Abstract: Lumber stacking apparatus which include sticker placing apparatus provide means of automatically placing stickers in a sticker tray and of removing stickers from a sticker tray. Lumber placing apparatus includes an actuating assembly that can be actuated to move a sticker support bracket that is operatively supported thereby in a substantially vertical direction and in a substantially horizontal direction during transferal, by the sticker support bracket, of a sticker from a sticker in-feed conveyor to a sticker tray.

Abstract: A system and mechanism for lifting and lowering bicycles onto the roof of an automobile or other vehicle. A lift arm containing support brackets for holding the bicycle is fixedly attached to a rotatable shaft member positioned on the roof of the vehicle. The shaft member is secured to a bearing member at one end and a gear set mechanism at the opposite end. A crank arm member or motorized mechanism is utilized to operate the gear mechanism and rotate the shaft member. Rotation of the shaft member in turn rotates the lift arm member and lifts and lowers the bicycle onto and off from the roof of the vehicle. Support members for holding the handlebar and seat of the bicycle are attached to the lift arm member for securing the bicycle to it. When the bicycle is in position on the roof of the vehicle, additional bracket members secure the wheels to the vehicle.

Abstract: The invention is a magnet for facilitating separation of individual sheets from a stack of ferro-magnetic sheets; the invention is in the form of an elongate housing containing an elongate array of magnets which may be selectively positioned in relation to the housing so as to bring the array in proximity to the edge of the stack of ferro-magnetic sheets, thereby inducing a magnetic field in said sheets and causing the sheets to separate, thereby facilitating manipulation of the uppermost sheet from the stack.

Abstract: A game lifting apparatus for lifting and loading a game animal upon a rack of a prime mover such as an ATV. The game lifting apparatus includes a rack support assembly including a rack support member being adapted to securely mount to a prime mover, and also including bracket members being fastenable to the rack support member; and also includes a rack assembly being attached to the bracket members for supporting and lifting a game thereupon.

Abstract: A tablet sheet removing apparatus in which tablet sheets (S) are contained in a stacked state within a tablet sheet containing portion (1). Among the tablet sheets (S), at least two tablet sheets (S1, S2), forming the discharge side, are supported separately. A discharge portion (3) sucks and holds only the first tablet sheet (S1) from the discharge side among the tablet sheets (S) supported by an elastic support portion (2) to move and discharge it. Thus, in spite of the stacked direction of the tablet sheets, only one tablet sheet (S1) can be discharged.

Abstract: A capstan for handling slitting tools comprises a base, a pivoting frame, an outer frame and a plurality of shafts. The pivoting frame is supported by the base for pivotal movement about an axis. The outer frame is supported by the rotating frame for translational movement along the axis. The plurality of shafts extends from the outer frame transversely to the axis. The capstan preferably further includes an axial actuator for translating the outer frame relative to the pivoting frame along the axis. This permits an attendant to raise or lower the outer frame, and, hence, raise or lower the shafts. By thus raising or lowering the shafts, the attendant can adjust the height of the shafts to a comfortable level for loading or unloading knives and spacers without excessive lifting or bending. An optional pusher serves to automatically slide the tools between the capstan and the slitter machine.

Abstract: A tortilla stack indexer (10) having an exit conveyor (12) which has a exit conveyor motor (12A) engagably attached thereto. At least two transverse conveyors are in a side-by-side parallel configuration at a perpendicular position to the exit conveyor (12) positioned at a rear distal end adjacent thereto. Each of the at least two transverse conveyors includes a transverse conveyor roller positioned at front end. A stacker conveyor positioned adjacent to the front end of the at least two transverse conveyors having a stacker conveyor roller positioned at rear end. A drive interrupter is engagably positioned between the transverse conveyor roller and the stacker conveyor roller. An electric eye securely mounted under the least two transverse conveyors controls the drive interrupter to prevent collisions of stacks of tortillas on the exit conveyor.

Abstract: A module IC handler used for testing module Ics is disclosed in which the handler enables loading and unloading operations for module ICs, without further elevating pallet over an installation plate, and provides sequential transferring operations for the pallet on which test or customer tray is placed. To this end, after all module Ics 1 are loaded from the test tray 6 exposed to the loading or unloading position 19 or 26 by the loading and unloading elevator units 18a, 18b, or the test-finished module Ics are filled in the customer tray 17, the pallet 5 is moved to a rotation position 30 by a transfer 31, and then can be circulated to an upper side of the loading or unloading elevation plate 36 by the downer 32.

Abstract: Disclosed are both a method and apparatus for preventing facial defects from occurring to the face of a panel as it is removed from a stack of similar panels. The apparatus includes at least two synchronized cams working together to lift a stack of panels as the bottom most panel is removed from the stack. In supporting the stack of panels as the bottom panel is freed, the bottom panel can be slid out from under a stack without damaging the facing of the panel.

Abstract: A load turning device specifically designed to turn paper in a work and turn printing process includes a pair of slides mounted on a pair of parallel tracks. To turn the paper stack, the paper turner is positioned so that a first slide is under the pallet on which the paper stack rests. The second slide is lowered to rest on top of the paper stack, and the slides are locked in position relative to each other. The paper turner is then turned, using wheels to support the weight, until the stack is in a horizontal position. The slides and the paper stack are then moved to the opposite end of the tracks. The paper turner is again rotated until it is in a vertical orientation, rotated 180° from its original position. The printed sides of the paper are now facing downward, and the paper is ready to be loaded into the printing press.

Abstract: A vacuum picker apparatus for cups includes a vacuum picker head with concave surface areas, each being preferably ½° reverse angle, and each surface area having a hole therethrough that allows for a vacuum to be formed at the picker head. When the vacuum is formed, the side wall of the cup is drawn, inside the overall circumference of the head at each concave surface area to provide for an effective seal to hold the cup to the picker head, which reduces deformation of the cup and facilitates its extraction for further processing. A protective ring or skirt at the picker head has spaced apart notches through which apertures are formed to direct a thrust of air against the stack to force the stack away from the individual cup being denested. The dual action of the vacuum picker apparatus removes an individual cup from a stack of cups and forces the stack away from the cup to facilitate removal of the individual cup from the stack.

Abstract: A self-pivoted catcher for the up-stacking of die-cut thermoformed components comprises a low mass loop of material having opposed ends thereofjournaled in a guide pin which is affixed in a narrow web of a catcher plate between apertures therein. The catcher is adapted to move upwardly with movement of the die-cut component as the individual component is separated from a previously die-cut larger sheet of components by the pusher as the pusher is advanced through the catcher plate. The loop is also adapted to engage the underside of a lip of the die-cut component thereby retaining the die-cut component on an upper side edge of the catcher.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for automated removal of shipping containers from a trailer and the automatic return of the emptied shipping containers to a trailer after the cargo has been removed from the container.

Abstract: A cradle for placing a support in a mine. The cradle includes a housing for holding the mine support. The cradle includes an arm mechanism rotatably attached to the housing which has an open position that allows the support to enter the housing and a closed position which prevents the support from leaving the housing. The cradle includes an attachment mechanism connected to the housing for rotatably attaching the housing to a platform of a mechanism for moving the mine support. The attachment mechanism maintains the housing in the horizontal position or a vertical position. A method for placing a support in a mine. The method includes the steps of moving a support from a platform to a cradle. Then there is the step of rotating the cradle until the support is in a vertical position relative to ground. Next there is the step of placing the support on the ground. Then there is the step of separating the support from the cradle. Next there is the step of tensioning the support with the mine roof.

Abstract: A method of controlling an object levitating apparatus is disclosed. The levitating apparatus levitates an object on a plurality of vibrating bodies with air pressure generated from sound waves produced by the vibrating bodies. Each vibrating body is vibrated by a corresponding vibrating apparatus. Each vibrating apparatus has an oscillator and a transducer. The transducer is actuated by the oscillator to vibrate the corresponding vibrating body. The method includes determining impedance of each transducer, and controlling each oscillator in accordance with the determined impedance to restrict displacement of the levitated object.

Abstract: Apparatus for facilitating the installation of a modular cabinet assembly on a wall includes two adjustable height lifting and leveling assemblies each having a base portion positionable on the floor. An upper portion of each assembly has spaced structures useable for receiving sections of two elongated, horizontally spaced apart support members which extend parallel to one another and to the wall. With the assemblies in a horizontally spaced relationship with one another and secured to the wall, and a plurality of cabinet modules resting on top side portions of the support members, the modules are secured to one another, and the resulting assembly is leveled about axes perpendicular and parallel to the wall by using leveling portions of the assemblies to vary the heights of the support member sections disposed in the receiving sections. The leveled cabinet assembly is then anchored to the wall.

Abstract: A bale transporting apparatus includes a frame, and ground engaging apparatus mounted on the frame for supporting the frame above a ground surface and permitting movement of the frame across the ground surface. A bed assembly holds collected bales thereon and includes a bed being mounted on the frame. A bale unloading assembly unloads bales from the bed; and a bale loading assembly loads a bale onto the bed. A hitch assembly may be collapsible for permitting a portion of the hitch assembly to lie substantially flat on the ground surface in a collapsed position.

Abstract: A credit card stacker holding up to a predetermined number of cards in a lower section. Cards are supplied by a separator mechanism from the upper section of the card stacker, as they are depleted from the lower section by the issuing mechanism. The separator mechanism supports one edge of a card in the upper section only while the other edge of the card is supported by a predetermined number of cards in the lower section. When the number of cards in the lower section drops below the predetermined number, the separator mechanism allows cards to drop to the lower section.

Abstract: Successive collapsed cardboard blanks which can be erected to accommodate, for example, arrays of cigarette cartons are supplied from a source (such as a magazine for one or more piles of superimposed randomly distributed properly oriented and misoriented blanks) to a packing machine along a path wherein the orientations of successive blanks are monitored and the misoriented blanks are reoriented so that the packing machine receives blanks each of which is in an optimum orientation for erection and subsequent reception of arrays of commodities. The arrangement for monitoring and, if necessary, correcting the orientation of successive blanks can include pneumatic and/or other conveyors, mobile props, mobile pushers, an upright chute and a vertically movable supporting platform for stacks of monitored and (if necessary) reoriented blanks.

Abstract: An assembly for positioning and removably supporting cargo on the exterior of a vehicle, wherein the cargo is preferably mounted on a mobile carrier assembly such as a hand truck. A hoist assembly includes a winch and lifting cable and is concurrently supported, along with the mobile carrier, on a base which is removably secured to a hitch structure mounted on the vehicle. A support assembly is secured to the base and is structured to independently but concurrently support both the hoist assembly and the mobile carrier, with or without the cargo thereon. Upon removal of the mobile carrier from the vehicle, the cargo supported thereon can be transported over the ground or other support surface to an intended location for use without requiring repeated loading and unloading of the cargo from the mobile carrier.