Abstract: A vehicle restraint employs a 4 bar linkage to lift a restraining member to a position that engages a vehicle thus restraining it at a loading dock. The linkage is upwardly based to hold the unit in an engaging position and may be retracted by using any of a number of mechanical techniques such as hydraulic electric or pneumatic power. The 4 bar linkage transfers all loading on the unit from the ICC to the frame thus isolating any driven members from overloads. A secondary hook mounted to the 4 bar linkage is pivotally spring loaded to limit vehicle travel away from the dock and to extend the capture range of the device in the case of ICC's bars that are damaged or mounted at non-standard positions at the rear of the vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying individual blanks stacked sideways in a store with an inclined conveyor channel comprises a divider with a conveyor for receiving, under control, a divided sequence of blanks from this conveyor channel, two oppositely inclined planes following closely on from the conveyor channel and above this divider and an oscillating device with a reciprocating movement provided with suction cups for taking up the blanks in individual sequence from the divided sequence and depositing them in a horizontal position on a production line.

Abstract: A stacker is provided for stacking the slices from the forming, sealing and cutting machines into a plurality of stacks. The stacker includes a conveyor belt, which includes a plurality of apertures, onto which the slices of product are disposed. A vacuum system provides vacuum through the apertures to hold the slices on the belt. Apparatus are provided for moving the belt in order to advance the slices to the stacking locations. The vacuum is sufficient to hold the slices on the belt even when the slices are disposed on the bottom of the belt. A plurality of stacking locations are sequentially provided. Each of the stacking locations includes ejectors for providing positive air pressure at the leading edge of the slice as it is being moved on the belt. As the slice travels on the belt, the positive air pressure "peels" the slice off of the belt and the force of gravity causes the slice to fall into the predetermined stacking location.

Abstract: Road transport vehicle for securing and transporting large plates of glass. The road transport vehicle transports the plates, such as glass, in a large load space located between the rear axles of the vehicle. The road transport vehicle supports the plates such that they are inclined against a pair of interior brace walls and supported from beneath by a frame. The plates are secured with a pair of transport braces which are hydraulically actuated through a parallel crank gear which maintains the transport braces in a parallel relation to the plates throughout the full range of the transport braces, regardless of the aggregate thickness of the plates. The securing force imparted by the transport braces is in a generally downward direction and toward the inclined plane of the plates so as to accommodate various sizes and thicknesses of plates. A buffer is employed to avoid damage to the plates by better distributing the securing force.

Abstract: A boat lift consisting of a support and a pair of arms aligned in parallel spaced relation. Each of the arms have one end pivotally connected to the support. The arms are movable between a stored position resting substantially horizontally upon the support and an extended position extending substantially horizontally from the support. Chains are used for suspending a boat from the arms. Hydraulic activation cylinders with accompanying guide track are used for moving the arms between the extended position and the stored position.

Abstract: An automatic hold down and locking as well as automatic load configuration change capability device system, which can be used to hold down and lock either one long container or several shorter containers within the same loading space, regardless of the outside width or width of bottom side rail flange on the container. The locking device system has four fixed non-retractable fully automatic locking devices positioned on the load carrier at the four outer standard locking points of each long container, and at least two retractable fully automatic locking devices positioned at the long side of the load carrier between and in line with the outer locking points.

Abstract: There is disclosed a bale carrying attachment suitably adapted for use upon transporting tractors equipped with a hydraulic driven power source. The attachment includes a pivotally mounted spear, and a supportive carriage member which slideably reciprocates along the spear. The elevational pitch of the spear is controlled by the reciprocating movement of the carriage member. The carriage member includes mounting sites for axially mounting stabilizing braces and the hydraulic source onto the carriage member for stabilizing it against lateral movement while also permitting it to supportively reciprocate along the spear.

Abstract: Apparatus for positioning covers on top of stacks of paper sheets has a transporting unit which advances a series of successive stacks along a first horizontal path and discrete covers along a second horizontal path above and adjacent the first path. The covers are accelerated by advancing along a downwardly sloping portion of the second path immediately ahead of two vertical rotary members which temporarily intercept an oncoming cover until the corresponding stack catches up with the intercepted cover. The lower portion of the stack then moves the rotary members apart to enable the stack and the cover thereon to advance along the first path beyond the rotary members. Each rotary member is mounted on a spring-biased or otherwise biased lever which is pivotable about a vertical axis.

Abstract: This invention relates to a container stacker having at least one moving member attached to an endless flexible element. The moving member delivers containers from a delivery device to a container receiving surface and moves the containers across the container receiving surface.

Abstract: A cargo beam is comprised of an elongated center section and opposed end sections telescopically received within the center section. Each end section is adapted for receiving a mounting plug, whereby the beam can be anchored to opposed walls of a load receptacle, such as a truck body. Each end section includes a pair of tubular members connected by a compression spring. The center section has two sets of apertures in each of the opposed side walls thereof. The innermost tubular member of each end section has an aligned pair of holes in the opposed side walls thereof for being aligned with corresponding apertures in the center section, whereby the corresponding end section can be removably attached to the center section by a pair of spring-loaded detents. The length of the beam is adjustable by varying the depth of penetration of one or both of the end sections into the center section. The spring-loaded detents are easily disengaged when it is desired to change the length of the beam.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating sequential batches of overlapping sheets includes a conveyor of laterally spaced belts. Lift bars secured to tubes are mounted for vertical positioning above the belts to raise the sheets from the conveyor and remove the moving force. The lift bars includes spaced vacuum openings coupled to the tube, which is coupled to a vacuum source. The openings are spaced for alignment with the trailing portions of sheets moving through the conveyor. A piston in the tube selectively opens and closes the openings. The tubes are pivotally mounted at the downstream ends and the piston projects from the upstream end of the tube. A cam drive reciprocates the piston and simultaneously raises and lowers the tubes. The cam drive includes an inclined cam rod on which a motor-driven rack is slidably mounted. A link connects the rack to the outer end of the piston.

Abstract: A paper feeding/piling apparatus for a sheet-fed press includes a fork reciprocating unit, a fork unit lifting unit, and a piling/conveying unit. The fork reciprocating unit includes a fork support table supported between a pair of vertically movable right and left guide rails horizontally extending between the pile table and the auxiliary pile unit and reciprocated back and forth, and a plurality of forks supported by the fork support table and fitted in or removed from grooves of the pile board at an upper position upon reciprocal movement of the fork support table. The fork reciprocating unit has forward and backward limit positions detected by detectors. The fork unit lifting unit includes a guide rail drive unit, supported on apparatus frames, for vertically driving the guide rails, and detectors for regulating upper and lower limit positions of the guide rails.

Abstract: The invention concerns a rail fastener on concrete ties (4) or the like including resilient tension clamps (6) of steel rods in the form of a W and angled guide plates (3) for the rail base (1a). This so-called HM rail fastener is inventively improved by a special shaping of the tension clamp and angled guide plate, to simplify the securing of the rail on the concrete ties, in that the rotation of the elastic strainers which was previously necessary in HM construction when passing from the preassembly to the assembly position is omitted. This is achieved in that the angled guide plate (3), which is provided with a rib (3a) extending longitudinally to the rail foot for abutment on the rail foot (1a), contains in this rib special recesses (3b) for the reception and retention of the free ends of the tension clamp in the preassembly position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the transfer of a part stack (5) of material in sheet form from a general stack (2) to a further-processing station, in particular a vibrating station (3). The device has a table (15) which is mounted in a movable chassis (13) and which is provided at least in the area of one end with a table part (21) which can be folded up out of the horizontal table plane. A pressure element (40), which can be lowered onto that area of the part stack assigned to the table part, is mounted in the chassis above the table part, the table, in a first end position for the take-over of the part stack, being moved into the stack between the part stack and the remaining stack and, in a second end position, is positioned above the further-processing station.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for arranging cartons or cases of beverages in predetermined patterns in a conveying process for stacking in tiers on pallets. A combination of an input guide conveyor moveable between left, right, and centered positions and at least one moveably adjustable diverter bar is utilized to direct incoming containers along a predetermined path through a pattern-forming zone comprised of a plurality of parallel, power-driven conveyors. Containers are directed one at a time either along a dividing line path between two, adjacent, pattern-forming conveyors in overlapping relation thereto, or directly onto one of those conveyors. A differential speed-control mechanism is provided in conjunction with one or more of the parallel, pattern-forming conveyors and is selectively actuated to change the speed of one conveyor of a pair of conveyors on which a container is being carried in overlapping relation to both conveyors.

Abstract: A barrier net replaces the metal bulkhead between the passenger and trunk compartments of an automobile. The barrier net comprises flexible, substantially inelastic webbing. The webbing is formed of a plurality of vertical, spaced straps and a plurality of horizontal, spaced straps traversing the vertical straps. The vertical strap is secured to the horizontal strap at each point where the two straps cross. The barrier net is attached in place between the passenger and trunk compartment. A variation of the barrier net includes an enlarged aperture formed in the webbing, the webbing aperture being situated such that it coincides with a selectively open space extending between the passenger and trunk compartments, with the space being adapted to receive oversized items extending from the trunk compartment into the passenger compartment.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying large-diameter bales for attachment to a front end loader including a support frame for attachment to the loader, forwardly extending support arms for supporting a bale generally from underneath, first and second forwardly extending gripping arm spaced apart to receive a bale therebetween. Manipulation structure slides the gripping arms to vary the distance therebetween, so that the device may effectively handle bales of varying width or in lengthwise and endwise orientation.

Abstract: A process for the input and carrying away of smoking rods or cooking rods to and from a station for the automatic suspension of sausages provided with loops on a rod which in turn is tightly chucked at one end works as follows: the rods are first brought out of a storage area one after the other into horizontal arrangement in a readiness position. Then one rod is tightly chucked there and is fed by a horizontal movement to the loading station; finally the loaded rod is picked up at both ends and fed in the same direction as before to a holding station, in which a number of loaded rods are collected for transfer by being shoved onto a smoking or cooking wagon. The process is carried out nearly without dead time, and is accomplished by an operator who remains for the post part independent of the filling and suspending cycle.

Abstract: A material handling platform is pivotally attached to the front of the material transport vehicle. Actuator means raise and lower the platform. The platform is arranged to tilt relative to the vehicle about a horizontal pivot at the front of the vehicle. A turntable is mounted on the platform. The material handling platform positions roof supports in an underground mine adjacent a long wall mining machine. The roof supports are transported by the material transport vehicle carrying the material handling platform with the longest dimension of the roof support aligned with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. After the roof support reaches the position where it is to be installed, the roof support is turned relative to the vehicle by turning the turntable of the material handling platform so that the longest dimension of the roof support is at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The roof support is then removed from the vehicle by lowering and tilting the platform relative to the vehicle.

Abstract: A wicket post mounting in a bag stacking machine includes a base unit bolted to a conveyor plate. The base unit includes an upstanding wall with a plurality of machined, vertical post receptacles or openings. Each receptacle is identical to receive and physically support one post in precise accurate relation to a longitudinal location on the station plate of a second post. The spacing of the receptacles and posts is selected to receive bags with spaced holes. A releasable latch pin is secured to each receptacle. The pin projects into an appropriate opening in the post and locks the post in the receptacle. The base unit may include a pair of post mounting bases each having an offset edge wall abutting the station plate to accurately locate the base. Bolts pass through the mounting base into threaded holes in the station. Each base has two spaced receptacles, providing for post spacing of 4, 5 and 6 inches.