The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes providing a first pipe having a first leading end and a first trailing end, providing a second pipe having a second leading end and a second trailing end, abutting at least a portion of the second leading end to at least a portion of the first trailing end to define a pipe abutment zone comprising a portion of the first pipe measured longitudinally from the first trailing end and a portion of the second pipe measured longitudinally from the second leading end, conveying the first and second pipe past an inspection device, inspecting by the inspection device a first portion of the pipe abutment zone and a second portion of the pipe abutment zone, and providing defect data that describes defects detected within the first portion and the second portion.

A system is provided. The system includes a conveyor apparatus configured for conveying a material and a water content measurement system positioned about the conveyor apparatus for determining water content in the material. A dimension characteristic measurement system for detecting one or more dimension characteristics of the material is provided and a computer device is configured to manipulate data received from the water content measurement system and the dimension characteristic measurement system to determine a water content of the material.

The invention relates to an overhead conveyor system (1a . . . 1d) with hanging bags (2, 2a . . . 2d), which are adjustable between a transport position and a loading position and which are designed for transporting articles (4, 4a . . . 4i), with a loading station (5a . . . 5d), at which a hanging bag (2, 2a . . . 2d) can be loaded with an article (4, 4a . . . 4i), and with an overhead conveying device (6, 6a . . . 6d) for transporting a hanging bag (2, 2a . . . 2d) into the loading station (5a . . . 5d) and for transporting the hanging bag (2, 2a . . . 2d) out of the loading station (5a . . . 5d). The overhead conveyor system (1a . . . 1d) further comprises a measuring device (11a . . . 11d), by means of which an expansion (a) of the bag body (3) in a transport direction of the loaded hanging bag (2, 2a . . . 2d) is determined in the transport position of the bag body (3). Moreover, the invention relates to a method for operating such an overhead conveyor system (1a . . . 1d).

An order picking system includes an automatic guided trolley for picking objects for an order in at least one shelving and having at least two running wheels and gear wheel supports cooperating with two pairs of uprights so as to allow the trolley to rise along the uprights. A stretched roller chain is fixed on each of the uprights, the chain extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the upright to which it is fixed to receive a tooth of the gear wheel cooperating with the upright to which it is fixed. Two adjacent rollers of the chain are spaced apart by the pitch value of the gear wheel. Each movable support has a securing element with one of the four uprights to maintain a predetermined distance between the axis of the gear wheel mounted on the movable support and the chain receiving the teeth of the gear wheel.

Disclosed is an apparatus including a frame configured to support a conveyor system having a conveyor belt. The apparatus can include a carriage configured to support a conveyor tension roller, the carriage being fastened to the frame to allow the carriage to be transitioned to and from an engaging position and a disengaging position. The engaging position can be a position at which the conveyor tension roller will contact with the conveyor belt when installed, and the disengaging position can be a position at which the conveyor tension roller will not making contact with the conveyor belt when installed.

A method of printing a tag and attaching the tag to a bag for printing, severing and feeding non-curled tags to sewing machines. The method of printing a tag and attaching the tag to a bag comprising providing a control unit, a bag conveyor, a bag switch, a printer unit, a chute, a chute sensor, and a feeder assembly; printing and severing a tag in the printer unit; dispensing the tag into the chute to prevent the tag from curling and jamming; and feeding the tag to a sewing machine whereupon the tag is attached to a bag.

A processing system including a singulation system is disclosed. The singulation system includes a conveying system for moving objects to be processed from a source area along a first direction, a detection system for detecting objects at the conveying system, and for selecting certain selected objects for redistribution on the conveying system, and a movement redistribution system for redistributing the certain selected objects on the conveying system for providing a singulated stream of objects.

A picking device for storing bottles and a corresponding method are provided. The picking device includes a plurality of storage locations for bottles, an operating device having a gripper, at least one storing device, at least one identification device and an unloading device. The storage locations have storage location receptacles and the storing device has at least one storing receptacle for bottles, wherein the storage location receptacles and the storing receptacle are configured such that the bottles are held therein in such a way that they are protected against rolling. The gripper includes a gripping member configured such that the bottles are movable from the storing receptacles and storage location receptacles by being lifted by the gripping member or by being pulled to a holding area of the gripper.

A conveyor system conveying packages with controlled gaps or pitches to a processing station and a method for controlling the speed of an infeed conveyor to supply packages to the processing station with maximized throughput. The conveyor system comprises the infeed conveyor followed by a separation conveyor, a gapping conveyor, and a processing conveyor delivering packages to the processing station. The length of a string of packages and interpackage gaps is measured on the separation conveyor and compared to the length of a string of packages on the processing conveyor. If the string length on the processing conveyor exceeds the string length on the separation conveyor, a programmed controller adjusts the infeed speed down. If the string length on the separation conveyor exceeds the string length on the processing conveyor, the controller adjusts the infeed speed up.

A conveyor module includes an elongate frame to which a looped conveyor track is mounted. The frame includes first and second end housings which include end pulleys for the conveyor track. The frame also includes a drive housing located at a mid-portion thereof which houses the drive motor for the conveyor track. The conveyor module is a discrete independently driven unit with an upper portion (running surface) of the conveyor track in a planar orientation for conveying items thereon in use. The conveyor module can include additional smart features. A warehouse floor arrangement uses a plurality of side by side conveyor modules being identical and grouped into banks.