Abstract: An industrial truck of the narrow-aisle type having an upright rigidly connected to the frame of the truck and a drive unit pivotably connectible to the frame in certain selected rigid angular relationships in order to vary between predetermined limits the vertical angularity of the upright. The latter connection includes adjustable rigid connection members or struts mounted inwardly of the sides of the truck so that the upright can be securely mounted inwardly of upright members of the frame whereby to increase the lateral rigidity of the upright by adding thereto at least partially the lateral rigidity of the frame.

Abstract: A manual shift transmission having multiple input and output portions is provided with a control having input and output shift rails. A laterally movable control shaft extends axially through cutouts in respective shift rails and carries cams adapted to cooperate with cam follower surfaces on corresponding cutouts to effect rectilinear movement of the shift rails upon rotation of the control shaft. The cams are arranged on the shaft so that the shaft may be positioned to place respective cams in register with the input and output shift rails while all other cams are out of register with the rail cutouts. The shift movement of respective output and input shift rails is overlapped during the rotation of the control shaft to decrease the throw of the shift lever.

Abstract: An agricultural pickup device is provided in which a conveyor apron is assembled over and driven by a drive belt. The conveyor apron is drivingly attached to the drive belt by a plurality of transverse pins. The transverse pins also serve to attach pickup fingers to the apron. Each of the transverse pins are inserted through coaxial bores of a respective row of raised portions in the apron, through a coiled portion of the pickup fingers, and through an aperture in the lug portion of the drive belt.

Abstract: An industrial vehicle such as a narrow-aisle lift truck has a canopy that extends above the operator's compartment of the vehicle. A pair of elongated vertical posts are mounted to the rear of the canopy at spaced-apart positions. Each of the middle sections of the posts is offset relative to the end portion of the posts. The posts are capable of being mounted to the vehicle so that the distance between the middle sections thereof is either less than the distance between the pairs of respective ends of the posts or greater than the distance.

Abstract: A spreader frame assembly for engaging, lifting and transporting freight containers includes a pair of parallel spaced-apart lifting beams. A twist lock is connected at each end of each lifting beam for engagement with a respective corner fitting of a container. Each twist lock includes a shank projecting downwardly from the respective lifting beam. The lower end of the shank is capable of lifting engagement with the corner fitting when the shank is rotated in a selected direction. A circular disc is rigidly connected to the upper end of each shank. A hydraulically actuated mechanism is connected to simultaneously rotate the shanks. A pin having an enlarged upper portion has a first position where the enlarged upper portion of each of the pins is received in a recessed portion in each respective disc to prevent rotation of the respective shank from its no-lift position, and has a second position where the upper portion of the pin is raised above the disc so that the shank may be rotated to a lift position.

Abstract: A front end loader in the form of a skid-steer loader which includes a power operated working implement and control apparatus that has a plurality of operative positions for supplying power to the working implement and at least one neutral position where power cannot be supplied to the working implement. The control apparatus is capable of being manipulated by the operator of the loader to place the control apparatus in any one of the selected operative positions or the neutral position. An operator restraint member is mounted on the skid-steer loader and has an engaged position for securing the operator to the operator position during operation of the loader and a disengaged position to permit the operator to enter or leave the loader. A locking member is engaged with the control apparatus when the restraint member is in its disengaged position and is disengaged from the control apparatus when the restraint member is in its engaged position.

Abstract: A manual shift transmission having multiple input and output portions is provided with a control having input and output shift rails. A laterally movable control shaft extends axially through cutouts in respective shift rails and carries cams adapted to cooperate with cam follower surfaces on corresponding cutouts to effect rectilinear movement of the shift rails upon rotation of the control shaft. The cams are arranged on the shaft so that the shaft may be positioned to place respective cams in register with the input and output shift rails while all other cams are out of register with the rail cutouts. The shift movement of respective output and input shift rails is overlapped during the rotation of the control shaft to decrease the throw of the shift lever. The control shaft is spring biased to provide variable resistance in response to movement of a control lever to enable the operator to determine his position in the shift pattern of the transmission.

Abstract: An operator restraint member having two ends is pivotally mounted at each end to a skid-steer loader. The restraint member has an engaged position for securing the operator to the operator position during operation of the loader and a disengaged position to permit the operator to enter or leave the loader. A friction device is connected to one end of the restraint member to retain the restraint member in the rotative position selected by the operator until repositioned. An automatic lock-quick release latch is connected to the other end of the restraint member for selectively locking the seat bar in its engaged position. A locking assembly is engaged with the control apparatus when the restraint member is in its disengaged position and undergoes pivotal movement to become disengaged from the control apparatus when the restraint member is in its engaged position.

Abstract: A front end loader in the form of a skid-steer loader which includes a power operated working implement and control apparatus that has a plurality of operative positions for supplying power to the working implement and at least one neutral position where power cannot be supplied to the working implement. The control apparatus is capable of being manipulated by the operator of the loader to place the control apparatus in any one of the selected operative positions or the neutral position. An operator restraint member has two ends and is pivotally mounted on the skid-steer loader at one of its ends. The restraint member is swingably movable between an engaged position for securing the operator to the operator position during rough ride conditions and a disengaged position to permit the operator to enter or leave the loader. A latch is provided to selectively secure the restraint bar in the engaged position.

Abstract: A manual shift transmission having multiple input and output portions is provided with a control having input and output shift rails. A laterally movable control shaft extends axially through cutouts in respective shift rails and carries cams adapted to cooperate with cam follower surfaces on corresponding cutouts to effect rectilinear movement of the shift rails upon rotation of the control shaft. The cams are arranged on the shaft so that the shaft may be positioned to place respective cams in register with the input and output shift rails while all other cams are out of register with the rail cutouts. The shift movement of respective output and input shift rails is overlapped during the rotation of the control shaft to decrease the throw of the shift lever.

Abstract: A handle preferably in the shape of an inverted frusto-pyramid is attached to the extremity of a control rod which is received in a longitudinal bore in the handle. The control rod has a transverse opening in its extremity that can be aligned with a transverse bore in the handle that intersects with the longitudinal bore. A bolt is insertable through the transverse bore and aligned transverse opening. The bolt has a bolthead portion and a threaded end portion. The threaded end of the bolt may be placed in mating engagement with internal threads of a nut to secure the handle to the control rod.

Abstract: A lift truck having a particular type of upright, namely, a triple stage upright having a fixed upright section, two telescopic sections, and a load carrier mounted on the inner telescopic section. A primary lift cylinder and chain assembly is mounted from and elevatable with the inner upright section and is connected with the load carrier to elevate it with the inner section, and a secondary lift cylinder is supported from the truck and connected to elevate the telescopic sections with the primary cylinder and load carrier. A fluid conduit is provided between the primary lift cylinder and secondary lift cylinder, a first portion of the fluid conduit having a first valve interposed therein is operatively associated with the primary lift cylinder and is selectively engageable with a second valve interposed in a second portion of the fluid conduit and operatively connected with the secondary lift cylinder.

Abstract: In a transmission control system for a multiple speed ratio powershift transmission having a speed control valve and a plurality of fluid pressure operated clutches adapted to establish torque ratio changes, an electronic speed sensing system and downshift valve means for automatically shifting the transmission one step from a higher speed ratio to a lower speed ratio at a first predetermined vehicle ground speed by diverting the fluid for pressurizing a higher speed ratio clutch to a lower speed ratio clutch and then automatically shifting the transmission from the lower speed ratio back to the higher speed ratio at a second higher predetermined vehicle ground speed by ceasing the diverting of the pressurized fluid, with the fluid diverting being possible only when the speed control valve setting corresponds with the higher speed ratio.

Abstract: A multiple wet disc brake or clutch is disclosed which includes a disc pack located in a housing. The stator discs in the disc pack are retained in the inner peripheral surface of the housing by curved tabs extending radially outward about the peripheral surface of each stator disc and engaging respective curved groove areas between margins in the inner peripheral surface of the housing. The stator disc tabs contact one margin of the respective grooves when the hub is rotated in a first direction to form a horn-shaped chamber between the converging outer surfaces of said respective tabs and grooves. An opposite second horn-shaped chamber is formed between the respective other margin of the grooves and stator tabs when the hub is rotated in a second direction. Brake or clutch cooling liquid and impurities contained therein will be forced under centrifugal force into the respective grooves and more specifically into the respective horn-shaped chambers which act as cooling liquid filters.

Abstract: A pair of connection devices serve as the upper connection between a traction vehicle such as a skid steer loader and an accessory apparatus such as a backhoe. Each connection device includes an anchor element including an anchor element outer end extending from the traction vehicle towards the accessory apparatus and a channel element including a channel element outer end extending from the traction vehicle and towards the accessory apparatus. The anchor element outer end and the channel element outer end have a selectively engaged position for connecting the accessory apparatus to the traction vehicle. A sleeve member is slidably disposed over and operatively connected to the channel element for movement thereon. The sleeve member has a surface adapted for selective locking contact with at least one of the outer element ends for retaining the element ends in an engaged position.

Abstract: A vehicle and foldable boom assembly includes an inner boom that extends outwardly from a side of the vehicle and an outer boom that extends outwardly from the inner boom to a working position. A hinge, having a pivot axis that is disposed generally vertically, interconnects the inner and outer booms and allows the outer boom to swing rearwardly to avoid structural damage upon impact with a foreign object; and the pivot axis is inclined in a direction that resiliently urges the outer boom forwardly to the working position so that the outer boom is automatically reset to the working position subsequent to impact with a foreign object.

Abstract: In combination with a transmission having both multiple input and output portions, each of which contains a plurality of speed change gears, is a manual shift control system having pluralities of both input and output shift rails that are adapted to cooperate with input and output cam shafts that extend through shift rail input and output cam shaft cutouts, with one or both cam shafts having at least one one-way cam which may be in combination with one or both of a two-way cam and an interlock cam, said one-way and two-way cams being adapted to cooperate with one-way and two-way cam follower surfaces, respectively, to effect bidirectional and unidirectional movement of the respective shift rails upon oscillation of the cam shafts, with the cam follower surfaces also being adapted to alternately cooperate with the interlock cams to arrest all but the selected ones of the input and output shift rails against axial movement. Details of actuating means and mechanical interlock means are also set forth.

Abstract: In a known four point contact rolling element bearing of the type used in low speed applications, one of the inner and outer races is provided with a single gap as well as a peripheral conical surface that corresponds with and is juxtaposed on a corresponding peripheral conical surface on one of at least two relatively adjustable but fixedly interconnected race retainer portions associated with the split race, with a plurality of shims between these race retainer portions permitting the adjustment of the axial spacing between the retainer portions and controlling the degree of deflection of the split race toward the other bearing race for preloading or taking up undesired bearing wear.

Abstract: A compactor module is adapted to be attached to a tractor module to form a complete unit. Eight pneumatic tires support the rear portion of the compactor. An emergency or parking brake is attached to each compacting wheel. The brakes are interconnected by a continuous cable and pulley control system. All brakes are applied in unison when the cable tension in the control system is increased, due to the retraction of a piston rod of an air cylinder connected to one end of the cable. The rod retracts when the pressure in the air cylinder falls below a certain predetermined level. The rod projects outwardly when the pressure in the air cylinder returns above the predetermined level. The tension in the control system is relaxed when the air pressure in the cylinder again rises above the predetermined level, the rod returns to its extended position, and the brakes are substantially simultaneously released. The other end of the cable is attached to a winch.

Abstract: A steel torsional element includes a first or shaft portion for transmitting torque and a second portion, such as a gear, for transferring torque to another machine element. The entire torsional element is carburized and quenched to a first depth to provide wear-resistance and resistance to surface compressive fatigue in the second portion for the transferring of torque to another machine element. The quenching operation also provides a strong but ductile core for both portions of the steel torsional element. The shaft portion is then induction hardened to a second and greater depth to increase the torsional strength thereof.