Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7427003 | Disk feeder and unstacker The disk feeder removes disks from the bottom of a stack of disks by pushing them one at a time with a ram traveling back and forth under a tower holding the stack of disks. The tower has a gap at the base for allowing one disk at a time to be pushed out by the ram.... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7066708 | Methods and apparatus for retaining a tray stack having a plurality of trays for carrying microelectric devices Devices and methods for holding a tray stack having a plurality of trays configured to carry and store microelectronic devices. Several devices in accordance with the present invention are particularly applicable to carrying a stack of JEDEC trays that have been loa... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7014415 | Substrate transfer apparatus, method for removing the substrate, and method for accommodating the substrate A substrate transfer apparatus, for removing a substrate from a substrate accommodating tray accommodating the substrate in a horizontal state, includes a plurality of support pins for raising the substrate accommodated in the substrate accommodating tray above the ... | 03/21/2006 |
| 6934605 | Palletizer system for selectively palletizing individual or pairs of objects moving along a conveyor A palletizer system is described for transferring a object that are conveyed along a conveyor to a rack, the object having a surface, the palletizer system comprising a camera, a robot transfer subsystem and a control module. The camera is configured to generate ima... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6755323 | Apparatus for dispensing articles An adjustable frame for dispensing stackable items. The adjustable frame includes a first panel having a first edge, a first-panel-dispensing-end, and a first major surface. The major surface is configured to guide stacked items prior to dispensing. A second panel h... | 06/29/2004 |
| 6638002 | Pallet pin sheet fanner The invention is a magnet for facilitating separation of individual sheets from a stack of ferro-magnetic sheets; the invention is in the form of an elongate housing containing an elongate array of magnets which may be selectively positioned in relation t... | 10/28/2003 |
| 6554561 | Automated cell for handling parts received in parts carriers An automated cell is provided for handling parts received in part carriers. The device comprises a working space closed to the outside, within which a first, second and third stack position are sequentially arranged. A transfer device is provided with a f... | 04/29/2003 |
| 6524058 | Assembly and method for stacking, conveying and lifting lids An assembly for conveying and stacking lids for containers includes a doubled-strand conveyor, a stacking and alignment column at an input end of the conveyor for aligning a stack of lids, and a vertical feed column at an output end of the conveyor for in... | 02/25/2003 |
| 6354792 | IC receiving tray storage device and mounting apparatus for the same An IC receiving tray storage device is provided which is capable of securedly identifying the category of the tested ICs sorted for each category and received in the corresponding tray in the unloader section after end of test. Mounted to the tray storage... | 03/12/2002 |
| 6273670 | Universal tire stacking and palletizing end effector assembly and system and method of using same A robotic tire end effector apparatus and system including a method for picking up and placing tires positioned horizontally onto vertical stacks of tires. The apparatus and system includes a totem support assembly having a support housing and support bar... | 08/14/2001 |
| 6247890 | Automatic goods picking device An automatic goods picking device has a frame provided at least in one side thereof with a placing platform and a support rod which is provided with a plurality of goods placing areas each being fastened by two fastening members to form a stacking space a... | 06/19/2001 |
| 6006638 | Automated sheet metal blanking apparatus An automated sheet metal blanking apparatus includes a loading table having a conveyor horizontally moveable between a loading position wherein sheet metal pieces are loaded onto the conveyor and a destacking station wherein the conveyor transfers the she... | 12/28/1999 |
| 5813826 | Bottom sheet dispenser for load forming machinery A bottom sheet storage and feeder apparatus for use with one or more load forming or stacking machines for the purpose of providing one or more bottom sheets for protecting the load. The apparatus chooses a bottom sheet stored in one of a plurality of ver... | 09/29/1998 |
| 5807065 | Apparatus for automatically unstacking horizontal lid members from a vertically extending stack thereof An apparatus for providing an automated device for removing horizontal members such as lid members from a vertical stack thereof one at a time for processing such as refurbishing, cleaning or sanitizing thereof. A carriage assembly is movably guided by a ... | 09/15/1998 |
| 5746571 | Process for the initial operation or changeover of a sheet metal processing machine and a modular magazine for carrying out the process For the initial operation or changeover of a can body welding machine, a modular stack magazine to guide and hold a stack of blanks has adjustable stack supports with holding surfaces projecting under the lowermost blank. These stack supports are adjustab... | 05/05/1998 |
| 5743706 | Method of and apparatus for automatic handling of test pieces The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for handling test pieces in which a stack of test pieces is formed on a lift table of the apparatus and are brought into a predetermined position by a slide, which displaces the test pieces hor... | 04/28/1998 |
| 5700128 | Feeding or stacking device for slab-shaped workpieces A feed and stacking device for slab-shaped workpieces has a rigid frame which is pivotally mounted on a base stand for movement between a horizontal position and a raised position. A support bar is movable along the length of the frame and carries a plura... | 12/23/1997 |
| 5695314 | Apparatus and method for singling stacked cards An apparatus for singling cards, such as check cards, identity cards and the like, which consists of a magazine for storing the cards in a stack, a removing device and a retaining device. The cards are disposed in the magazine rotated at a defined angle f... | 12/09/1997 |
| 5685690 | Automatic sheet dispensing mechanism for hand-fed patty machine A sheet dispensing mechanism employs an open bottom sheet dispenser positioned beside a molding device, molding articles which are cyclically ejected and driven vertically downwardly along an article ejection path, with the bottom sheet shingling out agai... | 11/11/1997 |
| 5674048 | Stack handling system An arrangement for handling stacks of articles, each article having a predetermined height dimension, employs a stack guide for maintaining the stack of articles in stacked alignment, and an elevator for rasing and lowering the stack guide. A retractable ... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5664322 | Apparatus for processing palletized small parts utilizing a robot and a vertical pallet magazine A method and apparatus for processing and assembling a plurality of small parts weighing under five pounds using a robot employing a rotatable pallet for holding an array of small parts. Said rotatable pallet being held in place on the robot wrist head, w... | 09/09/1997 |
| 5611658 | Method and apparatus for destacking sheet metal members A device for separating flat objects such as sheet metal blanks has a pair of separator devices which apply a force to the edges of the objects at an angle to a normal of the plane of the objects. In one embodiment, the separator devices are screws which ... | 03/18/1997 |
| 5454688 | Automated order system having a compound angle dispenser matrix and a dispenser cartridge An automated order system (AOS) having an arrayed matrix of product dispensers oriented at a compound angle with respect to an underlying gathering conveyor belt. Each dispenser includes a flexible belt ejector mechanism for dispensing products stored the... | 10/03/1995 |
| 5388954 | Unit for feeding semifinished parts to a forming machine, particularly a press A unit for feeding semifinished parts, whereby a carriage travelling along a straight slideway supports a rectangular table in turn supporting a parallelepiped stack of semifinished parts and which is floatable by means of an air cushion. The carriage pre... | 02/14/1995 |
| 5314297 | Method and apparatus for stack separator and restacker A stack separator and restacker comprises a conveyor, a splitting bar, a multiplicity of lifting bars and hydraulic controls to operate them. The stack separator and restacker splits a stack or package of rigid elongated members, such as lumber, into smal... | 05/24/1994 |
| 5312222 | Process and device for aligning stacks of cutouts in a packaging machine A process and device for compacting stacks of cutouts in a packaging machine wherein the stacks arranged in an orderly manner are removed by a grip element supported by a head of a removal and transfer unit. The stack is transferred to a compacting statio... | 05/17/1994 |
| 5310306 | Stack loading apparatus and method A stack loading apparatus for receiving and aligning a stack of similarly shaped sheet-like objects into a uniform stack having several elongate aligner actuators which are rotatably fixed to a base plate is disclosed. The base plate permits rotation of t... | 05/10/1994 |
| 5292224 | Apparatus for holding stacked workpieces and feeding the same An apparatus for holding a plurality of workpieces (W) in a stack on a pallet (22), supporting the workpieces (W) in place on the pallet (22) by a plurality of workpiece support rods (26), and transporting and transferring the uppermost workpiece by a wor... | 03/08/1994 |
| 5044875 | Method and apparatus for positioning components A method and apparatus are provided for simultaneously positioning electronic components, such as surface-mounted chips on a circuit board. A removable load plate carries a plurality of chip placement assemblies, each having a support disposing a pluralit... | 09/03/1991 |
| 5011126 | Automatic sheet stack loading mechanism of sheet feeding apparatus An automatic sheet stack loading mechanism of a paper sheet feeding apparatus has a main lift for supporting a stack of sheets to be fed thereon. The main lift is incrementally moved upwardly to place the uppermost sheet of the stack at a predetermined he... | 04/30/1991 |
| 4992016 | Device for charging and discharging yarn cheeses from cheese frames An apparatus for charging and discharging yarn cheeses from cheese frames. A frame has a locking rod extending downwardly therefrom. The frame also supports a vertically traversing carriage. The carriage mounts a pair of gripping arms which extend downwar... | 02/12/1991 |
| 4973037 | Front end feeder for mail handling machine The front feeder for a high speed machine for handling mixed mail, including a nudger drive assembly for advancing the mail pieces while maintaining registration and for fluffing a stack of mail contributing to preshingling of the mail as it is advanced d... | 11/27/1990 |
| 4930764 | Front end feeder for mail handling machine The front feeder for a high speed machine for handling mixed mail, including a nudger drive assembly for advancing the mail pieces while maintaining registration, and for fluffing a stack of mail contributing to preshingling of the mail as it is advanced ... | 06/05/1990 |
| 4867632 | Apparatus for denesting and feeding cartons to a conveyor Apparatus for sequentially removing articles from a stack of nested articles and for controlling their movement to a location remote from the attack. The apparatus is particularly suited for denesting and feeding large multiple cell cartons such as eighte... | 09/19/1989 |
| 4781510 | Insulation board feeder Insulation board feeding apparatus feeds successive boards from a pallet stack to a grooving machine to make pre-formed duct sections. The apparatus includes a cable driven elevator assembly, a reciprocating transfer carriage with a plurality of pivotable... | 11/01/1988 |
| 4710089 | Article unstacking system An article unstacking system includes an infeed conveyor which delivers stacks of articles to an unstacker which has an inclined support wall and a carriage reciprocatively movable parallel to the support wall and carrying a platform disposed in a plane p... | 12/01/1987 |
| 4710088 | Magazine for stacking sheet-metal members One column (16) of each of two pairs of columns (14,16) on which mutually remote edges of the sheet-metal members 12 are guided, has a resiliently flexible strip to exert a resilient pressure on the associated edges of the sheet-metal members (12) stacked... | 12/01/1987 |
| 4702660 | Method and apparatus for storing and handling trays for workpieces The invention relates to an apparatus and method for handling and storing a plurality of workpieces on trays. A storage rack is provided and a plurality of trays may be stored in vertical stacked relationship. A trackway is provided for transferring trays... | 10/27/1987 |
| 4700941 | Corrugated sheet unstacking and feeding apparatus A corrugated sheet stacking and feeding apparatus is provided in which stacks of sheets are fed to the unstacking apparatus and are raised to an elevated position in which blocks are progressively removed from the top of the stack and pushed and fed onto ... | 10/20/1987 |
| 4624616 | Pallet dispenser Apparatus for storing and handling pallets is disclosed. A vertical housing capable of holding pallets in a vertical stack is equipped with openings to receive stacks of pallets and discharge pallets singly. Vertically arranged wheels are provided on oppo... | 11/25/1986 |
