Abstract: An edging attachment for riding lawn mowers is operable to control the height of an edging blade relative to a ground surface while an operator steers the mower in a desired direction. In one embodiment, the edging attachment is coupled to the mowing deck of a mower and the mowing deck is adjusted using a foot control. The foot control can be manipulated while the operator simultaneously steers the mower using a hand-operable steering controls. Because the edging attachment is coupled to the mowing deck, adjustment of the edging blade height is also effected using the foot control. In another embodiment, a hand-manipulated control is mounted proximate the steering controls to facilitate adjustment of the edging blade while simultaneously steering the mower.

Abstract: A stick allocator for transferring laterally aligned sticks between a holding location on a longitudinal in-feed transfer means and a high-speed longitudinal out-feed transfer means has a lower, selectively rotatable, stick lifting and translation means, disposed generally beneath the holding location, for frictionally engaging a lower surface of a stick held laterally in the holding location. Lifting the stick frictionally engages an upper surface of the stick with an upper, selectively rotatable, stick receiving and translating means, disposed generally above the holding location. The upper, selectively rotatable, stick receiving and translating means frictionally engages the upper surface of the stick and biases the stick against the lower, selectively rotatable, stick lifting and translating means.

Abstract: A foliage compactor includes an impeller assembly supported on a frame and including an enclosure having an inlet and an outlet, and an impeller supported for rotation within the enclosure to produce suction at the inlet and positive pressure at the outlet. An elongated hose is connected to the inlet so that foliage is drawn into the impeller assembly through the hose. A cyclone separator is supported on the frame beside the impeller assembly, and presents an upper inlet connected to the outlet of the impeller assembly so that air and foliage under positive pressure are introduced into the cyclone separator by the impeller assembly. The cyclone separator includes an outlet disposed lower than the inlet, and an exhaust vent located higher than the outlet for exhausting air from the housing.

Abstract: A device for placing transversely aligned spacing-sticks onto a top surface of a lumber stack. The device having a longitudinally translatable conveyor with stick supporting hooks depending therefrom, the conveyor and the supporting hooks adapted to convey longitudinally the spacing-sticks extending transversely across the conveyor and the stack of lumber, having a stick transferring device for transferring the spacing-sticks from the stick supporting hooks to the upper surface of the lumber stack. The stick transferring device having a first and a second vertically translatable frame, the second vertically translatable frame selectively longitudinally translatable relative to the first vertically translatable frame.

Abstract: An adaptive dilution mixture control system for internal combustion engines including an apparatus for measuring a combustion force within a combustion chamber communicating with an apparatus for calculating the real-time work output of the engine from the measured combustion force, and an apparatus for controlling the variable dilution of the fuel-air mixture delivered to the combustion chamber to achieve a desired work output, the controlling apparatus responsive to the real-time work output. The apparatus for controlling the variable fuel-air mixture dilution includes a compensator for comparing the real-time work output and other engine parameters to an adaptive optimizing control model, and calculating the desired work output. Also included is a fuel injection system, and an exhaust recirculation valve to vary the dilution of the fuel-air mixture to achieve the desired work output. The adaptive optimizing control model is adapted to change over time based on a change in engine conditions.