Abstract: A filter cleaning system with a cleaning chamber. The cleaning chamber has a container, a plurality of shafts and a plurality of nozzles inside of the container, and an outlet. The shafts extend along a length of the cleaning chamber and are configured to support a cylindrical filter. Each of the shafts is rotatable with respect to the chamber and is configured to cause the filter to rotate about an axis of the filter. The nozzles are positioned below the shafts and are configured to spray water upward toward a gap between the shafts. Each nozzle has a spray pattern comprising a flat fan pattern with a centerline. Each nozzle is oriented such that the centerline is nonparallel with the axis of the filter. The outlet is configured to drain recovery water out of the interior of the cleaning chamber.

Abstract: A hard banding apparatus for pipes and other drilling tools. The hard banding apparatus has a floating weld box that moves in response to the shape of the item to be welded. The apparatus can include a drive roller assembly and lift mechanisms that lift and move the weld box or housing to a desired height.

Abstract: Enhanced methods are disclosed for handling cylindrical tubulars, advantageously in association with cleaning, inspection and other operations on the tubular. The tubular is held stationary while it is rotated. During rotation of the tubular, internal and external cleaning systems, and data acquisition systems, pass up and down the length of the rotating tubular. In preferred embodiments, a first tubular is loaded onto the handling machine, whereupon it is indexed and then rotated. Cleaning, inspection and other operations may be performed during rotation. Once operations are complete, the handling system ejects the first tubular while queuing up a second tubular to be loaded. The handling machine comprises a plurality of user-positional pods. Each pod includes scissor mechanisms, index machines and a roller machine to perform the handling methods. Sensors on drive rollers in the handling machine generate vibrational response data of the tubular while it rotates.

Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade handling system for moving a wind turbine rotor blade is provided. The wind turbine rotor blade comprises a root portion, a tip portion and a rotor blade longitudinal rotational axis extending from the root portion to the tip portion. Furthermore, the wind turbine rotor blade handling system comprises a rotary device to rotate the wind turbine rotor blade about the rotor blade longitudinal rotational axis. The rotary device is arranged and prepared for being fastened to the tip portion. Additionally, a method of moving the wind turbine rotor blade by means of the wind turbine rotor blade handling system is also provided.

Abstract: A tilt roll table for use with uranium hexafluoride cylindrical containers securely holds the container, supported from its domed ends by spindles mounted to brackets as the container is tilted and rolled. The spindles have greater surface area over which to distribute the weight and are shaped to complement the domed container ends. The brackets supporting the spindles, stiffened by vertical and horizontal braces, can be adjusted vertically and moved axially toward and away from the domed ends of the containers by a gear drive to accommodate different sizes of cylindrical containers. In addition, bands encircle the containers to hold them onto the frame during tilting and rolling.

Abstract: A bearing manipulator for supporting and manipulating a bearing is provided. In one embodiment, the bearing manipulator includes a frame having at least one adjustable roller to support the bearing, and at least one adjustable arm to secure the bearing to the frame. The bearing manipulator further includes a motor configured to incrementally rotate the bearing.

Abstract: There is disclosed an elevator for holding a workpiece, the elevator comprising a turntable and adapted to slide along a support chain to thereby vertically displace the elevator. There is further disclosed a method of assembling a workpiece, the method comprising the steps of stacking first and second workpiece sections on a turntable elevator; and sliding the elevator along a support chain to thereby vertically position the workpiece.

Abstract: An apparatus and method suitable for supporting a cylindrical component. The apparatus includes a pedestal having an upper surface with a semispherical concave shape, and a carriage supported on the upper surface of the pedestal. The carriage has a lower surface and an oppositely-disposed upper surface with elements for contacting and rotatably supporting the cylindrical component. The lower surface of the carriage engages the upper surface of the pedestal and has a semispherical convex shape complementary to the semispherical concave shape of the upper surface of the pedestal. The apparatus further includes a reservoir at and recessed in the upper surface of the pedestal, and a feature for delivering a lubricant to the lubricant reservoir. The lower surface of the carriage and the upper surface of the pedestal define an enclosure around the reservoir.

Abstract: The positioning device (2) can position or orient a spherical object (3). This spherical object is placed and held by gravity on three points of support (P, P?, P?) of the positioning device (2). The positioning device (2) includes means for driving the object in rotation. The centre of gravity of said object in any position or orientation is within the triangle formed by the three points of support. The drive means include a drive member (20, 21, 22) whose contact with the external surface of the object or spherical element forms one of the support points (P) of the positioning device. The drive member includes a drive wheel, which comes into contact with the external surface of the spherical object to drive said object in rotation. The rotating axle of the wheel is mounted at the end of a support (22), which can rotate along another axle passing through the point of contact (P) of the wheel on the external surface of the spherical object and the centre of the object.

Abstract: A transfer wheel device for a slicer has a rolling pipe and an inner pipe. The rolling pipe is rotatably connected to the slicer and has multiple inlet holes formed trough an external surface of the rolling pipe. The inner pipe is rotatably mounted in the rolling pipe and securely on the slicer and has a linear suction array. The linear suction array is formed linearly on an external surface of the inner pipe and has multiple suction units. Each suction unit has a suction hole formed through the inner pipe to increase ease and effectiveness of the transfer wheel device.

Abstract: A device for aligning a plurality of vertically arranged (upright) disks (20), especially wafer disks during the fabrication of semiconductor chips. Two mounting or bearing elements (30, 32) respectively have individually mounted guide rollers (34) positioned next to each other for each disk position. A drive device (40, 42; 50, 60; 240, 242) is for rotating the disks in relation to their azimuthal positions. A device (80) is provided for detecting the azimuthal positions of notches or indentations (22) arranged in the outer circumference in the disks (20). A device is provided for controlling the drive with the signals of the detection device (80) for detecting the azimuthal positions of the notches (22). The drive for rotating the disks in relation to their azimuthal positions has an individually driven drive roller element (42) for each disk (20) mounted on the stationary axis.

Abstract: A mechanical apparatus and method are disclosed for orienting and positioning semiconductor wafers while avoiding contamination of elements on the faces thereof, by only contacting the peripheries thereof. The apparatus may include a frame for wafer supports and a semiconductor wafer gripping arm. The gripping arm is mounted on a translator for movement in X, Y, and Z directions to engage and move wafers in, from, and between supports. The gripping arm comprises a rigid structure with a plurality of semiconductor support wheels mounted thereon to support a wafer only around its periphery. A drive wheel is provided to orient a supported wafer rotationally while it is being supported around its periphery. A detector is provided to detect orientation of the wafer relative to a notch or other position mark on its periphery.

Abstract: A prealigner for aligning a disk-like work piece such as a silicon wafer, by centering and rotationally orienting the work piece. The prealigner centers and orients the work piece while only touching the periphery of the work piece using a plurality of wafer rollers and an air bearing table to support the weight of the wafer. The prealigner can accept a range of different diameters of work piece without modification because the wafer rollers are radially moveable until they contact and center the work piece. The prealigner includes a plurality of simple optical sensors for detecting a notch in the work piece and the work piece is rotationally oriented based on a notch detection signal from the optical sensors.

Abstract: A device for aligning a flatted object to a desired orientation. The flatted object has a substantially circular perimeter and a flatted chord portion and may be a silicon wafer or a cover for an electrostatic chuck. The device includes multiple conically shaped rollers that center and rotationally align the object, each roller having a bottom lip for supporting the object. Centering rollers are mounted so that they contact the circular perimeter of the object when it is in the desired orientation. Rotational alignment rollers are mounted so that they contact the flatted chord portion of the object when it is in the desired orientation. When placed on the alignment device, the flatted object passively moves to the desired orientation under the force of gravity.

Abstract: A cylindrical article is positioned relative to a support surface by supporting the cylindrical article from a first pair of ball bearings contacting the cylindrical article adjacent to its first end, and a second pair of ball bearings contacting the cylindrical surface adjacent to its second end. At least one of the ball bearings is moved relative to the cylindrical article to reposition the cylindrical article. The repositioning may be performed under feedback control of actuators that move the ball bearings. The article may be fixed relative to the support surface after it is properly positioned.

Abstract: A wafer orienting apparatus for aligning a plurality of semiconductor wafers each of which has a v-notch formed on its outer periphery. The apparatus includes a cassette process carrier for supporting the plurality of wafers in parallel wafer supporting slots and wafer supporting means engaging the periphery of each wafer in an individual slot with the central axis of all wafers in coaxial alignment. A supporting platform is placed over the cassette for supporting the wafers in an inverted position in which the wafers are substantially vertical and biased by their own weight against a multiplicity of orienting mechanisms. The orienting mechanisms are arranged to correspond to each wafer position within the cassette. The plurality of orienting mechanisms are integrated with the supporting platform so that all wafers within the cassette can be aligned during this aligning process.

Abstract: A wafer flat zone aligner prevents wafers from binding to the walls of a wafer cassette, that define the slots in which the wafers are seated, by restricting axial movement of the wafers while the wafers are being rotated by a wafer rotating roller of the aligner. To this end, the wafer rotating roller includes a shaft portion, and a plurality of spaced apart annular members protruding radially from the shaft portion. Each wafer seated in the cassette is inserted between adjacent ones of the annular members into contact with the shaft portion of the roller. When the roller is rotated, the shaft portion rotates the wafers while the wafers are constrained from moving in the axial direction of the roller by the annular members. The wafer aligner also includes a guide roller that is moved into contact with the wafers and causes the wafers to stop rotating when flat zones of the wafer arrive at the guide roller.

Abstract: A wafer flat zone aligner prevents wafers from binding to the walls of a wafer cassette, that define the slots in which the wafers are seated, by restricting axial movement of the wafers while the wafers are being rotated by a wafer rotating roller of the aligner. To this end, the wafer rotating roller includes a shaft portion, and a plurality of spaced apart annular members protruding radially from the shaft portion. Each wafer seated in the cassette is inserted between adjacent ones of the annular members into contact with the shaft portion of the roller. When the roller is rotated, the shaft portion rotates the wafers while the wafers are constrained from moving in the axial direction of the roller by the annular members. The wafer aligner also includes a guide roller that is moved into contact with the wafers and causes the wafers to stop rotating when flat zones of the wafer arrive at the guide roller.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method are disclosed for moving an elongate object such as a pipe between lowered and raised positions, preferably while rotating the object to maintain its shape. The system and method use two apparatuses, an upender and a downender for moving the pipe between lowered and raised positions. The upender tilts a lowered pipe received from a casting machine to the raised position and places the raised pipe on a support station. The pipe is rotated while on the upender through at least part of the range of travel. The upright pipe on the support station may be moved through an annealing furnace and then the downender may lift the pipe from the support station and tilt it downward toward the horizontal while rotating the pipe through part of the range of travel. The lowered pipe is then pushed off of the downender by kick off arms.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus which includes a substrate retention mechanism having retention rollers, including a plurality of driving rollers, for holding a substrate by abutting the retention rollers against different peripheral edge portions of the substrate, and a rotative driving mechanism for rotating the plurality of driving rollers. The plurality of driving rollers preferably include a pair of driving rollers generally opposed to each other diametrically of the substrate to be held. Further, the retention rollers preferably all serve as the driving rollers.

Abstract: There is provided a cassette carrying-in system, which can rotate a cassette housing therein substrates to be treated so that the substrates are changed from a vertical state to a horizontal state and which can carry the cassette in, e.g., a load-lock chamber of a vacuum processing unit. The cassette carrying-in system is provided for carrying a cassette, in which a plurality of substrates to be processed are arranged in parallel, in a processing unit for treating the substrates.

Abstract: A surface finishing apparatus for finishing the edge surfaces of fiberboards or like substrates. A pair of axially convergent drive wheels impart rotational and radial motion to a board and pushes the board against a foiling head or other surface finishing hardware. The foiling wheel is pushed by a pneumatic cylinder towards the board. An air clamp holds the board down against the drive wheels during operation. A speed indexer computer controls the rotation of the axially convergent drive wheels in inverse relationship to the rotational speed of the foiling head. In an alternative embodiment, a pair of angled hold-down wheels are used to hold the board against the drive wheels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rotating wafers in a double sided scrubber without slipping or hesitating. A rotating roller imparts rotary motion to a semiconductor wafer during a double sided cleaning process. The rotating roller and wafer contact at their outer edges and the friction between their outer edges causes the wafer to rotate. The roller has an outer edge with a groove. The wafer edge is pinched inside the groove to create enough friction that when cleaning solutions are applied the wafer does not slip and continues to rotate. Also, the groove allows the roller to pinch the wafer just enough so that when the roller reaches the flat of the wafer, the roller may regain the radius of the wafer without hesitating.

Abstract: A compact fiber rotator has a guiding and support Device (2) which comprises suction channels (17) formed in the angle of two blocks (3, 5), and a rotation device (32) which is attachable to the guide device (2) and comprises a house (33), a rotating toothed wheel part (37), a platform (31) attached thereto and an electric step motor (43). The fiber (1) is secured on the platform (31) by means of a standard fiber retainer (61) which is retained at the platform (31) by means of magnets (29), the rotating part (37) being located between the support (2) and the retainer (61). The suction channels (17) of the support device can be provided with a suitably low negative pressure, so that the fiber which is to be rotated and welded can be retained satisfactorily but still may be rotated against smooth surfaces of the angle of the blocks (3, 5).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for unloading powder from a drum shaped container permits the container to be loaded vertically onto an unlaoding assembly but then supported in a tilted unloading position while the container is being rolled about its axis. A cover assembly is secured to the top end of the container. The cover has channels on its interior surface disposed about a central opening. The cover rolls with the drum. The cover assembly has a central outlet tube from the central opening and a bearing assembly mounted to the outlet tube. The bearing assembly includes a tongue which is supported in a fixed position as the drum is rolled to receive powder deposited on the tongue from the channels. A bleed tube blows powder from the tongue into the inlet of a pump mounted to the bearing assembly to pump powder from the drum.

Abstract: According to this invention, there is provided a notch position aligning mechanism and a process for using the mechanism including a base which can be vertically movably inserted into a cassette through a lower opening of the cassette for storing a plurality of targets to be aligned having notches formed in edge portions of the targets wherein can be fitted, a rotating/supporting mechanism, including a first rotary member which is arranged on the base, and has a plurality of fitting grooves in which the notches of the targets can be fitted, a second rotary member which can be rotated and is arranged on the base, and a drive unit for rotating at least one of the first and second rotary members, the rotating/supporting mechanism supporting and rotating the targets using the first and second rotary members while the targets are spaced apart from the cassette, and a support member, arranged on the base, for supporting the targets having the notches fitted in the fitting grooves of the first rotary member to stop

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for use in a paint booth to facilitate the coating of an object such as a wheel or rim with a liquid, powder, or other coating. The apparatus is designed to rotate a wheel about both its horizontal and vertical axes. In this manner, the wheel may be more easily and uniformly coated with a minimum of effort by a paint booth operator. After the wheel is coated, the apparatus is designed to lift the object above the work surface so that it can be connected to an overhead conveyor system that may be provided to remove the wheel from the paint booth.

Abstract: An alignment apparatus for aligning the flat edges on semiconductor wafers has a roller 13 used to turn the wafers 12 during alignment. The roller 13 is hollow and has a plurality of holes 14 in the surface of the roller though which a vacuum is drawn to remove particle contaminates from and around the semiconductor wafers.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for aligning the flat edges of semiconductor wafers in a wafer cassette. The apparatus includes a roller and alignment blade mounted in a frame on which the wafer cassette is mounted. A motor mechanism rotates the roller and alignment blade to align the wafer flat edges.

Abstract: A device for sterilizing products packed in cylindrical containers, includes an elongate, essentially cylindrical housing and an essentially cylindrical rotor located therein which can be driven via a central shaft. The circumferential wall of the housing is provided on the inside with a helically running, raised rib. The rotor is designed as a cage having a plurality of rings placed behind each other, the center line of which coincides with the axis of the rotor, and a plurality of raised ribs fastened to the circumference of the rings parallel to the axis of the rotor. The outer edge of the ribs on the rotor is located near the inner edge of the helically running rib on the inner wall of the housing so that spaces are formed between the ribs for receiving the cylindrical containers. Within the rotor between neighboring rings bracing elements in the form of pipes are provided to reinforce the rotor.

Abstract: An apparatus for changing a plate cylinder in a web-fed rotary gravure press comprises supporting mechanisms for detachably supporting both ends of a plate cylinder, a palette for carrying the plate cylinder, an elevator having a first conveying mechanism for conveying the palette in an axial direction of the plate cylinder and being vertically movable between a first position where the plate cylinder is supported by the supporting mechanism and a second position where the plate cylinder is conveyed in the axial direction by the conveying mechanism, and a truck movable in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the plate cylinder and having a pair of second conveying mechanisms parallel to each other for conveying the palette in the axial direction of the plate cylinder when the elevator is at the second position.

Abstract: A wafer counter device comprising a system for aligning the orientation flats of plural wafers in a cassette with one another and a system provided with optical sensors for detecting whether or not the wafers are present in the cassette and serving to count the number of the wafers in the cassette on the basis of the result detected by the optical sensors. The wafers aligning system includes aligning rollers contacted with the rims of the wafers to rotate the wafers, a system for lifting the aligning rollers in such a way that the rollers can be contacted with the rims of the wafers, and a motor for rotating the aligning rollers.

Abstract: The wheel changing apparatus includes a pair of angular arms supported at their outer ends by caster wheels or skids with the arms joined at their remaining ends by a connector housing. A handle on the housing facilitates raising and lowering of the arms and a vehicle wheel assembly in place thereon for wheel assembly removal and attachment to an axle mounted hub. Multiple rollers in each arm rotatably support the wheel assembly. The arms are collapsible toward one another and the handle repositionable between the arms for compact stowage of the apparatus in a vehicle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting cylindrically configured pellets for surface defects is disclosed. At least one axially extending linear portion of the peripheral surface of the pellet is optically sensed. A set of discrete digital values representative of the optically sensed linear portion of the pellet surface is generated and the set of digital values is compared to a predetermined standard. Groups of digital values representative of adjacent locations on the surface of the pellet having values greater or less than the predetermined standard are identified. The area of adjacent digital values having a value above the standard, and the area of adjacent digital values having a value below the standard are calculated and compared to a predetermined area. The pellet is rejected when the calculated area exceeds a predetermined area.

Abstract: Method for transporting silicon wafers. Damage to the wafers is minimized by supporting the wafer solely by wafer supports which contact the wafer only around the periphery thereof. Preferred supports are flanged wheels which are rotatable in the plane of the wafer and are mounted on wafer supports which can be moved relative to each other between an open position and a closed position in which the wafer is supported by the supports. The flanged wheels can cooperate with the wafer and/or be driven by a motor as the wafer supports move into the closed position, to align the wafer laterally and/or rotationally.

Abstract: A procedure to avoid permanent flattening of the roundness of paper rolls. The procedure involves a transport carriage provided with two rotatable supporting shafts and the rolls being rotated through one or more predetermined angles at predetermined intervals of time and then stored further in such new rotational position.

Abstract: A device for sterilizing products packed in cylindrical containers, includes an elongate, essentially cylindrical housing and an essentially cylindrical rotor located therein which can be driven via a central shaft. The circumferential wall of the housing is provided on the inside with a helically running, raised rib. The rotor is designed as a cage having a plurality of rings placed behind each other, the center line of which coincides with the axis of the rotor, and a plurality of raised ribs fastened to the circumference of the rings parallel to the axis of the rotor. The outer edge of the ribs on the rotor is located near the inner edge of the helically running rib on the inner wall of the housing so that spaces are formed between the ribs for receiving the cylindrical containers. Within the rotor between neighboring rings bracing elements in the form of pipes are provided to reinforce the rotor.

Abstract: A positioning mechanism for wafers put in a container, wherein a notch is formed on the periphery of the wafer. The positioning mechanism includes a drive roller coupled to a drive source, an arm member, a first end thereof being fixed and a second end having a protrusion. The arm is elastically movable in the direction of the wafer surface, and the protrusion has a shape corresponding to the notch of the wafer. A transmission roller is supported between the first and second ends of the arm member. The axes of the drive roller and transmission roller are in the vicinity of the wafer so that the transmission roller is driven by the drive roller while the protrusion contacts with the periphery of the wafer outside the notch region. The transmission roller loses contact with the drive roller when the protrusion is engaged with the wafer notch.

Abstract: A single crystal orientation identifying and determining apparatus for semiconductor wafers capable of conducting the facial discrimination of a semiconductor wafer and the determination of the crystal orientation thereof, which comprises a first wafer store; an alignment device for aligning the wafer in a predetermined orientation; an X-ray inspection device for inspecting the wafer as to whether or not the inspected face of the wafer is a predetermined particular face, and whether or not the orientation of the principal plane of the wafer is within a predetermined range, said X-ray detector, and X-ray detector, and an X-ray inspection stage; a second wafer store; a first conveyor for conveying the wafer from the first wafer store to the alignment device; a second conveyor for conveying the wafer form the alignment device to the X-ray inspection device, and a third conveyor for conveying the wafer from the X-ray inspection device to an arbitrary address in the second wafer store determined based on the resul

Abstract: A precise alignment mechanism combined with a transport mechanism for silicon wafers, that handles the wafers by the edges only, in order to eliminate the potential for surface damage or contamination of the wafers. The preferred embodiment of the invention works with wafers that are approximately prealigned in the cassettes before handling. A second embodimenmt can work with randomly aligned wafers. An improvement for high production or continuous operation adds a multiple cassette input to the invention.

Abstract: A cassette of conventional form is loaded with a plurality of semiconductor wafers having indexing flats of the known type and placed over three parallel rollers rotatably secured to a frame. The three rollers include a center roller and two side rollers positioned only slightly higher than the center roller such that their rotary motions can be communicated to the wafers by contact, depending on the position of the individual indexing flats. The indexing flats are roughly aligned in downward directions first by rotating only the center roller and after all three rollers are rotated to bring the indexing flats in upward directions, the wafers are more accurately aligned in a downward direction by rotating only the center roller and all three rollers are rotated thereafter for a predetermined period of time, depending on the desired angular position of the indexing flats.

Abstract: An automated diffusion furnace load station has a cassette and wafer transporter which selectively transports, using a support assembly, wafer-filled cassettes from a delivery station to a transfer post over which a loaded cassette is lowered to suspend the set of wafers above the cassette. The transporter causes the support assembly to release the cassette and engage the wafers to transfer them as a set to a carrier of a diffusion furnace tube. The process is reversed for unloading processed wafers from a furnace carrier and loading them into a cassette. The process further may be sequentially performed to exchange sets of processed wafers from a furnace carrier with sets of unprocessed wafers located in cassettes at a delivery station. The support assembly is used to selectively support a cassette or a set of wafers removed from a cassette by selectively positioning a pair of jaws relative to a cassette or to a set of wafers for supporting the same.

Abstract: A machine suitable for placement in a freezer for making slush or ice cream in a cylindrical container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for orienting semiconductor wafers of the type that have a generally circular peripheral shape and a flat, chordally extending edge on the periphery. In fabricating the wafers the chordally extending portion is formed in fixed relation to the crysatallographic axes of the material of which the wafer is formed. All subsequent processes are precisely orientated with respect to the chordally extending edge and the present invention affords orientation of such edge to virtually any position.

Abstract: Jaws for receiving, holding, and rotating containers around a turret periphery are provided, the jaws being easily and efficiently adjusted to accommodate various sizes of containers, such as, for instance, oriented plastic carbonated beverage bottles in sizes ranging from about 1/2 liter to about 2 liters. The same original center line for the container is maintained.

Abstract: A support device for checking and repairing a heavy rotatable object such as a large turbine rotor comprises a pair of self-aligning support structures for rotatably supporting both ends of the shaft of the heavy rotatable object. In each self-aligning support structure, a roller support base rotatably supporting the corresponding end of the shaft of the object with a pair of support rollers is mounted on a base frame by means of a hemispherical support mechanism, and moreover a jig for adjusting the horizontal rotating position of the roller support base around the vertical axis of the hemispherical support mechanism is disposed in the periphery of the base frame, so that the occurrence of the thrust force on the heavy rotatable object as well as the support rollers is completely eliminated.

Abstract: A bar stock guide arrangement for screw machines having a rotatably mounted fitting which has a horizontal opening for loosely passing the bar stock and guide rollers in the fitting at circumferentially spaced locations around the bar stock. The guide rollers are on roller supports which are radially slidable in the fitting and have rack teeth on their opposite sides. Weights are slidable radially in the fitting between the successive roller supports, and these weights have rack teeth on their opposite sides. Pinion gears are removably mounted in the fitting to engage the rack teeth on the roller supports and the weights so that centrifugal force on each weight produces an inward force on the neighboring roller support. Springs bias the weights radially outward.

Abstract: A mechanism for rotating about a vertical axis generally flat-bottomed objects which are moving along the working surface of a conveyor system, the mechanism including at least three rollers which are rotatable about horizontal axes and which are oriented so as to be tangent to the circumference of a circle which is concentric with the vertical axis, a support frame for moving the rollers into an active positioning above the working surface of the conveyor system and downwardly to an inactive positioning therebelow, and a belt drive system for rotating all of the rollers in the same direction with respect to the circumference of the circle.

Abstract: A support structure utilized for checking and repairing rotatable objects of various kinds, such as a turbine for power generator or a blower fan, includes a roll support base which rotatably supports one end of the rotatable object thereon by means of a pair of rolls which are supported on an adjustable surface plate of a base frame by means of a spherical support mechanism. Due to the spherical support mechanism, the rolls on the support bases can uniformly support both ends of the rotatable object without imparting any thrust to the rolls even when horizontal levelling is not achieved.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for handling and threading tubular products, including tubing, pipe, and casing for the petroleum production industry. In one embodiment of the present invention, an improved pipe handling system is utilized to transfer segments of pipe sequentially to a press, a threading machine, and quality control stations. The pipe handling system may include a plurality of plates driven by a common motor for raising and positioning the pipe, V-rollers for supporting and pre-positioning the pipe, a powered cart for transporting the pipe to the threading machine, and a plurality of steady rest assemblies for supporting a joint of rotating pipe during the threading operation.