The transfer device comprises a central structure (20) having at least one transport segment (S21, S22, S23) with drive means (30-1, 30-2, 30-3). The transport segment is intended to receive a carriage (C1, C2, C3) which is mounted so as to be movable with respect to the central structure in a direction of movement. Said carriage has a plate bearing a series of permanent magnets in the direction of movement. The drive means (30) comprise a worm (30-1, 30-2, 30-3) along the transport segment (S21, S22, S23), said worm comprising a ferromagnetic helical perimeter, being mounted so as to be rotatable about an axis parallel to said direction of movement, and being arranged such that the successive turns of the helical perimeter are adjacent to at least some of the permanent magnets of said series.

The transfer device comprises a central structure (20) having at least one transport segment (S21, S22, S23) with drive means (30-1, 30-2, 30-3). The transport segment is intended to receive a carriage (C1, C2, C3) which is mounted so as to be movable with respect to the central structure in a direction of movement. Said carriage has a plate bearing a series of permanent magnets in the direction of movement. The drive means (30) comprise a worm (30-1, 30-2, 30-3) along the transport segment (S21, S22, S23), said worm comprising a ferromagnetic helical perimeter, being mounted so as to be rotatable about an axis parallel to said direction of movement, and being arranged such that the successive turns of the helical perimeter are adjacent to at least some of the permanent magnets of said series.

An automated system for singulating items is provided. The automated system includes a singulation apparatus. The singulation apparatus includes multiple conveyor modules and a vertical frame structure. Each of the multiple conveyor modules has an identical physical structure. The vertical frame structure provides multiple horizontal mounting locations, each at a different height along the vertical frame structure. Each of the conveyor modules is mounted to a different one of the multiple horizontal mounting locations.

A device for applying coiling-tension to a slit band sheet includes an upper structure that is disposed on the upper side of a band sheet which has been passed through a slitter line and slitted; and a lower structure that is disposed on the lower side of the band sheet and faces the upper structure vertically. In addition, an upper belt is stretched on an outer peripheral surface of the upper structure. A lower belt is stretched on an outer peripheral surface of the lower structure. The upper structure has a first reversing portion, an upper pressing portion, and a second reversing portion. The first reversing portion and the upper pressing portion are integrated with each other. A tension adjusting mechanism is installed on side surfaces of the first reversing portion and the upper pressing portion and a side surface of the second reversing portion.

A conveyor load tracking method, including associating a designated load with a designated load data record associated with a designated load location record encompassing a first segment of the conveyor and designated load expected travel distances after associated conveyor travel. An unknown load is detected entering a second segment with a sensor outside of the designated load expected travel distances, and a new data record associated with the unknown load is created. The new data record is associated with a new location record encompassing the second segment and encompassing new expected load travel distances of the unknown load after associated conveyor travel. The sensor detects that the designated load is not present at the at a first expected travel distance, and in response the designated load data record is disassociated from the designated load location record, and paired with the new data record and its new location record.

A tensioning device for a chain driven jaw system in a package filling machine is disclosed. The chain driven jaw system has a fixed cam and a chain as a follower. The tensioning device comprises a chain tensioning element shaped and angled so to receive the chain on an outer surface thereof configured to be directed away from a center of the chain driven jaw system, wherein the chain tensioning element comprises a pivot connection, and wherein the chain tensioning element is configured to be integrated with the fixed cam at the pivot connection such that the chain tensioning element abuts the fixed cam at the pivot connection and can move to tension the chain. A chain driven jaw system and a related method is also disclosed.

A loading system for loading and unloading cargo compartments of trucks includes chain conveyors positioned parallel or substantially parallel to one another and such that standard pallets can be moved back and forth on the chain conveyors in a conveying direction. An autonomous conveyor vehicle is provided as a component of the loading system, and the chain conveyors are positioned at a height above a floor so that the conveyor vehicle with vertically movable pallet fork assemblies can be positioned below the chain conveyors.

A package handling arrangement and method for grouping packages filled with liquid food product includes a transportation belt that transports the packages in a downstream direction, a guide member arranged on one side of the transportation belt, a grouping arrangement that receives the packages from the transportation belt and groups a predetermined number of the packages together, and a retainer that is arranged on an opposite side of the transportation belt relative to the guide member. The retainer has a plurality of flexible elements angled relative to the transportation belt. Each flexible element is configured to flex to enable passage of a package in the downstream direction, and to retract from a flexed position after passage of the package, to prevent movement of the package in an upstream direction.

A method for transporting pairs of packs (100) comprising arranging a first pair of packs on a horizontal transport device (50), transporting the first pair of packs in a horizontal direction, arranging a second pair of packs on the horizontal transport device (50), therein, for each of the first pair and the second pair of the pair of packs, spacing a first pack of the pair of packs and a second pack of the pair of packs vertically from each other and further spacing the first pair of packs and the second pair of packs horizontally from each other on the horizontal transport device.

According to an embodiment, a conveyance apparatus includes an upstream-side conveyance portion and a downstream-side conveyance portion. The upstream-side conveyance portion is configured to convey a test object from a conveyance direction deviating with respect to a conveyance direction of a conveyance path of a radiation inspection apparatus to the conveyance path. The radiation inspection apparatus is configured to irradiate the test object with radiation to inspect the test object. The downstream-side conveyance portion is configured to convey the test object from the conveyance path in a conveyance direction deviating with respect to the conveyance direction of the conveyance path. The upstream-side conveyance portion and the downstream-side conveyance portion respectively include a shielding section that is on an extension line of the conveyance direction of the conveyance path and is configured to block the radiation.