Abstract: A supporting bracket is secured to the housing of a tightener for a load binder used with a truck. The bracket extends outwardly in overlapping engagement with the upper surface of the inwardly projecting flange of a truck bed side rail and is slidable along the rail. A sprocket and ratchet are rigidly mounted on a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing, and a pawl connected to the housing engages the ratchet. When the shaft is rotated a sprocket chain, one end of which is fastened to the load binder, is wound on the sprocket to tighten the load binder. A shock absorber and tension-indicating block is disposed between the housing and the side rail.

Abstract: An apparatus for actuating and locking each pair of hopper doors of a railroad hopper car of the type having a plurality of hopper doors arranged in opposed pairs and extending transversely of the hopper car center sill. Each door actuating and locking apparatus for each opposed pair of hopper doors comprises a shaft assembly extending transversely of the hopper car between its respective opposed pair of hopper doors and through the hopper car center sill and the inner and outer hopper sheets for those hopper doors. That portion of the shaft assembly located within the center sill has an L-shaped lever structure non-rotatively mounted thereon. The lever structure is connected by links to the hopper doors of its respective pair. Either end of the shaft assembly can be engaged externally of the hopper car by an approriate tool to rotate the shaft assembly and its lever structure between a door open position and an over-center, door-closed and locked position.

Abstract: A device for uncoupling central buffer couplings on rail vehicles having a rotatable disk hook includes a cam operatively connected to a worm wheel for rotation therewith which, in turn, is connected to an electric motor. The cam is rotatably operative to engage a bridge member connected to the disk hook in order to rotate the disk hook and also to engage a switch for energizing and de-energizing the motor.

Abstract: A transmission device in which a centrifugal starting clutch is in a casing mounted on a crank shaft of an engine. A multiple plate type speed change clutch is mounted on a speed change input shaft. The starting clutch has an output member operatively connected to its input member through a reduction gear train. The speed change clutch is interposed between the starting clutch and the reduction gear train. The starting clutch is immersed into lubricating oil in the casing, whereas the speed change clutch is totally positioned above the surface of lubricating oil.

Abstract: An amusement toy comprising an annular body which has an outer peripheral surface containing profiled hoop edge portions at its outboard edges which are joined by a squat barrel-shaped portion, such edge portions being integral with vertical side wall portions which are somewhat bulged in an outboard direction and which terminate at an inner rim. A gripping bar joins the rims and a cover is rigidly connected across the rims which bulges inwardly towards the center of the toy to form with peripheral surfaces a channel of about 120.degree. of arc, the end of the channel being about 30.degree. of arc from the bar. All parts of the toy except the gripping bar are composed of a rigid resin material and all surfaces are compound curves. A person who places himself in the channel and holds onto the gripping means is capable of causing the toy to rock on a level surface and by sufficient rocking to roll over whereby the cover joining the rims holds the person within the channel.

Abstract: A trailer hitch for supporting wheeled trailers includes a pedestal which is rigidly secured to a platform and has mounted thereon for pivotal movement vertical support members which support a fifth wheel plate. The support members are interconnected by a horizontal plate which includes a horizontal pivot shaft and cushioning members which are placed in shear during transport of the wheeled trailers from one area to another.

Abstract: A railroad car truck may be assembled by spacing a pair of side frames to which is connected a transversely positioned bolster. End portions of the bolster are located within a window formed in a middle portion of each side frame to form a connection therebetween. Each side frame-bolster connection includes vertical cushioning provided by a set of coil springs interposed between a lower compression member of the side frame window and a bottom wall of the bolster. To damp the vertical cushioning of the bolster a pair of friction shoes carried by the bolster interact with wear plates fastened to vertical columns of the windows. The friction shoes impede bolster rotation which is maintained between fixed limits by contact between adjacent structural members of the bolster and side frame. To prevent undue flexing of the side window columns a stiffening rib may be selectively added to the columns.

Abstract: A railroad car coupler includes a Type-E coupler head which contains a vertical lock chamber. Disposed in the chamber is a lock which may be raised from a lower locking position to an intermediate lockset position. At lockset, a knuckle pivotally carried by the coupler head may swing from a closed position to an open position. At lockset, the lock rests on a knuckle thrower of the coupler head with a lockset seat of the lock engaging a leg lock seat portion of the knuckle thrower. By forming the lockset seat of the lock on a selective lateral slope, the lock may be tilted toward a guard arm side of the coupler head. When the knuckle is swung toward its open position, a sufficient area of a tail portion of the knuckle passes under the lock to insure a proper pick-up of the lock to remove the lock from lockset.

Abstract: A wheel and engine support system comprising a vehicle body-mounted differential and swing-type live axles connected to the driving wheels, a dead axle in the form of a rack consisting of two cross members spaced fore and aft of the differential and two longitudinally extending wheel-bearing support members rigidly interconnecting the cross members inboard of the wheels, a universal pivot joint connecting one of the dead axle cross members to the vehicle body; and an engine supporting frame articulated to the vehicle body and a pair of links interconnecting the body and the engine supporting frame.

Abstract: System for storing and transporting guided missiles and similar flying bodies includes a storage building and movable storage structures for supporting multiple guided missiles. The storage building is sized so that a row of the storage structures can be arranged along one side wall of the storage building with the normal travel direction of the structures being arranged transversely of the direction of the row and of the adjacent side wall. In the row, the storage structures are closely spaced so that there is no walkway between them. A passageway is provided within the storage building along the row of storage structures so that each storage structure can be moved out of the row without moving adjacent storage structures and then turned on a minimum turning circle in the passageway for movement out of the storage building.

Abstract: Apparatus for moving large, heavy, unwieldy objects includes a pair of hand trucks, each of which has a frame with a lift plate slidably mounted in the frame. A jack is positioned on each frame to raise and lower the lift plate. Two pairs of wheels are mounted on the base of each frame with one pair of swivel wheels mounted on the underside of the base and a pair of fixed wheels of larger diameter than the swivel wheels being secured to the base. The perimeters of the fixed wheels are above those of the swivel wheels by a slight distance when the hand trucks are substantially vertical. Large, heavy objects such as refrigerators, vending machines, and the like, are positioned between the trucks and are supported on the lift plates by being positioned on the lift platforms with which each lift plate is provided or by being supported by attachment brackets to the lift plates. The weight of the object is transferred to the wheels of the trucks by operating the jacks to raise the lift plates.

Abstract: A tractor of acceptable width for highway travel having a narrow body portion between the front and rear wheels, such width being less than the width of each pneumatic tire mounted on the wheels. Four side-by-side rotatably mounted tires on each axle have narrow body portions disposed centrally and closely between them, such body portions having an articulated connection about a vertical axis at the after part of the front wheels with the forward body portion extending forward from the front wheels where it mounts the engine and fuel tanks in a body part which is substantially wider than the portions to the rear thereof. The engine powers the front wheels and a power transmitting linkage connects it with the rear wheels through the front and rear body portions which, with lateral projections, house a differentials and the necessary shaft bearings.

Abstract: An amusement ride has rails defining a longitudinal travel direction along which a car is displaceable. A longitudinally extending drive member secured to this car is engageable by drive members which rotate to displace the car along the rails in the longitudinal direction. This member comprises at least two generally parallel, longitudinally extending, and vertically spaced chains each formed of a longitudinal succession of links and a plurality of longitudinally succeeding rigid segments each having a pair of transversely bolted-together halves flanking the chains. The halves of each segment are complementarily formed to and encase a respective plurality of the chain links.

Abstract: An improved, foldable traction mat comprising a plurality of bars pivoted together to form a grid-like traction member when the mat is opened up for use. The bars pivot into generally parallel, closely adjacent position when the mat is folded up for storage.

Abstract: First and second tracks of a conveyor system intersect at right angles. A drive shaft is associated with each set of tracks. Driverless vehicles ride on the tracks and are provided with first and second sets of drive wheels. The sets of drive wheels are used alternatively and each set has an operative position and an inoperative position. A device is provided on the vehicle for moving the first set of drive wheels from a drive position to an accumulation position and thereafter moving the second set of wheels from an accumulation position to a drive position.

Abstract: A side bearing comprises integrally bonded pieces including an elastomeric cushion member secured to top and bottom plates and flexible leveling means secured to the bottom plate. The bearing is designed for connection between the bolster and truck side frames of a railway car. The elastomeric member includes progressively larger openings therein extending from its center to its ends to provide varying flexibility to permit articulation of the truck side frames relative to the bolster during operation.

Abstract: Axle suspension for a road vehicle, particularly a motor bus, including a subframe arranged between the drive wheels and the vehicle body. The subframe encompasses a torsionally flexible, flexurally rigid cross support member having rigidly fastened thereto, in a cranklike manner proximate each end, an axial trailing link. The axial trailing links are pivotably supported on the vehicle body at their free ends, and the wheel bearings of the drive wheels are located at approximately the central region of the axial trailing links. A differential is fastened on the vehicle body.

Abstract: A device at a slack adjuster for manually rotating a spindle (1, 5) therein at the replacement of worn-out brake blocks, the spindle being in clutch engagement with a non-rotatable adjuster ear (6).In order to provide for a rotational movement of the spindle (1, 5) by external circumferential movements back and forth a locking spring (12) is arranged between a part (5) of the spindle and an externally actuatable operating sleeve (10).

Abstract: A vertical engine type cultivator of the type that has an internal combustion engine on an upper side, a wheel shaft on a lower side and an operational handle on a rear side. The engine is formed such that the engine main body thereof is provided with a vertically directional crankshaft extending downwards through an oil case. A frame casing on the lower side of the oil case and a clutch mechanism interposed between the crankshaft and an output shaft disposed below the crankshaft is contained in the frame casing. An operational member for the clutch mechanism is provided on the oil case side.

Abstract: For automatically neutralizing the energization of a speed reducer adapted to brake an axle of a heavy vehicle, when the deceleration of this latter exceeds a predetermined threshold, the movements are used of a mass, such as a drop of mercury, adapted to ascend under the effect of its inertia a ramp inclined with respect to the axis of the vehicle by an angle A whose tangent is equal to (m/M) tg .alpha., M being the total mass of the vehicle, m the mass applied to the braked axle and tg .alpha. the coefficient of adhesion between the wheels of this axle and the ground.