Abstract: A synchronized drive for a slide with a slip clutch which dissipates excess energy in an overload or crash situation to prevent damage to the mechanism. The slip clutch is coupled between a servo motor and a gear reducer to dissipate excessive force during a crash or an overload condition. A position feedback transducer is coupled to the gear reduced downstream of the clutch to maintain synchronization, even after a crash or overload condition, without requiring any re-homing sequence.

Abstract: A monitoring system for monitoring a vending machine at a remote location, the monitoring system including an inventory sensing system for providing a continuous update of the inventory in the vending machine, an alarm system to signal when the vending machine is being damaged or the systems in the vending machine are in need of attention, a communication system, and a credit card verification system. The vending machine is coupled to a central computer system which monitors all the systems in the vending machine. The communication system includes a credit card verification system, a two-way communication capability, a display screen, and a printer.

Abstract: A machine automatically closes flip-top caps and tests their covers for proper opening and closing force. The machine has a pair of superimposed turntables separated by a wheel, the turntables and wheel turning as a unit about a common axis. The wheel has a plurality or pockets distributed around the periphery thereof to receive the open flip-flop caps after they are molded. The pockets are adjustable in size to accommodate caps of different diameters and heights. Cap gripping assemblies associated with each pocket firmly grip the cap to resist integral and vertical displacement of the cap. At least one and, in a preferred embodiment, both of the turntables have actuators positioned near each pocket on the wheel. Cams surround the turntables to raise and lower the actuators at selected locations. As the actuators raise and lower, the covers are flipped over to close the caps. Selected forces are applied through the actuators and corresponding cap opening fingers to reopen and reclose the covers.

Abstract: A conveyor system enabling dumping of workpieces is disclosed. The conveyor system is comprised of a mechanism for transporting workpieces along the conveyor system. The transporting mechanism has a first receiving end and a second removal or holding end. An endless belt mechanism is coupled with the transport mechanism in a spaced relationship. A driver is coupled with the endless belt in a spaced relationship with the transport mechanism to drive workpieces along the transport mechanism. A mechanism is coupled with the transport mechanism and belt mechanism to enable movement of the removing or holding end of the conveyor system with respect to the receiving end such that the conveyor may be used to feed more than one installation.

Abstract: A cylinder having a radially movable or pivoting rod slidably received in a floating gland disposed in a cavity or recess in an end cap of the cylinder. Preferably, seals are provided between the rod, gland and recess. Hence, the rod and gland can move radially while a fluid tight seal is maintained between the atmosphere and the interior of the cylinder to retain pressurized fluid therein. Preferably, to facilitate radial movement of the rod and hence the gland in the recess, the forces on opposed faces of the gland are equalized by an appropriate arrangement of seals to define equal surface areas on the opposed faces both of which communicate with the interior of the cylinder.

Abstract: An automated vehicle-mounted refuse collection system having a loader with a boom assembly having inner and outer pairs of arms attached to the vehicle at spaced-apart locations. A lift assembly is pivotally connected to the upper end of the boom so outward movements of the boom arm will cause the upper and lower ends of the lift to reach or extend away from the vehicle toward a refuse container. Gripping arms are mounted on a carriage reciprocal along the lift assembly. A hydraulic system maintains the gripping arm level during extension and retraction of the boom arms.

Abstract: Apparatus for machining a valve seat and valve stem guide all from the valve seat side of a head or block. The valve seat is machined in one pass by a single point cutting tool which is moved on two axes and, the valve guide bore is machined by a reamer. The movements of the single point cutting tool and reamer are numerically controlled.

Abstract: A system for electronically storing revisions or modifications to documents which are already electronically stored in unrevised or unmodified form. The system compares, at the pixel-by-pixel level, a modified document bit map with a stored document bit map and determines from the differences between the two bit maps, at the pixel-by-pixel level, which differences are significant and which are insignificant. A revised document bit map is then formed from the portions of the stored-document bit map exhibiting no significant bit map differences and the significant differences bit map. The result is a revised document bit map in which no unnecessary changes have been introduced into the initial stored-document bit map. The system also includes steps for defining, on a pixel-by-pixel basis, a significant region bit map from the significant difference bit map and for forming the revised document bit map using the significant region bit map.

Abstract: An improved loader apparatus for a refuse collection truck or vehicle which includes a vertical rail assembly, a carriage apparatus mounted for vertical up and down movement along the rail assembly, a single length of drive chain for lifting and lowering the carriage apparatus between a home or down position and a dump or up position, a hydraulic motor system for driving the drive chain such that the refuse container-engaging apparatus carried by the carriage assembly can be position laterally outwardly therefrom for operatively engaging a refuse container to be emptied. The system includes a feedback system for controlling the speed, acceleration and deacceleration of the pick-up, transporting, emptying, lowering, and releasing cycle for minimizing cycle time while simultaneously maximizing the dumping efficiency of the system.

Abstract: Floor tiles, such as asbestos tile flooring, attached to the floor by thermoplastic adhesive are removed by using a radiant heater (30) made of a plurality of panels to radiantly heat the top surface of a plurality of tiles. To provide uniform temperature across the width of the tiles being heated, the panels along the sides of the heater are provided with a higher power density so that they are at a higher temperature. The heated tile thermally conducts heat to the thermoplastic adhesive beneath the tile causing the adhesive to soften, thereby allowing a set of vacuum cups (66) to pull a tile off the floor by suction and carry the tile into a container (24). Tile sensor (38) senses the temperature of the tile floor while heater sensor (40) senses the temperature of the heater (30), facilitating controlled removal of tiles from the floor.

Abstract: A conveyor system enabling dumping of workpieces is disclosed. The conveyor system is comprised of a mechanism for transporting workpieces along the conveyor system. The transporting mechanism has a first receiving end and a second removal or holding end. An endless belt mechanism is coupled with the transport mechanism in a spaced relationship. A driver is coupled with the endless belt in a spaced relationship with the transport mechanism to drive workpieces along the transport mechanism. A mechanism is coupled with the transport mechanism and belt mechanism to enable movement of the removing or holding end of the conveyor system with respect to the receiving end such that the conveyor may be used to feed more than one installation.

Abstract: An endless accumulating conveyor of the under/over type adapted to slidably support pallets and to frictionally transport them over both the upper and lower conveyor runs. The pallets may be held stationary and accumulated while the conveyor continues to advance. If the pallets are allowed to advance, without accumulating, they will be positively propelled around the curved section at each end of the conveyor from one run to the other by a drive mechanism which is adapted to engage a part on each pallet.

Abstract: A multigripper turret (26) for a part handling device (10) in which a circumferential array of gripper mechanisms (28) are each mounted for independent shifting movement in a convergent direction by an associated positioning mechanism (29) between an extended position centered on the axis of rotation of a rotary member (22) of the part handling device (10), and a radially outward retracted position. This enables a plurality of parts (20) to be handled by each motion of the part handling device (10).

Abstract: A screwdriver includes a power driven spindle (50) having an end face (52), an enclosure defining a closed cavity (70, 24, 14), a sleeve (60) having a central bore (70) communicating with said cavity and having a forward opening (70c) to receive the head (94) and part of the thread of a threaded fastener (90), and a vacuum (86, 88) for lowering the pressure in the cavity and continuously drawing air from the forward end of the sleeve past the head while holding the head while the fastener is held in a forward end portion (60a) of the sleeve and without driving the spindle. The spindle drives the fastener forwardly and into a workpiece (96) and an air path (70d, 70c, 70b, 70a) sucks contaminants rearwardly and from the workplace.

Abstract: Diversion-type switches and cross-type switches are provided for inclusion in suspended rail conveyor arrangements to form a rail conveyor system. Each of the switches includes at least one shiftable rail section movable between a first position of cooperation with spaced rails of one conveyor pathway and a second position of cooperation with spaced rails of another conveyor pathway. Rail alignment and load transmitting elements, in the configuration of coating fingers and seats, are disposed at the respective ends of the shiftable rail section and fixed rail section and coact therewith so that load forces acting on the shiftable rail section act to align the shiftable rail section with the spaced rails of the respective conveyor pathways and so that load forces applied to the shiftable rail section are transmitted directly to the fixed rail section.

Abstract: Diversion-type switches and cross-type switches are provided for inclusion in suspended rail conveyor arrangements to form a rail conveyor system. Each of said switches includes at least one shiftable rail section movable between a first position of cooperation with spaced rails of one conveyor pathway and a second position of cooperation with a spaced rails of another conveyor pathway. Rail alignment and load transmitting means, in the configuration of coacting fingers and seats, are disposed at the respective ends of the shiftable rail section and fixed rail section and coact therewith so that load forces acting on the shiftable rail section act to align the shiftable rail section with the spaced rails of the respective conveyor pathways and so that load forces applied to the shiftable rail section are transmitted directly to the fixed rail section.

Abstract: Turnover apparatus for the controlled turning of a flat-sided article, such as a vehicle wheel-tire unit, from a horizontal outside-up position to a horizontal outside-down position includes a chain conveyor for conveying the article in a horizontal position. A turnover device employs two pairs of elongate arms mounted for rotation about respective, spaced, parallel axes from and to a normal rest position wherein the pairs of arms project horizontally in opposite directions from their axes below and parallel to the conveying chains. One pair of arms is coupled to a reversible drive to be rotated upwardly from its rest position through an angle greater than 90.degree. to tilt an article on the conveying chains upwardly to and past the vertical by an amount such that the article, if not restrained, would fall forwardly.

Abstract: A bottle cap orienter has two rotating pin sorters, one positioned above and the other below a path over which randomly oriented bottle caps must travel. A stationary cam adjacent each sorter causes a plurality of pins at selected locations to project into the area of the path through which the bottle caps must travel. Thus, the projecting pins enter the cavity of the caps from above and below so that the caps are captured to rotate with the pin sorters. At one point in the rotation, the pins are withdrawn so that the caps are released to travel under their own inertia over a tangential path. The caps released by one of the pin sorters are inverted, so that all caps are ultimately oriented the same.

Abstract: An abrasive disc comprising a bonded abrasive body having a substantially flat mounting surface, a plurality of anchors each including a cup-shaped metallic washer having a flat top surface portion substantially flush with the flat mounting face and an annular outwardly inclined skirt portion embedded within the abrasive body, each washer including a first plurality of apertures in the skirt portion whereby integral portions of the bonded abrasive body extending therethrough lock the washer in position within the bonded abrasive, and a second plurality of apertures in the flat top surface portion filled with abrasives for decreasing the metallic surface area of the washer.

Abstract: A machining center for machining a variety of different workpieces. Tool heads with a wide variety of tools are transferred from a storage area and oriented and presented one at a time by a turret to a machine tool in which they are received, accurately located, securely clamped and driven to machine a workpiece. A transfer device moves tool heads from a tool head circulating mechanism to the turret.