Abstract: A device for compressing stacks of branches or twigs pruned from trees or shrubs into compact bundles includes a winch having an elongated tubular shaft terminated at one end thereof by a hand crank, and rotatably supported by a pair of longitudinally spaced apart support structures disposed transversely to the winch shaft. Each support structure has a base plate having a lower surface adapted to abut a stack of prunings, and a bearing support structure protruding upwards from the base plate for rotatably supporting the winch shaft. An aperture through the base plate disposed radially rearwards from the winch shaft receives a tensioning rope wound around the winch shaft. The opposite end of each tensioning rope encircles a pruning stack, and is attached at longitudinally spaced apart locations to an anchor rod.

Abstract: A device for compressing stacks of branches or twigs pruned from trees or shrubs into compact bundles includes a winch having an elongated tubular shaft terminated at one end thereof by a hand crank, and rotatably supported by a pair of longitudinally spaced apart support structures disposed transversely to the winch shaft. Each support structure has a base plate having a lower surface adapted to abut a stack of prunings, and a bearing support structure protruding upwards from the base plate for rotatably supporting the winch shaft. An aperture through the base plate disposed radially rearwards from the winch shaft receives a tensioning rope wound around the winch shaft. The opposite end of each tensioning rope encircles a pruning stack, and is attached at longitudinally spaced apart locations to an anchor rod.

Abstract: An improved platform for scales used to weigh parcels and envelopes for shipping has a hoop-shaped wire bail having at both rear end portions thereof a short, laterally inwardly projecting pivot leg. The pivot legs are axially aligned, and are pivotably attached to the platform in a manner permitting the bail to be pivoted upward and rearward from a position in which the plane of the bail lies below the surface of the platform, to an upright position in which envelopes placed on the platform may be leaned rearward against the bail, thus covering less of the platform and improving the viewability of a weight indicator located below the platform. Stop lugs in the platform located rearward of the pivot legs limit rearward motion of the bail to a position in which the plane of the bail is inclined slightly rearward of a plane perpendicular to the platform.

Abstract: A majority-voted output circuit generates an output parameter which is the majority vote of its input parameters by series-parallel combination of four intermediate switches, each said switch being a Boolean function of the input parameters, and the circuit being arranged so that failure of any one switch does not affect the value of the output parameter. Alternate embodiments are provided which use "don't care" signals to allow the majority vote of less than the full complement of input parameters. The majority-voted output circuit is subjected to testing by stepped transitions of its input parameters (to test for failure of any of the four intermediate switches) and by forcing current flow through predetermined current paths (to test for failure of a particular electrical connection).