Abstract: A dosing and packaging apparatus (1) for long pasta comprising at least one dosing unit (2) and a cartoner (3) below the dosing unit. The dosing unit comprises a weighing device (21, 22) for doses of long pasta, and the cartoner comprises trays (31, 33) for containing doses of weighed long pasta, a chain conveyor (32) for horizontally moving the trays, and a device for forming and filling cartons with the doses of long pasta from the trays. The dosing unit comprises a rotor (23) with more than one compartment (25) for pouring doses of weighed long pasta directly into the trays. The rotation of the rotor and the horizontal motion of the trays are synchronized so that each compartment pours a dose of weighed long pasta into a respective tray placed immediately below the rotor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and a method for unloading a stockpile with an elongated unloading bridge, which is provided at its both ends with support wheels, the unloading bridge being horizontally movable at least in an essentially transverse direction with respect to a longitudinal direction of the unloading bridge. The unloading bridge includes at least one car movable along the unloading bridge, the car comprising at least one rake extending essentially transversally with respect to a longitudinal direction of the unloading bridge and inclined to a position between the horizontal and the vertical. Characteristically, the unloading bridge includes at least two adjacent conveyor screws below the unloading bridge and extending between the ends of the unloading bridge, each conveyor screw being provided with a thread opposite to that of an adjacent conveyor screw, and each conveyor screw being rotatable in a direction opposite to that of an adjacent conveyor screw.

Abstract: The invention relates to a consignment system and method for loading a freight carrier (2) with freight units (4) forming a freight stack (3), either manually or on an automated basis. The consignment system comprises a device (1) with a positioning conveyor unit (16) which has conveyor tracks (50a, 50b) which can be adjusted by means of a displacement device (52) to a distance (53) determined on the basis of the conveying property of the freight unit (4) to be stacked and/or from a gap width (81) of a stack gap in a stack position of the freight stack (3).

Abstract: A conveying apparatus with a first conveyor and a second conveyor is used a the welding apparatus and a welding method for container bodies and in particular can bodies between which conveyors the object to be welded is handed over. A control unit determines the take over position and/or the conveying travel of the second conveyor and controls the conveyors accordingly, so that the take over occurs at the determined position and/or with the determined conveying travel of the second conveyor. This allows an easy and swift changing of the welding apparatus to different sizes of the objects to be welded.

Abstract: A device for transporting articles within a packaging machine is disclosed. The device includes at least one conveying system for the articles to be packaged or for the packaging units for the articles to be packaged. The conveying system includes a continuously circulating transport track. The at least one conveying system has several trays that can be connected to each individual transport track. Each conveying system is configured with an upper level and a lower level. A first lifting unit is associated with each conveying system at the beginning and a second lifting unit is associated with each conveying system at the end, said lifting units moving the trays at the beginning and at the end of the conveying system between the upper level and the lower level.

Abstract: A cap transfer unit (1) comprising a cap transfer line (8) defining a transfer path (5) from a cap loading area (4) to a cap discharge area (6), and a cap pusher (16) slidingly mounted along the cap transfer line (8), the cap pusher (16) having a rest position in which the cap pusher (16) is spaced from the transfer path (5), and an active position in which the cap pusher (16) overlaps at least partially the transfer path (5) for coming into abutment with caps (2) located therein.

Abstract: The device comprises a delivery device (4-9) that delivers the additional part (2) into a delivery position (10) that is spaced apart from the book block spine (11a). The transfer device (13) comprises at least two holding elements (14a, b) that move in a reciprocating fashion and the cycles of which are phase-shifted relative to one another, wherein said holding elements move in different tracks (15a, b) that are offset relative to one another between the delivery position (10) and the book block spine (11a) and apply the delivered additional part (2) onto the book block spine (11a) after it was provided with glue. The holding elements (14a, b) carry out a reciprocating turning movement about a common axis (16), wherein the turning radius of at least one holding element is increased or decreased in the instant in which both holding elements (14a, b) pass one another.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in a vermiculture plant, the apparatus including a treatment receptacle having a treatment Apparatus for use in a vermiculture plant which includes a treatment receptacle having a treatment chamber therein and a base upon which material within the treatment chamber is disposed. The receptacle is arranged so that when in use there is a space below the base. The apparatus further includes a harvester operable to extract material from the treatment chamber through the base and a collecting assembly including a flexible belt operatively connected to a rotatable drum so that it can be wound onto or drawn from the rotatable member. The belt is arranged so that it can adopt a collecting position when at least partially unwound from the rotatable member wherein it is positioned below the treatment chamber and harvester so that harvested material can be collected upon it and is operable so that when wound onto the rotatable member material thereon can be transferred to a discharge zone.

Abstract: An apparatus for delivering substantially spherical products into a substantially rectangular container having an open top. The apparatus is provided with a delivery element arranged to be movable up and down relative to the container. The container is movable in a horizontal direction relative to the delivery element. The delivery element includes at least one endless conveyor which is provided with supporting elements which define a number of supporting surfaces extending in horizontal direction. An intermediate conveyor is arranged upstream of the delivery element. The intermediate conveyor is aligned with the delivery element and is arranged for row-by-row transfer of the products to the delivery element. A vibrating feeder is arranged upstream of the intermediate conveyor. The vibrating feeder has a discharge side aligned with an infeed side of the intermediate conveyor.

Abstract: A self-clearing article-transfer plate for a conveyor system. The plate is disposed between an upstream article feeder, such as a conveyor belt supplying a stream of conveyed articles, and a downstream article receiver, such as a takeaway belt or an accumulation table. The plate may have a tapered edge or a fingered edge at a first end for receiving articles from the article feeder. Backpressure from the stream of articles pushes the articles onto, across, and off a second opposite end of the plate onto the article receiver. When the stream of articles stops or is interrupted, the last articles in the stream are urged along the plate from the first end to the second end by vibrations from a vibrator affixed to a support for the plate. In this way, articles are cleared from the plate, without being stranded, even in the absence of backpressure.

Abstract: An accumulating conveyor for elongated stock, such as tubes, rods, bars and similar articles. At least three independently operable conveyor banks are arranged for sequentially transferring elongated stock from one bank to the next. Each conveyor bank includes a number of elongated substantially parallel racks which extend in the direction of desired conveyance and each rack has at least two adjacent rows of teeth extending longitudinally along the rack. The teeth of one row of each rack are staggered with respect to the teeth of the other row and a drive is connected to alternately raise one row of teeth above the other whereby elongated stock placed transversely on one end of the racks will be moved to the other end of the racks for offloading or transfer to an adjacent conveyor bank.

Abstract: A loading head for loading food articles into packaging includes a transfer conveyor in operable communication with a source of articles to be loaded. The transfer conveyor communicates the articles from an upper receiving position to a lower loading position. A first drive drives the transfer conveyor at a variable speed. A second drive oscillates the transfer conveyor between a first position and a second position. A controller is in operable association with the first and second drives for varying the driving speed of the transfer conveyor as a function of the position of the transfer conveyor. An article holder is disposed at the loading position for receipt of a transferred article.

Abstract: A power driven, reciprocating slat conveyor (12) is provided on a dock (D). A passive, reciprocating slat conveyor (10) is provided within a trailer (T). The power driven conveyor (12) is coupled to the passive conveyor (10) so that the drive mechanism of the power driven conveyor (12) can be used to operate both conveyors (10, 12) in conjunction. All of the conveyor slats (14) of the dock conveyor (12) can be directly connected to corresponding conveyor slats (16) of the trailer conveyor (10). Or, one conveyor slat (14) from each set of conveyor slats in the power driven conveyor (12) can be connected to a corresponding conveyor slat in the passive conveyor (10) and these conveyor slats in the passive conveyor (10) can each be connected to a transverse drive beam which is connected to the remaining conveyor slats of the same set of conveyor slats. Or, the drive units of the powered conveyor (12) can be coupled to transverse drive beams which are connected to the sets of slats in the passive conveyor (10).

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating a multilayer stream of tobacco particles with randomly intermixed foreign particles has a vibratory conveyor which advances the stream toward and discharges successive increments of the stream onto the upper reach of an endless belt or chain serving to advance the increments at a speed exceeding the speed of advancement of the stream by the vibratory conveyor. The endless belt or chain discharges a single layer of tobaco particles and foreign particles, and such single layer is caused to move past a segregating unit which detects and expels foreign particles therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus for palletizing unit loads including an input roller conveyor, a guide displaceable between the driven rollers of the input roller conveyor and having a plurality of stirrup-shaped elements liftable above and sinkable below the upper surface level of the rollers and having a stepped upper surface with at least two unit load supporting surfaces, a stacker located adjacent to and sidewise of the input roller conveyor, and a sliding device for shifting a unit load layer formed in the waiting area of the input roller conveyor onto the stacker; with the method of palletizing unit loads with the use of the palletizing apparatus including sequentially lifting rows of unit loads with stepped support surfaces of the stirrup-shaped element above the upper surface level of the input roller conveyor and displacing the lifted rows into the waiting area, and lowering the guide so that the unit load support surfaces are located beneath an upper surface level of the waiting area, whereby the first and second row

Abstract: Apparatus for moving axially elongate articles, such as nuclear fuel pins, between work stations and comprising aligned rollers forming at least two substantially parallel paths tranversely spaced apart. Drive devices are provided for axially moving the articles along the paths and displacement devices are provided for moving the fuel pins transversely between the paths.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus for a plate form article such as a lead frame including a main conveyor line and a working conveyor line for conveying the lead frame in a direction parallel to the length wise direction of the lead frame, and a sub-conveyor which transfers the lead frame to and from the main and working conveyor lines in a direction perpendicular to the conveyor lines, and the sub-conveyor being made of work-holders for holding the lead frame in such a manner that two ends of the length-wise direction of the lead frame are positioned perpendicular to the conveying direction of the sub-conveyor, a vertical driving cylinder for raising and lowering the work-holders, and a conveying mechanism, which includes a motor 61, timing belts, etc., for moving the work-holders in a direction perpendicular to the conveyor lines. Thus, a smooth conveyance of the lead frame by the sub conveyor is insured even though the lead frame has projected portions that are called "islands.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus for a plate form article such as a lead frame including: a main conveyor line and a working conveyor line, which convey the lead frame in a direction parallel to the length-wise direction of the lead frame; a sub-conveyor which transfers the lead frame between the main and working conveyor lines in a direction perpendicular to such conveyor lines, the sub-conveyor being made of work-holders for holding the lead frame in such a manner that two ends of the length-wise direction of the lead frame are positioned perpendicular to the conveying direction of the sub-conveyor and supported by the work-holders; a vertical driving cylinder for raising and lowering the work-holders; belt conveyor systems of two different linkages which are connected to the work-holders; and a motor which drives the timing belt systems. Both timing belt system are linked to and driven by the motor, but one of them is driven through the braking and clutch mechanisms.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring glass sheets from a first roller conveyor to a perpendicularly oriented second roller conveyor utilize a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart lifting arms to lift the glass sheet from the first roller conveyor and deposit same on a belt conveyor for subsequent transport to the second roller conveyor.

Abstract: A cooker for continuous grilling of hamburger patties and the like uses a shiftable grid which intermittently lifts the patties off a stationary grid and effects advancement after each lift-off until a U-shaped path is traversed extending initially through and terminating beyond one end of the cooker exteriorly thereof. The patties travel upwardly along a straight line with respect to a first pair of legs of the grids and then upwardly and arcuately with respect to a pair of first grid quadrants, whereupon they invert and drop such as to travel upwardly and arcuately with respect to a pair of second grid quadrants. Finally, the patties travel upwardly along a straight line with respect to a pair of legs of the grids forming the final stretch of the travel.

Abstract: Transport device for rod-shaped material (16) for feeding a processing machine, in particular a metal saw, with rake-type supporting rails (2, 10) extending in the feed direction, and with a roller bed (14, 15) located transversely at the front end of the support rails (2, 10). In each case two supporting rails (2, 10) are arranged side-by-side, one of which is fixed and the other is movable along a closed curved track. The movable supporting rails (10) are arranged and their movement is selected in such a manner that their front ends extend through the roller bed (14, 15) and underrun its delivery plane in their lowermost position. At the front ends of the movable supporting rails (10) push-out angles (11) are attached, by means of which remaining rod material (17) can be pushed from the roller bed (14, 15) onto a depository (12), which is located at that side of the roller bed (14, 15) which is opposite the rake-type support rails (2, 10).

Abstract: The device for transporting fiber sliver cans employs pairs of rails for supporting a can during travel in a non-linear path. The pairs of rails are moved relative to each other in an endless path so that a can is supported on only one pair of rails during the forward movement of that pair of rails. No floor plate is required to support the cans. The straight rails of each set are interconnected by curved rails of an intermediate set of rails.

Abstract: The can transporting device transports the cans by using rails which are driven synchronously by crank drives. In one embodiment, the cans rest on a floorplate while the rails are moved so as to transport the cans in a forward step-wise manner along the floorplate. In non-linear arrangements, straight rails are jointed to each other by curved rails. In this embodiment, an additional crank drive is provided to support the outer curved rail for vertical movement. The transport direction of the cans can be selected through selection of the direction of rotation of a gear motor which drives the transmission for the crank drives.

Abstract: A workpiece charging unit for a walking beam furnace has an entry table and a charging conveyor positioned exteriorly and interiorly of the entry end opening of the furnace. The charging conveyor can undergo a movement along a generally rectangular path for the receipt of the workpiece from the entry table and for the subsequent transfer of the workpiece onto the fixed beams or rails within the heating chamber where it can be picked up by the walking beam conveyor unit for the passage through the heating chamber. The charging conveyor includes charging beams, a plurality of support posts for the support of the charging beams and frame structure coupled with the horizontal and vertical drive mechanisms.

Abstract: A walking beam furnace comprises a hearth formed by fixed and walking beams disposed with their axes in the feed direction. Both the walking beams and the fixed beams are divided at positions spaced apart in the feed direction into sections, and each section of each beam is staggered relative to the adjacent section. As a result, the material to be annealed comes into contact with the cooled fixed beams at different positions at each of the conveying pauses and temperature balancing takes place at the points of contact.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of and a walking beam furnace for the intermediate heating of pipes, or the like, in hot rolling mills, by means of a furnace located between the plug-mill and the sizing mill. According to the invention, in a forehearth (17) of the intermediate heating furnace, at the inlet side thereof, there is maintained a temperature which is lower than that at the outlet side, and which, anyway, is such that the hottest pipes will be cooled down and the coldest pipes will be heated up whereby, when exiting from said forehearth (17) of the furnace, the difference between the temperatures of the various pipes is zero or, at least, is small and, in any case, is smaller than that at the inlet, whereas in the successive chamber (18) of the furnace there is maintained such a temperature as to give the pipes the desired temperature when exiting from the furnace.

Abstract: Apparatus for the transfer of mandrels from a lube conveyor to a parallel mandrel pre-insertion line comprises a plurality of transfer devices each of which has an arm for the direct transfer of the mandrels which is disappearingly movable transversely between the said conveyor and the said line and a further pair of arms, one fixed and one movable, having upper saw-tooth profiles cooperating to effect a stepwise displacement of the mandrels between the said conveyor and the said line.

Abstract: Rolled stock running out of a rolling mill is parted into lengths suitable for the cooling bed. Rolled stock cross sections of various sizes are retarded both at approach speeds of more than approximately 20 m/sec and slower, alongside the cooling bed in an approach roller feed bed and then transversely conveyed over the cooling bed. In order to avoid requiring an uneconomically long cooling bed as a result of the sequence times of the lengths of rolled stock, three or more longitudinal braking sections are arranged side by side to enable thin lengths at a high approach speed to be retarded in rapid succession and conveyed across to the cooling bed. Covering means of the braking sections are constructed to provide additional retardation of the lengths, e.g. by blowing air, by lowering brake shoes or by the action of linear electromagnetic motors.

Abstract: A vibrating conveyor for delivering a stream of green pellets having a predetermined average diameter to a conveying surface of a wide belt conveyor. The vibrating conveyor has a vibrating deck having a discharge edge and conveys the green pellets along a conveyance path to the discharge edge. The discharge edge extends at an acute angle to the conveyance path. A series of elongated distributing bars or rows of bosses protrude upwardly from an upper surface of the deck along the entire conveyance path and extend along lines transverse to, and spaced along, the conveyance path, the elongated distributing bars or bosses having a height of 7.5 to 30 mm.

Abstract: An apparatus for delivering a stream of green pellets has a wide belt conveyor and a vibrating conveyor having a deck for supporting the green pellets and conveying the green pellets to the wide belt conveyor in a direction of conveyance over a discharge edge. The discharge edge has an adjustable configuration and extends at an acute angle to the conveyance direction across the conveyance surface of the wide belt conveyor whereby the green pellets discharged over the edge form a layer on the conveyance surface. A plurality of parallel deck bars are axially slidably connected to the vibrating conveyor deck and have end portions protruding therefrom in the conveyance direction, the protruding deck bar ends defining the discharge edge. The deck bars are connected to drives for axially sliding the deck bars for adjusting the discharge edge configuration.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus for moving materials unidirectionally has an elongated, upwardly facing trough with at least one longitudinally extending semicylindrical recess in the bottom thereof. A helical flight is positioned in each such recess and is rotated about its longitudinal axis so as to move said materials along said trough. At least one rigid, elongated push-bar is supported in the trough for reciprocal lengthwise movement longitudinally of the trough. Each push-bar has a plurality of longitudinally spaced barbs and/or plows mounted thereon and shaped to advance said materials unidirectionally where the push-bar is reciprocated. Material retaining elements may also be provided on the walls of the trough to oppose movement of the said material in the opposite direction.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus for coordinating the indexing movement of a conveyor with pivotal movement of a kickout arm for removing workpieces from its delivery end. A double acting fluid powered cylinder alternately indexes the loop and pivots the kickout upon reciprocating movement of first and second piston rods thereof. Preferably, a rack is provided extending axially from the first of the rods. A pinion engages the rack and is operatively connected and disconnected from the loop by a clutch upon stroke of the rod in opposite directions. A collet operatively connects the second piston rod to the kickout arm when the loop is at rest and disconnects said arm therefrom when the loop is being driven.

Abstract: An article transfer arrangement includes a loading station and a discharge station spaced therefrom and level therewith, upper and lower pairs of parallel track rails extending between the stations, a rigid article carrier having an upper article engaging surface and front and rear wheels, the front wheels being closer to the article engaging carrier surface than the rear wheels, and an endless drive chain connected to the carrier and to a drive motor and operable to reciprocate the carrier between the stations. During motion between the loading station and the discharge station, the front wheels are lifted into engagement with the upper track rails by action of the drive chain about a chain sprocket whereby the carrier surface is oriented horizontally and is raised above the platform level of the station to thereby lift an article from the loading station.

Abstract: A palletizing machine for stacking rows of articles in layers on a pallet, includes an entry station for accummulating a row of articles, an intermediate support for receiving from the entry station a sufficient number of rows of articles to constitute a layer of articles on the pallet, and a pallet support vertically movable in a main framework of the machine to position the upper level of a pallet or partially loaded pallet just below the level of the intermediate support so that a layer of articles accumulated thereon can be readily tranferred to the pallet. To facilitate the handling of articles such as piles of books, both the entry station and the intermediate support are provided with roller beds.

Abstract: A vibration or shaking feeder combined with a drum which is rotated at high speed is disclosed. The vibration feeder includes a container having a helical ledge around the inner wall of the container for making articles in the container travel to rise up the helical ledge by vibratory motion of the container. The articles advanced up to the uppermost ledge are transferred to the outer drum rotated at high speed and fed to a next stage for further processing.

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: An apparatus for processing printed products wherein the product copies are introduced at an infeed location into individual compartments of a revolving cell wheel, processed during the time they are present in the compartments and removed from the compartments at a removal location. The infeed location and removal location are arranged in offset relationship in the direction of the lengthwise axis of the cell wheel. Each compartment has arranged therein, in an axial direction, entrainment means movable between a work stroke and a return stroke, the entrainment means of each compartment being operatively coupled with one another. The entrainment means are driven by a drive embodying a common stationarily arranged guide track describing a closed curve and follower elements rotating with the cell wheel.

Abstract: A ferris wheel type parts washer has its ferris wheel driven by a rotary fluid pressure motor under the control of a variable rate fluid flow control mechanism with means provided for sensing approaching registry of a parts supporting station on the ferris wheel with the parts transfer conveyor for slowing the rotation of the ferris wheel and with means sensing substantial registry of the parts supporting station and the parts transfer conveyor for stopping the fluid pressure motor and locking the ferris wheel in parts transfer registry with the conveyor, such locking means capable of camming the ferris wheel into parts transfer registry should it be slightly out of transfer registry when its movement is arrested. The disclosure shows mechanism for unlocking the ferris wheel and quickly accelerating it to maximum speed.

Abstract: A discharge device for the reception in the axial direction of advancing rolled bars or the like and the discharge of same, this discharge device comprising essentially two rotating drums, opposed to another in a way so as to be rotated on parallel axles between them, substantially on the horizontal plane with an equal number of symmetric arrangements of external radial longitudinal grooves, which form external opposite channels suitable for the reception of the said bars, and in which in the longitudinal lateral opposite horizontal area of said rotating drums is juxtaposed a wall or shell to form a static containing case for the closing of the said channels in the restricted lateral area of each rotating drum, respectively in order to close said drums in the restricted area, wherein the closed channels in the cover section of the restricted area are to receive in opposition, respectively alternately the bars and by the way of the said drums, in order that said bars are respectively rotated into said channels

Abstract: A device for transferring a load from one roller conveyor to another comprises a support adapted for shifting transversely and parallel to the axes of the rollers of one of the conveyors and lifting elements such as thin blades on said support which are disposed intermediate adjacent conveyor rollers.