Abstract: A vehicle for a freight transportation system has a platform with end walls located at opposite ends. A pair of doors are pivotally connected to the end walls and are pivotal upwardly between closed and open positions. The doors are held in the closed position by a latch that includes a release member projecting laterally from the door. Upward movement of the release member releases the latch and allows the doors to be moved to the open position.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating and counting coins comprising a pair of rail spaced from each other to define a coin slot and a closed-loop chain for stably moving coins of different diameters on the pair of rails. The two rails are inclined with respect to a horizontal plane so that the coins are supported thereon in an inclined manner. The coin slot increases incrementally from an upstream of the coin slot to a downstream of the coin slot. Each coin, which has a diameter larger than a first width of the coin slot at the upstream and smaller than a second width of the coin slot at the downstream and moves along the coin slot, falls from the pair of rails. A counting device is suitably provided near the coin slot so that, upon falling of the coin, a count is registered.

Abstract: The swipe transfer assembly is a mechanical assembly which is used in conjunction with glove boxes and other sealed containments. It is used to pass small samples into or out of glove boxes without an open breach of the containment, and includes a rotational cylinder inside a fixed cylinder, the inside cylinder being rotatable through an arc of approximately 240.degree. relative to the outer cylinder. An offset of 120.degree. from end to end allows only one port to be opened at a time. The assembly is made of stainless steel or aluminum and clear acrylic plastic to enable visual observation. The assembly allows transfer of swipes and smears from radiological and other specially controlled environments.

Abstract: An apparatus for lifting and carrying large cylindrical hay bales is formed by a base frame and a lift frame longitudinally interconnected for vertical pivoting movement of the lift frame. One end of the base frame is connected to the three point hitch of a tractor. Hydraulic cylinders pivot the lift frame and a tine-equipped bale supporting frame upwardly. Parallel linkage forming a part of the lift frame maintains the tines of the bale lift frame in upwardly inclined relation to prevent unauthorized movement of a lifted hay bale off the tines. A tilt cylinder on the lift frame permits the bale frame tines to be inclined in a downward direction for depositing the bale at a selected or elevated position with respect to the surface of the earth.

Abstract: Battery plates from the high speed output conveyor of a pasted plate making machine are deposited onto a lower speed first conveyor in an overlapped fashion to create a shingled stream of plates. As plates drop off of the discharge end of the first conveyor they are accumulated in vertical stacks on a second conveyor that is located below the first conveyor. Whenever a stack is completed the second conveyor is moved approximately one plate width to remove the stack and the process continues. In order to provide time to move the stack, the flow of plates on the first conveyor is disrupted when the stack is being moved. In the preferred embodiment the disruption is caused by squeezing the plates between the jaws of a clamping mechanism that the plates pass through.

Abstract: A car wash system includes a pair of car washing areas to either side of an upstanding wall, a pair of coin/token boxes within the upstanding wall with each having a front face opening toward an associated car was area, a coin/taken vault within the upstanding wall below the pair of coin/token boxes, and a pair of tubes leading from the coin/token box to the coin/token vault whereby coins/tokens deposited in the coin/token boxes are guided into the coin/token vault.

Abstract: An automatic roadside multi-storied parking system including collapsible parking racks each having a plurality of vertically spaced parking platforms and between each two parking racks a lift conveyer capable of ascending and descending stepwise to reach the level of each parking platform. The parking system is also equipped with an emergency ladder on one side of each rack for a person to climb up or down during an emergency. A wheeled moving device is provided on the bottom of each module of the system to assist in adjustment of the angle and direction of the individual modules and is spring-released to flip into a storage recess for the stability of the modules. Parking racks and lift conveyers are fitted and supported each on both sides thereof with lazy tong-type links and oil cylinders are provided for lifting and unfolding of the parking racks and for raising and lowering of the lift conveyer to or from the level of a selected parking platform.

Abstract: The invention concerns a system for sensing train wheels which employs a slotted detector bar. Optical resistive and piezoresistive strain gauges may be coupled to the detector bar as well as enhanced mechanical and electrical components. Optional equipment including an optical sensor, and pulse and frequency modulators improve noise immunity and reduce power consumption.

Abstract: To transport, store, process and handle and distribute a plurality of printed products, retained in cassettes on a minimum of space, the cassettes are vertically stored, preferably in pairs. Transport can occur in a predetermined plane, of full and empty cassettes, respectively, the cassettes being moved within the storage elements by horizontal and vertical or lift transport elements, so that the cassettes can be moved in all directions of the three-dimensional storage structures and removed from any one position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supporting a loader on the ground and lifting parts of the loader above the tractor for disengagement from the tractor wherein the loader includes vertical side columns for detachable attachment to a tractor at their base, parallel side frame members pivotally attached at their rear ends to said column, double acting hydraulic lift cylinders connected to the outer ends of the frame members and to the columns at a location below the frame member attachment so that the frame member will be pivoted up or down with expansion or contraction of the cylinders, loader bucket supports extending downwardly from the forward end of the frame members carrying a loader bucket at their lower ends, and a lift stand carried at the lower end of the supports and stored on the supports during normal operation of the loader but foldable and expansible to a ground engaging position and a frame member support position for supporting the loader so that the rear end of the frame members can be lifted clear

Abstract: An apparatus for lifting a panel to a ceiling has a post having an upper end and a lower end, a spring in the post between the upper and lower ends for at least limited longitudinal compression of the post against a spring force, and a foot pivoted on the lower end about a foot axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. A handle is pivoted on the post between its ends about a handle axis generally parallel to the foot axis and a panel-engaging support bar is pivoted on the upper end of the post about a bar-pivot axis generally parallel to the foot and handle axes, extends perpendicular to this bar-pivot axis, and has one end provided with an outwardly directed cleat. Thus this bar can be engaged under the panel with the cleat against an edge of the panel. At least one bar spring is operatively engaged between the bar and the post for biasing the bar into a position extending perpendicular to the post.

Abstract: A system for transferring bobbins between textile machines includes a temporary storage device positionable at a location between two textile machines for temporarily storing bobbins being transported between the machine. A transport rail assembly has either one rail extending between the machines for transport of bobbins either directly between machines or between the rail and the intermediate storage device, or a pair of rails each extending from one of the machines to the storage device. The storage device stores bobbins in a plurality of rows and is mobile for selective movement to other locations. It may have slidable pallet members for supporting bobbins or outwardly projecting support members inclined in the range of horizontal to vertically upward for supporting bobbins inserted thereon.

Abstract: A "lift and carry" transfer apparatus is provided for transferring or "indexing" a workpiece between successive work stations in a multi-operation process. The transfer apparatus includes a modular support structure from which a generally elongated shuttle assembly is horizontally supported. A first drive mechanism is provided for generating a predetermined amount of reciprocable rectilinear vertical movement of the shuttle assembly through a predetermined range of motion. The transfer apparatus further includes structure for selectively indexing the workpiece along a horizontal plane relative to the shuttle assembly. In particular, a second drive mechanism is provided for generating rectilinear horizontal motion of the workpiece. A programmable controller is provided for selectively controlling the actuation of the first and second drive mechanisms.

Abstract: The antifriction insert (1) for slide surfaces of switching devices is fixed to a base member (5) in that the base member includes a recess with grooves at both sides. At least one of the grooves has upwardly open hollows (9). The antifriction insert has projections associated with these hollows (9) so that the antifriction insert can be introduced from above into the base member (5) and then only needs to be displaced by the length of the projections in order to obtain safe securing.

Abstract: A quick-change arrangement for an excavator is provided for the exchange of tools which are detachably fastened by way of locking elements to an adapter of a bending arm and held on the bending arm so that the tool can be swivelled around a horizontal axis. The locking elements comprise a piston, which is coaxially arranged in a housing and has end-side locking pins which, by way of an interposed pressure spring, can be adjusted into a moved-out operative position and, by way of a pressure admission controlled by the control unit, can be adjusted into a moved-in inoperative position inside the adapter. By this construction of the device, it is achieved that the locking pins are subjected to the tension of the pressure spring in the operative position.

Abstract: An automatic conveyance system comprises a buffer storage for storing a plurality of unit racks containing units; a plurality of test cells for testing the units contained in the unit racks; and a plurality of test cell controllers, each being provided in one of the test cells and each accepting an operator's requirement to take out a unit rack from the buffer storage, to store a unit rack into the buffer storage, or to convey a unit rack from one of the test cells to another one of the test cells. The system is provided with a plurality of automatic guided vehicles for conveying unit racks. A computer is connected to the test cell controllers by a single bus and has information on the unit racks stored in the buffer storage.

Abstract: A warehouse has several levels. Each level has a series of storage channels for items to be stocked in the warehouse. The storage channels are parallel to one another and have respective inlet ends located at a first side of the warehouse and respective outlet ends located at an opposite second side of the warehouse. Each storage channel is equipped with a device for guiding items along the channel in a direction from the inlet end towards the outlet end. Every level is further provided with at least one return channel which is parallel to the storage channels and has an inlet end at the second side of the warehouse and an outlet end at the first side of the warehouse. The return channel is again equipped with a device for guiding items along such channel in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof.

Abstract: A transfer robot for removing molded pieces provides a telescoping robot arm having a pneumatically activated gripping device mounted to a remote end. The robot arm comprises two tubes mounted coaxially inside a housing. The first tube is driven outwardly of the housing by a rodless cylinder drive; the second tube is mounted coaxially to the inside of the first tube and is itself driven by a rack and pinion arrangement which doubles the projecting speed of the second tube with respect to the projecting speed of the first tube. The robot arm is movably mounted to a cantilever rack which is itself rotatably mounted to a supporting stand.

Abstract: A device to control the on/off operation of a television set. It is token activated with each of a number of tokens giving a fixed period of time. The device includes a case with a power cord, an electrical receptacle into which the television set power cord is plugged and secured, a token chute with a mechanism for detecting a passing token, and a token drawer with a lock. Inserted tokens are counted and periods of television time credited. Elapsed time is measured, and periods of elapsed time subtracted from credited time. The set is turned off when net credited time, which is displayed, becomes zero. There is a switch to turn off the set while retaining credited time. There is another switch to allow the set to be used without expending credited time.

Abstract: A railway structure for a sliding chair (2), a sliding plate and a ribbed plate (1), respectively, for railway switches or railway crossings. The structure includes friction-reducing sliding members (4, 5) of synthetic plastic material being releasably mounted within recesses (3) in the sliding chair (2) and the plates, respectively. There are accommodated within each recess (3) at least two sliding members (4, 5) having their side surfaces engaged over the major part of the periphery by inwardly protruding walls or profiles of the edge of the recess, so that there results a safe mounting in position of the sliding members (4, 5). The structure makes the interchange of the sliding members a simple procedure.