Abstract: Methods of positioning a gripper to pick or place a specimen container from a sample rack. One method includes providing a robot including the gripper, the gripper moveable in a coordinate system by the robot and including gripper fingers, providing a sample rack including receptacles containing specimen containers, providing data, obtained by imaging, regarding the specimen containers in the sample rack, and dynamically orienting the gripper based upon the data. The data may include population and/or configuration data and the dynamic orientation may include gripper finger opening distance, gripper finger rotational position, and/or gripper offset distance. Gripper positioning apparatus for carrying out the method are disclosed, as are other aspects.

Abstract: A pusher furnace includes a pusher assembly having first and second coordinated pushers for pushing load supports with loads to be heated thereon to provide continuous downstream movement of the load supports through a furnace section. A removal assembly includes a first removal mechanism which removes the load supports from the furnace section and a second removal mechanism which removes the loads from the first removal mechanism to facilitate the continuous downstream movement. The first removal mechanism preferably includes a parallelogram-type four-bar linkage for lifting the load supports and lowering them onto the second removal mechanism. Entry and exit plenums are connected to respective ends of the furnace section to provide a controlled atmosphere within the furnace section. The pusher and removal assemblies are timed with opening and closing of various gates of the plenums to maintain the controlled atmosphere.

Abstract: The invention relates to a conveyor (1) of leaves and other products (4) on a belt for laying the same products as a single layer, characterised in that it comprises at least a perforated collection belt (3), at least a suction hood (6) having a surface (27) provided with holes (28) for passage of air flow, an air suction device (9) coupled with said hood (6), and dragging means (7, 19) for said at least a collection belt (3), said collection belt (3) sliding by said dragging means (7, 19) along said perforated surface of said suction hood (6), said suction device generating an air flow both through said holes (28) of said surface (27) of said at least a suction hood (6), and through said holes of said at least a collection belt (3), allowing the coupling on said at least a collection belt (3) of a single layer of said leaves and other products (4) due to their passage close to said at least a collection belt (3).

Abstract: In a material feeding mechanism in association with a continuous sintering apparatus, a material (S) carried by a transporting conveyer (1) into an atmosphere-displacement chamber (2) is fed into a furnace casing (4) of the continuous sintering apparatus by using a loading pusher (3). The transporting conveyor, the atmosphere-displacement chamber, and the loading pusher are arranged in such a manner that a direction in which the material is carried by the transporting conveyor and a direction in which the material is fed from the atmosphere-displacement chamber into the furnace casing by the loading pusher are linearly aligned, and the loading pusher and a drive unit thereof are installed under a floor of the atmosphere-displacement chamber so that the loading pusher moves up over the floor surface of the atmosphere-displacement chamber and moves forward and backward on the floor surface of the atmosphere-displacement chamber when the material is fed into the furnace casing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the temperature regulation of components such as semiconductor circuits, printed circuit boards and the like. The components are conveyed on carriers through an inlet slot into a temperature regulating housing provided with temperature regulating members and are convey out through an outlet slot opposite the inlet slot. In the housing, the carriers are loaded on a magazine provided with adjacently arranged holders. After the first holder is loaded in the starting position, the magazine is displaced progressively in one direction into successive positions in which the remaining holders of the magazine are loaded one after the other. Once all the holders are loaded, the magazine is filled and in an end position. Thereupon the magazine is displaced back to its starting position in a fast reverse run in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A sample autoloader loads a sample into a furnace and removes a sample from the furnace. The sample autoloader includes a sealing plate for sealing the furnace. The sample autoloader also includes a mechanism for pushing a sample into the furnace and removing a sample from the furnace. The sample autoloader may include a hotel which stores sample containers for automatic loading and a container which receives spent sample containers.

Abstract: A sample autoloader loads a sample into a furnace and removes a sample from the furnace. The sample autoloader includes a sealing plate for sealing the furnace. The sample autoloader also includes a mechanism for pushing a sample into the furnace and removing a sample from the furnace. The sample autoloader may include a hotel which stores sample containers for automatic loading and a container which receives spent sample containers.

Abstract: A vibratory feeder in combination with a fuel fired furnace such as a coal fired steam generating boiler is disclosed. The vibratory feeder has a tray with a flat bottom in one embodiment and a step bottom in another and a hopper having vertical sides supported above the bottom so that the fuel in the hopper rests on the tray bottom and the vibration of the tray is transmitted into the stack of fuel thereby agitating it. The discharge end of the tray bottom directs the fuel from the feeder tray to the bladed distributor and water is directed onto the tray bottom to prevent caking of fuel on the discharge end.

Abstract: An automatic log feeder for fireplaces is provided which includes an upper horizontal conveyor, an intermediate carriage mechanism and a lower horizontal conveyor. The upper horizontal conveyor is used to store a plurality of logs outside of a building and to advance individual logs through the feeder as desired. Through use of a unique guide rail and rail following bracket the intermediate carriage mechanism receives individual logs from the upper conveyor and lowers them to the lower conveyor while simultaneously changing orientation of the individual logs by 90.degree. before depositing them onto the lower conveyor. The lower conveyor is adapted to automatically advance individual logs into the fireplace in a cantilevered fashion before gently tipping them onto the fireplace grating, or, allows for manual removal of the log from the lower conveyor through an access door extending to the interior of a building.

Abstract: This invention concerns an automatic feed device for a solid-fuel boiler, specifically for logs of wood. The subject of the invention is an automatic feed device for a solid-fuel boiler, specifically for logs of wood, characterized by the fact that it comprises: a loader (6, 6') having means (19, 66) for receiving a load of fuel (2) to be introduced into the boiler (1) and movable between a loading point for the said load and a point of dumping at the interior of the firebox of the boiler, means (24, 26) for moving the loader, means (29, 30) for controlling the opening of the door (4) of the boiler, means (36, 37) for controlling the dumping of the fuel (2) into the firebox at the end of the course of the loader, and means (44, 58) for detecting the state of combustion at the front of the grate (3) of the boiler, and for controlling the means for moving the loader.

Abstract: An automatic log feeder is provided which includes a hopper for retaining a plurality of logs. The hopper includes a plurality of generally parallel and vertically arranged compartments which are adapted to each hold a single row of logs. The hopper has a chute at its lowermost portion for dispensing individual logs onto a generally vertically arranged conveyor. The vertically arranged conveyor comprises an endless chain driven by a motor and a plurality of sprocket wheels, and a plurality of pairs of brackets which are foldably connected to the chain. Each of the bracket pairs is adapted to receive a single log from the chute. Additionally, the generally horizontally arranged conveyor is positioned beneath the generally vertically arranged conveyor and is adapted to transfer logs to a wood burning apparatus. The generally horizontally arranged conveyor comprises a motor driven push log for moving the logs in a horizontal fashion.

Abstract: A gas generating system utilizing cellulosic waste, such as sawdust and the like, of a low BTU rating, which is partially dried on the closed top of, and then fed to the bottom of a conical generator into which a limited air supply is delivered to the upper portion of the generator where a combustion zone occurs to sinter the material and form steam and wood gas (methane) which passes to and through a heat exchange coil in an after-cooler tank in which water is heated incident to cooling the gas which successively passes through several cyclone units which successively remove dust, ash, creosote and other condensates, a blower also being included to induce a low rate of suction in the system to insure movement of the gas through the system which finally preferably is passed through a scrubber to clean the gas product of any appreciable impurities and the scrubbing water is recirculated to absorb more impurities after being stratified to remove heavy condensates and other solids.

Abstract: The novel gasification reactor comprises a vertically oriented chamber with an upper pyrolysis section, a lower feed opening, and a primary combustion section. A lateral passage on each side and near the top of said primary combustion section each communicates with a separate secondary reaction chamber where a partially reacted feed is further reacted to form the product gas. In each passageway is a venturi nozzle or preferably a plurality of nozzles which accelerates the gas carrying entrained carbonaceous materials to produce a swirling curvilinear motion in the secondary reaction chambers.The reactor is fed by means of a plurality of hoppers and screw conveyors whereby the flow is regulated and positively fed both by gravity and the screw conveyors into rotary valve cavities in which counter rotating valves travel. The valves feed a piston which charges the reactor.

Abstract: A material handling apparatus is described, for example, for delivering bags of garbage to an incinerator. The apparatus includes a plurality of material-receiving compartments, each having a first end at which material can be loaded into the compartment, and a second end from which material can be discharged. Each compartment includes a belt conveyor which forms a bottom wall of the compartment and which is operable to move material longitudinally of the compartment in a direction towards said second end. Side walls of the compartment extend upwardly adjacent respective the opposite sides of the conveyor for laterally constraining material in the compartment. The compartment also includes closure means normally preventing discharge of material from said second end of the compartment, said closure means being adapted to be opened at appropriate times to allow material to be discharged from said compartment by operating the belt conveyor.