A tower closing apparatus is provided that is configured to simplify the closing of a multi-piece, hinged hydroponic tower. The hydroponic tower closing apparatus utilizes a collection of static and continuously moving components (e.g., motor driven drive rollers, alignment rollers, tower body alignment rollers, face plate manipulation rollers, face closing rollers, etc.) to close a hydroponic tower as it passes through the apparatus. In particular, as the tower is driven through the closing apparatus, a series of face plate manipulation rollers gradually rotate the face plate(s) relative to the tower body, moving the face plate(s) from a fully open position to a partially closed position. Next a series of face closing rollers continue to rotate the face plate(s) from the partially closed position to the fully closed position, forcing the fasteners to latch the face plate(s) into position.

An article accumulating apparatus that uses a robot to transfer to a predetermined location and accumulate an article conveyed thereto is disclosed. The article accumulating apparatus includes a conveyance unit, an accumulation unit, and a discharge unit. The conveyance unit is configured to convey the article. The accumulation unit is disposed in series with the conveyance unit and is configured to accumulate the article. The discharge unit is configured to discharge the article in the conveyance unit to an area outside the accumulation unit. The discharge unit is disposed in a robot movable range that is a range in which the robot holds and transfers the article to the accumulation unit.

A curved conveyor in a horizontal curved path section of a conveying path has an inner idler wheel array arranged to the inside of the horizontal curved path section with respect to an arc-shaped center line that passes through the center of the path width of the horizontal curved path section, and an outer driving wheel array arranged to the outside of the horizontal curved path section with respect to the arc-shaped center line, wherein the distance from the arc-shaped center line to the outer driving wheel array is smaller than the distance from the arc-shaped center line to the inner idler wheel array.

A turning driving device includes a directional motor, and a wheel hub motor module and a driving device disposed above and below the directional motor, respectively. The directional motor includes a rotation shaft, and the wheel hub motor module includes a fixing frame, and a roller rotatable about a horizontal fixed axle. The fixing frame is mounted with the fixed axle, and the rotation shaft is combined with a bottom of the fixing frame. The driving device includes a control module electrically connected to the directional motor and the wheel hub motor module. When the control module outputs and transmits a control signal to the directional motor and the wheel hub motor module, the rotation shaft drives the fixing frame to horizontally turn to a preset angular position, and the roller is driven to vertically rotate to drive the article to move toward a predetermined direction.

The specification discloses a nonferrous extrusion system and process providing improved transfer of extrusions from the runout table to the cooling table. The runout table includes interleaved runout rollers and transfer rollers that are vertically shiftable with respect to one another. The transfer rollers additionally are horizontally shiftable between the runout table and the cooling table. The runout table receives extrusions in a longitudinal direction. The vertical and horizontal shifting of the rollers is controlled to transfer the extrusions from the runout table to the cooling table.

In a method for treating objects, the objects are transported through a basin by a transporting device. Treatment solution is introduced into the basin by way of at least one feeding device, which is provided with upwardly directed outlet openings. The treatment solution is sprayed upwards by the upwardly directed outlet openings to form jets of treatment solution. The objects are transported through the basin over the upwardly directed outlet openings and a downwardly facing surface of the objects is brought into contact with the jets of treatment solution during the transport of the objects through the basin. There is also described a treatment apparatus for carrying out such a method.

In a method for treating objects, the objects are transported through a basin by a transporting device. Treatment solution is introduced into the basin by way of at least one feeding device, which is provided with upwardly directed outlet openings. The treatment solution is sprayed upwards by the upwardly directed outlet openings to form jets of treatment solution. The objects are transported through the basin over the upwardly directed outlet openings and a downwardly facing surface of the objects is brought into contact with the jets of treatment solution during the transport of the objects through the basin. There is also described a treatment apparatus for carrying out such a method.

A cargo handling system includes a conveyance surface; a first power drive unit having a first drive roller; a first restraint device; one or more sensors configured to provide positional data corresponding to a current location of a unit load device on the conveyance surface; a first power drive unit controller configured for communication with the one or more sensors, the first power drive unit configured to selectively activate and deactivate the first drive roller and the first restraint device based on the positional data and a second power drive unit and a second power drive unit controller configured for communication with the sensor, the second power drive unit controller configured to selectively activate and deactivate a second drive roller based on the positional data.

Various embodiments are directed to a diverter apparatus and method of using the same. In various embodiments, the diverter apparatus is configured to selectively direct an exemplary object traveling along a conveyor travel path to one of a plurality of adjacent conveyor locations. In various embodiments, the diverter apparatus may comprise a diverter conveyor surface, a cam follower, and a cam comprising a rotational range of motion about a cam shaft axis, the cam being physically engaged with the cam follower. Various embodiments are directed to a diverter apparatus configured to utilize a plurality of forces generated by the rotational motion of the cam to facilitate the transition of the directional configuration of the diverter conveyor surface from the first directional configuration to the second directional configuration, and, subsequently, from the second directional configuration back to the first directional configuration, again using the rotational motion of the cam.

Various embodiments are directed to a diverter apparatus and method of using the same. In various embodiments, the diverter apparatus is configured to selectively direct an exemplary object traveling along a conveyor travel path to one of a plurality of adjacent conveyor locations. In various embodiments, the diverter apparatus may comprise a diverter conveyor surface, a cam follower, and a cam comprising a rotational range of motion about a cam shaft axis, the cam being physically engaged with the cam follower. Various embodiments are directed to a diverter apparatus configured to utilize a plurality of forces generated by the rotational motion of the cam to facilitate the transition of the directional configuration of the diverter conveyor surface from the first directional configuration to the second directional configuration, and, subsequently, from the second directional configuration back to the first directional configuration, again using the rotational motion of the cam.