Abstract: A chip feeder comprising a sprocket for feeding intermittently a tape, which contains a plurality of chips and is sealed with a protective tape, at predetermined pitch intervals to a chip takeout portion; a roller for peeling the protective tape sealing the chip from the the tape fed intermittently; and a vacuum suction nozzle for taking up a chip out of the tape from which the protective tape is peeled off, wherein the roller peels the protective tape immediately before the vacuum suction nozzle takes out the chip when the tape is in a stationary state.

Abstract: A rack packer for loading containers onto a rack comprises a loading station, a transfer station, an elevator, and a rack positioning means. The loading station receives and supports successive incoming rows of vertically oriented identical containers. The transfer station is positioned adjacent to the loading station. A starwheel at the transfer station is rotatably mounted about a transfer axis parallel to the successive rows of containers at the loading station. The starwheel has multiple sets of radial arms extending from the transfer axis to support individual containers of each row. The starwheel moves successive rows of containers from their vertical positions at the loading station upwardly to horizontal positions above the loading station. The elevator is located adjacent to the starwheel to receive multiple rows of horizontally oriented containers from the starwheel.

Abstract: An adjustable guide assembly for mounting on the upper edge of a longitudinal retaining wall defining a cargo container well of a well car adapted for accommodating containers of different widths in the well, has a base member and a rockable guide member. The guide member has a narrow-container stabilizer surface, a narrow-container loading assistance cam surface, and a wide-container loading assistance cam surface, which are selectively operative by swingably positioning the guide member relative to the base member.

Abstract: A lifter picks up different style residential refuse collection carts, without requiring operator adjustments. An upper movable clamp bar with adjustable closure timing cooperates with a finger support bar to grab a cart type having a single upper lifting lip and otherwise smooth sides. A hinged saddle and hinged sliding hook lift carts having a pair of opposing engagement surfaces such as lift bars. The hinged members are automatically pivoted into retracted positions during presentation of the smooth sided style cart, but are otherwise maintained in place for engaging carts of the other type. The lifter has a relatively short face plate for size and weight advantages, made possible by alternate downward extension and subsequent retraction of the hinged sliding hook during a lift cycle. Rollers on the extending portion of the face plate prevent cart scarring.

Abstract: An aircraft towing vehicle including a chassis formed with a recess receiving a towing device for securing a nose wheel of an aircraft and including a transversely tiltable bearing frame, a vertically displaceable and longitudinally swingable lifting cradle provided with a pair of telescopic traction arms having respective gripping devices on respective rearward ends, the arms being longitudinally displaceable and adapted to swing about respective transverse axes, bringing thereby the gripping devices upwardly to engage the circumference of the nose wheel above an axle thereof.

Abstract: An aircraft tug assembly is provided for moving an aircraft on the ground. The tug assembly includes a self-propelled chassis responsive to operator control. A cradle assembly is pivotally attached to a front portion of the chassis. The cradle assembly has an adjustable nosewheel receiving apparatus comprising two lateral arms adjustably engaged with a rear gate to define a nosewheel receiving corral therebetween, with the corral sizable to accommodate varying sized aircraft nosewheels. The chassis has a winch, or alternatively a telescoping arm, for pulling an aircraft nosewheel onto the cradle assembly and into the corral. An optional front gate may be used to enclose the nosewheel within the corral. Hydraulic actuators lift the cradle assembly with the nosewheel thereon so the tug assembly may move the aircraft without starting the aircraft engine.

Abstract: An automatic parking device for a multi-deck parking lot for motor vehicles is described. The device includes a carrier to carry a moveable platform from a parking position to a base or from a base to the parking position, and a hydraulic cylinder to move the moveable platform from the carrier to a fixed platform at an exit or from the fixed platform to the carrier. An inductor is provided on a moveable rod, which is driven by the hydraulic cylinder to move the moveable platform between the carrier and the platform and to automatically control an electromagnetic switch which drives two retaining iron strips to lock the moveable platform in the carrier.

Abstract: A dunnage air bag is formed from two rectangular sheets. Each sheet is formed by a polyethylene layer adhesively bonded to a liner board layer. An air valve is mounted through one of the sheets to enable the dunnage air bag to be selectively filled with air. The sheets are disposed in overlying offset relation, with the polyethylene faces of the sheets in contact. A rectangular bladder is created by heat welding the polyethylene layers together, through the liner board layer, in a rectangular heat weld. Offset flaps of the sheets are then folded over on fold lines disposed interiorly of the heat weld and adhesively secured in order to reinforce the bladder and minimize stress on the heat weld. In alternative constructions, the polyethylene layer may be dimensionally smaller than the liner board layer such that a strip of liner board remains exposed along one or more peripheral edges of the polyethylene face of the laminate sheet.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for unloading an article from a circulative loading base. There is provided an endless belt which forms a loading surface that is mounted rotatably in a backward inclined position to a conveyor chain. The belt comes into pressure contact with a friction roller so as to allow the belt to rotate in the unloading direction by frictional conduction to deliver articles on the belt to be delivered in a horizontal direction.

Abstract: A round bale carrier which picks up hay bales while moving in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal end-to-end direction of a bale to be loaded onto the carrier, and a bale pick-up supported by the bale carrier. The bale pick-up comprises an open sided bale cradle including a cradle base located parallel along one side of the carrier when in a pick-up position and swingable in a horizontal plane through 90 degrees to a bale loading position relative to the carrier. First and second bale support arms are secured to the cradle base with the first bale support arm extending out at generally right angles to the cradle base an the second bale support arm being moveable at the cradle base between a bale receiving position generally perpendicular to the first bale support arm and a bale pick-up position generally parallel to the first bale support arm. The bale cradle also is liftable from the bale loading position to a bale delivery position projecting upwardly from the one side of the carrier.

Abstract: To hold a solar panel array of a satellite in a folded position, cable runs from a support on the outside panel through the four corners of the array to a tie down device. Each tie down device has a rotatable shaft with a hook for holding a loop at the end of a cable offset slightly from the center of rotation of the shaft. A lever arm depending from the shaft extends a significant distance from the center of rotation so that the force required to hold the shaft in the tie down position with a cable hooked on the hook is relatively small. Furthermore, because of this relatively small force, the lever arm may be readily released whereupon the small torque applied by the cable to the shaft rotates the shaft thereby releasing the cable. In this way, the satellite solar panel array is released for deployment.

Abstract: Carriers of a type, each with two elastically bendable holding pieces extending inwardly from its frame-like housing to hold a thin integrated circuit (IC) therebetween, are delivered to a specified pick-up location. A robotically operated pick-up module has a frame-like structure with windows, admits these carriers individually into these windows, and clamps them within these windows by means of an actuator-controlled clamping member. After they are brought to a transfer station having seats with openings connected to a negative pressure source, their holding pieces are pushed apart by activating another actuator within the module so as to move claw-like unlatching members. The ICs, which are then placed on the seats of the transfer station and released from their carriers, are picked up by vacuum suction pipes connected to vacuum pumps.

Abstract: A selectively adjustable bar lock assembly for retaining cargo being transported in vehicles or other motive devices which includes a pair of relatively telescoping tubes which are rotatable within outwardly disposed resilient cushion members and which are frictionally locked by an internal cam upon their relative rotation. In some embodiments, separate or integrally formed retention receptacles are used to receive the cushion members to positively align the cushion members relative to the walls of the vehicles.

Abstract: A detecting device detects whether a package material has been removed from a packaged object by a package removing device. A discharging device is disposed adjacent to the package removing device, for discharging the packaged object from which the package material has not been removed as detected by the detecting device. A delivering device delivers the unpackaged object in which the package material has been removed, from the removing device to a next processing station. In the event that the detecting device does not detect the removal of the package material from the packaged object within a predetermined period of time from the start of operation of the removing device, the discharging device discharges the packaged object from the removing device into the discharge chute.

Abstract: A system for shipping product on a vehicle comprising a series of rectangular containment elements surrounding a plurality of products thus together constituting a plurality of units with a T-shaped support positioned between each of the containment elements and thus stabilizing the units and preventing sidewise shifting.

Abstract: A composite continuous surface rail is constructed by combining a load-bearing support rail divided into segments to allow for thermal expansion with a continuous surface rail that slideably engages the support rail and spans any number of support rail segments. The continuous top or surface rail includes a running rail and an expansion rail. The expansion rail is provided to absorb thermal expansion of the running rail while continuing to provide a continuous composite rail surface. The surface rail and/or support rail may be electrified. An electrified running rail and expansion rail will provide an electrified composite rail with electrical continuity.

Abstract: An excavator comprising a movable body, a boom mounted on the movable body, first hydraulic cylinders, an outer arm pivotally mounted on the boom, a second hydraulic cylinder mounted on a rear surface of the boom, an inner arm inserted into the outer arm and movable telescopically relative to the outer arm, a bucket connected to one end of the inner arm, a bucket connected to the tip end of the inner arm, a bucket cylinder provided between the bucket and a guide mechanism, the guide mechanism being slidably mounted on guide plates fixed to the outer arm, a third hydraulic cylinder connected to a base end of the outer arm and having a rod connected to a central portion of the inner arm for moving the inner arm relative to the outer arm, and an interlocking device connected between the guide mechanism and the front portion of the inner arm. A hook mechanism can be mounted at a front portion of the inner arm.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for loading overburden and ore into rock trucks that includes pushing the material onto an oscillating feed table that then feeds the material onto an inclined conveyor having an endless belt made of a series of overlapping rigid flights.

Abstract: An airbag for use in a cargo bay of a transport vehicle for buffering and stabilizing a load, usually large paper rolls or drums, is provided with two inflatable, gas-tight bladders surrounded by a multi-ply paper container. The bladders are situated in an overlapping relationship with respect to each other. This enables the load to be buffered and stabilized while minimizing the need for additional materials.

Abstract: An aircraft tug assembly is provided for moving an aircraft on the ground. The tug assembly includes a self-propelled chassis responsive to operator control. A cradle assembly is pivotally attached to a front portion of the chassis. The cradle assembly has an adjustable nosewheel receiving apparatus comprising two lateral arms adjustably engaged with a rear gate to define a nosewheel receiving corral therebetween, with the corral sizable to accommodate varying sized aircraft nosewheels. The chassis has a winch for pulling an aircraft nosewheel onto the cradle assembly and into the corral. An optional front gate may be used to enclose the nosewheel within the corral. Hydraulic actuators lift the cradle assembly with the nosewheel thereon so the tug assembly may move the aircraft without starting the aircraft engine.