Abstract: A self-contained, full-function, crane attachment for loading machines that is capable of quick release coupling with the standard bucket attachment mechanism of conventional loaders. The attachment comprises a wheel-mounted supporting frame equipped with two hydraulically driven outriggers to provide additional stability and with a control panel pivotally adjustable for comfortable use from the loader's driver seat. A horizontal boom platform is rotatably connected to the supporting frame through a vertical central axle and a generally horizontal hydraulic cylinder for adjusting the relative position of the two, so as to provide a lateral rotational degree of freedom for the platform of approximately 45 degrees in either direction.

Abstract: An improved power control device including a pair of remote levers having lower ends provided with pivot structure for pivotally attaching the remote levers to the support platform of a power tool attachment. A pair of rigid bars are pivotally coupled to the remote levers and extend rearwardly and are pivotally coupled to the power control levers of the vehicle. Thus, movement of the remote levers by a control operator at the power tool attachment causes corresponding movements of the power control levers of the vehicle so that the vehicle can be controlled by the operator on the power tool attachment. The pivot connections between the bars and the levers and between the remote levers and the platform of the power tool attachment can be quick-release fastener units.

Abstract: An anti-rattle lower hanger is provided for mounting a lift truck fork to the lower carriage member of a lift truck. The lower hanger has a first end mountable to the shank of a lift truck fork and a raised lip spaced apart from the first end to define a channel between the lip and the shank for receiving a retaining edge of a lower carriage member of the lift truck. The lower hanger has a pair of openings extending through the lip which threadedly receive respective tightening members. The tightening members are extendable from each of the openings to engage the retaining edge of the lower carriage when the hanger is mounted over the lower carriage member.

Abstract: The transfer of elongate objects across a gap is enabled by doubling a jackstay between a supply station and a receiving station, so as to provide a pair of parallel guides for the load during transfer. The load is supported from each of the parallel jackstay portions, such that its length is normal to the lengths of the jackstay parallel portions, and moved by outhaul/inhaul cables.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying individual blanks stacked sideways in a store with an inclined conveyor channel comprises a divider with a conveyor for receiving, under control, a divided sequence of blanks from this conveyor channel, two oppositely inclined planes following closely on from the conveyor channel and above this divider and an oscillating device with a reciprocating movement provided with suction cups for taking up the blanks in individual sequence from the divided sequence and depositing them in a horizontal position on a production line.

Abstract: A quick tie load binding system for securing loads to trucks or vehicles having a flat bed surface by uniformly pulling the binding which holds the load to the flat-bed surface. The load is secured to the vehicle by a binding which is connected to main shafts that run along opposite sides of the load and which are driven in a counter-rotational fashion from a gear box. The main shafts have binding pegs projecting outward to which the binding is attached. The gear box rotates the main shafts in opposite directions to bind or release the entire load from a single location.

Abstract: An apparatus including a container directing a sand mixture through a plurality of conduits, a conduit associated with each drive wheel of an automobile through an intermediate valve body operatively opened by a cable mechanism. The organization is typically mounted within an engine compartment of an automobile. Further, the organization utilizes a nozzle head mounted at a terminal end of each conduit adjacent each wheel, with each nozzle head utilizing an apertured dispersion plate, wherein each aperture is selectively closed to define a selective width of path of sand directed adjacent each drive wheel of the automobile.

Abstract: In order to obviate the need for exchanging tools, e.g. tongs, together with their drive mechanisms, the quick-action coupling device (4) is provided between a toolholder (3) and the tool (5) and consists essentially of two coupling half shells (9, 10), one of which is fixedly mounted on a rotary spindle (7) supported in the toolholder (3) and drivable if required, and the other of which is fixedly arranged at the toolhead (11); these half shells are radially coupled and then locked. The locking device (21) is designed so that, in the unlocked condition, the rotary drive mechanism (6) of the rotary spindle (7) is blocked. The quick-action coupling device (4) also permits a linear drive action (8, 19) for opening and closing tongs (5a, 5b) or the like, and is capable of transmitting high bending moments and/or torques with simultaneously high transverse and longitudinal forces.

Abstract: A load support system for carrying a load in a support plane at or above the wheel wells in the cargo box of a pickup truck. Clamping structures releasably clamp to flanges at the top of the cargo box. Depending bodies from the clamping structures carry load support beams that span substantially the width of the cargo box between the flanges. The load support beams define the load support plane that allows items to be carried in the load support plane that would not fit between the wheel wells on the floor of the cargo box.

Abstract: An apparatus wherein a barricade structure is positioned in a first orientation below ground level and raised to a second position in above ground level orientation to provide a barricade relative to various railroad crossings and the like. The apparatus includes spaced parallel posts mounting a plurality of equally spaced bars therebetween, the bars include shock-absorbing plates equally spaced orthogonally relative to the bars and parallel to the posts. An individual or plurality of spools effects raising and lowering of the organization.

Abstract: A cable suspension compliance mechanism has a top plate for attaching the mechanism to a robot and a bottom plate for attaching the mechanism to a gripping device. Steel cables interconnect the plates and maintain the plates substantially parallel relative to each other. Pneumatic cylinders are also disposed between the plates to adjust the mechanism's stiffness by adjusting the tension of a selected number of the steel cables. The mechanism is also equipped with magnetic inductance sensors to sense the position and classification of the article to be gripped. Additionally, the mechanism has an overtravel sensor to indicate the presence of unexpected obstacles, and to stop the mechasnism in response thereto.

Abstract: A combination attachment for a front-end loader having a lift apparatus attached to a conventional loader bucket is disclosed. The lift apparatus is mounted on the rear wall of the loader bucket and is suited for the lifting, gripping and moving of loads too wide for the loader bucket. The lift can be a conventional pair of fork tines or a platform and is powered by one or more hydraulic cylinders. The lift apparatus is disposed to permit both the lift and the loader bucket to be used simultaneously. The hydraulic cylinders further permit the lift apparatus to grip a load between the loader bucket floor and the lift fork or platform.

Abstract: A vibration suppressing device for a wheeled construction equipment having a wheeled chassis, a working device operatively supported on the wheeled chassis, and a hydraulic circuit including hydraulic actuators for operating the working device for up-and-down motion. The vibration suppressing device includes an accumulator filled with a pressurized gas for suppressing vibrations, and a mode changeover valve for connecting the accumulator to the load bearing pressure chambers of the hydraulic actuators in a travelling mode in which the wheeled construction equipment operates for running, and for disconnecting the accumulator from the load bearing pressure chambers of the hydraulic actuators in a working mode in which the wheeled construction equipment operates. When the working device is held at a height in the range of zero to a minimum limit height from the road, the vibration suppressing device meets conditions: P.sub.G x V.sub.A.sup.n .ltoreq.P.sub.H x V.sub.F.sup.n and P.sub.G .ltoreq.P.sub.H, where P.

Abstract: In a human-in-the-loop robotic control loop, the constrained forces and moments at the gripper (also called hand or end effector) of the manipulator are measured by a force-mement sensor. The resulting force and moment signals are scaled and fed as input voltages to motors in a hand controller to provide torques which oppose deflection of the hand controller. Thus, the operator feels the opposing torques which are proportional to the magnitude of the constrained forces and moments. The force feedback loop may be opened to selectively provide a passive control loop. In either the active or passive mode, the hand controller position signals may be selectively mapped to either gripper position signals or gripper velocity signals in order to control movement of the gripper in the desired manner.

Abstract: An automatic car parking system comprised of a parking rack and at least one car lifting feeder. The parking rack is divided into a plurality of parking spaces. The car lifting feeder has a pair of comb-like wings for carrying a car into a pair of comb-like platforms which are made on each parking space in the parking rack.

Abstract: A rotator for use on backhoe boom to rotate attachments thereon relative to the boom. The rotator has a main support frame pivotally secured to the boom with a rotating extension mount onto which the attachment is secured. A rotary joint for hydraulic controls extends from the main support frame and a hydraulic drive motor and gear assembly engage and rotate the extension mount extending from the main support frame.

Abstract: A stacker is provided for stacking the slices from the forming, sealing and cutting machines into a plurality of stacks. The stacker includes a conveyor belt, which includes a plurality of apertures, onto which the slices of product are disposed. A vacuum system provides vacuum through the apertures to hold the slices on the belt. Apparatus are provided for moving the belt in order to advance the slices to the stacking locations. The vacuum is sufficient to hold the slices on the belt even when the slices are disposed on the bottom of the belt. A plurality of stacking locations are sequentially provided. Each of the stacking locations includes ejectors for providing positive air pressure at the leading edge of the slice as it is being moved on the belt. As the slice travels on the belt, the positive air pressure "peels" the slice off of the belt and the force of gravity causes the slice to fall into the predetermined stacking location.

Abstract: A street sweeper which includes a frame, a hopper, a cab and a centrifugal separator on opposite sides of the hopper, a mechanism for moving the hopper from a position behind the cab to a position above and forward of the cab for dumping debris from the hopper, the hopper moving mechanism including a pair of first and second relatively extendable and retractable members, each of the first members being connected to the hopper and each of the second members being connected to the frame, a rotator carrying a slider, and a mechanism for pivoting each rotator which through its associated slider elevates the extendable and retractable members to permit movement of the hopper above and along the cab.

Abstract: A robotic structure having a low mass, capable of providing seven degrees of freedom, and movable in a hemispherical workspace. The robotic structure includes several platforms connected by actuatable longitudinal members and movable joints made of intersecting or interwoven wire members.

Abstract: A coin feeding apparatus for a coin handling machine of the rotatable disk kind includes a guide extending along the coin flow path in the vicinity of an opening of a guide ring. The guide is swingable between a first position where its face is smoothly aligned with the inner circumference of the guide ring and a second position where the face is not smoothly aligned. The guide means, when disposed in its second position, acts to prevent the jamming of coins when the coins are driven in a reverse direction back through the opening onto the rotatable disk.