Abstract: A spiral conveyor belt is mounted between an inner cylindrical wall and a concentric outer cylindrical wall wherein the belt is formed of curved segments having an upper reach resting upon a spiralled slide plate and a lower under reach suspended therebelow, rollers at the top and at the base of the spiral about which the belt turns and means to drive the roller and belt connected thereto. The improvement is a belt tightener comprising a pair of spaced holding rollers engaging the under reach of the belt at one side thereof, a takeup roller mounted between the holding rollers at the opposite side of the belt and means to adjustably shift the takeup roller against the belt to move it between the holding rollers for taking up slack in the belt.

Abstract: A rail fastener includes an anchor member fixed atop a crosstie and removably retaining a spring clip having a pair of spaced apart arms insertable within the anchor member. The spring clip, generally "C" shaped, has one of its arms deflected transversely and downwardly by a tapered retainer element on said anchor member whereby a positive downward force is applied by the other arm against a rail base flange. An abutment provided on the anchor member restricts vertical displacement of the other arm and rail base therebeneath.

Abstract: Adjustable twist lock assembly for locking containers in position on the deck of a flatbed vehicle in which the vehicle has a C-channel extending along each side and opening toward the outside, and the top flange of the channel is at deck level. Each channel has openings in its top flange to accommodate a twist lock to be extended above floor level through a selected opening to enter a container fitting and thereby accommodate the twist lock to containers of varying lengths. The twist lock assembly includes a framework conforming to the inside of the channel and slidable therealong and having an open top to accommodate extension of the twist lock above the channel. The twist lock has an elongated locking head with a depending stud pivotally carried in a lock housing, guided for vertical movement along the framework.

Abstract: An enclosure for a vehicle end opening disposed between two side walls includes a pair of bi-fold door assemblies, each comprising inner and outer panels hingedly connected to one another with the outer edges of the innermost panel in turn hingedly connected to a hinge rod normally disposed adjacent the outer limits of the end opening. Intermediate lock means are included with each pair of door panels for selectively precluding relative displacement therebetween and when actuated allows of folding of each pair of door panels to provide a collapsed juxtaposed relationship following which the folded door assembly may be pivoted about the hinge rod 90.degree. or until parallel to the vehicle side walls.

Abstract: A rail fastener includes an anchor member fixed atop the crosstie and removably retaining a spring clip having a pair of adjacent parallel legs insertable within said anchor member. The improved spring clip, generally "B" shaped, is provided with a loop member joining the two legs and having opposite portions respectively engaging the rail base flange and anchor member.

Abstract: A rail fastener assembly includes a restraining block to resist rail overturning and which is disposed atop a tie plate having a raised shoulder adjacent a rail seat section. The curved upper surface of the shoulder is engaged by a mating curved lower surface on the block to position a lip portion on the block in overlying relationship to the rail base flange. Means vertically extend downwardly from the block and cooperate with two spike holes formed through the tie plate shoulder to secure the block relative the tie plate. A rail anchor may be attached to the rail base adjacent the tie plate to provide a complete rail-to-tie fastener assembly.

Abstract: A lock mechanism for a railway car hinge-deck section includes a locking lever pivotally attached to a railway car and having an upper and lower wedge bar alternately engageable with a wedge plate carried by the hinge-deck section when the section is displaced to a raised or lowered position, respectively. Seat means affixed to the car restrict vertical displacement of the deck section and cooperates with mating inclined surfaces on the wedge bars and wedge plate to provide positive, tight retention of the hinge-deck section in either of its locked positions.

Abstract: Heavy-duty cotter pin for retaining retainer member in position. The legs of the cotter pin each have an integrally formed locking arm extending angularly outwardly therefrom, locking the cotter pin in position without forcefully spreading or deforming the legs. The legs of the cotter pin are biased outwardly relative to each other and extend from a bight portion of the pin at equal angles with respect to the longitudinal center line of the pin. The legs are moved toward and laterally of each other to enter the hole of a pin or other retainer member and clear the locking arms from the hole. The locking arms are maintained in their angular outwardly extending position, both during placing of the cotter pin in a hole and removing the cotter pin from the hole.

Abstract: A control device for a synchronous motor including a field winding discharge circuit having an alternating current when the synchronous motor has any slip and a field winding D.C. excitation circuit. The control device includes a digital counter for creating an output signal when the counter has counted a selected number of pulses during a given counting interval. The control circuit includes a means for creating counting pulses having a set frequency, means for directing the counting pulses to the counter, means responsive to the slip induced current in the discharge circuit for periodically resetting the counter and means responsive to the creation of an output signal between resetting operations for activating the excitation circuit. In this manner, if there is slip the synchronous motor operates in an induction mode until the slip is at a selected low level determined by the counter setting and the frequency of the pulses to the counter. During low slip conditions, the D.C.

Abstract: An enclosure for a vehicle end opening formed between two side walls includes two bi-fold door assemblies each comprising inner and outer panels pivotally connected to one another and with the free edge of the outer panels in turn connected to a fixed pivot point adjacent the side of the end opening wherein, each inner panel may be folded outwardly 180.degree. about its pivoted connecting means and the thus folded assembly subsequently pivoted about its fixed pivot point 270.degree. into parallel relationship with the vehicle side wall. The pivotal connecting means joining each pair of inner and outer panels includes catch means serving to secure the assembly in both the closed position enclosing the vehicle end opening as well as in the stored position parallel with the vehicle side wall.

Abstract: The system comprises band anchors uniformly spaced along opposite sides of a flat-decked vehicle, such as a railway flatcar. Each band anchor includes a pair of transversely extending facing channels flush with the deck of the car and having ratchet teeth depending from the top legs of the channels. An anchoring member is adjustably mounted between the channels and has teeth engageable with the ratchet teeth of the channels as tension on the band is taken up. The ratchet teeth cam and retain the anchoring members into engagement with the sides of the load as the bands are under tension. The anchoring members are non-flexible when under no load and each has an outer link with a compression member interposed between the outer link and anchoring member to accommodate extension of the outer link upon longitudinal shifting of the load.