Abstract: A mobile platform has a riser assembly mounted thereon. A loading arm assembly projects from an upper end of the riser assembly, and a jumper hose assembly projects from a lower end of the riser assembly. These assemblies can be interconnected between a marine tanker manifold and a storage facility conduit, to form a fluid transferring connection therebetween. The riser assembly has a pipe section supporting the loading arm assembly for horizontal rotation about a vertical axis. A parallel mechanism, within the riser assembly, supports the pipe section for swinging movement in a vertical plane. This parallel mechanism maintains the vertical orientation of pipe section. A drive system is provided for maximizing the total horizontal angle of rotation through which the pipe section can be rotated about the vertical axis. A power drive is provided for operating the parallel mechanism to raise and lower the pipe section.

Abstract: A crane has an upperstructure that is mounted on a carrier by a quick-disconnect turntable mounting. The upperstructure can be transferred from the carrier to a transport, and back to the carrier, by a system that does not require an auxiliary crane. A live mast on the crane is used for positioning a front lift assembly and a rear lift assembly for attachment to the upperstructure. The front lift assembly is connected to the upperstructure frame by boom foot pins, and the rear lift assembly is connected to the frame by the counterweight mounting mechanism. These lift assemblies enable vertical movement of the upper structure, and outrigger jacks on the carrier enable vertical movement thereof. Air pad assemblies are provided between the outrigger jacks and the surface supporting the carrier. These air pad assemblies can also be provided between the lift assemblies and the surface supporting the upperstructure.

Abstract: A vibratory feeder has an elongated base assembly that is supported on a foundation by longitudinally spaced vibration isolators. Projecting upwardly from the base assembly at longitudinally spaced locations are a plurality of leaf springs with upper portions that support a trough assembly. The base and trough assemblies have masses, with the centers of these masses being spaced apart along an upwardly extending axis. The trough assembly is driven transversely of the upwardly extending axis by a driver. The assembly masses create inertia forces acting at the mass centers, and these forces form a force couple urging a rotational motion on the feeder as a whole. The leaf springs are arranged to deflect along non-parallel paths to guide the trough assembly in both curvilinear translation and rotation with respect to the base.

Abstract: Two eccentric weights of a vibrator are mounted, respectively, on two coaxial shafts, one of which is a hollow shaft mounted on the other shaft. The two shafts can be connected for rotation in unison, and can be separated for relative rotation to alter the angular relationship between the weights. The mechanism is provided to alter the angular relationship between the weights while both shafts continue to rotate. An electric clutch is connected between the driven shaft and the hollow shaft to connect the two coaxial shafts for rotation in unison, and a brake is provided to slow the rotation of the hollow shaft after the clutch is disengaged. Thus, the angular relationship between the eccentric weights, and hence the stroke of the vibrator, can be changed.

Abstract: A multiple speed hoisting system has a first fluid circuit, with a maximum effective cross-sectional area for hoisting heavy loads at low speed, and a second fluid circuit, with a smaller effective cross-sectional area for hoisting lighter loads at higher speed. These circuits are separately actuated by a valve that is responsive to a regulating means for selectively positioning the valve. A pressure operated control, that is in flow communication with the second fluid circuit, automatically cancels the influence of the valve regulating means, in response to a predetermined pressure level in the second fluid circuit, and allows the valve to revert to a position actuating the first fluid circuit. Undesirable oscillations within the system between the pressure operated control and the valve regulating means are avoided.

Abstract: A water intake screen installation has a traveling water screen unit, that is positioned between a water intake and a stream of water flowing in a channel, to strain a quantity of water diverging from the channel stream towards the water intake. The screen unit includes an endless belt strainer in the form of a loop and a drive for revolving the strainer. The strainer has a screening surface, that extends in a predetermined direction of stream flow in the channel and in an upwardly direction. Means are provided for directing a backwash current, through the screening surface, towards the stream of water flowing in the channel, at an elevation below the stream surface. Material, such as refuse and aquatic life, retained on the screening surface can be dislodged by the backwash current. This current forces such material backwardly from the screening surface, into the stream of water flowing in the channel, to be carried away therewith.

Abstract: A motion transmitting control has an outer flexible conduit and an inner operating member reciprocable within the conduit. Attached to one end of the conduit is an end fitting having an externally threaded portion that fits through an aperture in a mounting plate. An overload safety fastener, that secures the end fitting within the mounting plate aperture, has a pair of stops threadedly mounted for axial movement upon the externally threaded portion of the end fitting to provide support for the end fitting on opposite sides of the mounting plate. Resilient means, positioned about the end fitting, extend axially thereof between one of the stops and the mounting plate. The resilient means are pre-loaded in compressive stress by the relative spacing between the stop and the mounting plate. Thus, the resilient means yieldably support the end fitting relative to the mounting plate.

Abstract: In a water screening installation, a traveling water screen removes both refuse and aquatic life from a stream. The aquatic life, such as fish and shrimp, are uplifted in pans that are mounted on an ascending run of the screen. At a location above the stream, the pans are gently flushed by a low pressure spray of water. The fish are then returned to the stream, as soon as practical, to keep the mortality rate at a minimum. Each of the pans has an inner side that is parallel to a screen tray within the traveling water screen. This inner side is also tangential to a curved bottom portion of the pan. Extending tangentially from the opposite side of the curved bottom portion of the pan is an outer side that has a continuing profile at or below an extended tangential line from the point where the outer side is tangential to the curved bottom portion.

Abstract: A vibrating machine, such as an oscillating conveyor, vibratory feeder, or vibratory screen, is mounted to a plurality of supports by a suspension that isolates machine vibrations from the supports. The suspension includes a plurality of U-shaped stirrups extending transversely beneath the machine at intervals spaced longitudinally of the machine. Each U-shaped stirrup extends between a pair of opposed supports to which the stirrup is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis of rotation that extends transversely of the vibrating machine. This axis of rotation is along or near the axis of the instantaneous center of rotation of the stirrup. The stirrups support the vibrating machine at surfaces spaced below the axis of rotation. These stirrup surfaces are located to intersect an axis passing through the region of the center of percussion of the stirrup about the axis of rotation. Vibrations in a direction longitudinal of the vibrating machine impart a rotational motion to each stirrup.

Abstract: A bearing assembly retainer ring has pockets for holding cylindrical rollers in arcuately spaced relationship about a central axis of the retainer ring. Each pocket has two end faces that are spaced axially of the retainer ring and two side faces that are spaced laterally of the axial spacing between the two end faces. The pocket extends radially through inner and outer peripheral edges of the retainer ring to receive a roller therein having a diameter which is greater than the radial span of the pocket end faces so that the roller extends beyond the inner and outer peripheral edges of the retainer ring. The axial spacing between the pocket end faces is slightly greater than the axial length of the roller to provide restricted clearances between the ends of the roller and the end faces of the pocket when the roller is centered within the pocket. Chamfers are provided on the end faces of the pockets at the inner and outer peripheral edges thereof.

Abstract: A geared belt provides for the positive transmission of motion between the belt and a sprocket. The belt has inwardly projecting gear teeth, with tooth faces that are contacted by sprocket teeth, and thin flexible portions bridging the space between successive gear teeth, with inwardly facing surfaces that define a dedendum line of the belt gear teeth. The belt gear teeth are substantially stiffer than the flexible portions between teeth. When the belt is in engagement with the sprocket and when transmitting motion therebetween, the belt is subjected to tension stress. The belt is also subjected to bending stresses that are induced by contact between teeth of both the belt and the sprocket upon entering or leaving meshing engagement. The belt is shaped along transverse sections, at the junctures of the tooth faces and the dedendum lines, with the neutral zones of the transverse sections being offset perpendicularly from the line of belt tension.

Abstract: A chain has alternately arranged center links and sidebars that are interconnected by pins of a predetermined diameter. An elongated opening is provided in each center link for receiving two pins. Adjacent each end of the elongated opening, lugs project from the center link to restrict the opening opposite the lug to a transverse dimension less than the pin diameter. Each lug is spaced from an adjacent opening end by a distance enabling one pin to fit between the adjacent opening end and the lug. Each pin has a transverse groove for receiving one of the lugs when the pin is in a predetermined rotational angular relationship with the center link. Thus, the pins can be moved past the lugs, in directions to and from the adjacent ends of the elongated openings, when the pins are in the predetermined rotational angular relationship for assembly or disassembly of the chain. The lugs prevent collapsing of the chain when the predetermined rotational angular relationship is not maintained.

Abstract: A multiple speed hoisting system has a first fluid circuit, with a maximum effective cross-sectional area for hoisting heavy loads at low speed, and a second fluid circuit, with a smaller effective cross-sectional area for hoisting lighter loads at higher speed. These circuits are separately actuated by a valve that is responsive to a regulating means for selectively positioning the valve. A pressure operated control, that is in flow communication with the second fluid circuit, automatically cancels the influence of the valve regulating means, in response to a predetermined pressure level in the second fluid circuit, and allows the valve to revert to a position actuating the first fluid circuit. Undesirable oscillations within the system between the pressure operated control and the valve regulating means are avoided.

Abstract: A bearing locking assembly has a sleeve that fastens an inner race ring of an anti-friction bearing of either a ball or roller design to a rotatable shaft. The sleeve is split longitudinally, enabling the sleeve to be compressed radially for slipping axially within a bore of the ring. Upon release of the compression, the sleeve expands in diameter so that a central portion of the sleeve keys the sleeve axially in place within the ring bore. The sleeve, with the ring mounted thereon, slips axially upon the shaft. External cylindrical surfaces at the end portions of the sleeve are eccentric, and internal cylindrical surfaces at the end portions of the ring bore are eccentric. Angular rotation of the ring relative to the sleeve causes engagement of the eccentric cylindrical surfaces to tighten the sleeve about the shaft, while the concentric portions of the sleeve and the ring maintain the ring centric relative to the shaft.

Abstract: A ball bearing retainer in the form of a unitary molded plastic ring has a central axis with an inner peripheral edge and an outer peripheral edge spaced about the axis. A base portion of the retainer ring extends between the inner and outer peripheral edges, and a plurality of ball bearing receiving pockets open axially of the retainer ring in a direction opposite from the base portion. Each pocket has a generally truncated spherical concave seat for retaining a ball bearing within the pocket. Each pocket has at least one generally cylindrical surface extending radially from one of the peripheral edges to intersect with the generally truncated spherical concave seat and thereby relieve the truncated spherical portion of the pocket adjacent the peripheral edge from which the cylindrical surface extends.

Abstract: A dry-break coupler attaches to an adapter for loading fluid into the bottom of a tank. The coupler and the adapter can be connected or separated without the loss of fluid, while both fittings are subjected to internal fluid pressure. The coupler is of the type used on a gasoline tank truck loading arm, and the adapter is in accordance with the standards of the American Petroleum Institute. The coupler has a tubular body that defines a central flow passage and a movable valve closure element that opens and closes the coupler flow passage. This valve closure element also actuates a central valve of an adjacent adapter. An adapter latch is mounted upon a first rotatable shaft that is pivotally mounted on the coupler tubular body. A second rotatable shaft that operates the valve closure element is mounted within the tubular body. Portions of both the first and second rotatable shafts extend in substantially parallel relationship.

Abstract: A housing is provided for mounting a bearing adjacent a wall to support a rotatable shaft that projects perpendicularly through the wall. The housing has a thin-stock stamping that forms on end cap having an axially extending hub and a mounting flange projecting radially outward at one end of the hub. An axial bore is provided within the end cup for receiving a first longitudinal portion of a bearing. A thick plate has an opening therein for receiving a second longitudinal portion of the bearing that projects axially outward from the hub end adjacent the mounting flange. One side of the plate is mounted flush with the wall, and an opposite side of the plate is mounted flush with the mounting flange of the thin-stock stamping. The plate has a surface adjacent the bearing opening that radially supports the second longitudinal portion of the bearing. This plate extends radially outward from the bearing opening.

Abstract: An inner ring of an anti-friction bearing has a central bore with a groove that extends radially outward and circumferentially about an axially intermediate portion of the bore. At the radially outermost portion of the groove is a bottom that is eccentric to the bore. A shaft is received within the bore and maintained centric with the ring. A longitudinally split locking sleeve having an eccentric external contour fits within the groove when the eccentric central axes of the groove bottom and the external sleeve contour are radially aligned with each other from the central axis of the bore. The sleeve has an unstressed bore diameter that is less than the shaft diameter to inherently grip the shaft when inserted therein. Relative rotation between the sleeve and the ring wedges the sleeve and inner ring into a locked position on the shaft.

Abstract: A dry-break coupler, of the type used on a gasoline tank truck loading arm, is connectable with a standard A.P.I. adapter, that is located near the bottom of a truck tank, for loading fluid into the tank. The coupler and the adapter can be connected together or they can be separated, without the loss of fluid, while both fittings are continuously subjected to internal fluid pressure. The coupler has a tubular body that defines a central flow passage. Located within the tubular body is a movable valve closure element. This element opens and closes the flow passage of the coupler, and it also actuates a central valve of an adjacent adapter. An adapter latch and a first rotatable shaft that operates the adapter latch are pivotally mounted on the tubular body. A second rotatable shaft that operates the valve closure element is mounted within the tubular body. Portions of both the first and second rotatable shafts extend in substantially parallel relationship.

Abstract: A drum rotation indicator enables a crane operator to sense rotation of a drum, and thereby determine linear movement of a cable, that has one end wound about the drum. This indicator has a cam, that rotates with the drum, and a cam follower, that translates rotation of the cam into linear movement. A readout plunger is located conveniently for the operator's hand, and linear motion that is induced by the cam follower is transferred to the readout plunger by a medium that can be a mechanical linkage, a push-pull cable, or a hydraulic system. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cam follower disengages automatically from the cam after linear motion has been transferred to the readout plunger. The linear motion transferring medium also transfers motion from the readout plunger to the cam follower, which pivots into engagement with the cam. The cam has a serrated periphery, to give an instantaneous response, upon rotation of the drum, to engagement of the cam follower with the cam.