Abstract: A plastic closure with a U-shaped rim surrounding a closure portion, an upper wall of the rim extending both upwardly and downwardly from the closure portion and flaring outwardly away from the closure portion. The upper end of the inner wall joins into the base of the `U` shape and the lower end is resiliently flexible. When fitted to a container, upper and lower ends of the inner wall seal against the lip and inner surface of the wall of the container, resiliency of the inner wall of the closure ensuring its sealing engagement with the container wall.

Abstract: A hot or cold operating cast pressure container having an inner steel lining which positively or nearly positively engages the inner wall of the cast pressure container directly or indirectly through the intervention of a filling compound having thermal insulation. The cast pressure container also has a framework for stabilizing the lining against undue deformations. This framework is connected with the cast structure by anchoring elements. Spacers are provided between the framework and the lining.

Abstract: An electrostatic, coating-dispensing apparatus includes an electrode upon which an electrostatic potential is impressed. The electrostatic potential is developed by a switching circuit, autotransformer and voltage multiplier from rectified line voltage. The entire apparatus is housed in a hand-held applicator to which line voltage is supplied. The apparatus includes a socket defined at one end thereof for interchangeably receiving containers holding various colors or types of coating material. Each container includes an electrode for contacting the first-mentioned electrode. The containers are shaped to fit snugly into the socket to hold the two electrodes in contact. An outer end wall of each container has a mesh portion through which charged particles of coating material from the interior of the container pass when the apparatus is activated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a container comprising a fluid containing pouch having at least one flexible upper wall portion made of an extensible plastic material. The upper wall portion is connected to a dispensing neck by deforming the upper wall portion into an annular recess into the dispensing neck and locking the same therein with an annular locking collar which is press fitted into the recess. The dispensing neck includes a translationally extending flange portion which will cooperate with a sleeve to secure the dispensing neck in an aperture of a supporting carton. The pouch and a portion of the dispensing neck are preferably made of dissimilar materials having low gas permeation characteristics to prevent the seepage of oxygen into the fluids in the container.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved reuseable bulk shipping container for the transport of liquids, semi-liquids, semi-solids, pastes and the like. The container has a pallet-type base structure including a drain and flow regulation valve assembly provided with a quick connect-disconnect coupling for connection to an exterior pumping source and a base retainer ring located on the base structure adapted to support the base of a side structure. The side structure includes removable metal panels or the like, and support structure to maintain the panels in a cylindrical form. A disposable inner liner is provided for containing the product. A top liner support bar, a top retaining ring cover structure and connecting rods are provided to secure the structure to the pallet-type base structure.

Abstract: A dispensing type container wherein a fluid product is dispensed under pressure from the container in the absence of special charging gases such as Freon and the like which are customarily utilized and which have been found to be objectionable. The container is charged with air under pressure from the atmosphere and includes a built-in cylinder which is associated with a separately formed and mounted piston. When the container is to be charged for dispensing the product, it is merely placed on the piston and reciprocated several times to pump air thereinto under pressure. The piston is reusable.

Abstract: A tundish has a metal casing, an inner permanent lining, e.g. of refractory brick, an inner expendable lining within the permanent lining and formed of slabs of refractory heat-insulating material, and at least one nozzle including a highly refractory nozzle ring set into the base of the tundish by means of a sealing compound which remains unhardened during the use of the tundish for continuous casting of molten metal.

Abstract: A retainer for skis and ski poles which, when used in two or more, forms a unitary assembly of a pair of skis and ski poles. Each retainer comprises a web band for encircling a pair of skis in bottom-to-bottom parallel alignment and, attached thereto, a clamp block having a pair of parallel, coextensive through bores for receiving the ski poles and a lock to secure said clamp block in gripping engagement of the received ski poles. Preferably the entire retainer is molded of a resilient elastomer, e.g., rubber and the like. The assembly of the skis and ski poles employs a pair of the retainers, at opposite ends of the assembly securing the skis in parallel, bottom-to-bottom array, and a parallel array of the ski poles.

Abstract: A method for controlling the movement of a web of material. The web material advances in a forward direction, thus creating an unsupported loop which characterizes the festoon arrangement of the invention. Web material is advanced into the festoon depending upon the size of the festoon. Web material is withdrawn and returned to the festoon on an intermittent basis independently of the flow of material into the festoon.

Abstract: An advancing mechanism for a recording web, such as paper, for an ink jet printer. The apparatus, including a platen having coaxially mounted discs on a shaft with the center disc of much higher coefficient of friction than the remaining discs, a tensioning roller, a pinch roller, and a recording web holding means, is self-aligning and self-threading, having low power requirements. Means for indicating the exhaustion of the recording web is also provided.

Abstract: A box having inner and outer pieces secured together to form two cells with the ends of the two inner pieces laminated together in hooked relationship to form a center strut tying together the opposite sides of the box.

Abstract: A reusable container for shipping returnable bottles of soda or beer is prepared from a single flat blank of material such as corrugated paperboard without stitching, gluing or stapling. The folding sequence is arranged such that the container comprises double thick side walls, end walls prepared from five thicknesses of material, a triple thick bottom and a captured wire rim reinforcing member in the upper end. The resulting container has increased strength and durability as compared with prior art containers of the same type.

Abstract: A disposable, centrifugal separator for separating contaminants from contaminated oil is disclosed. The centrifugal separator has a shroud which defines a first chamber and has a hollow rotor rotatably mounted in the first chamber and defining a second chamber. Oil under pressure is admitted to the second chamber through concentrically arranged tubes or spindles and past a low pressure shut-off valve. The oil flows into the first chamber through tangential reaction nozzles in the rotor to cause contaminants to migrate toward the sidewall of the second chamber under the influence of centrifugal force. The shroud and rotor are permanently closed so that the entire assembly may be discarded when a significant amount of contaminants has been deposited on the sidewall of the second chamber.

Abstract: An identification system comprising a plurality of differently frequency coded markings including mechanical vibrating means, and a detector device for detecting the frequency or combination of frequencies of the vibrating means. The vibrating means of the various markings are preferably made from identical comb-like members having teeth which are vibratory with different natural frequencies and of the type used in small music boxes. The different frequency codes may then be obtained by removing teeth in different combinations from the members used in the various markings. The markings may, for example, be arranged on dairy cattle, and the identification system may then be used in connection with a milk sampling system.

Abstract: A fluid mixing valve construction having a housing provided with a pair of inlets respectively interconnected by a pair of valve seats to an outlet and with a valve member operated by a condition responsive unit for controlling the valve seats in accordance with the condition of fluid passing to the outlet and sensed by the condition responsive unit. A second condition responsive unit is operatively interconnected to the valve member to close one of the valve seats with the valve member if the first mentioned condition responsive unit does not close the one valve seat with the valve member even though the same is sensing a condition that would require the first mentioned condition responsive unit to close the one valve seat whereby the fluid mixing valve construction is substantially fail-safe.

Abstract: The invention relates to a four-port thermally responsive valve for valving two normally closed fluid ports and one pair of normally open fluid ports in response to predetermined temperatures. A single valve member is movably contained within a housing passageway and spring biased in a first position so that a sealing surface at each end of the valve member is respectively engageable with and spaced from corresponding seating surfaces in the passageway for achieving initially open or closed valved conditions between the individual ports in each pair. A centrally located seal ring mounted in the housing passageway and surrounding the valve member isolates one pair of fluid ports from a second pair of fluid ports when the valve member is moved to a second position thereby permitting three valving functions to be attained with one device.

Abstract: An air conditioning system utilizing low temperature heating sources of the environment, so as to maximize the heat coefficient of performance (COP.sub.H) by conserving subterranean heat, atmospheric heat, solar heat and auxiliary heat sources in combination with a reversible-cycle water source heat pump, by absorption of heat energy into a liquid (water) and by applying said heat energy to the heat pump evaporator during the Heating Mode of operation to be absorbed by the refrigerant at low temperature, later to be rejected by the heat pump condensor at a higher temperature, thereby increasing the coefficient of performance, the capacity requirement of the heat pump unit being reduced by utilizing heat energy storage (hot and chilled), and by recirculating air therethrough for the accumulation and storage of supplemental heated and chilled water as required; and, discharging any excess heat through louvered solar panels opened for heat exchange and closed for heat absorption.

Abstract: A heating and cooling system is provided having an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger, a refrigerant compressor, an auxiliary heat exchanger in parallel with the outdoor heat exchanger, a solar collector unit, with the auxiliary heat exchanger disposed within a fluid contained in a storage tank wherein the fluid is heated by circulation through the solar collector. Heat from the solar collector is utilized to heat an interior space as long as the temperature of the fluid is sufficient and thereafterwards the heat pump system is utilized for supplying heat as needed. When the efficiency of the heat pump system is substantially impaired due to low ambient conditions, the auxiliary heat exchanger is utilized to supplement heat capacity to the heat pump system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for atomizing and dispersing a fluid in the form of a high speed dispersion filmy stream toward the environment surrounding the device. The device has a hollow cylindrical fluid barrel element in which a fluid, or fluids, under pressure is ejected so as to turn around an axis of the fluid barrel element, and a fluid dispersing round member defining a small dispersing opening between a conically convexed dispersing surface of the dispersing round member and a complementary end face of the fluid barrel element. The fluid dispersing round member is held by a flexible support structure so that the fluid dispersing round member is hydrodynamically drawn toward the fluid barrel.

Abstract: A gas appliance retrofit drive orifice is provided for use in resizing the existing orifice in a gas burning appliance. The retrofit orifice comprises an elongated body having an enlarged diameter head formed on one axial end and a fluid passage formed axially through the body. The end of the elongated body opposite from the enlarged head forms a pilot section and is inserted into a receiving hole drilled in the existing orifice. A retention portion axially adjacent the head is substantially the same or slightly larger than the drilled receiving hole whereby upon driving the retrofit orifice into the receiving hole, the retention portion frictionally engages and secures the retrofit orifice to and fluidly coupled with the existing orifice.

Abstract: An exchangeable or removable nozzle arrangement for use in a fluidized bed furnace is movable and in sealing contact with a surrounding sleeve at one end of the nozzle and may be withdrawn from the sleeve through a valve at the other end of the sleeve. An inlet to the space between the sleeve and the nozzle is connected to a source of pressurized fluidizing gas. Upon removal of a nozzle, while the furnace is under load, the bed is maintained in its fluidized state.

Abstract: A liner assembly for the shell or drum of an ore grinding machine. The liner assembly comprises a plurality of liner segments each of which defines a mounting surface constructed for mounting engagement with the inner shell surface and a grinding surface for comminuting the ore. Each of the segments has longitudinal sides that taper from the grinding surface to the mounting surface. When mounted in side-by-side relation, adjacent liner segments define a pocket between opposed, tapered sides. A wedge-shaped insert is disposed within each pocket and loosely retained therein by the opposed tapered surfaces to reduce the amount of particulate matter entering the pocket and to protect the inner surface of the shell. In the preferred embodiment, the ends of each segment may likewise be tapered toward the mounting surface so that pockets are also defined by the opposed ends of adjacent liner segments, and inserts are also loosely retained in these pockets.

Abstract: A portable hard rock crusher unit especially useful for low clearance underground mines. Material to be crushed is horizontally fed to the rotary crusher jaws. A curved convergent material flow-path is employed between two crusher jaws. The outer member of the crusher is a substantially stationary outer curved concave jaw and its inner jaw member is a cylindrical element mounted to give eccentric motion on a shaft. The inner member may freely rotate on its eccentric or it may also be rotatably driven. Material fed between the inner and outer jaw members of the crusher encounters a progressively narrower opening as it is crushed and moved by the peristaltic pumping action caused by the eccentric motion of the movable inner crusher element acting against the outer stationary jaw.

Abstract: A crusher including a series of cutter units mounted on a pair of shafts arranged parallel to each other so as to rotate in the opposite directions to each other, wherein each of the cutter units is provided with a holder member which includes a flange portion and a boss portion, and a disc-shaped cutter blade secured detachably to the holder member and divided circumferentially into several segments, the cutter units on the respective shafts being so arranged that the disc-shaped cutter blades of every paired cutter units contact each other partly at their sides and that the disc-shaped cutter blade and flange portion of a cutter unit on one shaft are opposed to the boss portion of the mating cutter unit on the other shaft such that a space is formed between the peripheries of both cutter units; and each flange portion is provided with pawls along its outer periphery while each boss portion has provided along its periphery alternate ridges and recesses so designed as to maintain a substantially constant spac

Abstract: A jaw crusher for the reduction of rock and ore and including a toggle beam and a transversely shiftable wedge at each end of the beam whereby the toggle beam is wedged downwardly into position in the way slots of the crusher side walls and locked therein. Means are provided between the beam ends and the wedges for shifting the wedges in beam locking and unlocking directions. Lifting of these extremely heavy toggle beams is not necessary in order to effect their removal.

Abstract: A machine for cutting blocks of frozen meat wherein the meat blocks are pushed in contact with a cutter drum or under a knife bar by means of a pusher provided with a rearwardly extending plate, a desk covering the plate in its position remote from the cutter drum or knife bar, the plate forming an intermediate support for meat blocks during the forward movement of the pusher.

Abstract: The disclosed doffing apparatus is for use in a spinning machine including a mechanism for winding a yarn in the form of a cheese or package, a device for cutting the yarn fed to the winding mechanism when the cheese becomes full and an air suction device for sucking the cut yarn which is continuously fed even after cutting. This doffing apparatus comprises an operation member which is movably positioned in the vicinity of the air suction device and cutting device so that the operation member is operatively interconnected to the air suction device and cutting device, and opening of the air suction device and operation of the cutting device are performed by the movement of the operation member. In this doffing apparatus, release of a full cheese from the winding mechanism also can be performed by this operation member.

Abstract: A yarn winder includes a package support roller and traversing mechanism which comprises slot-like guides on closely spaced contra-rotating driving members which may be either concentric or eccentric. A deflector arrangement at each end of the resultant field of traverse assists the transfer of the yarn from a guide on one driving member at one end of the field and then back to a guide on the first driving member at the other end of the field, each guide being followed in the direction of motion by a cam-like compensating surface, for temporarily increasing the length of the yarn path to take up slack which would otherwise be formed during transfer from one guide to another, and, in the case of concentric driving members, preceded in the direction of motion by a ramp-like lifting surface.

Abstract: A thread-supply arrangement for use in textile-manufacturing machines includes an accumulating drum which is mounted on a shaft and is to be selectively driven, together with other accumulating drums, when the shaft thereof is driven in rotation by an advancing belt or the like. A single pulley is mounted on the shaft for joint rotation therewith and for selected displacement longitudinally of the shaft between a plurality of positions in different ones of which different advancing belts are trained about the single pulley. Lifting rollers lift the respective advancing belt from the pulley to enable the latter to assume a different one of the positions thereof. Each belt which is then not being trained about the pulley, may be supported on a guiding roller mounted on an arm endwise received in an aperture of the support on which the shaft is mounted.

Abstract: A rotatable shaft carries a winding instrumentality whereby thread to be temporarily stored is coiled around a thread drum rotatably mounted on the shaft. Rotation of the thread drum in the direction of shaft rotation is prevented by concentric relatively fixed and movable brake elements, the fixed one secured to housing for the apparatus, the movable one coaxially secured to the thread drum. One of the brake elements has a circumferential surface from which elongated resilient fingers project, the fingers being more or less radial to said surface and having their tips normally engaged under flexing bias against a circumferential braking surface on the other brake element. The thread passes through the zone of the fingers, and the several fingers are so inclined to radials from the common center of the brake elements that the thread, or a guide tube through which it extends, can flexingly cam each finger, in turn, out of engagement with the braking surface and pass around the finger.

Abstract: The invention is a new hub assembly for mounting magnetic tape supply reels for rotation on a selected axis, e.g. in a tape cassette loading machine. The hub assembly comprises a hub adapted to be mounted on a selected axis, a clamping element in the form of a resilient ring on the periphery of the hub, and camming means and cam followers for expanding the resilient ring outwardly of the periphery of the hub so that the hub can exert pressure on a reel mounted on the hub.

Abstract: A video cassette tape reel comprises at least one flange; a ring hub having a groove in parallel to the axis of the hub; a clamp fitted to the groove; and peripheral guides formed in the hub between which the clamp is fitted, whereby a tape clamped on the ring hub is not contacted with the flange in winding the tape.

Abstract: A device for winding or unwinding of a cord-shaped material on and off a spool, respectively, with a spool support unit comprising two adjustable sleeves and a drive mechanism for rotating the spool, and with the spool support unit being suspended on a carrier. The support unit is mounted on the carrier rotatable out of its operating position by at least 90.degree. around a vertical axis.

Abstract: A cable drum for the automatic rewinding of a cable in which two separate winding areas are located on a shaft loaded with the force of a restoring spring. The cable is fixed by a slot in the winding areas in a disc-shaped separating wall which is common to the winding areas. The shaft is perpendicular to a rotary disc or bushing of a two-part spring housing and engages the rotary disc or bushing in a form-locked manner. The shaft is held in a bearing of a stationary part of the spring housing. This stationary part holds feed-out guides for the two ends of the cable. The stationary part of the spring housing, furthermore, is expanded to form a cylindrical wall which bounds the winding areas on a side and partially extending over the cable drum discs fixed on the shaft. A cover is detachably fastened on this cylindrical wall and extends over the remaining portion of the cable drum discs.

Abstract: An improved safety belt tension eliminator which allows the wearer to ease the belt pressure on his body after the belt is attached. The control mechanism for the tension eliminator has an improved stop-follower mechanism which is uniquely spring mounted, adjusted and actuated.

Abstract: A bobbin on which a package of thread-form or strip-form material can be wound has at one or both ends a reflexive snap ring which is selectively displaceable between first and second positions with an over-center snap action. In the first position of the snap ring the end of the thread or other material to be wound on the bobbin is held fast in a slot at the boundary of a thread-receiving channel which extends circumferentially around the bobbin, while in the second position of the snap ring the channel is opened for access. The snap ring may be integral with the bobbin sleeve and the bobbin made of a synthetic-resin material. The snap ring can be used on bobbins which have a circumferential flange to retain the wound package and on bobbins without such a flange, in which case the snap ring is directly engageable with the end of the package.

Abstract: A tensioning device is illustrated wherein a plurality of longitudinally aligned upright receptacles carry stacked rollers the lowermost of which is driven by the passage of yarn thereunder. A vertical yarn passageway is carried in at least one end of the housing forming an end receptacle to permit a change of direction in the yarn to cause up and down roller movement to compensate for changes in tension in the yarn as well as alternate yarn paths. Passageways are provided in the housing adjacent the pairs of rollers so as to permit expulsion of lint from the receptacles which is promoted by turning of the rolls. Magnetic means may be carried beneath the device for varying the force exerted by the rollers on the strand and the magnetic means may be varied for this purpose. Detector means such as photo-electric devices may be utilized for detecting variation in the turning of the rollers to act as a stop motion for the machine utilizing the tensioning device.

Abstract: A method of improving the guiding of reaction driven flying bodies for ground-to-ground utilization and a device for practicing the method in which the distance between a target point and a launching point is determined, as by observation, and a flying body such as a rocket is launched from the launching point while the flight thereof is controlled in conformity with the position of the flying body which latter is determined by detecting radiation given off by the reaction drive of the body. The path of the flying body is controlled so that, upon launching the body from the launching point, the path of the body diverges upwardly from a line joining the launching point and target point and then converges with the line and then follows the line to the target point.

Abstract: A tandem wing aircraft is provided having two independent spaced apart fuselages and two wings of similar area, a lower forward wing and a higher aft wing. The lower forward wing is attached to the forward region of each of the spaced apart fuselages; the higher aft wing is aerodynamically spaced apart from and located above the aft region of the spaced apart fuselages. An aft strut member is disposed between the aft wing and each of the fuselages; each aft strut member has a length sufficient to cause the wing tips of the lower forward wing and the upper aft wing to be vertically spaced apart by a distance of at least 25% of the span of either of the wings.

Abstract: A float assembly for supporting a vehicle having three cylindrical float tubes tangentially secured together by a suitable adhesive with two of the float tubes being positioned so that the centerlines thereof are in a horizontal plane. The three float tubes are secured together to form a pyramid whereby the intersections thereof form a Y-shaped cross-sectional configuration so that the centers of the cylindrical float tubes form a triangle which is or approaches an equilateral triangle. Girths are secured to the float assembly in the horizontal plane and are suitably bolted to skids which are attached to the vehicle. The forward and aft ends of each of the cylindrical float tubes are frustoconical shaped cones which are inclined upwardly to increase the maneuverability of the vehicle and prevent pitch poling. The outboard and top float tubes have bulkheads to provide several sections to enable the float tubes to provide flotation in the event that one of the sections is deflated.

Abstract: A portable derail for installation on railway track to prevent a railcar or locomotive from passing beyond a fixed point, thereby protecting workmen and equipment against accidents, the derail being lightweight and portable so a workman can carry it from one location to another, and yet being designed to function effectively under severe loading conditions and resist any tendency to slide along the rail when subjected to impact.

Abstract: A molding unit for forming a frozen liquid confection and the like comprising a container of molded or a plastic material and integrally molded with a ring-like member, which ring-like member is readily severable from the container and positioned between posts or pins on the container so that a portion of the ring-like member extends into the container to be frozen into and embedded in the frozen product with a portion of the ring-like member extending exteriorly so that it may be grasped and used as a handle to hold the finished frozen product.

Abstract: A mold for injection molding of long thin walled articles has precisely balanced high-volume venting of a narrow cavity space surrounding a long slender cantilevered core and minimized flash. The venting is provided by closing an end of the female mold cavity with a sintered metal plug and forming an end of the mold cavity in an end face of the plug.

Abstract: A linear retractable seal valve having a wedge sealing-slip assembly slideably held at opposite side edges of the wedge to guide rails of the valve body and moveable from a distant first location to a second location between inlet and outlet ports of the valve from which latter location the sealing slips are wedged outwardly of the longitudinal movement of the assembly into closure engagement with the valve ports, with the valve being returned to its open position through a reverse sequential movement wherein there is first a perpendicular movement of the slips out of closure engagement with the valve ports, following which there is a reverse longitudinal movement of the wedge-slip assembly away from the fluid passageway to its valve open first location.

Abstract: There is disclosed a gate valve having a gate movable within an elongated, rectangular section of a pressure containing body, and a hoop-like reinforcing flange disposed about the body section near one end thereof and arranged perpendicularly to the length of the body. Welds secure the inner edges of the flange welded to only intermediate portions of the long front walls of the body section, and bolts are provided for drawing together all four sides of the reinforcing flange and a mounting flange on a bonnet assembly. A reinforcing means connects the unsecured portions of the reinforcing flange to the front walls of the body section in such a manner as to have relatively high rigidity with respect to forces perpendicular to the reinforcing flange and relatively low rigidity with respect to forces which result from relative movement between the body and flange in directions generally parallel to the reinforcing flange.

Abstract: My invention is particularly adapted for use in steel-making furnaces which have a charge-receiving vessel comprising a bottom and side walls for containing the molten steel and slag, such as the open hearth and electric furnaces. Lime is a major constituent of steel-making slags but it has a tendency to build up on the furnace bottom after successive steel-making operations. I have discovered that by adding a mineral, such as alumina or the like to the built-up lime and applying heat, the lime and alumina will chemically combine to form another mineral having a melting point low enough so that it may be liquified for drainage from the furnace.

Abstract: With the purpose of attaining effective reduction of vertical vibrations, there is arranged in vertical direction between the vibrating mass and the excitation source one or more little-damped springing systems which include compressed-air springing elements provided with a connecting pipe for the inlet or outlet of compressed air, whereby active intervention in the functioning of base springing systems is made possible. The active intervention concerns the vibrating of the mass in the resonance of the systems, and consequently, these systems may be provided only with the dampers which enable low damping or may be even without dampers at all. Moreover, between the vibrating mass and one or more springing systems, or between the springing systems and the excitation source, there is arranged one or more acceleration transformers in vertical direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for making substantially impenetrable members such as wall and floor members for bank vaults or the like. A fixture is used which facilitates the assembly of a plurality of expanded sheet metal members in a spaced stack thereof. Rod members are inserted transversely of the expanded sheet metal members with at least some of the rods extending beyond the sides of the spaced stack of expanded sheet metal members. The fixture is elevated at one end so that the rod members may be secured to the expanded sheet metal members simultaneously in a number of different positions. An auxiliary frame member may be employed whenever it is necessary to align the sheets vertically prior to being secured to the rod members.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for clamping a workpiece lying on the table of a machine tool by means of two jaws, at least one of which is displaceable, said jaws being provided with mutually opposed parallel clamping surfaces, at least one of which is displaceable by a predetermined amount in the direction toward the table and parallel to its jaw.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copier having a cut sheet, two-bin, paper feed module which is selectively secured in copier-operative position, whereat it is operable to feed sheets to the copier's paper aligner and transfer station, or is removable to a copier-inoperative position whereat the module remains operative to feed sheets for the purpose of examination, analysis, and/or repair and maintenance of the paper feed module.