Abstract: A storage and retrieval system such as can be used as a parking bay structure is provided which comprises a hydraulically operated skip hoist system and which includes a skip hoist shaft and a skip which is hoistable up and down the shaft. A plurality of parking bays are located around the skip hoist shaft. A pair of shuttles are located on the skip and are moveable relative to the skip for positioning vehicles on and removing vehicles from the parking bays. The shuttles are located on a rotunda on the skip which is rotatable about a vertical axis for rotating the shuttles to align the shuttles with the parking bays surrounding the skip hoist shaft.

Abstract: A method for transforming a refuse vehicle into a combination refuse disposal and recycling vehicle, the refuse disposal vehicle having a cab portion and a rearwardly disposed container on a chassis, the rearwardly disposed container having a single compartment extending substantially the length thereof for holding and compacting refuse material, comprising the step of: movably attaching a bin to at least one side of the rearwardly disposed container, the bin being located beneath the rearwardly disposed container and for holding recyclable material. The combination vehicle that is transformed by the above method.

Abstract: An elementary sensor for sensing a force comprises a transducer for transforming a mechanical deformation to an electric signal, and a first strain generative body (20) including a supporting portion (21) and a working portion (23) connected to the transducer so as to allow the transducer to produce a mechanical deformation on the basis of a displacement relative to the supporting portion of the working portion. By further adding a second strain generative body (30) including a fixed portion (31) fixed at least with respect to the direction of a force to be detected, and a displacement portion (33) connected to the working portion of the first strain generative body, wherein the displacement portion is constructed to produce a displacement based on a given external force relative to the fixed portion to transmit the displacement thus produced to the working portion of the first strain generative body, a force detector applicable to a wide variety of measurement ranges can be realized.

Abstract: This invention relates to a clip for fastening a rail of a railway on a rail support comprising: a spring clip forming a device for fastening or clamping the rail on a rail support, constituted by a clip made of elastic metal having a first end and a second end and presenting successively, from the first end, a first section forming a substantially rectilinear arm, a second section forming a substantially 180.degree. bend, a third section, a fourth section forming a substantially 180.degree.

Abstract: A belt-shaped member taking-out and transfer apparatus serves to take belt-shaped members one by one from a container having a plurality of shelves vertically stacked, and transferring them to a server of a tire building machine. The apparatus includes a lifter supporting thereon the container and intermittently raising and lowering the container, and a roller conveyor having a carriage arranged on one side of the container. The carriage is movable in width directions of the belt-shaped members. A plurality of elongated rollers are rotatably supported with their bottom ends remote from the container by the carriage. The elongated rollers extend in the width directions of the belt-shaped members in the container and spaced from each other in longitudinal directions of the belt-shaped members.