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.

Abstract: An elongated hatch opening in the roof of a hopper car includes a pair of hatch covers hinged on opposite sides of the hatch. A motor and operating mechanism supported at the end of the hatch reciprocates a pair of push-pull bars positioned within the hatch opening which in turn are connected to elevating rods connected to the underneath sides of the covers, the elevating rods extending inwardly and upwardly in the closed position and have a universal joint connection with the covers. Upon movement of the push-pull bars the elevating rods move the hatch covers to an upright open position. The elevating rods and the push-pull bars may be located internally or externally of the hatch covers, i.e., inwardly or outwardly of the hopper car body.

Abstract: An end closure for a rail car which comprises a pair of sliding doors mounted for movement between open and closed positions. One of the doors has a recess to clear a brake lever when the door is open. A panel is provided to close the recess when the door is closed. The panel is automatically moved to a position opening the recess when the door is opened and automatically moved to a position closing the recess when the door is closed.

Abstract: A vehicle turntable having a set of tracks and a drive tube are mounted for rotation about a vertical axis. A belt and pulley arrangement is provided for rotating the drive tube about its longitudinal axis in all rotative positions of the turntable while using rotation of an adjacent drive tube thereby eliminating the need for a separate independent motor on the turntable.

Abstract: The load carrying vehicle includes a vehicle framework supported by road wheels, and railroad wheels are mounted on the framework and are movable up and down with respect to the framework for engaging the rails of a railroad track for supporting the vehicle from a railroad track. A load support framework is rotatably mounted on the vehicle framework about an upwardly extending axis, and a dump body is pivotally mounted on the load support framework about a horizontal axis, so that the dump body can be rotated and tilted with respect to the vehicle framework to dump its load at various positions about the vehicle.

Abstract: The train of containers is intended for a plant for pneumatic transportation of goods through a tube, wherein the containers are interconnected by means of spherical joints.On the end face of the leading or foremost container in the direction of the travel of the train there is mounted a front flap spanning the lower half of the gap between the container and the tube, whereas the end face of the trailing or tailmost container carries thereon a tail flap spanning the upper half of the same gap, the lateral sides of each container having mounted thereon side flaps acting as plain bearings and being adapted to travel along guideways mounted on the internal side wall of the tube.

Abstract: This invention is a wire and transport system for a communication cable manufacturing facility. Bobbins wound with insulated wire roll down a bobbin track from a location where the wires are drawn and covered with a layer of insulation. A number of full bobbins accumulate on the track, and they are transferred to an elevator that delivers them to a multi-layer inventory storage rack. Final alignment of the elevator with the tracks and compartments of the inventory storage rack is under the control of electronic apparatus; but the positioning of the elevator in the vicinity of the selected track or storage compartment is controlled by an operator who rides on a carriage on which the elevator shaft is mounted.

Abstract: An apparatus for intermittently pushing a plurality of aligned carts along a predetermined path. The apparatus includes a pair of oscillating pusher bars having a plurality of aligned lugs thereon, which engage a portion of the undersurface of the carts and push them forward as the bars move in a forward direction. As the pusher bars move in the opposite direction, the lugs disengage from the cart, so as to permit the cart to remain stationary.

Abstract: The article delivery device of the present invention is in the form of a conveyor system having a main branch with one or more auxiliary branches coupled thereto for use in connection with vehicles which are driven by frictional contact between a rotating drive shaft and a drive wheel coupled to the vehicle.

Abstract: A rail clip for securing a rail to a tie wherein there is a shoulder upstanding from the tie having an aperture extending through it in a longitudinal direction, the shoulder containing a pin of general U-shape which bears downwardly intermediate the ends of a resilient plate-like clip which in turn bears downwardly against the rail foot and the tie.

Abstract: A cargo container having initially four vertical corner posts comprising allel upper rails and upper belt rails affixed to extend between longitudinally spaced pairs of posts, vertical belt rails affixed to each of the corner posts, parallel lower rails and belt rails, a plurality of pairs of panels each having a plurality of horizontally extending parallel belt rails, and releasable means for connecting the panels to the upper and lower rails at one side of the container in different longitudinally adjusted positions.

Abstract: An elevatable scaffold is disclosed which may be lifted into a position entirely encircling a tree to be picked. The scaffold includes a path completely encircling the tree so that the pickers may pick fruit all the way about the tree. The scaffold also includes a centrally located hopper for collecting the fruit and the floor of the hopper may be inclined so that the fruit is delivered to a central location where a gate may be released to release the fruit. One side of the path may be raised with respect to the other so that the fruit can be picked at differing vertically spaced locations.

Abstract: A hatch cover having a locking mechanism comprising a single hand wheel with a shaft threaded to the cover for limited up and down movement as the hand wheel is turned. A locking strap is hinged on one side of the hatch cover, releasably locked on the other side and has an opening through which the shaft extends. The locking strap is confined between the hand wheel and a thrust washer attached to the shaft in such a fashion that rotation of the hand wheel in one direction produces contact between the locking strap and thrust washer to force the cover downwardly. Rotation in the other direction lifts the hatch cover to permit unlatching of the locking strap and access to the hopper.

Abstract: A power and free conveyor includes a number of upwardly and downwardly pivotable pushers attached at a specified spacing to a drive chain on a power line, dogs mounted on a number of carriers on a free line and engageable with the pushers, and pusher raising cams mounted on the carriers and each provided at its rear end with a recess for accommodating the dog. When a preceding carrier is brought to a halt, the pusher propelling a following carrier in engagement with the dog of the carrier is raised by the cam of the preceding carrier out of engagement with the dog, permitting the dog to enter the recess of the cam simultaneously therewith, whereby the following carrier is stopped in an overlapping relation to the preceding carrier. The carrier includes at least one main free trolley on which the dog is mounted and a subfree trolley positioned to the rear of the main free trolley and connected thereto by a universal joint, the subfree trolley being provided with the pusher raising cam.

Abstract: A conveyor system comprising a conveyor track, a conveyor movable along said track, a free track and a plurality of carriers movable along the free track. The conveyor has longitudinally spaced pusher and holdback dogs mounted thereon. Each carrier comprises spaced trolleys, and tie bar means interconnecting the trolleys. A trailing trolley has a pusher movably mounted thereon for movement into and out of the path of the pusher and holdback dogs. A bumper is mounted on the carrier at the front end thereof and is adapted to engage a preceding carrier or an obstacle. Means interconnect the bumper and the retractable pusher such that upon engagement of the bumper with the preceding carrier or obstacle the pusher is retracted out of the path of the pusher dog. The arrangement is such that the trolleys can pivot horizontally and vertically with respect to the means interconnecting the trolleys so that the system will function with horizontally and vertically curved tracks.

Abstract: The container according to the invention is intended for pneumatic transportation of loads through a pipeline. The container comprises a body which is provided at the ends with a front cup and a rear cup, said front and rear caps closing the lower and upper halves, respectively, of the gap between the container body and the pipeline. Arranged on the sides of the body are longitudinal cups which rest on guides secured to the internal side wall of the pipeline and serve as sliding supports for the container. Each longitudinal cup is connected with the body by a device mounted on said body and intended for resilient pressing of said cup against the guide and by a partition which seals off the gap between the body and said longitudinal cup and permits the body to move vertically relative to the longitudinal cup.

Abstract: This invention receives paired bobbins from a pairing machine, stores the various bobbins of a given color coding in separate compartments of a rack, and selectively discharges bobbins to an elevator in accordance with the demand from a cabling machine. The elevator extends for the length of the rack and receives the desired bobbins with the color coded pairs called for by remote control from the cabling machine. The compartments of the storage racks slope in a direction that cause bobbins to roll from the rack by gravity on to the elevator; and the elevator slopes to discharge bobbins by gravity to a floor conveyor that carries them to the cabling machine.

Abstract: Tamping tool for tamping railroad ballast comprising shank and detachable foot member. In one form, there is a detachable wedge inserted between the upper portion of the foot member and the shank. In another form, there is an arcuate joint between the foot member and the shank.

Abstract: The crossover unit includes a polyurethane pad having a slot extending downwardly and then laterally or horizontally beneath an overhanging lip. A wedge-shaped rubber insert or plug is received in the slot which not only closes the slot, but also resists deflection of the lip when heavy vehicles traverse the unit so that sufficient space is maintained beneath the lip for the protective accommodation of an electric power cable or hose. In a second embodiment the slot extends in opposite lateral directions between a pair of overhanging lips, the insert in this instance being received between the two lips so that space exists under the lips for two cables or hoses.

Abstract: A support rail has openings extending therethrough throughout its length to receive tobacco sticks with tobacco stalks thereon with adjacent openings having the tobacco sticks supported from opposite sides to balance the support rail. The support rail is mounted on a carrier or sled to enable the support rail with the tobacco sticks to be pulled into a tobacco barn by a tractor, for example. The support rail is mounted in vertically spaced relation to a base of the carrier so that the tobacco carried by the support rail will not engage the ground or the base. The support rail has a hook at the end of each of two ropes extending from its upper side to enable cables connected to a winch, which is mounted in the barn, to be connected thereto to lift the support rail from the carrier when the winch is activated.