Abstract: A carrousel (2) has a plurality of spaced apart holders (50) mounted on its outer periphery. Each holder receives a plant unit (90) including a plant with foliage (92) and a root/soil mass (94) received in a container (96). As the carrousel (2) turns, a cam (70) carried by each holder (50) engages a ramp (78) to cause the holder (50) to grip the container (96). The holder (50) then conveys the plant unit (90) through first and second cutting stations (4, 18) at which top and side portions of the foliage (92), respectively, are trimmed. The trimming is accomplished by flail cutters (6, 20, 21). At the side cutting station (18), the plant unit (90) moves between a pair of cutters (20, 21), and a rubber tire (84) rotates the holder (50) and plant unit (90) to provide cutting all the way around the plant unit (90). After exiting the second station (18), the holder (50) releases its grip on the plant unit (90).

Abstract: A device for dispensing one or more active agents, the device including: a housing (112) having an opening; at least one active agent (118) located within the housing; a driving means (124) located within, or at the closed end of the housing, including an expandable material; and one or more permeable fluid conveying passage(s) adapted to convey fluid from outside the housing to the driving means.

Abstract: An installation head is mounted on a vehicle and moves along and adjacent to a roadway as the vehicle moves along the roadway. The head has a loading station at the bottom of a vertical loading chamber and a slide that slides along a floor to move markers out of the loading station into a setting station. A setting ram forces markers down onto adhesive prepositioned on the roadway. A plurality of heads may be positioned on the vehicle and may form opposite rows for simultaneously installing markers on opposite sides of a traffic lane. An indexed marker that interlocks with adjacent markers to prevent tilting may be used to maximize the reliability of the system. Various types of delivery devices may be used to deliver markers to the loading station. These include a delivery platform or carrousel positioned above the loading chamber to deliver markers down into the loading chamber. They also include a collating tape that delivers markers into the loading chamber through a side opening.

Abstract: This is a printer for printing on a printing face of a strip media having adhesive on a back face opposite the printing face. There is a moving surface of a release material which does not bond to the adhesive extending linearly between an entrance and an exit of a print zone to provide a temporary liner supporting strip media within the print zone. A drive mechanism moves the strip media through the print zone in combination with the temporary liner. A printhead is located within the print zone for printing on strip media within the print zone. Finally there is a member which non-contactingly releases strip media emerging from the print zone from the temporary liner.

Abstract: A mounting rail extends longitudinally along a vehicle. An installation head is mounted on the vehicle in a position fixed relative to the rail and adjacent to a first end portion of the rail. The head has a setting station from which road markers may be dispensed down onto a roadway. A glue dispenser assembly is slidably mounted on the rail. The assembly includes a dispenser with a nozzle, an anchor, and an anchor actuator. The assembly has a forward index position on a second end portion of the rail. The actuator is operable to move the anchor down into engagement with the roadway to prevent movement of the assembly relative to the roadway. A return actuator is connected to the assembly to allow the assembly to slide along the rail when the anchor is down and to positively move the assembly forwardly along the rail to return it to the index position.

Abstract: In a reciprocating slat conveyor, at least three slat sets of at least one slat (CS) each are driven by piston-cylinder drive units (26), one for each slat set. Each drive unit (26) is provided with a four-way proportional directional control (PDC) valve. Each PDC valve has a first position of adjustment in which it connects a first working chamber of its drive unit (26) to pressure (B) and a second working chamber to tank (T), and a second position of adjustment in which it connects the second working chamber to pressure (P) and the first working chamber to tank (T). Control logic (96) provides electrical control signals for directing the PDC valves to operate the drive units to advance more than half of the slat sets simultaneously in a first, conveying direction, and to retract the remaining slat sets in the opposite direction at a higher rate of speed. A controller compares the control logic signals with feedback signals generated by a separate linear position sensor PS for each slat set.

Abstract: A printer has a print station and a guide path extending from a media roll station to the print station. Guide apparatus includes an inner edge guide extending along and defining an inner side edge portion of the path. In one embodiment, lateral tracking of the media through the print station is provided by a retractable outer edge guide. The outer edge guide automatically retracts when media is moved into the path through the outer side thereof. The outer edge guide is adjustable to firmly grip the opposite edges of the media between the inner and outer edge guides. In another embodiment, there is no outer edge guide. Instead, one or more tracking wheels are urged against a face of media moving along the path. The wheels are canted in order to provide a laterally inward force on the media. The laterally inward force automatically urges the media against the inner edge guide in both directions of media motion.

Abstract: A glue dispenser is mountable on a vehicle as part of apparatus for installing raised road markers on a roadway. Preferably, the apparatus is used in a system for automated installation of road markers. The dispenser includes a manifold having an inlet for glue fed downwardly into the manifold from a glue reservoir mounted on the vehicle. First and second glue outlets communicate with the inlet. First and second valves control opening and closing of the first and second outlets, respectively. The valves are operable both simultaneously and independently of each other to permit glue to be dispensed from only of the outlets or from both of the outlets simultaneously, as needed. The outlets are spaced apart a distance equal to a desired distance between lines of markers in a double line installation.

Abstract: A two-piece shear knife replaces a conventional one-piece shear knife for use in a power shear. The two-piece knife includes a main body with a cutout formed by first and second inner surfaces. A blade insert with a single cutting edge is seated in the cutout. One of the inner surfaces of the cutout and the complementary abutting insert surface are angled toward a confronting surface to direct shearing forces from the cutting edge diagonally inwardly toward the inner corner of the cutout and into the main body. This efficiently transfers shearing forces and reinforces seating engagement of the insert. The two-piece construction of the shear knife allows the main body to be made from a less expensive, less wear resistant material.

Abstract: A hand-held, dual-mode barcode scanner for two dimensional barcodes. A supplemental switch activatable by the user changes the function being performed by the scanner. In one implementation, the barcode data is used to reprogram the scanner's logic when the supplemental switch is activated. The preferred embodiment employs a light-activated switch that is turned on by the user placing his/her finger/thumb over an opening in the scanner case. An infrared-activated version of the switch is also shown.

Abstract: An installation head is mounted on a vehicle and moves along and adjacent to a roadway as the vehicle moves along the roadway. The head has a loading station at the bottom of a vertical loading chamber and a slide that slides along a floor to move markers out of the loading station into a setting station. A setting ram forces markers down onto adhesive prepositioned on the roadway. A plurality of heads may be positioned on the vehicle and may form opposite rows for simultaneously installing markers on opposite sides of a traffic lane. An indexed marker that interlocks with adjacent markers to prevent tilting may be used to maximize the reliability of the system. Various types of delivery devices may be used to deliver markers to the loading station. These include a delivery platform or carrousel positioned above the loading chamber to deliver markers down into the loading chamber. They also include a collating tape that delivers markers into the loading chamber through a side opening.

Abstract: This is a cutter assembly for linerless strip media having an uncovered adhesive backing. There is a cutter mounted for transverse movement across the media and a backing bar with at least two cutting edges. The backing bar can be rotated to place one of the cutting edges in position to cooperate with the cutter to cut the media. The backing bar is rotatable about a transverse axis simultaneously with feed movement of the media at a rotational speed equal to the feed speed of the media. This causes the media to ride up on a pointed portion of a cutting edge without dragging across the cutting edge as the cutting edge moves into a use position in which the media is supported by a support surface of the cutting edge. A cleaning station cleans the previously used cutting edge as the bar is rotated. Rotating and fixed cutters can be used. The cutter is replaceable and can be supplied in combination with an associated media for which it is designed.

Abstract: A cutting head (20) is mounted on the outer end of a boom structure of a self-propelled machine, such as an excavator. The cutting head housing has a vertically oriented rotary cutter wheel (48) mounted on a side portion thereof. Side and top portions of the wheel (48) are protected by a shroud (56), which has generally conical side members (72, 80). The members (72, 80) strengthen the shroud (56), provide cutting depth control, and assist the operator in positioning the cutter wheel (48) on a stump. The wheel (48) and shroud (56) are laterally offset from a rearward projection (88) of the housing. A double heel rack (92, 94) is formed on the free outer end of the projection (88). The upper leg (92) of the rack cooperates with a thumb (28) to grip objects. The lower leg is used for stabilizing the vehicle. The rack (92, 94) also functions as a rake.

Abstract: The body of a dispenser includes a compartment (C) configured to receive a stack of pellets (P). A dispensing slot (S) is located at one end of the compartment (C). A spring biases the pellets (P) toward the slot (S). A lever (50) has a rest position in which it blocks movement of pellets (P) into the slot (S), and a cocked position in which it allows a pellet (P) to move into the slot (S). The lever (50) is biased into the rest position by a J-shaped leaf spring (64). The spring (64) has a curved end arcing around the pivot axis (X) of the lever (50) and a straight end (68). A stop (70) engages the straight end (68) to allow translation but prevent pivoting of the straight end (68) when the lever (50) is pivoted away from its rest position.

Abstract: A carrier includes a main unit and an insert unit. The main unit defines a carrying space having a closed bottom and four sides, one of which has an opening therethrough large enough to permit an animal to enter the space through the opening. The insert unit has a closed top, four sides, and an open bottom. After the animal has entered the main unit, the insert unit is lowered down into the main unit to close off the side opening. Then a foldable top closure for the main unit is folded to secure the carrier and form a handle structure for carrying the carrier. Both units are foldable and are structured to provide an enhanced strength carrier. Strength enhancing features include the foldable bottom of the main unit, double and triple thickness portions of the top closure, and the presence of the insert unit in the main unit.

Abstract: An adjusting mechanism for a support element included in a seat and pivotable in the vertical plane. The mechanism comprises a fastening element (1) to be mounted on a seat or a separate body member and provided with a transverse through-hole (10) for a fulcrum pin facilitating the pivotable fixing of a support element (2), and a fastening member (3) included in the support element (2) and provided with a through-going opening (8) for said fulcrum pin. The opening (8) included in fastening member (3) is made elongated and one end thereof is provided with a bushing member (6) receiving said fulcrum pin and adapted for a relative movement in the longitudinal direction of opening (8) towards the other end of said opening (8). The opening (8) is further provided with a spring element (7) applying an impulsive force between bushing (6) and fastening member (3).

Abstract: A movable conveyor (10) comprising a platform (24) for carrying a soccer field (12) or the like, and pairs of sled assemblies (26). Each sled assembly (26) includes a shoe (42), a pair of linear hydraulic motors or actuators (60, 62), a plastic bearing (79), and an expandable air bag (83). Air bag (83) inflates to raise platform (24), while actuators (60, 62) operate to move platform (24) along shoe (42). With air bag (83) deflated, platform (24) rests on a foot support (38). This allows actuators (60, 62) to reposition shoe 42 to a forward position, to again raise and move platform (24).

Abstract: An on/off, protective circuit has a pressure line with an inlet for connection to a pressure source and an outlet for connection to the pressure port of a hydraulic system, such as a reciprocating conveyor. A relief valve is spring biased into a closed position and openable by pressure in the pressure line to short circuit pressure from the pressure line to a return line when an on/off valve is in an off position. The spring biasing of the relief valve causes residual pressure in the pressure line. To prevent communication of the residual pressure out through the pressure outlet and into the hydraulic system and thereby prevent creeping movement in the system, a check valve is provided in the pressure line downstream of the relief valve. The check valve has a valve plug positioned to be closed by pressure in the pressure line.

Abstract: A cooling system for a small computer has one or more heat transfer devices (12, 30) in intimate, heat-exchanging contact with heat-producing computer components. Liquid coolant is circulated through conduits from a reservoir (48) to the devices (12, 30). A radiator (42) is mounted on the outside of the computer housing (7) and is in heat-exchanging contact with the reservoir (48). The contact is preferably provided by a Peltier effect cooling module (46). A pump (P) is positioned in the reservoir casing (50) to pump the coolant. A brushless electric motor is mounted on the casing (50) to power the pump (P). The reservoir (48) has an upstream portion (58) and a downstream portion (60). Coolant is directed through the upstream portion (58) past heat-gathering fins (64) and into the downstream portion (60).