Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to devices for manipulating meat pieces and methods therefore. In one form, a device comprises a chute, a conveyor, a backstop, and a paddle wheel. The chute is configured to hold pieces of a food product, and the conveyor is configured to receive pieces of the food product released from the chute. The first backstop is positioned above the conveyor and comprises a plate that is configured to align pieces of food product received at the conveyor into a single row. The paddle wheel is positioned above the conveyor downstream from the first backstop and is configured to manipulate the single row of pieces of food product traveling along the conveyor and cause only a single layer of pieces of food product to discharge from the conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods and systems comprising element in-built diverts for motorized conveyor rollers are provided. An example conveyor roller can include a housing that forms a cylindrical tube. The conveyor roller includes a plurality of element in-built diverts disposed on an exterior surface of the housing. The plurality of element in-built diverts are reconfigurable between one or more orientations with respect to the housing to divert an item an angle with respect to the housing.

Abstract: A transfer device having a plurality of pick-up heads loads products into receptacles. The products are provided in a random arrangement in a pick-up area, and the position of each product is detected. To pick up the products, the transfer device is moved over the pick-up area and each pick-up head picks up an individual product at a pick-up time and in a pick-up position. The pick-up position and the pick-up time for the products are determined on the basis of the previously detected positions of the products. The placement of the products in a placement area may also occurs while the transfer device is moving relative to the receptacles.

Abstract: An omni-directional wheel for a pool vacuum head includes a first frame and a second substantially identical frame, each frame having a hub rotating around a common axis, lower supports extending radially from the hub, risers extending from the hub along the common axis, and upper supports individually coupled to the risers, the upper supports extending radially from the common axis. Rollers coupled to the first frame and the second frame, are radially spaced from the common axis on each frame. The rollers rotate normal to the common axis to impart omni-directional movement. When the first frame and the second frame are interlocked, the risers on the first frame engage the hub on the second frame, and the lower supports on the first frame engaging the upper supports on the second frame, maintaining the rollers in a staggered arrangement around the wheel.

Abstract: A caster module includes: an omni wheel, provided with an shaft groove; and an effector, received in the shaft groove, a case of the effector being rotatable relative to an inner wall of the shaft groove, and an output end of the effector being connected to the omni wheel and configured to drive the omni wheel to rotate.

Abstract: An omni-directional wheel for a pool vacuum head includes a first frame and a second substantially identical frame, each frame having a hub rotating around a common axis, lower supports extending radially from the hub, risers extending from the hub along the common axis, and upper supports individually coupled to the risers, the upper supports extending radially from the common axis. Rollers coupled to the first frame and the second frame, are radially spaced from the common axis on each frame. The rollers rotate normal to the common axis to impart omni-directional movement. When the first frame and the second frame are interlocked, the risers on the first frame engage the hub on the second frame, and the lower supports on the first frame engaging the upper supports on the second frame, maintaining the rollers in a staggered arrangement around the wheel.

Abstract: A multi-directional roller assembly for directing articles in a conveying system. The multi-directional roller assembly has a rotatable roller frame housing at least one set of mutually-actuating rollers. The multi-directional roller assembly directs an article supported by the assembly along a trajectory determined by the orientation of the multi-directional roller assembly relative to an input force. The orientation of the multi-directional roller assembly may be changed to change the trajectory. A conveyor system may include an array of multi-directional roller assemblies. An actuator controls the orientation of the multi-directional roller assemblies individually and may also control an array of multi-directional roller assemblies as a group.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a bundle orienting device in-line with a conveyor configured for transporting bundles in a conveying direction. The bundle orienting device can include a plurality of selectively actuatable orientation elements that, collectively, laterally and/or angularly displace a bundle as it travels in the conveying direction through the bundle orienting device. In addition, the present disclosure relates to a method for rotating bundles traveling in a conveying direction along a conveyor system. The method includes conveying a bundle along a conveyor to pass through a bundle orienting device, thus described.

Abstract: A conveyor system is provided that comprises at least two types of drive tube couplings that are interchangeable. In one embodiment, the conveyor system comprises a plurality of first drive tube couplings and a plurality of second drive tube couplings. The first drive tube couplings comprise a base portion and an elongated portion that extends from the face of the base portion. The second drive tube couplings comprise a coupling spacer and a coupler comprising an elongated member that abuts the face of the coupling spacer and extends substantially perpendicular thereto. In this embodiment the thickness of the base portion of each of the first drive tube couplings is substantially equal to the thickness of the coupling spacer of each of the second drive tube couplings.

Abstract: A conveying device includes a supporting platform, a rolling member, a driving member, and a conveying assembly. The rolling member rotatably is mounted on the supporting platform. The driving member is connected to the rolling member, for driving the rolling member to rotate along an axis. The conveying assembly includes a supporting member, a fixing member, and several rollers. The fixing member is mounted on a side of the supporting member towards the supporting platform, and defines an arcuate mounting surface. The rollers are mounted on the arcuate mounting surface, and resist the rolling member. Sets of two rollers are located on opposite sides of the rolling member. The rotation axes of the rollers are inclined relative to the rotation axis of the rolling member, which enable the rotation of the rolling member to drive the rollers to rotate and slide along the rolling member.

Abstract: This device feeds and sorts tablets or small parts from a common hopper to a product count sensor head. Two parallel feed rolls and two transport rollers rotate together on an adjustable incline. The feed rolls are positioned above the transport rolls. The rotation direction of each feed and transport roller can vary along with its speed. As the feed rollers rotate the feeding threads will push out the product from the hopper and drop the product onto the transport rollers which will sort them along the length of the transport rollers. As the roller angle increases so does the product feed rate.

Abstract: A multi-directional roller assembly for directing articles in a conveying system. The multi-directional roller assembly has a rotatable roller frame housing at least one set of mutually-actuating rollers. The multi-directional roller assembly directs an article supported by the assembly along a trajectory determined by the orientation of the multi-directional roller assembly relative to an input force. The orientation of the multi-directional roller assembly may be changed to change the trajectory. A conveyor system may include an array of multi-directional roller assemblies. An actuator controls the orientation of the multi-directional roller assemblies individually and may also control an array of multi-directional roller assemblies as a group.

Abstract: A conveyor system is provided that comprises at least two types of drive tube couplings that are interchangeable. In one embodiment, the conveyor system comprises a plurality of first drive tube couplings and a plurality of second drive tube couplings. The first drive tube couplings comprise a base portion and an elongated portion that extends from the face of the base portion. The second drive tube couplings comprise a coupling spacer and a coupler comprising an elongated member that abuts the face of the coupling spacer and extends substantially perpendicular thereto. In this embodiment the thickness of the base portion of each of the first drive tube couplings is substantially equal to the thickness of the coupling spacer of each of the second drive tube couplings.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring an upright tray at high speeds that can sense an entrance and discharge of the tray. The apparatus includes a transferring unit with pulleys driven by a driving source to form a transferring path. The pulleys contact a fixing member, which is attached to a lower edge of a substrate and mask fixed to the tray. The apparatus also includes a sensing unit with a sensor installed beneath the transferring path to detect the entrance and discharge of the tray. The apparatus may also include rollers disposed to contact both sides of the upper portion of the tray, and the rollers may be coupled with moveable members encased within rails along the transferring path so that the rollers can translate when a tray passes between two rollers. The rollers along both sides of the tray can be arranged symmetrically or alternately in a zigzag pattern.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for receiving successive bars moving longitudinally along an entry path and for laterally transferring the bars from the entry path to a braking path. The apparatus comprises a run in table having a plurality of rollers arranged to convey the bars along the entry path. A braking surface is arranged between the run in table and the braking path. The braking surface and the rollers of the run in table lie in a reference plane sloping downwardly from the entry path to the braking path. A dividing wall is arranged between the run in table and the braking surface. The dividing wall is adjustable between a raised position projecting above the reference plane to block lateral downward movement of bars from the entry path across the braking surface to the braking path, and a lowered position accommodating such downward movement. A switch is positioned in advance of the dividing wall. The switch has a plurality of guide channels arranged around a common axis.

Abstract: This device feeds and sorts tablets or small parts from a common hopper to a product count sensor head. Two parallel feed and transport rollers rotate together on an adjustable incline. The rotation direction of each feed and transport roller can vary along with its speed. As the feed and transport rollers rotate the feeding threads will push out the product from the hopper and sort them along the length of the rollers. As the roller angle increases so does the product feed rate. As the product flows out from the hopper, the product will start to separate in a common row. This is also due in part to the feed and transport roller angle and the product's roll ability. The product exits the bottom end of the feed and transport rollers in a straight line, is spaced, and directed downwards through a guide to a product count sensor arrangement.

Abstract: An apparatus for longitudinally arranging elongated items may include a plurality of parallel rotatable members having at least two radially enlarged portions and a channel portion disposed between adjacent radially enlarged portions. The rotatable members are disposed transverse to the desired longitudinal arrangement. The apparatus may also include a drive mechanism coupled to at least one of the rotatable members. Longitudinally arranging items, such as bakery products having an elongated shape, may be accomplished by receiving a plurality of items that are randomly oriented, introducing the plurality of items into at least one longitudinal channel formed by a plurality of channels portions on parallel rotating members, conveying the items along the at least one channel, narrowing a width of the at least one channel while conveying the items, aligning the items within the at least one channel, and outputting at least one row of longitudinally aligned items.

Abstract: A conveyor having conveyor chain 100 adapted to be engaged and driven by drums 180 and 190 having spiral flights. The conveyor chain has a number of interconnected conveying modules 120, 140,150 and 160. Selected modules 120 are aligned in the direction of travel parallel to the axis of rotation of the drums. Each of the aligned modules has a traveling guide socket 122 on the back surface, which engages with flight portions 180a and 190a of the spiral drums, so that the chain is advanced by the rotation of the drums. The modules are rectangular and are interconnected in columns and rows, preferably in a brick pattern.

Abstract: A roller conveyor includes a drive member whose path and the end of the overlying portions of the rollers sortation conveyor is configured to avoid substantial contact between certain rollers and the drive member. The roller conveyor is depicted in an embodiment as an accumulation conveyor with skewed roller sections.

Abstract: A universal transmission roller wheel comprises a 90° roller support and a 45° roller support. There is a drive axle hole in the center of each support. The 90° roller support and the 45° roller support are integrated in parallel. 90° rollers are mounted on first supporting shafts fixed around on the 90° roller support with regular intervals, the axis of each 90° roller is at a spatial angle of 90° with the axis of the drive axle bore, 45° rollers are mounted on second supporting shafts fixed around on the 45° roller support with regular intervals, the axis of each 45° roller is at a spatial angle of 45° with the axis of the drive axle bore in the same inclining orientation.

Abstract: An arrangement for moving a carrier within a vacuum chamber is described. This carrier is formed in the shape of a plate and is supported with its narrow-side lower edge on rollers driven by a drive system. As a drive system uses a magnetic coupling which is disposed partially within the vacuum chamber and partially outside of the vacuum chamber. With the aid of a force acting in the vertical direction the two components of the magnetic coupling can be displaced relative to one another. In addition, horizontal displacement of the carrier is also possible.

Abstract: A declined conveyor for conveying articles in a downstream direction, which is parallel to a longitudinal direction, has one or more controlled conveyor sections interposed between gravity conveyors. Each controlled conveyor includes a plurality of driven rollers which are driven by a drive member disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal direction, and is operatively connected to a plurality of the driven rollers through O belts.

Abstract: Pairs of first and second rolls are supported for rotation in a roll frame located below a pan for receiving pharmaceutical products loaded as bulk material, each first roll having a plurality of axially successive non-cylindrical sections separated from respective non-cylindrical sections of a respective second roll by a gap, the first and second rolls of each pair being rotated in opposite directions so that surfaces of the rolls facing the gap move upwards. An isolating block having a matrix array of isolating channels is positioned below the rolls for receiving pharmaceutical products from respective gaps and for distributing these products to respective individual wells of a blister pack in a single machine cycle.

Abstract: An unscrambler conveyor including a frame, a plurality of tapered rollers rotatably supported by the frame for unscrambling packages, and means for driving the rollers. Each of the rollers has a longitudinal axis and a polyurethane body that extends along the longitudinal axis to form a tapered outer surface. The tapered outer surfaces of the rollers define a conveying surface and have variations in concentricity of less than 0.01 inches.

Abstract: A declined conveyor for conveying articles in a downstream direction, which is parallel to a longitudinal direction, has one or more controlled conveyor sections interposed between gravity conveyors. Each controlled conveyor includes a plurality of driven rollers which are driven by a drive member disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal direction, and is operatively connected to a plurality of the driven rollers through O belts.

Abstract: There are disclosed a conveying apparatus and a conveying system in which a force is efficiently transmitted to an article so as to smoothly convey the article in an arbitrary direction. In each of feed portions 15 provided at a conveying apparatus 10, 11 of the invention, a twist gear 34 is mounted on a twist base 16, and is disposed below feed rollers 17, and therefore the degree of freedom of the configurations of the twist gear 34 and feed rollers 17 are higher as compared with a conventional construction in which a feed roller is provided within a twist gear. Therefore, a compact design of the twist gear 34 can be achieved, and also the feed portions 15 and 15 can be disposed closer to each other as compared with the conventional construction. And besides, a large-size design of the feed rollers 17 can be achieved, so that an area of contact of the feed rollers 17 with the article can be increased.

Abstract: An unscrambler conveyor including a frame, a plurality of tapered rollers rotatably supported by the frame for unscrambling packages, and means for driving the rollers. Each of the rollers has a longitudinal axis and a polyurethane body that extends along the longitudinal axis to form a tapered outer surface. The tapered outer surfaces of the rollers define a conveying surface and have variations in concentricity of less than 0.01 inches.

Abstract: A deviation device for a conveyor which defines a conveying plane (22), e.g. a driving roller path (23), for deviating conveyed goods, e.g. containers, comprising a row of rollers (7) arranged on a separate carrier (5) common to them, the carrier being arranged in a frame (3) so as to be adjustable in height therein, the rollers having an associated driving roller (4) in common, characterized in that the frame (3) accommodating the carrier (5) is a separate module frame of a deviation module element (1; 1′) in which the driving roller (4) is mounted below the carrier (5) with the rollers (7), and in which, preferably, furthermore a basic carrier (3B) is fixed between the roller carrier (5) and the driving roller (2), which basic carrier carries a lifting drive (2) for the roller carrier (5).

Abstract: A shaft mounted drive component, such as a cluster roller assembly, includes a body member having first and second half members and an opening defining a central axis through which a shaft is received for mounting the body member on a shaft. The first and second half members are divided by a cut forming a gap along the central axis. Alignment holes are split by the cut. A spacer pin is received within each alignment hole and is substantially the same diameter and has a diameter larger than the gap to maintain alignment and positioning of the half members and rollers as before splitting into respective first and second half members and facilitating replacement of first and second half members on a shaft, thus eliminating the need for shaft removal.

Abstract: A communication master unit of a conveyance controller and communication slave units for a main conveyor, loading conveyors and unloading conveyors are connected by a serial transmission line to transmit and receive different kinds of data signals to and from motorized rollers for conveying items and their corresponding sensors by the packet-switching exchange system. Conveyance control can be executed by transmitting and receiving the different kinds of data signals via reduced number of wirings while connecting the master unit and the slave units corresponding to the respective conveyors by the serial transmission line in a conveyor system.

Abstract: A split roller 150 may be removed from an axle 104 without requiring access to the axle end. A split wheel hub 152 supports a plurality of peripheral rollers 180, which may be arranged in two rows spaced along the hub axis. In a preferred embodiment, the wheel hub comprises two asymmetric hub halves 134, 136 which are fastened together around an axle. Each roller in the second row may be spaced circumferentially between a pair of rollers in the first row. According to the method of the invention, the hub halves are assembled, preferably with some rollers in each of the first and second rows already mounted thereon. Other rollers in each row are then mounted to the assembled hub halves.

Abstract: A roller slide device for products in general, in particular for forming lateral guide walls in accumulation stations in transport lines, of the type comprising two section bars (1), each presenting in opposing faces (1A) a plurality of seats (2) for housing the ends of the pins (3) of idle rollers (4) arranged to make contact with the products, a stiffening element (5A, B), and means (11, 13; 10) for connection to an external support structure. The section bars comprise a seat (3B) for the removable connection of the stiffening element (5A, B) which is of substantially flat form. Means (6) are provided to rigidly connect the section bars (1) together independently of the stiffening element. The section bars (1) or said stiffening element (5A, B) are shaped in such a manner as to enable the connection means (11; 10) to be secured to the lateral surface (1C) of the section bars (1) or to the stiffening element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for discharging a food material is provided, in which a plurality of supply rollers provided with grooves or ridges on their surfaces are circularly disposed to form a funnel-shaped space, into which space the food material is charged. The food material is subjected to a circumferential force by the rotating supply rollers and is steadily fed downward, without slipping. Further, an apparatus for discharging a food material is provided, in which a supply pipe with a scraper is disposed under a food-material-supply section. The scraper is positioned adjacent the inner wall of the supply pipe or positioned such that the scraper slidably contacts the inner wall of the supply pipe, to thereby peel off the food material adhering to the inner wall, so as to stably feed the food material downward.

Abstract: A silicon pellet feed system for use with a silicon melt furnace used to grow a silicon web. A reservoir for containing feed particles is coupled to the upper end of a feed tube. The lower end of the feed tube is positioned adjacent a pair of rotatable drive rollers driven by a motor through a coupling and a pair of gears. The rollers are mounted at an angle with respect to horizontal and the outlet end of the roller feed path is located above a delivery tube leading to the silicon melt furnace. The elements are surrounded by an enclosure having a vacuum outlet for enabling the enclosure to be evacuated to a working vacuum level and a gas inlet for enabling an inert gas to be back filled into the enclosure. The feed rate is determined by the angle of the drive rollers, the speed of the motor and the shape of the bottom end of the feed tube. The rollers are resilient to provide enhanced surface friction for the particle flow and to prevent trapped feed particles from jamming the motor.

Abstract: The invention provides a conveying installation capable of discharging specific commodity out of conveying lines, which features decreased number of component parts and ease assemble structure. In consideration of unification of component parts, the invention provides such a conveying installation being compatible with conveying systems having a variety of width using fewer kinds of component parts. The conveying installation incorporates a roller-shaped rotary body 11 to which ring bodies 12 are secured. Axial lines of respective ring bodies 12 are eccentric and inclined against axial line of the roller-shaped rotary body 11, and yet, adjoining ring bodies 12 respectively have 120.degree. of phasewise difference.

Abstract: A lid handling system employs a lid alignment assembly for aligning lids randomly placed on a rotating input disc, a lid separation assembly for separating lids spinning on a pair of horizontal spin bars into a counted stack, a vacuum pickup assembly for picking up a counted stack of lids, a pick and place assembly for transporting and placing stacks of lids into trays having upwardly bent side members, and a conveyor for conveying filled trays toward a carton.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique mechanical method and device for sorting pieces (e.g. vegetables and fruits) of any desired size from unsorted and irregularly sized pieces. The device includes a pair of elongated cylindrical brushes, one of which is equipped with a spiraled furrow for propelling the unsorted pieces and another brush being a smooth surfaced bristled brush (an expelling brush) laterally positioned to the propelling brush so as to form a trough between the two brushes for longitudinally moving the pieces. The brushes are rotated in a common rotational direction. A contacting member, such as a pivotally mounted lever, traversing the trough and the smooth surfaced brush and laterally positioned above the trough at a predetermined distance will tangentially contact a piece of a desired sizing and guide the contacted piece along its interfacing surface.

Abstract: Roller conveyor to arrive at the pinch-roll or other downstream usage device for feeding strip or wide flat products (13) in a hot strip rolling train, the roller conveyor comprising a plurality of parallel and substantially horizontal cylindrical rollers (14) having their axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of feed of the strip (13), the roller conveyor cooperating with at least one transversely movable guiding sidewall (17) having an inner surface cooperating with a lateral edge of the strip (13), at least each of the rollers (14) positioned immediately upstream of the downstream usage device consisting of two coaxial half-rollers, which are respectively a first half-roller (14a) and second half-roller (14b), at least the first half-roller (14a) being associated with the at least one guiding sidewall (17), the half-rollers (14a, 14b) being associated with independent respective motors (15a, 15b) governed by a control and actuation unit (16) which actuates the motors (15a, 15b) at least momentarily a

Abstract: An article removal conveyor includes first and second conveying lanes disposed in parallel alongside one another and driven in a manner imparting mutually divergent conveying forces. The first conveying lane has a conveying surface with a higher coefficient of friction than that of the second conveying lane so that any articles contacting the first conveying lane will be controlled by that lane.

Abstract: A support and conveying roller and system utilizing the same for supporting and conveying a workpiece such that the workpiece is maintained in a substantially horizontal plane even though the workpiece includes members projecting therefrom toward the support roller. The support and conveying roller includes an axle with a mandrel mounted thereon such that the mandrel is capable of rotational movement about the axle and lateral movement along the axle. There is a brush helicaly wound about the mandrel and attached only at the ends thereof such that individual coils of the brush are capable of movement relative to adjacent coils of that same brush. The brush has a fiber density sufficient to generally support the workpiece in the substantially horizontal working plane while simultaneously allowing the portions of the workpiece extending angularly from the bottom surface of the workpiece to infiltrate between the fibers.

Abstract: An article unscrambler and aligner is disclosed which receives articles of different sizes in random order and position, and using plural side-by-side lanes each of which lanes has driven article transport rollers at different speeds, which speeds are uniform for the length of the lane, but are progressively higher in each lane toward one side of the unscrambler in order to provide a lateral linear speed increase. This speed increase causes separation and rotation of the articles and also causes them to arrange in single file along one side of the unscrambler's surface and so discharge them onto a conveyor at the end of the unscrambler remote from that at which the articles were received. One or more lanes are composed of rollers of tapered diameter in order to make the lateral speed increase more uniform.

Abstract: An unscrambling conveyor includes two side-by-side sets of rollers arranged in a herringbone pattern on either side of a central axis. The rollers of the two sets are positioned at different angles with respect to the axis and the drive speeds for the rollers are chosen to provide equal and opposite forces in the lateral direction and unequal but similarly directed forces in the axial direction. The sets of rollers are divided into zones having progressively increasing roller speeds in the downstream direction with the zones staggered with respect to one another on either side of the central axis. The lateral and axial forces drive articles on the conveyor toward and away from the center axis depending on the roller speeds in the staggered zones and in the downstream direction while imparting a twist to the articles. The successive zones of increasing speed stretch a randomly arranged mass of articles into a single file line.

Abstract: A roller conveyor for aligning and separating material placed on the conveyor comprises a frame having side walls connected by crossmembers and a plurality of rollers mounted between the side walls. The frame further comprises a pair of supplemental side walls disposed between the parallel side walls to define an opening in which is disposed an aligner/separator assembly. The aligner/separator assembly comprises two frame mounted counter-rotating rollers driven by a motor. The counter-rotating rollers extend at a predetermined angle above the plane of the conveyor. The counter-rotating rollers rotate in the direction of the corresponding side wall and any unit contacting one of the rollers is laterally translated in the direction of the corresponding side wall. The counter-rotating rollers serve to separate adjacent units and to align the units with respect to the counter-rotating rollers.

Abstract: A system for sorting objects having a source for providing the object for sorting and a plurality of receivers, spaced apart horizontally and vertically, for receiving the object after sorting. The system includes object receiving and discharging wings for receiving the object from the source and transferring the object to the receiver. The object receiving and discharging wings move the object horizontally and vertically from the source to a selected receiver. The source and at least one of the receivers are vertically aligned. Also, a system for storing and retrieving objects having storage and retrieval conveyor for providing the object to the system for storage and for retrieving the object from the system after storage, and a plurality of object storage areas spaced apart horizontally and vertically.

Abstract: An article unscrambler and aligner is disclosed which receives articles of different sizes in random order and position, and using plural side-by-side lanes each of which lanes has driven article transport rollers at different speeds, which speeds are uniform for the length of the lane, but are progressively higher in each lane toward one side of the unscrambler in order to provide a lateral linear speed increase. This speed increase causes separation and rotation of the articles and also causes them to arrange in single file along one side of the unscrambler's surface and so discharge them onto a conveyor at the end of the unscrambler remote from that at which the articles were received. One or more lanes are composed of rollers of tapered diameter in order to make the lateral speed increase more uniform.

Abstract: An unscrambling conveyor includes two side-by-side sets of rollers arranged in a herringbone pattern on either side of a central axis. The rollers of the two sets are positioned at different angles with respect to the axis and the drive speeds for the rollers are chosen to provide equal and opposite forces in the lateral direction and unequal but similarly directed forces in the axial direction. The sets of rollers are divided into zones having progressively increasing roller speeds in the downstream direction with the zones staggered with respect to one another on either side of the central axis. The lateral and axial forces drive articles on the conveyor toward and away from the center axis depending on the roller speeds in the staggered zones and in the downstream direction while imparting a twist to the articles. The successive zones of increasing speed stretch a randomly arranged mass of articles into a single file line.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus especially useful for loading a cargo airplane utilizes several parallel transverse and longitudinal shafts on which are fixed for rotation wheels which contain around their periphery rollers which have axes of rotation in a plane perpendicular to the shaft on which the wheel is mounted. The shafts are divided into appropriate zones and subzones to provide for longitudinal, transverse and rotary movement in two zones for the conveyor as a whole. Joystick type controllers with rocker switches provide for easy actuation of the above control directions.

Abstract: An apparatus for agitating cylindrical articles in a bulk flow and removing non-aligned articles from the flow includes a plurality of parallel, spaced rotating pins having helical threads on an outer surface. The flow of articles is directed through the pins and non-aligned articles are conveyed out of the flow direction by the threads while aligned articles pass across the pins. Eccentric rotation of the pins agitates the articles to assist maintaining free flow of the articles.

Abstract: An automatic rotary sorter system for sorting objects from a source stream into a plurality of destination streams which are spaced apart both horizontally and vertically. The automatic rotary sorter system of the present invention includes an object source conveyor, a rotating distribution assembly, and an object receiving assembly. The rotating distribution assembly of the automatic rotary sorter system is provided with an upright drive shaft and several receiving and discharging wings. The object receiving assembly of the automatic rotary sorter system is provided with a plurality of transverse conveyors. The object source conveyor provides the stream of sortable objects for sorting by the automatic rotary sorter system. Sorting within the automatic rotary sorter system is achieved through the transfer of one sortable object at a time from the object source conveyor to a selected transverse conveyor by the receiving and discharging wings of the rotating distribution assembly.

Abstract: A rotate/translate conveyor module enables a workpiece to be selectively rotated and translated between adjacent sections of a conveyor without having to be lifted above the plane of the adjacent conveyor sections. The rotate/translate conveyor module comprises a plurality of roller modules that are arranged along the path of the workpiece. Each roller module has at least one roller that is driven by an independent electric motor. The rollers of the roller modules support the workpiece in the same plane as the rollers of the conveyor sections. In one embodiment, four roller modules are symmetrically located about the workpiece path, with the longitudinal axes of the rollers intersecting at 90 degrees and at a point on the workpiece path. By operating the electric motors in different combinations of directions, four translational and two rotational motions can be imparted to the workpiece.