Abstract: A system for the switching of guided vehicles vertically has a main guideway and a secondary guideway each having a pair of spaced guides. The guides of the main and secondary guideways branch at a switching region and diverge vertically. Each guide in the main guideway has a vertically disposed inwardly facing running surface extending upwardly from and outwardly of a horizontally disposed running surface. Each guide in the secondary guideway has a vertically disposed inwardly facing running surface, coextensive in the switching region with the vertical surfaces in the main guideway, extending downwardly from and inwardly of a horizontal running surface. The guided vehicle has a main support arrangement for coacting with or running on the horizontal surfaces of the main guides for supporting the vehicle and a guide apparatus for coacting with or running on the vertically disposed surfaces for providing lateral guidance.

Abstract: A material handling system for conveying or accumulating parts between work stations. The system permits accumulation in all portions of a closed loop, including upwardly or downwardly extending legs. The system comprises a series of trolleys supported for free movement alongside a powered endless member, each trolley having a retarding dog and a driven dog. In the downwardly extending legs, the retarding dogs normally rest against driving dogs on the constantly moving endless member, and are thus transported at a controlled rate. If trolleys are obstructed on these legs and are to be accumulated, the driving dogs will slip past the retarding dogs, which are resiliently mounted. If no accumulation is needed on an upward leg, a fixed cam immediately before this leg moves the driven dog of each trolley into position to be engaged by a driving dog.

Abstract: The invention concerns a scraper chain conveyor in which one or more endless chains drive a plurality of spaced scrapers along a conveying channel to convey loose material such as excavated rock. The invention comprises the provision on the or each chain of one or more wear pads at positions spaced from the scrapers to spread over a substantial area the wear due to the chain under tension bearing on parts of the conveyor channel having bends or irregularities.

Abstract: A speed control device for controlling the speed of a transport vehicle rolling on a rail track, especially for use in a shelf storage system in which a pair of spaced apart rails form part of the structure of a warehouse shelf and constitutes the supporting and guiding track for the vehicle, the transport vehicle being supported on the rails and wherein a rotating braking and accelerating member is provided for the vehicle. The speed control device for driving the braking and accelerating member drives at a predetermined speed. The braking and accelerating member consists essentially of a spring-tensioned endless belt, a fixed subframe, bracket support member, and a spring member. The belt is resiliently supported on the fixed subframe and is able to move from a rest position which is out of engagement with the driving member but in the path of said vehicle to a working position which is in engagement with the driving member and in frictional engagement with the vehicle.

Abstract: Device for actuating and controlling the movable bottom of a refuse collection or like body, notably in a refuse collection vehicle and for improving the performance of the main functions of such body or vehicle, by providing a uniform compression of the refuse within the body and ensuring a more reliable operation under recompression and ejection conditions, while eliminating the risk of wrong manoeuvres. This device comprises a telescopic-type hydraulic cylinder and piston actuator controlling the movements of said movable bottom, namely the compression of refuse and the development of a retaining force during the ramming of the refuse by the ramming means incorporated in the hinged door at the opposite end of the body. To this end, an automatic valve is interposed in the hydraulic circuit controlling said movable bottom, said valve remaining close as long as the pressure exerted by the refuse ramming means or the pressure exerted by the refuse against said bottom remains below a predetermined value.

Abstract: Guide track and vehicle construction for Dual-Mode Vehicle system. The vehicle is steered through junctions to a desired direction on the track by a hydraulic control system mounted on the vehicle and a mechanical control device provided on the guide track.Guide followers attached to the steering system of the vehicle ride within respective channels on opposite sides of the track. One or the other of the guide followers is held in the actuated position, i.e., engaged with the respective channel, to operate the hydraulic system for guiding the vehicle in the desired path on the track.

Abstract: An improved carcass transfer method and device are provided by which a single operator can readily raise, lower, and transport a whole beef carcass or other carcass to facilitate movement of the carcass both off of and onto overhead rail systems conventionally used for carcass transport and storage in meat packing plants. A portable cantilevered device having a lifting mechanism engages a roller-type trolley from which a carcass is suspended. The lifting mechanism preferably includes a hydraulic cylinder, which cylinder is in controlled communication with an oil reservoir. Pressurized air actuates various valves to effect a desired raising or lowering of the mast.

Abstract: A mobile ballast cleaning machine which comprises a ballast excavating bucket chain and a ballast cleaning screen has a ballast leveling apparatus mounted behind the bucket chain to level cleaned ballast returned to the track bed from the screen. This ballast leveling apparatus consists of an arrangement of bars extending transversely of the track over the entire length of the track ties. The arrangement includes a plurality of transversely arranged rods having adjacent, pivotally joined ends attached to the bucket chain by guide rods or ropes which permit free movement of the leveling rods.

Abstract: Apparatus for unloading decorated cans from wire brush-type container carriers or holders mounted on a closed-loop conveyor chain moving along a path extending through a curing oven includes a plurality of retriever rods mounted on a continuous rotating wheel. Radial movement of the retriever rods is programmed so that the free end of each rod engages the closed end of a can on the outside thereof, axially moving the can from a rear pocket of the wheel to an aligned front pocket. This movement strips the can from the holder, and when the stripped can reaches a predetermined angular position of the wheel such can is directed by gravity into an output conveyor chute.

Abstract: A device for conveying and separating articles which are moved, while in engagement with each other, by an input conveyor and are transferred by a periodically operating transfer member onto an output conveyor which operates in synchronism with the transfer member and which engages the articles during their conveying movement and conveys them with a speed which is greater than the speed of the input conveyor. The transfer member is composed of a first pusher which moves transverse to the conveying direction for transferring each item from the output end of the input conveyor onto the output conveyor, and a second pusher which is driven independently of the first pusher for holding back the item immediately following the item being transferred until the first pusher returns to its starting position.

Abstract: A compact truck-mounted towing crane is constructed with a boom pivoted near the center thereof. A tow bar secured at the rear end of the boom is positioned below the boom pivot, and a power cylinder is connected to the forward end of the boom for raising a vehicle which is to be towed. The boom pivot is at the rear of a base secured to the frame of the towing vehicle and the power cylinder is secured to the front of the base. The relative positions of the boom and power cylinder are such that the power cylinder arm is retracted during the power stroke to lower the front end of the boom, thereby raising the tow bar and the load thereon.The tow bar together with the portion of the boom to the rear of the main pivot are removable as a unit by simply withdrawing a pivot pin which connects front and rear sections of the boom together in the vicinity of the main pivot.

Abstract: A multi-rail system and method of installation wherein an additional load carrying rail assembly is installed in centered relation between the rails of a conventional railroad and secured by a first set of tie plates joined to existing ties and a second set of tie plates joined to cement anchor columns located between selected ties, both sets also being joined to the existing rails; the system further including load carrying wheels engaging the additional rail assembly and supplementing the conventional car wheels, the railroad cars also provided with supplemental brakes engaging the additional rail assembly to increase the braking force, and retainers extending under the additional rail assembly for preventing excess movement of the auxiliary wheels from the additional rail assembly.

Abstract: A manufacturing machine such as an automatic assembly machine is disclosed which includes a work station which can include linear motion devices and rotary motion devices. A conveyor system is disclosed for transporting a workpiece to and from the work station, and a positioning pins arrangement is disclosed for precisely positioning the workpiece to the work station.

Abstract: In a magnetic suspension railroad where a suspension vehicle is guided by magnetic forces between a magnet on the vehicle and magnetic fields generated in track coils comprising opposing coil halves, switching contacts are arranged in the coils such that the switching contacts of the desired travel path are closed and the switching contacts of the coils of the other travel path are open.

Abstract: A conveyor especially adapted for use in environments where strict sanitary standards must be met. The conveyor includes a quick belt release whereby the belt and the conveyor may be cleaned without removing the belt from the conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for single feeding of timber from a single layer mat of the timber is disclosed, the apparatus having a rigid frame on a base, a first conveyor for transferring the single layer mat of timber against a stop, a second conveyor, and a third conveyor between the first and the second conveyor for transferring one timber at a time at even intervals from the first conveyor onto the second conveyor, the third conveyor being provided with members for lifting a piece of timber retained by the stop to transfer it past the stop.

Abstract: A railway car positioning carriage movable back and forth along a track parallel to a railway track is provided with a member for engagement with the end of a car on the railway track to move it. A pair of sheaves are rotatably mounted on the carriage, and first and second anchor devices are disposed at opposite ends of its track. A wire rope is secured at one end to each of the anchor devices and each rope extends therefrom toward the carriage and around one of the sheaves. The other ends of the ropes are connected to a member for pulling on either rope while simultaneously paying out the other one to thereby pull the carriage along its track. One of the ropes can be temporarily released from its anchor device and detachably connected to the carriage, which can then be pulled by the other rope so that the carriage will pull the released rope across its anchor device to take up slack in the ropes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rail fastening arrangement for securing a flat bottom rail on a foundation having preformed holes therein.There is provided a base plate on which the flat bottom of the rail rests and anchors for securing the base plate to the preformed holes in the foundation. A pair of rail clips is provided one on each side of the rail with bolts passing through a bolt aperture in each clip and engaging in a preformed bolt hole in the base plate. Each clip has symmetrically spaced about its bolt aperture at least one pair of recesses and the base plate has symmetrically spaced about each of its bolt holes an upstanding pin is received and located in a recess of one of the clips. Each clip is engageable with the base plate with one of its recesses receiving an upstanding pin of the base plate in at least two alternative dispositions.

Abstract: A seat for a railway car is mounted on and slidable along a floor mounted track having upwardly facing openings interconnected by undercut slots. A base for a leg of the seat carries studs which have heads insertable in the openings of the track and engageable with the track when lifted. The leg's base also carries a threaded plunger between the studs which can be screwed into and out of a selected track opening for locking and releasing the seat and for lifting and lowering the heads into and out of engagement with the track.

Abstract: An armoured flexible conveyor comprising pans connected together so that separation of the pans is prevented except when snaking-over to a new alignment adjacent a newly-cut mine face and except when the conveyor extends over humps and swillies in the mine floor, and a rigid plate secured along one side of each pan, said plate extending upwardly from said pan, adjacent pairs of pan ends being connected to each other, firstly by upper and lower joints between adjacent ends of said rigid plates, one of said joints being a universal joint and the other being a loose joint affording limited separation of said plates and pans at that joint, and secondly, by a loose joint at the other side of said pans also affording limited separation of said pans at said other side.