Abstract: A multi-axle programmable manipulator is described which includes a corresponding multi-axle training arm for programming the manipulator. A support for the training arm is disclosed which allows the training arm to so be anchored to the manipulator that the first axle of the training arm extends constantly in the extension of the first axle of the manipulator. The displacement of the second axle of the training arm is mechanically compensated to be rotatable about the second axis of the manipulator.

Abstract: The boom of a backhoe is hinged to one end of a two-position cradle-like tilt member. The base of a single control cylinder is hinged to the other end and the piston is pivotally secured to the boom to swing it so that boom and control cylinder do not mutually interfere but allow for more stable transport and deeper working range. The cradle is pivotally mounted near its center on a swing tower, adjustable in azimuth. The cradle is caused to move to its end positions by control of the boom and its load. Actuating means for the dipper arm of the backhoe is secured between arm and the boom. Suitable locks are provided for securing the cradle in the transport and working positions.

Abstract: A dispenser for elongated articles that is especially adapted for convenient assembly. The dispenser has a generally rectangular storage bin having an inner chamber and an article discharge slot that extends substantially from side to side across the front of the chamber. A chamber floor inclines downwardly toward the article discharge slot, and a lever arm is hingedly attached to the chamber floor to form therewith a lever arm-floor assemblage that includes substantially all of those moving parts the dispenser whose function directly relates to dispensing articles therefrom. The lever arm extends forwardly through the article discharge slot and has a depressed dispensing position and an elevated closed position.

Abstract: The drums to be loaded or unloaded are placed on a carriage borne by rollers and comprising telescopic arms. The carriage is guided along an arcuate path by a rigid arm and a pivot pin situated at the end of a bar supported by a base. A motor is provided on the carriage to drive the carriage in the arcuate path.

Abstract: A high lift scissors jack has three sets of scissor members. Each set is joined to the adjacent sets at the corners using connectors which maintain the base and the platform parallel as the structure extends and retracts. The connectors have angularly spaced pivots and the pivots have shoulders which provide lateral support to the ends of the lever arms. The scissor sets are joined to a support base and a platform by similar transition assemblies. The transition assemblies each include a pivoted strut for each set of scissor members. The strut has its base pivotally mounted on the support base or platform and its opposite vertex connected to the end of the scissor set. Extension and retraction are performed by rotating the support base struts about their base pivots.

Abstract: A mechanism for use on a boom-type vehicle includes load lifting forks carried by a low profile twist-resistant carriage which is one link in a low profile parallelogram linkage attached to a fly section of the boom and maintained level in all positions of the boom by a slave cylinder connected between the boom and a slave link which constitutes a member of the parallelogram linkage. The mechanism can be adjusted to many positions while automatically maintaining the relative position of the forks with respect to the vehicle frame for any boom angle. The mechanism can be adjusted to provide a long reach over or under obstructions in order to remove or place a load. It may also engage loads below ground level. Load pick-up or placement can be performed in confined areas which are unreachable by conventional forklift trucks.

Abstract: A joint mechanism for a manipulator movable in the manner similar to human shoulder and elbow joints is disclosed. The joint mechanism comprises three actuators mounted on a shoulder frame, a first gear assembly for moving the shoulder frame back and forth when the first actuator is driven, a second gear assembly for moving the upper and lower arms clockwise or counterclockwise when the second actuator is driven, and a third gear assembly for moving only the lower arm back and forth or up and down when the third actuator is driven. Further, a balance weight and its gear assembly are attached and driven by the third actuator to keep weight balance of the moved lower arm. A fourth actuator and its gear assembly are disclosed for further moving the shoulder frame right and left.

Abstract: Apparatus automatically feeds coins into a parking meter. The timing clock used in the parking meter operates an external coin feeding mechanism to feed a coin when the time on the parking meter is about to expire. The invention is applicable to parking meters of the type wherein the insertion of the coin rewinds the clock as well as of the type wherein a knob is turned to rewind the clock after the coin is inserted. With the latter form of parking meter a special battery powered circuit is employed to wind the clock in increments after a coin has been automatically inserted.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for translating an object held by at least two fingers of a robot hand to a predetermined position relative to a fixed point of the robot hand is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a linear potentiometer for sensing the position of each finger relative to the fixed point on the robot hand. A microcomputer identifies the finger at the greater distance from the predetermined position as the position-controlled finger, and identifies the other finger as the force-controlled finger. Pneumatic cylinders and valves impart movement to each finger. A pneumatic servovalve controls movement of the position-controlled finger according to the position of the position-controlled finger relative to the fixed point of the robot hand. In an alternative embodiment, the movement of the position-controlled finger is controlled according to both the position of the position-controlled finger and the position of the force-controlled finger.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatic glazing of cars which comprises a robot having a robot arm. A tool is mounted on the robot arm for gripping a window glass, and two T.V. cameras are fixed along a conveyor line for respectively taking images of front and rear pillars of a body shell stopped at a predetermined position. T.V. cameras are mounted on the gripping tool for taking images of a window frame for position compensation of the window glass, and an image processing unit is provided for distinguishing the kinds of body shells and for calculating position variations of the stopped body shell with respect to predetermined positions thereof from the images. A control unit is provided for receiving signals corresponding to the position variations from the image processing unit and for moving the robot so as to compensate for position variations.

Abstract: A fuel injection nozzle for internal combustion engines comprises a nozzle needle (2) guided in a nozzle body (1) and loaded by a helical pressure spring (4). The nozzle needle (2) moves under the pressure of the fuel out of its closure position onto a stop (6) which in turn is loaded by a further but stronger helical pressure spring (7) and limitedly displaceable against the force thereof. The stronger helical pressure spring (7) surrounds the weaker helical pressure spring (4) and the fuel flows through a bore (5) parallel to the spring axis. To achieve a reduction of the external diameter of the injection nozzle in the region of the two springs (4, 7) the latter arranged eccentrically rather than coaxially. Furthermore, between them a preferably likewise eccentric bush (8) is provided through which in the region of its greatest wall thickness the bore (5) for the inflowing fuel extends.

Abstract: A fuel injection nozzle for internal combustion engines comprises a nozzle body (1) and a nozzle needle (5) guided therein. The nozzle body (1) terminates in a nozzle cap (3) in which ejection bores (4) are provided and which forms at the inside a conical valve seat (6) against which the nozzle needle (5) is pressed. The nozzle needle (5) lifts under the pressure of the fuel supplied in a first lifting phase against the force of a spring (8) off the valve seat (6) and bears on a stop (19). This stop (19) is limitedly displaceable in a second lifting phase against the force of a further spring (9). To reduce the hydrocarbon emissions in the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine and diminish ignition noise, the generated surface (M) of the imaginary cylinder formed in extension of the ejection bore (4) between the inner edge (R) thereof and the surface of the nozzle needle (5) lifted off the valve seat in the first lifting phase is made smaller than the cross-section of the ejection bore (4).

Abstract: An automatic parts feeder has a bed, a base movable on the bed in a first direction, a hopper assembly mounted on the base, a delivery mechanism, a transfer mechanism, and a supply mechanism for supplying parts to a processing machine. The supply mechanism supplies the parts in a second direction normal to the first direction, and includes a movable assembly movable in both the first and second directions, a swing arm pivotally supported on the movable assembly and angularly movable in a plane normal to the second direction between a substantially vertical upstanding position and an inclined position, and parts receivers detachably mounted on the swing arm for receiving, holding, and releasing the parts.

Abstract: The cable supporting arrangement inside the base body of an industrial robot supports at least a cable (14) led through the interior of the base body (10) having a cylindrical inner surface (11) into the movable body (13) provided atop the base body pivotably about the axis (X) of the base body. An inner cylinder (15) is provided and fixed concentrically inside the base body. An annular space is defined between the inner cylinder and the base body. The resilient strip members (19, 20) have one end (21, 30) thereof fixed to the inner surface of the base body, and the other end (22, 31) fixed to the cylindrical outer face (16) of the inner cylinder. The strip member is curved at a selected portion such that the strip member sections before and after the curved portion are opposite to each other, and is forced under its own resilience onto the inner surface of the base body and the outer face of the inner cylinder when the movable body is in a selected pivoting position.

Abstract: A combined drop and broadcast spreader for granular material is mountable on the implement of a front end loader. The spreader includes a hopper containing a plurality of discharge openings in the bottom. A rotatable impeller in the bottom forces the granular material from the openings during drop spreadings. A rotatable broadcast disc is coupled to the rear wall of the hopper for discharging granular material in an arc-like pattern. The hopper includes a hole with an auger supplying and metering granular material from the hopper to the broadcast disc. An auger-like agitator moves the granular material in the hopper to the hole.

Abstract: The travelling cabin comprises a plurality of closed, individual cabins, whereof the chassis is movably supported on a circular rail. The cabins are interconnected by upper and lower coupling rods. For the rotary movement of the cabins, the cage is provided with a cabin rotary drive constructed as a friction gear and whose driving wheel cooperates with a drive ring fixed to the cross-members of the cabins and which is supported by mating wheels. By subdividing the travelling cabin into individual cabins, the transportation capacity can be increased compared with comparable known travelling cabins, while the cabin weight and elevator driving power can be reduced.

Abstract: A gas cylinder coupling and weighing mechanism useful in a carbonated drink dispenser having a gas cylinder. The coupling and weighing mechanism supports the cylinder rotatably within a hood, the hood forming a lever which is biased upwardly by a spring. A full cylinder will pull the hood all the way down. As the cylinder is emptied, the hood will begin to move upward and when the cylinder is empty the hood will be fully upward. Mounted inside the hood is a fitting engaging with a mating fitting on the gas cylinder. The mating fitting is equipped with a pair of arms which are aligned with locking slots contained within the mating fitting which are used to engage pins on the fitting inside the hood when mounting the gas cylinder.

Abstract: A spray cap assembly comprising a base unit including a dispensing duct in communication with separate air and material passages, and an insertable push/pull closure mated to fit into the base unit which permits the sealing of the air and material passages from the dispensing duct and from each other. The spray cap assembly by modification to the design of the dispensing duct permits the dispensing of a variety of products having a variety of consistencies as a spray from the squeeze container.

Abstract: A moving table type work system includes a work table (3) arranged to provide the movements of two degrees of freedom for a work piece (a) to carry out a predetermined work for the work piece (a). Further included are a feeding table (1) which is reciprocated between the work table (3) and a work piece feeding device (2) to transfer the work piece (a) from the work piece feeding device (2) to the work table (3) and a discharging table (4) which is also reciprocated between the work table (3) and a work piece receiving device (5) to transfer the work piece (a) from the work table (3) to the work piece receiving device (5).

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically opening and closing a door of a vehicle body which is transferred by a conveyor or is stopped at a predetermined position in a manufacturing process. The apparatus accurately controls the opened angle of the door with the guidance of the combination between an engagement member and an opening thereof.