A plurality of flat timing belts each has parallel spaced teeth, and opposite end portions of each belt are attached to a carriage by corresponding relatively adjustable clamping blocks and plates. The belts extend around a common drive sprocket on a drive shaft connected to a drive having a reversible electric motor. The belts also extend around corresponding tail sprockets on a tail shaft, and adjacent tail sprockets are free to rotate relative to each other. A clamping block for each belt is ...

The invention relates to a loading station for receiving and delivering workpieces (WP), which loading station (L) comprises a table (3) arranged to be movable between a first position (S1) and a second position (S2) to support changing workpieces (WP) and for transferring them between said positions (S1, S2), and at least a first protective door (1) which is arranged to be transferred between said positions (S1, S2) to separate them from each other when the table (3) is in its second position (...

A rotatable pallet changing apparatus, a system and a method are provided in which the rotatable pallet changing system has a rotatable bed having a first pallet and a second pallet side-by-side and set on tracks. A first and a second workpiece may be set upon a first pallet and a second pallet, respectively. As the first pallet with the first workpiece is drawn into a machining center to be worked upon, the second workpiece may be added to the second pallet. When the first workpiece on the firs...

A container transport system for transport of an article, in particular a baggage item, includes a container for receiving an article, with the container made of flame-resistant, wear-resistant and translucent plastic material which is stable in shape. The container has an underside which is formed with touch surfaces extending in a transport direction by which the container is advanced by a conveyor between a receiving end and a discharge end. The conveyor is provided with a guiding and/or driv...

The invention relates to a flexible production line for machining undulated workpieces arranged individually or in groups on a pallet, in a plurality of successive operations (OP-20, OP-40) carried out along from pallet stores. In order to machine series' of workpieces, the entire production line is divided into a plurality of decoupling modules. A plurality of operations (OP-20, OP-40) are associated with each decoupling module. A stacker for individual pallets is associated with each decouplin...

An apparatus for assembling an automotive body on an assembly line having a right-hand body subassembly line, a left-hand body subassembly line and an underbody subassembly line, for delivery to a pallet transport system for movement through a body framing subassembly line. The apparatus includes an overhead transport system for transporting automotive components along at least one of the subassembly lines and for conveying the automotive components along a pallet transport system on the body fr...

A modular transfer and clamping unit for positioning in alignment with a pallet conveyor system. The unit having a stationary base and a secondary frame communicating with and movable relative to the stationary base. The secondary frame having a pair of in-line sprockets at opposite ends of the secondary frame and an endless conveyor trained around the sprockets. A motor drive drives the endless conveyor. A hydraulic driven wedge assembly moves the secondary frame relative to the stationary base...

A flexible manufacturing system utilizing modular work stations configured to provide asynchronous operations on a plurality of work pieces mounted on fixtures or pallets that are transported through the system by means of a conveyor or rail arrangement. The pallets are diverted from the track on which they are transported linearly to a desired machining module adjacent to, but removed from, the track, such that the machining is performed in a chamber isolated from the track. Each machining modu...

A manufacturing machine such as an automatic assembly machine is disclosed which includes a work station which can include linear motion devices and rotary motion devices. A conveyor system is disclosed for transporting a workpiece to and from the work station, and a positioning pins arrangement is disclosed for precisely positioning the workpiece to the work station.

A vertical machining center is usable in combination with a horizontal machining center in a flexible manufacturing system with no incompatibility of their pallets. This should be attributable to the provision of a vertical pallet designed to clamp a horizontal pallet thereon. The vertical pallet includes, inter alia, a pallet base with a cylinder recess, a pallet saddle provided above the pallet base and removably holding the horizontal pallet therealong, the pallet saddle movable between an up...