Abstract: A control system for a storage and retrieval machine is disclosed in which a supervisory control is responsive to operating commands from a remote source to provide operating instructions for the control of the base, carriage and shuttle of the storage and retrieval machine. Control for the base contains base operating parameters and is responsive to base operating instructions from the supervisory control to control movement of the base in accord with the base operating instructions and the base parameters. Control for the carriage, which is movably mounted on a vertical mast of the storage and retrieval machine, contains carriage operating parameters and is responsive to the operating instructions to control movement of the carriage in accord with carriage operating instructions and the carriage operating parameters.

Abstract: An adjustable frequency motor drive system for a hoist is disclosed in which the frequency of the power supply to the motor can be selectively varied and the speed of the motor will follow the varying frequency at a slip speed relative to the frequency. The slip speed of the motor may not exceed a value beyond which the motor can control the hoist load. Accordingly, a frequency value based on the frequency of the power supply to the motor is selected as the frequency which is not to be exceeded by the motor speed expressed as a frequency. Signals representative of the actual motor speed and the selected frequency value are compared and, if the signal representative of the motor speed exceeds the signal representative of the frequency value which is not to be exceeded, an output signal is produced which may be used to apply a brake which stops and holds the motor and hoist and thereby maintains the load suspended.

Abstract: An anti-sway crane reeving apparatus is disclosed in which a reeving apparatus is connected between an overhead frame carried by a crane, a winding drum mounted on the frame, and a lifting beam positioned below the frame from which a load carrying means is suspended. A plurality of upper spaced-apart sheaves are affixed to the overhead frame and a plurality of lower spaced-apart sheaves are affixed to the lifting beam. Each of the lower sheaves has first and second grooves. A rope means is affixed to the drum means and overhead frame and extends between the drum and the lower sheaves and between the upper and lower sheaves. The rope means includes a plurality of pairs of first and second ropes having a reeving path extending to and wrapping in the same direction around the first and second grooves of each of the lower sheaves. Each pair of first and second ropes extends from the lower sheaves in directions transverse to the axis of the sheaves and away from each other relative to the vertical.

Abstract: A hoist for raising and lowering objects with an apparatus for detecting mechanical overload of the hoist. The system provides a hoist having an alternating current motor connected to an alternating current power supply. The level of current of the power supplied to the motor is compared to a level of power indicative of a mechanical overload condition. If the current signal representative of the actual motor current level equals or exceeds the mechanical overload reference current then an overload output signal is provided.

Abstract: An anti-sway crane reeving apparatus is disclosed in which the reeving apparatus connects an overhead frame carried by a crane, a winding drum means mounted on the frame, and a lifting beam positioned below the frame from which a load carrying means is suspended. A plurality of spaced-apart sheaves are affixed to the lifting beam and rope means is affixed to the drum means and overhead frame and wraps around each of the plurality of sheaves. The rope means functions to support and raise and lower the lifting beam and the load carrying means. The rope means, in extending from its positioned wrapped around each of the plurality of sheaves, diverges from the vertical in an upward direction from each of the plurality of sheaves. The plurality of sheaves on the lifting beam are the only sheaves wrapped by the rope means which are rotatable during raising or lowering of the lifting beam.

Abstract: An anti-sway crane reeving apparatus is disclosed in which a reeving apparatus is connected between an overhead frame carried by a crane, winding drum means mounted on the frame, and a lifting beam positioned below the frame from which a load carrying means is suspended. The reeving apparatus includes a plurality of upper spaced-apart sheaves affixed to the overhead frame and a plurality of lower spaced-apart sheaves affixed to the lifting beam. Each of the lower sheaves has first and second grooves. A rope means is affixed to the drum means and overhead frame and extends between the drum means and the lower sheaves and between the upper and lower sheaves. The rope means includes a plurality of pairs of first and second ropes having a reeving path extending to and wrapping in the same direction around the first and second grooves of each of the lower sheaves.

Abstract: A truss connecting joint for a crane is disclosed in which the truss frame has parallel chord members each comprising two beams having I-shape cross-sections, a female ear having a pair of parallel spaced apart plates projecting from an end of one of the beams toward the other beam and a male ear including at least one plate extending from the other beam and positionable between the plates of the female ear. When the plate or plates of the male ear are positioned between the plates of the female ear, the two ears may be joined together by a member extending through the ears.The connecting joint may be positioned between two truss lace members which are perpendicular and affixed to two parallel chord members of the truss frame. Diagonal lace members are also affixed to the truss frame adjacent to the affixation location of the perpendicular lace members to the chord members.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a rotor of an electrical rotating machine in which the apparatus has frame means including a pair of spaced apart support members each having arcuate shaped surfaces engaging opposite shaft ends of a rotor to thereby support the rotor on the frame means. A drive belt has first and second loop ends with the first loop end being positioned around the rotor for driving the latter. Where the rotor includes a commutator, the first loop end may be positioned in engagement with a generally cylindrical surface of the commutator. A drive means, including a pulley around which the second drive belt loop is wrapped, is provided for rotating the rotor to selected winding attachment positions at which winding sections may be attached to the magnetic core of the rotor.

Abstract: A linkage lifting apparatus is disclosed in which a linkage means is mounted on a lifting beam and includes link pivotal connections which may be connected and disconnected from load hooks comprising part of an object to be lifted. The linkage lifting apparatus includes a latching means which holds two link pairs in a position in which the link pivotal connections may engage the load hooks. The latching means is releasable from the link pairs in response to downward movement of the lifting beam against the link pairs. The pivotal connections move into a lifting position in engagement with the hooks in response to force provided by the weight of links comprising part of the two link pairs. The two link pairs and the pivotal connections movable out of the lifting position and the link pairs are again latched by the latching mechanism to hold them free of the load hooks also in response to downward movement of the lifting beam against the link pairs.

Abstract: A hoist support and method for fabricating the support are disclosed in which a swivel yoke is provided which has a through opening and is affixed to an overhead frame. A swivel body is affixed to the hoist below the yoke and has a swivel head with a swivelable surface positioned in supporting engagement within the opening in the yoke.The swivel head both retains the hoist suspended from the overhead frame and permits vertical and horizontal swiveling movement of the hoist relative to the frame. The swivel yoke may include bearing inserts supporting the swivel head within the opening in the yoke and providing a replaceable bearing surface.

Abstract: A multilegged portal crane is disclosed in which a plurality of legs including first, second and third spaced apart legs are affixed to a frame with each leg extending between the frame and a different one of a plurality of rails. Each leg has a pair of wheels at a base end, spaced apart in the direction in the length of the rails and rotatable along the rails. A first leg of the plurality of legs has a higher level of rigidity than the other legs which are more flexible relative to the first leg. Means for sensing skew of the crane is mounted on the first leg and the first leg is positioned between the second and third legs such that, for a predetermined amount of skew of the crane determined by the sensing means on the first leg, the skew movement of the second and third legs relative to the first leg is less than the skew movement of the second and third legs relative to each other. Only one of the legs is rigid and the other two are flexible.

Abstract: A support assembly for a drag bucket includes lift lines and pull lines, each secured to a respective link plate pivotably secured to opposite sides of the bucket. Stops on the bucket side walls limit pivoting of the plates, whereby the bucket can selectively be maintained upright or in a dumping position by control of the lines.

Abstract: A compact retrieval winch and a control therefor are mounted on a recovery vehicle for pulling an immobilized heavy vehicle, such as a military tank, back onto suitable terrain. The winch comprises a support structure, a rotatable hollow cable drum with a cable wrapped thereon, a reversible variable displacement hydraulic motor for driving the drum through a multi-stage power transmission mechanism located within the drum, and a drum brake. The winch control comprises a sensing mechanism for sensing the number of layers of winch cable wrapped on the drum while the drum is operating in the pulling mode and the cable is connected to the tank. The winch control further comprises a hydraulic control circuit, including a constant line pull valve assembly responsive to movement of the sensing mechanism, for controlling the displacement of the hydraulic motor so as to maintain constant maximum cable pulling force regardless of the number of layers of cable on the cable drum.

Abstract: An electromagnetic brake is disclosed in which a brake spring applies compressive force to an armature plate and friction discs to apply the brake. Electrical energization of a coil creates an electromagnetic force on the armature plate in a direction opposite to the braking force on the spring to move the armature plate and spring away from the friction discs and release the brake. A brake adjustment and release mechanism threadably rotates a disc against the spring to increase its compressive force against the armature plate and friction discs to adjust the spring braking force when the discs wear. The mechanism also can be rotated against a cam surface to move the armature in a direction away from the friction discs and against the spring to release the brake for purposes such as maintenance when the brake is not in normal operation.

Abstract: An elevated track network guides self-propelled guided vehicles (with containers thereon) from an entry location where objects enter the system, to a storage zone defined by sets of compartmentalized storage racks wherein containers filled with objects are temporarily stored, and from thence to an exit location where retrieved objects leave the system. Each set of storage racks comprise four racks and two aisles, with two of the racks arranged back-to-back between the aisles and the other two racks on opposite sides of the aisles. Each storage rack comprises storage compartments arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns. A track in the track network extends through and along an intermediate row in one of the back-to-back racks (pre-empting the compartments in that row). Each aisle accommodates a self-propelled aisle crane which services the racks on both sides of the aisle.

Abstract: An antifouling electrochemical gas sensor is disclosed in which the sensor has a cell containing two spaced apart electrodes immersed in an electrolyte and a membrane over an opening in the end of the cell which is immersed in a medium containing varying concentrations of a gas to be sensed, typically oxygen. The electrodes are also connected to an external electrical circuit which indicates the current flow between the electrodes as a result of oxidation and reduction reactions at the electrodes caused by oxygen diffusing through the membrane into the cell. The sensor has a sensing mode during which it functions to indicate the amount of oxygen in the medium. The sensor also has a cleaning mode in which the current flow across the electrodes is in an opposite direction to cause a reaction at one of the electrodes producing a biocidal gas.

Abstract: A chain link assembly comprises a pair of inner sidebar portions, each defining an aperture and having innermost and outermost surfaces. A hollow bushing is secured to the pair of inner sidebar portions. The bushing includes a central portion which extends between the inner sidebar portions and integral stud portions at each end of the central portion which project into each of the apertures of the inner sidebar portions and terminate at the outermost surfaces of the inner sidebar portions. A pair of seals encircle each of the stud portions, each seal lying between the innermost surface of the inner sidebar portion and the central portion of the bushing.

Abstract: A combustible gas sensor element prepared by the process of applying, to a sheathed wire coil, separate coats of catalytic wash each heated in a furnace, separate and alternating coats of porous ceramic and platinum each heated by passing an electric current through the coiled wire filament, and separate coats of porous ceramic top coating, each heated by passing an electric current through the filament.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting cracks in a flexible rotating coupling is disclosed in which the flexible coupling includes a flexible element having a plurality of flexible discs. An electrically conductive, normally continuous, line is affixed to at least one of the flexible discs and connected to a circuit. The conductive line becomes discontinuous if the disc cracks. The circuit is mounted on the coupling and transmits a signal indicative of the continuous or discontinuous condition of the conductive line and thereby the intact or cracked condition of the flexible disc. The transmitted signal is received by a stationary circuit which provides an output indication of the disc's intact or cracked condition.

Abstract: A key for transferring rotating driving force between a driven and driving member. The key has a leg portion and a cross portion wider than and integral with the leg portion. The leg portion is positioned in a keyway of a first rotatable member and the cross portion is positioned in a keyway of a second rotable member. Rotating force applied to one of the rotating members is transferred to the other member through the keyways and the leg and cross portions of the key.