Abstract: An elevating transport vehicle has its frame carried by steerable idler bogies and by drive wheels on an axle assembly having a mechanical drive via a telescopic drive shaft from an engine and transmission mounted on the frame. The drive axle assembly is supported beneath the frame by a pivotally mounted tie rod and swing arm at each side of the vehicle. Hydraulic cylinders act between the frame and the bogies and swing arms to raise and lower the vehicle frame and with a telescopic drive shaft from the first to the second drive axle assembly.

Abstract: A ring gear of a helically splined rotary actuator is separately and independently joined to the outer cylindrical body of the actuator and meshes with the splined piston sleeve of the rotary actuator. The outer cylindrical body is a smooth, continuous body. In one form of the invention, the ring gear is secured to the outer cylindrical body with flush mountings so that the entire body can be slid past end seals of a hollow boom or further outermost cylindrical tube. In a preferred embodiment, the ring gear is loosely joined to the outer cylindrical body so that it can conform to irregularities or tolerance errors in the splines of the piston sleeve and can accommodate bending in the outer cylindrical body or the rotary output shaft due to heavy bending loads on the actuator.

Abstract: A metering and/or feeding device for materials is disclosed. A plurality of vertically oriented, elastic-walled tubes are arranged at equal distances from the axis of a rotatable helical rod which, as it rotates, sequentially engages and constricts each of the elastic-walled tubes, beginning at their upper portions and progressively moving down the length of the tubes. The material being metered and/or fed is introduced into the elastic-walled tubes at their upper ends. A cover member is provided to cover the infeed ends of the tubes at selected intervals to prevent entry of the material being fed and/or metered into the tube at the time that the helical member engages the upper portion of the tube to constrict the tube so that it is substantially free of material. A plenum, through which a stream of pressurized gas is discharged, communicates with the discharge ends of each of the tubes, the gas conveying the material entering the plenum from the tubes to a work location.

Abstract: This invention is an attachment to heavy equipment blades and has a set of ripping teeth projecting downwardly from a pivoting support frame. The frame ordinarily extends downwardly from the pivotal hanger along the front of the blade, with the teeth projecting beyond the lower edge of the blade. As the vehicle, such as a bulldozer, moves forward, the teeth rip, as would teeth which were rigidly secured to the blade. However, as the vehicle moves backward, the teeth and frames swing forward in a floating motion, preventing the teeth from fracturing while allowing the blade to scrape. In a preferred embodiment, the frame includes two end members, each having an ear which curves rearwardly toward the blade. Each bracket releasably receives a forwardly projecting hanger mounted on the upper surface of the blade. The hanger and brackets contain aligned apertures through which a pin is releasably inserted to secure the frame to the blade. With gussets, the frame may be wider than the blade.

Abstract: A device for facilitating non-verbal communications between individuals. The device includes a two-sided panel containing a plurality of message blocks which are selectively illuminated by the individuals in a variety of modes. In a first mode, the message blocks are sequentially scanned in one of two patterns, with scan direction and termination being controlled by actuating a switch. In a second mode, a transparent, direct select keyboard is placed over the message blocks and individual message blocks are selected by touching the keyboard in front of the block to be selected. Finally, the position of the illuminated message block may be controlled by a job stick. The message blocks on the panel are printed on removable overlays which are specially adapted for various situations. The overlays carry identifying markings which are automatically read by the device so that the messages on the overlay, which are stored in non-volatile memory, can be correlated to their position on the panel.

Abstract: A mounting structure for crystal resonators used as frequency standards and transducers which maximizes performance and reduces the sensitivity to environmental errors. In one embodiment, force sensitive crystal resonators having inherent unmounted temperature sensitivities are used in conjunction with reactive spring-like mounting arrangements having predetermined temperature stress characteristics such that the thermally induced mechanical stress of the mounting arrangements changes, compensates, and optimizes the overall combined temperature characteristics. In another embodiment crystal resonators are isolated from the external environment so that they are capable of sensing forces while operating in a vacuum or inert atmosphere. Environmental isolation is provided by bellows and/or diaphragm arrangements used alone or in conjunction with air-tight enclosures which enable forces to be applied to stress-sensitive crystals while isolating the crystals from the external force producing environment.

Abstract: A sophisticated collator having a general purpose microprocessor with a stored program is capable of intercommunicating with a sophisticated photocopier. In most operations, the collator functions as a slave to the photocopier. It processes a collator task by receiving and processing signals from several sensors positioned about the collator. A manual insertion assembly allows entry of sheets into the collator from a source other than the photocopier. Proofed pages can be re-fed for collating, or jobs from a second source may be processed. Thus the collator need not be a slave only to the photocopier. A second vacuum belt reduces problems of transporting wide paper. Diverting fingers may contact the conveyor system to allow sheets to pass over a bin into additional bin units attached to the sophisticated collator.

Abstract: A door latch assembly in which thrust roller bearings are placed between the handles and escutcheons and axially loaded to eliminate all axial play of the handles relative to the escutcheons.

Abstract: An improved brake valve for a hydraulically powered winch which has one flow path permitting the relatively unrestricted flow of hydraulic fluid through the valve when the winch is being used to raise a load and a second flow path in which the flow of fluid is controlled in response to the pressure of fluid at the motor inlet when the winch is being used to lower a load. Of particular significance are a fixed area orifice, an annular restrictive passageway and a variable area orifice which cooperate to distribute the pressure drop in the control circuit so as to reduce the sensitivity of the valve to pressure fluctuations in the hydraulic motor circuit. Also of significance are seals used on the spool and damper piston to retard the movement of the spool and to produce a desirable hysteresis effect in its response to pilot pressure.

Abstract: A log unloading apparatus for a batch former in which a receiver platen is moved by a batch of logs as they are pushed out of the batch former. The logs are supported intermediate their lengths by an intermediate log support member which initially is abutting the batch former, but, upon movement of the logs from the batch former, can be drawn out with the receiver platen to provide support for the logs intermediate their length but also providing two spaces or gaps sufficient to receive the forked tines of a grapple.

Abstract: An improved figure-8, dual-lumen catheter preferably includes substantially convex, smooth, smoothly curving fill-in portions at the point of entry to the vessel and the point of entry to the skin to virtually eliminate blood leakage from the vessel and to reduce bacterial passage into the patient along the catheter. Preferably, a felt cuff is positioned substantially midway between the point of entry to the skin and point of entry to the vessel to promote tissue in-growth which will fix the catheter within the patient. A method for surgically implanting the preferred catheter of this invention is also disclosed. In some applications, a single fill-in portion may be used if it is sufficiently long that it provides a convex contact between the vessel and the catheter and between the skin and the catheter.

Abstract: A system for photographically displaying the magnitude of a physical variable. In one embodiment, a sensor mounted on a movable probe produces an electrical signal indicative of the physical variable. The electrical signal then drives a lamp which is also mounted on the movable probe. A photographic time exposure of the lamp made while the probe scans an area provides a two-dimensional map of the physical variable. In another embodiment, a position transducer measures probe movement to provide an output indicative of the position of the sensor. The transducer output drives a positioning mechanism on which the lamp is mounted so that movement of the lamp corresponds to the movement of the sensor.

Abstract: A pallet is automatically assembled and nailed together on a horizontally reciprocating carrier. The carrier moves in a forward direction beneath a slat dispenser. A first series of one-way trip dogs mounted on the carrier successively removes the bottom slat from a stack of slats held by a dispenser to deposit a series of slats onto the carrier to form the bottom deck of a pallet. The carrier has stringer engagement levers which engage the ends of a series of stringers held in dispensers. The carrier reverses direction after deposit of the bottom series of slats and each stringer engagement lever pulls a stringer from the dispenser with each stringer positioned transversely to the previously dispensed slats. As the carriage moves in the reverse direction, another series of one-way trip dogs mounted on the carrier successively dispenses a second series of slats to form the top deck of the pallet.

Abstract: A lightweight and inexpensive apparatus for supporting a transmission allows for standardized positioning of mounting brackets on a frame during assembly and readily accommodates minor variations in the positioning of transmissions during the assembly. The apparatus generally comprises a pair of mounting brackets placed in the standardized positions on the frame, a spring which extends between the mounting brackets across the frame, a bushing on the spring which rigidly attaches to the spring and which is capable of receiving a rod which rigidly extends from the transmission, and a rod which is rigidly connected to the transmission. A method of installing variable sized and located transmissions to a fixed location on a vehicle frame.

Abstract: A five-layer window shade fabric 100 especially useful in forming a Roman shade which will substantially increase the insulating factor (R) for a glass windowpane has a moisture-, light-, and mildew-resistant exterior layer 10; an insulation layer 12 adjacent the exterior layer; a vapor barrier 14 adjacent the insulation layer to reduce condensation and to trap a layer of air between the barrier and the window; a reflective sheet adjacent the barrier to reflect heat back into the room; and an interior cover fabric 18 adjacent the reflective sheet and chosen to complement the room decor.

Abstract: A clothing travel bag adapted to be carried over the shoulder of the user. The bag includes a relatively thin, generally rectangular garment bag connected to a substantially smaller, generally rectangular clothes pouch by a relatively thin, flexible web. The intersection between the web and the garment bag is offset from the center of the garment bag to provide clearance for the neck of the user. The angle between the garment bag and clothes pouch is preferably about thirty degrees so that both the bag and the pouch are level when they are carried. A releasable fastener, such as a zipper, releasably secures the web to the garment bag so that the garment bag may be separated from the clothes pouch when articles are to be removed from the bag and pouch.

Abstract: A radar system for continuously displaying target returns on a conventional television receiver. The radar includes a console connected to a rotating scanner unit through conventional slip rings. The scanner unit contains a radar antenna coupled to a receiver and transmitter, and a power supply generating a multitude of high-voltage and circuit supply voltages from AC power. A position transducer measures the rotary position of the scanner unit and triggers the transmitter as the scanner unit rotates. The return signal is thresholded to generate a video data signal, portions of which are sequentially stored in separate memory locations, each corresponding to a respective range. The set of video data in memory thus corresponds to targets within a predetermined range in a single direction.