Abstract: A slack puller has symmetrical sheave assemblies on each side of a cable path. The sheave assemblies each include a driven sheave mounted on an arm. When the sheaves are engaged with the cable by an actuator, tension in the cable pulls the sheaves in a way which tends to increase the compressional forces exerted by the sheaves on the cable. The self actuating nature of the slack puller allows compressional forces on the cable to be kept small until the cable comes under tension. The sheaves are driven by positive displacement hydraulic motors connected in series with a hydraulic pump. This permits the sheaves to turn quickly when the cable is not under tension and slows the sheaves as tension in the cable increases. The slack puller operates more quickly and causes less cable damage than conventional slack pullers. The slack puller has particular application in skyline logging operations where its compact size is an additional advantage.

Abstract: A strip of sheet wrapping material fed to a user device is decoiled from a roll at an upstream station and then drawn by a vacuum into an equalizing chamber, internally of which it forms a running loop. The length of the loop is measured continuously by an analog sensing device operating in conjunction with at least one bistable pressure sensor, located at a given height inside the chamber, so as to establish a range of variation outside of which the measurement is ignored; thus, the length of the loop can be monitored accurately by the analog sensor within the selected range of variation, and maintained within this same range by the action of the pressure sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus for winding a wire about a component having a plurality of slots. The apparatus includes a rotatable gripper mechanism for gripping the component and rotating the component about a transverse axis of the component, the gripper mechanism being shaped to guide the wire into a slot of the component. The apparatus also includes a wire guide for guiding the wire into the slot of the component as the component is rotated about the transverse axis.

Abstract: The fishing reel includes a spool supported rotatably between right and left side plates of the main body of the reel, a drag disk rotatable to be cooperative with the rotation of the handle, a drag mechanism provided between the drag disk and the spool, and an adjustment unit for increasingly/decreasingly adjusting the frictional coupling force acting between the drag disk and the spool via the drag mechanism. Between the drag disk and the left side plates, the first reverse rotation prevention device of a ratchet type and the second reverse rotation prevention device of a one-directional clutch type, are provided so as to prevent the rotation of the spool in a fish line throwing direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for levitated guidance of a material web moving in a travel direction, includes a blow box which defines an air chamber in communication with a source for supply of blowing air. The blow box has a planar surface portion positioned in facing relationship to the material web and formed vith at least one row of nozzles. Side walls converge from the curved edge zones of the surface portion and diverge toward the material web, to thereby demarcate a pressure conversion compartment of trapezoidal cross section. Arranged adjacent the side walls are diffusion channels which are directly connected with the air chamber of the blow box.

Abstract: A large arbor fly fishing reel is provided with a smooth drag and the ability to change spools without removing any additional parts. The reel is provided with spring loaded locking tabs permanently fixed to a spool base which retain the spool upon the spool base and a drag to which pressure is applied through a central spring.

Abstract: A safety apparatus is capable of tensioning a horizontal lifeline while providing an adjustable shock absorber and a gauge or indicator for indicating the amount of tension on the lifeline. A housing is adapted to be secured to an anchor point through an anchoring line. The free end of a horizontal lifeline is connected to a chain which passes around a sprocket wheel within the housing. A guide member is located behind the sprocket wheel and ensures that the chain remains on the sprocket wheel. A lever is utilized to rotate the sprocket wheel in order to tension the lifeline. The lever, however, is interconnected to the sprocket wheel through an adjustable disk brake which can be preset to a desired force. When the tension on the lifeline reaches its desired level, the brake slips and the lever can freely rotate. A second series of disk brakes connected to the sprocket wheel function as a shock absorber.

Abstract: A fishing reel includes a line retaining surface configured to have fishing line wrapped thereabout and a line retrieval surface proximate the line retaining surface. The line retrieval surface moves between a first position in which the line retrieval surface permits fishing line to unwind from the line retaining surface and a second position in which the line retrieval surface engages and guides fishing line onto and about the line retaining surface. The fishing reel further includes a plurality of bristles extending adjacent to the line retrieval surface when the line retrieval surface is in the second position.

Abstract: In a spinning reel for fishing, a fishline guide roller is rotatably supported on a bail support arm pivotably mounted on a rotor. The guide roller has a flattened shape such that a ratio of an axial length of the roller relative to a diameter thereof falls within 0.10-0.40. Further, the guide roller is formed with a narrow fishline guide groove so that a ratio of an axial length of the fishline guide groove relative to an axial length of the roller falls within 0.05-0.35. It is possible to make a fishline guide roller small in weight and size and to restrict axial motion of a fishline along the guide roller which, among other advantages, reduces line twist in the fishline.

Abstract: A ratchet-type tensioning mechanism for a rope or cord has a rotatable sheave with faces having improved outwardly extending serrations which include alternating primary and secondary projections. The secondary projections are located in valleys between pairs of primary projections. A releasable ratchet mechanism permits rotation of the sheave in one direction but not the other. The projections are positioned at regular intervals around the circumference of the sheave and located so that a primary projection on one face of the sheave faces a secondary projection in a valley on the opposite face of the sheave.

Abstract: To prevent a random coil of and an overwind of a belt with simple structure, a belt hoist includes a random coil preventing member pressed against the belt wound around a winding member to prevent a random coil of the belt, the random coil preventing member being movable in response to changes in circle diameter of the belt; and control means for controlling drive of drive means in association with the random coil preventing member when the circle diameter becomes a specified diameter. Further, a belt guide having a belt guide portion is supported between two side plates in such a freely sliding manner as to allow the winding of the belt onto the winding member.

Abstract: Capstan arrangement for transporting a cable to a treatment plant, which capstan arrangement comprises a stationary stand, a capstan wheel rotatably mounted on the stand with a peripheral track for the cable and a motor driven driving device in engagement with the capstan wheel for rotating the capstan wheel in relation to the stand. To achieve a play-free rotation of the capstan wheel, the capstan wheel is provided with a co-axial ring-shaped driving flange, whereby the driving device comprises pairs of drive wheels pressing against opposite sides of the driving flange, at least one drive wheel of each pair of drive wheels being motor-driven.

Abstract: The suture material dispenser comprises two panels (11, 12) of flexible hard sheet material, engaging each other with deformations (15, 18) and being fixed on top of each other. The panels (11, 12) have rim strips (13, 17) diverging to the outside and forming a channel (20) in the form of a wedge. By turning the panels (11, 12) around the central axis (20), a suture material thread (23) is wound into the channel (20). This thread (23) gets through the slot (21) at the bottom of the channel (20) into a receiving space (22). By pulling at a needle provided at an end of the thread (23), the coil is drawn out of the receiving space (22).

Abstract: A sheet feeding device that uses an air damper for absorbing vibrations when a pick up roller contacts the tray and supported stack of paper. The air damper has a circular tube that has an opening formed in the base of the frame. A piston is then connected to the bottom surface of a tray that is supported in the frame. The piston is pivotally connected to the bottom surface of the tray and protrudes into the circular tube. A plunger is attached to the free end of the piston and maintains contact with the inner surface of the circular tube. The air damper reduces the amount of acceleration that the tray undergoes when the tray is free to move towards the pick up roller of the electrophotographic device.

Abstract: In a double bearing type reel (1) for fishing, a spool (3) is fixed to a spool shaft (5) pivotally supported by a reel body so that the spool (3) rotates integrally with the spool shaft (5). A movable body (25) is attached to the spool shaft (5) so that the movable body (25) rotates integrally with the spool shaft (5). The movable body (25) is capable of moving in the axial direction of the spool shaft (5). A centrifugal force operation arm (34) is rotated by a centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the spool (3) so as to move the movable body (25) in the axial direction of the spool shaft (5). A braking force generating means (13, 14) is provided for giving a braking force acting on the spool (3) via the movable body (25) when the movable body (25) is moved along the spool shaft (5) by a predetermined distance so that the braking force corresponds to a distance of movement of the movable body 25.

Abstract: A fishing rod adapter for interconnecting a hand-held power tool and a fishing reel comprises a fishing rod connector adapted to received the shaft of a traditional hand-held fishing rod, a cylindrically hollow housing having anterior and posterior axial openings, and a drive mechanism disposed partially within the housing. The fishing rod connector is adapted to detachably seat within the anterior opening of the housing, such that the housing provides a handle or base for the fishing rod shaft, suitable for gripping with one hand. Within the housing, adjacent the anterior opening is the internal drive mechanism comprising a axially aligned shaft receiver and a number of transfer gears. The posterior opening of the housing is configured to detachably secure a hand-held power tool within the housing, opposite the fishing rod shaft, such that a drive shaft of the power tool is operatively coupled to the shaft receiver of the internal drive mechanism.

Abstract: The trolling system for obtaining player endorsements on a baseball includes a drop cord, a reel which contains and holds the wound-up drop cord and a retractable ball basket. The retractable ball basket is attached at a terminal of the drop cord opposite the reel. The ball basket has a plurality of spaced apart and inwardly biased ribs. These ribs establish a ball container in a central region of the ball basket. Since the ribs are spaced apart and peripherally biased together at one end, the baseball player can rotate the baseball, identify an available endorsement area, and sign or endorse the baseball. Subsequent thereto, the fan can retract the ball basket by winding the drop cord on the reel thereby retrieving the ball from the lower elevation near the baseball player to the fan's elevated elevation in the stadium stands. The trolling system can be adapted for basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, tennis balls, hockey pucks and golf balls simply by changing the shape of the retractable ball basket.

Abstract: A cam assembly for a hoist mechanism includes a cam member, a pair of springs and an input shaft. The cam member has a cavity defined by an inner periphery of a side wall and floor. Cutout portions extend radially outwardly from the inner periphery of the cavity. The springs include a bow-shaped body portion positioned between first and second connection end members. The body portion further includes an outwardly extending detent, each detent extends into a cutout of the cam member to operatively connect the cam member to the springs. The input shaft has a through hole. The first connection end members of each spring are inserted into the through holes of the input shaft, thereby operatively connecting the springs to the input shaft with a reduced number of components.

Abstract: A mechanical winch includes a ratchet lever having a single pawl which may be positioned in either one of two orientations in order to preclude clockwise or counterclockwise movement of the winch, drum or reel. In each orientation, the ratchet lever may also be positioned in a free wheeling position for the drum.

Abstract: A gear changing mechanism for a fishing reel has gears that directly and immediately come into contact with one another without an independent intermediate clutch member.