Abstract: Extended-reach lift apparatus for remote accessing of low-clearance areas is provided. The apparatus includes a vehicle whose frame supports a vertically pivotable telescoping boom which is elevatable by means of hydraulic rams. An extended tilt head is provided on the free end of the boom which includes parallel upper and lower link members of equal length. A work implement support having a discrete work implement tilting cylinder is attached to the remote ends of the upper and lower links of the tilt head. A hydraulic cylinder extending between the boom and the lower link of the tilt head provides separate tiltability of the tilt head while the design of the tilt head mechanically assures the maintenance of the attitude of the work implement without requiring additional hydraulic compensation during such tilting.

Abstract: An elongated metal apparatus which comprises at least one longitudinal gripping member and preferably a pair of longitudinal gripping members in spaced apart relationship, which are anchored to a slab of concrete and can be used in conjunction with a forklift to physically lift and move the slab of concrete to another location to thereby expose the area beneath the concrete. The apparatus enables a user to remove a section of concrete without the necessity of breaking up and discarding the section of concrete and having to subsequently re-pour the concrete. The apparatus includes a central tunnel or channel for receiving a fork of a forklift, a pair of side members which permit the apparatus to be affixed to the concrete using anchor bolts, and a pair of covering members which cover the area of the anchor bolts to prevent then from flying out and injuring someone if one or more of the anchor bolts should shear loose during the lifting or moving process.

Abstract: Arm device adapted to move and position a first basic part (6) relatively to a second basic part (4), comprising at least three arms (1,2,3,7) capable of being extended and shortened in a controlled manner, said arms being free to pivot in attachments (5) on the second basic part, while one attachment on the first basic part is rigid, and one of said arms is torisonally rigid. A third basic part (15) is connected to the first basic part through a joint (16), and at least one auxiliary arm (12,13) is at one end connected to one of the arms (7) through a joint, while the other end of the auxiliary arm is connected to the third basic part (15), and the lengths of the auxilary arm can be varied. Thereby is achieved that the arm device has a large number of degrees of freedom with respect to movement of the third basic part, which holds a tool or a tool holder. Moreover, the tool or the tool holder may be journalled for rotation relatively to the third basic part ( 15).

Abstract: A turnover device for turning over articles as they are conveyed along a production path. The turnover device comprises a frame, two spaced apart and parallel axis, first and second carrier arms mounted respectively on the axes for rotational movement, first and second meshing gears mounted on the axes respectively, and a drive motor and lever. The first and second meshing gears have pitch diameters such that, as the two carrier arms counter-rotate from a start position to a finish position, the first carrier arm will rotate through an arc of approximtely 108.degree. and the second carrier arm will rotate through an arc of approximately 72.degree.. The arms are then rotated to their start position. An article placed on a first carrier arm will drop off onto the second carrier arm and be carried back down to a horizontal orientation which is flipped end to end with respect to its starting orientation.

Abstract: A transporting device of the conveyor belt type, in which a transporting belt, on which the material to be transported can be supported, is capable of being moved along a transport path by a driving mechanism and carried using rolling bodies. The transport path is equipped with an electrical travelling-wave stator (10). Permanent magnets (16) are provided arranged in series, which communicate with the transporting belt (20) in a power-transmitting fashion and form a linear motor with the travelling-wave stator (10) with an air-gap between the pole faces of the attracting permanent magnets (16) and the travelling-wave stator (10). The permanent magnets (16) and the travelling-wave stator (10) are held at air-gap space (a) by rolling bodies (14).

Abstract: A container handling apparatus having a pair of side frames and a cross frame. The apparatus also has four lift mechanisms for attachment to a container. Each lift mechanism is mounted on one end of a secondary lift arm. Four primary lift arms are connected to the side frames and to the midpoint of each of the secondary lift arms. A cam follower on the lower end of each secondary lift arm follows a cam horizontally along one of the side frames. Hydraulic cylinders rotate the primary lift arms about a pivot connection to the side frames. This causes the upper ends of the secondary lift arms to move vertically to raise and lower the lift mechanisms and the container. Transducers connected between the primary arms and the side frames equalize the amount of rotation of each of the primary lift arms and automatically keep the positions of the four lift mechanisms at the same height.

Abstract: A utility pole handling attachment for skid-steer type loaders includes an hydraulically operated gripper arm and support cradle for receiving and gripping a utility pole during pulling or setting operations or transporting. The attachment is adapted to pivot the gripped pole along a path from a transport position wherein the pole is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the loader, to a pulling or setting position wherein the pole is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the loader for installation into or removal from the ground.

Abstract: The field vehicle of the instant invention includes an elongate mobile vehicle frame which is supported for movement over the ground, and an elongate conveyor extending along the length of the frame. The conveyor is constructed to support a series of bales in end-to-end relationship and to move the bales endo along the frame in a path extending axially of the frame. A bale unrolling mechanism is aligned with the conveyor to receive a bale moved thereinto by the conveyor. The bale unrolling mechanism includes a support for supporting the underside of the bale occupying the unrolling mechanism. The support includes rolls that are rotated to produce rotation of the bale thereon about its axis.

Abstract: A tension springs separation device for use in a system for automatically mounting tension springs to a seat frame of a seat for an automobile. In the separation device, there are provided two narrow portions in a feed passage in a part feeder, each of which has a width permitting only one tension spring to pass therethrough in the longitudinal direction, and there are provided two projected ramp portions each of which has a level difference slightly larger than the outside of the tension spring, whereby a large number of tension springs loaded into the part feeder can be sent out one by one sequentially.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light towable vehicle (1) designed for maneuvering a detachable container (22), such as a skip. This vehicle comprises a support frame (4) and a platform (7) hinged together. It is provided with two wheels (5) on an axle (6) and with a coupling member (3) for being hitched to a towing vehicle (2); it carries a slender mast (8), the lower end (10) of which is pivotally linked to the front end of said frame (4). The mast top carries a pulley (12) for a cable (20) attached by one end to the front end (11) of the platform and by its other end to a winch (21) on the platform (7) for raising the front end (11) of the platform.The frame (4) carries two pivots (14) forming an axis (15) for the pivoting of the platform. This axis (15) is preferbaly near the vertical plane of the center of gravity of the platform.

Abstract: A method of taking an electronic component or chip out of each of plural pockets which are formed at regular intervals along a longitudinal direction of a carrier tape and which have openings in the upper surface of the tape, through vacuum suction of a suction member, while the tape is intermittently fed in a feeding direction parallel to its longitudinal direction, including the steps of: (a) bringing the pockets having the chips, into a position where their openings are covered with a covering device having a notch with a width narrower than that of the chip and wider than that of the suction member; (b) feeding the tape by the regular interval in the feeding direction, and permitting a leading chip of the chips covered with the covering device to be brought into a suction position where the leading chip is right below the suction member and the notch; (c) lowering the suction member through the notch so as to allow the suction member to suck and hold the leading chip; (d) retracting the covering device wh

Abstract: A robot joint includes an electric drive motor and step-down transmission ilt into the robot joint housing. The output of the transmission drives a gear to which a mounting flange is coupled. A first part of the robot is coupled to the housing and a second robot part is coupled to the mounting flange. The mounting flange is supported axially and radially in the housing by bearings. The bearings preferably include a conical-roller bearing for providing radial and axial support and a needle bearing for providing axial support. Both bearings are maintained under pretension by a spring, thereby providing a robot joint which is free of play.

Abstract: A space spider crane 15 is provided for the movement, placement, and/or assembly of various components on or in the vicinity of a space structure 120. Space spider crane 15 is comprised of a small central body 16 to which manipulators 24 and legs 25 are attached. The legs 25 are equipped with constant pressure gripping end effectors 29 to safely grip space structure 120. Walking by legs 25 or repairing and placing by the manipulators 24 may be controlled either by computer software 140 or a remotely situated human operator 135, who maintains visual contact with the space spider crane via television cameras 22 located at strategic positions on space spider crane 15. One possible walking program consists of a parallel motion walking program that results in small central body 16 alternatively leaning forward and backward relative to end effectors 29.

Abstract: In belt conveyors having two parallel belts (1) with feeders, movement of the belts must be synchronized. The known method of achieving this is by means of electrical systems. The present invention entails a radical simplification of this synchronization by using a single belt (1) crossing over below the conveyor, the two parallel sections on the upper side of the conveyor thus moving snychronously. The conveyor according to the invention is less expensive and more reliable than previously known conveyors, nor is it dependent on a source of electric power.

Abstract: An unloader for bulk materials is provided to transfer material such as cement from a barge or other bulk container. It includes a moveable and rotatable support member such as a crane or cantilevered arm that is adjacent the bulk container. A first conveyor or auger is connected to the support for pivotal movement and extends generally horizontally. A second conveyor or auger is connected to the distal end of the first conveyor for pivotal movement and is generally vertically oriented. A feeder unit is connected to the distal end of the second conveyor for universal and rotational movement. The feeder includes an uplift portion communicating with the second conveyor, the uplift portion advancing the bulk material at a rate slower than the second conveyor, and a collector portion communicating with the uplift portion. The collector portion includes converging auger assembly to advance the bulk material towards the uplift portion and to assist in transferring it into the uplift portion.

Abstract: An anti-fatigue mounting mechanism, which is used to join a drag bar to an endless chain in a combine feeder mechanism, is disclosed. A combine feeder mechanism typically includes a feeder housing, a feeder drum rotatably carried within the housing, and endless chains rotatably carried in the housing and used to rotate the drum about an axis of rotation. A spaced pair of the chains is typically mounted on end portions of the drum, and a third chain is preferably mounted therebetween. One of the embodiments of the present invention pivotally joins a drag bar lateral end portion to one of the end-mounted chains. The other embodiment pivotally joins facing drag bar end portions to each other and to the chain disposed therebetween.

Abstract: A mechanism for mounting a backhoe on a vehicle including a backhoe mounting subframe having a downwardly extending work position and a transport position in which it is pivoted upwardly and outwardly from the work position. The backhoe mounting subframe is pivotally mounted about an axis transverse to the frame of the vehicle. The backhoe mounting subframe is movable at the operator's option between the work position and the transport position, and means are provided for positively latching the backhoe mounting subframe to the vehicle frame either at the work position or at the transport position.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus operable in connection with the reciprocating movement of a press to grasp and successively hold and move workpieces operated upon by the press comprising a plurality of opposed longitudinally spaced gripping members mounted to move transversely for gripping a plurality of workpieces, moving the workpieces longitudinally and thereafter releasing the workpieces so that the gripping member can be returned for successive cycles. Each of the movements is controlled by a vertically movable cam and a cam follower urged against its respective cam and interconnected by mechanical linkage to cause the gripping members to move inwardly to engage workpieces, longitudinally to move the workpieces, and outwardly to disengage the workpieces.

Abstract: A carrier system which carries electronic parts mounted on an arm to arbitrary positions within a clean room is disclosed.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus 10 for elongate flat articles such as newspapers is described. The mechanism uses a rachet or pawl mechanism 36 or 36a to control a roller 23 or 23a rotatably mounted on a shaft 24 or 51 for dispensing the articles with the shaft and roller locked together. The roller has a cylindrical cross-section in continuous contact with the uppermost article to be dispensed by turning a crank handle 53 or by pulling a pull bar 28. The rachet or pawl mechanism and support plate 18 for the articles P are constructed to be rugged and reliable in dispensing the articles. Self lubricating bearings 18a are mounted on the plate for movement on multiple posts 12. The rachet mechanism engages indentations 38 on the end 37 of the roll.