Systems and methods are provided for conveyor operation and maintenance that employ one or both of a “smart shoe” technology where one or more conveyor shoes incorporate features, such as an RFID tag, and a “missing pin detection” technology where one or more pin components of conveyor shoes incorporate features, such as an RFID tag, allowing selective wireless tracking and identification capability. A conveyor system comprises a shoe management system allowing interactions directly with one or more RFID readers, which can detect, store and/or monitor information associated with “smart shoe” and/or “missing pin detection” RFID tags, where interface between this application and the reader can be implemented via a socket interface. System and method also or optionally provide for unique slat installation and removal.

An apparatus for loading live turkeys from a barn floor to cages on a transport trailer. A continuous motorized drive chain moves attached, solid sheets that are loaded with turkeys from the barn floor into the cage, and then back to the loading position. The drive chain is looped around first and second sprockets. Each rectangular sheet is rotationally connected at two of its corners to the drive chain forming a fixed end and a loose end. When the drive chain rounds the barn end, the loose end of the sheet slides upwards on a guide flap to keep the top of the sheet facing up. The sheets are driven forward to the cages, round the end at the cage end, pulled backwards from the cages toward the barn end, and then driven forward again, all without stopping the motion of the drive chain.

A helical conveyor for conveying piece goods comprises a frame and an endless conveyor belt which is drivable with respect to the frame along a helical track which extends about a centerline. The conveyor belt comprises discrete supporting members each comprising a substantially rigid slat and a roller. The slats follow a first helical path including a first inclination angle along the first helical path with respect to a base plane extending perpendicularly to the centerline and a second helical path including a second inclination angle along the second helical path with respect to the base plane. Each of the rollers is mounted to the corresponding slat such that the difference of an angle between the rolling direction and the base plane and the second inclination angle is smaller than the difference between the first and second inclination angles.

A flatwire conveyor belt assembly includes pickets defining a leading link and a trailing link, wherein adjacent pickets are coupled with a cross-rod that extends through openings formed in the leading link and in the trailing link of adjacent pickets. Top plates are coupled to the pickets and define a conveying surface.

A method and a device for transporting and driving components and tools, such as rotors and stators for manufacture, includes a component carrier with at least two chain sprockets rigidly connected to the component carrier. The chain sprockets engage four driven chains to move, rotate and swivel or rotated to a limited extent the component carrier. With the upper chain and lower chain moving at the same speed and in opposite directions of movement, the component carrier rotates on the spot, with the two chains moving at the same speed and in the same direction of movement, the component carrier moves without rotation at the chain speed in the direction of movement, and with the chains moving at different speeds and in the same or different directions of movement, a plurality of combinations of direction of rotation, direction of movement, transport speed and rotational speed can be achieved.

A method and a device for transporting and driving components and tools, such as rotors and stators for manufacture, includes a component carrier with at least two chain sprockets rigidly connected to the component carrier. The chain sprockets engage four driven chains to move, rotate and swivel or rotated to a limited extent the component carrier. With the upper chain and lower chain moving at the same speed and in opposite directions of movement, the component carrier rotates on the spot, with the two chains moving at the same speed and in the same direction of movement, the component carrier moves without rotation at the chain speed in the direction of movement, and with the chains moving at different speeds and in the same or different directions of movement, a plurality of combinations of direction of rotation, direction of movement, transport speed and rotational speed can be achieved.

In a maceration conveyor assembly (10) a juice deflector (50) deflects juice around a return run of a conveyor into a trough (51). Preferably the juice deflector and trough are configured as opposed axially extending V-shaped stainless steel plates. The assembly (10) feeds into a first mill (11) of a milling tandem, and output from the mill (11) is delivered onto another conveyor and carried to the next mill in the tandem. Low pol maceration liquid is returned to the conveyor via return lines to respective distribution weirs (16) and (17). The conveyor assembly (10) includes an inlet end (20) and an outlet end (21) all supported on a supporting framework (22) so that the assembly is inclined from the inlet end (20) to the outlet end (22). An endless plate conveyor (25) comprises interconnected perforated plates (26) adapted to pivot relative to each other in chain like fashion.

A film (50) processing apparatus (20) including a film stretching device (22) and a take-away device (24). The take-away device receives the film after the stretching device and transports the film along a conveying region in a direction of transport (X). The take-away device includes opposing, first and second conveyor assemblies. The first conveyor assembly has a continuous belt driving a plurality of discrete pads (180a, 180b). Each pad forms a contact face (194a, 194b) extending between leading (200b) and trailing edges (202a). The pads are configured and arranged such that the trailing edge (202a) of a first pad (180a) overlaps the leading edge (200b) of an immediately adjacent second pad (180b) as the first and second pads traverse the conveying region. The overlap is characterised by a line (322) perpendicular to the direction of transport passing at any given moment through the first and second pads. A shape of the contact face can define a major central axis that is non-perpendicular and non-parallel with the direction of transport. The invention also relates to a method of processing a film using such an apparatus.

A film (50) processing apparatus (20) including a film stretching device (22) and a take-away device (24). The take-away device receives the film after the stretching device and transports the film along a conveying region in a direction of transport (X). The take-away device includes opposing, first and second conveyor assemblies. The first conveyor assembly has a continuous belt driving a plurality of discrete pads (180a, 180b). Each pad forms a contact face (194a, 194b) extending between leading (200b) and trailing edges (202a). The pads are configured and arranged such that the trailing edge (202a) of a first pad (180a) overlaps the leading edge (200b) of an immediately adjacent second pad (180b) as the first and second pads traverse the conveying region. The overlap is characterised by a line (322) perpendicular to the direction of transport passing at any given moment through the first and second pads. A shape of the contact face can define a major central axis that is non-perpendicular and non-parallel with the direction of transport. The invention also relates to a method of processing a film using such an apparatus.

A system, and associated method, for launching and delivering separated food product in organized groups to a robotized packaging station for the product. The system initiates the delivery via a metered hopper of food product delivering the product to a launch V-belt that aligns the product end to end. A successive singulator belt, positioned adjacent to and receiving product from the launch belt, further organizes the product into a single file alignment. An optional separator belt may follow the singulator belt to create gaps between successive product units. The product is then delivered to a pick belt for product to be provided to the packaging robot. The system product information is from a single (per product delivery line) sensor, enabling integrated end-to-end control from hopper to robot, and a nearly continuous motion of said pick belt.