Abstract: This invention discloses a twin gripping apparatus for loading components comprising of two grippers, each composed of two pairs of fingers, disposed at an angle of predetermined value so that the components are held and carried to and from a work station. The two pairs of fingers perform simultaneously a carrying motion to and from a work station by gripping the components positioned at each work station by means of hydraulic pressure from air cylinders, and rotating to and from an angle of predetermined value.

Abstract: A pretensioning system for a relating cable synchronizing movement of elevator car doors includes a compression spring and a spacer disposed on one end of the relating cable. The compression spring is compressed to the length of the spacer disposed internally to the spring to calibrate tension in the relating cable so than a no-slip condition is ensured.

Abstract: A front loading refuse collection vehicle 10 is provided having a body 12 which includes a hopper 16, a storage container 17, and a tailgate 20. A pair of hydraulic cylinders 23 are mounted to the tailgate for pivotal movement thereof. A compaction blade 24 is mounted within storage container 17 for movement by a hydraulic cylinder 25. The vehicle also has a dumping system 45 for automated actuation of the compaction blade hydraulic cylinder 25 and the tailgate hydraulic cylinders 23. The dumping system includes a central multi-processor 46 coupled to receive electronic signals from an auto-eject actuation button 47, a tailgate enable switch 48, a latch sensor 50, a tailgate open sensor 51 and a compaction blade sensor 52. The central multiprocessor is coupled to output electronic signals to a hydraulic control valve 57 for the tailgate hydraulic cylinders and a hydraulic control valve 58 for the compaction blade hydraulic cylinder.

Abstract: A collating apparatus for collation of a plurality of pages or sheets having varying lengths or widths. A plurality of sheets of different lengths are provided to a collating tray with a stopper adjacent one end. The leading edge of each of the plurality of sheets registers against the stopper. When all of sheets have entered the collator tray and registered against the stopper, a plurality of pinch rollers are brought together on the front or leading edge of the stack of sheets, removing the stack of sheets from the collating tray.

Abstract: A bottom sheet storage and feeder apparatus for use with one or more load forming or stacking machines for the purpose of providing one or more bottom sheets for protecting the load. The apparatus chooses a bottom sheet stored in one of a plurality of vertically stacked bins and sequentially moves one or more of the individual bottom sheets longitudinally to a destination location in a plurality of lay down patterns. The machine is constructed with a frame which supports a plurality of vertically spaced storage bins. A lifting assembly, transported by a transfer assembly, includes at least one laterally positioned vacuum member which engages and lifts an individual bottom sheet from one of the storage bins and delivers the selected bottom sheet to a destination location in a selected lay down position. Several lay down patterns may be made by subsequent cycles of the lift and transfer assembly from the storage bins to the destination location.

Abstract: A two-part implement combination for attachment to an excavator arm in which both implement parts share a common axis of rotation relative to one another and relative to the excavator arm and are independently movable. This allows a bucket and thumb combination to be quickly coupled or decoupled as a unit from an excavator arm without sacrificing independence of movement and a common rotational arc.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus for safely and efficiently loading, transporting and unloading bales, such as bales of hay. The invention includes a wheeled frame upon which a cab and bed are mounted for self-propelled locomotion across fields, lots, and roads. A bale carriage includes a pair of bale grabber arms which pivot to securely grab or clamp, and release, a bale. The bale carriage is powered for movement along an immobile carriage track overarching the cab, so that the bale may be grabbed and safely and reliably lifted along the carriage track from a position in front of the cab and deposited upon the bed in back of the cab. A push pan pushes successively deposited bales from the front of the bed toward the back of the bed to allow room for later-loaded bales. The entire bed is pivotal from a horizontal position to a vertical position.

Abstract: A printer has one or more stacked sheet output units on top of it for increasing the printer's output capacity. Each unit includes a housing having a diverter as does the printer. The position of each diverter is controlled by a diverter/drive mechanism in the unit stacked on top of it. In its first position, the diverter of the printer or the unit diverts a fed sheet from a substantially vertical path therein to a sheet receiving area. In its second position, the diverter allows the fed sheet to be advanced by driven rolls to the unit thereabove. The feed rolls of a unit are driven only when the diverter in each of the printer and in any unit therebeneath are in the second position.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a composite non-metallic and metallic chain for use in a waste water treatment system is provided. The chain includes a plurality of non-metallic chain link barrel connecting elements including central teeth receiving portions. Each of the barrel elements include first and second end portions extending from opposite ends of the teeth receiving portion. A plurality of metallic side bar members interconnect the non-metallic barrel elements and are rotatably coupled to the end portions of the barrel elements. A plurality of non-metallic bearing members are disposed about the end portions of the barrel elements between adjacent metallic side bar members for reducing friction and wear between the adjacent side bar members. A plurality of non-metallic clip members are secured with indentations formed in the end portions of the barrel elements for securing the metallic side bar members thereto.

Abstract: A vehicle chassis having a front section and a rear section pivotably joined together at their common ends to allow the two chassis to pivot or swivel providing better traction for off-road travel. Limiting structure is provided to limit the amount of degrees the two chassis can swivel in relation to each other as well as locking structure between them for on road travel.

Abstract: Apparatus for loading and/or unloading a container with stacks of packages, such as for instance egg boxes or egg trays, which container comprises a number of shelves which are arranged one above the other. The apparatus includes a collecting table, a sliding device for sliding the stacks of packages on the container shelf, and a transfer device for the transfer of the stacks of packages between the collecting table and one end of a further conveyor. The collecting table includes an endless collecting table conveyor and the transfer device includes an endless conveyor assembly.

Abstract: A removable side shifter attachment attachable to the carriage bar of a lift truck has a frame shiftable with respect to the truck. The frame includes a shifter carriage bar for receiving a lift fork. A hydraulic cylinder attached to the truck carriage bar having rods contacting the frame at its sides is positioned horizontally forwardly of the truck carriage bar and between the truck carriage bar and the shifter carriage bar. The cylinder is positioned generally within a J-shaped portion of the shifter carriage bar so that the cylinder does not extend substantially above or below the carriage bar and does not appreciable add to the overall thickness of the apparatus. The cylinder further includes two axially aligned chambers separated by a central partition, each chamber containing a piston in contact with a respective rod, each piston dividing its respective chamber into interior and exterior portions.

Abstract: A singulator for transporting and separating tires is provided having a disk with inverted cone shaped front surface at an angle .alpha., a center hub and a plurality of flights. Each extends from a side of the hub to an edge of the disk for dividing the disk's front surface into sections where each section is defined by two adjacent flights namely a leading flight and a trailing flight. A first element is connected to the disk for rotating the disk at a rearward angle .DELTA. with reference to a horizontal ground plane such the disk's front surface is at an angle .epsilon. where .epsilon.=.DELTA.-.alpha.. A hopper is mounted at a downward angle .gamma. and is semicircular in shape and has approximately the same radius as a radius of the disk. A chute is provided in the hopper for transporting tires in the hopper to a bottom area of the hopper such that a tire in the bottom area will stand upon its treads. The surface angle .epsilon. and the hopper angle .gamma.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously varying the position of an article carrying platform in response to an inflowing stream of articles placed on the platform. The platform positioning apparatus finds use as part of a vertical stacking machine which stacks an inflowing stream of signatures on the platform. It has a position sensor for detecting the position of the platform and providing a platform position signal to a controller. A controller issues a translation signal to a translation motor responsive to the platform position signal. The translation motor causes the bidirectional translation of the platform responsive to the translation signal from the controller.

Abstract: In a disk type sheet inverting and stacking system with rotatable disk units with sheet transporting slots, in which printed sheets outputted by a reproduction system are sequentially fed into those slots to be inverted by rotation of the disk units and then released from the slots at a stacking position, the sheet transporting slots of the disk units are provided with a convolute sheet path formed by plural internal sheet corrugating protuberances extending transversely across the slot from opposite sides of the slot, spaced along the slot, to form a convolute sheet corrugating sheet path within the slot to automatically increase the retention force of the sheet within the slot in proportion to an increase in the thickness or stiffness of the sheet, without substantially increasing the resistance to lateral movement of the sheet within the slot.

Abstract: A portable tree platform elevated via a winch including a planar platform with at least one support rod coupled at a first end thereof to the platform and extending upwardly therefrom. A pair of wheels are rotatably coupled to the periphery of the platform adjacent the support rod such that the platform may be easily transported in a manner similar to a cart. Further provided is a winch unit including a spool and a motor connected to a battery. The motor is adapted for effecting the gathering of the cable on the spool upon the actuation thereof in a first mode of operation and further effecting the dispensing of the cable from the spool upon the actuation thereof in a second mode of operation. By this structure, an end of the cable may be fixed in an upper extent of a tree such that upon the actuation of the motor in the first mode of operation, the platform is elevated.

Abstract: This invention pertains to load forming systems, especially those designed to place cased product on e.g. a pallet. The invention contemplates receiving cases at a high rate of input, and fragmenting the input, sending it to parallel processing elements of the load forming system. A layer creating subsystem has parallel processing elements, and preferably has sufficient designed throughput capacity to continue processing cases at the overall rated capacity of the case loading system when any one of the parallel processing elements in the layer creating subsystem fails. The case loading subsystem also can incorporate parallel layer transfer elements and load forming elements.

Abstract: The device described here is for manufacturing a stack of cup-shaped containers coaxially inserted inside another, each with a side wall, on one end of which a base is arranged, and on the other end a flange (1), wherein the container is composed of a flexible material and the flange (1) is substantially stiffer than the side wall and the base.

Abstract: A truck includes a chassis with a body movably mounted to the chassis behind a cab. The body is movable between a first position generally parallel to the chassis and a second generally upright position with respect to the chassis. A canopy is movably mounted to the body. The canopy is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position, the canopy extends outwardly from the body to cover the cab when said body is in the first position. The canopy is retractable to decrease the overall height of the truck when the body is in the generally upright second position.

Abstract: A conveyor belt scraper blade arrangement adapted for use in cleaning the surface of a conveyor belt. The scraper blade includes a mounting base having a first mounting member and a second mounting member. A scraping member having a mounting member and a scraping edge is removably attached to the mounting base by a restraining arm member and a spaced apart support arm member. The support arm member includes a first end that is removably attached to the first mounting member of the mounting base and a second end that is removably attached to the mounting member of the scraping member. The restraining arm member includes a first end that is removably attached to the second mounting member of the mounting base and a second end that is attached to the scraping member. The support arm member is selectively removable and replaceable from the scraper blade.