Abstract: Powered and steerable telescoping conveyors. The telescoping conveyors have an infeed section and a discharge section. The discharge section can be telescoped beneath the infeed section in a retracted position. In an extended position, containers can be conveyed over first and second conveying structures that are located on the infeed and discharge sections, respectfully. The conveying structures can include wheels, rollers, or belts. A power module can move the discharge section between the extended and retracted positions. The power module can be located at various positions along the conveyor, including at a discharge end of the discharge section. A steering assembly can be provided to orient the discharge section with respect to the infeed section. The steering assembly can include two wheels, each wheel having its own independent wheel-steering axis. A power module can be associated with each of the independent wheels.

Abstract: An expandable flexible conveyor with a conveyor wheel axle and yoke support. The support includes an upper sleeve adapted to receive an axle. The support includes a lower sleeve adapted to receive a span member. A support body connects between the upper sleeve and lower sleeve. The support body includes a bend adapted to receive a portion of a downward load placed upon the plurality of rollers and axle. The upper sleeve and axle are adapted to distribute a downward load placed on the plurality of rollers across the width of the support. The bend receives the downward load and stiffens the support body to support the downward load. The lower sleeve and span member maintain the support body in a substantially vertical orientation while the downward load is on the plurality of rollers, and supported by the support body.

Abstract: An improved support multiple-wheel axle providing intermittent ensleevement of the axle between the wheels, plus a lower yoke assuring the vertical orientation of the axle support by assuring that movement of the lower portion of the axle support mirrors movement of the axle and axle ensleevement, thereby maintaining optimal load bearing.

Abstract: A natural gas handling system is provided having a new modular design to provide clean and accessible fuel for remote compressed natural gas. The natural gas handling system has a storage unit with a heated exchanger that converts the liquefied natural gas to compressed natural gas having a predetermined pressure of approximately 5000 psig without the use of pumps or compressors. The LNG/CNG storage unit has an outlet for providing warmed natural gas at approximately psig. If desired, refrigeration can be supplied from the −260° F. LNG during the vaporization process. The LNG/CNG storage unit also has a second outlet with a pressure regulator for providing warmed compressed natural gas at approximately 60 psig.

Abstract: A pre-manufactured natural gas delivery station is presented to a client that filters, measures, controls, pre-heats, pressure reduces, odorizes, and provides communication, provides excess power, and provides excess heat for a host site. The design is pre-approved by supply pipeline, end users and regulatory bodies. The final configuration is welded, assembled, wired, painted, tagged, and tested, at a factory site and then shipped to an installation site in accordance with customer's requirements. The station is commissioned, operators are trained and a three volume project DATA book is installed in the control room for documentation. The pre-manufactured natural gas delivery station can include a high pressure gas metering room and regulating room that can be selectively coupled to other prefabricated modular rooms or modules. Preferably, the other prefabricated modules include an odorant room, a heating room, an energy generation room and an electrical control and communications room.

Abstract: Telescoping rigid frame/scissor conveyors with suspension structures to accommodate less than totally flat surfaces, and for easy and ergonomic repositioning. Such conveyors are formed of a plurality of telescoping frame segments which may be positioned at any number of desired nested/unnested configurations. The frame segments bear a lazy tong or scissors conveyor structure which assures uniform roller spacing, and rollers positioned at one height along the conveyor rather than at different heights for each frame segment. The conveyors are adapted to bear greater weight than conventional lazy tongs conveyors, but contain suspension systems in order to conform to irregularities in factory and warehouse floors and slabs and for easy movement.

Abstract: Power modules for expandable conveyors. The power modules contain motor driven rollers whose operation may be speed, direction and otherwise controlled as desired. The module connects to the end of an expandable conveyor, such as a conventional scissors conveyor, to allow repositioning, expansion and contraction of the conveyor with minimum risk of overexertion, strain and injury. Rollers may be positioned along the top surface of the power module as an extension of the conveyor for conveying items to ultimate destination. Gripping surfaces may be provided which act in combination with swivel mounted wheels to allow efficient and effective steering of the power module and the conveyor. The gripping surfaces may be located conveniently in the vicinity of a control panel for controlling actuation of the motor and the drive wheels.

Abstract: Expandable powered conveyors featuring a number of roller power motors located externally of the rollers. The conveyors include a pair of lazy tong trusses which may be supplemented, as desired, by telescoping rigid frames, leg structures or other structures. The motors are mounted between the trusses so that their drive pulleys are located substantially coaxial to the middle connection points of the scissor bars in the trusses and thus maintain a substantially constant distance from rollers connected to those scissor bars. Drive belts connect the motor drive pulleys to power such rollers. The conveyors also include a number of transfer pulleys which are also mounted substantially coaxial to corresponding middle connection points of the trusses. A single motor may thus power one or more rollers directly, and other rollers indirectly via motor drive belts and transfer drive belts.

Abstract: Telescoping rigid frame/scissor conveyors. Such conveyors are formed of a plurality of telescoping frame segments which may be positioned at any number of desired nested/unnested configurations. The frame segments bear a lazy tong or scissors conveyor structure which assures uniform roller spacing, and rollers positioned at one height along the conveyor rather than at different heights for each frame segment. Counterintuitively, the increased structural complexity is more than outweighed by the benefits resulting from the uniformly positioned rollers of a uniform height, which are thus adapted to convey articles in a reliable and jam-free fashion unlike previous expandable rigid frame conveyors. Conveyors according to the present invention may contain automatic locks to prevent overextension, powered rollers and motive devices for automatic and reliable extension and retraction.

Abstract: Conveyors containing powered rollers arranged in zones, each of which zones may be independently controlled. Such conveyors are particularly useful in transitioning object flow from a constant speed conveyor such as in a plant or warehouse, to manual offloading operations which tends to be more intermittent in nature. The independently controlled zones automatically activate and deactivate in a manner that allows objects to accumulate in a compact fashion on the conveyor when offloading operations stop, but once again to space themselves apart from one another as offloading operations resume and flow once again reaches steady state. This increased spacing during steady state flow allows the conveyor to begin absorbing objects in the accumulation mode if and when offloading stops again. Among other beneficial effects is an ergonomic one: Workers are freed from the stress of knowing that objects flowing on the conveyor will simply be propelled off the end if they take a momentary break.

Abstract: Chain driven expandable powered conveyors utilizing lazy tong structures. A first embodiment of such conveyors employs elongated rollers which are connected to sprockets driven by one or more drive chains. The chains follow a tortuous path through the conveyor structure allowing efficient and effective transmission of power from a power source to the sprockets and elongated rollers regardless of the extent to which the conveyor is expanded or contracted. A second embodiment, which also employs elongated rollers, includes sprockets powered by a chain that in turn apply power to elongated rollers using drive belts. This embodiment avoids exposure of drive chain at the surface of the conveyor, allows accumulation of product on the conveyor and features other advantages. A third embodiment employs skate wheels rather than elongated rollers. A drive chain applies power to drive sprockets on the surface of the conveyor which propel product on the conveyor.

Abstract: Powered roller conveyors, which may be expandable and/or flexible. One or more drive belts (tubing or chain) extends across drive rollers and smaller-diameter guide rollers or sheaves on the top surface of the conveyor, and under followers located beneath the top surface of the conveyor. In the expandable and flexible conveyor version, the followers are located from the drive and guide rollers approximately the same distance as the connections between bars in the lazy tong structures forming the supports for the conveyor so that as the lazy tong structures expand, the segments of the drive belt between guide and drive rollers on the one hand and the followers on the other hand, remain substantially constant, thus allowing the drive belts to power their conveyor at any desired expanded length.

Abstract: A ramp attached to and used for the loading and unloading of goods from a vehicle, typically a truck. When not in use, the ramp folds compactly and is latched in an upright position at the rear of the vehicle. The ramp may be unfolded and extended in order to transport goods to and from the vehicle. As used, the ramp also may be latched in a half-ramp arrangement to serve as a bridge or dock plate. In the half-ramp arrangement, the ramp is folded to form two legs of a three-dimensional triangular structure, so that one portion of the ramp supports the other and allows it to bear weight.

Abstract: A ramp attached to and used for the loading and unloading of goods from a vehicle, typically a truck. When not in use, the ramp folds compactly and is latched in an upright position at the rear of the vehicle. The ramp may be unfolded and extended in order to transport goods to and from the vehicle. As used, the ramp also may be latched in a half-ramp arrangement to serve as a bridge or dock plate. In the half-ramp arrangement, the ramp is folded to form two legs of a three-dimensional triangular structure, so that one portion of the ramp supports the other and allows it to bear weight.

Abstract: Flexible and expandable roller conveyors. Conveyors according to the present invention utilize lazy tong structures which are spanned and connected not only by roller axles, but also by braces rigidly connected to corresponding bars in the structures. The resulting conveyors are more economical on a long term basis than previous conveyors because the redundant axle and brace structure allows them to be more durable and resistant to abuse than other conveyors. Lazy tong structures in conveyors of the present invention utilize bars which have flanges on their long edges for additional strength. The flanges thus allow the bars to be formed in longer lengths than bars of earlier lazy tong structures so that fewer moving parts are required and the conveyor is more easily curved and flexed in order to move packages to a variety of desired locations.