Abstract: A railway car includes conventional steps leading from a lower station platform to the floor level in a vestibule. A lift platform adapted to receive a seat or wheel chair is provided to lift a handicapped person who has difficulty going up or down steps. A motor is provided for moving the lift platform over the steps between the lower level and floor level while maintaining it in a horizontal position.

Abstract: An impact absorbing device constructed as a hollow body member and extending in a vehicle transverse direction within in an impact area of knees of a driver and co-driver of a motor vehicle. The impact absorbing device has an impact engaging surface facing the knees, with the surface having a rounded-off cross sectional profile and vertically extending corrugations so that the member yields only locally upon engagement by the knees.

Abstract: This is a combination accelerator and brake control mechanism wherein there is a single pedal serving both as the gas control and the brake control. The single pedal is pivoted on a pivot fixed in a base, the pedal extending through the vehicle floor board. Pressing with the foot on the superior or upper part of the single pedal controls the gas to the vehicle motor, pressing with the foot on the lower or inferior part of the pedal controls the brakes of the vehicle. A see-saw rod contacts directly or indirectly with the ends of both the vehicle gas control rod or the brake control rod, and the motion of the pedal pressed down on its top end acting through the see-saw rod moves the gas control rod from neutral position to gas control position, and pressing the lower end of the pedal actuates the brake control rod.

Abstract: An engine-transmission assembly wherein the engine in it is connected to a rear transmission unit by a supporting pipe which serves to reduce vibration and noise. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the supporting pipe includes at least one outer pipe and an inner pipe fitted therein which are interconnected at only ends and are held in position via a friction seat. The pipes forming the supporting pipe can be of equal length and thickness or can be of varying length and/or thicknesses according to other embodiments.

Abstract: A camper cover for mounting over the cargo area of a vehicle, such as a pick-up truck. The camper cover includes a plurality of frame members adapted for mounting on the pick-up truck to support a flexible cover over the cargo area of the vehicle. A flexible cover preferably of canvas or plastic carries a fastener for fastening the cover over the frame members and to the vehicle. The fastener includes a hook and loop type separable fastener having a first part carried by the flexible cover and a complementary part carried by the vehicle for releasable interengagement with said first member. The first part of the fastener secured to the canvas is located in a position to maintain the canvas in a taut disposition when in interengagement with the complementary part. Another embodiment includes the use of a flexible cover over the cargo area of the vehicle secured to the vehicle by use of a fastener including a hook and loop type separable fastener without the employment of frame members.

Abstract: A vehicle coupling comprises a linkage pivotably attachable to a first vehicle about a transverse horizontal axis, and a bearing assembly. The bearing assembly has a vertically disposed pivot bearing for connecting the vehicle coupling to a coupling member attached to a second vehicle. The vertically disposed pivot bearing has a first part fixed to the vehicle coupling and a second part fixed to the coupling member. Said first part of the vertical bearing is mounted above the linkage by support means incorporating a horizontal pivot bearing whose axis is perpendicular to the transverse horizontal axis.

Abstract: A tilt control system comprises a roll bar structure having two separate opposite rotatable members attached on the bottom of both sides of the car body between the car body and bolster. A pair of lever arms connect the ends of the rotatable members to the bolster. Means are provided for selectively rotating the rotatable members to actuate the lever arms in opposite directions to force the car body to tilt laterally with respect to the bolster.

Abstract: A lock inhibitor for a steering column has a flexible cable connected with a manually operated floor mounted transmission control mechanism. The transmission control must be manually moved to the "Park" position before the lock inhibitor can be moved manually to a position which will permit the ignition key to be rotated to the "Lock" position when the key is removed.

Abstract: A tractor with two engines arranged in tandem, each carried by a frame portion pivotable relative to the other counterbalances about a vertical axis under the rear engine. The body of the tractor is narrow forward and to the rear wherein axles for front and rear sets of ground engaging wheels extend laterally and mount six wheels each. The front engine and rear engines extend forward of the respective front and rear sets of ground wheels. The front frame portion is turnable axially relative to the rear frame portion under the rear engine and steering is accomplished by the relative pivoting of the portions about the aforesaid vertical axis. A fuel tank forms a guard over the rear set of wheels and includes a depression for an operator's seat. The fuel tank has a central partition and is optionally hinged in its outer portions whereby the width of the tractor is reduced by removing the outer wheels and pivoting the outer portions of the fuel tank to the rear.

Abstract: Constants for reconstructing by straight line approximations a plurality of characteristic shift curves each plotting limiting engine load vs. engine speed are stored in a main storage. A speed counter furnishes a binary speed number indicating present engine speed and a load counter furnishes a load number indicative of the actual position of the gas pedal. Output logic furnishes address control signals selecting the constants stored in the main storage for a particular characteristic curve in response to the load and speed numbers and a present gear signal. From these a limiting load number is computed. A comparator compares the present load number to the limiting load number and output logic furnishes a selected gear shift control signal if the comparator output is indicative of the correct relationship between the limiting and actual loads for the desired shift.

Abstract: A shock absorbing bumper adapted for mounting on the front and rear ends of a vehicle such as an automobile, comprising an elastic external guard member having sheathed therein a shock absorbing flexible core member and a separately molded elastic decorative facing base provided on the front surface of the external guard member. The elastic facing base is integrally secured to a horizontal recession in the surface of the external guard member by inserting claws at both edges of the facing base into the corresponding holes formed along both upper and lower edges of the recession.

Abstract: A fork assembly for use in removably mounting a pair of bicycle fork tubes having longitudinally extending upper and lower brackets on a fork mounting tube of a bicycle frame comprising an inner tube rotatably mounted within the fork mounting tube and a rod extending through the inner tube. The brackets have rearwardly extending slots through which the rod passes to engage the fork assembly. A lower spool on the rod is adapted to engage the under side of the lower bracket and an upper spool on the rod is adapted to engage the under side of the upper bracket. The spools are movable longitudinally with the rod within the inner tube. Spring means within the inner tube yieldingly urges the spools into engagememt with the brackets.

Abstract: In an electro-mechanical converter of the type wherein a plunger contained in a cylinder is moved in the axial direction thereof by passing a control signal through a solenoid coil wound about the cylinder, the diameter of the plunger is made sufficiently smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder such that the plunger can move without causing undue friction. The plunger is supported by ball bearings to be movable with respect to the cylinder. To control a power steering unit of a motor car a control valve is actuated by the plunger for controlling the amount or pressure of the operating oil supplied to the power steering unit, in which case the control signal is made to be proportional to the speed of the motor car.

Abstract: A shock absorbing bumper adaptable for mounting onto the front and rear of a vehicle such as an automobile, the bumper comprising an elastic external member having sheathed therein a flexible core material and a decorative facing provided on the front side of the external member. An elastic facing base having formed on its front side the elastic decorative facing is provided on its rear side with a hook or hooks which fit into the corresponding slits formed in the front portion of the external member and are engaged therein in such a way that they overhang the edges of the slits while the rims of the facing base fit in the lateral notches also formed in the external member.

Abstract: A coupler for rapidly joining a snowplow unit to a prime mover. A horizontally extended tongue is affixed to the push frame of the plow unit which is insertable into a receiving slot contained in the coupler. The tongue is provided with a pair of contoured camming surfaces that are arranged to translate a prescribed motion to a pair of jaw elements contained in a locking mechanism carried by the coupler. The jaw elements are biased to move in contact with the camming surfaces to first move to a fully opened position to allow the tongue to pass into the coupler and then into closed or locked position wherein the push frame of the plow unit is securely drawn into seated contact against the front wall of the coupler.

Abstract: A sole support plate for ski bindings, which can be releasably fixed on a ski-fixed base plate, bottom plate or the like of a ski binding part and which has a recess on its underside, which recess rests with its bottom surface on the upper side of the base plate, bottom plate or the like and which has on each of two opposite and vertically extending side surfaces a groove, by means of which the sole support plate can be mounted on corresponding guideways of the base plate, bottom plate or the like and can be locked in an offset part of the latter, wherein in the area of the recess there is provided a cavity, which can engage or disengage from the offset part of the base plate, bottom plate or the like, and wherein in the mounted condition of the sole support plate, fastening screws of the base plate, bottom plate or the like are covered up.

Abstract: A push-pull coupling (18) for wheel supported power scrapers (10 and 14) has a coupling means (26) supported for cushioned fore-and-aft movement in a mounting frame (21) at the rear of a first power scraper (10) and a power operated bail (39) at the front of a second power scraper (14). The coupling means (26) has a rearwardly facing hook (37) against which a bight (39a) of the bail (39) may push, and a forwardly facing hook (38) against which the bight (39a) of the bail (39) may pull.

Abstract: PCT No. PCT/US79/00415 Sec. 371 Date June 13, 1979, Sec. 102(e) Date June 13, 1979 PCT Filed June 13, 1979 PCT Pub. No. WO80/02824 PCT Pub. Date Dec. 24, 1980The drives (34,34') of a vehicle are each driven by a pump (18) and motor (22) of a hydrostatic transmission (23). A servo-system (20) associated with each pump (18) is adapted to be controlled by a steering arrangement (35,36) for selectively rotating the drives (34,34') relative to each other. An interlock valve (43,44) is associated with each steering arrangement to stop the drives (34,34') of the vehicle when steering pedals (37,38) thereof are both depressed into certain positions (N,R) of operation. Thus, the operator of the vehicle is prevented from placing the vehicle in an unwanted mode of operation, such as in reverse, when the operator desires another mode of operation, such as braking of the vehicle.

Abstract: A collapsible and hand carryable utility cart formed by short upstanding walls fixed to each other and to a flat, planar bottom, the upper edges of the walls carrying upstanding side panels with bracing pins. Bottom has detachable axle support member with projecting pair of bolts insertable through bottom apertures for engagement inside container. Upon uncoupling, the axle support, individual wheels and U-handle are all storable within the shallow container which with downturned panel walls is carryable or storable on edge or presents its planar bottom for stacking or, upon inversion, provides a work surface.

Abstract: A push frame assembly for a scraper bowl is provided with a tubular structural member extending between, and being rigidly fastened directly to, the side walls of the push frame. A push block and a spreader tube are, likewise, connected between the side walls to produce a relatively rigid frame assembly. In one form of the invention, the tubular structural member has a transverse sleeve therethrough through which an ejector cylinder passes, while in another form of the invention, the tubular structural member has provision for receiving a differential and has reinforced mounts on the one side thereof for connection of ejector cylinders thereto. A method of making a push frame assembly is provided wherein a pair of side walls are fastened directly to a tubular member with a spreader tube and a push block framework connected to the side walls to produce a stronger push frame assembly.