Abstract: A train for carrying out the renewal of a railroad switch or crossing in a track comprises two chassis with a girder between them supported by two cranes on the respective chassis. Cross beams on the girder have hooks for gripping the switch or crossing. The girder is suspended from the cranes by rotary joints and an auxiliary winch has a cable connected to the switch or crossing off-center to provide for tilting the switch or crossing. At least one of the chassis is provided at its four corners with articulated arms and extensible columns provided with bogies for running on side rails. The arms can be swung in so that the bogies can run on standard gauge track.

Abstract: In an overhead electric traction system for railways, a simple and inexpensive cantilever structural assembly includes a pole (1) comprising a lower part (3), an upper part (4) which is separately formed with respect to and is mounted on the lower part and to which a cantilever structure (21) is attached and, inter-connected between the upper end of the lower part and the lower end of the upper part, a tubular insulator (3) of plastics insulating material. The insulator (3) will withstand any normal mechanical loading to which the pole (1) will be subjected while it is in service and is of such a shape as to provide the necessary minimum creepage path between neighboring ends of the lower part (3) and upper part (4) of the pole.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer transportation apparatus includes a car for supporting a semiconductor wafer, a track for guiding the car, and a linear induction motor for levitating and linearly propelling the car along the track. The motor includes a plurality of permanent magnets disposed on the car, a plurality of linearly disposed and selectively energizable electromagnets disposed along the track and circuitry to sequentially energize the electromagnets. Positioning magnets are used to eliminate friction between the car and the track, to control the degree of levitation and to insure precise lateral positioning of the car on the track, and light emitting diodes are used to detect the position of the car on the track.

Abstract: A valve attachment flange comprising the lading outlet for a railway tank car is placed in an insulative space between a heat element, heated fluid medium carrying heat ducts and the bottom of the car. The outlet is surrounded by a heat chamber in fluid flow communication with the heat ducts of the heat elements whereby the heat chamber surrounding the outlet is efficiently heated simultaneous with the heating of the lading by the heat element to promote flow of lading from the tank. This arrangement promotes fast efficient heating of the lading on top of and adjacent the valve and enables a valve attached to the recessed attachment flange to extend downwardly from the bottom of the car a lesser amount than conventionally mounted valves.

Abstract: A device for holding a wheelchair stationary on a floor has a pair of notched plates at their rearward ends adapted to abut a transverse barrier upstanding from the floor and to be releasably engaged at their forward ends by a bail fastened to and swinging from the floor to engage the forward ends of the notched plates with sufficient resilient force to lock the wheelchair in position.

Abstract: On one ground rail only, a vehicle containing upper and lower bogies is rolling. The vehicle is guided from above at a ceiling rail. Each lower bogie contains a bogie wheel which is provided with lateral flanges. The ground rail includes a head profile, the upper side of which is interrupted at branch points of the rail by slots to guide the flanges of the bogie wheel. The depth of the slots is substantially less than the height of the head profile. Guide rollers, which can be lifted individually under control to determine the travel direction at the branch points, laterally engage the head profile.

Abstract: A trolley bracket comprises at least one element (3', 3") which comprises a pivot (8) for receiving a wheel (2) movable along a guide (1) and rotatable by way of a bearing (5), and a member (9) hanging down from the pivot and having an element (10) for connecting the element to an object to be carried by the bracket. The pivot (8) and the hanging member (9) are formed as an integral piece from plastic, e.g. injection-moulded, fibre-reinforced polyamide.

Abstract: A conveyorized transport system which can be used to transport workpieces to a series of subsidiary loops, comprises a main rail, workpiece carrying trolleys movable on the main rail, a subsidiary loop adjacent to the main rail which leads to a work station, a special switch to transfer a trolley between the main rail and the subsidiary loop, and a computer to track and control the movement of the workpieces. The main rail and the subsidiary loop each have a gap laterally spaced from one another, and each switch includes a transfer rail section which can be moved laterally between the gap in the main rail and the gap in the subsidiary loop to transfer a trolley between the main rail and the subsidiary loop. One specific embodiment of the transport system also includes a chain-driven pusher extending downward from an overhead track which drives said trolley while it is being transferred between the main rail and the subsidiary loop.

Abstract: There is provided an emergency exit apparatus disposed on a wall surface of a train car. A hinged door assembly comprises a hinged door portal frame and a hinged door carrying a stair on its inner surface. In one embodiment, the lower edge of the hinged door portal frame is coupled to a wall surface by a horizontal hinge, while the hinged door is coupled to the hinged door portal frame by a vertical hinge. In a second embodiment, the side edge of the portal frame is coupled to a wall surface by a vertical hinge, while the hinged door is coupled to the portal frame by a horizontal hinge. When swung open on the horizontal hinge, the inner surface of the door provides a ramp for emergency exit; when swung open on the vertical hinge, the portal frame including the door provides an opening for normal entrance and exit.

Abstract: The invention provides a portable towing device for downhill or water skiers which includes a drive unit. This drive unit comprises a motor and a drive pulley connected to the motor by a rotor which is rotated by the motor. The motor has an actuator which is movable from an idle position wherein the motor idles to an increased power position wherein the power output of the motor is increased. A first anchor is used to anchor the drive unit in the ground in a stationary position. There is also second anchor which is engageable in the ground at a distance from the drive unit and which has a support pulley connected thereto. An endless cable extends between and is entrained about the drive pulley and the support pulley and has an upper portion and a lower portion. A switch comprising a linkage is rotatably connected to the actuator at one end and to the cable at the other end by a regulator roller.

Abstract: A box for containing a wheeled pallet having articles placed thereon has a lid hingedly connected to a front end of the box to move between an open position and a closed position to open and close an opening formed at the front end of the box. A pair of retractable guide rails are each attached to one of opposing side walls of the box defining the front opening and pivotable about a vertical axis to a position 90 degrees from the front of the box, and to a position beyond 90 degrees to facilitate removal of the pallet from the box, and a mechanism for locking the pallet to the bottom surface of the box is assured to have performed a positive locking operation when the lid is brought to its closed position.

Abstract: A transportation system in which cars having cargo containers are driven along tracks. Access to a car's cargo container is provided via a door on the car which is moved by a door drive system carried on the car. In the exemplary case of a remote bank teller transportation system, a car moves between two terminals in which the car and the car door are orientated vertically "right side up" in one terminal and "upside down" in the other terminal. The door drive system serves to move the door downwardly for both orientations of the car.

Abstract: A side rail assembly (10) for attachment to the upper wall (43) of a pick-up truck (20), the assembly (10) comprising a tread plate (12) adapted to fit over the upper wall (43); a tubular, open-ended side rail (21) having a portion (22) disposed parallel to and spaced above the tread plate (12) with end portions (23) engaging the tread plate (12), the bottom wall (29) of the rail (21) split longitudinally to form a slot (30) and having an angular seat formed by shoulders (32) in the bottom wall (29); a plurality of angular and tubular spacers (33) adapted to fit in a nested manner into the shoulder seat at any location therealong and to engage the tread plate (12); and carriage bolt fasteners (34) slidingly engaged with the rail (21) by the slot (30) and insertable through the spacers (33), the tread plate (12) and the side panel wall (43 ) to fasten the assembly (10) to the side panel (11), the fasteners (34) being hidden from view.

Abstract: Electrically powered trolley vehicles in headings of mines are provided with a current collector pick-up unit having contact-sensing means, current collectors, position sensors and guide wheels. The power supply for the pick-up unit comprises an array of elongated guide rails and at least two conductor bars. The connecting method comprises running the vehicle slowly forwards, by means of its own energy source, in the direction of the elongated conductor bars and vertically raising the pick-up unit by means of an arm mounted on the vehicle so that a contact-sensing frame for sensing contact in a vertical direction is brought into engagement with one or both of the guide rails. During a continued vertical movement, the contact-sensing frame is turned down towards the rest of the pick-up unit and when the contact-sensing frame reaches its lower end limit position, this is indicated by a position sensor.

Abstract: A handling apparatus adapted to be installed on a crane with a boom for loading and unloading materials comprises track device installed on the crane and at least two carrying devices suspended from the track device. The track device includes at least three track sections situated substantially parallel to each other. The track sections are connected to the respective adjacent track sections so that two elongated endless tracks slightly offset in the longitudinal direction thereof are formed. Each carrying device includes a carrier and a pair of crabs situated on the track sections for suspending the carrier under the track device. The crabs are arranged on the carrier so that when the carrier is oriented perpendicular to the track section, the two crabs are located on the track sections remote from each other, and when the carrier is oriented parallel to the track sections, the two crabs are located on the remaining track section.

Abstract: A mobile supply station (7) is connected by flexible supply lines (10, 11) to a stationary connection point (1). The flexible supply lines (10, 11) are supported by a guide chain (2), the surplus length of which is taken up and laid down in a loop (21) during the movement of the supply station (7). The curvature of the loop (21) is dictated by a return wheel which rolls freely upon that part of the guide chain (2) connected to the stationary connection point (1).

Abstract: A railroad diaphragm comprising a mounting plate coupleable to the end face of a railroad car, a face plate and wear plate for contact to an adjacent diaphragm, and sheet material located therebetween. Sponge like material within the space between the mounting plate and sheet material at the upper section thereof, provides resilience to the diaphragm.

Abstract: A lock-in shoulder is provided with a head at its upper end which, upon assembly, engages the upper surface of a "U" shaped knock-on clip, abutment wings which abut the upper surface of a sleeper, a rail engaging surface which engages an edge of the rail foot, a back surface which engages a surface of an aperture through the sleeper, and an upwardly facing surface which engages the sleeper underface.

Abstract: A high volume covered hopper railroad car is disclosed which maximizes the lading volume of a car while still utilizing smooth, sheet-like side sheets, and while remaining within AAR clearances. The high lading volume is achieved by forming the side sheets of the car from three radii of curvature, with the radius of curvature of the lower section of the side sheets being relatively short thereby to provide enhanced resistance to buckling, with the mid-portion of the side sheets of a relatively large radius of curvature thereby to provide a generally vertical region of the side sheets, and with the upper region of the side sheets being of a shorter radius of curvature thereby to again provide greater resistance to buckling at the top margin of the side sheets.

Abstract: A carrier system having a carrier movable along a path as defined by a trackway and driven from a rotatable drive tube by means of one or more drive wheels which can be adjustably angularly related relative to the drive tube for determining the direction and speed of carrier travel. The carrier has a multi-function accumulation rod operable in both accumulation of carriers as well as at a stop station along the path of travel. The accumulation rod is movable to control the angular position of the drive wheel to achieve stopping of the carrier at the stop station as well as to cause accumulation of one carrier behind another. The accumulation rod is operable in either direction of travel of the carrier to affect accumulation.