Abstract: A conveyor and method for preventing stick-slip friction conditions from exciting the conveyor into surging and for preventing surging vibration from adversely affecting operation of the conveyor. The conveyor has a pair of endless, flexible roller chains that are laterally spaced apart and carried on sprockets keyed to a drive shaft that is in communication with a drive at one end of the frame and sprockets keyed to a take-up shaft at the opposite end of the frame. Preferably, the take-up shaft is split into two shaft sections rotatively secured adjacent their ends by a pair of bearings on a mounting block to permit each conveyor chain to move on its idle sprocket independently of the other chain. The conveyor components are selected to provide a combination of chain stiffness and conveyor mass moment of inertia at maximum payload that produces a conveyor having a high enough natural frequency to prevent stick-slip friction conditions from exciting the conveyor chains into surging.

Abstract: A conveyor drive construction. The conveyor includes a frame and an endless belt conveyor is mounted for travel on the frame. A drive mechanism is operably connected to the lower run of the conveyor belt and includes a pair of side members, each composed of a pair of laminated sheet metal plates. The plates of each pair have aligned openings with the edges bordering the openings in the outer plate being offset from the edges bordering the openings in the inner plate to provide outwardly facing recesses. A plurality of belt carrying spindles extend between the side members and are engaged with the lower run of the belt. The shafts of the spindles are carried by support members, such as bearings, which are mounted in the offset recesses of the side members.

Abstract: In a support device for a direct drive electric motor found in apparatuses such as copy machines, printers, etc., employing the method of driving a driven shaft by an output shaft of the motor in direct connection thereto, the motor body is supported by the direct connection of the output shaft of the motor with the driven shaft, and a rotation preventing plate is provided for preventing the motor body from rotating about its output shaft, as the rotation preventing plate is in engagement with a fixed member.

Abstract: A spiral conveyor system utilizing an endless flat belt is disclosed. The belt travels in an endless path which includes a spiral portion. The belt is primarily driven in the spiral portion by a frictional engagement between the belt and a rotating driving element. The frictional engagement is enhanced by attaching friction increasing elements to the belt and driving element.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling and conveying packages includes a conveyor frame for housing a combination roller-slider bed and a belt mounted on the combination roller-slider bed to define a package-supporting conveyor surface. The conveyor drive includes a drive pulley in contact with the belt, a gearbox coupled directly to the drive pulley and an electric motor coupled directly to the gearbox. The shaft of the drive pulley is designed to fit within the output shaft of the gearbox. The motor and gearbox are mounted adjacent to but outside of the conveyor frame. Electrical or mechanical system associated with the apparatus controls the speed and acceleration of the belt.

Abstract: Chain-drum drive or guidance mechanism in a machine frame of a chain-scraper conveyor, has a shaft (6) of its chain-drum (5), outer bearing parts (8) receiving shaft bearings (7), as well as sealing elements (24, 25) for sealing gaps between the outer bearing parts and the chain drum, all combined in a pre-assembled unit (12), which is fitted into, and removed from the machine frame (1) as a whole. The unit (12) is secured in the machine frame (1) preferably by clamp connections, in particular hydraulic annular clamps (31) or the like, which are seated in the openings (11) of the machine frame side walls (2, 3).

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to automated distribution systems for storing and retrieving goods. More particularly, the invention relates to a rotatable storage carousel and supporting mechanisms for inserting and extracting containers from the carousel while it remains in continuous motion. The delivery system is designed to deliver goods at rates which exceed the demand of today's production and warehousing facilities.

Abstract: A belt conveyor for packaging apparatus includes an endless belt which supports a plurality of spaced article receiving cells, the belt being passed about a pair of direction-changing wheels. Variations in the loading of the endless belt are minimized by coupling the drive shaft, by which power is delivered to a first of the wheels, to a drive shaft for the other wheel via at least one rotationally fixed cardan connection.

Abstract: A conveyor or case drive mechanism includes a continuous chain loop having two or more drive motors positionally spaced there along. A sensor is associated with the motors for sensing slack in the chain at the associated motor. When a predetermined amount of slack in the chain is no longer present at the motor, the sensor presents an output signal which, through a speed control device, increases the rotational speed of the associated motor until generation of the requisite slack in the chain has been achieved. Each motor in the chain drive loop has a sensor structure associated with it such that each motor provides a motive force to the chain.

Abstract: This invention concerns a device for continuous adjustment of a set of workpiece mounts from a number of such mounts in defined work positions whereby the workpiece mounts are arranged with a certain spacing on an endless conveyor device that moves in rotation by increments such that the spacing corresponds to the length of one increment of movement of the conveyor device. Through additional simple adjustment means, the effect is acheived that the set of workpiece mounts in the working position can be adjusted to spacing that differ from the length of one increment of conveyor movement. Then the ork positions thus set are always maintained again in revolution of the endless conveyor device.

Abstract: A continuous bucket conveyor/elevator is provided which comprises a series of buckets mounted on at least one endless cable. The cable or cables and attached buckets are urged forward by means of an adjacent driving mechanism, such as, a pneumatic or hydraulic piston, which engages contact members attached at intervals to the cables. Because no drive chains or sprocket wheels are employed, lubrication is minimized even in corrosive or abrasive environments.

Abstract: A frame supported conveyor useful in handling baggage includes inclined flights connected to movable link plates to form an endless chain assembly. A drive arrangement located beneath the conveyor engages and moves the endless chain assembly about a closed planar path. The drive arrangement is movably mounted on the frame between an operating position in engagement with the endless chain assembly and a servicing position out of engagement with and movable away from the endless chain assembly.

Abstract: A power-driven conveyor which includes a bed with opposite front and back ends, front and back pulleys extending transversely across the bed ends, and an endless belt trained over the pulleys. A plurality of cleats are attached to the belt in spaced relation and extend transversely thereacross. A drive mechanism for the conveyor includes an actuator with an extensible and retractable rod and a pawl mechanism connected to the rod. The pawl mechanism has a push configuration in engagement with one of the cleats for advancing the conveyor belt and a retract configuration disengaged from the cleats. The conveyor is cycled and monitored by a control system.

Abstract: A conveyor drive mechanism has a continuous drive loop trained over first, second, and third pulleys, with the first and second pulleys disposed in driving relationship to a support bed or conveyor, and a driving facility which supplies drive torque in either direction to the third pulley, to move the drive loop and conveyor in the selected direction. Counterpoised anti-backlash motors impart equal, opposed counter-torques to the first and second pulleys to impose a predetermined level of continuous tension in the active area of the drive loop, even during reversal of the direction of the torque transmitted by the driving facility.

Abstract: An endless path conveyor of the type used for luggage handling, having crescent shaped pallets connected one to the next through pivotal connecting pins by offset link arms. The pivotal connecting pins have a cam follower which engages a helical groove in a drive screw located beneath the conveying surface. The cam follower is maintained in secure contact with the driving groove of the helical screw by limiting cam rollers, eliminating sideways movements of the pallets during engagement or disengagement of the cam follower with the helical screw drive. The driving groove has enlarged portions at either end to eliminate bumping motion of the conveyor links. The axis of the conveyor and of the links are offset from one another to minimize the gap formed when travelling through curved sections, allowing the maximum amount of conveying surface possible. Bearing and guide means are provided for a smoother, quiet drive, and to prevent tilting or inward collapse of the pallet links under heavy load.

Abstract: A mesh-belt conveyor for conveying materials into industrial furnaces comprises a conventional continuous mesh-belt wound at one end around an idle reversing roller and engaged at its other end in a labyrinth device subjected to a reciprocating motion in the general direction of the conveyor, the belt being also intermittently clamped, close to the reversing roller, by a gripping device which produces intermittent movements of the belt toward the reversing roller in alternation with the movements of the labyrinth device, in order to cause an intermittent advance of the belt.

Abstract: A continuous press is disclosed for simultaneously pressing and conveying a workpiece, such as the laminations for making plywood, through the press in a continuous manner. The press comprises opposed sets of presser-conveyor rails which are spaced apart to receive a workpiece therebetween. The rails are mounted upon hydraulic actuators, one set of actuators for transverse motion of the rails and another set of actuators for longitudinal actuation of the rails. Each set of rails drives a separate caterpillar belt and the workpiece is interposed between the belts. The hydraulic actuators are energized in a sequence so that the rails maintain continuous pressing action through the belts and the belts maintain continuous conveyor action.

Abstract: A travelling grate conveyor for advancing a mould consisting of juxtaposed identical mould parts is associated with an endless mould supporting belt or conveyor formed by a plurality of closely spaced and interconnected rod members extending transversely of the longitudinal direction of the conveyor. The upper run of the belt rests on and is advanced by the travelling grate walking wacking beam conveyor.

Abstract: A conveyor on which a casting mould consisting of closely juxtaposed mould parts is advanced stepwise, comprises a section formed by an endless flexible belt. Extending along the side edges of this belt are reciprocating coupling parts which during at least part of their forward stroke are firmly clamped to the edge portions of the belt, from which they are released during their return stroke. In this way elastic extensions and retractions of the flexible belt are excluded.

Abstract: An installation for the production of layered pressed panels and decorative panels, having a panel layer assembly unit and a transversely arranged press pack feeding unit, each unit featuring a horizontally extendable start-stop conveyor with a movable transfer frame whose belt guide rolls define an S-shaped belt run. The latter, while carrying a press pack, is extended over the receiving press pack feed conveyor, or panel press table, respectively, whereupon it is retracted from under the press pack, thereby gently depositing the latter, while belt clamps hold the conveyor belt in place, as the next assembly cycle takes place. The assembly of a press pack is performed by one or more layer collecting lines which pick up panel layers from layer stacks on opposite sides of the collecting conveyor of the layer assembly unit.

Abstract: A conveyor drive mechanism for a glass manufacturing apparatus transports a glass sheet through a glass processing station. The conveyor drive mechanism includes first and second conveyor drives disposed on opposed lateral sides of the station. Each of the conveyor drives includes first and second pulleys and a continuous drive loop trained thereover. The glass plate is supported on a plurality of elongate rollers that extend between the conveyor drives and have their opposed ends supported on and in frictional engagement with the continuous drive loops. A first torque source applies drive torque to the first pulleys, and a second counter-torque source applies a counter-torque to the second pulleys. The cooperative effect of the first and second sources provides at least a minimum, predetermined level of tension in the active areas of the continuous drive loops at all times. A control circuit for controlling the energization of the first torque source and second counter-torque source is disclosed.

Abstract: A conveyor drive system employing a constant speed master drive and a slave drive of the hydrostatic, closed loop type in which there are no electrical or hydraulic feedback lines between the master and slave drive unit. The master drive moves the conveyor at a constant speed as load varies and the slave drive unit responds to changes in load on the conveyor to vary the speed of the drive to maintain a constant pull on the conveyor to insure that the slave drive shares its portion of the load with the master drive.

Abstract: Battery plate elements and separator elements are maintained in hopper type sources along opposite sides of a conveyor, and with pivotally swingable vacuum pickup heads serving to withdraw plates and separators from their sources and to deposit them onto a conveyor, with a plurality of plates or separators being withdrawn simultaneously, and with the conveyor being indexed from withdrawal station to withdrawal station for stacking of plates and separators one upon the other, alternately, whereby at any given time a plurality of plate-and-separator sandwiches are being formed, but in different progressive stages. A number of source stations may be deactivated, depending upon the number of plates and separators desired in any given sandwich. Capability is also provided for various size adjustments for handling different sized plates and separators. Particularly novel vacuum operated pickup technique is employed.