Abstract: U-frame truck comprising a prime mover and a trailer having a U-frame opened backwards and including two parallel side frames and a connecting middle-frame portion. Three hydraulic cylinders are adapted to directly co-operate with special brackets adapted on the container to be transported. In this way an inner frame is eliminated, which up to now always has been used for supporting the container. This means a saving of weight and costs.

Abstract: An apparatus for collecting and transporting particulate material from directly underneath the discharge outlet of a vehicle includes a collection chamber for receiving the particulate material. An auger is provided to convey particulate material from the collection chamber to an auger chamber for subsequent discharge of the particulate material into a receiving hopper. An extension mechanism is provided which permits telescopic extension of the collection chamber and auger chamber so that the collection chamber may be placed directly underneath the discharge outlet of the vehicle. A vertical positioning mechanism is also provided which allows the collection chamber to be raised from a lowered position to closely abut the discharge outlet of the vehicle. A swivel base mount is further provided so that the collection chamber and auger chamber may be selectively rotated between a position generally parallel to the vehicle and a collecting position under the vehicle.

Abstract: This invention relates, in one embodiment, to a refuse handling device having an elongated frustro-conical body of uniform octagonal cross-section with a loading opening and a spaced discharge opening. There is disclosed a compactor having a two-part compacting platen adapted to guide refuse entering the body through the upper loading opening into a position to be acted upon by the lower part of the compacting platen and capable of longitudinal movement within the body. The body is pivotally mounted on a chassis and is capable of pivoting upwardly away from the chassis to dump refuse contained in the body out through the discharge opening. An alternate embodiment of the invention in a side loading refuse handling device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A straddle-lift carrier for transporting long heavy loads, having adjusta width for accommodating various size loads and for compacting the carrier for storage. The adjustable width allows the carrier to negotiate relatively narrow passages. A high degree of maneuverabiltity is achieved by utilization of independently driven and steered traction wheels. Raising and lowering of loads is accomplished by hydraulically operated forklift mechanisms disposed on either side of the carrier. Operation of the carrier is controlled by a handheld remote control unit.

Abstract: A device for parking automobiles comprises two interconnected superimposed platforms which may be lifted and tilted to provide ground level access to either platform and fixed rail tracks and guideways on each side of the platforms. One of the trackways is fixed and the other is connected to the platforms which themselves co-operate with a fixed guide element.

Abstract: A mask loading apparatus and method employing a cassette (200) detachably mounted on an in-out cassette holder (212). The cassette is made of low Z-materials, and comprises a cover (211) and a bottom mask-supporting tray (202) locked by machine-operable locking members (224) to the cover. A lift cylinder (218) has a vacuum cup (216) which is raised to support and hold the underside (213) of the tray and, when the tray is unlocked from the cover, to move the vacuum cup, tray and mask downwardly and then laterally by a transport arm (203) to a fixed location under a mask holder (205, 220) in a lithographic apparatus.The lift cylinder then raises the cup, tray and mask to abut the mask holder and to transfer the mask to the mask holder. The lift cylinder and empty tray is then lowered and removed from a position blocking the mask as it is to be used in the lithography processing. A reversal of the sequence of steps is utilized to unload the mask from its use mode and return it to its cassette cover.

Abstract: A disposal vehicle with a loading apparatus providing a method of lifting a pair of forks from the horizontal portion at the rear of a trash hauling vehicle to directly above its bed. The forks are tilted 90 degrees when positioned on the top of the bed, dumping the contents of a container attached thereto. This is accomplished using a hydraulic system having arm lifting cylinders and bucket emptying cylinders providing the mechanical energy to pivotally lift this pair of arms from the horizontal to the vertical position. Further, a pair of travelers are slideably attached to the arms and have a carriage containing the lifting forks pivotally connected therebetween. After the container has dumped, the carriage returns again following the contour for the vehicle bed rotating the forks simultaneously as it returns to the horizontal position. A pair of securing members pivoted by pneumatic pressure contain entire carriage and fork assembly for over-the-road transportation of the disposal vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing bulk material and loading it into a truck comprises an elongated first frame having a lower end and adapted to stand via this end on the ground, a horizontal pivot at the lower end of the first frame, and an elongated second frame having a lower end pivoted at the pivot on the lower end of the first frame and an upper end. The frames are relatively pivotally displaceable between a transport position with the one of the frames lying substantially within the other frame and a use position with the two frames extending at an angle to each other and the upper end of the second frame spaced above the ground by a distance equal to the loading height of the truck. A rail extends between the ends of the second frame and a bucket is displaceable along the rail between the ends of the second frame. In addition a doser is provided at the lower end of the first frame for filling the bucket, when it is at the lower ends, with bulk material.

Abstract: A charging machine for charging a glass melting tank furnace includes a reciprocatable charging table above which a hopper is provided for the batch, at the rear side of which at least one movable scraper is provided which seals the slot between the rear wall of the batch hopper and the top surface of the loading table. In order to eliminate the wear on the lower edge of the movable scraper and the surface of the charging table which comes into engagement with the movable scraper, the movable scraper is connected to stroke elements for lifting and lowering, whose stroke is controlled in dependency on the movements of the loading table in such a manner that the movable scraper is lifted during the forward movement of the charging table and is lowered during the return movement of the charging table. In this charging machine, wear occurs only during the table return movement, but not during the table forward movement, so that the wear is cut in half, thus doubling the service life of the machine.

Abstract: A loading system for loading vehicles onto a railroad car allows passengers to load their own vehicles. Cylindrical rollers are mounted on a loading dock adjacent to the railroad car. The vehicle is driven onto a pallet that is moved laterally toward the railroad car by the rollers. The railroad car has a frame with two levels that can be raised to position each level with the loading dock. A hydraulic ram pushes the pallet with the vehicle onto the frame for loading and pulls them from the frame for unloading.

Abstract: A ditch, for example in the form of a cable or pipe channel, is uniformly filled with sand with the aid of a movable, funnel shaped container (1) for the sand, equipped with a conveyor feed screw (6) reaching from the container bottom to a container discharge member at an upper edge of the container. The discharge member includes a discharge opening in the upper container edge (5) below the upper end of the feed screw (6). A second conveyor in the form of a chute (7) is arranged to reach with its upper end to a point below the discharge opening when the chute is provided into its operating condition. The lower end of the chute reaches over the central area of a ditch (11). A guide member (8) at the lower end of the chute reaches into the ditch and slides or rolls along one ditch wall. Thus, the lower end of the chute which is able to swing or journal about a vertical axis, is maintained above the ditch even if the container on a carriage does not move exactly in parallel to the ditch.

Abstract: A safety locking mechanism for locking a hoist, such as a power operated tailgate, with repect to its supporting structure comprises: a pair of latch arms which are connected to one another by a flexible cable. A pair of power transmission chains connect the hoist to a power source. A pair of tension sensing lever arms are pivotally mounted and arranged to detect the presence or absence of a normal loading tension in the power transmission chains. The flexible cable also engages each of the tension sensing levers and is held by them in a position in which it retains the latch arms in a released position when a normal loading tension is detected in the power transmission chains. The latch arms will both move to a latching position locking the hoist when the absence of a normal loading tension is detected in the power transmission chains.

Abstract: A gravity operated load stabilizing device is provided for use with forklifts the device comprising an inverted J-shaped member which engages the load by gravity when the fork is raised and is disengaged from the load when the fork rests on a surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stacker crane comprising an upright rigid mast rotatably connected at its upper end to a horizontally movable trolley, an intermediate mast that is vertically movable relative to the rigid mast, and a load supporting carriage guided for vertical motion by both masts and raised and lowered by a winch on the trolley. The intermediate mast has an upwardly projecting pilot portion that is telescopingly received within the rigid mast to guide the intermediate mast for motion between a lowered position near floor level and a raised position wherein the top of the intermediate mast is contiguous to the bottom of the rigid mast. The carriage is guided by a pair of vertical rails on each mast, at its opposite sides, the rails on the intermediate mast being aligned with respective rails on the rigid mast. The intermediate mast is biased upward by a force that can be overcome by the weight of the carriage.

Abstract: Trash storing apparatus includes a support portion, a container portion and a container dumping portion. The support portion includes a substantially horizontal frame section with an undercarriage section including a plurality of wheels extending downwardly from the horizontal frame section, an upstanding frame section extending upwardly from the horizontal frame section adjacent one end thereof and an inclined frame section extending from adjacent an opposite end of the horizontal frame section to a point adjacent the upper end of the upstanding frame section. The container portion normally rests on the inclined frame section of the support portion and extends from adjacent the lower end of the inclined frame section upwardly beyond the upper end of the upstanding frame section. The container portion also including a receptacle member with an open upper end and a cover member pivotally connected adjacent an edge of the open end of the receptacle member.

Abstract: An attachment for a fork-lift truck has a vertical support plate, secured to an adjacent lifting plate of the truck and laterally shiftable therealong by a fluidic jack, which is provided with two pairs of vertically spaced, horizontal guide rails slidably engaged by complementarily profiled pairs of mounting rails which are rigid with two outer prongs shiftable relatively to the support plate by two further jacks. Two inner prongs frictionally engage the mounting rails of the respectively adjoining outer prongs for lateral entrainment thereby between limits defined by adjustable stops on the support plate.

Abstract: A method and a device for feeding rod-like articles, particularly cigarettes, carried by trays, to the feed hopper of handling machines, particularly cigarette-packing machines. In order to assure a broad time period to replace an emptied tray and to practically avoid the sudden drop of the cigarettes from the tray into the hopper, two trays in discharge position and aligned to each other in the direction of the hopper length, are arranged over the inlet opening of the hopper. The descent of the cigarettes into the hopper is permitted alternately only from one of the trays until it is emptied, while the other previously emptied tray is replaced with a stand-by full tray.

Abstract: A hay carrier includes two long bale engaging fingers extending from a flat base. The base is pivoted to a crossbar of a subframe. The subframe is transferrable between the bed of a pickup, and a trailer towed by a pickup or other towing vehicle. A winch on a winch bar of the subframe pivots a bale speared by the fingers up or down by reeling or unreeling a cable connected to the hay carrier. The crossbar rests on the trailer axle or rear edge of the pickup bed. The winch bar is removably fastened to a trailer reach pole or pickup bed. The winch is preferably connectable for "in-the-cab" control, through a dashboard-mounted switch, to 12-volt power on the pickup and towing vehicle. The fingers engage the bale near the ground, and support most of the bale from below.

Abstract: A transport vehicle for a slag pot comprising a vertically movable load surface and two lifting arms for the pot activated by hydraulic cylinders. The lifting arms are connected to a subframe positioned outside the load surface. The lifting arms are connected to the subframe immediately above ground support members. The subframe is pivotally connected to the forward portion of the load surface and rests on the rear portion of the load surface so that when the load surface is lowered, the ground support members are firmly placed against the ground.

Abstract: A detachable platform for supporting a container or the like has extensible legs to stand on the ground and permit a truck body or trailer to pass beneath the platform between the legs and has a built-in jacking system that raises the platform off a truck body or trailer to allow the legs to be extended. The platform permits standard truck bodies and trailers to be used with standard containers without external cranes or lifting devices and avoids the necessity of leaving a container sitting on a truck or trailer.