Abstract: An apparatus for feeding and discharging reels from a machine for winding video tape on reels of a cassette. The machine has a winder for winding video tape on a pair of reels and a feeder for feeding vacant reels to the winder and taking out the reels with video tape wound thereon. The feeder of the invention has a feeding conveyor for transferring a tray on which a pair of vacant reels are removably mounted, a discharge conveyor for transferring a tray on which a pair of reels with video tape wound thereon is mounted, and a supply and discharge device for connecting the discharge conveyor, the feeding conveyor and the winder.

Abstract: Apparatus for positioning or orienting a hand of tubes, or the like, includes clamp arms for clamping the hand while on a conveyor, a fluid activated ram for raising the hand, inverting it 180.degree., lowering it back onto the conveyor, and releasing the clamp arms. The device may also be tilted while in elevated position so that the clamp arms and hand avoid contact with personnel during inversion.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a blank having a first blank-retaining member for retaining a blank before turnover; a second blank-retaining member for receiving the blank from the first blank-retaining member, the second blank-retaining member having its inner end rotatably linked to the inner end of said first blank-retaining member; first and second horizontally moving members adapted to be movable only in the horizontal direction and rotatably supporting the outer ends of the first and second blank-retaining members, respectively; and a driving force transmitting means which maintains the first and second blank-retaining members in their respective horizontal positions in their inoperative states but draws down the linked inner ends of the first and second blank-retaining members in their operative states so that the first and second blank-retaining members come in contact with each other at their respective vertical positions and then returns said first and second blank-retaining members to their respecti

Abstract: A pick-up and lay-down apparatus that will pick up drill pipes, casings, collars and riser pipes from pipe racks of a variety of different off-shore drilling installations, such as a drill ship, semi-submersible drill rig, jack-up drill rig, platform drill rig, etc., and set (lay-down) the pipes on the drill floor for easy access is disclosed. The apparatus also operates to transfer the pipe from the drill floor to the pipe rack. The pick-up and lay-down apparatus may use either hydraulic or electric motors for the primary power source to drive it. Rack and pinion systems are employed to move the various components of the apparatus during pick-up and transfer of the pipe. The system includes a moveable gantry beam; two moveable pick-up and lay-down carriages; one or more moveable troughs; and, two or more lifting and rotating arms. The apparatus could also be truck mounted for onshore operations.

Abstract: The method of aligning and loading a substrate onto a powder reinforcement machine wherein a guide pin arrangement is adjusted with respect to settings on a portion of the machine frame and then adjusted distancewise from the machine frame, the guide pins themselves then adjusted with respect to the guide pin support, to facilitate alignment of substrates on the machine, the settings being repeatable for differently contoured substrates if desirable. The guide pin support being shiftable for removal from the path of a substrate transport cube, permitting rapid alignment of successive substrates of a particular configuration.

Abstract: Lead frames with semiconductor microcircuit chips bonded thereto are automatically rapidly precisely loaded onto loading frames for subsequent encapsulation of the chips. The lead frames are contained within magazines, each lead frame resting on a separate rack therewithin. An air-actuated piston causes a plurality of pusher bars to each eject a lead frame from each of a plurality of the magazines, horizontally disposed, onto a nest member which pivots to invert the lead frames ejected thereon onto the loading frame. The lead frames are precisely positioned on the nest member early in the pivot thereof when the lead frame are caused to slide downwardly on the smooth-surfaced nest member to thereby contact an abutment and to be retained in that precise position by vacuum until deposited on the loading frame.

Abstract: A clamp for securing a railroad car in a rotary car dumper includes a guide pipe member mounted adjacent the section of track carried by the rotatable dumper frame, a clamp pipe member telescopically mated with the guide pipe member and a clamping jaw member extending laterally from the free end of the clamp pipe member toward the track section. Releasable coupling means in the form of a longitudinal slot in one pipe member which is engaged by a radially extending guide bar member tack welded or bolted to, or inserted in a slot in, the other pipe member permits the clamp pipe member to be extended and retracted relative to the guide pipe member by a coaxially mounted hydraulic cylinder while resisting rotational movement therebetween. If excessive torque is applied to the clamp pipe member, such as when the clamping jaw member is struck by a moving car, the guide bar member is sheared and the clamping pipe member rotates to swing the clamping jaw member out of the path of the car.

Abstract: Apparatus for the head-to-tail stacking of objects or groups of objects, such as folded cardboard packaging boxes, which are substantially identical in terms of their shapes, their dimensions and the orientation with which they are presented to the apparatus. The apparatus includes an aligning and retaining device which is mounted on a shaft extending above and transversely with respect to a conveyor. The aligning and retaining device is arranged to remove and invert a first batch of objects at the same time as abutments position a second batch below the first batch. The first batch are then laid on the second batch to form a stack.

Abstract: A machine for the distribution of sheets comprises first and second conveyors, the first conveyor receiving groups of sheets and being drivable in directions toward or away from the second conveyor and the second conveyor being drivable in a direction away from the first conveyor, a control system for driving the second conveyor only when a group of sheets reaches it from the first conveyor and to stop the second conveyor when the group of sheets has passed over the second conveyor, a vertically movable stop member located above the second conveyor between a lowered position for stopping a group of sheets so as to form them into a layer and a raised position, the stop member being also movable along the second conveyor, the control system controlling the vertical movement of the stop member and movement of the first conveyor to move sheets away from the second conveyor when a layer of sheets has been formed on the latter.

Abstract: A mold handler for flaskless foundry molds made up basically of a horizontal support beam and two clamping arms supported for movement along the beam toward and away from each other. Each clamping arm has rotationally mounted pads with gripping surfaces having serrations thereon. The pads are self-aligning. The clamping arms move via a fluid circuit operably connected thereto. The entire structure is suspended by apparatus lying substantially within a plane containing the center of gravity of the beam and the structure it supports. The clamping arms are maintained at equal and opposite distances from the center of gravity at all times during operation of the mold handler by means of an interconnecting synchronizing linage. The fluid circuit controls and actuates fluid cylinders to urge the clamping arms toward and away from one another selectively to engage and release the gripping surfaces with and from a flaskless mold positioned therebetween.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for handling signature bundles. The apparatus includes an inverted U-shaped frame with legs rotatably carrying clamping pads. The frame has a fluid-operated ram thereon for moving one leg toward and away from the other. One clamping pad is connected to a driven sprocket engaged by a chain. The chain is connected to a drive sprocket mounted on a drive shaft of a motor which is mounted on the frame. The frame also has a locator plate to aid in centering the clamping pads with the signature bundles.

Abstract: Apparatus for delivering ties after unmolding from a first location to a trimming station which includes a conveyor operative between the first location and the trimming station, a gantry having a pair of arms for grasping the ends of the tie, lifting the tie from the first location, rotating the tie and delivering it to said conveyor.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an apparatus or machine which is especially useful in performing an important article handling function in a semi-automatic production arrangement for inverting and moving interlocking, epoxy bonded blocks. These blocks, commonly referred to as Super Blocks, are cast three at a time on a special steel pallet having accurately positioned cavities. During the casting process eight alignment pins or protrusions are formed on the bottom of each block while at the same time matching alignment dimples or depressions are formed on the top of each block. The semi-cured blocks are inverted by the disclosed apparatus to avoid damage to the alignment pins when the blocks are placed on an exit conveyor. The same block inversion or transfer operation conveniently strips the three blocks off of each of the steel pallets making them ready for the next casting cycle.

Abstract: An articulating, part handling device to vary the orientation of the part carried thereby includes a carriage having a vacuum system positively to retain the properly located part thereon during handling. Such carriage is slidably mounted for selective reciprocal movement along the distal member of an articulating arm assembly, which is proximally pivotally mounted to a fixed supporting frame. The part handling device includes an actuating system to provide relative pivotal movement between the articulating arm assembly and frame and between the respective members of the articulating arm assembly and also to provide the relative axial movement between the carriage and distal arm, whereby the orientation of the carried part may be varied as required by the handling environment.

Abstract: Method of, and apparatus for, making books using the two-up, coming and going method in which halfblocks, two of which form a double book block, are moved in a single stream, alternate halfblocks being turned through 180.degree. as they move and the halfblocks being collated in pairs each pair containing a turned and an unturned halfblock.

Abstract: A transfer mechanism places one part in a fixture on a continuously rotating table and substantially simultaneously picks up another part from an adjacent fixture on the table. The transfer mechanism then places the picked-up part on one fixture of an intermittently rotatable table while substantially simultaneously picking up another part on the latter table preparatory to placing that part on the continuously rotating table. A turn over mechanism subsequently picks up the part placed on the intermittently rotatable table by the transfer mechanism, turns the part over, and replaces the part on the intermittently rotatable table preparatory to the part being picked up from the latter table and returned to the continuously rotating table by the transfer mechanism.