Abstract: In accordance with the present invention an open top railway car is provided in which the car body is divided longitudinally into at least two body sections having opposite ends which are pivotally mounted on vertically extending supports attached to a car underframe. The body sections include respective transversely spaced side walls, at least one end wall, and bottom walls having inner edges which abut and/or overlap in closed position to define the bottom of the car. Each of the body sections is pivotable from the closed position to an open position in which the inner edges of the bottom walls are spaced apart to allow discharge of lading between the rails. An energy saving unloading system is also disclosed for unloading the cars.

Abstract: A device for gripping and transferring a fabric material such as a canvas sack or the wrapper of a bale is disclosed comprising a carriage movable on a rail and on which is mounted a gripping assembly. The gripping assembly includes a disc having engagement tines disposed thereon which is driven by a low torque motor. The operations of lowering the discs for engagement of the fabric, engagement and transfer of the fabric are integrated for sequential action.

Abstract: An inclined ramp, for loading and unloading rolling cargo between ground level and a cargo bay of an air transport, incorporates a stowable lift for handling palletized cargo which is deployable into an operative position providing a horizontal pallet receiving platform and which is retractable into a collapsed, stowed position nested in an elongate recess between treadways of the ramp. The platform of the lift is supportively mounted on a carriage which rides up and down the ramp on tracks mounted within the recess. The rolling-cargo ramp, with the pallet lift stowed therein, is retractable into the cargo bay for on-board transit and is deployable from the cargo bay for use at airfields where specialized, ground-based cargo-handling equipment is unavailable and when a mix of both rolling and palletized cargo is involved.

Abstract: A support element is disclosed which is movable vertically with respect to a frame of a wheeled vehicle as a result of extension of one or more extensible members of the support element. The support element is suspended from the frame by at least one suspension member, which is operatively attached to the frame and to at least one of the extensible members.The at least one suspension member may also be operatively connected to a relatively fixed portion of the support element.

Abstract: Apparatus for opening a cassette, of the type which carries a sheet of X-ray film, to allow the film to move into processing equipment, without requiring a darkroom. The apparatus includes a lighttight housing containing inclined guides for receiving the cassette, and pins at the bottom of the space between the guides, that can engage latches on the cassette to open it. The cassette is forced against the pins by a cover on the housing, which pushes on the cassette as the cover approaches its fully closed position, so the pins unlatch the cassette which opens to allow the film sheet to drop out.

Abstract: An unmanned conveying control system capable of conveying a load between a base position such as a gateway of a warehouse or a predetermined position in a manufacture line in a factory and a storage place in the warehouse or factory as well as loading and unloading of the load in such base position and storage place completely automatically and without an operator. A load conveying way is defined by leader cables along which an unmanned travelling vehicle is guided. Leader cables are provided along load storage lines (lanes) in the warehouse or factory and a central control unit gives out load storage and load delivery instructions and applies a guide signal only to a lane in which the vehicle should be guided. The vehicle detects the state of the load placed in front of the vehicle and transfers the load from the vehicle to a required layer of a stacked load when the vehicle has received the load storage instruction, or from a required layer to the vehicle when it has received the load delivery instruction.

Abstract: Method and apparatus of recovering filler from a sanitary pad. The pad typically has a film backing and a cover sheet and filler therebetween. Such a pad is laid out flat and advanced through a cutter which opens up the cover to expose the filler. The filler is sucked from the pad for salvage and the film backing is discarded.

Abstract: A tower crane is disclosed in which a balance arm is pivotally connected to the top of the tower on an axis midway between the front edge of the tower and the rear edge thereof. The front end of the balance arm extends beyond the front edge of the tower, and a boom to support a load is connected to said front end of the arm. A backstay exerts a downward force on the rear end of the balance arm to balance the load. The load carried by the boom is therefore distributed equally to the four corner chords of the tower.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved golf ball collector, which comprises a plurality of ball catching wheels on a common axle which wheels are parallel with and spaced from each other so that the distance between two adjacent wheels is slightly smaller than the diameter of golf balls. In front of each of said wheels is arranged one disk wheel which is aligned therewith and which is slightly elevated off the ground and is rotated in the reverse direction relative to the direction of rotation of the ball catching wheels. Means is provided to deliver balls from the ball catching wheels to a container.

Abstract: A crane device having a track supported main frame with a trolley rollable on the main frame at right angles to the direction of travel of the main frame and with a carriage rotatable on the trolley. The trolley may consist of a single load trolley or it may consist of a load trolley and a trolley for carrying an operator's cab with each of the trolleys being provided with a rotatable carriage. The load trolley is adapted, via cables connected to the carriage, to engage a load such as a ladle. The ladle has a stopper which can be retracted by remote control from the operator's cab and is, likewise, tiltable for discharging slag and residue therefrom.

Abstract: An open bottomed wheeled carriage has upstanding side plates between which a flexible mat is dragged over the ground. The front end only of the mat is secured to a cross bar on the carriage at a height greater than that of a golf ball on the ground. The mat is made up of pivotally joined rings or rings and links or parallel chains so that balls on the ground over which the mat is pulled will pass upwardly through the rings or between links or chains to the upper surface of the mat. A cleated endless belt, driven by the carriage supporting ground wheels, sweeps the balls rearwardly over the mat into a container on the rear of the carriage.

Abstract: A hoisting assembly for hoisting loads comprising a jib boom and a counterweight arm extending in opposite directions and pivotally mounted on a supporting means for pivoting in a same vertical plane, and interconnected by means of an adjustable connecting means allowing their relative angular position to be changed, said boom and said counterweight arm building a pendular assembly swinging around said supporting means automatically and taking a balanced position whatever the load carried by the boom is.

Abstract: The automatic controlling of a hopper door of a moving dump vehicle is actuated in sequence by a wayside mechanical trip and subsequently by a wayside inductive signal. An automatic preliminary check is made of the control system immediately upon actuation by the wayside mechanical trip to detect proper or improper setting of the portion of the control system which responds to the wayside inductive signal, and if an improper setting is detected, the control system is disarmed to avoid prematurely dumping the load from the vehicle.

Abstract: A trailerable utility crane having a compound articulated mast to provide variable working configurations and foldable on itself to provide a relatively compact storage configuration as well as an extended length sufficient to load and unload a tow vehicle. Transport wheels for road travel are carried by the mast in a manner that allows the base of the crane to be lowered to the ground automatically with extension of the mast. The mast is supported for azimuthal movement on the base and outriggers for stabilizing the base are safety-interlocked with the azimuthal support.

Abstract: An apparatus for stowing and conveying articles comprises at least one plurality of supporting and conveying units mutually interconnected at predetermined intervals, movable in continuously horizontal positions on an endless runway formed by fixed tracks for guiding the supporting members of said units, continuity of support by said tracks and by auxiliary fixed means associated therewith being provided for the supporting or conveying units through the whole runway, the means for interconnecting the units also serving to produce the control movements.

Abstract: In overhead cranes of the kind including a box girder fabricated of elongate plates and torsionally loaded by a trolley running on three rails respectively at three corners of the box girder, the structure of the box girder is usually such that flanges project from the corners thereof and prevent proper support of the rails in optimum corner positions in alignment with the walls of the girder. This problem is now solved by providing a rail with an elongate flange and securing the rail and flange respectively to marginal portions of a pair of adjacent plates of the box girder. In this way the rail can be secured in optimum position at the corner of the girder and forms with the flange a member which encloses the corner flange and serves as a stiffener or reinforcement for the corner. In a preferred construction the rail and flange are the respective arms of a generally V-section elongate member enclosing the corner of the girder.

Abstract: An automatic loader and unloader for an elevator includes a stationary frame, a main carriage movable in either direction relative to the stationary frame, and a coupler carriage movable in either direction relative to the main carriage. The main carriage is slidably disposed on the stationary frame by a bearing arrangement which provides a cantilever support for the main carriage when the main carriage is extended. The main carriage and the coupler carriage are extended and retracted by two pair of cables. One pair of cables effects movement of the main carriage and coupler carriage in one direction, and the other pair of cables effects movement of the main carriage and coupler carriage in the other direction.

Abstract: An automated refuse container discharge station is disclosed in which a refuse container is emptied such that its volume decreases as an essentially constant function of time. The unloading station includes a support assembly on which a carriage assembly is adapted for longitudinally sliding motion. The carriage assembly includes container opening apparatus at one end and container discharging apparatus at the other end. The carriage assembly also includes apparatus for unlatching a container tailgate portion and releasably securing the container to the carriage. A hydraulic cylinder advances the carriage assembly with respect to the support assembly and hydraulically damps movement of the carriage and container at the end of the advancing stroke. The carriage assembly includes an hydraulic discharge cylinder which may be intermittently advanced into the container. Part of the discharge cylinder is supported by guides carried by the carriage and aligned guides carried by the container.

Abstract: This is a new and unique machine which organizes older, recognized and established methods of handling objects and machinery into a more economical, efficient method by recombining articles of present day usage into a new concept. An ordinary conventional automotive hydraulic jack is used to replace the fixed jacking arrangement found on machines of this type. The use of a threaded screw mechanism working in conjunction with a moveable trolley arrangement makes it easier to handle a load and makes it possible for this machine to accomplish comparable results in the handling of objects and machinery as was formerly required by two different and distinct machines.

Abstract: Projections made of a different and less abrasion resistant kind of rubber to that constituting the exterior of the tire are arranged to contact the road during low pressure conditions, whereby the amount of rubber worn off indicates the amount of fatigue accumulated and degree of internal damage done by running the tire at that pressure.