Abstract: There is disclosed a precision distributive supply device for use in a combinatorial weighing apparatus. The distributive supply device includes tubular chutes disposed at article discharging portions of an article supply container and having lower ends spaced a suitable distance from the bottom plates of supply troughs.

Abstract: A dispersion feeder used in a combination weighing machine for distributively feeding product to be weighed out to a plurality of weighing units arranged around it. The feeder is characterized in that it includes a mechanism for effecting rotational movement of the center or apex of its dispersion table. This movement exerts a centrifugal force on product fed onto the table, including product in and near the center of the table, thereby ensuring that such product is removed from the table.

Abstract: A conveyor system links two or more cigarette making machines and associated reservoirs with two or more packing machines and includes a first junction to which articles are delivered from at least two makers, a second junction from which articles pass to at least two receiving machines, and a transfer conveyor linking the junctions. The system allows each maker/reservoir to supply either packer but prevents articles passing from one reservoir to the other.

Abstract: In a poultry processing conveyor system a plurality of evisceration lines are fed from a single kill line by means of a rotary hock cutter transfer carousel.

Abstract: A fuel feeder for feeding refuse fuel to a boiler/incinerator which includes a pair of opposed inclined conveyors defining end boundaries of the conveyor, the conveyors being independently driven so that the fuel required for variable firing rates in plural boilers can independently be supplied.

Abstract: An unloader for bulk materials is provided to transfer material such as cement from a barge or other bulk container. It includes a moveable and rotatable support member such as a crane or cantilevered arm that is adjacent the bulk container. A first conveyor or auger is connected to the support for pivotal movement and extends generally horizontally. A second conveyor or auger is connected to the distal end of the first conveyor for pivotal movement and is generally vertically oriented. A feeder unit is connected to the distal end of the second conveyor for universal and rotational movement. The feeder includes an uplift portion communicating with the second conveyor, the uplift portion advancing the bulk material at a rate slower than the second conveyor, and a collector portion communicating with the uplift portion. The collector portion includes converging auger assembly to advance the bulk material towards the uplift portion and to assist in transferring it into the uplift portion.

Abstract: In the transport apparatus for roving bobbins in a plant including a group of spinning machines according to our invention each spinning machine has a closed circulating belt on which suspended carriages equipped either with full or empty roving bobbins are movable. A transport belt is provided which runs through a loading station which replaces empty roving bobbins with full roving bobbins. Each of the circulating belts is connected with the transport belt by one connecting belt for removing one of the suspended carriages with empty roving bobbins and another connecting belt for feeding in another suspended carriage with full roving bobbins. A switch controllable depending on the filling state of the approaching roving bobbin carriage is positioned at each branch of the connecting belts with the transport belt or one of the circulating belts. The roving bobbins are mounted on the transport and circulating belts so as to be movable independently of each other.

Abstract: A novel product feeding device for a combination weighing machine. The feeding device is designed to feed a plurality of weighing hoppers of the machine with product, such as uncooked meat, having sticky characteristics so that it cannot be conveyed by vibrating conveyor troughs as used in prior art conventional combination weighing machines. The novel feeding device includes a plurality of horizontal rotating discs corresponding to respective weighing hoppers. The discs are arranged in successively overlapping fashion for transferring product fed to the discs at one sides thereof to respective weighing hoppers disposed under the discs at the opposite sides thereof.

Abstract: A dispersion feeder for distributively feeding product to a plurality of weighing units arranged circularly about a common axis, comprising a plurality of conveyer troughs arranged radially about the axis for communicating by their outer ends respectively with the weighing units, and a plurality of vibrating units attached respectively to the conveyer troughs for subjecting each conveyer trough to independent vibration. Each conveyer trough is provided with a projection inclined upwardly and radially inwardly toward the common axis. These projections are arranged radially about the axis without mutual contact to form a conical or domed substantially continuous central dispersion surface, and each projection and its corresponding conveyor trough is adapted to be subjected to independent vibration to feed product supplied directly onto the dispersion surface to the corresponding conveyer trough.

Abstract: Apparatus for conveying rod-like articles, especially cigarettes, includes parallel opposed conveyors for delivering articles to a downwardly-extending junction provided with an arrangement for priming the junction such as a pivoted plate or retractable conveyor bands. The stream on one of the opposed conveyors may be delivered from a further conveyor by a rotary disc transfer conveyor which turns articles through 180.degree. for delivery to the one conveyor. The further conveyor may be parallel to the opposed conveyors or may be mounted at an adjustable small angle to them. The apparatus is particularly useful for tip-turning of cigarettes at the exit of a filter cigarettes assembling machine.

Abstract: A conveyor system having transfer rollers for transferring articles from a conveyor to a branch conveyor having a plurality of rotatable branch sheaves. The conveyor having a plurality of carrier rollers rotatably connected to a pair of support members and a conveyor drive cable mechanically communicating with the branch conveyor. The conveyor including a plurality of idle sheaves rotatably connected to the support members and the carrier rollers and an endless cable positioned over the idle sheaves and branch sheaves and engaged to a cable drive.

Abstract: A plant consisting of modular elements for reducing organic wastes by degrading them by means of earth worms, comprising a tank for organic wastes, arranged outside the plant assembly, an inclined main screw feeder for lifting the materials onto work stations and discharging them onto horizontal screw-feeders arranged at any work station, the horizontal feeders conveying the materials to horizontal conveyers which discharge them into modular containers arranged on the work stations, whereby, at the end of the transformation, the material is discharged through hoppers onto conveyors arranged at the plant base and conveyed to storage containers.

Abstract: A bucket wheel loader, especially a bridging equipment or loader, for bulk material dumps or piles. The loader is equipped with several bucket wheels which are movable along the front of a pile. The axes of rotation of the bucket wheels are arranged so as to have planes of rotation of the bucket wheels extend approximately transverse relative to the front of a pile of bulk material; the axes of rotation are disposed one above the other in a permanent correlation. The upper bucket wheel or wheels are expediently associated with a boom which is adjustable in relation to the front of a pile.

Abstract: A machine and method for assembling cables and precast grids or blocks into articulated erosion control revetment mats which utilizes a transfer roller conveyor oriented at right angles to a mat receiving belt or roller conveyor and communicating with the mat receiving conveyor by means of a right angle transfer table, together with a hydraulical powered push bar. One embodiment utilizes a belt-type mat receiving conveyor and an automatic push bar position sensing mechanism to activate the mat receiving conveyor and stop the mat and push bar at the proper position and return the push bar after it reaches its extreme of travel. A second embodiment of the invention is designed to be easily transported and assembled at a construction site and to have low power consumption requirements. A cable handling rake utilized with the machine and method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A mining apparatus comprises a planing device which is movable along a longwall to the drift and has a longwall conveyor which extends alongside it and is deflected into the drift for the removal of the cutaway material. A cutter is operable in the transition between the longwall and the drift and includes a rotatable shaft which is rotatable on a conveyor in the transition between the longwall and the drift and includes an outer arm which carries a rotatable cutting wheel which is moved by the swivel arm through the cutting zone at the transition between the longwall and the drift. The swivel arm is pivotable on a bearing shaft which carries a chain wheel which is driven from a chain drive which operates a plane cutter which is movable along the longwall. The chain drive includes a chain wheel which is rotatable with the bearing shaft and is connected by a separate cutter chain drive which extends through the swivel arm to a chain wheel affixed to the shaft of the cutter wheel.

Abstract: In a system for moving large quantities of pulverulent material from receiving hoppers, such as those of a fly ash precipitator, into a pressurized air conveyor pipeline, separate auger conveyors move material from a first line of receiving hoppers and from a second line of receiving hoppers downstream into gravity material inlets at opposite ends of an effectively airtight pressure conveyor casing. In the casing auger conveyor flights of opposite hand and substantially smaller than the casing means it toward a central outlet through which it drops into the pressurized air conveyor pipeline. Above the outlet the auger conveyor shaft has radial material agitating rods. The system is cycled to alternately feed material into the pressure conveyor casing at receiving hopper pressure, which is about atmospheric pressure, and out of the pressure conveyor casing at pipeline pressure.

Abstract: An integrated system and apparatus for completely forming the body of a two-piece can in one press, including performing the operations of cupping, drawing, redrawing, bottom profiling, and trimming. The system includes the concept of performing all of the operations required to form the body of a two-piece can in one press and includes feeding the precoated stock material, either in the form of sheet or coil, through a lubricator and into a feeding apparatus which, in turn, selectively feeds sufficient quantities of the stock material into a press. The press carries the double die necessary to perform the typical blanking and cupping operation and passes the cups out of the press in two lanes onto cup conveyors which feed them back into the press whereupon the draw-redraw dies on both sides of the cup die perform the additional steps of first redraw, second redraw, bottom profile, and trimming. The formed containers are then conveyed to secondary processing stations such as beaders, testers, or palletizers.

Abstract: A feeder of bulk materials (fuel) comprises according to the invention, a conveyor and a batcher, the case whereof is separated into at least three sections, wherein the case of the batcher incorporates drives having output shafts, each section uses a band for transferring bulk material, with bands in one section moving in opposite direction to bands in other sections, and the sections using the bands of one direction of movement are arranged alternately with the sections using the bands of opposite direction, with the drive of the sections using the bands of the same direction made common to them and furnished with output shafts coupled with shafts of the sections through clutches serving for coupling and uncoupling the drives and shafts, with the batcher case incorporating a receiver tube in the top part thereof for receiving free-flowing material, and an outlet tube in the bottom part thereof serving for delivery of bulk material from the batcher to the conveyor.

Abstract: A system for moving large quantities of pulverulent material from receiving hoppers, such as those of a fly ash precipitator, into a pressurized air conveyor pipeline. Separate auger conveyors move material from a first line of receiving hoppers and from a second line of receiving hoppers into gravity material inlets at opposite ends of an effectively airtight casing of a pressure mechanical conveyor wherein auger conveyor screws of opposite hand move it toward a central outlet through which it drops into the pressurized air conveyor pipeline. The auger conveyors and the pressure conveyor augers operate continuously; and the system is cycled to alternately feed material into the pressure conveyor casing at receiving hopper pressure, which is about atmospheric pressure, and out of the pressure conveyor casing at pipeline pressure. The cycles of two or more pressure conveyors are out of phase with one another so they feed material into the pipeline consecutively to provide level pipeline flow.

Abstract: A conveyor system for conveying cigarettes or similar rod-like articles includes means for delivering cigarettes into a junction, and a reservoir including a reversible conveyor for delivering cigarettes to or from the junction to accommodate differences between the rates of supply and demand at the junction, characterized in that the reservoir is formed by a plurality of conveyors defining a zig-zag path extending substantially in a constant plane normal to the axis of the cigarettes and comprising at least two substantially horizontal runs with one or more connecting portions through which cigarettes pass from one run to another.

Abstract: An improved root crop harvester having a narrow and compact processing chassis adapted to simply and easily receive header assemblies of differing capacities. The header assemblies include a transverse roll conveyor for gathering roots received from the digger wheels into a stream for discharge through a central opening in the transverse conveyor to a fore-and-aft extending roll conveyor carried by the processing chassis. The fore-and-aft roll conveyor is inclined upwardly from front to rear to increase the scrubbing and tumbling action and is also provided with a reversing roll section at its rearward end to discharge the roots to the side. The fore-and-aft conveyor is also sloped across its width at its rearward end to aid in discharging roots transversely to the roll conveyor length. The conveyors on the processing chassis are carried between the support wheels to reduce side drafts, minimize wheel slippage in wet field conditions and improve transport maneuverability.

Abstract: A bottom-belt bunker which receives and delivers particles for the manufacture of fiberboards, chipboards, or the like, and containing cellulose, is disposed upstream of a glue applicator or a front of a forming station. A centrally located feed opening is associated with a drivable auger disposed transverse to the longitudinal extension of the bunker. The auger has a pair of opposed helical blades or flights. A shoveling slide having an adjustable stroke is disposed beneath the auger and partially encompasses the same, the length of the slide being smaller than half the width of the bunker and/or half the length of the auger. Terminal positions of the reciprocating slide are disposed at a spacing from the side of the bunker and the average moving speed of the slide is approximately half that of the velocity of the helical blades of the auger.

Abstract: In an installation for distributing food products such as sweets from a primary conveyor line to respective transverse conveyors leading to packaging machines. A secondary conveyor line having two successive bunching conveyors is arranged to receive intermittently rows of products from the primary conveyor line, through the operation of a deflecting device, and to bunch and align the products prior to transferring them in rows to the transverse conveyor, at a conveying speed which can be matched to the demand of the packaging machines, even though this may differ from the speed of the primary conveyor line.

Abstract: Two cigarette making machines are interconnected to a single cigarette packing machine via a transfer system which uses individual conveyors to convey the cigarettes from each making machine to a single chute leading to the packing machine. The flow of cigarettes into the chute from the two conveyors is controlled by a series of switches which are activated in response to the amount of stored cigarettes in the storage of the transfer system as well as a photocell arranged above the mouth of the chute. These switches actuate a control to slow down or speed up the packer in response to the amount of stored cigarettes while the photocell controls the operation of the conveyors of the transfer system in response to the absence or presence of cigarettes at the position of the photocell.

Abstract: The feed blanket is conditioned prior to entering the mill to provide more uniformity of thickness and to control maximum thickness. Overfeeding is prevented by self-regulated by-passing of excess feed. Plural mills of a milling tandem can be made to operate in a parallel fashion while the remaining ones continue to operate in their usual series fashion.

Abstract: An induction system for a sortation conveyor includes a single infeed conveyor adapted to supply two separate loading stations. In a preferred embodiment, the infeed conveyor is operatively connected with a reversible turn conveyor interposed between the infeed conveyor and the two separate loading stations, one loading station receiving articles from one end of the reversible turn conveyor and the other loading station receiving articles from the other end of the reversible turn conveyor. The reversible turn conveyor may be automatically or manually controlled to operate in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction as required to supply articles from the infeed conveyor to both loading stations.

Abstract: A tobacco feeding system for feeding tobacco from a source thereof to a plurality of individual cigarette-making machines includes a tobacco distribution system for the distribution of source tobacco sequentially to a plurality of tobacco reservoirs and a tobacco metering system associated with each reservoir for feed of tobacco to the machine feeds. The system avoids the necessity to recycle tobacco to the source and hence minimizes tobacco degradation.

Abstract: An interrupter unit for producing a gap in the normal flow of product along a conveyor belt system, including a drive member and an actuator member responsive to the drive member for raising a limited portion of the conveyor belt of the conveyor belt system to produce an inclination of the conveyor belt to prevent further progress of conveyed objects; a transfer unit for transferring conveyed objects between first and second conveyor belt systems, one of the first and second conveyor belt systems being a transferor system, the other a transferee system including a rotatable support section for carrying at least a portion of the conveyor belt of the first conveyor belt system and having a free end and an end rotatably interconnected with the support structure of the first conveyor belt system, and a drive mechanism for rotating the support section between a retracted position and an inclined position bridging the first and second conveyor belt systems, with the conveyor belt of the first conveyor belt system a

Abstract: A dough makeup line for the selective mechanized production of different kinds of bread such as long bread and flat bread, the makeup line including a dough divider, a dough piece rounder, a proofer, and, as part of the proofer, a switchable dough piece delivery device cooperating with two parallel longitudinal dough molding lines equipped with molding stations for different bread shapes, the longitudinal dough molding lines leading to a transverse dough molding line, from where the molded dough pieces are transferred onto baking palettes. Special transfer conveyors are employed in connection with the makeup of thin, large dough pieces.

Abstract: A luggage merging device comprising a luggage carrying conveyor belt, two luggage guiding conveyor belts disposed generally perpendicularly to the luggage carrying conveyor belt and defining a converging path for the luggage, and a buck roller. One of the luggage guiding conveyor belts is powered at least generally in the direction of the luggage carrying conveyor belt, the other is powered at least generally in the opposite direction, and the buck roller is located at the upstream end of the latter.

Abstract: Apparatus for conveying filter-tipped cigarettes, comprises means for receiving two streams of such cigarettes with the filters of the two streams facing in opposite directions, means for conveying the two streams side by side while twisting the streams in opposite directions about longitudinal axes of the streams so that the cigarettes of the two respective streams are then parallel, with the filters all facing in the same direction, and means for merging the two streams.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sizing and distributing produce to a plurality of receiving trays. The system includes the employment of a single continuous belt to both feed the produce to a sizer and distribute the sized produce to a plurality of receiving trays. The distribution of the produce from the sizer is through guides which distribute to linearly disposed trays. Both the sizer and the continuous belt are driven from a single power source. The sizer includes a rotating horizontal disk having shoes located peripherally about the disk and spaced to allow selected sizes of produce to fall between the shoes and the disk. A device is provided for either individually or collectively adjusting the height of the shoes with respect to the horizontal disk.

Abstract: A plurality of chutes are spaced downstream of a supply of comminuted material. A first transport band displaces the material upwardly out of the supply and drops the material into the first chute. Some of the material dropped into the first chute is spread by a distributing brush at the bottom of the chute onto the transport band and the balance of the material is picked up by a second transport band extending upwardly out of the first chute and terminating above a second chute so as to drop this material into the second chute whence it is deposited by another distribution brush onto the belt on top of the material deposited from the first chute. Both of the transport bands are inclined at the same angle to the horizontal and are independently driven at different speeds.

Abstract: A section of a conveying pipe accommodates a conveyor screw, and drives are provided for rotating this conveyor screw as well as axially reciprocating it in the pipe section.