Abstract: A wheeled vehicle includes a lifting device for lifting the vehicle over a step to be traversed. The lifting device includes a carriage mounted on the vehicle frame for vertical movement with respect thereto, lifting arms carried by the carriage and engageable with the step to be traversed, and a force-multiplying block and tackle assembly carried by the frame and coupled to the carriage for moving the carriage downwardly relative to the frame while the lifting arms engage the top of the step to be traversed to thereby lift the frame over the step.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the disposition of loads movable on wheels, e.g., roller pallets or their equivalent, in a storage area consisting of one or more storage levels located one above the other and provided with collateral flow-through channels for the loads, the storage levels being arranged either horizontally or with a slight downward inclination towards the output end, provides that each storage channel has a conveyor rail mechanism which, by utilization of a conveyor rail, both guides and conveys the loads of goods in the channel.

Abstract: A coupling piece for releasably connecting corner fittings of adjacent containers, especially of containers stacked on top of one another on board of ships. The coupling piece includes a single-piece housing, having a locking bolt which is rotatable to different positions by an actuating device being mounted in the housing in a longitudinally shiftable manner. The single-piece housing is provided with a passage, through which an appropriately formed cross-bar of the locking bolt can be pushed while being in an assembly position.

Abstract: An apparatus for turning over a package (9) through 180.degree. out of a first position (I) on a supply conveyor (6) into a second position (II) on a removal conveyor (12), a frame (2) mounted on the floor (1) being provided to support a propulsion unit provided with a driving motor (13). To provide a turn-over apparatus for a tubular package, the propulsion unit (15, 20) comprises a movable linear carriage driven between the two positions (I, II) and a stationary slotted guide (20) with a control cam (22) and at least one gripper element is movably mounted in the linear carriage and is rigidly connected to a follower roller (24) guided in the control cam (22).

Abstract: The output of a high speed press or bindery is formed into stacks which are then combined into four stack "cubes". The cubes are handled as units and formed into tiers which can be loaded onto pellets. A pickup head for manipulating the cubes is carried by a transport device such as a gantry or robot arm. It has a top plate which is connected to the transport device. The top plate carries horizontal guide members from which depend four side panels. The side panels may be retracted to grasp the sides of the cube or extended to release the cube. Fingers mounted along the bottom edges of the side panels are designed to extend between the bottom sheets of the cube and the surface on which it sits. They can be locked into this position, permitting the cube to be lifted and transported by the pickup head. Also disclosed is a gantry-type transport device with a telescoping extender to which the pickup head is connected.

Abstract: A safety arrangement for an automatic warehousing facility is disclosed. A traveling crane adapted to perform goods take-in and take-out operations is provided which is movable on a path provided between and extending along a plurality of three-dimensional racks arranged in parallel for storage of goods. There is provided a safety arrangement for safeguarding any operator from possible danger when he inadvertently enters the path of crane movement while the crane is in automatic operation, and for preventing the crane from moving when the operator is present within the path of crane movement. The safety arrangement includes a device for stopping the crane when an open / close door of a safety enclosure provided at one end of the crane movement path is opened.

Abstract: A stake pocket insert includes a stake receiver and a clamp element designed to engage the interior of a conventional vehicle cargo bed stake pocket. The stake receiver has a cover plate that can be used to anchor a bed liner. The clamp element includes a bracket that engages the interior of the stake pocket and a protruding bolt that can also provide a tie down anchor.

Abstract: A load handling vehicle for movement of a load such as a drag of logs over rough terrain. The vehicle has a grapple assembly for lifting one end of a load for dragging the load over the terrain with one end elevated. The grapple assembly is connected to the boom of the skidder vehicle by a releasable load coupling. The grapple assembly is hydraulically actuated and hydraulically connected to the tow vehicle for that purpose. A mainline is connected at one end to the grapple assembly and at the other end to the tow vehicle and engages a powered winch drum permitting playing out and allowing for reeling in of the mainline. The grapple assembly is detachable from the tow vehicle by disconnecting the load coupling. When the grapple assembly is detached from the tow vehicle, it still engages the load and can be dragged by the tow vehicle using the mainline over the rough terrain.

Abstract: So as to be able to carry out various operations, especially for cleaning observation and simple interventions, on an installation placed in an active cell, the present invention provides a mobile intervention chamber including a caisson (40) adapted to be docked on an access orifice formed in an upper horizontal partition of the cell. The caisson (40) contains the modular elements (88) of an intervention pole (94), these elements being placed on a tool holder barrel (78). With the aid of auxiliary handling arms and a retractable support (110), a pole (94) of a suitable type and length is long-distance constructed on a mechanism (128) mounted on a rotary plate (120) integrated in the ceiling of the caisson (40). Shielding windows (232, 236) and lighting and display systems facilitate the carrying out of intervention operations.

Abstract: A side dumping loading bucket for pivoting a dumping bucket about a plurality of axes automatically includes a bucket having first and second sides oriented perpendicular to the centerline of the bucket, a holder having first and second sides and a second centerline substantially parallel to the centerline of the bucket, a dumping ram disposed substantially parallel to the centerline of the bucket and operatively connected between the bucket and the holder for dumping the bucket on a selected side, first and second journal assemblies located on the first and second sides of the holder and concentric with the axes and a hydraulic circuit including the dumping ram and the first and second journal assemblies for locking a selected journal assembly prior to unlocking the other journal assembly and for operating the dumping ram only after the selected and the other journal assemblies are locked and unlocked, respectively.

Abstract: A machine receives packages in bundles and transports them over a series of conveyors to arrange them in suitable layers for stacking into solid stacks or loads of predetermined form or arrangement for palletizing or other conveying means. Each conveyor performs related functions of rotating packages in a horizontal plane, moving transversely and delivering in the predetermined pattern to form layers of an eventual stack for further transportation. Provision is made for insertion of sheets between layers as they are formed.

Abstract: A device for positioning objects within a sealed vacuum chamber (112) comprises a stationay housing (114), which is sealingly attached to the vacuum chamber (112). Located within the housing (114) is a tubular body (158) capable of rotating and translating within the stationary housing (114) through the interaction of an outer magnet (116), which slides and rotates on the surface of the stationary housing, and an inner magnet (118), which is attached to the tubular body (158). A shaft (198) is located inside the tubular body, but cannot be shifted axially with respect to this body. The front end of shaft (198) extends into the vacuum chamber (112) and may carry a specimen or any other object to be treated or tested in the vacuum chamber. The shaft (198) is driven from an external drive mechanism (124). Rotation of the shaft can be converted into opening and closing movements of the jaws (218 and 220).

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding packaging machines with stacks of cutouts includes a centering member for supporting members of a plurality of stacks of cutouts, the stacks being arranged mutually side by side so as to form parallel and mutually adjacent rows on the supporting members; a unit for removing and transferring individual rows, provided with a head fitted with pushers which are arranged vertically side by side and are adapted to move a single row of stacks in a horizontal transfer direction; a switching platform which is adapted to cooperate with the pushers so as to receive the row of stacks and allow its transfer to a belt for input to the packaging machine.

Abstract: The attachment (20) provides inner forks (54, 56) and outer forks (58, 60) that are directly and independently driven for handling juxtaposed pallets. The fork assembly (26) is carried by guide members (44, 48, 62, 66) that are constructed so that when two juxtaposed pallet loads are carried, there is substantially no downward deflection of the laterally outermost portions of the loads. A hydraulic control system is included for controlling the four operation functions performed by the attachment (20). The hydraulic control circuit is designed so that no electrical components need be mounted to the attachment (20).

Abstract: Apparatus for removably and adjustably mounting one or more of a wide variety of accessories to a universal, elongated bar rail (52) and ratchet strip (54) which in turn are secured to an underlying support surface. The ratchet strip (54) has outwardly extending teeth (58) and is generally hidden beneath the generally smooth, aesthetically pleasing, protective bar rail (52). The types of accessories that can be used with the invention include without limitation: a simple hook clip (72); a spring biased tie down clip (96); a heavy duty tie down ring and clamp (106 and 104); a cargo net (78); a tonneau cover (80); an extendable cargo holder bar (140); a low rack support system (162); a raised rack support system (186); a cantilevered, long load, over cab, rack support system (230); a canopy (248); and vertical posts (302, 308, and 310) and box boards (300).

Abstract: A trailer sensor (83) for use on a retractable railcar trailer hitch (1) is disclosed. The hitch has a hitch head (3) for capturing a kingpin (K) of a trailer (T), a locking mechanism (35) for latching the hitch in its erect position, and a manually operable release mechanism (67) for retracting the hitch. A movable sensing element (85) carried on the hitch head senses the presence or absence of a trailer. A rod (93) moves the sensing element in response to operation of the release mechanism. If a trailer is supported by the hitch, the assembly blocks movement of the sensor and prevents retraction of the hitch. If no trailer is supported by the hitch, the sensing element allows the release mechanism to unlock the hitch so it can retract.

Abstract: Printing products (13) are fed by a conveyor track (11, 14) to a stack compartment (17), which can be charged from above, in an imbricated formation of the kind in which the printing products (13) lie in pairs congruently one on top of the other. In order to be able to form stacks containing an odd number of printing products, a retaining device (24) is provided, adjoining the exit of the conveyor track (11, 14), which retaining device upon activation temporarily lifts the upper printing product (13) off the one lying underneath.

Abstract: A power stacker for collecting delivered articles such as envelopes from a mailing machine is comprised of a support housing having a deck fixably mounted along the housing. A registration wall is fixably mounted to the housing and extending generally perpendicular relative to the deck. A stack wall is slidably mounted to the housing at one end of the deck and has a reclined surface extended generally upwardly from the deck, the stack wall being slidably mounted to the housing such that the stack wall can be horizontally displaced relative to the deck. Support rods are provided for providing article support between the deck and displaced stack wall as well as between the registration and displaced stack wall. Threaded hubs are provided for causing the delivered articles to be collected against the stack wall and assume a generally parallel stacked orientation generally parallel to the reclined surface.

Abstract: A vending machine for newspapers and magazines, where, inside a compartment (12), a couple of rotating discs (21) are forseen. Due to gravity, the discs (21) rest on the pile of newspapers or magazines and, by pushing down onto the top copy of the pile, send the newspaper or magazine down a chute (15) to a retrieving outlet. The discs (21) are fitted on a shaft (23) which is directly or indirectly operated by an electric motor (24) which is started due to a signal coming from the coin box and which stops following the falling of the copy.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method are disclosed for transporting a motor scooter or similar type vehicle on the back of a motor vehicle such as an automobile, van, pick-up truck or the like. The apparatus of the present invention attaches to the rear of the motor vehicle and includes a platform which, when not in use, is oriented in a vertical direction. When the apparatus is used to transport a motor scooter, the platform is lowered to the ground and the motor scooter can be loaded onto the platform. A restraining bar is used to secure the scooter to the platform. The platform, still with the horizontal orientation, is raised to prevent contact with the ground when the motor vehicle is in motion. To remove the motor scooter, the platform is lowered to the ground, the lowering of the platform causing the restraining bar to be released. The motor scooter can then be removed from the platform and the platform secured in a vertical orientation until required further.