A conveyor system including a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path, and a plurality of automated conveyor carriers supported on the rail. Each carrier includes an on-board motor and electrical power source selectively powering the motor to drive the carrier along the rail. Each of the plurality of ACCs operates to power the on-board motor from the on-board electrical power source under the direction of instructions programmed to a local controller on the respective ACC. Wherein each of the local controllers of the respective ACCs is programmed to carry out independent power level management for its own on-board electrical power source and configured to selectively operate an adaptive low power indicator to communicate a low power status based only in part on the power level of the on-board electrical power source and further based on one or more parameters of a current work cycle.

A connection adapter for a connection of profile segments of a rail profile in a conveying device for conveying hanging objects. The connection adapter has, on its inside, a running surface for the mounting of holding adapters mounted such as on rollers, where the running surface is disposed in an inclined manner with respect to a profile extension direction of the connection adapter in such a way that a cross-section of an inner space of the connection adapter, which is defined by the running surface, is larger at a first end face of the connection adapter than at a second end face of the connection adapter.

A method of leveling a parked freight trailer at a loading dock, the method comprising: (a) positioning a portable stabilizing device at least partially underneath a forward portion of the parked freight trailer; (b) positioning a lift associated with the portable stabilizing device to bear weight of the forward portion of the parked freight trailer; (c) reorienting the parked freight trailer so a floor of the parked freight trailer goes from a substantially non-parallel orientation to an approximately parallel orientation with respect to a floor of the loading dock by repositioning at least one of the jack and a landing gear of the parked freight trailer; and, (e) maintaining the lift in a weight bearing position while goods are at least one of unloaded from or loaded onto the parked freight trailer.

A loading station (10) for loading automatically a primary load carrier (36) of an overhead conveyor (18) with a secondary load carrier (38) for hanging goods, comprising: an accumulation line (12), wherein the accumulation line is configured to accumulate primary load carriers, which are movable along the accumulation line, in the conveying direction one behind the other; a separating device (18), which is arranged laterally to the accumulation line, comprising: first and second stopping elements (68) being respectively supported transversally to the accumulation line in a movable manner, wherein each of the stopping elements, in its stopping position, is moved into a conveying path of the primary load carriers, and, in its release position, is moved out of the conveying path; and a switch (76); a control unit (40); a feeding device (16) arranged laterally to the accumulation line, and configured to guide a hanger-shaped head portion of the secondary load carriers through a transport opening in the primary load carrier for loading the primary load carriers, when the primary load carrier is located in a loading position; wherein the switch is arranged oppositely to the feeding device so that the primary load carrier is located in the loading position between the switch and the feeding device.

A load lifting device for lifting a load. The load lifting device includes a primary plate, a lifting attachment that receives a hook of an overhead suspender, and a clamping system that can clamp a load onto the lifting device between two jaws. The clamping system can have a coarse adjustment and a fine adjustment. The coarse adjustment selectively connects a jaw to the primary plate at a plurality of discrete connection points, and the fine adjustment mechanism selectively moves a contact point of the first jaw toward a first end portion of the load. A method for lifting a load includes positioning the load lifting device horizontally above a load, clamping the load with a clamping system, and imparting a vertical force on an end portion of the load lifting device to rotate it from horizontal to vertical.

A load lifting device for lifting a load. The load lifting device includes a primary plate, a lifting attachment that receives a hook of an overhead suspender, and a clamping system that can clamp a load onto the lifting device between two jaws. The clamping system can have a coarse adjustment and a fine adjustment. The coarse adjustment selectively connects a jaw to the primary plate at a plurality of discrete connection points, and the fine adjustment mechanism selectively moves a contact point of the first jaw toward a first end portion of the load. A method for lifting a load includes positioning the load lifting device horizontally above a load, clamping the load with a clamping system, and imparting a vertical force on an end portion of the load lifting device to rotate it from horizontal to vertical.

A conveyorized industrial system includes at least one work station including a heated oven chamber. A fixed, non-powered rail defines a conveyor path including an oven zone in which the rail extends through or over the heated oven chamber. An automated conveyor carrier (ACC) is suspended from the rail by a self-driving trolley having an on-board motor for driving the ACC along the rail, and by at least one additional free-rolling trolley. The ACC further comprises an enclosure containing one or both of an inverter and a battery, the enclosure having a wall defining an interior space of the enclosure. A heat protection system is provided in addition to the wall, the heat protection system operating to limit an internal temperature of the enclosure during transport along the oven zone.

A packaging sizer can receive and segment packaging into two or more segments. The packaging sizer can receive the packaging on a conveyance surface and convey the packaging to a position for segmenting. A segmenting assembly can segment the packaging to form two or more segments. The resulting segments can be directed in different directions for different purposes. For example, one or more of the segments can be removed from the packaging sizer and one or more segments can be moved to a position for manipulation by a packaging manipulator.

A method of operating a conveyor system includes providing a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path, the rail supporting first and second consecutive automated conveyor carriers (ACC), each of which includes a motor-powered self-driving trolley. First and second loads are suspended from the first and second ACCs. The first and second ACCs are driven independently along the rail by executing instructions from independent on-board controllers of the first and second ACCs, wherein a first spacing between the first and second ACCs is maintained through a first section of the rail. The first ACC is accelerated away from the second ACC to increase the spacing from the first spacing to a second spacing for navigating a second section of the rail, the second section being a curved section.

An apparatus may move a carriage along a rail. The apparatus may include a frame and one or more sets of teeth. A shuttle may translate with respect to the frame. The shuttle may engage with the carriage to translate the carriage in a first direction. The teeth may extend into a carriage recess of the frame. The teeth may allow the carriage to translate within the carriage recess in the first direction. The teeth may inhibit the translation of the carriage within the carriage recess in a second direction.