Abstract: A front wheel drive vehicle having a bed supported by the rear wheels of the vehicle by a pair of jacks. The jacks cause lowering of the bed rear end to rest on the road surface for embarkation of a disabled vehicle on the bed.

Abstract: A boom arm of a boom assembly is formed of a pair of side walls integrated into a box boom structure where the top and bottom plates are roll formed with transition edges providing a weld bed for welds attaching the side walls to the top and bottom plates. The particular cross sections of the top and bottom plates provide a weld blow-through preventing barrier and also dimensional guidance and tolerance control during assembly of the boom arm.

Abstract: A telescopic boom is pivotally mounted on a frame of a vehicle and comprises telescopically disposed first, second, third and fourth sections. A double-acting cylinder has a rod thereof connected to the first section and a housing thereof connected to the second section. A first pulley is rotatably mounted on a forward end of the cylinder housing and a second pulley, having a larger diameter than the first pulley, is rotatably mounted on a rearward end of the cylinder housing. A first end of a cable is secured to the first section and is sequentially entrained over the first pulley, secured to the third section, entrained over the second pulley and has a second end thereof secured to a forward end of the first section. Thus, extension of the cylinder will function to extend the second section relative to the first section and simultaneously extend the third section at twice the linear speed as that of the second section.

Abstract: An article handling device is adapted for storing and readying cassettes, film cards and other information carriers of essentially equal size. The device comprises a support frame including a plurality of compartments for accepting articles to be stored, these compartments being arranged in vertically oriented rows of generally aligned, opposing pairs of compartments, with the rows being spaced apart from one another to define a passageway between the rows, each compartment having an inclined floor member, with the floor members of each compartment pair being inclined outwardly away from the passageway; and apparatus for selectively inserting an article into one of the compartments, comprising a lifting assembly which is vertically displaceable in the passageway and an article carrier mounted on the lifting assembly such that the carrier is tiltable from the horizontal position bilaterally to an angle which is parallel to the inclined floor member of either compartment of a compartment pair.

Abstract: A vehicle for transporting vehicles and/or containers, includes a driver cab and a rear axle. A loading platform is mounted on the vehicle and is movable between transportation and loading positions. The platform has front and rear sections. The rear section projects in a cantilevered fashion beyond the rear axle of the vehicle and adapted to be lowered to the ground for loading and unloading vehicles and/or containers. The rear section is bent downward with respect to the front section at an angle. A push-pull unit is mounted on the front section of the loading platform. A tipping support mechanism is mounted on the vehicle directly above the rear axle for pivotally supporting the platform. A tail wheel is mounted to the rear section of the platform. The rear section further includes a tiltable, drive on ramp upon which the vehicles and/or containers are moved during loading and unloading operations. A trailer coupling mechanism is directly connected to the tipping support mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving a plurality of tiers of poultry coops containing live birds at an unloading area and automatically handling the coops to unload the birds therefrom at a location outside the hang room. A lay down unit accepts the coops one tier at a time and tilts it from an upright disposition to an inclined disposition, laying the coops down on an inclined conveyor that moves the coops to the end of the incline. The lead coop falls over the end and into a coop unloading unit having a saddle adapted to catch the coop and hold it suspended above an auxiliary conveyor, permitting the coop door to freely open and discharge the birds. A mechanism within the unloading unit moves the coop out of the saddle and onto a coop elevator, causing the coop door to automatically close. A coop elevator takes the coops to a coop inverter which turns each coop over. The coops move to a restack station provided with an outfeed conveyor.

Abstract: Grain to be conveyed is supplied to an elongated chamber having a ram movable longitudinally through the chamber. A discharge opening at the end of the chamber communicates with a grain delivery tube which extends into a grain storage bin. As the ram is moved through the chamber, grain is forced outwardly through the discharge opening, through the grain delivery tube and into the bin. A discharge end portion of the tube within the bin is provided with vertically spaced openings for discharging grain at a vertical position close to the level of grain within the bin. Radially and downwardly directed spouts over the vertically spaced openings prevent the backflow of grain through the delivery tube.

Abstract: In a warehouse setup, individual items of goods are moved onto and off of storage shelves on a rack by a vibrating action. A movable carriage supporting a vibrator is positionable at the ends of a storage shelf so that the vibrator can be placed in engagement with a particular shelf. The shelves are movably supported relative to the rack whereby the vibrating action is directed to the shelf but not to the rack.

Abstract: A floating crane on a pontoon of which installed are a crane slewing portion which carries a boom and boom slewing, boom luffing and load hoisting drives controlled by respective master controllers, and also a heel compensation device controlled by a signal from an angle-of-heel transmitter.

Abstract: A hydraulically actuated hoist adapted for mounting on a farm tractor, the hoist including a base of generally inverted T-shaped configuration having a horizontally extending portion and a vertically extending portion, a telescopic boom having one end portion pivotally connected to the vertically extending portion of the base, the hoist also including a pair of downwardly extending support legs fixed to the horizontally extending portion of the base, and an elongate support post pivotally connected to the end portion of the boom remote from the base, the post being adapted to overlie the boom and being pivotable to a vertically extending position whereby the post and the legs cooperate to form a tripodal support for the hoist.

Abstract: An automated storage system includes a door at an access station for the insertion of articles, luggage and the like to be stored temporarily in a container. A transport system is provided to transport the container to a predetermined storage repository removed from the access station. Retrieval of the container is initiated by the insertion of a lock key in a predetermined position to activate the transport system to return the container to the access station when the user desires to retrieve the article or luggage from the system. The containers are constructed to be resistant to fragmentation in the event of an explosion and the containers are placed in an explosion confining environment.

Abstract: A storage apparatus for cartridges used with a system for recording, storing and reproducing information comprises a cylindrical member with a plurality of inclined cells. A disk-like shield plate formed with an opening is arranged adjacent to one side of the cells. A motor which is controlled by a decoder and encoder rotates the member and the shield plate. When a particular cartridge is to be removed from a cell, the member and the shield plate are rotated to bring one of the inclined cells and the opening in the shield plate into alignment with each other at an uppermost position. The cartridge is discharged from the cell by gravity. When it is desired to store cartridges in the cells, the member and the shield plate are rotated to bring one of the inclined cells and the opening in the shield plate into alignment with each other at a lowermost position where a cartridge is moved by gravity into a cell.

Abstract: A tray unloading apparatus for transferring trays from a tray transport van to a horizontal in-feed station of a carry-away conveyor for carrying trays to further stations. The unloading apparatus includes vertical pillars which support a set of horizontal parallel tray guide tracks which are disposed essentially parallel to a plurality of vertical sets of tray rails in a tray transport van. The set of tray guide tracks are vertically shiftable along the pillars by a mechanical drive into different height positions corresponding to levels of the transport van rails. The uppermost height position is level with the in-feed station of the carry-away conveyor to receive a tray slid from the tray guide tracks at the upper level.

Abstract: A double slewing crane comprises a vertical support or column which is adapted to be fixed in position, for example on a ship between two cargo hatches. A first crane arm or cantilever arm is pivotally mounted on the support for pivotal movement about a vertical axis and a second crane arm or cantilever arm is pivotally mounted on the support for pivotal movement about the same vertical axis. Each crane arm carries a jib which is pivotally mounted at its inner end about a horizontal axis and one of the jibs may be made shorter than the other. The pivotal mounting includes a ring gear which, for example, may be fixed with respect to the support, and each cantilever arm portion carries a drive motor with a drive pinion which engages the ring gear to effect the individual rotative motion of the associated cantilever arm. Drive motors of the two cantilever arms may be synchronized so that the arms rotate together about the fixed ring gear.

Abstract: The present invention provides a continuous shelf storage unit comprising a shelf, an inclined rail track on which non-driven wheeled carriages can move, with auxiliary equipment for the loading and unloading of the shelf, the rail track having a slight incline for causing a deceleration of wheeled carriages coasting thereon, and momentum-imparting apparatus acting on the wheeled carriages and disposed in the track. The momentum imparting apparatus is activated by the auxiliary devices during removal of a carriage from the shelf.

Abstract: A double slewing crane comprises a vertical support or column which is adapted to be fixed in position, for example on a ship between two cargo hatches. A first crane arm or cantilever arm is pivotally mounted on the support for pivotal movement about a vertical axis and a second crane arm or cantilever arm is pivotally mounted on the support for pivotal movement about the same vertical axis. Each crane arm carries a jib which is pivotally mounted at its inner end about a horizontal axis and one of the jibs may be made shorter than the other. The pivotal mounting includes a ring gear which, for example, may be fixed with respect to the support, and each cantilever arm portion carries a drive motor with a drive pinion which engages the ring gear to effect the individual rotative motion of the associated cantilever arm. Drive motors of the two cantilever arms may be synchronized so that the arms rotate together about the fixed ring gear.

Abstract: A rotary tower crane having a tower which can be extended step-wise by adding a section between the boom supporting segment and segments of the supporting structure is provided with a host and crab mechanism for adding or removing a section adjacent to the boom without the use of another crane. The tower is provided with a movable inner tower member slidably disposed in the upper tower segment. The inner tower member has transverse members adapted to be retracted so they will pass bracing members on the tower and to expand to a point where they will support the inner member on the brace members when immediately above the brace members.

Abstract: A traversing hoist mechanism driven by a vehicle prime mover is drivingly interconnected with a fluid power drive transmission comprising a pump which is drivingly connected to a pair of fixed displacement hydraulic motors connected in a series arrangement for driving the pumps at the same speed; whereby the fluid power drive transmission effectively moves the hoist trolley assembly fore and aft in addition to raising and lowering a lifting apparatus. A unique control line assembly allows the operator to have complete control of the fluid power drive transmission even while standing on ground level adjacent the rear of the vehicle or at any point along at least one side-wall of the cargo area, thereby permitting greater flexibility of control.

Abstract: A loading and unloading station for conveyors with trolley driving systems which includes an automatic feeding and withdrawing device from and to a deposit place for transferring a container. The feeding and withdrawing device includes a grab movable into a shaft above the level of a container in the shaft.

Abstract: A device for use with fork-lift trucks or the like to provide tipping and side shift facilities for ancillary apparatus attached to the truck. The device includes first and second frames and a sub-frame with two operatively connected fluid-powered rams. There is one mounting point for an ancillary on the sub-frame and an alternative mounting point for an ancillary on the second frame, whereby an ancillary so mounted may be tipped and/or side shifted according to which ram is operated.