Abstract: The present invention provides a bale feeder for breaking down large cylindrical bales of hay and like animal feeds and spreading it in rows for feeding. The bale feeder comprises a feeder body, a bale lifting means for lifting and positioning a bale within the feeder body, and a bale opening means providing superior dust and mold removal characteristics. The bale feeder is usually towed over the ground behind a vehicle. The bale feeder also includes anti-binding means for reducing the problem of cut twine and hay getting into and binding the cutting means and feed mechanisms.

Abstract: A stone metering system for a railroad track maintenance vehicle providing improved accuracy in stone delivery. The system includes a surge hopper, a number of metering augers, and a corresponding number of splitters. The metering augers convey ballast stones from the surge hopper to the corresponding splitters, which divide the stones evenly between a number of blow tubes. The pitch of the auger screw flights is increased from the inlet end of the screw to "expand" the stone and reduce the production of fines. In addition, the diameter of the final screw flight is reduced at the outlet end of the auger to provide a consistent and even flow of stone into the splitters. The splitters are dynamically adjustable to provide even distribution between the blow tubes regardless of the cant to the rails. The desired amount of stone is delivered to the tubes by rotating the auger screw the number of full or partial revolutions associated with the amount.

Abstract: A platform-type wheelchair lift for mounting in the stairwell of a vehicle, such as a bus or train. The wheelchair lift includes a platform frame that is movable from a retracted position in which it is stowed underneath the vehicle to an extended position in which it extends out from the side or back of the vehicle. A wheelchair platform is movably coupled to the platform frame by a parallelogram linkage that allows the wheelchair platform to move between a lowered and a raised position. The wheelchair platform includes foldable outer and inner wheelchair barriers that prevent a wheelchair from moving off of the wheelchair platform during operation of the wheelchair lift. The wheelchair platform also includes a mechanical platform interlock mechanism. The platform interlock mechanism is moveable between an unlocked and a locked position. The platform interlock mechanism is in an unlocked position when no weight is placed on the wheelchair platform.

Abstract: A vehicle transporting arrangement for transporting a vehicle in a parking building automatically from a drive-in module to a parking space (27), wherein the arrangement includes a first carriage (1), a so-called transfer carriage, which can be moved on and between different parking floors or storeys of the parking building and which includes a second carriage (2) and a third carriage (3), each of which includes lifting devices (4, 5, 6, 7) for lifting and supporting a pair of vehicle wheels, the second and third carriages being positioned sequentially in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the first carriage on a parking floor and being movable in relation to the first carriage at right angles to its direction of movement on a parking floor. According to the invention, at least one of the second and the third carriages (2, 3) includes drive wheels (10) and drive elements for moving the carriage in relation to the first carriage (1).

Abstract: An automatic apparatus for picking up poultry in general from breeding pens and the like, including a pick-up assembly that is operatively associable with a transfer conveyor. The pick-up assembly comprises at least one conveyor with an inclined plane that is supported by a framework movable along the ground, a linking conveyor being also provided that operatively connects the inclined-plane conveyor to the transfer conveyor.

Abstract: In a towing vehicle (1) for manoeuvring aircraft (11) without a towbar, the chassis (5) of which vehicle has a fork-like receiving area (7) between the wheels (6) of a coaxial wheel suspension, in which receiving area there is arranged a retractable and extensible gripping and drawing-in device (9) which is fastened to a lifting blade (8) and by means of which the nosewheel (10) of an aircraft (11) can be gripped and drawn onto the lifting blade (8) which is pivotable relative to the chassis (5) both about a transverse axis and, for matching to oblique positions of a nosewheel (10) which has been received, about a longitudinal axis by means of two fluid piston-cylinder units (12) arranged symmetrically relative to one another between the chassis (5) and the lifting blade (8), the lifting blade (8) is coupled so as to be pivotable in all directions by means of a ball joint (25) which is fastened to the chassis (5) of the towing vehicle (1) and acts centrally on the back of the lifting blade (8).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which paper fed from a paper feeder is transported to image forming portions. A toner image is formed on the paper, and a pair of paper discharge rollers of a discharge unit are disposed at the rear end of a paper storing unit to discharge the paper into the paper storing unit. Preferably, the paper storing unit is disposed inside of the apparatus, with a lid or panel covering an access opening after the paper discharge operation has been completed, the paper storing unit is withdrawn from the apparatus; and/or feeds a stack of paper outside the apparatus upon opening of the panel. Therefore during the image forming operation, the leakage of noise made in the apparatus is prevented or reduced. Furthermore, since paper is discharged toward the front of the image forming apparatus, the width of the apparatus is minimized.

Abstract: A packing and ejecting system for a front or side loading refuse vehicle for packing refuse from a charging hopper into an associated storage body and fully ejecting the refuse from a rearward portion of the storage body without tilting the storage body. A loading device may be used to load refuse or recyclables from the front or side of the vehicle into the charging hopper. A packing and ejecting device may be mounted within the charging hopper without reducing the holding capacity of the charging hopper.

Abstract: A trailer and a method for loading a trailer onto a transport vehicle. The trailer is elevated, causing a rear axle assembly of the trailer to pivot from a forward position to a position that is generally normal to the trailer frame. A front wheel axle assembly is rotated upwardly, and the trailer is then subsequently slid/or pushed along a generally planar bed surface of the transport vehicle. The end of the bed surface contacts the rear axle assembly during the sliding process, and with continuing sliding the rear axle assembly moves from a normal position to a rearward position.

Abstract: A loading carriage for transport of an object in a partially raised position, and particularly for use in a mechanical parking garage. The loading carriage includes a lifting frame movably linked to a traveling frame by lifting elements. The traveling frame has running wheels and the lifting frame is provided with mechanical grippers which are switched between an open and a closed position. The loading carriage grips the object and raises the lifting frame by a single actuating mechanism. A limit stop is installed on the lifting frame to ensure that the lifting frame is raised only after the grippers are completely closed.

Abstract: A scooter lift includes a base assembly for mounting on a surface of the storage area of the transport vehicle. A frame is rotatably mounted on the base assembly to rotate about a substantially vertical axis. A boom is pivotally mounted to the frame for rotation between a lowered and a raised position. A cable has a first end connected to a spool shaft and a second end for attachment to the scooter. The cable is guided by the boom to selectively raise or lower the scooter upon rotation of the spool shaft. The boom may be operated to its raised position to enable movement of the scooter into and out of the storage area, and the boom may be operated to its lowered position to permit storage of the scooter and lift in the vehicle storage area. A lock selectively locks the boom in its lowered and raised positions.

Abstract: This invention relates to a ramp design permitting the positioning of a cargo ramp floor at any angle or height, which is integral with the aircraft such that it can be aligned to a vehicle transferring the load. The adjustable cargo platform assembly and the automated platform leveling system permits the ramp and ramp platform to be raised or lowered, but also permits the ramp platform to be tilted about a roll axis and aligned laterally with the floor of the load carrying vehicle to allow the cargo to be transferred to the aircraft. Efficient on-loading and off-loading of a palletized loading system (PLS) flatrack, directly off a PLS truck is achieved by such alignment. Actuators in the forward end of the ramp lift the platform as it rotates about the aft hinge point until the platform is even with the bottom of flatrack.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying a wafer to wafer work suction-holding stage and then discharging a worked wafer from the wafer work suction-holding stage, including a loader side elevator device, a wafer position correcting stage, a wafer work suction-holding stage, a wafer carrying table and an unloader side elevator device which are successively disposed in this order; and the apparatus further including a conveyor which conveys a wafer inside a loader side magazine carried on the loader side elevator device to a point above the positional correction suction-holding stage, a stopper which positions the wafer conveyed by the conveyor to the wafer position correcting stage, and a feeding pawl moving device which operates after the wafer position correcting stage and wafer work suction-holding stage have been moved vertically so that the upper surface of the wafer position correcting stage is at substantially the same height as the upper surface of the stopper and so that the upper surface of the wafer work suction

Abstract: A system and technique for holding down and restraining a roll-off container in place as it is winched into its final position on the bed of a truck or other transport device, wherein, as the roll-off container is winched into position on the truck, a protuberance on the side of the bottom rail of the roll-off container slides into a mating interlocking cradle attached to the truck. The sliding mate can be of a cantilevered spear into a socket, or more generically, a sliding open-ended mate such as a dovetail. In the event of a crash or sudden stop, the roll-off container will thus be retained by the interlocking connection.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for processing shipping articles provided with shipping addresses. The apparatus comprises a device for transporting the shipping articles along a transport path. A device is disposed in the transport path for automatically reading the shipping addresses. An assessment device automatically assesses the read shipping addresses. The individual shipping articles are selectively deposited into cells of an intermediate storage device disposed in the transport path following the reading of the shipping address. A detection device detects an association between each cell and the shipping article deposited therein and in response to an assessment of the shipping address by the assessment device, produces a first removal signal for removing the shipping article from the cell and conveying the shipping article back to the transport path.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading a motorcycle onto another vehicle. The motorcycle loader comprises a wheel saddle positionable on a bed of the vehicle, a yoke assembly connectable to front forks of the motorcycle, an auxiliary winch mounted on the wheel saddle and having a cable connected to the yoke assembly, and a remote control switch for controlling the winch. The remote control may be temporarily clamped into the handlebars of the motorcycle, and an operator sitting on the motorcycle may energize the auxiliary winch by alternately pressing and releasing a push-button switch on the remote control. The winch thus gradually pulls the front wheel of the motorcycle into the wheel saddle so that the motorcycle can be subsequently tied down to the bed of the vehicle. A strap retainer for retaining a loose end of a strap in the yoke assembly is also provided.

Abstract: A hydraulic ramp loader, track channel systems and methods for lifting, leveling, aligning, moving loading and unloading cargo on channel-dolly-pallets into a carrier equipped with a like track channel system, the ramp loader having a lifting hydraulic cylinder, a leveling hydraulic cylinder, a control means and an extendible and expandable interlocking track channel frame ramp.

Abstract: The present invention refers to improvements provided by a robotized, radial type parking system, allowing twelve vehicles to be parked per floor without the need of areas for vehicle maneuvering or circulation, and which can be used in any urban area, especially where the land is scarce and expensive; the result is a high level of efficiency and density for vehicle parking as compared with the overall land and building area.

Abstract: Process for loading spool pegs (10) of a spool rack (11) or the like with full yarn spools (12) set by a loading device (13) onto superimposed horizontally arranged pegs (16) of a transport carriage (15), which is moved by a drive motor (23) on a rail between the loading device (13) and the rack (11) and positioned with a sensor in front of the rack (11) in a predetermined position, wherein the carriage pegs (16) and the pegs (10) of the rack (11) are aligned. In order to avoid time-consuming and complicated setting operations, the process is performed so that the sensor (25) is set at the level of a peg tier (b) of the rack (11), that the travel segments (e.g. x1) of the transport carriage (15) are stored during its travels, that sensor signals triggered by the rack pegs (10) are stored in relation to the travel segments (e.g. x1), and that the transport carriage (15) is steered into its spool transfer position via the stored sensor signals.

Abstract: A lift table modified to permit user configuration to achieve a plurality of functions is provided. The lift table may be configured for any of these functions by the end user, without the use of special tools or training. In one embodiment the lift table is provided with coupling devices such as pockets, flanges, brackets, etc. which can be coupled to a plurality of standard sized or spaced attachments for multiple purposes such as pallet forklift, tilt/layover, conveyor, turntable and the like.