Abstract: Apparatus for limiting torque to a drive line upon rotation in one direction. A rotor is connected to a rotational device within a housing selectively connected to a control for a source of rotational force for operation and cessation thereof. The rotor has a pivoted pawl which mates with an elongated groove in the housing. The pivoted pawl freely pivots in one of two directions but is prevented, by a pin, from rotating in the other direction. A small compression spring on each side of the pawl causes the pawl to re-center in the groove and permits the housing dimensions to be halved as compared to those accomodating a single, high force spring. The rotor has a pair of cam surfaces which contact a plurality of spring loaded push rods in the housing. In operation, the rotor and the housing rotate together about a common axis in either direction. However, when torque loading is imposed during rotation in a first direction, the pawl pivots and moves out of engagement with the housing groove.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing fire logs from a granular combustible starting ingredient and a hot binder includes a continuous cooler so that the entire process may be continuous from starting ingredients to final product. A combustible starting ingredient in the form of sawdust is mixed to a mixer with hot wax to form a hot mixture which is conveyed to the cooler. Cooled air enters the cooler lower portion and rises upwardly between a plurality of spaced transversely oriented rotatable rollers of a conveyor arrangement, which arrangement conveys the hot product through its cooling process to an outlet end of the cooler. The hot product that passes between the rollers is in turn conveyed by a pair of screw conveyors to the same outlet. Heated air is exhausted through an exhaust outlet. The conveyor rollers are interconnected whereby driving a first of the rollers correspondingly drives each of the others in the same direction.