Abstract: An agricultural device for spreading granular or powdery material or both, particularly fertilizer, which has at least one distribution member that rotates about a vertical axis. A hopper has a dosing member which is disposed over the distribution member at its axis for feeding material to be spread around such axis whereby it is thrown from the distribution member by centrifugal force. At least one screen plate for deflecting the material so thrown is spaced outwardly from the circumference of the distribution member and is entirely located on one side of a plane which passes through the axis of the distribution member and is disposed at a right angle to the intended direction of operative travel of the device. The screening plate deflects the material impinging thereon vertically downwardly whereby the desired uniform characteristics are achieved in the distribution pattern of the material being spread.

Abstract: A floating crane apparatus is disclosed as including an annular float assembly comprising individual pontoon members detachably connected and interconnecting frame means which includes a bridge spanning a central opening in the annular float assembly by which a boom is operatively carried wherein the frame means includes foldable arms which may be folded with the pontoon members detached and nested beneath the bridge means to provide a configuration in which the floating crane apparatus may be transported. Propulsion means rotates the annular float assembly in a self-leveling manner to swing the boom laterally with reduced side loading.

Abstract: Front and rear pairs of crawler assemblies are provided for supporting separated ring segments disposed forwardly under the boom and rearwardly under the counterweight so the crane can travel under load and swing through at least a partial horizontal arc with separate pivots for the boom and counterweight. One and preferably both crawler assemblies are selectively and reversely powered to facilitate forward and reverse as well as turning movement during travel under loaded and unloaded conditions.

Abstract: An apparatus provides a magazine (83) for different film formats to reload a radiographic cassette (5), arranged alongside a conveyor (10) of said cassette on the side facing that in which a cassette opening device (34) is arranged. The magazine comprises various film-holding cassettes (109) at different levels, supported by a plate (113), sliding on vertical slides and equipped with a stylus (123), which operates, in succession, a series of level signalling microswitches (121), which, in relation to the format of the cassette (5) detected by devices (31) and (32), makes it possible to have the cassette (109) containing the film (137) of appropriate format moved to a position corresponding to a drive device (80-81) which transfers the film sheets individually into the open cassette (5). Means (34) and (36) open the cover (5c) of the cassette and means (136) detach any film (5a) which may have remain attached to the cover (5c).

Abstract: A lifting apparatus includes two lifting hoists which are respectively associated with two cables. These cables are lowered in parallel with one another, and are connected to a fixed part of a rotating apparatus. The rotating part of this apparatus moves along longitudinal rails of a secondary frame which is attached to the carrier of the container. The lifting operation may be performed as the container's gravity center reaches the perpendicular axis of the center of a quadilateral defined by four points established by an electronic device which detects the various loads within the lifting cables and is adapted to actuate appropriate hydraulic means to maintain a load differential between the cables below a predetermined value. In this respect, the apparatus balances the containers to be lifted before lifting them.

Abstract: Apparatus for moving stands of pipe in a derrick having a powered turret mounted in a selected position relative to the derrick and a vertical leg supported and rotated by the turret. A powered dolly is mounted on the vertical leg and moves one end of a power arm to selected positions along the vertical leg. A pipe gripping head is mounted to the opposite end of the power arm. A scissor arm is rotatably connected at one end in mid-region of the power arm and at the other end to the vertical leg. As a consequence, the pipe gripping head moves reciprocally in a straight line to engage, move, and disengage stands of pipe.

Abstract: A low pressure fuel injection system for an engine, which system comprises an injector having a body, a fuel passage in the body, an outlet orifice, a valve obturator element, a spring which causes the valve obturator element to close the outlet orifice on its downstream side, and vibrator means for vibrating the injector to move the valve obturator element away from the outlet orifice to enable the fuel to pass through the outlet orifice.

Abstract: An assembly robot includes a quadrilateral link mechanism formed by plurality of links. Swinging or movement devices are connected to two adjacent links and are supported by a base. An assembling tool is installed at a connection of two other links opposite the moving devices.

Abstract: An oil mist generator of the vortex type comprises an oil storage chamber, a vortex chamber adapted to create a rotating flow of gas, and a duct having an inlet being in communication with the oil storage chamber and an outlet delivering the oil into the rotating flow of gas. The vortex chamber is provided with tangentially arranged inlet openings delivering a pressurized gas thereinto and an axial outlet opening, the ratio of the total area of the tangentially arranged inlet openings to the area of the axial outlet opening not exceeding 0.7, thus providing a suction area within the vortex chamber. The duct outlet is disposed within the vortex chamber suction area.

Abstract: A fire extinguisher of the type comprising a burstable container adapted to provide a high mass flow rate of discharged extinguishant is provided with venting means so adapted to direct the flow of extinguishant from the container that the reaction forces upon the container during discharge of extinguishant compensate one another to minimize the resultant force upon the container. The venting means comprise at least one diaphragm burstable by a detonator device housed in a frangible well which extends into the container.

Abstract: A top unloading silo unloader pendantly supported in a tower silo. The unloader has a material collector moved around the silo with drive structure. An impeller receives material from the collector and throws the material into an out chute which directs the material to a doorway leading to an upright passageway. The drive structure mounted on the outer end of the collector has leading and trailing drive wheels connected with movable mounts to a leveling apparatus. Power is applied to both wheels by separate drive shafts connected to the power transmission for the augers of the collector. The leveling apparatus has a base secured to the collector. Supports pivotally mounted on opposite ends of the base are attached to the mounts for the wheels. A linear actuator connected to the supports operates to concurrently pivot the supports in opposite directions so that the outer end of the collector can be raised or lowered and held in a selected position.

Abstract: An automatic document handler adapted to receive a stack of documents to be copied for feeding the documents seriatum to the platen of a copy machine and returning the copied documents to the stack. The combination of a vacuum-belt document corrugator/feed assembly and an air knife is provided to assure positive feeding of each document to the platen without misfeeds or multifeeds.

Abstract: When depositing layers of lumber (19) onto a support surface to form a stack (17) of lumber, spacing sticks (2) are placed between the various layers at right angles to their longitudinal direction. One or more laying means (20), which carry the layers of lumber, move either continuously or intermittently towards, over, and away from said stack support surface (21) on which the layers of lumber are placed. The spacing sticks (2,2') are inserted between separate layers of lumber by means of a movable means (13) which, while engaging one end of respective sticks, feeds said sticks substantially parallel with the direction of return movement of the laying means (20). The problem of laying the layers of lumber and the spacing sticks in a manner such that they interfere with one another to the least possible extent is hereby solved in a simple and reliable manner.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying loose material for making tile-like elements comprising, a conveyor for receiving a continuous layer of the loose material, a loose material supply apparatus for supplying the continuous layer of loose material to the conveyor and a driving unit connected to the conveyor for intermittently driving the conveyor to intermittently move the continuous layer. A material drawing bell is movable mounted with respect to the conveyor and includes a porous diaphragm and peripheral edge extending outwardly therefrom for receiving a tile-size dosage of the material in the continuous layer. A second drive unit is connected to the material drawing bell for moving the bell toward the conveyor to receive the tile-size dosage of material. A suction apparatus is connected to the bell for establishing an underpressure therein so that the tile-size dosage of material is retained against the porous diaphragm.

Abstract: Skulls which form within the upper nose section of steelmaking vessels are removed by means of a centrally located top blowing lance designed to blow at high velocity oxygen or other gases. The lance includes laterally extending ports communicating with a central relatively wide gas chamber and the gas is directed generally laterally outwardly against the inner wall of the nose section to retard or remove the skulls.

Abstract: Tool for vertically lifting and maneuvering objects such as utility access covers. A pair of spaced-apart ring assemblies including inner and outer concentric independently rotatable rings are connected to each other by a connecting member which extends over the object. The object is engaged to the tool by hooks suspended from the connecting member. A lever is connected to the connecting member so that when a force is applied to the lever the connecting member rotates causing simultaneous rotation of the inner rings while the outer rings remain stationary to vertically lift the object into the space between the ring assemblies. The object while suspended between the ring assemblies is then transportable by rotation of the outer rings with respect to the inner rings.

Abstract: A drum handling attachment for a forklift truck including a frame for attachment to the forks of the forklift truck, and supporting a transverse rotary shaft upon which are mounted for rotary movement therewith, at least a pair of gripping arms, at least one of the gripping arms being transversely adjustable on the shaft for handling one or more drums of different sizes.

Abstract: A high lift dump box trailer for lifting, transporting and dumping a load of material at a high elevation. The trailer includes a pair of retractable members that stabilize the trailer to permit dumping of the contents of the dump box when the dump box is in an elevated condition. The trailer includes a hydraulic suspension system that provides for wheel adjustment when transporting a load on a side hill and a fluid accumulator shock absorber system that provides for smooth riding over rough roads.

Abstract: A garbage compaction apparatus includes a packer housing having a loose garbage receiving bin and a compacted garbage storage bin. A packing channel communicates with both bins and has a ram reciprocally movable therein for moving garbage toward and into the storage bin. A movable wall within the storage bin is biased toward the outlet opening of the packing channel such that upon the accumulation of sufficient garbage within the storage bin, the insertion of additional garbage by the ram causes the wall to retract against the urging of the biasing mechanism whereby the accumulated garbage in the storage bin is maintained in a compacted state. The packer housing may be supported on a vehicle with the receiving bin situated forwardly of the storage bin and with the packing tube extended rearwardly to introduce garbage into the storage bin at the rearward end thereof so as to force the movable wall forwardly within the storage bin.

Abstract: Front and rear pairs of crawler assemblies are provided for supporting concentric ring segments disposed forwardly under the boom and rearwardly under the counterweight so the crane can travel under load and swing through at least a partial horizontal arc. One and preferably both crawler assemblies are selectively and reversely powered to facilitate forward and reverse as well as turning movement during travel under loaded and unloaded conditions.