Abstract: A shutoff valve includes a valve housing with inlet and outlet openings and a hole drilled in alignment with the inlet (or outlet) opening. A pusher is slidably positioned in the hole for extension toward the inlet opening, the pusher including a shutoff member inside the hollow housing adapted to close off the inlet opening when extended to a inlet-closed position, and to open the inlet opening when retracted to an inlet-opened position. The pusher includes a handle for manually pressing the pusher and shutoff member toward the inlet opening. A spring biases the pusher toward the inlet-opened position. By this arrangement, the pusher is manually closed but cannot accidentally be left in the inlet-closed position due to being biased toward the inlet-opened position.

Abstract: A scraper truck includes a main scraper mounted to a wheeled vehicle and side scrapers pivoted to the main scraper at its ends. The side scrapers are pivotally movable between extended lateral positions where the side scrapers extend outboard of the opposite ends for collecting debris located outboard of the vehicle's width, and a retracted position where the side scrapers are in overlapped juxtaposed storage positions close to and in front of the main scraper. The main scraper has a front face that is concavely shaped. The scraper mount defines a vertical pivot axis and the scraper assembly is rotatable about the vertical pivot axis upon striking an object toward an end of the scraper. A biasing mechanism is provided for biasing the scraper toward a centered forwardly-facing position, and a shear pin is configured to break prior to damage to the scraper or vehicle frame.

Abstract: A truck includes a steerable frame having a tank with structure defining a forwardly-facing front discharge opening and an auger for moving material in the tank to the discharge opening. A subassembly is attached to the structure for receiving a stream of the material from the front discharge opening. The subassembly includes a laterally-facing tube with an outlet opening oriented to dump material from the tank in a sideways direction near a front of the steerable frame. In one form, the subassembly is configured to replace a guillotine plate gate covering the discharge opening for normal front dumping of material, the subassembly allowing material to be dumped to a side instead of toward the front.

Abstract: A material-handling vehicle includes a wheeled vehicle with front-located cabin; a compartment for holding bulk flowable material; a longitudinal conveyor with beam-style agitator for moving material from the compartment to the vehicle's front; a transverse conveyor for selectively distributing the material laterally in right or left directions and also the trajectory of the material, with lateral discharge visible from the cabin; central pivot structure on a longitudinal centerline of the wheeled vehicle for pivotally supporting the transverse conveyor for movement to different angular positions; actuators operably connected to the transverse conveyor for controlling angular movement thereof; and a control in the cabin for controlling operation of the at least on actuator. Tunnel covers focus the lateral discharge.

Abstract: A scraper truck includes a main scraper mounted to a wheeled vehicle and side scrapers pivoted to the main scraper at its ends. The side scrapers are pivotally movable between extended lateral positions where the side scrapers extend outboard of the opposite ends for collecting debris located outboard of the vehicle's width, and a retracted position where the side scrapers are in overlapped juxtaposed storage positions close to and in front of the main scraper. The main scraper has a front face that is concavely shaped. The scraper mount defines a vertical pivot axis and the scraper assembly is rotatable about the vertical pivot axis upon striking an object toward an end of the scraper. A biasing mechanism is provided for biasing the scraper toward a centered forwardly-facing position, and a shear pin is configured to break prior to damage to the scraper or vehicle frame.

Abstract: A vacuum truck includes a self-propelled vehicle, a storage tank, a vacuum source, a laterally-shiftable scraper, and a pullback scraper. Suction lines connect a collection area of the scrapers to the storage tank and to the vacuum source. The exhaust from the vacuum system heats the collection area and the suction line to prevent plugging by the cold vacuumed material. The vehicle's engine exhaust can also be controlled to serve as a second heat source that can be used. A fluffer comprises a rake pivoted to the scraper is extendable for fluffing bedding while performing the vacuuming operation. The truck includes a front discharge opening and auger for emptying the tank. The driver's cabin is in front and has high and low windows, such that all vehicle operations are easily seen.

Abstract: A loader attachment including a frame having a left sidewall and a right sidewall. The loader attachment also includes a first track with a tine slidably coupled to the first track, a second track with a tine slidably coupled to the second track, a first actuator mounted on the right sidewall of the frame for initiating sliding of the first tine along the first track toward and away from the left sidewall, and a second actuator mounted on the left sidewall of the frame for initiating sliding of the second tine along the second track toward and away from the right sidewall of the frame.

Abstract: A loader attachment including a frame having a left sidewall and a right sidewall. The loader attachment also includes a first track with a tine slidably coupled to the first track, a second track with a tine slidably coupled to the second track, a first actuator mounted on the right sidewall of the frame for initiating sliding of the first tine along the first track toward and away from the left sidewall, and a second actuator mounted on the left sidewall of the frame for initiating sliding of the second tine along the second track toward and away from the right sidewall of the frame.

Abstract: An apparatus is convertible between a pontoon, a camper, and a trailer. The apparatus includes a main frame with longitudinally-extending beams and transverse beams. A retractable wheel frame supporting a double pair of wheels is pivoted to the main frame and is configured to swingingly retract into a center area of the main frame. Side, front and rear pontoons are attached to the main frame, with the side pontoons being extendable laterally to provide increased width to the apparatus. A vertical upright beam is slidably attached to the main frame, and includes a bottom hitch and a top boom, both of which are moved by an actuator attached to the upright beam.

Abstract: A material handling apparatus includes a frame attachable to a front-end loader vehicle. A tine is attached to the frame, and a top clamp arm is pivoted to the frame and extends over the tine. The clamp arm is movable between a closed position where teeth on a forward lower surface extend generally parallel the tine for holding objects on the front portion, and a partially closed position where teeth on the rearward lower surface are located to hold objects on the rear portion of the tine. The rearward lower surface is upwardly angled from the forward lower surface so that the rear teeth do not interfere with holding a primary object on the front teeth even with secondary objects under the rearward lower surface. The clamp arm has a width and defines a space for receiving the tine, thus providing improved clamping ability.

Abstract: A material handling apparatus includes a frame attachable to a front-end loader vehicle. A tine is attached to the frame, and a top clamp arm is pivoted to the frame and extends over the tine. The clamp arm is movable between a closed position where teeth on a forward lower surface extend generally parallel the tine for holding objects on the front portion, and a partially closed position where teeth on the rearward lower surface are located to hold objects on the rear portion of the tine. The rearward lower surface is upwardly angled from the forward lower surface so that the rear teeth do not interfere with holding a primary object on the front teeth even with secondary objects under the rearward lower surface. The clamp arm has a width and defines a space for receiving the tine, thus providing improved clamping ability.

Abstract: An apparatus is convertible between a pontoon, a camper, and a trailer. The apparatus includes a main frame with longitudinally-extending beams and transverse beams. A retractable wheel frame supporting a double pair of wheels is pivoted to the main frame and is configured to swingingly retract into a center area of the main frame. Side, front and rear pontoons are attached to the main frame, with the side pontoons being extendable laterally to provide increased width to the apparatus. A vertical upright beam is slidably attached to the main frame, and includes a bottom hitch and a top boom, both of which are moved by an actuator attached to the upright beam.

Abstract: An apparatus is convertible between a pontoon, a camper, and a trailer. The apparatus includes a main frame with longitudinally-extending beams and transverse beams. A retractable wheel frame supporting a double pair of wheels is pivoted to the main frame and is configured to swingingly retract into a center area of the main frame. Side, front and rear pontoons are attached to the main frame, with the side pontoons being extendable laterally to provide increased width to the apparatus. A vertical upright beam is slidably attached to the main frame, and includes a bottom hitch and a top boom, both of which are moved by an actuator attached to the upright beam.

Abstract: An apparatus is convertible between a pontoon, a camper, and a trailer. The apparatus includes a main frame with longitudinally-extending beams and transverse beams. A retractable wheel frame supporting a double pair of wheels is pivoted to the main frame and is configured to swingingly retract into a center area of the main frame. Side, front and rear pontoons are attached to the main frame, with the side pontoons being extendable laterally to provide increased width to the apparatus. A vertical upright beam is slidably attached to the main frame, and includes a bottom hitch and a top boom, both of which are moved by an actuator attached to the upright beam.

Abstract: An offal scraper is provided for motorized farm implements and includes a rigid deck, skirt and resilient scraping element which form a cup shaped scraper for containing and pushing offal. The deck has a semicircular shape including a curved rear edge and a substantially flat upper mounting surface. The skirt drapes downwardly from the curved rear edge and provides a curvilinear mounting surface to which the scraper element is affixed. The scraper element takes the shape of the curved mounting surface and can be moved along a supporting floor surface in a squeegee type fashion. A second scraper element can be affixed to the front edge of the deck providing a second scraping action. Various attachment structures can be affixed to the upper mounting surface on the deck.