A conveyer equipped with rotating discs rotatable around axes thereof relative to a mounting base. Each of the rotating discs has grooves in which rectangular wires are receivable. When an upstream and a downstream one of the rotating disc are arranged in a given angular relation to each other, one of the grooves of the upstream rotating disc is aligned with that of the downstream rotating disc to pass the rectangular wire from the upstream rotating disc to the downstream rotating disc. Upon such passing of the rectangular wire, the grooves of the upstream and downstream rotating discs hold or clamp all side surfaces of the rectangular wire, thereby ensuring the stability in retaining the rectangular wire when passed from one to another of the rotating discs, which enables the conveyer to carry the rectangular wires at high speeds.

A magnetic energy system including a pathway having inclined portions of the pathway contiguous with declined portions of the pathway and an object adapted to move on the pathway by descending a declined portion of the pathway under the influence of gravity and ascending the contiguous inclined portion of the pathway under the combined influence of kinetic energy and a magnetic flux field interaction with release of the object from the magnetic flux field interaction at a pathway height equal to or greater than the initial height of the object on the preceding declined portion of the pathway.

Heating systems utilizing radio frequency (RF) energy and methods for using the same to rapidly and uniformly heat packaged articles moving through the system on one or more convey lines. These systems may be useful for a variety of processes, including the pasteurization or sterilization of packaged foodstuffs.

Heating systems utilizing radio frequency (RF) energy and methods for using the same to rapidly and uniformly heat packaged articles moving through the system on one or more convey lines. These systems may be useful for a variety of processes, including the pasteurization or sterilization of packaged foodstuffs.

An apparatus for processing food products comprises a product conveyor having a frame and a conveyor unit for conveying products along a conveying direction, wherein the conveyor unit is arranged laterally projecting at the frame with respect to the conveying direction and comprises a work unit which is associated with the processing of the conveyed products and which is arranged at least partly beneath the projecting conveyor unit of the product conveyor. Provision is made that the frame of the product conveyor is supported or held at the work unit via a mechanical connection or extends into a free space defined by the work unit.

An apparatus for processing food products comprises a product conveyor having a frame and a conveyor unit for conveying products along a conveying direction, wherein the conveyor unit is arranged laterally projecting at the frame with respect to the conveying direction and comprises a work unit which is associated with the processing of the conveyed products and which is arranged at least partly beneath the projecting conveyor unit of the product conveyor. Provision is made that the frame of the product conveyor is supported or held at the work unit via a mechanical connection or extends into a free space defined by the work unit.

An area is set as an interference area, in which a transport vehicle is located in a state in which a portion of the transport vehicle overlaps a door trajectory which is a movement trajectory of a fire protection door. A control portion that controls a subject vehicle, which is a transport vehicle to be controlled, prohibits the whole subject vehicle from entering the interference area if it is determined, based on another-vehicle information, which is information of a traveling state of another vehicle that is different from the subject vehicle, and information regarding the interference area, that the interference area is present between the another vehicle located forward of the subject vehicle and the subject vehicle, and that a stoppable area is not secured between a rear end position of the another vehicle and the fire protection door.

An area is set as an interference area, in which a transport vehicle is located in a state in which a portion of the transport vehicle overlaps a door trajectory which is a movement trajectory of a fire protection door. A control portion that controls a subject vehicle, which is a transport vehicle to be controlled, prohibits the whole subject vehicle from entering the interference area if it is determined, based on another-vehicle information, which is information of a traveling state of another vehicle that is different from the subject vehicle, and information regarding the interference area, that the interference area is present between the another vehicle located forward of the subject vehicle and the subject vehicle, and that a stoppable area is not secured between a rear end position of the another vehicle and the fire protection door.

A control unit selectively executes a first control of, while the unmanned transport vehicle is holding the transport body on the holding section, receiving electric power from the second electrical energy storage device via the second power transmitting unit and the first power receiving unit and at least either charging the first electrical energy storage device or supplying electric power to the travel section and a second control of, while the unmanned transport vehicle is holding the transport body on the holding section, receiving electric power from the first electrical energy storage device via the first power transmitting unit and the second power receiving unit and charging the second electrical energy storage device.

A control unit selectively executes a first control of, while the unmanned transport vehicle is holding the transport body on the holding section, receiving electric power from the second electrical energy storage device via the second power transmitting unit and the first power receiving unit and at least either charging the first electrical energy storage device or supplying electric power to the travel section and a second control of, while the unmanned transport vehicle is holding the transport body on the holding section, receiving electric power from the first electrical energy storage device via the first power transmitting unit and the second power receiving unit and charging the second electrical energy storage device.