Abstract: A versatile merchandising machine for dispensing a variety of goods including bagged snacks and the like in which each of a plurality of delivery units of one of a number of vertically spaced shelves includes a pair of horizontally aligned oppositely wound helices which receive articles between aligned pairs of turns of the helices and in which selectively energisable individual detent motors respectively drive the helices of the pairs in opposite directions to advance the leading article of the unit into engagement with an article control element hanging down in front of the unit to guide the article to control its movement over the edge of the shelf and downwardly to a delivery area. The shelves can be slid outwardly and swung downwardly through a limited arc to facilitate loading.

Abstract: In snowmobile tracks of the endless, internally driven type, high friction because of direct contact between the track and the slide elements of the slide suspension system caused deterioration and subsequent failure of the track. This invention provides a staple cleat installed in the track and positioned so as to provide a sliding interface between the track and the slide element whereby the otherwise destructive friction build-up is considerably reduced.

Abstract: A bumper construction for a motor vehicle and method of making same is provided wherein such construction comprises a plurality of elongated metal members each having a plurality of integral expanded metal weblike spacers extending therefrom toward an adjacent member and the weblike spacers are fixed together to hold the members in spaced relation; and a face bar is fixed to the elongated members.

Abstract: A bumper arrangement for a vehicle is comprised of a deformable tube located between two flat plane plates. One end of the tube is flaired in order to create a flange region. During an impact the tube deforms, starting at the flanged end of the tube, into a series of corrugations having a toroidal shape.

Abstract: A retractable pouring spout closure for dispensing liquid products from containers in a safe and controlled manner. The closure consists of a plastic nozzle with integrally molded captive cap for friction fit engagement within a container wall opening. A tearing diaphragm seals off the upper end of the nozzle and has a cylindrical wall depending from its lower surface within the confines of the nozzle throat. A retractable pouring spout has its upper end tightly surrounding the depending cylinderical wall in stored position so as to require breaking of the diaphragm seal prior to unplugging the spout.

Abstract: An endless track for a tracked vehicle is described. The track is driven by an arrangement which includes polygonal drive sprockets. Each sprocket has teeth at the corners of the polygon and outwardly curved surface portions between the teeth.

Abstract: A dispenser for semiliquid materials. The dispenser includes a cylindrical housing which is wall-mountable and which has an upper, closed end and a downwardly opening open end. The housing has a column coaxial within the housing attached to the closed end. The column serves as a fixed piston in cooperation with a cup which is threadedly engaged with the housing to telescopically sheath the piston. Rotation of the cup telescopically moves the cup over the piston thereby displacing the material in the cup through a spout in the base of the cup. The material may be either encapsulated and the capsule placed in the cup or the cup may serve as a container for a bulk quantity of material.

Abstract: A fluid dispensing anti-burglary device is disclosed in which a fluid, containing a chemical such as tear gas, is discharged into an area to be protected when an intruder forces entry into the area with which the device is associated. The anti-burglar device employs an electrothermal actuator as a trigger for releasing a spring biased member to cause the discharge of fluid from a pressurized container.

Abstract: A coffee machine for dispensing automatically individual cup portions and pot size portions of coffee, as well as dispensing continuous flow of coffee and continuous flow of hot water comprising a housing with a hot water tank, a freeze-dried coffee concentrate hopper, and a mixing assembly for receiving the hot water and concentrate. A heating device is associated with the discharge passage from the hopper to prevent caking of the particles at the outlet, which would interfere with the proper metering of the coffee concentrate.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for effecting gravity-assisted flow of granular material from a chamber through an aperture in the bottom wall thereof include an annular horizontal plate orbiting in its plane at a location above the bottom wall in a manner to cause flow of the material toward and through the aperture. The direction of orbital movement reverses periodically to prevent accumulation of the granular material between the plate and the wall. Partitions above the plate divide the granular material into portions each of which is engaged by a part of the plate during each orbit whereby the extent of engagement between the plate and each portion determines the relative amount of that portion being fed.

Abstract: In a feeding device of the rotary valve type with pneumatic discharge of the pockets of a rotor in the direction parallel to a portion of the rotor hub of the rotor the shaft has a conical shape such that a conveying duct for the gas/solid mixture is formed by one pocket of the rotor, the wall of the rotor casing and the rotor hub, which duct diminishes in diameter from the gas inlet opening to the outlet opening for the gas/solid mixture, the said opening extending over two pockets of the rotor.

Abstract: An improved spout for a dispensing closure of the swivel-spout type for use with a container for fluent substances has a hollow cylindrical knuckle received with a snap fit in mating bearing openings in a base for rotatable relation therewith to position the spout between "on" and "off" positions. A hollow nozzle intersects the knuckle wall. The knuckle has sealing and sliding contact with pads on the base and with a protuberant ring circumjacent a passage in the base for exit of the contents of the container through the bore of the nozzle when the spout is in the "on" position.

Abstract: A shoe assembly of a continuous track of a crawler type vehicle has a vibration damping assembly substantially covering a surface of the shoe to damp shoe vibrations. The vibration damping assembly has at least one plate extending over the surface of the shoe and a viscoelastic material positioned between said shoe and plate for connecting the plate to the shoe.

Abstract: A bottle screw cap carries a dispensing nozzle member on its top face for swinging about a vertical axis in a recess in the top face between retracted and extended positions in which the discharge end of the nozzle is within and beyond the peripheral edge of the screw cap top, the nozzle proximal end being out of and in registry with a port in the cap communicating with its interior when the nozzle member is in its retracted and extended position respectively. In one form, the top face is oval and includes a vertical tubular post having an outlet port and the nozzle member terminates at its proximal end in a cap rotatably engaging the post. In another form, the top face is circular and the recess is delineated by a chord and the periphery, the shoulder along the chord having a housing recess in which the retracted nozzle member nests.

Abstract: A new type of gripping shoe for traction devices of the caterpillar type, comprising a deformable element of composite structure. The deformable element comprises a body member which is mechanically resistant, deformable and of low elasticity. This body member is provided with a large internal recess housing a sole member of a highly deformable, elastic and substantially incompressible material.

Abstract: A collapsible container comprises a flexible walled tubular body having a heat sealed longitudinal seam, an integral preformed non-metallic thermoplastic head member having an annular skirt telescoped and heat sealed within an end of the tube body, and an external skirt on the head member surrounding the outer side of the tube body around the heat sealed region.

Abstract: A draft gear carrier attached to the lower flanges of a hat shaped center sill comprises a flat steel plate to which are connected first and second slide or wear plates which extend substantially the width of the center sill. The slide plates are substantially identical and, in assembling of the carrier, proper assembly is assured since the carrier is reversible and either slide plate will properly support the draft gear.

Abstract: A railroad car uncoupling lever assembly having a handle member, a lock lifter member, and means for connecting the two members and permitting their relative axial movement in response to lateral and longitudinal movements of the railroad coupler. The connecting means includes, in one embodiment, a plurality of guide sleeves formed of high lubricity plastic material snap fitted onto one of the members with a bearing face engageable with the other member to facilitate movement of the members and reduce wear. In a second embodiment the guide sleeves are mounted on opposite sides of a connecting member to permit extensive telescoping movement of the uncoupling assembly.

Abstract: An improved metering gate for metering fluid materials discharged from a hopper of the type including a vertically oriented discharge opening. The metering gate is characterized by a pair of closure panels arranged in coplanar relation, a drive mechanism including a plurality of rams connected with said closure panels for displacing the closure panels in opposite directions along a pair of aligned linear paths traversing the opening, and a motion balancing mechanism interconnecting the panels for equalizing the distances through which the panels are displaced by said drive mechanism, and a lag-elimination mechanism for eliminating lag in the displacement imparted to the opposite ends of each panel of said pair, whereby each portion of each panel of said pair of closure panels is displaced through a distance equal to the distance through which any other portion of either panel of said pair of closure panels is displaced by said drive mechanism.

Abstract: An uncoupling device for a central buffer coupling on a railroad vehicle comprises an operating mechanism which has one end pivotally mounted adjacent the tracks on which the vehicle is positioned and on the other end is provided with an uncoupling hook which is engageable with the uncoupling lever pivotally mounted on the railway vehicle. The operating mechanism is moved between inoperative and engaging positions by a drive which is actuated by a switch responsive to the engaging of the uncoupling lever with the hook on the operating mechanism.