Abstract: Apparatus for fastening rails on ties of a railroad comprising four rail screws for flushly mounting an abutment face of a bedplate against the upper surface of the tie and a pre-stressed, elastically deformable bedplate having a convex curved abutment face for frictionally engaging the upper surface of the tie and for applying a spring force against the rail screws when the rail screws are used to brace the curved abutment face flush against the tie.

Abstract: A system to prevent longitudinal lading movement in trailers, containers, boxcars or other freight transport vehicles. A captive crossbar is used to restrain the lading. One end of the crossbar is captured in a guide channel attached to a wall of the transport vehicle. Once the transport vehicle is loaded, a roller device on the captive end of the crossbar enables the operator to position the crossbar along the guide channel easily. The crossbar is then pivoted about the roller assembly to span the loading region of the transport vehicle. As the crossbar is rotated, locking elements on each end of the crossbar engage respective lock receiving apertures defined on each vehicle wall. When the crossbar is not in use it may be stowed within the guide channel, permitting free access to the loading region of the vehicle for the loading and unloading of freight.

Abstract: The device has an endless conveyor belt 29 supported on support rollers 17, 18, 18', 6, 32, 31, 7, which forms a washing trough 30, to which the material to be washed is fed via a chute 12. The device is mounted on a machine frame 1, which comprises individual supports 2 and 26. The entire device is fixed to a rectangular base frame 3 surrounding the device, which is pivotally arranged at one end transversely to the direction of travel 10 of the conveyor belt 29 on a bearer 4 and axles 5, while on the opposite side/end is fitted a height adjustment mechanism between the device or the frame 26 and the base frame 3.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating spherically-shaped solids from irregularly-shaped solids comprising a rotatable separating table having a frustoconically shaped upper surface, the angle of inclination of the upper surface with the horizontal being such that spherically-shaped solids supplied onto the upper surface will roll down towards a central vertical conduit at the lower end of the upper surface and irregularly-shaped solids supplied onto the upper surface remain at rest. The apparatus further includes a number of supply structures for the supplying of a mixture of spherically-shaped solids and irregularly-shaped solids onto the upper surface and removal means for removing irregularly-shaped solids from the upper surface.

Abstract: A sorter for grains, pulses and the like having a perforated sorting plate mounted on a frame and both longitudinally and laterally inclined with respect to the horizontal plane and adapted to be vibrated in the longitudinal direction while being intermittently lifted toward the upper side. The perforated sorting plate overlies an air chamber into which pressurized air is introduced by a blower through an air duct. The perforated sorting plate is provided with a corrugated upper surface to define a multiplicity of ribs oriented in the direction perpendicular to the direction of vibration of the sorting plate and in parallel rows at a pitch not less than the size of the material to be sorted. A set of discharge openings for receiving the sorted material is provided at the lower end of the perforated sorting plate where the ribs terminate.

Abstract: A rotary drum screen which exhibits baffles with impact plates extending in the direction of the periphery and a diameter which makes it possible to break up the refuse beforehand through free fall. The upper edge of the impact plates can have a saw tooth contour and the cross section of the drum casing is a polygon, preferably an octagon. The rotary drum screen rotates at a rotational speed such that the centrifugal acceleration at the drum casing is preferably 50-70% of acceleration due to gravity.

Abstract: A method for detecting a substantially transverse refractive defect in the sidewall of a transparent container is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of directing a filtered source of diffused light toward the sidewall of the container to provide an intensity gradient varying in a direction substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the container and sensing the intensity of light at a plurality of positions in a field-of-view aligned along a path in the plane of the sidewall and generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the container.

Abstract: A resilient fastener for fastening a rail on its support, comprising a flexible blade of constant thickness having a longitudinal edge to be disposed parallel to the axis of the rail and applied against the rail flange. The blade has two orifices spaced from the longitudinal edge and arranged so that they are situated above the rail support and close to the edge of the rail when in fastening position. The longitudinal edge is curved to a convex shape presenting a substantially cylindrical surface of which the directrix is a curve inscribed between the warped shape assumed by the blade when loaded in its center and the arc of a circle passing through the blade center and the centers of the orifices.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in an industrial operation wherein objects moving along a main path from an upstream to a downstream location are diverted to a second path for checking. The apparatus comprises an ejecting wheel for sorting objects which shall have been checked defective for some reason and preventing movement of those objects from returning to the main path.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rail fastening device adapted to fasten a rail. The device includes leaf springs each being bent at its intermediate portion and provided at its base portion with a screw spike hole and at the rail pressing end thereof with an elongated hole. A tie plate is laid between a rail and a sleeper. The tie plate has a central rail mounting surface and screw spike holes formed at both sides of the rail mounting surface. The screw spike holes formed in the base of the leaf spring and in the tie plate at each side of the rail are adapted to receive a screw spike having a flange having a diameter smaller than the width of the elongated slot.

Abstract: A railroad scrap pick up machine includes a magnetic wheel and transversely extending support arm or beam which pivots in a plane transverse to the right and left sides of the machine. The magnetic wheel may alternately be mounted on the left or right side of the machine for picking up loose tie plates disposed on the railroad bed. The single magnetic wheel which is used for picking up tie plates may be removed and a support arm having two magnetic wheels for picking up spikes may be attached at either the right or left side of the machine. Stripper trays are used for separating metallic articles from the magnetic wheels. Crawlers which may slide from left to right on the machine are used to support the machine when traveling on a roadbed having only one rail.

Abstract: A switch for a railway system having a common track, and upper and lower branch tracks, each track comprising a pair of rails with one rail disposed above the other. The switch comprises a fixed support between the common and branch tracks, upper and lower fixed switching rails on the fixed support associated with the upper and lower branch tracks, respectively, a pair of movable switching rails movable between a raised position in which the pair extends between the common track and the upper fixed switching rails and a lowered position in which the pair extends between the common track and the lower fixed switching rails, and a plurality of movable supports for the movable switching rails mounted on the fixed support at spaced intervals. Each movable support is guided for movement transversely with respect to the direction of length of the movable switching rails and generally in the plane of these rails.

Abstract: The invention pertains to an anchor for cargo carts wherein transported carts are restrained against movement within a cargo compartment. The anchor consists of a jack type implement utilizing a screw interconnecting telescoping tubular sections wherein the anchor includes a fitting attachable to permanently installed cargo control track within the cargo compartment. The anchor is formed of economically producible components, and is readily attached to, or removed from, the track by orienting the telescoping sections in a predetermined manner to the track.

Abstract: A lashing device for securing objects on ship's decks. The lashing device comprises a U-shaped frame member having two legs and an attachment part. Between the frame member legs extend a strap winding-on drum and a spring-biased shaft, and a holding pawl member is attached on the shaft portion that projects laterally beyond one of the frame member legs. The pawl member engages with a cogged ratchet wheel on the winding-on drum and prevents the strap from being unwound from the latter.The shaft is movable in a direction coinciding with the rotational direction of the winding-on drum. Owing to this arrangement the holding pawl member is pressed out of its engaged holding position upon actuation of said shaft, preferably effected by impact thereon by means of a ratchet wrench, and when the holding pawl is thus in its disengaged position the strap may be unwound from the drum through the action of the tension in said strap.

Abstract: A method for separation of seeds, in which the seeds are incubated in a suitable environment and then dried to produce a pronounced difference in moisture content between filled-dead seeds and filled-viable seeds. These two seed fractions are then separated from each other by utilizing the moisture content difference.The seed fractions may e.g. be separated from each other by placing seeds in a liquid the density of which is somewhat lower than the density of viable seeds but higher than the density of filled-dead seed. In such a case the filled-dead seeds will float up whereas the viable seeds sink.

Abstract: This invention relates to a railway car coupler having an improved anticreep protection assembly so as to prevent inadvertent uncoupling during movement of the railway car along a track. The improvement comprises the provision of a chamfered locklift connector or a chamfered coupler structure that lies in the path of movement of the connector so that an anticreep prong of the connector may be free to engage with a front face ledge of the coupler head to provide positive anticreep protection against accidental unlocking of the coupler.

Abstract: Potatoes which are to be graded according to their size prior to further processing, for example in the manufacture of a snack food product, are deposited in a hopper 16 at the lower end of an upwardly inclined walking beam conveyor 18. Pockets 35, 37 formed in the conveyor 18 pick up potatoes from the hopper 16 and convey them along the conveyor by transferring each potato from pocket to pocket. Any potatoes whose dimensions are greater than those of the pockets 35, 37 are either not picked up or fall out of the pockets under gravity as the conveyor 18 is operated and drop back into the hopper 16. Periodically, a base wall 17 of the hopper 16 is opened to discharge the accumulated large-size potatoes therefrom.

Abstract: A color sorting apparatus has a chute from which grains come out in the form of a linear flux, a photoelectric detection device surrounding the flux and including light sources, light-receiving units each having a lens barrel having a filter unit and adapted to receive the light reflected by or transmitted through the flux of grains, and a jet nozzle which provides a jet of air in accordance with the signal from the light receiving units thereby to blow unwanted grains of different colors away from the flux, so that the desired grains and unwanted grains are separated from each other according to their colors. The filter unit consists of a plurality of filters carried by a plate member which is movably mounted on the lens barrel.

Abstract: A high efficiency tobacco separator for separating lighter particles such as leaf or lamina from heavier particles such as stem in a tobacco mixture have a primary and a secondary air separation chamber. Two winnowers are provided in the primary chamber for tossing tobacco mixture back and forth across the chamber. A generally upward air flow is established in both the primary chamber and the secondary chamber, and the air flow, combined with inertial and gravitational effects, functions to separate lighter particles from heavier particles by entraining the lighter particles in the upward air flow. A conveyor assembly is positioned across the bottom of a primary chamber and extending into and projecting into the secondary chamber. The conveyor arrangement accumulates heavier particles which fall to the bottom of the primary chamber and projects them into the secondary chamber where additional air flow separation occurs.

Abstract: In a propulsion unit for the driven axles of an electrically-powered rail vehicle, the torque of an electric propulsion motor is transmitted to the respective driven axle by way of a torque transmitting mechanism including gears and couplings. A common housing in the form of a hollow beam is used to enclose the propulsion motor, a bearing system, and a transmission. Cut-outs are provided in the sides of the housing to allow space for the driven axles. In order to increase the flexural and torsional stiffness of the propulsion unit, the hollow beam includes an annular end surface through which the propulsion motor and torque transmitting apparatus are inserted. The hollow beam not only forms a common housing or the propulsion components, but is a very stiff support element that reduces vibration and improves the running behavior of the propulsion unit.