A continuous mining machine trailing conveyor system providing a sandwich belt system that incorporates a set of hugging modalities to ensure that the sandwich belt system provides sufficient friction.

A tool for facilitating movement of an object having a channel may include a pair of device members movably connected to each other to move between an engagement condition in which the device members engage the channel and a disengagement condition in which the device disengage from the channel. The device members may be connected together in a manner such that movement of the handle ends of the device members toward each other results in movement of the engagement ends of the device members away from each other. The tool may include a primary grip structure on each device member and configured to engage a first set of opposite portions of the channel, and a secondary grip structure on each device members and configured to engage a second set opposite portions of the channel.

An apparatus for feeding bars to a machine tool includes a rotary drum provided with a plurality of guide units distributed circumferentially and extending parallel to a longitudinal axis, each guide unit having two parts that are reciprocally movable and openable, by a respective lever to receive a respective bar to be advanced to the machine tool. An actuator element is provided and configured to act directly on a specific lever to open the corresponding guide unit. A support assembly is provided for receiving and supporting a plurality of bars in a position adjacent to the drum. A loading unit includes a lifting device that is movable from a lower position to an upper position to pick up one or more bars from the support assembly and lift the bars to the upper position. The loading unit further includes a selector unit for selecting a single bar at a time when the lifting device is in the upper position to transfer the bar to a respective guide unit.

Implementations of an automated round tube loading machine are provided. In some implementations, the automated round tube loading machine comprises a tube pickup mechanism, a tube stacking mechanism, and a tube loading mechanism. In some implementations, the automated round tube loading machine may further comprise a front side conveyor, a back side conveyor, and/or a computer system. In some implementations, a method of operation of the automated round tube loading machine comprises the machine receiving, picking up, moving, dropping off, stacking, and loading a plurality of round tubes into a box.

A method of forming bundles of glass articles is provided. The method includes transporting individual glass articles to an insert building station using a conveying system. The glass articles are individually located within article receiving slots of a layer separation insert using the conveying system. Each slot of the layer separation insert receives a single glass article forming a glass article layer of side-by-side glass articles. Multiple glass article layers including layer separation inserts are stacked using the conveying system forming a bundle. The layer separation inserts provide a barrier between adjacent glass articles of each of the glass article layers to inhibit glass-to-glass contact.

Technologies are described for determining a loading arrangement for hollow circular pipes. Determining the loading arrangement can comprise determining an optimal telescopic arrangement for a plurality of hollow circular pipes. Determining the optimal telescopic arrangement can comprise determining a concentric telescopic arrangement and determining a radial telescopic arrangement. Groups of hollow circular pipes can be generated based on the concentric telescopic arrangement and the radial telescopic arrangement that specifies which of the hollow circular pipes will be arranged within each other concentrically and which of the hollow circular pipes will be arranged within each other radially. The loading arrangement can be determined that includes the optimal telescopic arrangement. The loading arrangement can also indicate how the groups of hollow circular pipes will be loaded into a container for shipment.

A continuous mining machine trailing conveyor system providing a sandwich belt system that incorporates a set of hugging modalities to ensure that the sandwich belt system provides sufficient friction.

Disclosed is a lifting device and related methods. The lifting device features a housing with at least two arms that each have engagement cams. The lifting device is placed over a tubular object and then the arms are pulled upwards until the engagement cams are in contact with the tubular object. Once in contact with the tubular object, the force from the arms creates a secure hold between the engagement cams and the object, whereby a user can lift the object and move it from one point to another safely and efficiently.

Technologies are described for determining a loading arrangement for hollow circular pipes. Determining the loading arrangement can comprise determining an optimal telescopic arrangement for a plurality of hollow circular pipes. Determining the optimal telescopic arrangement can comprise determining a concentric telescopic arrangement and determining a radial telescopic arrangement. Groups of hollow circular pipes can be generated based on the concentric telescopic arrangement and the radial telescopic arrangement that specifies which of the hollow circular pipes will be arranged within each other concentrically and which of the hollow circular pipes will be arranged within each other radially. The loading arrangement can be determined that includes the optimal telescopic arrangement. The loading arrangement can also indicate how the groups of hollow circular pipes will be loaded into a container for shipment.

An apparatus (10, 60) for storage of elongate elements, such as pipes, tubes and conduits. The apparatus (10, 60) includes a frame (12) that supports a plurality of trays (15, 63). The trays (15, 63) are arranged in two vertical columns of storage positions, except for the trays located at the top or bottom of the apparatus as they are moved about sprockets (71, 72) by a drive motor (73). Each tray (15, 63) is configured to support a plurality of elongate items. The trays (15, 63, which may embodied as cradles or racks, may be moved between a storage position and an access position, wherein in the access position, the elongate items can be accessed from substantially vertically above the tray (15, 63).