A soldering apparatus as a conveyance apparatus includes a substrate loading portion to load a substrate on the soldering apparatus, an intermittent feeding unit to intermittently feed the substrate loaded on the soldering apparatus, a substrate discharge portion to discharge the intermittently fed substrate to the outside of the soldering apparatus and a controller to control conveyance of the substrate. The substrate loading portion includes a first conveyance path to convey the substrate, a first sensor provided in the vicinity of a substrate loading inlet of the substrate loading portion, and a second sensor arranged in a downstream side of the first sensor along the substrate conveyance direction. The intermittent feeding unit includes a second conveyance path for conveying the substrate, and a third sensor placed in the vicinity of an upstream end of the intermittent feeding unit along the substrate conveyance direction.

An indexing or ratcheting conveyor configured to advance a load includes a frame defining the inlet end and the outlet end of the conveyor, a first device with a gravity rocking pushers and a powered member configured to advance the load in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end of the conveyor. The conveyor can also include a second device configured to move the load, disposed at the outlet end only, in a direction from the outlet end to the inlet end prior to discharge of the load outwardly from the outlet end. The conveyor can be used as a component of an oven configured to cook or bake dough in containers with electrical resistance.

An indexing or ratcheting conveyor configured to advance a load includes a frame defining the inlet end and the outlet end of the conveyor, a first device with a gravity rocking pushers and a powered member configured to advance the load in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end of the conveyor. The conveyor can also include a second device configured to move the load, disposed at the outlet end only, in a direction from the outlet end to the inlet end prior to discharge of the load outwardly from the outlet end. The conveyor can be used as a component of an oven configured to cook or bake dough in containers with electrical resistance.

A material processing system includes an oven that cooks or bakes, with electrical resistance, dough contained within containers. The oven can include a frame defining, devices mounted, in a preselected pattern, on the frame for a reciprocal movement in a vertical direction during use of the system, each device configured to connect voltage to a respective container so as to cook or bake the dough with the electrical resistance, and one or more powered members configured to move the devices in the vertical direction. Conveyors are also provided to convey a plurality of rows of containers with a plurality of containers in each row along a material conveyance path, the conveyors disposed in a series with each other and with the oven along the material conveyance path, one of the conveyors disposed within the oven so as to position a batch of the containers in an alignment with the devices.

A material processing system includes an oven that cooks or bakes, with electrical resistance, dough contained within containers. The oven can include a frame defining, devices mounted, in a preselected pattern, on the frame for a reciprocal movement in a vertical direction during use of the system, each device configured to connect voltage to a respective container so as to cook or bake the dough with the electrical resistance, and one or more powered members configured to move the devices in the vertical direction. Conveyors are also provided to convey a plurality of rows of containers with a plurality of containers in each row along a material conveyance path, the conveyors disposed in a series with each other and with the oven along the material conveyance path, one of the conveyors disposed within the oven so as to position a batch of the containers in an alignment with the devices.

Embodiments of a pusher device may include a frame, guide rails coupled to the frame, a carriage slideable along the guide rails, and a linear positioner coupled to the carriage and frame and operable to move the carriage along the guide rails. Two or more lugs may be mounted to the carriage and rotatable between a resting position, in which the forward ends of the lugs can contact the transverse supports of a tram above the carriage, and a lowered position in which the lugs can pass below the transverse supports. In the resting position, the longitudinal axis of each lug may be inclined from rear to front, such that the lugs contact the tram with the front end (as opposed to a longitudinal side) of the lugs. The lugs be generally triangular, trapezoidal, or concave polygonal in profile. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed herein.

Embodiments of a pusher device may include a frame, guide rails coupled to the frame, a carriage slideable along the guide rails, and a linear positioner coupled to the carriage and frame and operable to move the carriage along the guide rails. Two or more lugs may be mounted to the carriage and rotatable between a resting position, in which the forward ends of the lugs can contact the transverse supports of a tram above the carriage, and a lowered position in which the lugs can pass below the transverse supports. In the resting position, the longitudinal axis of each lug may be inclined from rear to front, such that the lugs contact the tram with the front end (as opposed to a longitudinal side) of the lugs. The lugs be generally triangular, trapezoidal, or concave polygonal in profile. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed herein.

Embodiments of a pusher device may include a frame, guide rails coupled to the frame, a carriage slideable along the guide rails, and a linear positioner coupled to the carriage and frame and operable to move the carriage along the guide rails. Two or more lugs may be mounted to the carriage and rotatable between a resting position, in which the forward ends of the lugs can contact the transverse supports of a tram above the carriage, and a lowered position in which the lugs can pass below the transverse supports. In the resting position, the longitudinal axis of each lug may be inclined from rear to front, such that the lugs contact the tram with the front end (as opposed to a longitudinal side) of the lugs. The lugs be generally triangular, trapezoidal, or concave polygonal in profile. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed herein.

Embodiments of a pusher device may include a frame, guide rails coupled to the frame, a carriage slideable along the guide rails, and a linear positioner coupled to the carriage and frame and operable to move the carriage along the guide rails. Two or more lugs may be mounted to the carriage and rotatable between a resting position, in which the forward ends of the lugs can contact the transverse supports of a tram above the carriage, and a lowered position in which the lugs can pass below the transverse supports. In the resting position, the longitudinal axis of each lug may be inclined from rear to front, such that the lugs contact the tram with the front end (as opposed to a longitudinal side) of the lugs. The lugs be generally triangular, trapezoidal, or concave polygonal in profile. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed herein.

Embodiments of a pusher device may include a frame, guide rails coupled to the frame, a carriage slideable along the guide rails, and a linear positioner coupled to the carriage and frame and operable to move the carriage along the guide rails. Two or more lugs may be mounted to the carriage and rotatable between a resting position, in which the forward ends of the lugs can contact the transverse supports of a tram above the carriage, and a lowered position in which the lugs can pass below the transverse supports. In the resting position, the longitudinal axis of each lug may be inclined from rear to front, such that the lugs contact the tram with the front end (as opposed to a longitudinal side) of the lugs. The lugs be generally triangular, trapezoidal, or concave polygonal in profile. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed herein.