Abstract: A lift dolly is provided for lifting and transporting stand-mounted power tools and the like, with little effort. The dolly includes a pair of platforms and a wheel system having at least three castors extending downwardly from the platforms. The dolly is designed such that one step onto a latching or locking mechanism by the operator causes the wheel system to be forced downward relative to the stand thereby slightly lifting the power tool and stand off of the ground and enabling transport of same via the castors. Another step on the locking or latching mechanism disengages the wheel system and permits gravity to return the stand and tool firmly to the ground for use.

Abstract: A rotary deblistering apparatus is described. It comprises a rotatable drum having plurality of circumferential pack holding means each adapted to hold and retain a blister pack. The drum can rotate to locate the pack holding means at a plurality of peripheral work positions including a pack loading position, a pack deblistering position, and a pack detachment position. The blister packs can be loaded onto the drum through a loading means, preferably the loading means has a storage magazine able to supply a continuous number of packs to the drum. For a peelable pack, prior weakening or cutting of the backing of the pack may be necessary or desired. Such action could be carried out at the pack deblistering position. Alternatively, there is a prior weakening and/or cutting position around the drum.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a storage system (10) including at least two tape libraries (11) and a transport mechanism (22) for transferring cartridges (20) between the tape libraries (11). The transport mechanism (22) includes a frame (64), a transporter (68) and a mover (66). The transporter (68) is sized and shaped to retain the cartridge (20). The mover (66) moves the transporter (68) along the frame (64). Additionally, the mover (66) pivots at least a portion of the transporter (68) between a first, almost horizontal, load/unload position (70A), a transport position (72) and a second, almost horizontal load/unload position (70B) during movement between the tape libraries (11). Further, the transport mechanism (22) includes a latch (140) that selectively retains the cartridge (20) in the transporter (68) during movement between the tape libraries (11).

Abstract: A trailer includes a tongue, an upper frame, a lower frame coupled to the upper frame via a plurality of arms, and a lift assembly. The lift assembly includes 1) a hydraulic ram and 2) a hydraulic pump that is operatively connected to the hydraulic ram. The hydraulic ram raises the upper frame to a raised position when the hydraulic ram is retracted, and lowers the upper frame to a lowered position when the hydraulic ram is extended. The lift assembly is configured to be removably attachable to a trailer for retrofit operations, lift assembly replacement, or lift assembly reuse upon trailer sale or disposal. Also included is a method of raising and lowering a vehicle.

Abstract: An auto latch system for use with a transport vehicle having a ramp that is pivotable between a transport disposition and an extended disposition. The auto latch system includes a latch assembly operably coupled to a transport vehicle bed. A ramp engagement assembly is operably coupled to the ramp. The latch assembly automatically engages the ramp engagement assembly during pivoting of the ramp from the extended disposition to the transport disposition.

Abstract: A system for parking automobiles in a garage which uses a single-drive mechanism to simultaneously move automobile platforms. The automobile platforms reside in contiguous storage towers and are stacked in multiple levels. The automobile platforms simultaneously move in the towers. In one tower, the platforms move upward while the platforms in the other tower move downward. The automobile platforms rest on movement chains which move vertically among the various levels. The automobile platforms are moved from the vertical movement chains to a lateral movement means to move horizontally from tower to tower. The vertical movement system is powered by single-drive mechanism through a series of gears, sprockets and chains. Horizontal movement in the upper and lower lateral transfer areas is done by a lateral movement means.

Abstract: A clean box is composed of a box body having an opening in one surface thereof and a lid member for closing the opening. An annular groove is formed so as to surround the opening on one of the box body or the lid member for defining a suction space sealed between the lid member and the box body under the condition that the lid member is mounted on the box body. Furthermore, intake/exhaust ports are provided for vacuum exhaust/release from the outside.

Abstract: A truck has an extendable and retractable truck bed for receiving removable and replacing truck boxes of different lengths. The truck bed can be extended or retracted to fit the size of the truck box. The truck bed has movable supports that can be extended or retracted from inside or outside a cab to support the appropriate length of the truck box. The movable supports also act as a guide to guide the truck box onto or off of the truck bed. In a method of extending or retracting the truck bed, a single truck can be used to mount or remove truck boxes of different sizes.

Abstract: An ecological carriage for drums is described which is constituted by a metallic structure and a basin. The drum is disposed with an horizontal axis and rests on the metallic structure. The basin is below the drum and functions as a bowl to collect fluids, mineral oils and similar fluids which are lost or spilled during the decanting or due to rupture of the drum. This assembly is mounted on a base provided with wheels. The carriage is characterized by the fact that the structure supporting the drum is capable of rotating from a position essentially horizontal to a position essentially vertical and vice versa.

Abstract: A vehicle comprises a passenger cab and a pickup truck cargo bed that extends outward from the passenger cab. The cargo bed comprises two opposing sidewalls, a front wall and a movable rear tailgate. A ramp assembly comprises panels, hinges, retainer brackets, and stiffeners and is stored in the cargo bed. The hinges rotatably interconnect the panels to each other and a single panel to the tailgate. The stiffeners reinforce the panels when in use and are otherwise stowed in the cargo bed. The retainer bracket holds the panels against the tailgate when in the stowed position.

Abstract: A device for loading and unloading a motorcycle onto and from a transport surface of a vehicle includes a dolly assembly that has a plurality of spaced apart wheels. The wheels carry a frame structure that is adapted to support a front wheel of the motorcycle. The device also has a ramp assembly with a pivotable section. The ramp assembly has a loading surface, a first end disposed near the transport surface, and an opposite second end. The pivotable section can be pivoted about the first end so that the second end can be selectively raised and lowered. The device also has a winch mounted on a part of the vehicle. The winch is operable to selectively load and unload the dolly assembly and motorcycle along the loading surface between a ground surface and the transport surface. The pivotable ramp section can be pivoted as the motorcycle and dolly transfer between the ramp assembly and the transport surface to prevent the motorcycle from bottoming out while transferring.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for picking up module ICs from customer trays utilizes a rotating table. In the apparatus and method, the customer tray is placed on the rotating table, and the rotating table is inclined a predetermined amount. The inclination of the rotating table causes the customer tray, and the module ICs held in the tray, to also be inclined. A grasping apparatus is then used to pick up the module ICs from the customer tray. The pick up apparatus may also be configured to incline the same amount as the rotating table. Once the module ICs have been picked up from the customer tray, they can be delivered to an unloading station, or to a module IC carrier.

Abstract: A substrate-handling robot comprises an arm drive mechanism with a first arm connected to it. A multiple substrate batch loader is connected to the first arm. The multiple substrate batch loader includes a set of vertically stacked substrate-handling paddles. A control circuit is connected to the arm drive mechanism. A vacuum control system is connected to the multiple substrate batch loader and the control circuit. The vacuum control system includes a set of vacuum control valves corresponding to the set of vertically stacked substrate-handling paddles. The set of vacuum control valves includes a selected vacuum control valve for a selected substrate-handling paddle. A set of vacuum sensors is connected to the set of vacuum control valves. The set of vacuum sensors includes a selected vacuum sensor corresponding to the selected vacuum control valve. The selected vacuum sensor provides a substrate-absent signal when a substrate is not present at the selected substrate-handling paddle.

Abstract: A carrying and loading/unloading apparatus including a slide plate adapted to reciprocally move on a bottom plate such as that of a truck bed, a partition plate provided on the slide plate and the partition plate side ends securable to right and left bed side plates of the truck so that only the slide plate is moved when the partition plate is secured to the bed side plates as the slide plate moves forward and so that the partition plate moves together with the slide plate when the partition plate is released from the bed side plates as the slide plates moves rearward.

Abstract: A cargo loader platform having an array of roller assemblies on the deck thereof which are capable of moving a container longitudinally or laterally or rotating it includes several independently driven groups of roller assemblies. The groups include groups along the sides of the platform having drive axes parallel to the loader axis, groups near the center of the platform having a separate drive axes that are perpendicular to the loader axis, and groups down the center of the platform having drive axes parallel to the loader axis. Large diameter, driven cylindrical rollers are mounted on the outer sides of the sides and rear end of the platform to assist in moving cargo onto the deck.

Abstract: This is a loader moved by a train to cross over the train to transfer cargo, mail, baggage, express, passenger, or freight containers from and to railway cars in the train. A revolving jib crane or skewed traveling crane with depending parallelogram linkage supports a single or double sided loadspreader which is engaged by the train to swing up to engage and lift the container or its hooks and directs a force to move the loadspreader across the car to lift, push, pull, or roll containers off and on the car simultaneously and unlock and lock containers on the car. It includes side, top, bottom, and end lift loadspreaders. It removes and inserts containers on trains in either direction and moves and turns them to station platforms or interfaces with a conveyor or other vehicle or dumps bulk containers with successive loaders and recrosses the train to return the containers to the same cars or to the starting side of the train. It transfers containers between trains on different tracks.

Abstract: A storage and retrieval system includes at least two pairs of two confrontingly opposed, columnar arrays. Each of the pairs of columnar arrays defines a plurality of vertically spaced tray-receiving recesses, and an access region between the columns, in which an indexing/insertion/extraction mechanism is positioned for pulling bins or trays housed in the recesses. The mechanism has a platform vertically displaceable in the access regions between the pairs of arrays; a shuttle table rollably mounted upon the platform for horizontal displacement thereupon between the pairs of arrays; and an extractor assembly supported by the shuttle table for causing horizontal insertion/extraction of bins onto the shuttle table.

Abstract: In a tray feeder, in which a drawing section draws a palette from a container and supplies the palette to a pick-up point where a pick-up head of a parts-mounting-apparatus picks up parts, the head starts lowering and halts at a stand-by position before the palette held by the drawing section arrives at the pick-up point. When the drawing section arrives at the pick-up point, the head lowers again from the stand-by position. This mechanism reduces a time necessary for picking up a part.

Abstract: A cart loading system for loading materials on a cart in a orderly and compact manner even if the materials being loaded have different dimensions. The cart loading system includes a frame for positioning on a floor surface adjacent to a material shaping table, and at least one material support arm assembly for moving a piece of material from the material shaping table to a position over the frame. A carriage assembly is provided for moving a material cart in a first direction and a second direction with respect to the frame, and includes a subframe movable in the second direction on the frame and a shuttle mounted movable in the first direction with respect to the subframe. A first moving assembly is provided for moving the shuttle in the first direction on the subframe, and a second moving assembly is provided for moving the carriage assembly in the second direction on the frame. A detection assembly detects movement of material on the support arm assembly and generates a detection signal.

Abstract: A SMIF interface is disclosed for buffering one or more cassettes within a minienvironment affixed to a process tool. The interface includes a load port formed of a port door and a port plate circumjacent thereabout, and a minienvironment mounted to port plate. The SMIF interface and/or process tool includes at least one shelf for storing a cassette after the load port separates the cassette from its transport pod. In operation, while a first cassette is located within the process tool, a second pod is seated on the load port, the cassette is separated from the pod and the cassette is stored on a storage shelf. When processing on the first cassette is completed, the second cassette is loaded into the processing tool. The first cassette is returned to the pod and removed from the load port. A cassette from a new pod is then seated on the load port, separated from its pod and stored on the storage shelf. This process continues until processing on each scheduled wafer lot is completed.