Importance

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Abstract

At least two successive assemblies are formed by respective walking beams and actuatable independently of one another to advance articles through an oven, with a respective hydraulic jack connected to each of the assemblies for horizontally displacing each assembly. A respective pump is connected to each of the jacks in a respective circuit having two sides, with a respective nonreturn valve provided on one of the sides of each of the circuits between each jack and the respective pump. A pair of distributors are provided in the other side of one of the circuits between one of the jacks and the respective pump, with a respective distributor provided in each of the sides of the other circuit between another of the jacks and the respective pump, and hydraulic lines connecting the distributors of the circuits. A retractable stop is provided on one of the assemblies and is selectively engageable with the other assembly, the distributors being controllable to define a first mode of operation wherein the circuits are disconnected from one another and each of the pumps drives the respective jack and the stop is retracted so that the assemblies operate independently to advance the articles, and a second mode of operation wherein the circuits are coupled through the distributors and the jacks are connected in series to only one of the pumps through the distributors and the nonreturn valves, so that with the stop engaged with the other assembly, the assemblies push one another and are thereby synchronized for joint advance of the articles.

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First Claim