Abstract: A system for anchoring a mobile equipment carrier on a platform for transport by a freight carrier wherein the mobile equipment carrier is supported on a plurality of shock absorbing casters. Wheel anchors including a base bracket and a hold-down bracket attach the wheel of each caster to the platform to retain the caster against rolling and swiveling about the caster axis while accommodating vertical movement of the shock absorbing casters and the equipment supported thereby. The base bracket comprises a sheet metal member having end portions and an upwardly facing saddle shaped intermediate portion integral with the end portions and adapted to receive a caster wheel.

Abstract: A shock absorbing caster wheel in which the wheel support bracket is pivotally mounted on a caster bracket and a spring engages the wheel support bracket and caster bracket to absorb shocks on the caster wheel. Vibration dampening pads on the caster bracket slidably engage wall surfaces on the wheel support bracket to dampen oscillation of the wheel support bracket.

Abstract: A coupling apparatus for interconnecting two vehicles for relative pivotal movement including a hitch member adapted for attachment to one vehicle and having a ball hitch, and a coupler member adapted for attachment to a second vehicle and having a head for swivelly receiving the hitch ball. A slide block is mounted in a guide member on the hitch member for movement crosswise of the centerline of the hitch member and has a notch for receiving a nose on the coupler member so that angular movement of the coupler member about the axis of the hitch ball causes sliding movement of the slide block. Movement of the slide block along the guide is retarded by a frictional brake pad and a selectively operable lever is provided to retract the guide member and slide block away from the hitch ball to facilitate coupling and uncoupling.

Abstract: A belt tensioning device including a mounting bracket, a pulley support arm pivotally mounted at one end on the mounting bracket and having an idler pulley rotatably mounted at its other end. A spring yieldably biases the arm in a direction to press the idler pulley against the belt. The arm has opposed wall faces disposed in planes perpendicular to the pivot axis of the arm and mounted on the bracket and have pad faces pressed into engagement with respective ones of the opposed wall faces on the arm to dampen vibration or oscillation of the arm.

Abstract: A caster apparatus of the type having a caster bracket mounted on a mounting base for swivel motion about an upright swivel axis and a caster wheel mounted on the caster bracket, in which the mounting base has a downwardly facing annular trackway spaced outwardly from the swivel axis, a roller is mounted on the caster bracket for rotation about an axis extending generally radially of the caster axis and in rolling engagement with the annular trackway, and pads are mounted on the caster bracket at a location to engage the annular trackway adjacent the roller to wipe the trackway in advance of the roller when the caster bracket swivels and to also dampen swivelling of the caster bracket about the caster axis.

Abstract: A stock rack of the type used in tire plants for transporting tread forming blanks and wherein a plurality of trays are supported on end upright supports and one or more intermediate upright supports for swinging movement between a generally horizontal position and a raised position. Each tray has a plurality of axially aligned rolled rim sections along its rear edge, the rolled rim sections being dimensioned to extend between adjacent ones of the upright supports and having adjacent ends spaced apart to receive an intermediate upright support therebetween. The upright supports have hinge rod receiving openings at vertically spaced locations therealong and hinge rods extend through horizontally aligned ones of the hinge rod receiving openings in the upright end and intermediate supports and through the rolled rim sections on a respective one of the trays.

Abstract: A curling die apparatus adapted for use in a press and having a die member with a semi-cylindrical cavity adapted to be mounted on one press member and a sheet engaging means on the other press member for advancing a sheet of material edgewise along a path tangent to the inlet edge of the semi-cylindrical die cavity to progressively deflect the sheet material into a curl. The curling die apparatus includes a movable sheet guide member normally positioned to engage one side of the sheet adjacent the inlet edge of the die cavity to guide the sheet while the lead edge of the sheet moves progressively in a curl along the semi-cylindrical cavity and the guide member is automatically moved to a position away from the die cavity as the lead edge of the sheet exits from the semi-cylindrical die cavity to allow the lead edge of the sheet to continue to curl through at least a major portion of the cylinder.

Abstract: An apparatus for coupling vehicles in a train of such vehicles including first and second coupler plates pivotally interconnected by a coupler pin for relative movement about an upright axis and having brake means frictionally retarding relative rotation between the coupler plates and a cam type latch means mounted on one plate and engageable in a depression in the other plate when the first and second plates are in a preselected angular position for releasably restraining relative movement between the coupler plates out of the preset angular position until the forces tending to cause relative angular movement substantially exceed the frictional force of the friction brake means.