Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Mark A Rekucki

James S Nelson

Thomas M Sorensen

Jay C Huberty

In one embodiment, a system is provided with a rotatable arm having a movable joint, an infrared lamp coupled to the rotatable arm, and an electrical cable extending through the rotatable arm and the movable joint. In another embodiment, a system is provided with a base and an arm coupled to the base via a first rotatable joint, wherein the arm has an arcuate shape. The system also may include a head coupled to the arm via a second rotatable joint, an infrared lamp coupled to the head, and a temperature sensor disposed adjacent the infrared lamp. Furthermore, the system may include an air flow passage extending through the first rotatable joint, the arm, and the second rotatable joint. A fan also may be pneumatically coupled to the air flow passage. In addition, an electrical cable may be disposed in the air flow passage, wherein the electrical cable extends to the infrared lamp and the temperature sensor.

System and method having arm with cable passage through joint to infrared lamp

A dual knife-edge transfer conveyor for transporting small articles from one conveyor to a second conveyor, upper sections of the conveyors being in approximately the same plane, the conveyors being driven in the same transport direction and following each other immediately in the transport direction and thus forming a gap between the two conveyors, the dual knife-edge transfer conveyor comprising: a dual knife-edge plate member, an endless transfer belt, the transfer belt revolving about the dual knife-edge plate member, a transfer conveyor frame, the dual knife-edge plate member being attached to an upper section of the frame, the dual knife-edge plate member also having a pair of edges, each of the edges having a small radius, the frame being positioned in between the two conveyors such that the dual knife-edge plate member lies in approximately the same plane as the two conveyors, the dual knife-edge plate member further having a length slightly smaller than the gap formed between the two conveyors, deflection rollers, the deflection rollers being attached to the frame below the dual knife-edge plate member for deflecting the transfer belt around the edges of the dual knife-edge plate member inwardly and away from the two conveyors at an angle less than 90 degrees to enable the transfer belt to snugly fit within the gap created by the two conveyors without the transfer belt touching the two conveyors, and a drive for driving the transfer belt in the same transport direction as the two conveyors.

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Blaine, MN, United States of America

Mark A Rekucki