A scalable vertical conveyor cyclically carries planters (i.e. trays) in a closed path through a sub-floor dark zone and an above floor illuminated zone. A dark zone, formed below a floor, provides a dark region that simulates nighttime. The rate of travel simulates a growing day, such as, but not limited to a 24 hour growing day. One or more lighting, irrigation and fertigation elements are provided in the illuminated zone. Optionally, the portion of the conveyor in the dark and illuminated zones are adjustable.

A cart-type transporting device includes left and right auxiliary rotating bodies moving in conjunction with left and right turning-section toothed wheels that guide a first endless chain; and a turning pathway section that protrudes at a position between the auxiliary rotating bodies, and that is provided with a lower protruding cam over which a transporting cart can pass. Left and right front-side projection shafts of the transporting cart engage with an engagement section of the respective auxiliary rotating bodies. Left and right rear-side projection shafts engage with an engagement section of the first endless chain. When the projection shafts are picked up by the rotation of the turning-section toothed wheels and the auxiliary rotating bodies, the lower protruding cam supports and guides a cam-following roller at a bottom section of the transporting cart in accordance with the same rotating pathway as the engagement section.

A production line comprises one or more assembling stations and at least one module for carrying containers for supplying to the assembling stations parts which are necessary during the execution of a working cycle. In one example, the module includes a paternoster conveying system including a plurality of drawings for containing the parts. The module includes two endless lateral chains and two lateral guide rails engaged with each drawer. The paternoster system and guide rails selectively position the drawers to downwardly angularly rotate toward the workstation when facing the workstation to increase ergonomic access to the parts for the assembling station operator.

Systems and methods for sensing a train position of a train with no internal drive operating in an automated train system are provided. According to one embodiment, a train system comprises a track extending in a travel direction, a plurality of cars riding on the track and connected to form a train, a position sensing unit, and a programmable logic controller (PLC) in signal communication with the position sensing unit and configured to determine a train position based on inputs therefrom.

The present invention generally relates to a rail transport system having no internal drive, and in particular to an improved rail transport system for conveying bulk materials. The rail transport system includes horizontal and vertical drive stations that include a drive tire that rotates on a plane parallel to the track. In this arrangement, force is applied on a different plane than earlier systems, and the reaction force is separated out of the tensioning device. The improvements of the drive stations provide for a reduction of steel used in the system, improved manufacturability and, therefore, reduction in system component costs as compared to previous drive stations. Moreover, the drive stations allow for improved maintainability and access to the drive tires.

A cart-type transporting device has a first endless chain and a second endless chain that move in conjunction with and parallel to one another in a lifting/lowering pathway section, and the first and second endless chains have engaging parts. A transporting cart has engaged parts that engage with the engaging parts of the first endless chain in a horizontal pathway section In the first endless chain, the engaging parts are provided at regular intervals, and the engaging parts of the first endless chain and the engaged parts of the transporting cart are detachably fitted together such that the transporting cart can be attached/detached in the vertical direction in the horizontal pathway section.

The present invention generally relates to a rail transport system having no internal drive, and in particular to an improved rail transport system for conveying bulk materials. The rail transport system includes improvements in functionality, manufacturability and/or modularity and, therefore, can result in a reduction in system component costs, manpower and/or implementation. The rail transport system includes a dump loop and components thereof for enabling unloading of the rail cars in a predetermined location. The components thereof may be designed to be modular to allow for ease of manufacture and installation of the dump loop. The components may be prefabricated for later use on site.

A transport system designed to transport buckets in a combination weighing machine that uses two endless chain drives horizontally offset at a distance A, the system comprising carriages to carry the buckets which extend between, and are joined to, the chains such that the simultaneous and coordinated motion of the chains moves the carriages along a closed path with curved sections, the system comprising control gears for the inclination of the carriages on the curved sections of the path, which comprise castor wheels actuated in a coordinated fashion with the chains around both turn axes n, at least one of which placed in the vicinity of each curved section linking the carriages and prepared to mesh with contact elements arranged for such purposes on the carriages.

A vertical circulating conveyor includes a lowering path part (3) and a raising path part (4) that connect end portions of a conveyance path part (1) and a return path part (2) vertically positioned in a linear arrangement. The lowering path part (3) includes front wheel lowering guide rails (8A) to guide front wheels (F) of a transport vehicle (5) and rear wheel lowering guide rails (8B) to guide rear wheels (R) of the transport vehicle (5). The transport vehicle (5) is moved in the lowering path part (3) by falling under its own weight in almost the horizontal state in a powerless manner while the front wheels (F) of the transport vehicle (5) are guided by the front wheel lowering guide rails (8A) and the rear wheels (R) of the transport vehicle (5) are guided by the rear wheel lowering guide rails (8B).

A carrier basket support and stabilizing system having cars configured to travel along a pathway, at least some support groups including three of the cars, and each support group of three of the cars includes a lead, center, and trailing car, and a carrier basket support is connected to the center car. The carrier basket support includes a center plate and a support post connected to the center car and first and second wing plates located on opposite sides of and pivotally connected to the center plate. The lead and trailing cars slidably support the respective wing plates there-against as the cars pivot while moving along the pathway. A carrier basket is pivotally connected to the support post and has rollers configured for rolling contact with the center, first, and/or the second wing plates, depending on an orientation of the carrier basket support.