Abstract: A retarder, suitable for mounting with respect to a rail of a railway track for reducing the speed of a wagon rolling along the track, includes an hydraulic unit a portion of which, for retardation of the wagon, is disposed in the path of a wheel of the wagon. That portion when engaged, directly or indirectly, by the wheel is deflected by, and out of the path of, the wheel. A thruster device, disposed alongside the unit and capable also of deflecting the portion out of the path, includes a displaceable element which is normally disengaged from the portion but which upon initial movement thereof is so tilted that a part thereof comes into driving engagement with the portion. On continued movement of the element the driving engagement is maintained and the portion moves from its position in the path of the wheel into another position out of the path.

Abstract: A drum brake assembly is described to comprise a dual drum brake housing mounted to a vehicle wheel or shaft to be rotated therewith. The dual drum brake housing has two axially extending, concentric, radially spaced drum surfaces defining an annular channel between them. A torque member is fixed against rotation with the vehicle wheel and an expandable friction lining assembly is mounted to the torque member. The friction lining assembly is positioned within the annular channel and carries radially outward and radially inward facing friction linings. Upon expansion of the friction lining assembly each of the friction linings is moved into contact with the corresponding drum surface, thereby transferring braking force to the wheel.

Abstract: A drum brake assembly is described to comprise a dual drum brake housing mounted to a vehicle wheel or shaft to be rotated therewith. The dual drum brake housing has two axially extending, concentric, radially spaced drum surfaces defining an annular channel between them. A torque member is fixed against rotation with the vehicle wheel and an expandable friction lining assembly is mounted to the torque member. The friction lining assembly is positioned within the annular channel and carries radially outward and radially inward facing friction linings. Upon expansion of the friction lining assembly each of the friction linings is moved into contact with the corresponding drum surface, thereby transferring braking force to the wheel.

Abstract: A document printer includes sheet-feeding apparatus for sequentially presenting both faces of a print-receiving sheet to a print station. According to a preferred embodiment, such apparatus features, as part of the duplex sheet path, reversible sheet-feeding means operable in first or second active modes for selectively feeding sheets into and out of a chute, located upstream from the feeding means, to reverse the sheet's lead edge/trail edge orientation. Such sheet-feeding means is also operable in a passive mode in which it allows sheets to advance, without substantial interference, downstream therepast to a registration position.

Abstract: A slack adjuster for vehicle brakes is adapted to be mounted between the vehicle brake chamber and the vehicle brake operating shaft and includes a body which positions a drive member movable relative thereto on the brake operating shaft. A lever arm is pivoted to the body and there is an adjustable connection between the lever arm and the drive member for adjusting the relationship between the drive member and the body in response to body movement required for a brake application. The improvement herein is specifically directed to a device for connecting a brake rod to the lever arm and more specifically to a bushing threaded upon the brake rod and rotatably positioned within the lever.

Abstract: An apparatus for the automatic feeding of a carrier to a laminating station. The apparatus has a gripper device which is fastened to two guide rods and which is movable t o anf fro horizontally. Each of the guide rods is guided in a linear guide and is mounted in supports which are connected to one another by means of an angular cross-strut. A pneumatic cylinder is articulated centrally to the angular cross-strut by a lengthened piston rod. The gripper device grips the carrier at a predetermined distance (X.sub.min) from the front edge, to transport it in the direction of a laminating station. A sensor for detecting the front edge of the carrier which is transported into the gripper device is located on a holding bracket fastened to a displaceable holding block. The upper and lower gripper strips each have a perforation in the center of their bevelled strip part.

Abstract: An attachable feed and delivery system for envelopes in a high speed, batch printer (14) environment is described. Included is a hopper (10) having input (30) and output sections (32) separated from each other by a spring loaded bail (34). The transport path to and from the print station includes a picker/separator (90) located adjacent to the input section of the hopper. Fresh envelopes are urged toward the pick area by the spring loaded bail (34). Endless belts (56) passing through the base (50) of the hopper (10) assist in urging printed envelopes into the output area (32).

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a suction-lifting conveyor for the transfer of sheet-shaped objects, in particular of sheets of plywood veneer (4), one by one from a stack to further processing or to another stack. The device comprises a box-shaped suction-channel equipment (1) extending substantially over the entire length and width of the conveyor, blower means (2) for maintaining a negative pressure in the suction-channel system, endless belts (3) performing the transfer of the sheets and running substantially horizontally above the stacks of sheets, the said belts being arranged so that during their transfer movement they run against the outside of the bottom face of the suction-channel system, being subject to the effect of the negative pressure in the suction-channel system, and that during their return movement they run in the suction-channel system.

Abstract: The cassette comprises a bottom (25) and four side walls (26 to 29) comprising on their upper edge holding elements (14) for the sheets. These sheets are placed on a support plate (41) held near one of the corners (33) in contact with the bottom (25). Three springs (44 to 46) pull the plate (41) in the direction of the holding elements (14). A locking mechanism (50) consists of a sliding part (51) comprising near its ends two openings (54) able to work with two flathead pins (52) solid with the plate (41) to hold the latter against the bottom (25) in the vicinity either of the corner (31), or of the diametrically opposite corner (32). The same cassette can thus be introduced in the lengthwise or widthwise direction, which makes possible a saving in cassettes and in sheets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding sheets, particularly fabrics, from a stack comprises an arrangement for: engaging the opposite edges of the upper sheet of the stack by a pair of restrainer members, bringing a pick-up head into engagement with the upper sheet of the stack while producing air streams from the pick-up head directed outwardly across the opposite edges of the upper sheet of the stack, lowering the pick-up head to depress the stack below the restrainer members whereby the air streams cause the opposite edges of the upper sheet of the stack to curl upwardly to clear the restrainer members, lifting the upper sheet from the stack, and permitting the stack to rise so as to bring the next sheet into engagement with the restrainer members.

Abstract: Sheets selective loading apparatus making groups of a given number of sheets discharged on a sheet stacker from sheet discharge rollers in an image recording apparatus and selectively loading the groups of sheets one on top of another alternatively on positions offset from each other. The sheet discharge rollers are movably held by a given distance in their axial direction. Sensors are provided to detect the trailing edge of sheets leaving respectively sheet-carrying rollers right upstream of the sheet discharge rollers, and the sheet discharge rollers.

Abstract: In a device for feeding individual sheets to an office machine, in which a stack of sheets stored in a magazine is pressed by a pressure plate (22) against a separating device (20), a switch (30) which is actuated by a lever is provided on the rear of the pressure plate (22). The lever extends through the pressure plate (22) with one arm (36) in order to determine the presence of paper sheets in the magazine. The other arm (38) is actuated by a stop when the pressure plate (22) is moved away from the separating device (20). This causes the switch (30) to indicate whether the device is ready for operation.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an anti-falling device with rapid insertion and withdrawal of the retaining cord at any position of this latter. A cover is provided, on the side opposite its hinges (8), with lugs (9) coacting with recesses (10) of the corresponding wall of the case (1) for closing and opening the cover (6), which is slidably mounted on its hinges (8) so as to move the lugs (9) below the rim of the wall of the case (1) outside the position of the recesses (10), the cover (6) being adapted to be maintained in this position for releasing the lugs (9) by means of two locks (11) with sequential action coacting with the hinges (8).

Abstract: A casing (10) has an inlet (20) and a valve chamber (40) connected to the same as well as an outlet (60). In the valve chamber (40) a valve seat (54) is arranged at the entrance of a passage (52) leading to the outlet (60) and furthermore a valve member (42) is arranged for brake fluid to flow around it. The valve member is movable in response to deceleration from an inoperative position against the valve seat (54). A barrier member (26) is arranged between the inlet (20) and the valve member (42) for flow of brake fluid around or through the same. The barrier member is movable from an inoperative position remote from the valve member (42) until it hits the valve member (42), at least approximately in the direction of movement thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet material feeding device which has a first row of sheet materials comprising a number of sheet materials moved in the direction of arrangement and provided in the form of a row and a second row of sheet materials disposed in proximity to the first row of sheet materials and which is for converging these two rows of sheet materials into a single row of sheet materials. Accelerating apparatus is disposed in the first row of sheet materials and at this position, a sheet material of the first row of sheet materials is moved at a higher speed than the succeeding sheet material to thereby enlarge the interval between the two sheet materials, and accelerating apparatus for feeding a sheet material of the second row of sheet materials into the enlarged interval is disposed in the second row of sheet materials.

Abstract: A sheet feeding system of a frictional sheet separation type including a feed roller rotating in a sheet feeding direction, and a separation roller maintained in pressing contact with the feed roller with a path of travel of a sheet therebetween and having applied to it a predetermined torque oriented in a direction opposite the sheet feeding direction. The system further includes a separation roller shaft supporting the separation roller at one end thereof and pivotable at the other end thereof for pivotal movement in a plane including its own axis and the axis of the feed roller, a pivot for biasing the separation roller shaft toward the feed roller, and a slide for guiding the separation roller shaft in such a manner that it rotates in a plane including its own axis and the axis of the feed roller.

Abstract: A sheet feeder with a feed wheel assembly for conveying an end sheet from a stack of sheets. The feed wheel assembly has a rotatable engagement wheel positioned to contact the end sheet of the stack, and operable to separate and convey the end sheet from the stack; a horizontally extending first shaft on which the wheel is mounted, with the first shaft being angularly movable in a generally vertical direction; a horizontally extending second shaft positioned spaced apart from the first shaft, the second shaft being mounted in a substantially fixed planar orientation to a support frame; and a pair of laterally spaced-apart first and second arms extending between the first and second shafts. Each of the first and second arms has a first portion retaining the first shaft and a second portion longitudinally spaced from the first portion and pivotally connected to the second shaft.

Abstract: A paper feeder equipped with copying paper cassettes comprises a cassette-receiving section within the housing of a copying apparatus for mounting thereon a plurality of copying paper cassettes containing sheets of copying paper having different sizes. Each of the paper cassettes includes a main body for holding paper sheets which has an opening formed at the forward end portion of its bottom wall and a bottom plate for placing paper sheets thereon which is mounted on the bottom wall of the main body of the cassette so that it can freely pivot about its rear end portion as a fulcrum. The housing of the coyping apparatus has provided therein a press-contacting mechanism adapted to act on the bottom plate of the cassette through the opening in the main cassette body.

Abstract: The device comprises a conveyor assembly for continuously feeding edge arranged signatures and provided with side guiding members for restraining and guiding the signatures at the end portion of the side guiding members in the signature feeding direction there being provided a narrowing width region for bending the signatures with a convexity facing the signature a feeding direction, feeding belt being further provided for picking the bent signatures and loading them, in a turned over condition, on a conveyor.

Abstract: A stack of sheets arranged in an input stacker pass through a nip formed by cooperating feed rollers and stripper assemblies, which serve to separate sheets and feed them one at a time toward an acceleration assembly comprised of acceleration roller and cooperating idler means to form a gap between adjacent sheets for counting the sheets. The accelerated sheets are then fed into an output stacker. Belts couple drive from the accelerating drive rollers to accelerating driven rollers rotatable about an axis coaxial with the feed rollers and also cooperate with stationary guides to cause the sheets to experience some acceleration prior to reaching the acceleration nips. Resilient members cooperate with the feed roller to halt a sheet, in the event of an abrupt halt during normal operation to prevent the sheet from advancing to the acceleration nip.