Abstract: A compact, relatively midget sized, portable heater a stable base for which is provided by its fuel tank per se. The tank features a plug fit filter tube formed to facilitate the connection of a fuel supply line. Preferred embodiments of the heater are characterized by plate formed air deflector fins which are arranged to most effectively control the delivery of air to and about the discharge from a simply mounted and constructed fuel nozzle at the entrance to a combustion chamber. The illustrated embodiment shows the fins as included in a bracket-type support for the fuel discharge nozzle and on a deflector plate which defines the entrance to the combustion chamber to which it mounts. The relationship of parts enable the use of a minimal amount of energy for a given application.

Abstract: Contact heater station mechanism for use in a thermoforming machine for particularly forming thermoplastic synthetic plastic and superplastic metal alloy sheets into shapes, such machines having a sheet transfer station, a heating station, and a forming station with relatively movable mold parts, and providing a circuit for sheet carrying carriages which index individually clamped sheets from one station to another cyclically in a path of travel. The mechanism includes platens mounted on the machine frame at the heating station to move toward and away from the path of travel of the carriages and sheets. A heater carrrier for elongate electrical resistance heaters carries a contactor plate, and is rigidly mounted to each platen in a manner to permit universal thermal expansion of the carrier and plate with respect to the platen.

Abstract: Immersion vibrator of the type employed for consolidating poured concrete and employing an unbalanced rotor, characterized by a gerotor type motor, operated by hydraulic pressure, for rotating the rotor. It is of particular utility as an accessory to certain paving machines having an engine driven hydraulic circulating pump.

Abstract: A self-propelled soil stabilizer machine employs a heavy-duty single horizontal rotor for pulverizing and mixing soil it passes over. The rotor is driven by hydraulic motors which are mounted at the rotor ends and operated by a hydraulic pump (engine driven) which is hydraulically coupled to a hydraulic traction pump (also engine driven) which propels the machine. Each hydraulic motor is mounted for rapid removal and replacement thereof. Toward this goal, each end of the rotor is hollow, whereby the drive shaft of each hydraulic motor can be releasably accepted in one of the ends of the rotor in a spline connection therebetween. Overloads on the rotor system are automatically sensed by a closed-loop hydrostatic system and result in a direction in the speed of machine travel until the load on the rotor diminishes. A hydraulic rotary servo-valve and mechanical feed back system automatically controls the rotor to maintain it at a preset depth and provides a visual read-out of depth.

Abstract: A crane is disclosed having hydraulic means for boom elevation control which is provided with a load-holding check valve and a float valve interposed therebetween. The float valve is intentionally operable to a float position establishing fluid communication between opposed actuating chambers of the hydraulic means during crane transportation. The float valve includes a preferred position which does not interfere with conventional operation of combination of the hydraulic means and the load holding valve. The float valve is intentionally actuated to the float position by manually connecting a releasable coupling to a pilot pressure source. During crane operation, the releasable coupling is connected to a discharge hydraulic circuit that disables the float valve to prevent its inadvertent operation. The float valve is operable during crane transportation to allow the boom to move vertically in response to perturbations of a boom supporting dolly.

Abstract: A load sensitive hydraulic circuit for material handling equipment is energized by a prime mover. The hydraulic circuit includes variable displacement pumps coupled to the prime mover and having pressure and flow compensating control means for varying the volumetric output. Each pump is connected to a valve bank which controls various hydraulic actuators of the material handling equipment. Load pressure feedback is provided to the pump compensators for establishing pump flows to operate the actuators at a fixed pressure differential in excess of load pressure. The valve banks contain pressure compensated valves for providing desired fluid flow rates and speeds in the hydraulic actuators. Means are provided to sense reductions in the prime mover speed resulting from excessive hydraulic loads.

Abstract: A plasticating extruder screw is provided with a wave section in which the depth of the material conveying channel varies cyclically over a plurality of cycles. The wave section as a whole provides good pumping performance for metering the extrudate at a uniform rate. The deep valley portions of the wave section minimize heat inputs to the material being fed, and the shallow ridge portions of the wave section assure repeated intensive mixing of the material for providing high quality polymer melts. The minimum channel depth portions are in a balanced relationship about the axis of the screw to avoid lateral thrust problems. Such balance may be achieved in successive cycles of a single channel or as between adjacent channels of a multiple channel screw. The wave may be in the metering section of a single stage screw or in any of the pumping sections of a multiple stage screw.

Abstract: An injection mold includes a stationary platen carrying a pair of stationary die sections, a movable platen carrying a pair of movable die sections, and a pair of floating die sections disposed between the movable and stationary die sections. The respective floating and stationary die sections are mutually configured to define a pair of die cavities which are arranged for alternate communication with an injector unit. The floating die sections are selectively connectable to their associated movable and stationary die sections to expose one of the die cavities for article ejection, while maintaining the other die cavity closed for continuing a curing stage.

Abstract: A mobile concrete batch plant for supplying a properly proportioned homogenous mix of cement and aggregate (including sand) to a mix truck from an elevated discharge hood comprises a weigh bin for receiving and weighing aggregate from an aggregate storage bin and for depositing a weighed batch of aggregate onto a belt conveyor for transport to and discharge from a discharge opening in the discharge hood. The plant further comprises a combined screw conveyor and weigh batcher for receiving and weighing cement from a cement storage bin and for transporting and discharging a weighed batch of cement through a cement pipe concentric of the discharge opening in the discharge hood simultaneously with the discharge of the aggregate.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to detent mechanisms for use with valve spools wherein the detent mechanisms are operable to releaseably secure the valve spool in various predetermined axial positions and to apply various biasing forces on the valve spool depending upon its axial position thereby permitting the valve operator to sense or feel the position of the valve spool. The detent mechanism of the invention includes a generally cylindrical housing which supports a pair of spaced magnets and which receives a shaft coaxial with and connected to the valve spool. The shaft is received through bores in the magnets and is slideable with respect to the magnets. The shaft also supports a pair of contact rings which are comprised of magnetically attractable material and which are received in the space between the magnets. Upon axial movement of the valve spool, the contact rings are brought into contact with one of the magnets.

Abstract: A rotary screw extruder and a method are provided to both devolatilize and dry plasticized resinous hygroscopic materials during extrusion thereof into a finished product of indefinite length. The extruder includes a screw having three successive pumping sections and a pair of vent sections. Each vent section separates two of the successive pumping sections. The first pumping section meters plasticized material throughflow. The intermediate pumping section has partially full channels that permit a continuous, helical passage to interconnect the two vent sections. The partially full channels establish a free surface which promotes devolatilization and drying. The third pumping section pressurizes the devolatilized and dried plasticized material for extrusion through a conventional die orifice. The devolatilizing and drying method begins by controlling the flow rate of plasticized material into a gas removal zone.

Abstract: A silage unloader is disclosed for use in cutting silage from silage stored in a silage trench or the like. The unloader comprises a frame means which is adapted to be connected to the three-point hitch of a tractor or the like. A vertically disposed boom means is secured to the frame and extends upwardly therefrom and comprises telescopically mounted boom members. A reel boom is secured to the boom means and extends therefrom and has a silage cutting reel means rotatably mounted on the outer end thereof about a horizontal axis. A double acting hydraulic cylinder is provided within the boom means for raising and lowering the boom means, reel boom and reel. An auger conveyor means is provided on the frame means below the reel means so that the cut silage will be gathered thereby and conveyed to a blower means for blowing the silage to a feed wagon, truck or the like. The boom means, reel and conveyor are hydraulically powered while the blower means is powered by the tractor PTO.

Abstract: Structure for and method of compensating for a mechanical frequency response structure induced phase shift of an alternating electrical command signal in a closed loop control circuit so that magnitude errors independent of phase errors may be utilized in the control circuit. The structure includes a mechanical structure to be controlled having a mechanical frequency response to the cyclic command signal, an electronic frequency response circuit for producing a phase shift in the command signal substantially the same as that produced by the mechanical frequency response structure over the frequency range of the command signal, and structure for summing the error signal from the mechanical frequency response structure and from the electronic frequency response circuit to provide a magnitude error only signal, and means for providing an output signal when the selected error signal is outside of a permissible error signal range.

Abstract: Structure for and a method of detecting peaks in an electric signal comprising circuits for and the steps of converting a selected one of a plurality of analog signals into a current digital signal, comparing the developed digital signal with a digital signal previously developed from the selected analog signal and stored, and replacing the previously developed and stored digital signal with the current digital signal when the current digital signal is greater than the previously developed and stored digital signal and of the same polarity, and providing for readout of the currently stored digital signal in either analog or digital form.Direct reading of the digital output in terms of standard engineering units is provided for. Also, the analog input signal may be directly read at the output of the peak detector and the peak detector may be utilized as a volt meter with a direct current signal passed directly into a digital output portion of the peak detector.

Abstract: A rotary baler for forming cylindrical bales is disclosed which automatically picks windrowed material from the ground and places it on a first conveyor belt which, together with a bale-starter roller mounted adjacent to the rear of the baler and a second conveyor belt above the first conveyor belt, form a cylindrical bale. The first belt is provided with slats to prevent the first belt from moving transversely to its direction of intended travel. At least one of the rollers about which the first conveyor belt is mounted is capable of translational movement toward and away from the front of the baler to permit downward deflection of the first conveyor belt by the bale.

Abstract: An amplifying valve having an axially slidable valve spool to normally communicate a service port with a reservoir port, but which is movable to an operative position by a diaphragm type actuator activatable by air at substantially low but different selected pressures at the command of a pilot valve. In its operative position, the spool communicates the service port with a supply port for oil at high pressure. The pressure of oil at the service port is translated into a force on the spool to counteract that which is imposed thereon by the diaphragm actuator, so that service port pressure will always be substantially greater than but proportional to air pressure on the diaphragm.

Abstract: .Iadd.Method and apparatus for spin-welding thermoplastic articles in which two axially mating sections are driven in rotation relative to each other and then axially abutted in mating relationship. One of the two mating sections is chucked to an inertia member which is brought up to speed by a rotary drive. The rotary drive is uncoupled as the sections are moved into axial abuttment and the braking of the inertia member by the axial abuttment of the sections is transformed into frictional heat which welds the sections to each other. Apparatus for spin welding sections on a production line basis is disclosed. .Iaddend.