Abstract: A hydraulic excavator has a bucket actuating and control linkage comprising a boom pivotally connected at one end to a self-propelled vehicle, a stick pivotally connected at one end to the other end of the boom, and a bucket pivotally mounted on the other end of the stick. A pair of hydraulic cylinders for actuating the bucket are pivotally connected to the boom via a pair of bucket attitude control bellcranks, respectively. By adjustment of the angular position of the bucket attitude control bellcranks relative to the boom, as by another pair of hydraulic cylinders, the bucket can be conditioned for a level crowd attitude, crowd-to-carry attitude, or crowd-to-dump attitude.

Abstract: An apparatus having a horizontally disposed manually rockable frame for supporting and tilting a shipping container from its normal upright transporting attitude through an angle of less than 90.degree. to an attitude included from the horizontal for packing glass sheets therein. The glass sheets are manually placed in the shipping container when it is supported in the inclined packing attitude with sheets of separating material interleaved therebetween and, when packed, the container is returned to its upright transporting attitude.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for handling cathode plate support rods include detaching the support rods from the cathode plate and transporting the same in a longitudinal direction over a transfer track to a support rod grouping station wherein the same are moved in a transverse direction by pushing apparatus associated with grouping apparatus whereupon the support rods are received on bunching guides of bunching apparatus, the bunching apparatus being arranged to pack the groups of support rods in layers within a transporting and storage crate.

Abstract: An open-topped container is constructed with a plurality of compartments, each having its own discharge opening and each having its own liner of the type that can be selectively rolled up or unrolled according to loading and unloading operations. Each liner is connected to its own biasing means which is effective to yield and lower the liner as the compartment is loaded and effective to recover to elevate the liner to facilitate unloading, all for the purpose of handling material, such as fruits and vegetables and the like, in such a way as to eliminate or at least minimize damage thereto.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a package containing rows of stacked articles includes a bottom loaded spiral stacker for successively elevating individual articles to be packed, an article conveyor for feeding successive articles to the stacker, a stacking conveyor above the stacker for accumulating stacks of articles formed by the stacker and moving the stacks away from the stacker, a separator conveyor which moves in parallel relation with the stacker conveyor and receives U-shaped separators or partitions, a first transfer mechanism for moving each successive formed stack from the stacking conveyor to the separator conveyor, and a second transfer mechanism for moving successive rows of stacked articles from the separator conveyor to a carton set-up station. The spiral stacker operates in timed relation with the stacking conveyor which operates intermittently to move each successive stack formed by the spiral stacker in a direction away from the spiral stacker.

Abstract: An automatic document handler adapted to receive a stack of documents to be copied for feeding the documents seriatim to the platen of a copy machine and returning the copied documents to the stack. An air floation stack tray is provided to support the document stack, striations formed in the tray encourage laminar air flow thereover for improved air floation of the stack.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring cargo between first and second bodies which are movable relative to each other where a hoist for raising and lowering cargo through a hoist line is mounted on one of the bodies includes a linkage for connecting the two bodies. The linkage is pivotally connected to the bodies for accommodating relative movement between the bodies. A guide is located between the hoist line and one of the bodies for engaging and guiding the hoist line. A trolley which is movable along at least a portion of the linkage engages the hoist line on the side opposite the guide and moves the hoist line along the linkage between the guide and the other body while the line changes length so that cargo connected to the hoist line can be moved along the linkage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for transferring cargo between an unpowered roller bed and a powered roller bed by a self-propelled, mobile, steerable vehicle having a powered roller bed and a retractable friction drive on one end thereof. When transferring a cargo loaded pallet between the two powered roller beds, the friction drive retracts within one end of the vehicle chassis, and said end of the vehicle is moved into abutting engagement with the powered roller bed. When transferring a pallet between the vehicle's driven roller bed and an unpowered bed of interconnected rollers, the friction drive is extended to frictionally engage and drive the unpowered rollers in either direction. The specification also discloses an improved vehicle, per se, having a powered roller bed and a retractable, selectively operable friction drive for providing power to interconnected rollers of a roller bed.

Abstract: A holder for a coin-operated carwash wand containing a spring-biased, friction brake triggered by the pressure of fluid jetting from the wand. The brake prevents the wand or gun from being inadvertently jetted out of the holder should the user mistakenly insert his coins before the gun is removed from the holder. The frictional resistance engagement of the brake is sufficient to overcome the jetting force but is low enough to allow the user to pull the gun out of the holder even when the brake is on. The holder is also spring-mounted to its wall bracket so that it can rotate 90.degree. in the event the wand hose becomes snagged on a portion of the automobile being serviced, thus allowing the wand to be pulled out of the holder rather than having the holder ripped off the wall or the hose system otherwise damaged.

Abstract: An agricultural irrigation machine of the hose-drum type in which a hose through which water is passed leads from a drum on which the hose is wound to an irrigation trolley or sledge carrying a nozzle or water-gun. The hose-drum is mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis on a turret which can be turned about a vertical axis, whereby the hose-drum can be oriented in the direction of the unwound part of the hose. The hose-drum is driven in the hose-rewinding sense while water is flowing through the hose to the irrigation trolley or sledge. The hose-drum rests in a cradle of rollers and is driven in the hose-rewinding sense by a sprocket wheel engaging a captive chain wrapped around a peripheral channel on a flange of the drum.

Abstract: An automatic document handler adapted to receive a stack of a stack of documents to be copied for feeding the documents seriatim to the platen of a copy machine and returning the copied documents to the stack. A combination vacuum-document separator in conjunction with an air knife and a document tray having a "U" shaped pocket with ramps formed on both sides thereof is provided to assure positive feeding of various sized documents without misfeeds or multifeeds.

Abstract: A towing vehicle with a boom pivotal about a horizontal axis and a second axis perpendicularly thereto enabling the boom to be moved to a position over a disabled vehicle located along side the towing vehicle. A pair of power cylinders is attached to the boom and is operable to swing the boom with load attached to locate the load or disabled vehicle immediately behind the towing vehicle. An elongated support is movable downwardly against the ground behind the towing vehicle to provide stability as the load is lifted and swung from a position aside the towing vehicle to a rearward position.

Abstract: An aircraft loader having bridge and main elevators is provided with pivotally mounted trays at the rearward end of the bridge elevator. The trays serve as transit means for the passage of load units between the two elevators both when the two elevators are level and when they are out of level to a degree. The trays function also as part of a level control system whereby the levels of the main elevator and trays tend to be adjusted to match the level of the bridge elevator.

Abstract: A storage building includes a plurality of individual compartments for housing sponge iron pellets immediately after they leave a gaseous reduction vessel. The compartments include provisions for discharging the pellets to conveying means and each of the housings is provided with a temperature monitoring arrangement adapted to signal excessive temperatures occurring therein.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically loading eggs directly from stacks of alternately rotatably oriented flats includes a conveyor for supplying stacks of eggs to an egg loading station which includes a device for removing of the eggs from the uppermost flat and for removing the uppermost now empty flat. The device includes a device for rotating and lifting the stack after the flat is removed to orient the stack for the removing of the next layer of eggs. Such a configuration is made necessary since such stacks of eggs are normally arranged with each layer of eggs being rotated 90.degree. with respect to the next layer of eggs and since the array of eggs is normally not square it is necessary to reorient the stack each time a layer of eggs and the associated flat is removed therefrom. For this reason the present invention includes a stack rotation device in addition to a flat removal device, an egg removal device and a stack supply means.

Abstract: A powered aerosol spray device includes an internally disposed motor, a fluid reservoir and a baffle arrangement for filtering a liquid and air mixture in order to provide a fine micelles controlled spray.

Abstract: A portable drinking fountain for use with an existing water supply system for irrigating land. The water supply system includes a pressurized water supply, an underground water supply conduit fluidly connected to the water supply, and at least one outlet valve fluidly connected to the conduit and projecting upwardly to the surface of the ground. The portable drinking fountain comprises coupling means for fluidly interconnecting with the outlet valve, a drinking fountain head comprising an elongate, closed-end tubular member having a plurality of spaced-apart apertures in the upper, axial walls thereof for providing a plurality of upwardly directed streams of water for drinking, and an upright tubular leg member fluidly interconnecting the drinking fountain head and the coupling means for supplying water to the fountain head and supporting the fountain head in a vertically spaced relation above the ground.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for handling support rods of cathode plates which have been packed in layers in a transporting and storage crate in an electrolytic refining plant include moving the layer or group of support rods which is uppermost in the transporting and storage crate in a longitudinal direction by means of a pusher member onto a platform located above a seed plate machine, moving the group of support rods in the transverse direction by means of a transporting device onto a rod distribution magazine and then raising the groups or layers of support rods which still remain in the transporting and storage crate upwardly by means of a lifting device until the uppermost group or layer of support rods in the supporting and storage crate is appropriately located at the proper height for the subsequent movement of the new uppermost group or layer of support rods onto the platform located above the seed plate machine.

Abstract: A cooperating flap moveable axially and radially and a collapsible plug in a two-dimensional nozzle for aircraft powered by a gas turbine engine serves to maximize nozzle performance for subsonic, supersonic and speeds therebetween.

Abstract: An apparatus having a flat pivotal member for carrying and rotating a shipping container from its normal upright transporting attitude through an angle of less than 90.degree. to an attitude inclined from the horizontal for packing glass sheets therein. The glass sheets are placed in the shipping container when it is in the inclined packing attitude with sheets of paper interleaved therebetween and, when packed, the container is rotated to its upright transporting attitude.