Disclosed herein is a belt assembly including a flexible belt with an improved belt attachment. The belt attachment includes two crossbars spaced along the length of the belt. The crossbars retain bearings that allow predetermined movement in six degrees of freedom. The crossbars are connected by a rigid body that attaches to the bearings. Implements that are attached to the rigid body are simply supported but restrained in pitching rotation.

A novel puck and cover assembly and method for retaining the contents of a container, such as a prescription bottle, during processing and order-filling operations. The puck and cover assembly allows access to the opening of a container when required to perform operations, and automatically returns to cover the opening of a container when operations are completed, to prevent loss of any container contents.

A conveying apparatus (1) for conveying food products, comprising: a conveyor (2) developing along a closed conveying path (3), said conveyor (2) comprising a first and second endless chain (4, 5) arranged parallel to each other: a plurality of containers (6) transversally mounted between said first and second endless chain (4, 5), each container (6) comprising: at least one cup-shaped receptacle (8) for a food product: a first pin (9) and a second pin (10) protruding respectively from opposite ends of the container (6); a plurality of pairs of supports (11, 12), each pair being formed by a first support (11) mounted on the first endless chain (4) and a second support (12) mounted on the second endless chain (5), each support (11, 12) having a bore (13) dimensioned and shaped for receiving one of said pins (9, 10), the first pin (9) and the second pin (10) of each container (6) being removably mounted within the bores (13) of one pair of supports (11, 12).

A conveying apparatus (1) for conveying food products, comprising: a conveyor (2) developing along a closed conveying path (3), said conveyor (2) comprising a first and second endless chain (4, 5) arranged parallel to each other: a plurality of containers (6) transversally mounted between said first and second endless chain (4, 5), each container (6) comprising: at least one cup-shaped receptacle (8) for a food product: a first pin (9) and a second pin (10) protruding respectively from opposite ends of the container (6); a plurality of pairs of supports (11, 12), each pair being formed by a first support (11) mounted on the first endless chain (4) and a second support (12) mounted on the second endless chain (5), each support (11, 12) having a bore (13) dimensioned and shaped for receiving one of said pins (9, 10), the first pin (9) and the second pin (10) of each container (6) being removably mounted within the bores (13) of one pair of supports (11, 12).

A conveying system for longitudinally transporting elongate items, including a circulating traction belt and a supporting structure for the circulating traction belt, wherein a plurality of supports are connected by means of at least one traction element to form the circulating traction belt, wherein each of the supports comprises an indentation for supporting the elongate item. Each of the supports is fastened at at least two spaced-apart fastening points to the at least one traction element and the circulating traction belt is mounted, at least in a conveying region of the conveying system, by rollers so as to be movable with respect to the supporting structure.

A conveying system for longitudinally transporting elongate items, including a circulating traction belt and a supporting structure for the circulating traction belt, wherein a plurality of supports are connected by means of at least one traction element to form the circulating traction belt, wherein each of the supports comprises an indentation for supporting the elongate item. Each of the supports is fastened at at least two spaced-apart fastening points to the at least one traction element and the circulating traction belt is mounted, at least in a conveying region of the conveying system, by rollers so as to be movable with respect to the supporting structure.

A seafloor haulage system (10), for lifting seafloor materials from the seafloor to the surface, that has a line member (150), preferably synthetic rope, that extends at least partially between the seafloor and the surface and a container (400), preferably a plurality of containers, capable of carrying a load connected to the line member (150). The containers have a steerable element (410), such as a rudder, that enables the container to manoeuvre as it is propelled, typically towed by the line member, through the water.

A seafloor haulage system (10), for lifting seafloor materials from the seafloor to the surface, that has a line member (150), preferably synthetic rope, that extends at least partially between the seafloor and the surface and a container (400), preferably a plurality of containers, capable of carrying a load connected to the line member (150). The containers have a steerable element (410), such as a rudder, that enables the container to manoeuvre as it is propelled, typically towed by the line member, through the water.

Bucket (1) for transporting and unloading products, comprising an opening at the top for receiving the products and a collapsible hinged lid (2) at the bottom of the bucket (1), the lid (2) being connected to actuation means (3 to 6) capable of moving the lid (2) between a closed and an open position for the unloading of the products by means of gravity. The lid (2) comprises at least a side support wall (2a) in motion with said lid (2) and positioned adjacent to an inner (1a) wall of the bucket (1), said support wall (2a) being intended to drive the products outward by means of friction during the opening motion of the lid (2), the lid (2) being actuated in a controlled manner by said actuation means (3 to 6) along its opening path and subsequent closing path.

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.