Abstract: A fold control mechanism and method is provided in a foldable conduit system for accurately controlling the movement of a diagonal pipe section which extends above and below the pipes in the system. The fold control mechanism includes a first wheel rigidly secured to an extensible boom and a second wheel connected to the first wheel by a flexible connecting means. The second wheel is rigidly connected to the diagonal pipe section, rotates about its own axis, and rotates aproximately 180.degree. about the axis of the first wheel to maintain control of the several pipes in the conduit system during the folding and unfolding operations.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for maintaining a predetermined mast-boom working angle of a pendant supported boom substantially constant during extension and retraction of the boom. One embodiment of the invention includes control means connected between the boom and the mast for detecting slight angular changes and actuating power means for paying out or drawing in sufficient pendant to return the mast-boom angle to a predetermined angle. Another embodiment utilizes electrical controls having a first potentiometer capable of detecting linear changes in the effective boom supporting length of the pendant and another potentiometer for detecting linear changes in the length of the boom, said potentiometer sending output signal ratios which vary from a predetermined output signal ratio for actuating power means that takes up or pays out sufficient pendant to return the boom to the predetermined mast-boom working angle and returns the output signal ratio to said predetermined ratio.

Abstract: A "no-lift" container trailer is disclosed having a vertically movable roller tray with parallel rollers thereon which when tangent to the roll plane, and solely support a container thereon allow the container to be moved onto or off the trailer. A vertically movable caster tray of the trailer has fixed caster wheels thereon with their axes of rotation intersecting a vertical axis near the center of the trailer. When the wheels provide sole support for the container at the roll plane the container may be rotated about the vertical axis to any desired position. Manually operated cams are provided to sequentially move only the rollers tangent to the roll plane for supporting the container only on the rollers to move both the rollers and wheels tangent to the roll plane, and to move the rollers below the roll plane for supporting the container only on the wheels thus transferring the containers between the rollers and the wheel at the roll plane without lifting the container.

Abstract: A heavy duty travel crane is disclosed having two power driven mobile units each having an upper works pivotally supported by the lower works and interconnected by a spreader link. A boom and gantry are supported on one mobile unit and a plurality of winches and operator controls for both units are carried by the other unit with a counterweight supported on the spreader link immediately adjacent thereto. The winches are connected to hoists trained over the boom and gantry for supporting a load, and the counterweight is attached to the upper end of the gantry with the adjacent mobile power unit acting as an auxiliary counterweight if the load is of sufficient weight to lift the counterweight off the spreader link.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for packaging articles in two portions of film which are fed between outer and inner annular film clamping mechanisms with the outer clamping mechanism firmly clamping the film portions while stretching the film over the article. The inner annular clamping mechanism then clamps the periphery of the film portions together immediately inward of the seal area, and the outer clamps release the film allowing an annular hot knife to seal and sever the film portions in a relaxed area. A low inertia film drive system is also provided with the film supply rolls on one side of the clamping mechanisms being continuously driven while brush rolls on the other side of the clamping mechanisms are intermittently driven. The low inertia film drive system also includes components for assuring that the film is stressed longitudinally and transversely to remove wrinkles therefrom, and to assure that the film portions are sealed and severed in a completely relaxed area.

Abstract: A hydrostatic propulsion system and method of operation is disclosed for smoothly driving a vehicle, such as a street sweeper. The system includes a shift lever for selectively moving a pump stroking valve into reverse, neutral, low forward, and fast forward speed positions to prepare the system. After the shift lever has been placed in a forward or reverse position, an accelerator pedal must be depressed to partially or fully close an inching throttle valve before the pump swash plate moves from its zero piston displacement position and begins to pump fluid to the hydrostatic motors. Hydrostatic braking forces are applied when the accelerator pedal is released and also in response to initial depression of a brake pedal for providing normal braking to the vehicle. Further depression of the brake pedal operates a conventional brake system for panic stops.

Abstract: An accessory tool for use on a tire changing machine when operating on custom alloy wheels is disclosed which clamps onto the tongue portion of the usual tire changer rotatably driven center post which is normally used to rotationally drive a slotted tire tool. The accessory tool has the capability of positioning a tire mount/demount head radially and axially relative to the wheel rim and of securely clamping the mount/demount head in such selected position. Moreover, the clamping action for positioning the mount/demount head automatically lifts the head away from the rim surface to assure no contact between the head and the edge of the wheel rim when the accessory tool is rotated by rotation of the tire machine center post to mount or demount a tire bead over the edge of the rim.

Abstract: An overcenter, spring loaded linkage is disclosed for applying a lifting force to a pick-up broom of a street sweeper when the broom is new and heavy, and for applying a downward pressure on the broom when the broom is worn and light in weight. The linkage maintains a substantially constant pick-up broom pattern on the surface being swept throughout the useful life of the broom in spite of a substantial reduction in broom diameter due to wear.

Abstract: An improved method, and apparatus for performing the method, is disclosed for measuring and correcting the individual toe of pairs of steerable and non-steerable wheels of a vehicle relative to a longitudinal centerline passing through the midpoints of the wheel pairs. The improved methods utilize aimable alignment heads which are alternately mounted on the non-steerable wheels and the steerable wheels and are sighted only once on targets on the other wheels thereby eliminating the need for resighting after each toe adjustment is made. Optical cross-toe paths of each head operate in a continuous mode and provide a running display of incremental toe angle adjustments of one wheel while the toe display value associated with the other wheel of the pair is frozen, which other wheel is not being adjusted for toe.

Abstract: A reaction differential is disclosed which is preferably used in a hydrostatic steering differential for accurately steering a casemate vehicle at very low speeds for precise aiming of a gun which is aimed in azimuth by steering. The reaction differential is driven in selected direction by a hydrostatic motor only after the motor is rotated at an rpm which will provide smooth motor performance before sufficient torque is provided to initiate steering of the vehicle.

Abstract: A load supporting structure is disclosed for supporting and maintaining a heavy load stable when being moved on a substantially flat supporting surface by another vehicle. The structure includes a rigid annular foot, and a pressure chamber with one of its walls being a portion of the flat surface. A rigid load supporting platform is connected to the rigid foot and to the pressure chamber for supporting a heavy load. Air is directed into the pressure chamber at sufficient pressure to support substantially all the weight of the supporting structure and the load, but with insufficient pressure to lift the rigid annular foot from the flat surface. The air in the chamber is substantially prevented from flowing under the annular foot but will allow some air to escape in the event crevices or the like in the substantially flat surface provide air flow paths.

Abstract: A walking beam vehicle is disclosed for supporting a crane or the like which reduces power requirements relative to prior art vehicles. A bi-functional swing drive system is provided for either pivoting the walking beams and a lower frame relative to an upper frame and the ground, or pivoting the upper frame relative to the walking beams and the ground. A power operated lift pad is provided for alternately raising the lift pad and walking beam from the ground. When the vehicle is used as a crane or the like, the walking beams may be extended toward a heavy load to be lifted in order to minimize rollover tendencies of the crane.

Abstract: A synchronized subharmonic controller for a dual coil electromagnetic vibrator, which derives both power and timing from a single phase AC line, having a trigger circuit which operates the coils at one-third the power line frequency. A timing circuit is optically coupled to alternately fire a pair of oppositely-directed SCR's with each SCR connecting one of the coils across the AC line. The optical coupling reduces feedback from the coil circuitry to the timing circuit. A pair of capacitors supply additional power to operate the coils and to reduce the peak values of current supplied by the power line.

Abstract: A multi-section telescopic boom is disclosed having a base section supported for pivotal movement, a manual section telescopically received in said base section, a mid section, and a tip section which sections are progressively lighter from the base section to the tip section when excluding the weight of head machinery connected to the tip section. The heavy manual section is stored in the base section when a load to be transferred between two locations can be reached with the mid and tip sections extended thereby substantially decreasing the turning moment about the pivot axis due to the weight of the boom sections resulting in an increased load carrying capacity of the boom. The boom is preferably supported by a pendant line operatively connected to the outer end of the tip and base sections and trained within the boom to aid a single hydraulic ram to extend and retract selected sections of the boom.

Abstract: The steering control system of the present invention includes a steering gear box mounted on an axle of a vehicle substantially of the midpoint between steerable wheels journaled on and connected to knuckle joints on the ends of the axle. The input shaft of the gear box is connected to the steering wheel shaft by a slip joint. The longitudinal axis of the input shaft, slip joint shaft and wheel shaft are all angled upwardly and rearwardly with the total rearward angle being about 22.degree. and the rearward angle of the input shaft being about 7.degree.. Mounting the gear box on the axle rather than on a sprung portion of the vehicle minimizes impact forces due to rough roads from being transmitted to the operator through the steering wheel and from damaging the gear box.

Abstract: A locating core for sand molds, has a larger diameter frusto-conical upper portion and a smaller diameter frusto-conical lower portion which are joined together at the bases. A mold cope and drag each have two conical depressions therein adapted to receive the upper and lower portions of the locating core respectively and positioned so that the mold cavities in the cope and drag are in proper registration when the depressions are in registration. A step is formed on the core between the diameters of the bases at the junction of the upper and lower cone portions. The step rests on the upper surface of the drag when the core is set in the drag depressions and the cope is then placed so that the cope depressions engage the upper conical portions, whereby the cope and drag mold cavities are in registration.

Abstract: A hydraulic circuit for selectively extending and retracting a mobile telescoping boom assembly and for independently extending and retracting an articulated pipe service line mounted on the boom assembly. The circuit can be used with a hydraulic ram to extend and retract the boom assembly or a winch and cable arrangement can be used. A pair of winches are used to extend and retract the articulated service line.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for checking a sucker-rod pumped well for defects by weighing the well. A load cell connected between the sucker-rod and a power unit develops a signal representative of the load on the sucker-rod. The sucker-rod load is checked with the rod and an associated downhole pump plunger in a stationary position. The load readings are corrected for load cell drift by a computer, and a corrected load value displayed on a digital display unit. The load readings are updated periodically and any changes in load reading can be used to determine the presence of a defect and to ascertain the type of defect in the pumping apparatus.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting problems in sucker-rod well pumps and for determining which type of problem occurs. A first transducer provides a signal representative of the load on a sucker-rod string and a second transducer provides a signal representative of the sucker-rod position. The load signal and the position signal are used to generate a dynagraph of rod load vs. rod position with the pump working normally. A working dynagraph is continually compared with the normal dynagraph and a working load signal is continually compared with a normal rod load signal to detect problems in the pumping system and to determine the type of problem detected if one does develop.

Abstract: An off-the-car wheel unbalance measuring system has a rotationally driven wheel mounting shaft supported in a pedestal together with a pair of force transducers mounted in the pedestal adjacent to and spaced along the shaft. The force transducers are coupled mechanically to the shaft and provide periodic electrical output signals indicative of unbalance forces transmitted through the shaft when the shaft is driven rotationally. The angular position of the shaft is monitored with respect to an angular reference position at a predetermined number of angular increments during each full revolution of the shaft. The transducer output signals are converted in electrical circuitry within the system to digital form, and a multiplication operation is performed on the digitized signals at each angular increment using sine and cosine representative factors corresponding to that particular angular increment.