Abstract: A heavy duty shackle for use under great loads, such as in anchor lines. The shackle is formed from a cylindrical bar rod by shaping the ends to a reduced diameter, and forging the central portion into a flattened shape having the cross-section of a wide shallow U shape. The bottom surface of the central section is in the form of a portion of a circular cylinder. The ends of the bar are flattened and a central opening is forged and based for a pin. The formed bar is then bent in the form of a bow to provide an eye for the shackle, with two parallel ears spaced a selected distance apart.

Abstract: A fastening device for connecting a tension member to an object, whereby a force can be applied to the object in any direction within a hemisphere centered about the point of attachment to the surface of the object. The swivel shackle comprises a shoulder bolt which is adapted to be attached to the object and has a cylindrical portion of larger diameter than the base portion which is attached to the object, as by threads. A unitary load ring comprises a body portion having a circular bored opening adapted to rotate on the cylindrical portion on the bolt. The load ring has two oppositely directed shafts extending from the body portion. A Y-shaped pivot assembly is provided which has an opening in each of the arms of the Y, which are adapted to fit over and rotate about the shaft extension on the load ring. The leg of the Y has an opening, to which a shackle can be attached, by passing the pin of the shackle through the opening in the leg of the Y.

Abstract: A wood chip product and a process for baling wood chips in which sufficient compressive pressure is applied to a quantity of wood chips to substantially reduce its volume, and force the water liquid from the chips to create, without any binder, an adhered but separable compact mass of chips. The mass is enclosed in a flexible web cover, retained by spaced, circumferential ties which extend in the direction of compression. The chips are thus reduced to from one-half to one-sixth of their bulk or volume and have lost from about 15% to about 40% of their weight.

Abstract: A device for connecting wire rope to a chain and comprising a wedge means adapted to be inserted into the center of one end of the wire rope for receiving the strands of the wire rope along the outer periphery thereof, said wedge means and rope strands receiving a socket member therearound whereby the rope strands are securely clamped between the wedge and the socket member, and a connector means threadedly engageable with the socket member and having pin means engageable with one link of the chain. The threading of the connector applies force against the wedge to increase the clamping pressure against the wire rope strands. The threaded end of the wedge provides a release means for easily removing the wire rope from the wedged connection.

Abstract: An improved closed chamber baler includes a hopper into which is fed waste paper or other compressible materials to be baled. The material to be baled is forced into a bale chamber by means of a piston operated ram. Means are provided for sequentially guiding a strapping wire about the outside periphery of the compressed material at a plurality of vertically spaced intervals along the compressed material. The strapping wire is tensioned and then twisted or knotted together to form a continuous strap about the compressed material, thereby forming a bale. When the bale has been completely strapped, the compression ram is retracted and an output gate is opened. The bale is then ejected from the bale chamber by an automatic bale ejector. While the invention is disclosed in connection with baling waste paper, the closed chamber baler is capable of other uses, e.g.

Abstract: An outrigger assembly for stabilization of a load handling machine such as a truck crane. An outrigger beam is horizontally extensible from the vehicle to a working position and retractible to a storage position. A float assembly is located on the beam end and has a float pad vertically extensible and retractible relative to the beam end by means of a hydraulic power unit enabling the float pad to be positioned in stabilizing engagement with the ground. The float pad is rotatable with respect to the beam end between a generally horizontal working orientation and a generally vertical storage and transport orientation adjacent the structure. During extension and retraction of the outrigger beam, the float pad is maintained in the horizontal, less obtrusive, position for clearance of ground obstacles. An actuator is mounted on the vehicle to contact a part of the float assembly as it approaches the vehicle.

Abstract: A hydraulic backhoe utilizes two pairs of hydraulic pumps to power independent crawler track drives in any forward or reverse direction, and high or low speed ranges; allowing, for example, a wide arc turn either left or right, forward or backward. Through a novel hydraulic circuit, these pumps also power other functions such as boom, bucket and stick drives in high speed or low speed modes. This flexibility is accomplished by the use of a manually controlled track speed selector valve, an unloading valve and check valve between a track function valve and another function valve in each of the two hydraulic circuits. Full hydraulic pressure is available to all functions at all times except when a track drive is in high speed range. Conventional high-low or unloading operation of the other functions is had when the related track drive is not operating.

Abstract: A hoisting hook carries an end loop of a load bearing line and has an eye, a curved hook with a hook tip spaced from the eye to form a throat therebetween, and a throat closure device in the form of a safety gate pivotally mounted for rotation about the eye of the hook. The gate has a bridging arm portion which, in closed relation, extends from the eye of the hook to the .[.top.]. .Iadd.tip .Iaddend.of the hook across the hook throat and a connecting arm portion which extends upwardly from the eye of the hook to provide a gate eye to receive a hoisting line. When the end loop of the load bearing line is on the hook and the hook and gate combination is loaded, the load on the hook will tend to cause the bridging arm portion of the gate to close on the tip of the hook and to remain in a closed position. A self-locking latch is pivotally mounted entirely within the gate for movement between locking and release positions.