Abstract: An emergency closure for use in grain storage facilities, the emergency closure utilizes a fail-safe closure mechanism such that upon the termination of motive force to the gate the gate is forced into a closed position to terminate the flow of grain or other flowable substance out of it container.

Abstract: A feeder apparatus includes a feed hopper including front and rear end walls, a pair of opposed side walls each formed by upper and lower side panels secured together by a first plurality of removable fasteners, and a lid movable between open and closed positions. The side walls are attached to the front end wall by a second plurality of removable fasteners and to the rear end wall by a third plurality of removable fasteners. A feed tray assembly is secured between the front and rear end walls by a fourth plurality of removable fasteners. The feed tray assembly includes a tray and a pair of opposed side rails attached to the tray by a fifth plurality of removable fasteners. An axle assembly including an axle and a pair of opposed side mounting plates is attached to the hopper by several of the fifth plurality of removable fasteners so that the axle assembly may be added to or removed from the apparatus without requiring modification of the apparatus or further fasteners.

Abstract: A single copy newspaper vending machine which dispenses one newspaper copy each time proper coins are deposited. Newspapers are stacked on a tray which is urged upwardly toward a ski device that rides on the newspaper stack. The ski device can be pulled forwardly to dispense a single newspaper by depositing proper coins and pulling on the handle of a slide arm. The slide arm is normally locked in a retracted position but is released when the coins are accepted. The ski device includes pointed prongs which penetrate the upper surface of the top newspaper in the stack. The back folded edge of the top newspaper is engaged by cleats projecting from a cleat plate carried on the ski device. A pivotal dog member assures that the slide arm is moved through a single complete stroke each time it is released. After the stack of newspapers on the tray has been exhausted, the next stroke of the slide arm causes the dispensing of a display copy carried in a display case on the front of the machine.