Abstract: An apparatus for separating a crop from a continuous tray. The apparatus includes a first conveyor which engages and transports a continuous tray which has disposed thereon a crop to be harvested into contact with a second conveyor. The second conveyor engages and inverts the continous tray to dislodge the crop disposed thereon. A third conveyor is disposed in receiving relation to the second conveyor and collects the dislodged crop and moves it to a collection point.

Abstract: A continuously operating one-sided formatting and edge shaping machine for edge processing four sides of work pieces is driven by a continuously running primary conveying means (10). A conveying device is mounted ahead of this single primary conveying means in the form of chain conveyors (18 and 20), which also operate continuously, so that a precisely aligned work piece can be transferred in this condition to the primary conveying means, for which purpose the two conveying means run synchronously with each other at least in the transfer area.

Abstract: An automatic machine for mounting leadless components such as chip components onto a substrate. The components are delivered on belts wound onto belt reels having a substrate holder operating as a feed device in the longitudinal direction. The machine has a "pick and place" device with a positioning unit and a mounting head, as well as a component delivery device for the components on the belt reels. The component delivery device has a holder unit for the belt reels, a belt guide having a plurality of belt guide tracks, a belt conveyor and a peel-off unit for peeling off the material covering the belts. The belt conveyor is a single unit. In each individual mounting operation, a separate belt is moved into the belt conveyor position specified by the belt conveyor unit.

Abstract: A dumping apparatus for dumping a bag 26 filled with a molten material such as asphalt latex which minimizes damage to or leakage of contents out of the bag. The apparatus includes a tippler 1 on which a transport can 27 containing a bag therein is carried. The tippler is advanced and rotated to tilt and move the can onto a pallet 36 and then retracted and rotated back to move the can to its initial position whereupon the bag is pulled out of the can. In synchronism with the advancing and retracting movement of the tippler, a conveyor 30 on which the pallet is carried is moved toward and then away from the tippler. Thus, the bag partially placed on the pallet is pulled by and hence smoothly transferred onto the pallet as the latter is moved away from the tippler together with the conveyor.

Abstract: A transport assembly for use with a storage conveyor is provided. Generally, the transport assembly is for use in a warehousing system including a plurality of storage conveyors each having a surface thereon for storage of objects. The storage conveyors do not, independently, include a drive motor. Rather, the transport assembly is provided with means for engagement with a selected storage conveyor, to drive same. In particular, the transport assembly includes a pivotable arm having a powered drive wheel thereon, capable of selectively engaging a conveyor drive wheel. In the preferred embodiment, the arm comprises a yoke having first and second side members. Preferably, the side members include notches therein facilitating proper alignment and secure engagement between the arm and the storage conveyor. Two transport assemblies are disclosed, one for use with a charging end of a storage conveyor and the other for use with a discharge end.

Abstract: This invention relates to a packaging machine in which an item is stored on a container such as tray. The container is mechanically and automatically packaged in a bag-form with a stretch film. The film is folded down to the bottom surface of the container. The width of the container may be different in size. A label can be attached to a desired position on the item.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously forming a product having elongated members at least about one foot long which are oriented, compressed and bonded is provided. The apparatus deposits elongated members on a moving carrier with an orientation that is substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the carrier. The members are deposited on the carrier over a length of carrier that is at least as long as about one and one-half times the length of the elongated members and is at least as long as about 30 times the final thickness of the compressed, composite product.

Abstract: A feeder for introducing and feeding plates into a machine tool, comprising a positioning station in which the plates are positioned one after the other with respect to orthogonal axes, a transfer section between the machine tool and the positioning station, two feeding carriages provided with grippers for seizing an edge of the plates and adapted to be adjusted along two parallel first guides between the positioning station and the machine tool by first feeding drives, with the two first guides guided by a second guide, the axis of which extends orthogonally with respect to the axis of the first guides, and adapted to be adjusted each by a second feeding drive of their own; and an automatic control controlling the feeding drives in such a manner that a plate is fed into a first processing position before the machine tool after the last working stroke for the preceding plate and before the machine tool performs a further working stroke.

Abstract: Particulate mats are transported from the downstream end of an upstream conveyor normally moving continuously in a longitudinal transport direction at a predetermined relatively slow speed to a press downstream in the direction from the upstream conveyor that receives the mats and presses them into hard panels by supporting the mats between the upstream conveyor and the press on a downstream conveyor having an upstream end spaced downstream from the downstream end and a downstream end at the press and an intermediate conveyor extending between the upstream end of the downstream conveyor and the downstream end of the upstream conveyor and having a length in the direction at least equal to that of each of the mats in the direction. A carriage supporting the downstream end of the upstream conveyor, the intermediate conveyor, and the upstream end of the downstream conveyor is reciprocated in the direction at a frequency related to mat size and speed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a conveying device comprising a platform conveyor, which is provided with a plurality of rectangular platforms, each being flexible in one direction, and with two pairs of endless chains, the pairs being connected to the corners at the front and rear side, respectively, of the platforms and being led over pairs of aligned guide sprockets, the chains extending substantially parallel to each other and guiding the platforms in a substantially horizontal position from a load point to an unload point through a transport part and bringing them back through a return part, the transport part including a section having a substantial vertical component.

Abstract: A pair of wire feed clamps are affixed to parallel flights of a pulley-supported steel cable which is axially driven back and forth by an oscillatably rotatable cable drum whereby the wire feed clamps, which reciprocably move in opposite directions, feed a wire strand along a first path. The cable drum is driven by a drive rod reciprocably movable by an orbiting crank pin on a support member which is adjustably mounted on a motor-driven rotatable feed crank. Crank pin orbit determines drive rod stroke, cable drum position, wire feed clamp spacing and travel, and wire segment length. A locking mechanism releasably locks the support member (crank pin) in desired adjusted positions. Two laterally spaced-apart conveyor assemblies, each having conveyor clamps for receiving the wire strand, convey severed wire segments along a second path perpendicular to the first.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for the automatic assembly of electronic components and, in particular, relates to a programmable substrate transport mechanism for conveying variously sized substrates to a robotic electronic component assembly machine.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for loading and unloading large area transporters, such as ships or the like, using a vertically spirally curved conveyor connected to the goods loading and unloading apparatus. The goods to be conveyed are discharged from or placed on a pivotable and optionally telescopable horizontal conveyor arranged on its lower end portion. During loading and unloading, the goods transfer spiral which is in fixed operative connection with the horizontal conveyor is moved over the complete pivoting area in congruent manner to the lower spiral conveyor segment of the vertical conveyor. The goods transfer spiral is moved beneath the lower spiral conveyor segment for loading purposes and above the lower spiral conveyor segment for unloading purposes in such a way that an overlapping zone is always formed between the lower spiral conveyor segment and the goods transfer spiral.

Abstract: The self-centering feeding device (20') for elongated objects such as logs includes a conveyor means (30) carried by a parallel mechanism having a vertical stationary part. The parallel mechanism is connected to a mechanical engagement means (26) and is controlled by a driving means (28) activated when an object on the conveyor means reaches a predetermined position, and is then kept activated the whole time during which the object is fed-through. The object is thus firmly clamped between the conveyor means and the engagement means and has no possibility to rotate about its longitudinal axis. The conveyor means may therefore be much shorter than the object. The invention is suitable for general application, but in particular for application in the log processing industry.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus wherein the conveyed loads, which need not absolutely possess a square or rectangular cross-sectional area or configuration, are received by or delivered from a transport vehicle, without the load itself having to experience a tilting movement, when it departs, for instance, from a stationary chain conveyor and is taken-over by the chain conveyor of a displacement carriage. The gap between the stationary chain conveyor and the chain conveyor mounted upon the transport vehicle is bridged by the laterally movable displacement carriage. The related chain drive serves for moving the conveyor chains of the chain conveyor and the displacement carriage. An alternately effective brake-locking device controls both movements. With blocked conveyor chains the displacement carriage, depending upon the direction of rotation of the drive motor of the chain drive, moves laterally in one or the other direction until reaching a related lateral stop or impact member.

Abstract: An improved cross-pit conveyor is provided for transferring excavated topsoils from the working side across the pit to the reclamation side in a strip mining operation. The machine includes a base to be positioned on the working side, a slewable upper frame mounted on the base, a long cantilevered conveyor pivotably supported at one end by the upper frame and reaching across the pit, and a separate on-board auxiliary conveyor for initially receiving the excavated material and feeding it smoothly onto the cantilevered conveyor. The receiving end of the auxiliary conveyor is pivotably connected to the back of the upper frame, and the discharging end is floatingly supported on the receiving end of the main conveyor to maintain a constant cooperative association therewith regardless of the hoist angle of the main conveyor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for retractably supporting lumber cants above feed chains in a cant positioner-feeder for locating the cant in a position to optimize lumber yield. The cants are supported with retractable cant supports interpositioned between the feed chains. The retractable cant supports may be movably mounted so that longitudinal motion is imparted to the cant as the cant supports are retracted, thereby reducing the relative velocity between the cant and feed chains.

Abstract: A loading and unloading device to be installed between two consecutive machines, in which a known unloading device, adjustable in height, interlinked with the outlet of the first working machine and a second known loading device interlinked with the inlet of the second working machine are linked by a moveable trolley arranged between the said two machines with the said trolley carrying a horizontal rotating platform supporting a pair of parallel conveyor belts which can be connected to the unloading device of the first machine and to the loading device of the second machine or else to a loading, and respectively unloading means provided between the two machines.

Abstract: A work transfer assembly including a transfer car movable along a path for transporting a workpiece carrier between separate processing stations positioned along the path. The car includes a push-pull chain made up of a plurality of links with one of the links defined by a pair of spaced support plates having upwardly extending support flanges interconnected by a shaft which rotatably supports a coupler member. The coupler member is a single unitary member having a pair of side plates interconnected by an abutment plate below which is an L-shaped plate defining a hook. The coupler member is rotatably supported for movement between a hook position with the hook in position for hooking a tray for removing the tray from a station and an abutment position with the abutment plate in position for abutting the tray for pushing the tray into the station.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for inverting articles and transporting the articles from a first station to a second station. The apparatus comprises conveyor means including an endless rotational member and a plurality of holding members secured to the rotational member, at least one feeding means for providing the articles to each holding member successively at the first station, receiving means for receiving the articles from the holding members at the second station, and transfer means for transferring the articles supported in the holding members to the receiving means. The rotational member is consecutively indexed to allow the holding members to substantially register with the feeding means and the receiving means when the rotational member is stopped. The orientation of the articles at the first station is different from the orientation of the articles at the second station.

Abstract: A helical conveyor for transporting cargo or the like along a helical stretch, having a substantially vertical central axis and equipped with an endless conveyor belt, the upper run of this conveyor belt following a helical path and ending at the lower end and at the upper end in a substantially horizontal generating line. A feed or discharge conveyor, which is displaceable with respect to the helical conveyor, joins the upper run of the conveyor belt of the helical conveyor.

Abstract: A rotary drum air classifier system which includes a conveyor positioned to feed unclassified materials of various densities and weights into one end of a drum, and supporting means for the conveyor having means for moving the conveyor in any of three directions axially, vertically and laterally of the drum's axis so as to position its discharge end in desired position depending upon the density of the mixture of materials being fed into the drum, thereby obtaining maximum efficiency of the classification procedure.

Abstract: The aperture mask conveyor and inspection system comprises a pair of belt conveyor assemblies which between them grip and transport an aperture mask from the end of the processing unit to a chute assembly which chute assembly feeds the mask onto a belt conveyor, a densitometer is centrally positioned on the belt conveyor to provide a measure of the amount of light transmitted through the center portion of the mask which is passed beneath the densitometer. After passing under the densitometer the mask is deposited on an adjacent tray.

Abstract: A station for inclusion in roller systems which permits cartons to be packed adjacent a primary roller conveyor and introduced onto the conveyor central region when filled. The packing station includes a carton packing conveyor movable under power driven rollers actuated when the conveyor is translated toward the primary conveyor. Simultaneously with translation of the packing conveyor transfer conveyor means are elevated between the rollers of the primary conveyor receiving the carton from the packing conveyor assuring that the carton will be substantially centered on the primary conveyor whereupon the power operated transfer conveyor lowers the carton onto the primary conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying the ink on freshly printed material comprises a convey path arranged for movement in a horizontal plane. Spaced vertically above the horizontal plane of movement of said conveyor path is a plurality of hot-air nozzles, the exit orifices of which lie on a common plane and are directed onto said conveyor path. The conveyor path is supported for rectilinear movement on rollers carried by a frame structure and means are provided with which this frame structure can be raised and lowered so as to increase or decrease the distance between the said two planes. This affords the advantage whereby the apparatus is able to dry sheets of printed material of varying thickness with maximum efficiency.

Abstract: Two receiving conveyors of the station extend at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of an intake conveyor and have their own longitudinal axes inclined to that of the intake conveyor so as to intersect the same at a point longitudinally spaced from all of these conveyors. A curved intermediate conveyor extends from the discharge end of the intake conveyor to the receiving end of the receiving conveyor and is pivotable about a vertical pivot axis passing through this point. A drive advances the intake and receiving conveyors and drives coupling members which are provided on the receiving conveyor and which can engage with cooperating coupling members on the intermediate conveyor.

Abstract: An article conveyor comprises a pair of belts, each trained around a pair of pulleys, with straight stretches between said pulleys. The four straight belt stretches are coplanar and parallel. One pulley for each belt is so driven that the belts move in opposite orbital directions. Corresponding stretches of the two belts are confined to lengthwise motion, as by additional freely rotatable pulleys or by a rail-like member for each of said stretches having a groove in which the belt is slidingly received. Each article carrier has belt engaging portions with long, laterally oppositely opening grooves in which said belt stretches are received, so that said stretches support and drive the carrier.