Abstract: A method and an apparatus of supplying a bag are provided in which position information on a bag width in a direction parallel to a conveyance path at a part in a neighborhood of a bag opening of a conveyed bag and position information on a center of the bag width are obtained, an intermittent conveyance distance of a conveyance unit is adjusted based on the position information on the center of the bag width so that the center of the bag width of the bag stopping at a takeoff position is placed on a reference plane, and an interval of the pair of holding members positioned at the takeoff position is adjusted based on the position information on the bag width.

Abstract: Taught here is a small frangible shim with handle for fine tune leveling which is wedge shaped, and pre-scored to enable an unneeded portion to be easily removed during use. Such shims are used in the construction industry utilized for adjusting the spacing of various construction members. The shim may be fashioned from any suitable material to provide stability, ease of use, and ease of manufacture. Further, the shim contains surfaces with properties of both friction to retain the shim in place once deployed and smoothness to allow the shim to slide easily into position. The shim taught here is small compared with existing shims for use in situations where delicate, fine-tune adjustments of leveling is desired.

Abstract: A duplex-type product bag unloading apparatus including two downwardly opening and closing chucks and a chuck-moving mechanism for reciprocating the chucks between positions for receiving and discharging product bags. The relative positions of the two chucks are changed as they are moved from the receiving position to the discharging position by the chuck-moving mechanism, so that in the receiving position, the chucks are arranged in a single row in the bag width direction of the grasped product bags, and in the discharging position, the chucks are in a single row in the thickness direction of the grasped product bags. The chuck-moving mechanism is comprised of a pivot arm and a chuck-supporting frame rotatably mounted to the pivot arm, and the two chucks are rotatably mounted on both sides of the chuck-supporting frame. The chuck-supporting frame and the chucks rotate in synchronism with the pivotal motion of the pivot arm.

Abstract: A modification to a robot end of arm tool to improve the retention of pail goods during transport by the tool includes affixing to the lower surface of a of rigid, planar, substrate, one or more pail lifting apparatus, each apparatus including a plurality of pail engaging fingers and a spacer block mounted to the substrate between the plurality of fingers. Each finger includes a flipper arm that is selectively, hydraulically controllable to move from a vertical to a horizontal position. When the flipper arm is in the horizontal position, it is able to physically engage the outer surface or ledge of an associated pail to provide support to the pail. The spacer block, located above the lid of the associated pail, when the pail is engaged by the plurality of fingers, restricts vertical movement of the pail during transport. The combination of fingers and a spacer block form one pail lifting apparatus. Multiple such apparatus may be affixed to the tool substrate.

Abstract: A device for lifting multiple containers, such as beverage bottles from a carton, which allows for quick and easy loading of refrigerated cooler racks. The cooler racks are devised to cooperatively engage guides on the lifting device so the bottles can be transferred from the lifting device to the racks by the influence of gravity. The method of cooler rack loading allows a worker to efficiently unload beverage cartons and load cooler racks at 4 to 5 times the usual speed with less loss and damage over conventional manual loading methods. The lifting device includes a pair of pivotable, elongated gates which engage the necks of the beverage bottles during lifting and transferring to the cooler racks.

Abstract: A lift truck clamp for handling stacked loads of different sizes has a pair of opposing clamping assemblies, one of which has a pair of clamp arms movable selectively toward and away from the other clamping assembly under the control of a pair of fluid power actuators. A linkage mechanism interconnects the pair of clamp arms so as to permit relative movement therebetween to enable the clamp arms to move asynchronously toward the other clamping assembly. The linkage mechanism includes a stop assembly preventing more than a predetermined misalignment of the pair of clamp arms, and a spring assembly imposing a yieldable biasing force biasing the pair of clamp arms toward alignment with respect to each other.

Abstract: A takeout mechanism for simultaneously removing a plurality of glass containers from molds at a section of a glass container forming machine of the individual section type, and preferably three such glass containers in each cycle. The takeout mechanism includes a plurality of tong assemblies, one such tong assembly for each container to be removed on each operating cycle of the takeout mechanism, and a cylinder housing to which each of the takeout assemblies is secured for moving the takeout assemblies in unison to transfer the glass containers from the molds to a deadplate of the machine for cooling and further processing. Each tong assembly comprises a vertically extending fixed member, a linkage system carried by the fixed member for opening and closing an opposed pair of generally L-shaped tongs, and an opposed pair of tongs pivotably connected to the linkage system.