Abstract: Systems and methods for processing debris from job sites are disclosed. Carts for receiving the debris are also disclosed. Each cart has a base, a plurality of wheels extending downwardly from the base relative to a vertical axis, and a plurality of walls extending upwardly from the base. The walls and the base of each cart cooperate to define a debris-receiving space. The carts can be engaged by a lifting apparatus that rotates along an arcuate path to position the carts in an unloading position.

Abstract: A pallet transport device (10) includes: pallet rails (21, 31, 36); moving mechanisms (41, 51, 56) that move a pallet (11) along the pallet rails (21, 31, 36); a transfer mechanism (61) that transfers the pallet (11) guided by one of the pallet rails (21, 31, 36) to another pallet rail (21, 31, 36) using a pivoting member (62) and a retaining rail (63); a moving assistance mechanism (81) that moves the pallet (11) from the pallet rails (21, 31, 36) to the retaining rail (63), or from the retaining rail (63) to the pallet rails (21, 31, 36); and an elevator mechanism (95) configured to cause the moving assistance mechanism (81) to ascend and descend. When the elevator mechanism (95) has caused the moving assistance mechanism (81) to descend, the transfer mechanism (61) is in a state where it is capable of causing the pivoting member (62) to pivot.

Abstract: A pallet transport device (10) includes: pallet rails (21, 31, 36); moving mechanisms (41, 51, 56) that move a pallet (11) along the pallet rails (21, 31, 36); a transfer mechanism (61) that transfers the pallet (11) guided by one of the pallet rails (21, 31, 36) to another pallet rail (21, 31, 36) using a pivoting member (62) and a retaining rail (63); a moving assistance mechanism (81) that moves the pallet (11) from the pallet rails (21, 31, 36) to the retaining rail (63), or from the retaining rail (63) to the pallet rails (21, 31, 36); and an elevator mechanism (95) configured to cause the moving assistance mechanism (81) to ascend and descend. When the elevator mechanism (95) has caused the moving assistance mechanism (81) to descend, the transfer mechanism (61) is in a state where it is capable of causing the pivoting member (62) to pivot.

Abstract: A separator separates sheets from a bundle. Slack in the strap used to raise and lower a clamp is used to determine when the clamp reaches the bundle. A non-horizontal conveyor tilts beneath the clamp to receive multiple articles, and then tilts over another bin to deposit the articles. The second bin includes an angled surface, which is straightened to shift the articles for clamping. The clamp is supported by, but not attached to, a support connected with the drive. When the clamp reaches the pile, the clamp stops but the support may continue to move. The clamp is tiltable. The article is transferred by an air jet onto a surface with a roller separated from the surface. Upon transfer, the roller forms a nip with the surface. The article is deposited on an exit conveyor having a flexible, raised portion.

Abstract: A pan inverting system (10) comprises a rotating table (11) having a central longitudinal axis (13), the table being rotatably mounted within a static frame (15) for rotation about the longitudinal axis (13). Conveyors (21) are disposed on opposed pan-receiving surfaces (20) of the table (11). The conveyors (21) are independently operable to displace a pan (12) along the table (11) in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (13). A pan engagement device (24) within the table (11) is operable to releasably fasten the pan (12) to the pan receiving surface (20) of the table (11), such that when the pan (12) is fastened to one of the pan receiving surfaces (20) by the pan engagement mechanism (24), rotation of the table (11) about the longitudinally extending axis (13) will invert the pan (12).

Abstract: A system and method are provided for handling food products whereby stacked food products can be mechanically singulated or singulated product not on pitch can be dispensed individually at a regular pitch onto transport system carrying the food products to a subsequent process unit or units in an automated and essentially labor-free manner. The automated handling system may be used advantageously on stacks of pizza crusts, among other food product types.

Abstract: A lug tender includes a conveyor belt-type feed bed having flexible conveyor belts for transporting lugs from a first, feed end, between side guard rails to a hopper or dumping end. At the hopper end, the side rails are omitted so that a grasping mechanism can address the side walls of the lug, grasping same and rotating the lug, inverting the lug over a feed hopper. Fruit carried by the lug is thus deposited in the feed hopper. A guard placed over the feed hopper prevents the lug from entering the feed hopper. A pusher bar displaces the lug across the guard to free up the hopper for the subsequent lug. The emptied lug can then be removed either manually or mechanically for recycling.

Abstract: System providing a substantially enclosed piece or pieces of equipment, optionally fuel cell balance of plant equipment, available for shipment and storage at a user location. The system comprises a tool, a housing associated with the tool and having openings in the flooring through which portions of the tool are inserted, and a piece or pieces of equipment having a support, the tool accommodating movement of the support, and specifically on portions of the tool inserted through the housing. Movement of the equipment occurs along the longitudinal axis of the tool between points positioned inside and outside of the housing. The tool is removed from the housing after the equipment is positioned inside thereof so that as a consequence of such removal, the support of the equipment assists in substantially sealing the housing.

Abstract: A crop pick-up head for use with a harvesting machine to collect and separate a crop from a continuous paper tray on which the crop has been placed. The pick-up head has a support frame attached to the front of the harvesting machine, a fork to lift the paper tray, a guide plate positioned above the fork for the paper tray to slide between, a forward brush that pushes the crop off of the paper tray and onto the guide plate, a pulling mechanism to pull the paper tray and a conveying mechanism that receives the crop and conveys it to a bin. The pulling mechanism can comprise a roller, brush and mechanism to direct the paper tray between the roller and brush. The conveying mechanism can comprise a tube configured to receive the crop and a source of pressurized air to convey the crop to the bin.

Abstract: An unloading station disposable adjacent an aggregate material transport vehicle thoroughfare, and configured to rapidly receive and transfer the contents of a side-dump aggregate material transport vehicle includes a hopper disposed adjacent the transport vehicle thoroughfare. The hopper extends longitudinally alongside an aggregate material transport vehicle thoroughfare. The hopper has a front wall sized to receive aggregate material from a side-dump transport vehicle, and a rear wall sized to impede the flow of the aggregate material dumped over the front wall by the side-dump transport vehicle. A conveyor system is disposed under the hopper, and is operable to move aggregate material from the hopper to a remote location away from the unloading station.

Abstract: A dolly device for loading and unloading a container which comprises a control frame that pivots among a plurality of operational positions such that the control frame facilitates the loading or unloading of the container and supports the container while being transported from location to location.

Abstract: A plant for unloading stacks (5) of thermoformed products from a cage (4) containing stacks (5), which comprises a support structure (2), at least one support plate (3) for a respective cage (4) containing stacks (5), which is mounted for rotation on the support structure (2), reversible motor (8) to cause the support platen (3) to effect angular movements of a preset amplitude around a horizontal axis, so as to angularly move its respective containing cage (4) between an erect position, in which the stacks (5) of thermoformed products contained therein extend in a substantially vertical direction, and an inclined unloading position, expeller bar (12) designed to expel stacks (5) of thermoformed objects from the cage (4) when the support plate (3) is in inclined unloading position, and a conveyer (20) for receiving stacks (4) of thermoformed objects unloaded from the containing cage (4) located downstream of the unloading position of the support plate (3).

Abstract: A conveyor (20) for transporting and inverting strap pans (22) or other pans used for baking. The conveyor includes a closed-loop drive chain (26) to which a number of pan cars (54) are pivotally attached. The pan cars are provided with magnetic bars (36) that create attractive force to hold the strap pans to the pan cars. The conveyor also includes an incline guide (204). When the conveyor is actuated, the pan cars run against the incline guide so as to cause the initial inversion of the pan cars. As the pans cars are inverted they abut against a positioning rail located along side of the drive chain. The positioning rail is shaped to control both the rate at which the pan cars are inverted from their normal upright position and then it is further shaped to force the pan cars to then return to their initial upright position. The inversion of the pan cars causes a like inversion of the strap pans secured to the pan cars.

Abstract: The invention involves a tilting device for emptying containers (2) of mixed-item loads, especially of pieces of airline luggage, which is placed along the course of a conveyor line (3), and at least one branch conveyor is bordering on the conveyor line with tilting arms located one behind the other in the direction of transport. The tilting arms can be swiveled laterally for emptying the containers (2) in each case around an axle (9) running in the direction of transport and horizontal to the extent possible, and at least two tilting arms for passing the containers (2) along between the conveyor lines (3) can be connected in a detachable way with a container (2).

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying and turning trays loaded with utensils including a feed conveyor which conveys trays through and around a semi-circular turning track. The turning track is delimited laterally by stationary, curved rails and to the inside toward the central point of curvature by a continuous inner belt, and having removal devices at the top end. The inner belt is provided with uniformly spaced outwardly projecting rods. The feed conveyor is in the form of a continuously driven chain conveyor which is drawn through in one piece to the upper end of the turning track, guided in the region of the turning track by rails for the chains arranged on either side to more reliably guide the trays and in order to make the drive of the entire device more sturdy in design.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying and turning trays loaded with utensils including a feed conveyor which conveys trays through and around a semi-circular turning track. The turning track is delimited laterally by stationary, curved rails and to the inside toward the central point of curvature by a continuous inner belt, and having removal devices at the top end. The inner belt is provided with uniformly spaced outwardly projecting rods. The feed conveyor is in the form of a continuously driven chain conveyor which is drawn through in one piece to the upper end of the turning track, guided in the region of the turning track by rails for the chains arranged on either side to more reliably guide the trays and in order to make the drive of the entire device more sturdy in design.

Abstract: A device for automatic collection, intermediate storage and emptying of blood from slaughter animals, comprising an endless track (2), a number of containers (3) movable along the track and a filling station (4) and an emptying and washing station (5) which are arranged along the track. The containers are loosely arranged in relation to each other and to the track (2). As a result, the weighing (6) of a filled container can be carried out effectively immediately after the filling operation. Moreover, containers can temporarily be switched out from the normal path of progression along the track into and from a resting station.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing cigarettes from a package. The apparatus has at least one cutter for cutting open the package with a full cut at right angles to the lengthwise orientation of the cigarettes. The apparatus has a separating station in which the cigarettes are removed from the cut-open package prior to further processing. The separating station has two vertically oriented spaced-apart deformation faces that extend parallel to one another and are rotatable for pivoting the package out of an essentially horizontal position and into an inclined to even vertical position. The distance between the deformation faces is less than the width of the package as measured between its two narrow long sides via which the package rests against the deformation faces during the pivoting process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extracting the contents of envelopes, each of which has been opened along at least one edge and has an opposite edge which is unopened. The envelopes are successively projected with their unopened edges leading, against an adhesive surface of a travelling belt. The belt is subsequently oriented so that the envelopes are suspended therefrom and the belt is simultaneously vibrated to cause the contents of the envelopes to migrate downwardly and leave the envelopes. The contents are conveyed in an orderly fashion on a belt conveyor and formed into a stack. The empty envelopes are stripped from the belt. The adhesive surface on the belt is formed by renewable adhesive strips.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing filter cigarettes from a mass flow between one or more producing machines and one or more processing machines when the output of the producing machines exceeds the requirements of the processing machines, and for returning filter cigarettes into the mass flow when the requirements of the processing machines exceed the output of the producing machines, has a filling unit which withdraws cigarettes from the mass flow and introduces them into successive empty chargers or trays, and an emptying unit which dumps the contents of filled trays into a receptacle for reintroduction into the mass flow. The emptying unit is located at a level above the filling unit, and each of these units cooperates with two magazines, one for empty trays and the other for filled trays.

Abstract: The dispenser comprises a feed belt (C) provided with transversely-arranged, equally-spaced tubes (3) receiving the articles to be dispensed which are held therein by stationary boundary walls. While being transferred between two magazines (1-2) in which it is to be stacked, the feed belt is submitted to a slight temporary torsion in the longitudinal direction, so that one end of the tubes will be directed downwards and upon passing in registry with an underlying opening (9) it will permit the articles housed within the tubes to be discharged by the action of gravity. In the upper portion of the guide (F) submitting the charger to said torsion, there is provided an opening (13) with which the top ends of the tubes on the feed belt become aligned during the step-by-step movement of the latter in a direction opposite to the dispensing direction, in order to fill the tubes with new articles to be dispensed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for opening cigarette packs involving minimal contact with the cigarettes in the pack and little likelihood of damage or degradation of the tobacco contained in the cigarettes. The invention includes conveying packs to a first location where they are received, moving the packs to a second location where they are pressurized and expanded, moving the pressurized expanded packs to a third location where one end is cut off, moving the packs to a fourth location where impulse is applied to the pack as a whole, resulting in the transfer of the pack to a fifth location, where the motion of the pack itself is stopped, but the inertia of the cigarettes themselves is conserved sufficiently that they are transferred to a conveyance for further processing. The empty packs are disposed of at a sixth location. The method and apparatus is intermittent, involving regular starting and stopping motions.

Abstract: An unpackaging machine is disclosed that respectively removes the cap, seal, cotton wad and tablets from a package container. The unpackaging machine includes a turntable with slots for receiving and transporting the sealed container, a rotatable chuck for removing the cap from the sealed container, a rotatable knife for rupturing the seal on the container, a gripper for removing the cottom wad and seal from the container, inverting guide rails for emptying the contents of the container, and an outlet for discharging the emptied container.

Abstract: A high capacity machine cuts the tops of plastic bottles and inverts the bottles for discharging their contents. Bottles are conveyed through the machine by a feed screw. At the cutting station means are provided for standing the bottles erect so that they engage a stationary knife just below the top for cutting off the caps. Guides downstream from the cutting station maintain the bottle in the screw and invert it underneath the screw for dumping. The cap is not completely severed but a minor portion of the circumference is left intact to serve as a hinge between the cut bottle and cap. The cap is kept more or less erect as the bottle is inverted to avoid interference with discharge of the contents. At the cutting station a support screw is rotated synchronously with the feed screw by interengaging teeth on the crests of the threads of the two screws.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating a food product from a tray having apertures defining a supporting lattice to which the food product is adhered. A conveyor belt carries the tray in an inverted position with the food product on the bottom and engaging the upper surface of the belt. The undersurface of the belt is slidably supported by a first row of fixed, transversely spaced apart supports. A first row of roller bands with radially directed fingers is located above the belt with the roller bands midway between the supports. The fingers project through the tray apertures and move the product away from the tray and toward the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt sags between the supports, providing room for the product to move for separation from the tray.

Abstract: A system for handling DIP devices packaged in elongated tubes having releasable closure means normally closing at least one end of the tubes to retain DIP devices therein, a head assembly for transferring tubes from an accumulator station to a DIP processing apparatus comprising a housing having an inlet and a discharge trackway section, a pair of drive rollers rotatably mounted adjacent the inlet end of the housing. The rollers are mounted for floating movement relative to one another in a direction generally transverse to the movement of tubes through the housing, closure removal and re-application mechanism downstream of the drive rollers, means for aligning the tube to ensure flow of DIP devices from the tube to the discharge trackway and tube position sensor means operable to activate mechanism for positioning the head assembly so that the discharge trackway section aligns with an inlet trackway of DIP processing apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating a crop from a continuous tray. The apparatus includes a first conveyor which engages and transports a continuous tray which has disposed thereon a crop to be harvested into contact with a second conveyor. The second conveyor engages and inverts the continous tray to dislodge the crop disposed thereon. A third conveyor is disposed in receiving relation to the second conveyor and collects the dislodged crop and moves it to a collection point.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in releasing a fragile food product which has become stuck to a support surface as a result of a prior processing operation, and for transferring the released food product from the support surface in an orderly fashion so that the food product can be further processed and the support surface returned for reuse. In a preferred embodiment, a releasing roller having flexible rubber projections thereon rotates below a tray which supports strips of an extruded meat product stuck to the tray, with the projections extending upwardly through apertures in the tray to gently contact the underside of the meat strip. A back-up roller above the tray and offset horizontally from the releasing roller restrains the trays and strips from moving upwardly, thereby cooperating with the releasing roller to free the adhered food product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing a bakery carrier screen, which is carrying a bakery product and traveling on a moving conveyor system, from underneath the carried bakery product and transferring the bakery product to an exit conveyor during substantially continuous forward motion of the bakery product is provided. The carrier screen upon which the bakery product is placed has a generally rectangular and planar surface with a plurality of parallel longitudinal slots extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the screen. A product entrance conveyor is provided which has a plurality of substantially parallel and spaced apart endless conveyor belts terminating in generally aligned pulleys, and a conventional full width endless conveyor for removing the products arranged at the forward end of the entrance conveyor belts.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing strips (13) from compartments (2) wherein the strips (13) are disposed horizontally in hook-shaped brackets (3) comprises an inclined conveyor (7) movable into the region of a compartment (2) that is in the pickup position. A device (17) at the upper end of this inclined conveyor lifts the strips (13) off the conveyor, and an installation (23) removes the strips from the end of the device (17) on the delivery side.

Abstract: A storage system for large quantities of flowable, granular materials, such as grain. The material is covered by flexible cover sections which are spread out on an impervious support surface and thereafter laced together to define a cover having a centrally located opening. The cover is grasped in the region of the central opening and lifted to a predetermined fill height; the perimeter of the cover being free to pull inwardly as necessary accommodating the lifting. Thereafter, the granular product is introduced into the opening until it reaches the predetermined fill height and defines a pile extending downwardly toward the support surface along a natural angle of repose. As the pile grows, it raises the cover while sweeping it upward away from the center of the pile. By this means the entire finished pile is conformably covered by the cover.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for exposing the contents of an envelope which has two opposing panels wherein the panels have been separated from each other along all but one edge portion where the panels remain connected. The envelope is gripped on one of the panels and then the envelope is oriented so that at least the contents of the envelope fall away from the gripped panel to thereby expose the envelope contents.

Abstract: An automatic tumble dumper for automatically removing the electrolyte from lead-acid storage batteries and particularly batteries intended for automotive use is disclosed. The device comprises carrier means adapted to transport the batteries through the system. Once the batteries are inside the unit, upset means automatically turn them first onto their side and then invert them so that the bulk of the electrolyte passively drains out. To achieve complete electrolyte removal, the batteries are jostled via a jostling means which cooperates with said carrier to actively shake the batteries as they travel through the device. At the conclusion of this shaking, now drained batteries are returned to an upright position and travel out of the machine for further processing.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of automatically opening and emptying bags. The apparatus includes a bag outlet, a bag inlet, and a bag contents collection hopper. The housing has a cutting zone, a bag emptying zone, and a bag ejection zone to cut through opposite sides of the bags as the bags are transported lying generally horizontally. A conveyor is disposed within the housing for transporting the bags between the inlet and outlet. The conveyor includes a track member and a carrier member. Elongated piercing members are mounted on the carrier member to positively engage the bags along opposite lateral edges thereof. A ramp member is provided on the track member to tilt the opposite lateral edges of the bag upward and toward each other as the carrier member rides thereon.

Abstract: A workpiece having an enlarged head and a stem extending therefrom is conveyed in a gravity chute while supported vertically in a ring-shaped pallet with the head supported on the top side of the pallet and the stem extending downwardly through the pallet. The pallet and workpiece are then directed through a downwardly curved orienting chute and come to rest on stop surfaces wherein the workpiece is inclined downwardly, its head foremost, and the axis of the pallet is horizontal. In this position the workpiece is centered with respect to the aperture in the pallet so that the workpiece slides downwardly out of the pallet through an unloading chute. At the lower end of the unloading chute the workpiece falls through a contoured aperture into a downwardly inclined delivery chute which extends in the direction opposite to the unloading chute.