Abstract: A powered pruning saw is disclosed in which a drive motor is connected to an elongated drive shaft rotatably held within an shaft or pole. A gear head is mounted at the other end of the pole to the remote end of the drive shaft. The gear head includes a gear housing formed of two housing halves, with a pinion rotatably mounted by a pinion bearing within the gear housing for coaxial rotation with the drive shaft. The pinion shaft mounts the pinion at one end and a drive shaft receiver at a remaining end for releasably receiving an end of the drive shaft. A cutter arbor shaft is also rotatably mounted in the gear head, and mounts a gear in meshing engagement with the pinion. A cutter arbor shaft bearing mounts the cutter arbor shaft and gear for rotation about a cutter arbor shaft axis that is angularly offset from the drive shaft axis. A cutter is releasably attached to the cutter arbor shaft.

Abstract: An extensible power shaft assembly used, for example, with a portable tree pruner includes a telescoping axial drive shaft assembly and a telescoping housing coaxially surrounding the drive shaft assembly. Overlapping ends of the telescoping drive shaft components are slidably mounted to one another and supported by an intermediate bearing assembly located at one end of one of the drive shaft sections. Provision is made at the opposite ends of the drive shaft sections for accommodating radial misalignment between interconnected driving and driven components. Provision is also made for preventing whipping of the unsupported sections of the elongated drive shaft sections.

Abstract: An improved spring assembly for driving the throwing arm of a ball throwing machine. The assembly is mountable on a central transverse drive shaft of the machine. It includes a primary spring with an outwardly extending loop for loading against an abutment as the shaft is rotated in a first direction about its axis and for unloading in the first direction upon disengagement of the abutment. A secondary spring assembly is mountable to the drive shaft and includes a looped end engaging the outwardly extending arm of the primary spring assembly at a point approximately midway along its length. The secondary spring loads against the loop of the primary spring in response to rotation of the drive shaft, and unloads to drive the first loop forcibly in the first direction upon disengagement of the abutment by the first loop.

Abstract: A compact, light-weight machine for throwing balls along a desired trajectory includes a housing with an arcuate track leading inwardly from an opening to an initial ball support station. A throwing arm is rotatably mounted within the housing and is connected to a torsion spring. A crank arm is provided on one end of the shaft to rotate the torsion spring and throwing arm against a stop pin that extends through the housing in the path of the throwing arm. The torsion spring stores energy provided through the crank arm as it is rotated about a central axis. When the spring is sufficiently loaded, the throwing arm will slip from engagement with the stop pin and forcibly move against a ball to move it arcuately around the track and outwardly through the opening. The machine is specially adapted for use with resilient balls that will deform both against the track and against the throwing arm.

Abstract: Press racking, or lateral movement of the movable portions of a press, occurs in certain particleboard processes during heating and pressing of the panels. It is attributed to shingling of wood particles during the formation of a mat. To eliminate or reduce the movement of the press, the mat is subjected to rolling engagement by a relatively small diameter roll located between the forming apparatus and the press. The roll subjects the mat to a downward rolling pressure. The peripheral roll surface is in contact with the newly formed upper surface of the mat and has a linear speed and direction of movement identical to the speed and direction of movement of the mat support. A resulting wave action within the mat is caused by shear and displacement forces applied to the wood particles, such that the shingled nature of the mat is modified to reduce or eliminate resulting lateral movement of the press components.