Abstract: One embodiment of a drill rod spacer mover is disclosed. In one embodiment, the drill rod spacer mover comprises a plurality of spacer members each movable to a first position, and a drive transfer arrangement configured operable for receiving drive for moving a body. The body is configured for interacting with a spacer member while moving so as to move same to its first position. The drill rod spacer mover comprises a detent member configured operable for supporting a respective spacer member in its first position when the body moves to interact with another spacer member. More than one drill rod spacer movers can be arranged to form a drill rod spacer mover arrangement for operable use with a drill rod storage assembly.

Abstract: A multifunction manipulator includes a carriage; an articulated arm; a robotic apparatus; and a manipulation head. The robotic apparatus moves the manipulation head with at least three degrees of freedom. The manipulator moves the manipulation head with at least five degrees of freedom. The carriage includes a sliding block; a pulley-type hoisting device having a winch; an emergency braking system to prevent the carriage from moving due to malfunction of the hoisting system and to slide the carriage vertically. The articulated arm has a monolithic body constrained at a first end to the carriage, and at a second end to a first end of the robotic apparatus. The manipulation head connects to a second end of the robotic apparatus. The articulated arm includes first and second actuators. The articulated arm and robotic apparatus have electric actuators controlled independently by a control system of the manipulator.

Abstract: A gripping assembly includes a gripping mechanism for engaging an object and an adhesive assembly coupled to the gripping mechanism. The adhesive assembly includes an adhesive sheet and an engagement mechanism operable between an active state and an inactive state. The engagement mechanism deforms the adhesive sheet to contact the object when operated in the active state.

Abstract: Described is a method for taking up an elongate object from a ground surface using a hoisting yoke coupled to a lifting means. A beam-like support frame of the hoisting yoke extends in a longitudinal direction of the object and slings provided at end parts of the support frame take up the object. The object is taken up in a sling by holding a first outer end of a sling with a first holding means provided at an end part of the support frame and letting it hang down from the first holding means to a position in the vicinity of the object; paying out a messenger line from the end part using a messenger line winch, feeding it under the object and coupling it to a second outer end of the sling hanging from the first holding means; taking in the messenger line so that the sling is carried under the object and to the relevant end part; and coupling the second outer end of the sling to a second holding means provided at the end part, thus forming one of the slings for the object.

Abstract: An improved silo bag extractor that can collect grain or other flowable materials contained therein. As the extractor empties the silo bag's contents into an accompanying grain cart, it simultaneously performs differentiated cuts on the bag, effectively dividing it in two bands of plastic that are directed to the left and right sides of the machine, where they wind tightly around roll-up assemblies equipped with consumable rigid plastic cores. On terminating grain extraction, the used plastic sheet takes the form of two very dense bales that can each weigh 100 kilos or more depending on the original size of the bag. These bales are then released from the machine automatically, proffering several advantages: not having to manually collect large swaths of plastic, not having to rewind the plastic on a second contraption and accomplishing lesser compaction in the process, easier storing and handling, and lower transportation costs to recycling centers.

Abstract: A hydraulic system of a tow truck comprises first and second hydraulic wheel lift assemblies. The first hydraulic wheel lift is used to lift the two wheels of a vehicle that are closer to the tow truck. The second hydraulic wheel lift extends below the first hydraulic wheel lift to reach the other two wheels of the vehicle that are farther from the tow truck. The first and second hydraulic wheel lifts include wheel retainers to hold the corresponding wheels of the vehicle. The wheel retainers of the second hydraulic wheel lift include shafts that are attached to towing wheels to hold the wheels of the vehicle that are farther from the tow truck above the ground.

Abstract: A layer destacking system, for destacking a layer from a stacked layer pallet load, including a layer seating platform configured so as to seat the destacked layer on the layer seating platform, a slip sheet detection sensor arranged to sense a slip sheet in contact with the seated destacked layer, a slip sheet pickup removal mechanism, and a controller that receives a signal from the slip sheet detection sensor identifying presence of the slip sheet. The controller is operably connected to the slip sheet pickup removal mechanism so as to actuate the slip sheet pickup removal mechanism effecting discharge of the slip sheet off the layer seating platform.

Abstract: A method for loading break bulk cargo ships includes stacking one or more cargo layers in a hold of the break bulk cargo ship, wherein the stacking includes placing a bottom layer for each cargo layer, where the bottom layer is formed by one or more mats manufactured from an elastically deformable material, such that the mats form strips which extend adjacently of each other in elongate manner. The stacking further includes placing at least one layer of goods on the bottom layer, where the at least one layer of goods is formed by one or more layers of break bulk goods.

Abstract: The present invention provides a container-handling vehicle (9?) for picking up storage containers (6) from a three-dimensional grid (4) of an underlying storage system (1), comprising a vehicle body (13) and at least one lifting device (18) for lifting a storage container (6) from the grid (4), the lifting device (18?) comprises a lifting band drive assembly (47, 47?,31), a horizontal lifting frame (17) and a plurality of lifting bands (16a, 16b); the lifting band drive assembly (47, 47?,31) is connected to the vehicle body (13) and comprises at least one rotatable lifting shaft (22.

Abstract: The disclosure generally pertains to a robotic vehicle. An example robotic vehicle has a base platform that includes at least a chassis, an actuator, a sensor, and a controller. The chassis includes a first wheel that is attached to a first section of the chassis and further includes a second wheel attached to a second section of the chassis. The actuator has a proximal end attached to the first section of the chassis and a distal end attached to the second section of the chassis. The sensor is configured to obtain information associated with a stair structure located on a traversal path of the robotic vehicle. The controller evaluates the information obtained by the sensor and operates the actuator to vary a separation distance between the first section of the chassis and the second section of the chassis so as to enable the robotic vehicle to traverse the stair structure.

Abstract: An L-shaped track has a vertical part configured to stand on the ground, a horizontal part configured to span over a roof, and a curved part in between. A motor-driven winch moves a carriage up and down the track. The carriage engages a skylight, which can be quickly and easily hoisted from the ground to the roof up the track to the roof to install the skylight.

Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to unloading system and methods of using the same. In various embodiments, an unloading system comprises a trailer bed configured to receive a container thereon, wherein the trailer bed comprises one or more joints configurable between a plurality of joint positions, wherein the trailer bed is configured to lift, tilt, and oscillate at least a portion of the container based on the joints; and an extendable conveyor configured to receive a box that has been released from the container and convey the box away from the trailer bed. Various embodiments are directed to a method comprising tilting the container such that an open end of the container is lower than a closed end of the container, wherein the open end of the container is proximate to an extendable conveyor; and oscillating the container to facilitate release of a box from the container onto the extendable conveyor.

Abstract: An item storage apparatus includes a first storage to store items, a carrier to take an item from the first storage and convey the item, a first support supporting the carrier to be movable back and forth in a first horizontal direction, a second support supporting the first support to be movable back and forth in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, a vertical moving mechanism supporting the second support to be movable back and forth in a vertical direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction, and a second storage to store the item. At least one of the first or second storage has a multi-tier structure in which a space for movement of the carrier is between tiers. The first support has a cantilever structure in which one end is secured to the second support and another end is free.

Abstract: Apparatus for collecting oblong products, preferably metal products, comprising a first containing device (11) mobile between a work position, in which it is able to receive a plurality of oblong products (P) from a working machine, and a delivery position, in which said metal products (P) are picked up. The present invention also concerns a method to collect said oblong products (P) and a plant (100) for working them.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for container dumpers having controlled unloading. In one embodiment, an example container unloading system may include a container support mechanism configured to secure a container, where the container has items inside, and a first conveyor configured to rotate from a first position to a second position. The first conveyor may be disposed in a vertical orientation adjacent to a sidewall of the container in the first position, and the first conveyor may be disposed in a non-vertical orientation adjacent to the sidewall of the container in the second position. The system may include a controller configured to cause the container support mechanism to rotate the container from a vertical orientation to a rotated orientation, and cause the first conveyor to be actuated, such that the items are conveyed out of the container by the first conveyor.

Abstract: A stabilization manipulator for manipulating and moving drilling elements in a drilling rig includes a linear guide fixed to a drill floor; a carriage having a base and sliding blocks, sliding along the linear guide between a positions close to and distant from a well; a first arm having a first end constrained to the carriage base, to rotate about a horizontal axis; and a separate second arm having a first end constrained to the carriage base, to rotate about a horizontal axis. A roller is constrained to the first arm second end, to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to the first arm, changing position relative to the first arm. A roller is constrained to the second arm second end, to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to the second arm, changing position relative to the second arm. A rotation system rotates the base about a vertical axis.

Abstract: An autonomous mobile robot (AMR) with a single modular platform to mount plurality of material handling units is provided. The AMR includes a monolithic chassis; a top plate includes plurality of standoffs to mount at least one material handling units; the plurality of standoffs are integrated on top of the top plate; drive wheels are coupled to a wheel mount as a single unit to form a drive wheel assembly; a suspension unit is coupled symmetrically in between two main bodies which corresponds to the monolithic chassis and the drive wheel assembly with spring enclosures, suspension shafts, and coil springs; a set of side plates connect the monolithic chassis on the AMR. The top plate is sandwiched between the plurality of standoffs and the monolithic chassis. A load is transferred from the plurality of material handling units through the plurality of standoffs and the top plate to the monolithic chassis.

Abstract: A winch mounting device for mounting a winch to an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) includes a bracket, which is mountable to a frame of the ATV so that the bracket is positioned at a front end of a bed and behind a seat of the ATV. A winch is mountable to the bracket, positioning a user to attach a cable of the winch to a load and to winch the load into the bed.

Abstract: A guided trash can cart assembly for automatically transporting a garbage can to a pick up location includes a cart that has a pair of tracks on each side of the cart to drive the cart along a support surface. A dump box is hingedly integrated into the cart to receive a package delivery. An actuator is integrated into the cart and the actuator urges the dump box into a dumping position and a lowered position. An engagement element is integrated into the cart. A garbage can is provided and the engagement element releasably engages the garbage can. In this way the cart can transport the garbage can to a predetermined location.

Abstract: A railroad car moving vehicle comprises a chassis, the chassis including at least two ground wheels and at least two track wheels; a platform moveably mounted on the chassis; a platform lifting apparatus configured to move the platform between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the chassis, the platform lifting apparatus including a platform lifting cylinder operatively coupled between the chassis and the platform; and at least one locking leg, the locking leg positionable between an extended position and a stowed position, the locking leg preventing lowering of the platform when in the extended position.