A ply sorting device is disclosed, comprising a picker and a buffer. The picker is arranged to pick planar plies of cut fiber material and move them to the buffer. The buffer comprises a plurality of substantially planar supports each arranged to receive phes from the picker and to support the plies in planar orientation. The planar supports are movably arranged relative to each other to receive the plies. In addition, a method of sorting plies of differing geometry is disclosed. Planar plies of cut fiber material are picked and moved to supports of a buffer where plies are received in a planar orientation, and supports are moved relative to each other to receive the plies.

Device for temporarily storing plate-shaped workpieces (W.sub.i) having a receiving magazine (1) for the plate-shaped workpieces (W.sub.i), which magazine is formed by storage compartments arranged one above the other, for which it is proposed that the storage compartments have storage surfaces (7) which can each be extended in a first horizontal direction into a storage region and in a second horizontal direction into a removal region and can be retracted into the receiving magazine (1), wherein a receiving device (2) with a receiver (6) for the plate-shaped workpieces (W.sub.i) is arranged in each case in the storage and removal region, which receiving device (2) is movable in the storage or removal region in a plane parallel to the storage surface (7) and in a direction perpendicular to the storage surface (7), and a control and storage unit (9) is provided for controlling the storage and removal movement of the receiver (6) and the movement of the storage surfaces (7) and for storing the storage location of plate-shaped workpieces (W.sub.i) on the storage surfaces (7).

An enclosure includes a furnace 1 and plates 7A to 7D arranged in the furnace 1 and used for placement of articles 5. Each of the plates 7A to 7D is movable vertically in the furnace 1. The enclosure further includes guide members 60A and 60B, each of which is disposed adjacent to a side of one plate of the plates 7A to 7D that is disposed at a loading/unloading position where the articles 5 are allowed to be loaded into or unloaded from the furnace 1. The guide members 60A and 60B guide the articles 5 and are rotatable with vertical movement of the plate.

Disclosed is an accumulation device, for accumulating products conveyed within an industrial treatment line, including a set of horizontal trays, arranged in a tray zone as a vertical stack, further including a manipulator, such as a robot, for transferring products between a substantially horizontal closed belt type conveyor and the uppermost tray of the bottom portion of the stack. The trays are movable in the vertical direction, at least in order to bring at a predetermined height the tray to be loaded or unloaded. Also disclosed is a corresponding conveying installation and method.

A ply sorting device is disclosed, comprising a picker and a buffer. The picker is arranged to pick planar plies of cut fiber material and move them to the buffer. The buffer comprises a plurality of substantially planar supports each arranged to receive plies from the picker and to support the plies in planar orientation. The planar supports are movably arranged relative to each other to receive the plies. In addition, a method of sorting plies of differing geometry is disclosed. Planar plies of cut fiber material are picked and moved to supports of a buffer where plies are received in a planar orientation, and supports are moved relative to each other to receive the plies.

A system of automated columns for a vertical warehouse having: a plurality of automated columns (10) integrally connected to a framed structure, the number of columns being always even, each of said plurality of automated columns having in turn a transmission member which rotates around an upper gear assembly and a lower gear assembly and a plurality of supports, supported by the transmission member, which translate from top to bottom and vice versa by the rotational movement of the transmission member, a pneumatic/electrical or mechanical drivea plurality of mechanical transmissions (130) in a number equal to the number of columnsthe pneumatic/electrical or mechanical drive and mechanical transmissions synchronize the upward or the downward movement of the plurality of supports that support corresponding components to be stored, andthe plurality of mechanical transmissions comprises a corresponding plurality of cardan joints.

A workpiece handling apparatus is configured to supply and discharge a workpiece to and from a first conveyor configured to convey the workpiece. The workpiece handling apparatus includes a storage, a conveyance device, and a workpiece transfer robot. In the storage, a case for the workpiece is storable. The conveyance device is configured to convey the case between the storage and a predetermined work position. The workpiece transfer robot is configured to transfer the workpiece between the case conveyed to the work position and the first conveyor.

Device for lifting an article from a roller conveyor having a fork that can be raised and lowered, and having a plurality of spaced-apart elongate tines which, in the lowered position, move with the tines between or below the rollers of the roller conveyor in order to lift one or a plurality of articles from the rollers as the fork is being raised into the raised position with the tines, where the tines form a carrier surface for the article and the tines can be expanded in the direction transverse to the longitudinal extension thereof in order to form an expanded carrier surface.

Disclosed is a system for processing confectionary product, the system includes a collecting device disposed in line with at least one upstream confectionary production station disposed upstream of the collecting device and at least one downstream confectionary production station disposed downstream of the collecting device. At least one conveying device is configured to convey the confectionary product from the at least one upstream confectionary production station to the collecting device, receive the confectionary product from the collecting device, and convey the confectionary product to the at least one downstream confectionary production station. The collecting device is configured to collect confectionary product from the conveying device while the at least one upstream confectionary station is operational and the at least one downstream confectionary production station is non-operational.

A workpiece handling apparatus is configured to supply and discharge a workpiece to and from a first conveyor configured to convey the workpiece. The workpiece handling apparatus includes a storage, a conveyance device, and a workpiece transfer robot. In the storage, a case for the workpiece is storable. The conveyance device is configured to convey the case between the storage and a predetermined work position. The workpiece transfer robot is configured to transfer the workpiece between the case conveyed to the work position and the first conveyor.