Abstract: A gripper mechanism has opposed parallel fingers which open and close while remaining parallel to one another. The gripper mechanism is driven by a reversing electric motor which rotates a drive screw. A pair of arms support the fingers and are driven by the engagement of a pair of angled drive slots with a roller which travels along the length of the drive screw. The pair of arms are supported and guided by three parallel shafts which are arranged in a triangular configuration. A resilient drive coupling between the motor and the drive screw prevents the threads of the drive screw from locking with the roller mechanism.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rigid place mat, which is used as an individual tray or support for dishes or drinking vessels on a table or in the lap. The place mat comprises a flexible cloth, in which there is formed by means of sewing, gluing or some corresponding method a pouchlike case. Into this case there is arranged a rigid plate as a stiffener of the place mat.

Abstract: An end effector mechanism is provided which is adapted to be attached to a robot having means for moving the end effector mechanism in at least up and down and forward and reverse paths of travel. The end effector mechanism is characterized by a construction for gripping a generally flat textile article in a predetermined orientation and holding the textile article while maintaining at least one edge thereof in such predetermined orientation during transportation of the textile article by the robot and subsequently releasing the textile article. The end effector mechanism is in the form of a generally U-shaped member having a flat bottom surface for contact with the textile article and having needle gripping devices mounted for inward and outward movement from the forward free ends of the U-shaped member for gripping and releasing the textile article, while holding at least one edge thereof taut and in a predetermined orientation.

Abstract: Easy lifting and transportation of a twister bobbin, and movement of the bobbin onto a creel pin of a warper creel, is facilitated. A bridle has an eye disposed at its top, the eye receiving a hook connected to a powered lift. A generally semi-circular sheet metal body receives a bobbin body therein, the sheet metal body being pivotally mounted to the bridle for rotation about a horizontal axis. A yoke is rigidly connected to the body and terminates in a semi-circular portion which fits in a groove in the bobbin nose. A handle is connected to the yoke termination and extends at an acute angle to the dimension of elongation of the body and yoke. By grasping the handle an operator can pivot a bobbin mounted by the device from a vertical to a horizontal position, control the lift to move the bobbin into place with respect to a creel, and move the bobbin onto a horizontally extending creel pin.

Abstract: Two pairs of mechanical fingers are independently remotely controlled by a single handle. The handle is coupled to activating mechanisms via cables. The apparatus is particularly suited for grasping small workpieces such as components on a circuit board.

Abstract: A gripper head for the pick-up of a single piece of material from a stack of such pieces. The gripper head is provided with curved needles mounted on the ends of two concentric hollow cylinders. Each hollow cylinder comprises a spiral guide slit. The pitch direction of the guide slit of one cylinder is opposite the pitch direction of the guide slit of the other cylinder. The guide slits cooperate with the gripper head casing to produce rotation of the cylinders in directions opposite to one another during axial advancement of the cylinders within the casing. The cylinders are advanced within the casing by means of a pressure bolt connected to the cylinders. The magnitude of the advancement is determined by the position of an adjustable stop ring located within the casing. In operation, the two sets of curved needles extend from the casing edge and simultaneously rotate in opposite directions in an adjustable and retractable fashion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a container grab comprising co-operating jaws attached to a frame, between which jaws a container rim is to be accommodated, characterized in that the under jaw is attached to a carriage slidable along a frame column comprised in said frame and the upper jaw is attached to one end of a lever pivotally attached to said carriage, the other end of said lever being coupled via a link with said frame column. Preferably said carriage is provided with a hook element that co-operates as such with a material strip attached to said frame, that on sliding said carriage along said frame column as to bring the jaws in the closed position, said hook element hooks behind said strip locking the pair of jaws against an undesired opening.

Abstract: A resilient strap assembly for securing and carrying mail or similar articles in a stacked arrangement. The straps are in a cross-like configuration and their outermost ends are equipped with fasteners which can be secured to one another to ensure that the stacked material will be securely retained and can be transported without inadvertent disassembly.

Abstract: A pulling bullet 1 comprises, a frangible body having a coupling portion 18 for disconnect coupling to an optical connector 7, a cavity 21 in the body having a depth greater than the projecting length of an optical fiber cable 3 retained by the optical connector 7, the pulling bullet 1 covers the end of an optical fiber 6 of the cable 3, and a frangible web 28 surrounds an eye 25 for securing a hauling rope 27 to the pulling bullet 1.

Abstract: A hand-held, pincer-like device for providing a secure grip upon a fish comprises substantially identical rigid panels which are hingedly connected to one another to permit facile opening and secure closing, and which have friction-enhancing interior surfaces thereon.

Abstract: The opening device is for aiding the opening of containers having either the non-detachable, component type opening system or the twist-off type cap. The former system being characterized as having a scored section at the top of the container with an empaling tab in fulcrum alignment attached thereto. The opening device includes a unitary body member which has a leading end portion for sliding beneath the empaling tab and a trailing handle portion for grasping by the user, and tab restraining means for engaging the top of the empaling tab as the leading end portion is placed beneath the tab. The tab restraining means project upward from the side edges of the body member and then projects spacially parallel to at least a portion of the upper surface of the body member.

Abstract: A tool for lifting and carrying an automotive battery and the like consists of a pair of identical sheet metal stampings in the form of L-shaped levers, pivotally joined for scissor-like action and interconnected by a carrying strap. The levers are generally planar and include a plurality of gripping teeth in a convexly curved configuration at the inner confronting faces of the L-shaped ends to provide variable spacing of the opposed operative teeth. The strap is a semi-rigid plastic and biases the levers to a partly closed position.

Abstract: A releasable self-resetting cargo hook for helicopters and other aircraft for supporting suspended loads. The cargo hook apparatus includes a pivotally supported load arm maintained in its load supporting condition by a pivotally mounted latch arm whose position, in turn, is controlled by a pivotally mounted latch. The position of the latch is determined by a pivotally mounted lock arm lever whose normal position is determined by a stop pin and which is operated by a release mechanism. The interconnection between the latch and lock arm lever is through a cam slot defined on the latch receiving a lock arm lever follower, and the cam slot-follower relationship prevents impact forces imposed on the cargo hook structure from inadvertently producing lock arm lever rotation and latch movement.

Abstract: A tool for implanting fertilizer spikes in the ground with a rod slidably disposed in an open ended hollow tube which is adapted to be inserted into the ground to a predetermined depth. The fertilizer spike engages the end of the slidable rod, the hollow tube and spike are pushed into the ground and the spike is expelled from the tube by actuation of the rod when the tube is removed from the ground.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting and transporting of heavy loads, especially metallic profiled-bars and the like which have at least a U-shaped bearing block. The bearing block has a foundation and two side parts, each having a suspension, attachment or mounting bracket provided thereon. Supporting arms provided on a traverse engage the attachment, suspension or bracket. For that, the attachment, suspension or bracket of the bearing block can have a structure as closed support rings, hooks or eyelets with two legs or arms inclined in a roof-shaped configuration. One of these legs or arms additionally in a plane transverse to the longitudinal direction of the foundation has such an offset relative to the other leg or arm, that a suspension free space is formed for a positively-guided engagement of the supporting arm.

Abstract: A mechanical hand for a robot comprises a pair of change plates each having a slot therein to receive a prong of a finger or gripper. The change plates are slidable laterally of the hand to align the slots with the prongs which may be retained in correct spaced disposition in a pallet. Locking pins are located in aligned bores in plates and have a smaller diameter part which traverses a slot in a respective prong so that when the change plates are moved laterally the larger diameter part of the pins is engaged in apertures in the prongs but will not traverse the slots and thereby the fingers or grippers are retained in the hand. The change plates are movable by means of a piston/cylinder device which may be double acting or single acting with spring return provided.

Abstract: A clamp for gripping an electrical cable for the purpose of raising the cable from, or for lowering it into, the water. The clamp comprises a plurality of clamping units which are disposed in series in the direction of the length of the cable and which are held together by a pair of flexible wire ropes in a manner which permits them to articulate with respect to each other. Each unit comprises a pair of jaws for receiving the cable therebetween, and the jaws are urged against the cable by adjustable screws acting through springs to press the jaws toward each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to gravity-closing tongs for handling steel ingots, slabs, and similar products. The tongs include two legs, each of which has two arms which are supported, in a tongs housing, on pivots disposed horizontally and transversely to the plane in which the tongs legs move. The lower arms of the tongs legs are provided with gripping pins or similar devices, and the upper arms are hinged to links of equal length. An adjusting device permits axial displacement of the tongs pivots and an accumulator intensifies the force with which the tongs gripping pins are applied. In order to minimize the investment for intensifying the contact pressure of the tongs gripping pins and to mitigate impacts or shocks on the drive of the adjusting device(s), the accumulator includes two horizontally acting force-accumulating elements (compression springs) which are each arranged between the upper end of the corresponding tongs leg and the extreme end of the corresponding link.

Abstract: A forklift type assembly for impaling, lifting and carrying a large round bale of hay. The assembly has a backframe with adjustable means for mounting it on the lift mechanism of a small farm tractor. A tubular sheath with a brace on its underside projects from the front of the frame. The rear end of a bale spike, made of a high tensile strength steel rod having a pointed tip, is removably mounted in the sheath. Also mounted on the frame below the sheath and on each side thereof are two forwardly projecting auxiliary bale spikes of reduced length.

Abstract: A vacuum lifting arrangement for flat workpieces, such as lumber boards, lumber planks and the like includes a vertically and horizontally displaceable housing which forms a vacuum chamber, and an elastic sealing element arranged at the underside of the housing for conformingly contacting the workpiece and constituted either by a foamed material mat with suction apertures or by individual suction cups. The vacuum chamber is constructed as a vacuum accumulator and a valve plate is interposed between the housing and the sealing element. The interior of the valve plate is subdivided into a plurality of individual vacuum compartments each equipped with a valve and is connected with the vacuum chamber by a suction opening which can be selectively opened and closed. Each of the vacuum accumulator and the valve plate is provided with its own admission opening which communicates with the ambient atmosphere, such openings being openable and closable in unison.