Abstract: A manually foldable top for automobile vehicles is disclosed which includes a pivot bracket for installing the top on a vehicle body and further includes a spring assembly operatively attached to a side arm assembly for movement of the foldable top from a closed position to an open position; an arcuate slotted hinge mechanism for moving a back window on the foldable top between an open and a closed position, including a seal for forming a sealed window when the window is in the closed position; a linkage and securing assembly for securing the top to the vehicle body when the top is in the closed position; and, a camming bolt for adjusting the position of the foldable top with respect to the vehicle body.

Abstract: This disclosure deals with a window regulator assembly as a unit such as for vehicles and specifically vehicle doors, which doors have rigid frames so that the assembly may be installed in any type or shape of door, and the three parts of this assembly that are attached to any adjacent panel in the door after the door or wall in which it is to be installed has already been assembled. This assembly comprises a flexible plastic tape which may be twisted and bent in any direction, the opposite ends of which tape are wrapped around reversible motor or manually-driven drums so that as one end is wrapped, the other is unwrapped, and vice versa. These drums comprise the driving part of this assembly that is attached to a door. The tape also has a substantially straight vertical reach intermediate its ends, the length of which reach may be fixed by the length of a flexible plastic strip along this reach of the tape.

Abstract: A casing for hydraulic lifts and the like of the type buried in the ground. The part of the casing deeply buried in the ground may be subject to corrosion and electrolysis, which is quite common in many soils, and is made from a strong, fiberglas composite material. The part of the casing not subject to corrosion is metallic. Flanges connect the two parts in end-to-end sealed relation with respect to each other and the seals and guides for the plunger are carried in the metallic part of the casing. A non-metallic bulkhead is bonded to the bottom of the fiberglas composite casing and may have a port opening through its bottom wherein the lift is a semi-hydraulic lift as is common with passenger car lifts.

Abstract: A nozzle body of a molded spray head forms a path for a highly pressurized carrier fluid. The fluid path includes a rectangular-section, diverging outlet and a spray nozzle spaced upstream therefrom in a suction chamber for directing the carrier fluid in a spray pattern spaced inwardly of and parallel to the walls of the diverging outlet. A chemical product is selectively passed into the suction chamber for entrainment about the carrier fluid. Avoiding impingement of the carrier fluid spray upon the walls of the nozzle outlet helps to maintain the 600-1000 psi pressure of the carrier fluid flow throughout the nozzle body for increased impact pressure upon surfaces to be sprayed.

Abstract: Differential length parallel lift arms have means at one end for attachment to a belly mounted tractor appliance. At their opposite ends the lift arms are adapted to be pivotally mounted on a common axis on a tractor under which the appliance is adapted to be located. Lift arm actuating means are connected to the lift arms for effecting substantially parallel lifting of the appliance by the arms. Means for effecting operation of the actuating means may be operated hydraulically or otherwise from the tractor seat.

Abstract: An adjustable pad hydraulic lift structure has a vehicle engaging and supporting pad vertically movable by a hydraulic piston, the pad being mounted on a bolster and having load transfer blocks facing downwardly for engagement with the bolster to transfer vehicle load from the pad to the bolster. Supporting and guide rods on the bolster and bearings on the pad cooperate to support the unloaded pad for adjustment into selected position over the bolster, and while supporting the unloaded pad maintaining the pad at an elevation wherein the load transfer blocks are supported free of the bolster to permit free adjustments of the pad. The supporting and guide rods are yieldable when the pad is under vehicle load to permit the load transfer blocks to engage the bolster for load transfer from the pad to the bolster.

Abstract: A flexible joint for use in suspension systems and the like has a rigid cylindrical member, a resilient bushing encompassing the inner member, a split casing having opposed semi-cylindrical surfaces holding the bushing under compression toward the inner member and secured together in bushing-compressing relation, and rigid extrusion barriers preventing compression induced extrusion of the bushing into partings between the casing parts. Configuration of the extrusion barriers complements the compression loading of the resilient bushing by the surfaces of the casing parts.

Abstract: An inner portion of a conveyor comprising a plurality of pivotably joined crossbars having an open bottom receiving cup to hold a piece of drupaceous fruit is driven at a synchronized speed below a fruit feeder device. After the feeder device deposits a piece of fruit in each cup, the inner conveyor portion travels a short distance where it is joined by an outer portion of the conveyor comprising a like plurality of pivotably joined crossbars having an inverted covering cup with a perforated diaphragm top. The conveyor portions mate to partially enclose the piece of fruit within the cups. The fruit is conveyed through a pitting station where a star-shaped pitting tool is driven at high speed through the opening in the bottom of the receiving cup, into the piece of fruit to contact a pit of the fruit and push the pit upward through the perforation of the diaphragm in the covering cup. As the tool is withdrawn from the fruit, the fruit and its now separated pit are conveyed separately for further processing.

Abstract: A hinge for connecting automobile hoods to the remainder of the vehicle which includes a bracket member attached to the vehicle supporting a non-rotating cylindrical elongated member with a thick elastomeric torsion spring received around the cylindrical member and bonded thereto at an inner diameter of the torsion spring. A hinge strap is received around the outer diameter of the rubber torsion spring and fastened thereto in non-relative rotating fashion. The hinge strap may be provided with an extension to which a vehicle hood may be attached and the assembly can be installed with the hinge strap projecting upwardly into a hood open position. Closure of the hood will then tension the spring.

Abstract: A high capacity device for reliably sorting pieces of fruit from a bulk supply into individual cups for processing. The fruit is received in bulk in a hopper, a side of which is open to a center hub of a connected pair of feed wheels revolving coaxially in spaced horizontal relation. Each feed wheel carries a plurality of radially-extending through passages about its periphery. Each passage carries at least two individual pieces of said fruit simultaneously. An outward, exit end of each passage is normally blocked by cammable gate fingers. The feed wheels are rotatably synchronized with a pair of chains engaged with sprockets attached to the feed wheels and carrying therebetween a conveyor carrying the fruit cups. The speed of revolution of the feed wheels is sufficient to keep an outermost one of the fruit pieces lodged adjacent the gate fingers.

Abstract: A tandem axle suspension has a bracket supporting a trunnion on which a pair of beams is journaled rockably in side-by-side relation, each beam having first and second arms extending to opposite sides of the trunnion, the first beam arms projecting in opposite directions and having their distal end portions extending along a common axis and each arranged to receive an axle for a wheel located at one side of the common axis, the first beam arms having respective upwardly facing spring supports which are offset toward the opposite side of the common axis, compression springs carried upon the supports being engaged by downwardly facing thrust structure on the second beam arms. Torsional equilibrium is attained in a vertical plane through the axis of the trunnion and about the common axis of the first arms.

Abstract: For a motor vehicle suspension of the type including dual leaf spring assemblies and a connecting rocker arm, a pair of elongated generally coextensive downwardly arched leaf springs in laminar coactive load-supporting relation include a front end attachment eye on the upper of the springs and a fail-safe terminal portion on the lower of the springs substantially enveloping the eye. The rear end portions of the springs have nested upwardly arched load supporting portions for engagement with the rocker arm. In non-loaded and normally loaded conditions of the associated vehicle the leaf springs provide constant rate spring action, and when excessive suspension random loads must be supported supplementary compression spring means carried by the leaf springs engage the vehicle frame with progressively increasing spring rate and avoid overstressing the leaf springs.