A product management system (100) includesa continuous first track (104), including a lug queuing section (108), a lug engagement section (110), and a product engagement section (112), each section being configured and adapted to effectuate specific lug movement steps, a continuous chain (116) partially following the track configured and adapted to actuate lugs (106) about at least a portion of the track, a series of lugs (106) moveably disposed along the track (104) configured for moving a product along the product engagement section of the track, a star wheel (120) disposed at the lug engagement section (110) of the track (104) configured for metering lugs (106) to engage the chain (116) from the queuing section (108) of the track (104) and to control a variable pitch between each of the lugs along the transferring chain, and a magnetism source (122) configured to direct the lugs (106) to the queuing section (108), and to the end of the queuing section (108).

A product management system (100) includesa continuous first track (104), including a lug queuing section (108), a lug engagement section (110), and a product engagement section (112), each section being configured and adapted to effectuate specific lug movement steps, a continuous chain (116) partially following the track configured and adapted to actuate lugs (106) about at least a portion of the track, a series of lugs (106) moveably disposed along the track (104) configured for moving a product along the product engagement section of the track, a star wheel (120) disposed at the lug engagement section (110) of the track (104) configured for metering lugs (106) to engage the chain (116) from the queuing section (108) of the track (104) and to control a variable pitch between each of the lugs along the transferring chain, and a magnetism source (122) configured to direct the lugs (106) to the queuing section (108), and to the end of the queuing section (108).

A sorting clip for a garment conveyor attaches to a drive chain below which is a hanger support on which a group of garment hangers is suspended from a frontmost to a rearmost hanger. The clip has an upper portion fixed to the drive chain and a lower portion attached to the upper portion by a pivotable connected biased in a first direction of increasing angular separation between the two portions. An underside of the lower portion has disassociation teeth and a capture hook that contact the frontmost hanger to successively engage and separate the frontmost hanger from the other hangers, after which disengagement of the teeth from the frontmost hanger allows for sufficient pivoting of the lower portion in said first direction that the hook engages and captures the frontmost hanger.

An appliance for charging transport pockets with a transport item includes a feed device that feeds the transport item into a transfer zone and a suspended conveying device with a plurality of transport pockets that are arranged one after the other for taking over the transport item in the transfer zone and conveying away the charged transport pockets. The transport pockets each form a receiving compartment for the transport item, and are connected to a conveying member of the suspended conveying device. The transport pockets are moved through the transfer zone in a lying formation in a transfer conveying direction, and the transport item, by way of the feed device, is conveyed into the transfer zone essentially in the transfer conveying direction of the transport pockets, and in a delivery region is delivered from above onto the transport pockets which are moved through the transfer zone below the feed device.

A transfer system is provided. The transfer system comprises a loading stage, configured to receive a product from a first movement system. The transfer system also comprises a gap stage, configured to receive the product from the loading stage and move the product at a speed. The speed is configured to separate the product from a subsequent product. The transfer system also comprises a detection stage, configured to identify the product by detecting a product identifier using a sensor. The transfer system also comprises a transfer system configured to move the product from through the loading stage, gap stage and detection stage to a second movement stage. The transfer system also comprises a controller configured to generate and send control signals to the transfer system and receive an identification of the product from the sensor.

An indexing or ratcheting conveyor configured to advance a load includes a frame defining the inlet end and the outlet end of the conveyor, a first device with a gravity rocking pushers and a powered member configured to advance the load in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end of the conveyor. The conveyor can also include a second device configured to move the load, disposed at the outlet end only, in a direction from the outlet end to the inlet end prior to discharge of the load outwardly from the outlet end. The conveyor can be used as a component of an oven configured to cook or bake dough in containers with electrical resistance.

An indexing or ratcheting conveyor configured to advance a load includes a frame defining the inlet end and the outlet end of the conveyor, a first device with a gravity rocking pushers and a powered member configured to advance the load in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end of the conveyor. The conveyor can also include a second device configured to move the load, disposed at the outlet end only, in a direction from the outlet end to the inlet end prior to discharge of the load outwardly from the outlet end. The conveyor can be used as a component of an oven configured to cook or bake dough in containers with electrical resistance.

A transportation system for production, packaging, filling, assembly and/or processing installation, comprising a carrier system having a conveying section and having a multiplicity of carrier elements, a first drive device, wherein the carrier elements have in each case one coupling mechanism by which the carrier elements are capable of being coupled to the first drive device for a movement along the conveying section, at least one second drive device, wherein the carrier elements can be coupled to the at least one second drive device by the coupling mechanism for a movement along the conveying section, and at least one switching mechanism that is positioned on the conveying section, wherein the coupling mechanisms of the carrier elements are capable of being coupled selectively to one of the drive devices by the at least one switching mechanism for a movement along the conveying section.

A transportation system for production, packaging, filling, assembly and/or processing installation, comprising a carrier system having a conveying section and having a multiplicity of carrier elements, a first drive device, wherein the carrier elements have in each case one coupling mechanism by which the carrier elements are capable of being coupled to the first drive device for a movement along the conveying section, at least one second drive device, wherein the carrier elements can be coupled to the at least one second drive device by the coupling mechanism for a movement along the conveying section, and at least one switching mechanism that is positioned on the conveying section, wherein the coupling mechanisms of the carrier elements are capable of being coupled selectively to one of the drive devices by the at least one switching mechanism for a movement along the conveying section.

A method involves conveying tissue logs in a saw conveyor. The conveyor has independent lane control cutting and variable conveyor flight length. In one aspect of the method a first tissue log is received in a lane of a conveyor. With a first log advancement member, the first tissue log is advanced in the lane of the conveyor for cutting with a tissue log saw. A second tissue log is received in the lane of the conveyor when the first tissue log has advanced sufficiently in the lane to accommodate the second tissue log in the lane. With a second log advancement member, the second tissue log is advanced in the lane of the conveyor for cutting with the tissue log saw independently of the step of advancing the first tissue log in the lane. The conveyor may also have multiple lanes.