The invention relates to an auger feeder of concrete mix having a helical segment, which auger feeder has at least one insert (22), which is manufactured of material that is softer than that used for manufacturing the auger feeder's helical segment. One insert (22) is mounted on a downstream end of the auger feeder. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing an auger feeder, which method includes manufacture of a helical segment of the auger feeder, in which method at least one insert is manufactured from a material softer than that used for the auger feeder's helical segment. The insert (22) is to be mounted on a downstream end of the auger feeder of the casting of the auger feeder's helical segment.

A conveyor for buffering products includes a first helical conveyor having a first conveyor input and a first conveyor output and a second helical conveyor having a second conveyor input and a second conveyor output. The first conveyor output is coupled to the second conveyor input and the second conveyor output is coupled to the first conveyor input. A loading station and a discharging station are configured to load and discharge products to and from the conveyor. A single conveyor belt follows the helical tracks of the first and second helical conveyors.

A spiral conveyor belt system generally includes a rotatable cage, a first drive mechanism for rotating the cage about an axis in a first direction, an endless conveyor belt supported by the cage and a rotatable free wheel. The cage drives the conveyor belt along a helical path in a first direction and the rotatable free wheel rotates about an axis in a second direction opposite the first direction for guiding the endless conveyor belt from the cage along a return path and back to the cage. A second drive mechanism is preferably provided for rotating the free wheel.

Disclosed herein a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The conveying device may include a rotation part including a friction layer on a surface thereof, and formed to extend in one direction, and a track part formed to spirally surround an outer circumference of the rotation part and extending along a direction in which the rotation part extends, wherein the rotation part may rotate about a center axis and conveys a conveyed material being conveyed in the conveying device in the one direction using a frictional force of the friction layer, and the track part may support the conveyed material being conveyed in the one direction.

A conveyor includes a helical track and a conveyor belt which is drivable along the helical track. The helical track is provided with an inner rail and an outer rail surrounding the inner rail. The conveyor belt is provided with slats that are mounted to a flexible conveyor line, such as a side-bow chain. Each of the slats is provided with a guide roller having an axis of rotation including a vertical component, which guide roller is upwardly, downwardly and radially supported by the inner rail. Each of the slats is upwardly supported by the outer rail and movable in upward direction with respect to the outer rail. The upper contact location between the guide roller and the inner rail where the guide roller is radially supported lies above a line along which a resultant radial force of the conveyor line towards a centerline of the inner rail acts.

A thermal processing apparatus includes a conveyor belt for supporting work products during thermal processing that moves along a spiral path moving in a first direction arranged as a first tiered stack and then moves along a spiral path in a second direction arranged as a second tiered stack. A circulation system induces gaseous thermal processing medium from the tiers of the first and second spiral conveyor belt stacks and forces the thermal processing medium through a heat exchanger and then back to the tiers of the spiral conveyor belt stacks. The first tiered stack is divided into a first processing zone and a second processing zone, and the second tiered stack is divided into a third processing zone and fourth processing zone. A source of thermal processing medium is directed at the first processing zone to thermally treat the work product in the first zone by enhanced heat transfer. Optionally, a source of thermal processing medium is directed at the fourth processing zone to complete the thermally treatment the work product.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a spiral conveyer belt system. Embodiments of the system allow for a longer compressed pitch and improved engagement/disengagement interactions between a drum and an inner edge of a spiral conveyor belt while maintaining necessary product support and belt support strength. In part, the disclosures relate to a grooved, ribless cage bar cap, wherein grooves extend below an outer-facing surface of the cage bar cap and are configured to engage with a belt support rod inner-end or a belt-link tab. The bar cap groove may be straight (generally orthogonal to the outer-facing surface) or angled to better engage and drive the belt so the belt cannot slip forwards or outwards with respect to a drum outer boundary.

A spiral conveyor system with a positive drive system includes a rotating drum with at least one rib that is attached to drum. The rib includes a drive face for engaging a conveyor belt. The height of the rib above of the surface of the drum varies along a length of the drive element. The rib may be directly attached to the drum or may be a part of a drive element attached to the drum. The conveyor belt includes at least one belt surface configured to engage the at least one drive face, such as a protruding tab with a flat surface.

A spiral conveyor includes a mesh chain spirally wound around and rotate synchronously with an outer circumference of each rotary drums. The inner side of each chain link of the mesh chain close to the rotary drum is provided with a drive head extending towards a drum body of the rotary drum. The drive head is provided with a convex-arc edge and includes an arc slot provided on each of two sides or on a single side of the drive head. Driving poles are evenly distributed around the outer circumference of the rotary drum and engage with the drive heads of each layer. When the inner side of the mesh chain adapts to the perimeter of the outer side of the mesh chain, the drive head on the inner side of the mesh chain engages with the driving pole.

A production plant (22) for books (23) printed with digital technologies, comprising one or more forming stations (26) of book blocks (32), one or more cover binding machines (27) for assembling the book blocks with respective covers (33), an electronic center (29) and a plurality of spiral towers (39) for accommodating the book blocks of the forming stations and transfer them to the binding machines. The book blocks and the covers have respective book codes (34) and cover codes (36) uniquely associated with the respective books of a given working order. Each tower (39) includes a conveyor belt (42) that can be moved along a spiral path, a belt motorization group and an electronic control unit (44). The towers serve as a temporary storage for the blocks and capacity of movement between loading areas (49) adjacent to the forming station and unloading areas (50) adjacent to the binding machines. The electronic control units (44) pre-set the towers to store in an optimized way along the conveyor belt the book blocks from the forming stations, to supply the binding machines with the stored book blocks and to form and memorize databases identifying the stored book blocks. The electronic center (29) of the plant is interfaced with the electronic control units (44) of the towers and with the binding machines for a survey of the loading data and for a functional coupling of the loaded towers with the binding machines.