Abstract: An article loading roller mechanism is disclosed. The loading roller permits one person to load or unload heavy articles such as ladders, pipes, lumber, canoes or kayaks. The roller is arranged in a fixed position so that the top of the roller is slightly below the top of the rear cross bar of the vehicle rack. The roller can be removably attached to a rear cross bar of a vehicle rack system by a clamping mechanism. The roller may be covered in part by a pliable scratch-resistant material. An article is loaded by placing a first end of the article onto the roller. The second end of the article is lifted, maintained at an angle such that the article does not touch the vehicle rack nor the vehicle, and is pushed toward the front cross bar of the vehicle rack. The roller reduces the loading friction and facilitates loading with a minimum of effort and time. When an article is in place on the vehicle rack front and rear cross bars, additional articles can be loaded in the same manner.

Abstract: Apparatus for reconditioning drums has a conveyor extending through a series of equally spaced stations. The conveyor has a series of members, each in the form of a forwardly opening V and with the members so spaced that when any one is at a station, other members will be at the other stations. Drums are placed, one at a time, and inverted, on the infeed end of the conveyor with the bung of each in a position to be caught and held centered by one of the members and pulled thereby along the center line of the conveyor. The conveyor is moved by steps with each step advancing a conveyed drum to a station at which the bung is in vertical alignment with a vertically disposed, subjacent spray nozzle. Dwells between the steps are provided of a predetermined duration during which the nozzles are elevated to an extent entering them within a drum and the drums at stations are tilted fowardly. At each station, a reconditioning fluid is discharged through the associated nozzle if a drum is in fact present.