Abstract: A cargo-work vehicle for detachably supporting a container has lift arms for rotatably supporting the container and a single cooperating auxiliary arm which ensures that the attitude of the container is held constant when the container is loaded and unloaded. A dump pin is also provided for fixing the container relative to the lift arms so that the container can be rotated relative to the vehicle body for dumping of the container load. The single auxiliary arm is advantageous because it can be located centrally of the vehicle and substantially underneath the loaded container. Such placement of the auxiliary arm affords compactness, reduces costs, and allows a single auxiliary arm to maintain the desired, constant attitude of the container during loading and unloading of the container.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a distribution spout and a hopper which has two containers mounted thereabove provided with sealing valves and a metering member. In order to simplify the weighing system, the hopper is independent of the mouth of the furnace and is located inside a sealed chamber. The hopper is suspended by a device which enables it to be coupled to the container which is being emptied and to be uncoupled from the container which is being filled.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in the transportation and production of cementitious mixes including a silo and a truck for transporting the silo. The silo is sub-divided internally into two compartments, one for cement and one for sand. At the lower end of the said compartment there is a vibratory grid and other structure for causing the sand to flow evenly from the open lower end of the silo into a mixer without bridging. A feed screw feeds cement from the cement compartment to the mixer. The truck has a lifting mechanism for lifting the vertical silo and tilting the silo through ninety degrees to a horizontal position for transportation purposes.

Abstract: An indexing mechanism for a three-dimensional transfer press system wherein a pair of parallel spaced transfer bars are moved back and forth, up and down, and toward and away from each other for transporting successive panels through a series of press stations. A height adjustment for the transfer bars are connected between a lift cam mechanism and a rack-and-pinion linkage, the latter linking the former to two pairs of lift carriers carrying the transfer bars so as to allow their longitudinal reciprocation and movement toward and away from each other. Comprising either a multiple abutment member, a screw-and-nut assembly, or a double-acting hydraulic cylinder, the height adjustment provdes a variable length of connection between the lift cam mechanism and the rack-and-pinion linkage for adjustably varying the upper and lower limits between which the transfer bars are moved up and down.

Abstract: A movable platform system is provided, comprising a basin, defined by a bottom and a sidewall, the basin containing a liquid; a plurality of support structures, extending upward from the bottom, the support structures being aligned in rows, the rows being perpendicular to each other; a plurality of platforms each having a top surface and an underside, the platforms being floatable in the liquid, each of the platforms having a plurality of guides attached to the underside, for guiding movement of the platforms in the basin, at least one of the guides being aligned perpendicular to another, wherein a plurality of the support structures extend into the guides; and a plurality of bearing devices, attached to the support structures so as to support the underside of the platforms within the guides and allow the platforms to move parallel to the bottom along some of the rows of the support structures.

Abstract: A tow truck of the wheel-lift type is provided. In a first embodiment, a telescopic boom is supported by parallelogram linkage which is actuated by a hydraulic motor which is slightly inclined to the horizontal, the inner end of the boom, in its travel position being above and somewhat forwardly of the ring gear housing of the rear axle of the tow truck. The parallelogram linkage supports the boom through a boom support structure which permits it to be swung in a substantially horizontal plane, about substantially vertical pinions. The grid, which engages the wheels, includes a movable member which engages a wheel and raises it relative to the boom and grid, without movement of the boom. In a second embodiment, a substantially vertical post supports a parallelogram linkage which in turn supports a substantially horizontal extensible boom having a wheel grid at its outer end.

Abstract: A system for moving and processing workpieces includes individual stations isolated from one another and from a main chamber by seals formed by a transport mechanism. Workpieces are moved in a queue in a circular pattern, by a dial turret operated by a bell-crank and a Geneva mechanism. Stations seal to the baseplate from below, and a vacuum chamber encloses the turret assembly which operates on a post through a center hole in the baseplate. Workpieces loaded to one depended chamber are withdrawn from chambers and inserted into next chambers in a circular pattern, passing through the main chamber with each transfer, and ending back in the chamber where they were loaded. In an alternative embodiment passages between the main chamber and each individual chamber have valves allowing processing to take place without carriers attached to the turret being in the processing chambers.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading workpieces without exposure of a work chamber to the atmosphere comprises a transfer chamber formed in part by an inner plate section which serves as a cover plate with an inner port therethrough to the work chamber. An entry plate section has an entry port therethrough to the atmosphere, is spaced laterally from the inner port and has a door. A plurality of tubular loading members are equally spaced arcuately in a wheel member mounted in the transfer chamber. Each loading member is displaceable at a loading site between a normal position in the wheel in which each loading member is relocatable laterally by the wheel, and a sealed position proximate the entry port. A seal between the entry plate section and the loading member in its sealed position allows access of a workpiece to the loading cylinder through the entry port without exposing the remainder of the transfer chamber to the atmosphere.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an automobile transporting carriage constituted by an inner frame, provided with wheels and motors for translation of the carriage along rails and slidingly coupled, for vertical displacement, to an outer frame not overlying the region covered by the inner frame, the outer frame having a set of comb-like teeth for supporting the wheels of an automobile, which teeth can be intercalated with teeth of a fixed rack, to enable the carriage to pick up an automobile from the fixed rack by raising the outer frame with the teeth thereof passing between the teeth on the fixed rails, or likewise deposit it on the fixed rack by lowering the outer frame.

Abstract: A system wherein a contractor of a rental safe-deposit box can privately obtain, handle and restore his own box in the fire-proof safe room. The system includes an automatic article retrieval and storage unit located within the safe room and having contractors' safe-deposit boxes. A plurality of private compartments for contractors' use are disposed separately from the safe room and are connected to the retrieval and storage unit by conveyor devices extending through a safe room wall opening having a fire-proof door. Each private room includes a user's data input terminal device and a handling table. A reception data input terminal is provided at a reception counter. When a contractor visits the reception counter, a reception serial number card is issued to him. The reception serial number and his box code are inputted by the reception input terminal. Thereafter, the contractor inputs his own private code and the issued reception serial number in a private compartment.

Abstract: An article picking up mechanism for picking up articles placed in a container one by one for assembling the articles on works. The mechanism includes a tiltable table for receiving the container and tilting it to thereby shift the articles to one side of the container leaving a space in the other side. A manipulator robot is provided to shift one of the articles toward the space and grip the article to take out of the container.

Abstract: A system wherein a contractor of a rental safe-deposit box can privately obtain, handle and restore his own box in the fire-proof safe room. The system includes an automatic article retrieval and storage unit located within the safe room and having contractors' safe-deposit boxes. A plurality of private compartments for contractors' use are disposed separately from the safe room and are connected to the retrieval and storage unit by conveyor devices extending through a safe room wall opening having a fire-proof door. Each private room includes a data input terminal device and a handling table. When a contractor operates the terminal device to input his identification code, his own rental safe-deposit box is automatically extracted onto the handling table from the safe room.

Abstract: A "hands-free" apparatus for loading and unloading piece parts from baskets containing a plurality of such parts on a ferris wheel or other type carrier for submersion into plating or cleaning tanks. The preferred embodiment is adapted for handling a plurality of metallic disks to be plated for the purpose of magnetic recording of data. The system accepts a plurality of baskets transported to it on a conveyor mechanism. The baskets are simultaneously lifted up to a load/unload position at which a mandrel is threaded through the aperture in each metallic disk. The baskets are lowered back down to the conveyor. The mandrel carrying the disks is swung onto a slot on the ferris wheel which is adapted to carry approximately twelve such disk carrying mandrels. The ferris wheel is stepped to the next slot which is loaded the same way. After all slots on the ferris wheel are loaded, the entire ferris wheel is removed from engagement with the loader and transported through the fabrication cycle.

Abstract: A surface inspection apparatus is equipped with a transfer machine which includes a first storage unit for storing a plurality of wafers therein, a first transfer portion for receiving the wafers from the first storage unit one by one and transferring them along a horizontal plane, a first receiver moving vertically between a lower position and an upper position for receiving the wafers from the first transfer portion when the first receiver moves from its lower position to its upper position and moving them up and down, a chuck moving to a predetermined position under the wafers received by the first receiver when the first receiver is at or near its upper position and receiving the inspected elements from the first receiver when the first receiver moves from its upper position to its lower position, the chuck holding the wafers in their fixed condition and moving them in a given direction along a horizontal plane while they are inspected, a second receiver moving vertically between a lower position and an u

Abstract: A trailer wherein a body frame supports front and rear wheels rotatably at the left and right side portions thereof; a cargo base member has a plurality of rotors for transferring a cargo, arranged rotatably and in a mutually spaced manner on the cargo base member; and stoppers are provided at the front, rear, left and right portions of the body frame and the central portion of the cargo base member so that the stoppers can be vertically moved by operating rods connected to all of the stoppers for holding the cargo on the cargo base member. The front, rear, left and right stoppers are urged so that the stoppers normally project to a level higher than the upper surfaces of the rotors on the cargo base member. The central stopper is provided pivotably and movable vertically so that the cargo can be rotated easily on the cargo base member.

Abstract: An unloader for an unmodified dump truck which uses a temporarily installed conveyor along the flat bottom to dispense materials. Two struts of angle iron extend out from the conveyor to the bin sides and are pressed against the sides by threaded fittings. The struts hold the end of the conveyor in place, but permit simple and quick installation and removal.

Abstract: An improved vehicle restraint for preventing movement of a vehicle, such as a truck away from a loading dock during a loading operation. The vehicle restraint includes a guide frame mounted on the front face of the loading dock and a hook is disposed to move vertically on the guide frame between a lower inoperative position and an upper operative position where the hook engages an abutment on the vehicle. The hook is moved between the inoperative and operative positions by a fluid cylinder assembly, including a cylinder which is disposed in a recess in the driveway adjacent the loading dock, and the piston rod of the fluid cylinder assembly is connected to the hook. By introducing fluid into the lower end of the cylinder, the piston rod will be extended to move the hook to the operative position. The compressible nature of the fluid in the cylinder enables the hook to follow rising and falling of the truck bed during the loading operation.

Abstract: There is provided a pivotally mounted hull-engaging roller system for a roller trailer for facilitating loading and unloading a boat and assuring efficient support of a boat loaded thereon. The pivotal mounting permits the hull contacting elements or rollers to tilt inwardly without the need for any particular tilting capability. The hull-engaging rollers of the invention are supported on the trailer crossbars by an improved bracket having the capability of effectively supporting the crossbars for pivotal movement relative to the trailer side booms. The improved roller mounting structure disclosed herein accommodates a variety of various designed craft hulls.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide, for use on a limited site, an integrated architectural structure comprising particular personal occupancy space, particular automotive vehicle parking space, and particular access space communicating therebetween, all intimately juxtaposed. The personal occupancy space contains a plurality of personal occupancy units, i./e. apartments or offices, and at least one personal occupancy elevator and stairwell. The vehicle parking space contains one or more elevator lifts of specific design, namely, a lift that is movable only vertically and that includes a vertical array of levels, each level of which includes a horizontal array of automotive vehicle locations. Movement of this parking lift to selected vertical positions is such that selected levels of the vertical array communicate with the access level at selected times for vehicle storage or vehicle retrieval.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for handling semiconductor chips and the like are disclosed which include the use of a flat flexible film which is attached to the face of a base member. The face of the base member is formed with recesses covered by the flat flexible film. Chips are loaded onto the flat flexible film in good surface contact therewith whereby they are securely held in position by interfacial, adhesive, or other forces between the chips and film. To facilitate removal of chips from the film, the recesses are connected to a vaccuum source, drawing portions of the flexible film into said recesses and providing the film with a texturized, or undulating, surface. The area of contact between the chips and film is thereby reduced which, in turn, results in a reduction in the force by which the chips are attached to the film, thereby enabling removal of the chips by conventional techniques.