A roller conveyor having a bed of rollers supported by air bearings and driven by a linear-motor stator. The rollers are made of electrically conductive or magnetic material to operate as rotors forming linear motors with the linear stator. Air bearings support the ends of the rollers. Intermediate air bearings support the middle of long rollers in wide conveyors.

A roller conveyor having a bed of rollers supported by air bearings and driven by a linear-motor stator. The rollers are made of electrically conductive or magnetic material to operate as rotors forming linear motors with the linear stator. Air bearings support the ends of the rollers. Intermediate air bearings support the middle of long rollers in wide conveyors.

A roller system has a frame, a plurality of rollers (supported by the frame) forming a roller plane, and an external rotor motor (motor) spaced from the roller plane. As an external rotor motor, the motor has a stator and an external rotor radially outward of the stator to substantially circumscribe the stator. To kinetically couple the motor with the rollers, the system also has a transmission coupling coupled with the external rotor and at least one of the rollers. The transmission coupling and external rotor are configured so that rotation of the external rotor causes the at least one roller to rotate in response to a torque received through the transmission coupling.

A roller system has a frame, a plurality of rollers (supported by the frame) forming a roller plane, and an external rotor motor (motor) spaced from the roller plane. As an external rotor motor, the motor has a stator and an external rotor radially outward of the stator to substantially circumscribe the stator. To kinetically couple the motor with the rollers, the system also has a transmission coupling coupled with the external rotor and at least one of the rollers. The transmission coupling and external rotor are configured so that rotation of the external rotor causes the at least one roller to rotate in response to a torque received through the transmission coupling.

A roller conveyor having a bed of rollers supported by air bearings and driven by a linear-motor stator. The rollers are made of electrically conductive or magnetic material to operate as rotors forming linear motors with the linear stator. Air bearings support the ends of the rollers. Intermediate air bearings support the middle of long rollers in wide conveyors.

A roller conveyor having a bed of rollers supported by air bearings and driven by a linear-motor stator. The rollers are made of electrically conductive or magnetic material to operate as rotors forming linear motors with the linear stator. Air bearings support the ends of the rollers. Intermediate air bearings support the middle of long rollers in wide conveyors.

An opening for allowing an object of paying of respects to be moved therethrough is formed in a wall. An inside support position for an object of paying of respects to be supported at is set at a position that is in the internal area and across from the opening and in a range over which the transport device is capable of moving an object of paying of respects. A support portion configured to support an object of paying of respects is also configured to be moved, through the opening, between the inside support position and an outside support position for an object of paying of respects to be supported at such that at least a portion of the object of paying of respects is located outside the internal area.

An opening for allowing an object of paying of respects to be moved therethrough is formed in a wall. An inside support position for an object of paying of respects to be supported at is set at a position that is in the internal area and across from the opening and in a range over which the transport device is capable of moving an object of paying of respects. A support portion configured to support an object of paying of respects is also configured to be moved, through the opening, between the inside support position and an outside support position for an object of paying of respects to be supported at such that at least a portion of the object of paying of respects is located outside the internal area.

A tire may comprise a hub and a plurality of discrete traction elements coupled to the hub. Each of the traction elements may comprise a backing plate and an elastomeric material bonded to the backing plate. Circumferentially adjacent traction elements may axially overlap.

Various apparatus embodiments include first, second, third and fourth shafts, and further include a first movable shaft having a first movable axis that is movable between a first axis position and a second axis position, and a second movable shaft having a second movable axis that is movable between a third axis position and fourth axis position. At least one linkage connects the first movable shaft to the second movable shaft. A motor linkage connects the at least one linkage to at least one motor for providing simultaneous movement of the first and second movable shafts.