The invention provides a high speed sorting mechanism arranged to empty or discharge a container for carrying a load, e.g. totes in a luggage handling system. The sorting mechanism as a plurality of tilting elements T1-T11 for receiving and transporting the container in a transport direction. The tilting elements T1-T11 are arranged neighbouring each other, and they are individually tiltable by controllable tilting actuators, e.g. servo motors. Hereby, the tilting elements T1-T11 can tilt around an axis parallel with the transport direction. A computerized controller serves to individually control the tilting of the tilting elements T1-T11 with a control algorithm in response to at least one position signal such that a group of at least two tilting elements T1-T11 perform a coordinated tilting motion in response to the position signal so as to tilt the container for emptying or discharging its load, upon the container passing the sorting mechanism in the transport direction. A row of such as 10-20 identical tilting elements T1-T11 each with a length of such as 30-50% of the container or tote to be handled. The tilting elements T1-T11 are preferably stationary seen in the transport direction, and the container or tote is driven forward by friction drive means FB on each of the tilting elements T1-T11. Preferably, position sensors on or at each tilting element T1-T11 serve to provide input to the controller regarding position of the container or tote, thus enabling the control algorithm to generate control signals to control a tilting angle of each of the tilting elements T1-T11 accordingly to provide a forward propagating wave serving to smoothly support the container in a gradual combined tilting and forward motion.

A feeder (5) comprising: a feed device having: a material receiving end for receiving material; a material discharge end (11) distal of the material receiving end; an endless conveyor disposed to define a conveying surface (9) between the material receiving end and the discharge end (11) movable in use to cause material received at the material receiving end to be conveyed to the material discharge end (11), wherein the endless conveyor comprises a plurality of successively arrayed metal plates, pans or flights; a material flow monitoring device disposed in association with the feed device and adapted to obtain in use a measurement representative of a quantity of material passing along the conveying surface (9) of the endless conveyor; wherein the material flow monitoring device is adapted to obtain a measurement representative of a weight of material passing along the conveyor.

A sorting device comprises a support member for supporting and transporting an article. The support member is drivable in a conveying direction. The sorting device also comprises a loading station at which at least an article can be loaded to the support member, and an unloading station at which at least an article can be removed from the support member. The unloading station is provided with a plurality of receivers for receiving an article that is removed from the support member. The receivers are arranged transversely with respect to the conveying direction and disposed such that they are below the support member when the support member is at the unloading station. Furthermore, the sorting device comprises a controller for directing an article that is supported and transported by the support member to a selected one of the receivers.

An electronic apparatus production system is disclosed. The electronic apparatus production system comprises a transmission rail in the form of a substantially closed loop, a plurality of storage trays circulating on the transmission rail, each of the storage trays comprising a plurality of holding portions to hold a plurality of components with different shapes, an automatic distributor configured to mount the components with different shapes on respective holding portions, and an automatic assembler configured to grip the components on the storage tray.

A depositing device for depositing poultry from a pile of one or more stacked crates to a poultry conveyor. A tilting unit is configured for tilting the pile of one or more stacked crates around a tilt axis between a receiving position and a depositing position. A chute is tiltable between the receiving position and the depositing position independently to the tilting unit.

The present invention relates to a device for discharging mushrooms from a conveyor, comprising a mushroom conveyor, in particular a conveyor belt and/or an endless conveyor, for conveying the mushrooms in a direction of conveyance; wherein the mushroom conveyor has a surface for carrying the mushrooms; and the mushroom conveyor being guided along a trajectory from a charging location such as a picking location to a discharging location, such as a filling station for mushroom containers, as well as a twister, located at the discharging location, for at least locally twisting a plane in which the surface of the mushroom conveyor lies.

The invention provides a high speed sorting mechanism arranged to empty or discharge a container for carrying a load, e.g. totes in a luggage handling system. The sorting mechanism as a plurality of tilting elements T1-T11 for receiving and transporting the container in a transport direction. The tilting elements T1-T11 are arranged neighbouring each other, and they are individually tiltable by controllable tilting actuators, e.g. servo motors. Hereby, the tilting elements T1-T11 can tilt around an axis parallel with the transport direction. A computerized controller serves to individually control the tilting of the tilting elements T1-T11 with a control algorithm in response to at least one position signal such that a group of at least two tilting elements T1-T11 perform a coordinated tilting motion in response to the position signal so as to tilt the container for emptying or discharging its load, upon the container passing the sorting mechanism in the transport direction. A row of such as 10-20 identical tilting elements T1-T11 each with a length of such as 30-50% of the container or tote to be handled. The tilting elements T1-T11 are preferably stationary seen in the transport direction, and the container or tote is driven forward by friction drive means FB on each of the tilting elements T1-T11. Preferably, position sensors on or at each tilting element T1-T11 serve to provide input to the controller regarding position of the container or tote, thus enabling the control algorithm to generate control signals to control a tilting angle of each of the tilting elements T1-T11 accordingly to provide a forward propagating wave serving to smoothly support the container in a gradual combined tilting and forward motion.

The invention provides a sorting mechanism arranged to empty or discharge a container for carrying a load, e.g. totes in a luggage handling system. The sorting mechanism has a plurality of tilting elements T1-T11 for receiving and transporting the container in a transport direction. The tilting elements T1-T11 are arranged neighboring each other, and they are individually tiltable by controllable tilting actuators, e.g. servo motors. The tilting elements T1-T11 are controlled in response to at least one position signal such that a group of at least two tilting elements T1-T11 perform a coordinated tilting motion, when the container passes the sorting mechanism. Each tilting element T1-T11 has a length of 30-50% of the container. The tilting elements T1-T11 are stationary, and the container is driven forward by belts on each of the tilting elements T1-T11.

A drive device for a conveying carriage of a distributing conveyor, preferably, of a transverse-belt sorter, includes a drive source and a roller chain for transferring a drive force of the drive source to a drive means on which the conveying carriage can be attached. With regard to an improved service life of the roller chain and a simultaneous reduction of maintenance effort and the associated costs and system downtimes, the drive device includes a measuring and control unit for monitoring and influencing, as necessary, at least one operating state of the roller chain.

The invention relates to a conveying system comprising a plurality of conveying units comprising a chassis, a first and second roll-shaped rotating element (16, 18), a conveyor belt passed around the rotating elements (16, 18), which forms a supporting surface for a product, a first filler piece (20), wherein the first filler piece (20) is connected to the first rotating element (16) in such a way that the first filler piece (20) and the first rotating element (16) are jointly displaceable towards and away from the second rotating element (18), a second filler piece (22) which is fastened to the chassis between the first filler piece (20) and the second rotating element (18), and a removable spacer element (32) which, in use, is provided in a fitting manner between the first and second filler piece (20, 22), wherein a predetermined operating distance between the first and second rotating element (16, 18) is determined as a result of the placing of the spacer element (32) between the first and second filler piece (20, 22).