Abstract: An apparatus and method for obtaining fine metals from gravel. A tiltable, rotatable cylinder has an inlet and an outlet. A mesh is positioned a predetermined distance from the inside diameter of the cylinder and extends around the periphery of the inside circumference. A first recovery ring is located downstream from the inlet and has an inside diameter greater than the inside diameter of the cylinder. An exit extends from the inside diameter to the outer periphery of the first recovery ring.

Abstract: A wood chip sorter comprises a shell (22) which at least partially defines a substantially cylindrical sorting chamber (26) into which wood chips are introduced. The shell (22) has a plurality of rotatable shafts (28) mounted thereon with the axes (72) of the shafts (28) being circularly arranged about a central axis (24) of the shell (22). Each shaft (28) has a plurality of discs (80) mounted at spaced intervals thereon with discs of adjacent shafts (28) intermeshing radially to form essentially axial spaces (84) therebetween. A drive and transmission system (30) revolve the shell (22) about the central axis (24) of the shell (22). A planetary gear system (32) facilitates rotation of the shafts (28) about their axes (72) as the shell (22) revolves. The discs (80) are shaped to have greatest axial width at central portions thereof, and taper to a lesser axial width at their circumference. The discs (80) are formed from an abrasion-resistant material.

Abstract: A railroad crossing is provided in which transverse and end panels are joined by means of splines fitted into indentations on side surfaces of said panels whereby pairs of panels are joined together with a spline fitting partly into each side or end of adjoining panels; and lateral anchor members for fixing the panels adjacent to said rails, the end panels and the outer field panels whereby the need is obviated for affixing the panels to the ties by means of surface spikes. In one embodiment an anchor is used which has vertical wall sections which project upwardly and have inwardly projecting horizontal lips and a spline retaining plate positioned beneath the lips. The spline rests on and is positioned transversely across said lips, and removable means are provided to fix the spline to the retaining plate.

Abstract: An optical inspection machine has a discharge chute provided for receiving fragile articles thrown from a high speed belt in the course of ejecting such articles. The chute has an "S"-shaped bottom with the top of the "S" under the trajectory of the ejected articles, the mid portion of the "S" positioned to receive the falling articles at a minimum impact angle, and the bottom of the "S" discharging the sliding articles after being significantly decelerated due to the variable slope of the "S"-shaped chute bottom. The inspection machine has another "S"-shaped chute for receiving articles from an infeed conveyor and transferring them to the high speed belt while minimizing deceleration.

Abstract: A retractable truck bed cover comprising a plurality of relatively narrow slats (12--12) which are rotatably interfitted together along their longitudinal edges by means of mating elements (26,28) so that the cover is flexible in its longitudinal direction. The slats include wheels (64) which extend from the opposite end edges thereof and which are mounted for rotation. The wheels are received into opposing side rails (36,38) which are mounted along the top edges of the truck bed. A cover retracting mechanism (18) is positioned adjacent the cab of the truck, and includes two vertical end pieces (100,102), on facing surfaces of which is located a shallow spiral track (108), which receives the wheels (64) of the succession of slats comprising the cover, permitting the cover to be conveniently rolled up upon itself.

Abstract: An aluminum hopper car having a center sill hood which uses aluminum collar castings to connect cross ridge hoods which intersect a center sill hood, and to connect the center sill hood with intersecting sloped car end walls.

Abstract: A deflector screen for mounting at the front of a vehicle includes an extruded mounting strip having a pair of flanges defining a vertical channel along the length of the strip for receiving a substantially rigid plastic screen. The screen is held within the channel by a shoulder on an inward face of the rear flange which cooperates with a groove formed along the length of the screen. A front face of the front flange carries a longitudinal slot to which can be attached a facing strip carrying a chromed surface. The base strip is of a mat black finish so that the facing strip can be applied or removed to provide different appearances. A rear mounting portion defined by a pair of horizontal flanges having a horizontal channel therebetween is formed on the mounting strip and includes transverse slots set at spaced locations along the length of the strip to allow bending of the strip at specific points.

Abstract: Described in a suspension conveyor system suitable for the use of conveyance units having two travelling rollers interconnected by an open yoke. The suspension conveyor system is universally applicable and capable of optimum adaptation to operating and space conditions in a given plant. To this purpose the system comprises changeover means selectively operable to tilt a conveyance unit to a left or right laterally suspended position or a center-suspended position to thereby permit for instance the radii of curved rail sections to be considerably shortened and particularly achieve a less complicated construction of required switches. In a preferred embodiment the switch is formed as an integral shaped member, so that the continuity of the rail circuit has not to be interrupted for guiding a conveyance unit onto selected branch rails.

Abstract: A gondola-type railway car has an end structure supported on a frameless radial truck. The end structure includes a center sill and a bottom closure member. Side sill members are connected to the sides of the bottom closure member. The undersurface of the bottom closure member has eight wedge pockets thereon with reinforcement attached thereto for engaging eight support pads on the truck. The pads and the wedge pockets are arranged in four longitudinally-spaced pairs of laterally spaced pads. The bottom closure member has a reinforcement structure on its upper surface for transferring the weight of the car to the truck. The reinforcement structure includes three transverse reinforcement channels above the three inner pairs of wedge pockets. A pair of longitudinally extending channel members extend from above the outer wedge pockets to engage the outermost transverse beam to tie the outer wedge pockets into the car body structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the sorting of material in which a rigid rack includes a plurality of horizontally extending elements arranged in vertically spaced arrangement, and a plurality of bags are removably supported on the horizontally extending elements for receiving material therein. The horizontally extending elements and the bag members are respectively constructed and arranged to hold the bag members with their mouth portions stretched open and facing forwardly one above the other on the rack. The rack further includes elements for maintaining the bag members substantially horizontally one above the other with their mouth portions open. The bag members are selectively removed from the frame with the inserted material therein by horizontally sliding the bag member off the frame.

Abstract: A swivel platform for a rail vehicle is disclosed. The swivel platform is intended for loading a container from a road vehicle onto the rail vehicle and vice versa. The swivel platform comprises a bottom frame which must be fixed to the rail vehicle and a top frame which can swing relative to the bottom frame through an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rail vehicle. The top frame is provided with two parallel container guide elements which are connected to each other by means of transverse elements, one of which is provided with a wheel or roller which during the swing movement runs over part of the rail vehicle or over part of the bottom frame. Furthermore each of the parallel container guide elements is also provided with a wheel or roller which during the swing movement runs over part of the rail vehicle or over part of the bottom frame.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a gripper arm for use in conjunction with a robotic arm for gripping a tool wherein the tool is retained in the gripper arm until a positive action signal and lack of pressure from the tool are simultaneously provided. The tool cannot be discharged from the gripper arm under other conditions including power loss to the robotic device.

Abstract: An elastomeric insert for filling the cavity of a bottom foundation fitting or socket in a steel deck of a conveyance, such as a steel container ship, whereby a lashing knuckle of a binder tie down rod for lashing a container to the deck is readily secured within the socket, while the insert remains disposed within the socket, so as to prevent the intrusion of debris and dirt, as well as water, from entering the socket cavity, thereby maintaining access and utility of the deck sockets.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the elevation of the head of a flush head countersunk fastener (e.g., a bolt or a rivet) before installation, is disclosed. Fasteners (21) to be measured are dropped, one at a time, into a precisely sized hole (69a or 69b) in a split gauge block (63) such that the heads of the fasteners protrude above the upper surface of the gauge block. The magnitude of head protrusion or elevation above the upper surface of the gauge block is measured by a head elevation measuring instrument (43). If the measured value lies within an acceptable range, a signal suitable for use in controlling the countersink depth of the hole that is to receive the fastener is produced and the fastener is forwarded to a fastener insertion machine. If the measured value lies outside of the acceptable range, the fastener is rejected.

Abstract: A computer-controlled slide projector tray unloader for use with a slide archival storage system. A slide magazine (10) is placed below a slide gate (7). A tray (9) is held above the slide gate such one of the compartments coincides with the slide gate. A transporting mechanism (30) at the slide gate (7) transports a slide from the selected one compartment of the tray such that the slide drops into the magazine (10). An advance mechanism is provided for advancing the tray to position a particular compartment to coincide with the slide gate. A Tray Table maintained by software running on the computer associates a unique location number for each one of the plurality of compartments of the tray with a previously assigned serial number, each serial number identifying a slide stored in a compartment of the tray.

Abstract: The mag tire wheel and wheel cover shield includes a generally cylindrical preferable flat flexible resilient disc of paper, plastic, metal or the like, designed to cover the outer face of a "mag" tire wheel or wheel cover so that the tire can be sprayed with a polish or coating without spraying the wheel cover or mag wheel. The disc has a handle on the outer surface thereof, either protruding therefrom or indented, to place and help hold the disc against the "mag" wheel or wheel cover. A hook-type peripheral rim projecting inwardly from the inner face of the disc allows it to be releasably hooked in place around the wheel cover rim or mag wheel rim. Alternatively a ring or strip of adhesive or spaced magnets, or one or more suction cups strategically placed may be used to hold the disc against the wheel cover or mag wheel. A hard shield may extend outwardly from the disc handle to protect the user's hand against spraying.

Abstract: A rail-tie fastening assembly for connecting a rail having a rail flange to a tie comprising a rail seat assembly and a rail anchor. The rail seat assembly is connectible to the tie and includes an anchor slot and a seat hook assembly. The seat hook assembly is adapted to extend a distance over an upper surface of the rail flange. The rail anchor includes an anchor hook assembly adapted to extend over on the upper surface of the rail flange in an assembled position of the rail anchor to the rail seat assembly. The rail anchor is insertible through the anchor slot in the rail seat assembly to the assembled position. The seat hook assembly is spaced a distance from the upper surface of the rail flange to cooperate in permitting vertical movement of the rail in the assembled position of the rail anchor to the rail seat assembly. Tne anchor hook assembly engages one side of the rail flange and the seat hook assembly engages the opposite side of the rail flange to restrain lateral movement.

Abstract: In a cyclone classifier wherein the material to be processed is swirled in a tubular casing having a conical lower portion and classified, a cylindrical body is provided in the casing, so as to surround the lower end of a fluid outlet pipe and extends downwardly below an inlet port for the material to be processed, so that the sectional area of passage for the material to be processed swirled in the casing will be made smaller, thus increasing the classifying point while keeping the pressure loss at a minimum. From another aspect, annular pipes formed with fluid inlet ports are provided around the outer periphery of a lower part of the casing so as to communicate with the casing so that gases or liquids will be blown into the lower part of the casing through these pipes to form a swirling current, thus allowing the material to be processed to be reclassified thereby increasing the classifying point.

Abstract: An automotive sunscreen is set forth wherein an opaque sunscreen is fixedly secured to an elongate support post which can be hand held. The support post is formed at a free end thereof with a resilient suction cup for securing the sunscreen. Additionally, a plurality of telescopingly retractable securement elements are positionable within the handle including a magnetic attachment member with a VELCRO (T.M.) telescopingly positionable therethrough. Additionally, the sunscreen apparatus is formed utilizing photochromic glass to darken in the presence of light.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and to an air classifier for the separation of classifying material into coarse material and fine material. Known air classifiers suffer from considerable deficiencies with regards to the throughput and the separation efficiency. To avoid this, the invention provides for the performance of a separate reclassification, which takes place in the same way as the pre-classification, whilst incorporating mechanical centrifugal rejection of coarse material particles, particularly through the impact ledges of a centrifuge basket.