The present application comprises a loading gantry with at least one carriage traversable on a horizontal guide rail, in particular for the transport of workpieces between stations of a production system. In accordance with the application the loading gantry includes a media station which in at least one position of the carriage releasably can be mechanically coupled with the same in order to produce at least one media connection between the media station and the carriage.

A pallet changing apparatus which adopts a table 4 that is able to move back and forth in relation to a turning shaft 1 and has a oscillating portion 41 for placing workpieces W, W by way of pallets P, P so as to oscillate freely by a rising portion 42 at the leading end of the table, and a bridging extending portion 31 which bridges a supporting portion of pallet P or P in a pallet changing arm 3 with both sides of the turning shaft 1 forming a shape of covering across the upper side of the rising portion 42 at a stage of the table 4 transferring pallet P.

A pallet changing apparatus adopting a table 4 capable of moving back from and forth for a side of a turning shaft 1 and having a oscillating portion 41 for placing workpieces W, W by means of pallets P, P so as to oscillate freely by an upright portion 42 at the leading end of the table 4, wherein the turning shaft 1 covers a turning supporting portion 11 at its lower end side and turns together with a pallet changing arm 3 and moves freely in a vertical direction, and an insertion and removal hollow space 20 is provided, at the covering region, and allows the upright portion 42 to be inserted into the insertion and removal hollow space 20 and removed from the insertion and removal hollow space 20.

A gantry loader having at least one carriage travelable at a horizontal guide rail, in particular for the transport of workpieces between stations of a production system, wherein the carriage has at least one drive. The present energy is characterized in that the carriage has an energy store for the at least partial energy supply of the drive.

A method and apparatus for delivering and retrieving workpieces to and from a machine table. This invention also relates to an apparatus for receiving at the machine table workpieces which are delivered to and retrieved by the delivery system. Carriers move along a conveyor without a loading arm rotating with respect to a supply table and also without the supply table rotating with respect to the loading arm. The receiver has pivot arms that act in a scissor-like manner to open and close an opening that lockingly engages a connector connected to a pallet.

A machining center includes a machine bed, a work table unit, a sliding unit, a first driving unit, a conveying member, a second driving unit and a loading seat. The machine bed has a machining zone and a transferring zone. The first driving unit is operable for driving the conveying member to move along a conveying axis which extends in a first direction, thereby driving the loading seat to move along first adjusting axes which extend in the first direction between the transferring and machining zones. The second driving unit is operable for driving the loading seat to move along second adjusting axes which extend in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and which is substantially vertical.

A pallet changing apparatus adopting a table 4 capable of moving back from and forth for a side of a turning shaft 1 and having an oscillating portion 41 for placing workpieces W, W by means of pallets P, P so as to oscillate freely by a rising portion 42 at the leading end of the table 4, wherein the turning shaft 1 covers a turning supporting portion 11 at its lower end side and turns together with a pallet changing arm 3 and moves freely in a vertical direction, and an insertion and removal hole 20 is provided, at the covering region, and allows the rising portion 42 to be inserted into the insertion and removal hole 20 and removed from the insertion and removal hole 20.

Methods for processing a vessel, for example to provide a gas barrier or lubricity, are disclosed. First and second PECVD or other vessel processing stations or devices and a vessel holder comprising a vessel port are provided. An opening of the vessel can be seated on the vessel port. The interior surface of the seated vessel can be processed via the vessel port by the first and second processing stations or devices. Vessel barrier and lubricity coatings and coated vessels, for example syringes and medical sample collection tubes are disclosed. A vessel processing system is also disclosed.

A pallet device which can prevent a hook fixed to a pallet from interfering with a workpiece or a tool for a machine tool. The pallet device includes a pallet including a pallet main body which clamps a workpiece, and a replacement hook movably provided in the pallet main body, the replacement hook being movable between a projection position at which the replacement hook projects outside the pallet main body and a retraction position to which the replacement hook is retracted from the projection position to the pallet main body, and a jig to and from which the pallet is attached and detached.

A pallet changing apparatus which adopts a table 4 that is able to move back and forth in relation to a turning shaft 1 and has a oscillating portion 41 for placing workpieces W, W by way of pallets P, P so as to oscillate freely by a rising portion 42 at the leading end of the table, and a bridging extending portion 31 which bridges a supporting portion of pallet P or P in a pallet changing arm 3 with both sides of the turning shaft 1 forming a shape of covering across the upper side of the rising portion 42 at a stage of the table 4 transferring pallet P.