieces reach a subsequent guide chute or subsequent conveyor without falling off of the conveyor. Such guide rails, diverters, and guide chutes help prevent damage to, and loss of, product pieces while pieces pass through the oven. Guide rails, diverters, and guide chutes are particularly effective at maintaining round or cylindrical pieces within a multi-pass oven.

Abstract: A conveyor system for use in combination with a portable sawmill that generally includes an upper frame assembly, a lower frame assembly, an outgoing belt mounted on the upper frame assembly, and an incoming belt mounted on the lower frame assembly. A motor and gear assembly operably coupled to the outgoing and incoming belts drive them in opposing directions. A portable sawmill blade may be positioned in spaced relation above the outgoing belt to cut wooden cants into individual boards, and the lower frame assembly is adapted to carry the remaining cant and processed board back towards an operator station.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a loading fork (10) and a system for smoothly transferring an object between the loading fork (10) and an infeed or take-away conveyor (110). The loading fork (10) may include a plurality of fingers (12, 14, 16, 18 & 20) mounted above a carriage (22) that is coupled to a chain conveyor (100). The conveyor (110) may be a plurality of parallel aligned narrow belts (102) between which the fingers (12, 14, 16, 18 & 20) of the loading fork (10) may pass to ensure a smooth transfer of the object between the loading fork (10) and the infeed or take-away conveyor (110). The present invention also discloses a sweeping conveyor (136, FIG. 3) for assisting the transfer of an object from the loading fork (10) to the take-away conveyor (110).

Abstract: An apparatus for uniformly distributing parts on a conveyor surface which includes a storage bin for holding randomly oriented parts in bulk, a conveyor adjacent the storage bin for acquiring a fragment of the randomly oriented parts in the storage bin and delivering that fragment of randomly oriented parts to a chute, a vibratory conveyor receiving the fragment of randomly oriented parts from said chute, and a belt conveyor for receiving the randomly oriented parts from said vibratory conveyor. The vibratory conveyor includes at least one rib projecting upward therefrom and extending across at least a section of the vibratory conveyor perpendicular to the direction of conveyance, the at least one rib acting as a flow obstruction to cause the randomly oriented parts traveling on the vibratory conveyor to gather and spread across a width of said vibratory conveyor to thereby spread more uniformly on the vibratory conveyor after passing over the at least one rib.

Abstract: A plate feeding and handling apparatus (10) includes a synchronization assembly (30) for temporarily suspending the transport of plates on a conveyor (224). The synchronization assembly includes mini-stack assembly (268) and a perch assembly (270).

Abstract: A flats singulation apparatus includes a input buffer section having a substantially horizontal ramp which is adapted to support thereon a stack of flats mailpieces on edge. The buffer section includes a moving belt and ram plate for moving the stack of flat pieces toward the front end of the ramp. A transfer section is at the end of the ramp and is adapted to remove the flat pieces substantially one at a time from the ramp and drop them downwardly. The transfer section includes a plurality of edge rollers extending across the end of the ramp and adapted to move the flat pieces from the stack, and a ledge plate extending downwardly from the edge rollers and having a horizontal ledge onto which the flat pieces drop. A pusher shelf is movable across the ledge to push the flat pieces off of the shelf. A separation section extends substantially horizontally across the end of the transfer section and includes means for moving the flat pieces away from the transfer section and separating flat pieces.

Abstract: An apparatus for ore sorting includes a neutron irradiator (12), and a detector assembly (14) for detecting gamma radiation emitted by irradiated lumps (21) of the ore. The irradiated lumps (21) after discharge from the irradiator (12), are divided into two channels (30) by at least one bifurcating device (28) held above a relatively high speed conveyor (26) transporting the lumps (21). Each channel (30) is subsequently divided into three streams (37, 38, 39) by diverting selected lumps (21) from the channel (30) as the lumps (21) are projected from the end of the high speed conveyor (26). The diverted lumps (21) in each stream (37, 38, 39) are allowed to fall on to a relatively low speed conveyor (50) which then presents the lumps (21) to the detector assembly (14).

Abstract: Method and means for removing foreign matter and damaged fruit from a continuous supply of machine harvested tomatoes as they are moved through the crop discharge section of the harvester. The element is spaced from the exit end of the first conveyor by a distance which allows foreign matter such as dirt, stones, stems and small or damaged fruit to pass under the element and fall to the ground. The tomatoes to be gathered are too large to pass through the gap between the first conveyor and the hinged element, thus passing over the element and being deposited on the final discharge conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for handling a column of nested, uniformly shaped snack chips. The apparatus comprises a pair of parallel, spaced elongated conveying surfaces which support an imbricated column of chips and a stationary support bar positioned therebetween. A gate engages the chips causing them to rotate backwardly transferring the support of the chips from the conveying surfaces to the bar thereby eliminating frictional drag on the articles. A second gate is provided to segregate the column into two portions.

Abstract: Fruit feeding apparatus which is designed to accommodate loose bulk fruit moving upon an endless conveyor belt and to feed such fruit at right angles from said belt in a plurality of spaced single-file lanes. The apparatus includes a side guide wall adjacent one edge of the conveyor belt which wall has an opening therein to permit fruit to flow laterally from the belt only at a particular location. A hopper is positioned within the opening and includes a plurality of fruit lanes separated by upright lane walls. The lane walls terminate at a position spaced from the conveyor belt, and a shallow fruit supporting shelf extends between the lane walls and the belt. The shelf is of a width less than the diameter of a fruit such that a fruit which is received upon the shelf will be bumped by fruit on the conveyor belt until finding its way into one of the fruit lanes.

Abstract: An entry roller way for conveying rolled rods and bars in particular flat or profiled rods and bars to a cooling bed has a transverse conveyor apparatus laterally connected thereto, which comprises a laterally displaceable intermediate slide member disposed between a transfer guide member and a stacking channel located adjacent the cooling bed and provided with a vertically displaceable bottom plate. The intermediate slide member is laterally displaceable in the slide plane and is provided with two comb-like edges which correspond to the comb-like edges of the adjacent transfer guide slide and the bottom plate of the stacking groove respectively; the intermediate slide member can be displaced close to the flat rods stacked on the bottom plate without interfering with the removal therefrom.