Abstract: A plurality of modular units formed of ducts and horizontal load-supporting webs each form part of a ventilating floor structure with the ducts and webs being interconnected to adjacent modular units for forming a total floor. The ducts have upwardly diverging sidewalls for strength and a duct of one modular unit is provided with a bead that forms half of a joint to be slid within a downwardly opening recess forming the other half of the joint on an adjacent web. The recess is provided with a downwardly and laterally curving guide flange so that the bead can be rolled into the recess as the modular unit having the bead is rotated into position. The interconnected ducts and webs are underlayed with foam insulation which is carried up into each web for additional insulating thickness the joint is essentially waterproof from water passing into or through the ducts.

Abstract: In a sofa or twin chair positioned side by side in transport means, particularly in railway coaches, where the sofa or twin chairs are rotatably mounted about a vertical central axis for rearrangement by change of the driving direction and blocking of the sofa in a desired position. The carriage is tiltable about a transverse axis in order to remove the rotation axis of the sofa from the coach wall; a coupling member at each end when in the adjusted position of the carriage, is in releasably locked engagement with a corresponding coupling member attached to one wall of the coach, and the sofa or pair of chairs are maintained fixed in the adjusted working position.

Abstract: A tire body of elastomeric material, terminating in two beads on opposite sides of its cavity, has a sole free of reinforcing cords carrying a tread on its outer surface and a belt of elastomeric material disposed either between the tread and the body or on the inner body surface. The belt has a stress/strain ratio at 20.degree. C and with 50% elongation which is at least 30% higher than the corresponding stress/strain ratio of the tire body.

Abstract: A mobile track tamping machine comprises a tamping tool assembly mounted on a carrier for vertical movement therewith and a drive for vertically moving the tamping tool assembly carrier. The tamping tool assembly includes three pairs of vibratory tamping tools spaced from each other in the direction of track elongation so that the pairs of tools may be immersed in three successive cribs. The tools of each pair are reciprocable in opposite directions towards and away from the elongated edges of adjacent ties wherebetween the cribs are defined. All tamping tools are vibrated by a common drive and drives are provided for reciprocating the tamping tools.

Abstract: A viscous rubber composition consisting mainly of a non-polar rubber, polybutene and white carbon has high adhesion and excellent puncture-sealing properties. Pneumatic tires provided with a puncture-sealing layer formed of such a viscous rubber composition have a high resistance against the puncture due to foreign substances penetrated through the tire.

Abstract: Apparatus for handling, transporting, and unrolling large cylindrical bales of hay, including a frame mountable in the box of a pickup truck or on its own wheels. Hydraulic controls and actuators are provided for pivoting a bale fork about a horizontal axis, and for spreading and drawing together a pair of arms making up the fork to grasp and release the bale axially. A lost motion mechanism is provided to permit the fork to move vertically, as a bale unrolls, although the hydraulically actuated portion of the fork remains motionless.

Abstract: An assembly for fastening of railroad track incorporating a steel reinforced concrete tie with vertical thread steel sleeves welded to a reinforcement truss embedded in the concrete tie to which sleeves, track bolt assemblies may be threadably joined. A track bolt assembly includes a pair of hollow male threaded plugs, each threaded to a female thread in the opposed ends of a sleeve to retain a nut that is biased by a compression spring in the sleeve, to which nut, a track screw mounted to a hold-down block is engaged. With the hold-down block fixed against a track rail flange, the screw may be tightened in the nut of the sleeve to a pre-set tensile load as determined by the compression spring.

Abstract: Apparatus for rerailing derailed wheels of a railway vehicle includes a bridge which is positioned beneath a derailed vehicle end. After the vehicle is leveled, a lifting jack disposed on a carriage mounted on the bridge supportingly elevates the derailed vehicle end and moves the supported derailed end over the rails, the bridge being positioned to return the derailed vehicles to a position over the rails. Since the wheels of the opposed vehicle end are stationary, the derailed vehicle end is moved along an arcuate path. A motive means such as a jack moves the carriage along the bridge axis, and supporting roller means on the carriage enable the lifting jack engaging the vehicle to move transversely to the bridge axis thereby allowing the jack and supported vehicle end to traverse an arcuate path while fully supported.

Abstract: A personal transportation system including a guideway of channel members submerged beneath the ground with an opening along the ground line, the guideway including an intersection, a rail running along the base of the channel members for supporting wheeled, passenger carrying vehicle thereon, and a steering system for selectively steering the vehicle through the intersection and into one of at least two guideway sections leading from the intersection.

Abstract: A control device is provided for controlling the speed of a vehicle used in a conveyor system wherein the vehicle moves along a track. The control device has a generally straight section between a first angled section having a cam surface for deceleration and a second angled section having a cam surface for acceleration in a controlled manner. The control member is supported for movement between operative and inoperative positions. A motor is provided for moving the control member from an inoperative position to an operative position. The control member is held in its operative position by a cam follower on the vehicle. When the cam follower loses contact with the control member, the control member moves to its inoperative position by gravity.

Abstract: A sling for carrying a tennis racket consisting of an elastic strap adapted to extend diagonally from the shoulder to the opposite hip of the wearer. The strap is looped at one end for engaging receiving the handle end of the racket and has means at its other end for engaging the other end of the racket.

Abstract: A readily assembled and self-contained motorcycle rack assembly raises a motorcycle from ground level to a stored position on the carrying vehicle. A unique hinged socket connection and an adjustable contour bumper engaging assembly makes it possible to quickly install the rack. It has two inverted simultaneously operable ratchet type jacks which raise the rack assembly and coact with a retention bar to bring the motorcycle and rack assembly into a fixed locked position on the carrying vehicle.

Abstract: Body-carried equipment, such as a television camera, is supported on a mount that engages the body at a first level, such as the shoulder; and the mount has a forwardly extending "panning" arm for directional control. From the forward end of the arm, an adjustable brace assembly extends (e.g., downwardly) to engage the body at a second level (e.g., waist level) spaced vertically from the first level. Adjustments are provided for elevational angle, tilt and forward-rearward balance of the equipment (camera).

Abstract: A sectional track construction wherein each section constitutes a generally flat body having at least one longitudinally extending conductor exposed upwardly and provided with end portions each extending beyond the adjacent lateral body portion on one side of the conductor, and an oblique cam at each end of the section for engagement with a like cam of a like section to urge the exposed conductor end portions into side-by-side facing engagement with conductor end portions of a like track section.

Abstract: The apparatus of the invention is capable of loading, transporting and shredding a large bale of material. The apparatus is of a vehicle trailer type and is equipped with a box or housing unit type that is open only at the rear side of the vehicle. The apparatus has a combination tailgate and lift structure which functions as a fork lift to load and move a bale of material into the housing unit and, after such delivery, to automatically function as a tail gate to close the rear side of the housing unit. A floor conveyor within the housing moves the baled material forwardly into the path of a bale shredder which is of a flail type. The shredded material is then blown or moved by the shredder into an auger at the forward end of the housing unit for discharge into a feed bunk or storage bin.

Abstract: A toy track for use with electrically operated self-propelled toys such as vehicles or railway trains comprising a plurality of track section, each track section including at least one pair of electrically conductive rails extending substantially the length of the section and provided at least at one end with an electrical junction means adapted to be joined with a corresponding electrical junction means on the adjacent section, said junction means comprising on the one section an insulating member which protrudes from the end of the track section in overlapping relationship with the adjacent track section and on the adjacent track section a recess adapted to receive said projecting portion, said projecting portion mounting and projecting beyond at least one electrically conductive member for coupling a conductive rail of the respective track section with the conductive rail of the adjacent track section.

Abstract: A lift device particularly suitable for lifting handicapped persons with or without wheelchairs, into a vehicle or building. The lift can be incorporated into the doorway of any given vehicle, or into any step structure within a building. The lift, in its stowed position, forms the normal steps. The platform is made of three hinged parallel sections which can be withdrawn and folded into two steps. A ramp normally hidden under the steps slides forward to allow easy access to the extended platform and a safety flap housed in the ramp flips upward to form an angle stop preventing the wheelchair from rolling backward during platform motion.

Abstract: A pair of laterally spaced wheel chocks are each normally connected in a gap in a railroad track rail, with each chock having a straight upper surface over which car wheels can roll in crossing the gap. Pivotally connected on a horizontal axis to each chock is the rear end of an arm, the front end of which is pivotally connected to a support. Means are provided for lifting the chocks after car wheels have rolled across them, whereby to cause the chocks to engage a pair of car wheels and move them forward on the track. The arms guide the upwardly-moving chocks in paths that result in there being substantially no sliding of the chocks against the wheels.

Abstract: The invention is a method of and apparatus for continuously laying sleepers at permanent positions at predetermined intervals on a bed of ballast for a railway track, by means of a vehicle travelling along the track, which method comprises feeding each sleeper in turn from a stock of sleepers to a laying mechanism where the sleeper is held a little above the level of the bed of ballast, removing vertical support from beneath the sleeper at a position in advance of the intended permanent position of the sleeper so that the sleeper falls onto the bed of ballast in advance of its intended permanent position, drawing the sleeper along the bed of ballast until it reaches its intended permanent position and then completely releasing the sleeper in its intended permanent position. The invention permits the sleepers to be laid with greater accuracy than when using prior apparatus.

Abstract: A vehicle system has a track along which a cable is driven, preferably at constant speed, to entrain a plurality of vehicles rollingly along the track. The vehicle carries a pair of pinch rollers adapted to grip the cable without slippage and at least one of these rollers is journaled on the vehicle and can entrain a star-shaped member whose spokes or arms have rollers adapted to engage cam surfaces disposed along the track. Depending upon the orientation of the cam surfaces, the vehicle may be displaced at a rate in excess of the linear speed of the cable, at the same rate as the cable or at a slower speed. This allows the vehicle to be slowed down for embarkation and disembarkation but permits the vehicle to be driven at high speeds between such embarkation/disembarkation stations all while the cable is operated at substantially constant speed.