Abstract: A storage system for the storage and retrieval of material goods has a continuous track and a storage carousel movable along the track. The carousel carries a plurality of shelf arrays, each of which includes a plurality of vertically-spaced shelves removably attachable to the carousel at an adjustable vertical pitch. One or more inserter assemblies are disposed adjacent the carousel for transferring cartons onto the carousel. One or more removal assemblies are disposed adjacent the carousel for removing cartons from the carousel. A vertical transport unit has an upward reach disposed adjacent the inserter assemblies for transferring cartons to the inserter assemblies, and a downward reach disposed adjacent the removal assemblies for receiving cartons from the removal assemblies. The vertical transport unit has a plurality of platforms removably attachable to the vertical transport unit at an adjustable pitch.

Abstract: A chain incubator or conveyor, and method of use in an analyzer, wherein an endless chain is formed of repeating members and each comprising a link, element support, a cover, and means for biasing the cover onto the support with an article such as a test element between them. The members are linked together by a pair of pivot pins, and the chain is engaged by a drive sprocket and an idler sprocket.

Abstract: The machine for ordering textile tubes for entry into the distributor of a continuous spinning machine includes mechanisms that perform that ordering so that, independently, the textile tubes can be delivered to one side or the other of the spinning machine and devices for ordering tubes of different dimensions automatically. The ordering machine has a hopper, containing textile tubes, two parallel vertical conveyor belts provided with textile tube holders for the tubes which move the tubes from one end at the hopper to another end remote from it, a bottom discharge device for feeding the ordered tubes to the spinning machine and lateral guides for guiding the tubes to the bottom discharge devices. The textile tube holders are advantageously rubber sections vulcanized onto the conveyor belt of various transverse cross-sections or metallic angular sections fastened to the conveyor belts.

Abstract: An endless conveyor belt constructed of rows of pivotally interfitted modules and flight members for supporting product conveyed along inclined paths. The conveyor belt is constructed of a sequence of rows of belt modules joined by pivot rods to form a hinged joint between adjacent rows. Each belt module has a product-conveying surface on one side between a first end and a second end. Hinge elements at the ends of each row of belt modules are interleaved with the hinge elements of an adjacent row and pivotally interconnected by pivot rods through aligned apertures formed in the interleaved hinge elements to form an endless belt having an outer conveying surface and capable of articulating about a drive sprocket. The hinged flight member is preferably tent-shaped and comprises two panels extending outwardly from the conveying surface of the belt. The two panels are hingedly joined along an apical ridge and pivotally attached at two spaced apart belt rows.

Abstract: A substantially vertical elevator (5) for the transport of round and/or spherical objects, for example golf balls, between different levels, the elevator including a conveyor belt (11) which extends between an upper roller at an upper level and a lower roller at a lower level and which passes a number of emptying points between the rollers. A number of spaced carrier planes (12) extending transversely of the conveyor belt, on which planes the objects are capable of resting during the movement of the conveyor belt (11) from a replenishment point (6) to the emptying point or emptying points. An ejector (13) is disposed, between the carrier planes (12) and is actuable at the emptying points for removal of the objects on the adjacent carrier plane (12) to a receptacle container provided at the emptying point in question.

Abstract: A transporting device for mass articles, in particular package covers for use in drying surfaces for drying and/or jelling of varnished or coated surface, the transporting device comprises two endless rotating transporting elements extending parallel and opposite to one another so that mass articles can be guided between the transporting elements from a supply station to a withdrawal station, the transporting elements being formed as corrugated hoses with parallel corrugations having substantially straight flanks for forming receiving grooves, and tubular and laterally open guides guide the corrugated hoses.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has a sheet conveying and drying device having a plurality of flexible, resilient yet stiff fingers connected in a cantilevered manner to a drive chain which moves the fingers from a printed sheet receiving tray to a sheet stacking tray. After sheets are printed by a conventional ink jet printing head, the sheets are picked off of the printed sheet receiving tray and fed to a sheet stacking tray. The printed sheets are dried while being fed from the printed sheet receiving tray to the sheet stacking tray. After the printed sheets are picked off of the fingers at the sheet stacking tray, the chain drive continues to move the fingers in a counterclockwise direction along the chain path. The resilient, flexible fingers are deformed by upper and lower guide rollers, a stacking tray and a rear separating wall and are flicked back into a sheet receiving position at the printed sheet receiving tray.

Abstract: A chain drive continuous vertical conveyor is provided wherein multiple slats carried by multiple pairs of chain cooperate to form multi-sectional elevator surfaces. The elevator surfaces are capable of lifting wide and heavy loads. A live storage accumulator is also provided including multiple horizontal live storage levels which are stacked vertically. Each of the live storage levels includes a low profile belt conveyor. Containers may be transferred from a vertical conveyor to the accumulator and from the accumulator to another vertical conveyor.

Abstract: A material handling system particularly adapted for irregular or headed workpieces having easily damaged surfaces. The handling system receives and takes away from a multitude of process machines, by elevating, conveying, storing and distributing in a singulated pocketed fashion so as not to cause damage to the workpieces. The system lowers the workpieces and accumulates them in a central fashion to provide a storage or staging area to keep a constant flow to the next process machine. Bifurcated L-shaped pick-up forks are used to elevate the workpieces to a horizontal conveyor which includes a plurality of adjacent pocketed carriers forming a continuous surface. Each carrier holds a single workpiece. The workpieces are individually removed from each carrier and are passed through a tube which centers the parts between a pair of adjacent belts for staging.

Abstract: A signature stream is intercepted by a bucket unlatched from the intercept position. The buckets are moved by drive chains. A spring assembly maintains tension upon the drive chains and spring loads the bucket in the "home" position, providing a detent action upon this bucket to accelerate the bucket and also provide a force for drop-out of the bucket. A bucket cam follower guides the bucket to move from a normal path to the "home" position. A microprocessor selectively halts each bucket during downward movement to reduce free fall time of signatures. A zero force cam engaged by the bucket cam follower counteracts the force otherwise applied to the chains by variable weight signatures on the bucket to maintain uniform tension on the chains. Circular cams move the free ends of the tines increasingly faster to orient the signature stack horizontally before the bucket withdraws from beneath the batch. Oscillating paddles jog the sides and corners of the signatures during stacking to form a neat batch.

Abstract: A food service facility for drive-up and walk-up patronage, a multi-purpose column, conveyor delivery structures, and menu and order display units. The food service facility comprises base level and second level housings, readily set up and removed from a site.

Abstract: An accumulator for storing rows of articles thereon includes a frame having upper and lower shafts rotatably supported thereon. A plurality of sprockets are mounted on each of the upper and lower shafts for rotation therewith Each of the sprockets defines a radius. An electric motor is provided for selectively rotating the shafts and the sprockets mounted thereon. A plurality of roller chains are mounted on associated pairs of the upper and lower sprockets for movement when the shafts and sprockets are rotated. Each of the roller chains includes a plurality of spaced apart pins. A plurality of link are carried on each of the roller chains for movement therewith. Each of the links has a pair of apertures formed therethrough and a pair of arcuate slots formed therethrough. The apertures and the slots having respective first edges which define a straight line and respective second edges which define a radius.

Abstract: A feed system with improved preposition is shown and describe wherein a prepositioning stage is located vertically above a feed stage such that movement of a wood product from the prepositioning stage to the feed stage corresponds to movement of the wood product through a transfer path having orientation corresponding to that of the height dimension of the wood product. This prepositioning configuration provides relatively more efficient movement of the wood product along its transfer path from a prepositioning stage to a feed stage as compared to prior methods where the transfer path is horizontal and the wood product moves in a direction corresponding to its relatively greater width dimension. The vertical orientation of the transfer path as provided by a prepositioning stage above a feed stage also allows for more efficient sequencing of mechanical events within the system to further contribute to improved productivity.

Abstract: A flight assembly for use in a conveyor wherein the flight assembly includes at least two flight links. The two flight links are removably connected in an end to end relationship for maintaining an alignment between the forward faces and the rearward faces of the two flight links. In one embodiment, a plurality of flight assemblies are incorporated in a take-away conveyor. In one other embodiment, each flight link has an angled portion and a curved portion formed on each of the first and second ends thereof for permitting articles to slide over the forward faces and the rearward faces of the flight links without engaging one of the ends of the flight projections in a manner disturbing such sliding movement.

Abstract: In accordance with this invention there is provided a reconfigurable compartmentized vertical conveyor dispenser for dispensing products in an automated order dispensing system. The size of compartments for holding the products is chosen by adjusting the spacing of shelves forming the compartments. The width of the compartments is varied by coupling adjacent compartmentized vertical conveyor dispenser for synchronous operation.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a food service facility for drive-up and walk-up patronage, to a method for food preparation, to a retractable menu, and to a drink dispenser and service module. The food service facility comprises base level and second level housings, readily set up and removed from a site. The food preparation method is primarily directed to pizza preparation, the pizza being incompletely cooked and stored, and then rapidly cooked to completion to provide fast food service time to patrons.

Abstract: In an automated commercial baking system, a bakery utensil storage system is provided for automatically receiving baking utensils from a continuous conveyor of the baking system and immediately directing the utensils over a selectively positionable curved conveyor for engagement with a predetermined one of a series of table top conveyors from where they are immediately returned to the baking system or lifted by and stored in elevators associated with the table top conveyors. When needed, the utensils are lowered by the elevators for engagement with the table top conveyors from where they are carried to a selectively positionable curved conveyor for return to the continuous conveyor of the baking system.

Abstract: Automatic collection and set up equipment for chairs, characterized by the fact that it performs automatically all the jobs required in collecting and setting up chairs; markedly reduces the man-hours required to prepare a conference room; and it has an arrangement of many hooks which are able to move up or down at short intervals, in line, on a truck picking up or letting down crossmembers of the chairs and stacking chairs one by one.

Abstract: An apparatus is described which controls the movement and positioning of a platen on which wafers may be mounted. The apparatus comprises a stepper motor having a motor sprocket member operatively coupled to a platen by a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism comprises a chain which cooperates with the the stepper motor by engaging with the motor sprocket member. The drive mechanism also comprises a platen chain sprocket having a platen shaft member. The platen is movably connected to the platen shaft member. The chain cooperates with the platen by engaging with the platen chain sprocket. Operation of the stepper motor rotates the motor sprocket member and drives the drive mechanism, thereby rotating the platen chain sprocket and determining the movement and positioning of the platen. The apparatus is capable of controlled movement and positioning of the platen inside processing equipment, such as ion implantation equipment.

Abstract: A vertical excursion accommodation apparatus is disclosed, which comprises a plurality of excursion shelf units disposed side by side and a control device for driving the excursion shelf units independently. Each of the excursion shelf units includes an endless chain passed round sprockets mounted on pair, i.e., upper and lower, parallel horizontal shafts and a plurality of trays each supported in a horizontal state by a support arm consisting of a pair of links having a stem pivoted to the endless chain. The trays are run around the horizontal shafts along an oval orbit by rotating the sprockets.

Abstract: An arrangement for removing eggs from laying houses disposed at different levels includes a plurality of branch conveyors each of which is arranged at a respective level and extends by the corresponding laying houses. The branch conveyors function to collect the eggs from the laying houses and to convey the eggs to a main conveyor which transports the eggs to a common discharging location. The main conveyor comprises an endless chain driven in an endless path, and a plurality of egg carriers mounted on the chain. Each egg carrier includes a supporting arm which is pivotally connected to the chain at one end and carries a frame-like element at its other end. The chain has a vertical run which extends by the branch conveyors so as to permit the transfer of eggs from the branch conveyors to the main conveyor. The supporting arms are perpendicular to the planes of the respective frame-like elements and normally extend vertically so that the frame-like elements normally have a horizontal orientation.

Abstract: A bucket conveyor comprising a plurality of buckets, a chain on which the buckets are mounted in series, a chain track on which the chain is mounted for movement thereon, a drive for moving the chain whereby the buckets are moved along a circuitous conveyor path between one bucket filling station and one bucket emptying station, and a device for moving the buckets around the axis of movement of the chain as required for the buckets to negotiate curves and turns in the conveyor path as the buckets move along the conveyor path on the chain.

Abstract: An irradiator which can be incorporated within a packing house and a method of irradiating food in the packing house are disclosed. Food products are placed on spaced baskets and conveyed into an enclosure, through a irradiation chamber, and then outwardly from the enclosure. The food products are conveyed through tortuously arranged ductwork which serves to absorb radiation streaming upwardly. The radiation source is maintained underwater both during operation and shutdown, and no lifting of the radiation source is thus required. A portion of the conveyor is positioned within one or more casings and can be withdrawn, if necessary, to facilitate maintenance and repair.

Abstract: An alignment and centering device is associated with a carrier having two fork arms and a transverse base to which the rearward ends of the fork arms are attached and which is connected with a conveyor mechanism in a framework with a plate-loading station, and a plate-feeding device therein for advancing plates toward the free fork ends of the fork-shaped carrier in a plate-advancement plane. The alignment and centering device comprises rearward and forward engaging members on an outer wall of each fork arm, facing away from the other fork arm; aligning devices for engaging the rearward engaging members; and forward, centering aligning devices for engaging the forward engaging members on the fork arm after the rearward engaging members have been engaged by the first aligning devices. The alignment and centering device is stationary on the framework and the first and second aligning devices are displaceable therein parallel with the plate-advancement plane.

Abstract: A lift conveyor in the form of an endless chain is mounted on a vertically extending frame and provides a down-travel side and an up-travel side. Fastened to the chain is a progression of evenly spaced shelves for reception of articles to be loaded on and discharged from the conveyor. Each shelf has opposite relatively flat low friction faces for reception of articles so that on the down-travel side of the chain one of the surfaces receives, carries and discharges articles in one direction whereas on the up-travel side it is the opposite face which receives, carries and discharges articles, and in the opposite direction. Each shelf, moreover, has a laterally tilted mounting on the chain so that articles slide by gravity action onto and off the shelf. Removable chocks are used to keep the articles from sliding off the shelf during travel and until the chock is removed at the time of discharge.

Abstract: A harvester of the riding type for tobacco or other leaf crop plants grown in parallel rows. The harvester comprises a vehicle of suitable height and width to span several plant rows. Primers' stations are suspended from the vehicle at a height from the ground suitable for the harvesting of the crop plants. One station is provided for each row. The vehicle has a platform positioned above plant height for an operator who manually transfers harvested leaves to a container located on the platform from conveyors provided at each of the stations for raising the leaves to the platform. The conveyors are positioned to partially surround the container at evenly spaced locations in order to minimize the total distance moved by the operator between the conveyors and the container. The vehicle has a lifting device used to interchange the container, when full, with an empty container and to unload the containers at the end of a row of plants.

Abstract: A bobbin tube magazine assembly, includes:a bobbin tube feeding device;a bobbin tube conveyor connected to the bobbin tube feeding device, the bobbin tube conveyor being controlled by the bobbin tube feeding device for discharging bobbin tubes from the bobbin tube conveyor to the bobbin tube feeding device and the bobbin tube conveyor being independently actuatable for circulating bobbin tubes;the bobbin tube conveyor including:at least one endless pulling device, slip-on arbors protruding from the pulling device, each of the arbors having an end distant from the pulling device for receiving bobbin tubes, the arbors passing through a location during circulation in which the arbors point below the horizontal, as seen in direction toward the ends of the arbors, sliding guides disposed adjacent the ends of the arbors at the location for preventing bobbin tubes from slipping off the arbors, a freely accessible bobbin tube filling location, and a bobbin tube discharge location;and a discharge device disposed at th

Abstract: A pocket conveyor, specifically a pocket elevator, in which a plurality of spools are cantilevered from an endless drive chain. The spools cooperate with each other and with stationary guide rails to form a series of pockets for conveying workpieces between feed and discharge stations. Various embodiments of the feed station include a starwheel rotating in synchronism with urging workpieces into recesses between the starwheel fingers. This guide surface has a clearance at the inlet and which cooperates with deformable construction of the starwheel fingers to prevent workpiece jam at the feed station. Another embodiment of the feed station includes a flat angulated surface for receiving workpieces by gravity and a flexible reach of chain extending at an angle toward the workpiece surface for automatically accommodating itself to workpiece availability without jamming. The discharge station includes a second starwheel with fingers which enter successive pockets and displace workpieces therefrom.

Abstract: This invention is a cooling device for cans and similar containers and is specifically designed for installation where floor space is either limited or at a premium. Additionally, there is a unique liquid circulation system which is extremely effective in cooling and yet low in energy consumption.

Abstract: For the transport of packs in packaging systems, especially for vertical transport, an efficient elevator conveyor system which transports the packs carefully is proposed. These are supplied alternately from two different sides to a common elevator conveyor which has engaging pieces (supporting arms) movable up and down for the packs.

Abstract: Storage method, in particular intermediate storage method for baking tins, whereby the baking tins are disposed in racks wherein the baking tins are positioned story-wise in rows behind each other and always one type of baking tin per each rack.

Abstract: In an article elevating apparatus, articles such as cigarette cartons, are picked up at a loading station by inclined roller carriers moving in an upward vertical direction. During upward movement the articles are held on the roller carriers by sliding engagement of the downward end of the articles against a vertical rail. The articles roll off of the carriers at a discharge station defined by the upper end of the rail.

Abstract: An egg transporting system having a plurality of egg belt conveyors leading from cages of a poultry installation includes a transition mechanism for dividing and orienting the eggs at the output end of each of the egg belt conveyors into a plurality of separate rows and depositing the eggs on an elevator. The elevator includes a plurality of endless loop belts on which there is attached egg transporting cradles for receiving eggs from the transition mechanism at vertically and horizontally-spaced input locations at the input side of the elevator and for transporting the eggs to the opposite side of the elevator and releasing them onto a main conveyor which extends in communication with several egg elevators for accumulating and collecting eggs from the poultry installation. The transition and elevator mechanism cooperate to provide a minimum of egg breakage and a maximum conveying speed for transferring eggs from the egg belt conveyors onto the main conveyor.

Abstract: Automatic feeder for empty bags comprises a carousel type accumulator having a plurality of containers, each container being capable of containing bags either singularly or in stacks. The containers are conveyed by the carousel type accumulator along an annular path. A supplying station for the bags and a discharging station therefor are arranged in such path. Extraction mechanisms capable of detecting the containers when they are filled act thereon in the discharging station for extracting the bags. Suckers and a conveyor tape transfer singularly the extracted bags towards a successive working station.

Abstract: An apparatus having an upper frame with a depending, telescopically elongatable and shortenable suspended structure for supporting at the lower end thereof a working platform in a converter or like metallurgical container, the upper frame being arranged to be supported at the upper end of the converter with the suspended structure extending down through an opening at the upper end of the converter. The apparatus has an endless conveyor which includes a vertical conveyor part extending from the upper frame to a point above the working platform, and a horizontal or inclined conveyor part situated outside the converter and the upper frame, the horizontal or inclined conveyor part permitting, upon elongation or shortening, shortening and elongation, respectively, of the vertical part of the endless conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for stacking rigid magnetic discs so that the discs do not come into contact with one another. A hollow elongate member has at least two elongate axial recesses terminating at openings at each end of the recesses. The outer surface of the elongate member has dimensions slightly less than the inner dimensions of the central apertures of the discs. Endless loops are mounted so that the loops traverse the respective recesses and return within the elongate member. Each loop has a plurality of equally spaced nibs projecting outwardly beyond the outer surface of the elongate member. A drive element is located within the elongate member and is attached to each of the loops. The drive member is moved axially within the elongate member to move the loops in unison and thereby allow serial loading and unloading of the discs on sequential nibs. A sensor system may be included to automatically move the loops to space the discs each time a disc is loaded or unloaded.

Abstract: A wafer sheet cooler has a frame in the form of an archway in which two driven conveyor chains are guided parallel to the frame. The frame is preferably adapted to be assembled in accordance with a unit construction system. The archway frame has two upwardly converging vertical parts which enclose between them an angle (.alpha.) of between 15.degree. and 60.degree., preferably 30.degree., and merge into one another by means of a circular arcuate frame part.

Abstract: An egg transporting system for receiving eggs from a plurality of egg belt conveyors leading from cages of a poultry installation receives eggs on an input side and transfers them to an opposite side of the system to an accumulation conveyor. The transporting system includes an elevator having a plurality of generally U-shaped egg transporting cradles with asymmetric legs for receiving and cradling eggs at the input side and holding and transferring eggs on the discharge side while providing a smooth transition of the egg from one leg to the other as the eggs are moved from one side of the vertical elevator to the other side. A plurality of the cradles are mounted adjacent one another to cross bars extending between endless loop drives with vertically spaced rows of cradles in abutting contact to present substantially continuous egg receiving openings to the belt conveyors.

Abstract: A workpiece elevator which includes an upright housing in which is arranged a vertically-extending endless conveyor chain having workpiece supports mounted thereon at regularly spaced intervals. The upwardly extending run of the chain is located along the outer face of the front wall of the housing. A guide rail assembly for ascending workpieces carried by the supports on the conveyor chain is constructed so that it can be mounted on or removed from the front wall of the elevator housing as an integral unit.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for drying flat printed material such as paper and card sheets and the like, supports for the printed material being mounted on the chain links of the conveyor chains of an upright chain conveyor having a transfer path which is disposed in an upper reversal zone of the conveyor chains and on which the printed material is conveyed from a rising to a falling conveyor stringer. Conveying means are disposed on the conveying path of the printed material and comprise pusher elements and/or pull elements which can be reciprocated in the conveying plane and which act only on the trailing or leading ends of the printed material so as to push and/or pull the printed material over the conveying path.

Abstract: An apparatus for facilitating the conveyance of material and the erection of walls of closed circumference from bricks, such as refractory bricks, and particularly for lining converters, metallurgical furnaces, such as blast-furnaces, holding vessels etc. includes a vertical frame for supporting a working platform. The apparatus further includes a conveyer means comprising a vertical conveyance path for conveying material to the platform and a supply path for conveying material to the vertical conveyance path. The vertical conveyance path and the supply path are constituted by two runs of an endless conveyor. One of the runs is extendable by shortening of the other run and vice versa.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an endless chain structure incorporating a series of cages with a mechanism for varying the distance between the cages. The cages are arranged in two rows, one above the other, and are very close together in the straight stretches. Each of the cages is attached to a mechanism for varying the distances which determine an increase or a reduction in the separation between the cages before or after, respectively their passage over end pulleys or wheels of the structure, so that a cage begins its ascent towards the upper level or its descent towards the lower level, following a curved line determined by the rim of the pulley, to avoid the cage in question from being reached or touched by the cage immediately following and travelling in a direction that is still rectilinear.

Abstract: A dough proofing apparatus is for use in association with a dough forming apparatus having a dough piece receiving means which receives preformed dough pieces from a dough dividing machine and directs them toward a toroid forming apparatus wherein the proofing apparatus includes dough conveyance means for receiving and conveying dough pieces in a proofing mode of travel through a closed loop path of travel of the conveyor belt between generally adjacent dough entry and dough exit locations on the toroid forming apparatus. The conveyance belt is passed over vertically spaced pulleys with dough pieces retained thereon by adjacent dough support means on the conveyance belt which cooperate to form open-ended cage-like dough retaining receptacles for dough pieces as they travel on the conveyance means over and about the vertically spaced pulleys.

Abstract: This invention is a cooling device for cans and similar containers and is specifically designed for installation where floor space is either limited or at a premium. Additionally, there is a unique liquid circulation system which is extremely effective in cooling and yet low in energy consumption.