Abstract: Traction sheave elevator in which the drive machinery together with the traction sheave is placed in an elevator shaft provided with guide rails for the elevator care and the counterweight. The hoisting ropes go upward from the traction sheave. The elevator comprises two diverting pulleys mounted on an upper part of one of the guide rails, the first one of the diverting pulleys carrying a hoisting rope portion going from the traction sheave to the elevator car while the second one carries a hoisting rope portion going from the traction sheave to the counterweight.

Abstract: A computer controlled dispensing system including a first unit having a plurality of compartments for containing articles to be dispensed. A second unit includes larger compartments for containing articles of a size larger than the dimensions of the compartments in the first unit. Each compartment of the second unit including a locking mechanism. Some of the compartments of the first unit being programmed to receive and dispense means to operate the locking mechanisms to gain access to articles stored in the compartments of the second unit. A key pad associated with the first unit. A computer. Means are provided for inputting codes to the computer via the key pad to access the contents of a selected compartment of the first unit to dispense one of the means to operate a selected one of the locking mechanisms.

Abstract: A simplified elevator car door lock assembly locks an elevator car door if the car is outside a landing zone and there is an attempt to open those doors. The car doors are connected to the hoistway doors by a pair of vanes mounted on the car door and a pair of rollers mounted on the hoistway door. A third vane is attached to the car door and follows a cam path on the car door to lock the car doors if the car is not in a landing zone. Conversely, the third vane senses if the car is in a landing zone and does not lock the car door if it is moved.

Abstract: An elevator with electric/manual dual driving-mode including a cab suspended from a beam at the top of an elevator well by a host cable, a winch mounted on the cab and driven by a reversible motor to take up/let off the host cable so as to lift/lower the cab, and a manual drive means for turning the reversible motor in driving the winch manually by a person in the cab in an emergency case, wherein the manual drive means includes a gear shaft supported on a bearing in a support outside the cab, clutch means controlled by a clutch switch to couple said gear shaft to the motor shaft of said reversible motor, a hand wheel disposed inside the cab and coupled to the gear shaft by a chain transmission mechanism and turned to rotate the reversible motor through the gear shaft, and a clutch switch controlled to move the clutch means into engagement with the gear shaft and a rear extension shaft of the reversible motor, for permitting the reversible motor to be turned with the gear shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in sorting granular materials which includes a bin having an outlet. A conveyor is disposed beneath the outlet of the bin. A pin is provided having a first end and a second end. The first end is affixed to the conveyor. The second end extends into the outlet of the bin. A motor is used to vibrate the conveyor. The pin vibrates in the outlet of the bin as the conveyor vibrates, thereby promoting a flow of granular material from the bin onto the conveyor in direct proportion to the rate of vibration of the conveyor.

Abstract: A method of installing roller guides in an elevator system so as to be centered on their respective T-rails. In the case of an elevator using either and active or semi-active roller guide system, the method uses the position transducers that are part of the roller guide to indicate how to reposition the roller guide after it is loosely bolted and approximately positioned on the elevator car. For an elevator not using an active roller guide or semi-active roller guide, the present invention temporarily attaches position transducers to the roller guide before bolting the roller guide to the elevator car. These position transducers are removed after centering the roller guide on the T-rail.

Abstract: A jet aircraft engine transport apparatus is disclosed which utilizes three major subcomponents. The first subcomponent is a shipping stand which enables a jet aircraft engine to be configured for transport in either a truck transport mode or air transport mode. The second subcomponent is a fan dolly which releasably secures the fan section of the jet aircraft engine for transport. The fan dolly serves the dual purpose of enabling removal of the fan section from the jet aircraft engine and providing a means of transport so that the fan section may be transported on the fan dolly or loaded onto a fan shipping frame, the third major subcomponent of the transport apparatus of this invention. The fan shipping frame enables transport of the fan section in either an upright or horizontal position, and further provides for a fan storage container for securing the fan blades of the fan section.

Abstract: A system is provided for vending products such as beverage and other food products, preferably individually packaged, from a storage unit to a customer terminal at a remote location through a pneumatic tube conveyor to move the product from storage to a dispensing unit at the remote location in response to product selection made by a customer at the remote location. Preferably, a vending system is provided for marketing products to customers of a facility at which they are engaged in a transaction for the purchase of another product or service of a diverse vending system. In such an embodiment, payment for the purchase price of the product is accounted for through the payment subsystem that accounts for the transaction with the diverse vending system. For example, an ancillary system may sell food, beverages or vehicle care products to gasoline customers by charging to a gasoline charge system having a credit card reader associated with a self-service gasoline pump to process the gasoline purchase charge.

Abstract: Containers for sterile gloves having long cuffs folding over the palms, leaving the fingers exposed beyond, are disclosed such that, upon opening, only the crease of each long cuff/palm overfold can be manually grasped. In one preferred embodiment, sterile containers initially covered with removable film are designed with single openings covered by slit film to dispense multiple surgical or examination gloves. Inside the containers, the overfolded cuffs of successive gloves are folded under the flexed fingers of the first and every succeeding glove, such that the user can serially extract externally sterile gloves by grasping the crease of each long cuff/palm overfold. One bare hand grasps the crease to glove the other. Then, the ungloved hand grasps the crease of the next glove, such that the fingers of the gloved hand can be inserted under the cuff/palm overfold to glove the bare hand.

Abstract: In a method for operating an industrial truck, a load-lifting member (1) is moved up and down vertically on a lift mast (2). A discrete control signal is provided to control the vertical speed of the load-lifting member (1) by at least one single or multistage switch. In switching on and then holding the switch (13) in the on position, the load-lifting member (1) is first accelerated from zero to a first vertical speed value (V.sub.1) and after the passage of a period of time T.sub.1, it is accelerated to a second higher vertical speed value (V.sub.2).

Abstract: A reciprocating rotor and ratchet assembly wherein the rotor is indexed a certain angle of rotation with each reciprocation of the ratchet member. The assembly includes a housing, the rotor and the ratchet member. The rotor and ratchet member are rotatably located within the housing. The ratchet member includes at least one locking lug and is rotatable between first and second positions relative to housing. The locking lug engages the rotor when the locking lug is rotated in a first direction from the first position to the second position, and causes the rotor to rotate with the locking lug. The locking lug engages the housing when the ratchet member is in the second position and, in this position, the housing maintains the ratchet member in engagement with the rotor in a manner to stop rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: An elevator door system having variable opening/closing width includes a button (1) located in the hall in the loading area for calling the elevator car to that hall, multiple destination floor buttons (2) in the elevator car which indicate the destination floor of the elevator car when pressed, a load sensor (3) which measures the load applied to the elevator car, a door operator (4) which opens the door completely or less than the completely opened width, and a controller (5) which inputs the signals from said hall button (1), destination floor buttons (2), and load sensor (3) and outputs a drive signal to said door operator (4).

Abstract: A sensor dispensing instrument is adapted to receive a generally circular sensor pack containing a plurality of blood glucose sensors. Each of the sensors are disposed in sensor cavities, each of which is in fluid communication with a corresponding desiccant cavity and has a support wall that assists in directing the sensor as its being ejected from the cavity. The sensor pack is loaded on an indexing disk in the instrument such that when a slide actuator on the instrument is moved toward a testing position, a feed mechanism engaged by the slide actuator moves a knife blade thereon toward one of the sensor cavities. The knife blade pierces a portion of a foil covering the sensor cavity and engages the sensor disposed in the cavity to thereby eject the sensor from the sensor cavity.

Abstract: A safety brake device (1) for hydraulic elevators acts by arresting the axial movement of the elevator ram (3) with respect to the main hydraulic cylinder (5) of the elevator. The safety brake (1) utilizes two lever acting brake arms (27) lined with an accretable metal (31), for example annealed copper, as the friction material. When actuated, the brake arms (27) contact the ram (3) circumferentially to slow and stop the falling ram. The lining material (31) is machined inside the brake arms (27) to a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the ram (3) and when actuated, the accretable material (31) on the brake arms (27) contacts the ram (3) with sufficient frictional force to stop the downward motion of the ram (3). The safety brake (1) may be actuated by loss of hydraulic pressure, by an electronic signal from a hydraulic pressure detector, by down overspeed or by an uncontrolled down motion detector.

Abstract: A clamping system for selectively keeping a hydraulic elevator stationary at a selected floor level.

Abstract: A tissue package comprising tissues and a dispensing package in combination. The dispensing package has a dispensing opening through which the tissues are dispensed. The dispensing package further has an engaging tab which separates one of the tissues as it is dispensed, thereby separating the tissue from succeeding tissues.

Abstract: A motorized tablet dispenser provides a tablet hopper mechanism suitable for storage of an entire prescription of tablets. A disk-like loading plate is carried at the base of the tablet hopper, and provides radially arrayed tablet voids and a spur gear perimeter. The loading plate is rotated by means of a high torque, low speed, geared motor. Each major type, size and shape of tablet is associated with a loading plate having voids sized to fit that tablet, and any loading plate may be installed in a dispenser. An easily operated pushbutton mechanism translates linear motion along a vertical axis into angular motion about a horizontal axis of a tablet transfer mechanism. A single tablet is moved from the loading plate into a recess in the tablet transfer mechanism. The interface between the cylindrical surface on the tablet transfer mechanism and the planar loading plate prevents jamming.

Abstract: An automated working platform is supported by an air cylinder to a specified air pressure of lift. The work product on the pallet provides an opposing force to the air pressure to achieve a desirable height of the work product within a specified range. The level is maintained as the work product is removed by decreasing the opposing force exerted by the work product.

Abstract: A vending machine for dispensing beverage containers having a cylindrical side wall forming a body and a neck extending from the cylindrical body. The body has a groove formed therein and extending around the circumference of the body. The vending machine includes at least one chute for storing and dispensing the containers. The chute has a loading end located at an upper end thereof for receiving the containers and a delivery end at a lower end thereof for delivering the containers to a delivery area of the vending machine. The chute has at least two sequential paths. A first path extends generally at a downwardly sloped angled position from the loading end of the chute. A second path extends generally downwardly at an angled position from the first path so that the containers roll along the chute towards the delivery end of the chute.

Abstract: There is provided a nurser liner that facilitates stacking and nesting of the liner while maximizing liner capacity. In particular, it permits a plurality of the liners to be contained within a container having limited internal space while allowing the liners to de-nest properly and individually from the container. The nurser liner includes a rim that is located at one end of the liner and a step that is located a predetermined distance from the rim. In addition, the outer walls of the liner are slightly tapered inward from the rim. The step and the tapered outer walls insure uniform spacings between nested liners for easy dispensing, optimal spacing between liners and maximum liner capacity.