Abstract: A hay bale dryer features a support frame inside of which there is delimited at least one bale space and at least one manifold carrying a set of aeration spears movable between a deployed position penetrating the bale space and a retracted position withdrawn therefrom. The manifold is moved between the positions by way of an actuator driven linkage, and the aeration spears comprise hollow elongated bodies of tapered thickness toward their distal ends for more effective penetration of the hay bales. A manufacturing method uses a hydraulic press to produce the hollow elongated bodies from lengths of originally cylindrically pipe. Horizontal feeding tables and upright feeding racks feature displaceable bale movers for moving queued hay bales along one or more queuing lanes into one or more bale dryers.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously queueing a plurality of folded household laundry articles in a packing queue are described. A packing system includes a rotating platform configured to rotate a folded laundry article for directional placement in the packing queue, at least one packing queue platform receiving the folded laundry article into a packing queue disposed thereon, and a double ended conveyor. The double ended conveyor includes a retrieving end and a depositing end. The conveyor is configured to be mounted to a gantry for traveling along the length of the queue platform and cantilevering the retrieving end over the rotating platform for retrieving the folded laundry article and the depositing end over the packing queue platform for depositing the folded laundry article onto either a surface of the packing queue platform or another folded laundry article of the plurality of household laundry articles.

Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes at least one bracket and at least one vibrator. The at least one bracket is configured to be mounted to a pallet adjacent to a stack of panels disposed on the pallet. The at least one vibrator is attached to the at least one bracket and configured to induce vibration on the stack of panels to disrupt an adhesive bond between adjacent panels in the stack of panels.

Abstract: A transfer assembly incorporated into a part forming operation including a structure exhibiting a generally open interior. A pair of elongated pivotal supports extend in parallel fashion along inner facing sides of the structure and channel the received opposite edges of each part delivered from the part forming operation. A rotary actuating component is mounted at an intermediate end location of the structure between the sides and pivotally interconnects to the end supports via a pair of linkage arms. A proximity trigger switch determines delivery of a part from the out feed location and, upon being activated, actuates the rotary component to separate the side extending supports to release the part for stacking in plural fashion within the open interior, following which reverse actuation of the rotary component pivotally resets the supports for receiving a subsequent part.

Abstract: A handling system able to efficiently process information relating to a plurality of conveyed articles, the handling system provided with a conveyer for conveying workpieces, a visual sensor for detecting positions of workpieces by acquiring images of a plurality of tracking ranges obtained by dividing a belt into sections, an encoder for detecting an amount of movement of the belt, a tracking manager for monitoring amounts of movement of the plurality of tracking ranges based on the amount of movement detected by the encoder and specifying the tracking range passing through a workpiece detection area, a workpiece manager for selecting the article in the tracking range specified by the tracking manager, and a controller for controlling operations of robots so as to hold the workpiece selected by the workpiece manager.

Abstract: A system and method designed to position a tray for either horizontal stacking or vertical stacking of product. The system includes a stationary conveyor and a tray carriage in a tray transportation path with the conveyor. The tray carriage is moveable between an elevated, horizontal position and an inclined position. Guides are located near the tray carriage to guide the tray carriage into the inclined position.

Abstract: In a disk type sheet inverting and stacking system with rotatable disk units with sheet transporting slots, in which printed sheets outputted by a reproduction system are sequentially fed into those slots to be inverted by rotation of the disk units and then released from the slots at a stacking position, the sheet transporting slots of the disk units are provided with a convolute sheet path formed by plural internal sheet corrugating protuberances extending transversely across the slot from opposite sides of the slot, spaced along the slot, to form a convolute sheet corrugating sheet path within the slot to automatically increase the retention force of the sheet within the slot in proportion to an increase in the thickness or stiffness of the sheet, without substantially increasing the resistance to lateral movement of the sheet within the slot.

Abstract: Thin sheets on which a product is held by limited adhesion are transferred from a first conveyor onto a speedup conveyor which slides the sheets, one by one, onto a pair of intermittently rotatable paddles. The paddles comprise a lattice of low-friction material and define receiving surfaces angled toward one another along a direction in which the sheets slide. The paddles rotate 1/2 revolution in response to the leading sheet on the speedup conveyor passing a photocell and form a stack in a compartment on an intermittently moving conveyor below. When a predetermined count of sheets is in the stack, the intermittently moving conveyor is advanced to move an empty compartment under the paddles.

Abstract: An automatic sheet loader for automatically transferring sheets to a cardboard packer. The sheet loader includes at least a pair of chains disposed between upper sprockets and lower sprockets so that the pair of chains face each other to form a sheet transfer path therebetween, brackets mounted on the chains at predetermined intervals and projecting toward the sheet transfer path for supporting a group of sheets from both sides thereof, and a drive motor for driving the chains so as to move the brackets along the sheet transfer path for transferring the group of sheets. When the dimension of each packaging container, the number of packaging containers in each group, or the manner of packaging is changed, a different type of sheet is set. Since each group of sheets is moved and transferred from the upper side to the lower side by the chains, it is easy to distinguish the new group of sheets from the previous group of sheets during the exchange operation.

Abstract: An improved method and device for mechanically producing pretzels. The method and device produces strings of dough having precisely predetermined cross-sectional and longitudinal dimensions. The invention provides a high throughput rate of pretzels and low rejection rate, together with simple operability, such that the device is cost-effective even in small bakeries.

Abstract: A machine for stacking hay bales emerging from a hay baler in pyramidal stacks of six bales, has a supporting bed for receiving bales from a drop table. The bed is provided with a side panel and a pair of separator panels for separating rows of bales in the stack, the dividers being tiltable for orienting the bales into a pyramidal stack. The machine is mounted on wheels for towing, with the bed being pivotable from a substantially level position wherein the bales are collected, to a rearwardly dropped position for discharge of the bales onto a field in a pyramidal stack. Improved discharge of pyramidal stacks is achieved by orienting the separator panels at an oblique angle relative to the line of travel of the machine whereby slippage of the bales from between the panels is facilitated.

Abstract: Imbricated or overlapped copies of printed material are formed within a plurality of rows to form a single layer of a multi-layered and cubic-shaped stack. The stack allows for more efficient use of space for the storage of printed materials, and allows for easier and faster storing and retrieving of printed materials. The apparatus for forming the stack includes a plurality of in-feed conveyors which feed imbricated copy stream segments to a shuttle assembly upon a plurality of side-by-side rows. Once filled, the shuttle is positioned over a flat separator sheet and drops the plurality of rows onto the separator sheet, thereby forming a single layer. The layer is formed directly upon a stack which is formed upon a pallet. The separator sheet of the formed layer is supported by the copy streams which lie below on the preceding separator sheet.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically processing a supply of cartons, in flattened form and of different types, in accordance with a selectable number of plural, different and separately identifiable carton types. Unsorted cartons are removed in successive layers from stacks thereof and transported in serial succession along a transport path. Sorting modules are disposed along the transport path, each including respectively associated routing and stacking devices individually predesignated to receive and stack a given, identifiable carton type. A system controller tracks the progress of each carton, simultaneously for plural cartons, along the transport path and when a match of the carton type with a predesignated stacking device is determined, actuates the associated routing device to route a carton of a matching type from the transport path and to the associated stacking device for stacking.

Abstract: Method to package sections either in normal layers or in alternate right-side-up/overturned layers, the layers being fed from determined layers, whereby two already butted layers, one having a number N of sections and the other having a number N-1 of sections, or viceversa, reach the packaging machine by moving axially at one and the same time, the layers having been distanced apart laterally beforehand by a required value linked to the features of the packaging machine, the first layer (30) of "N" sections arriving and being positioned directly on a package (29) being formed, whereas the second layer (31) of "N-1" sections arrives between a plurality of pairs of clamping arms (24) able to rotate about an axis located in a central position between the two layers (30-31), the pairs of clamping arms (24) positioning the second layer (31) on the package (29) being formed.

Abstract: A device for grouping parallelepipedic bales of fodder produced by a bale press, comprising a chassis having a forward and rear end, adapted to be drawn by the bale press, supported on at least two wheels and provided with a drawbar on the forward end thereof, wherein the chassis includes a first, upper and a second, lower pair of retractable lateral slides, the first, upper pair of said slides being placed at a level substantially corresponding to the level of the output plane of the bale press, and the second, lower pair of said slides being placed below the first, upper pair of slides at a distance therefrom approximately corresponding to the thickness of a bale, so as to define an inner space in said chassis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing mat packets from panels of an adhesive material which adhesive material is covered with release layers. The panel of adhesive material is advanced sequentially through a feed device, a clamping device, a release layer removing device and a cutting device. The leading edge of the panel, with the release layers removed, extends freely beyond the clamping device toward the cutting device. The panel is advanced in increments corresponding to the length of the mat strip to be produced, and, when the panels are clamped by the clamping device, the panels with release layers removed are cut into mat strips, which are deposited on a transporting device in stacks of several on top of one another to form a mat packet.

Abstract: A plant for the automatic stacking and orderly arrangement of different sized panels. The plant causes the packs of panels coming from the dividing machine to reach a first transport runway, arranged either side by side or in end-to-end sequence depending upon their size and stacking requirements. Ranged on a line beside the runway are lifting platforms to which the packs are supplied and onto which are stacked packs of panels of the same size. The stacks are then transferred to stations adjacent the lifting platforms, where they are arranged in order either end to end or, if desired, side by side to form parallelepiped assemblies which are then transferred to a discharge station after being, optionally, arranged on a pallet or other support.

Abstract: A device for transferring objects, such as filled bags, from a conveyor to a collection device, such as a box, placed below the conveyor comprises two conveyor belts (1, 2) placed adjacent to each other. In the conveying position, the top parts of said conveyor belts together form one conveying face. Each of the conveyor belts (1, 2) is disposed on a tiltable frame (4). In order to make the drive of the conveyor belts (1, 2) extremely simple and to make it possible to adjust the conveyor belts at right angles to their direction of conveyance, the drive comprises a drive pulley (3) acting upon the top part of the belts (1, 2) in the conveying position thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the stacking and/or palleting of, in particular, thin products of a printing press operation, which is characterized by a gathering and depositing station rotatable about a vertical axis. The invention relates, further, to a process, preferably with use of the device, in which the products, for the formation of a preliminary stack, are rotated about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the products and thereupon gathered lying one upon another into the stack, which stack is transferred into a depositing shaft arranged vertically under the stack, turned back about this axis through at least the previous rotation, or through 90.degree., 180.degree., 270.degree. plus or minus the preliminary rotation and then deposited.

Abstract: Improved sticker placer apparatus is described. The apparatus includes plural, inclined sticker feed pockets for holding stickers simultaneously to be placed and vertically reciprocable placement arms, each being capable of displacing one sticker at a time from the mouth of the sticker pocket to a variable height of lumber indexed therebeneath, and each having a positive sticker capture device including a generally horizontal pivotable support arm for cradling the sticker thereabove, and a downwardly impinging pincer arm for urging the sticker downwardly throughout the placement cycle. Each placement arm further has plural stops for halting the descent of the arm when the top of the lumber is reached, a slider link mechanism providing dwell time between the arm's downstroke and upstroke and a spring-tensioned rocker arm operable during the dwell time to pivot the support arm out from under the sticker when the associated stops are reached.