Abstract: A cutting device may include a base for supporting a material, such as wood, to be cut. A blade may be joined to an arm that swings about a pivot located above a cutting area. The blade may be allowed to move in a lateral direction through an arcuate path toward the user to cut the material. A biasing force may be applied to the arm to pull the arm to a retracted position off of the cutting area. A motor for driving the blade may be located on the arm above the blade such that the cutting area may remain visible to allow precise cutting. An abutment may be provided for aligning the material to be cut. A gap may be provided in the abutment to allow the blade to pass therethrough. Measuring indicia may be placed on opposing sides of the gap to facilitate measuring and cutting the material.

Abstract: A hoist assembly includes a housing having a body sandwiched between metal plates connected to a mounting channel. The housing supports a rotary drive shaft which supports a rotary spool defining a groove receiving a cable having an inner end portion connected to the spool. A drive mechanism connects the shaft to the spool and produces one revolution of the spool for multiple revolutions of the drive shaft. A down stop member moves radially within the groove while engaging the cable, and an alternate one-piece down stop member surrounds the cable and engages the spool on opposite sides of the groove. An elongated wheel support bracket is connected to the outer end of the cable and has opposite inclined straight surfaces for self-centering wheels with center holes of different diameters. Another wheel support bracket has opposite end portions having pins projecting upwardly into lug holes within the wheel.

Abstract: The compact hoist assembly includes a housing having a molded plastic body sandwiched between parallel spaced metal plates, and an upper portion of the housing projects into an elongated mounting channel. The housing supports a rotary drive shaft which supports an annular rotary spool defining a groove receiving a cable having an inner end portion connected to the spool. A drive mechanism connects the shaft to the spool through a spring biased clutch and produces one revolution of the spool for multiple revolutions of the drive shaft. A down stop member moves radially within the groove while engaging the cable, and an alternate one-piece down stop member surrounds the cable and engages the spool on opposite sides of the groove. An elongated tire support bracket is connected to the outer end of the cable and has opposite inclined straight surfaces for self-centering wheels with center holes of different diameters.

Abstract: A router includes tubular segments interconnected to one another. Each tubular segment surrounds an interior which accommodates fiber optic jumpers within the tubular segment. A latch of a first one of the tubular segments connects to a connector hole of a second one of the tubular segments to interconnect the first and second tubular segments.

Abstract: A system for routing fiber optic jumpers from a fiber optic jumper trough to network equipment includes fiber optic jumper enclosures. Each enclosure has a tubular segment surrounding an interior. The interior of each tubular segment accommodates the placement of fiber optic jumpers within the tubular segment. Some of the enclosures have connector holes in the tubular segments and some of the enclosures have latches connected to ends of the tubular segments. First, second, third, etc., enclosures interconnect with one another to form a router for routing fiber optic jumpers between a fiber optic jumper trough and the network equipment. A latch of the first enclosure connects to a connector hole of the second enclosure in order to interconnect the first and second enclosures to form the router. A post associated with one of the first and second enclosures mounts the router to the network equipment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a conveyor and packaging apparatus, as well as packaging conveyance and packaging methods for irregularly shaped articles and packages, such as for packaged food products as in the case of conical packages for ice cream confections and the like. In the present invention, pairs of manufactured articles having irregular profiles are moved along a conveyor system. Each of a given pair of articles moves along an independent conveyor path toward a predetermined destination. Each article may undergo a change in alignment along its path such that it is in a preferred orientation upon leaving the conveyor system. In a preferred embodiment, pairs of conical articles are oriented with the narrow ends in opposing directions (interlaced) upon leaving the system so as to minimize the amount of space required for packaging of the two articles when placed adjacent one another.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a conveyor and packaging apparatus, as well as packaging conveyance and packaging methods for irregularly shaped articles and packages, such as for packaged food products as in the case of conical packages for ice cream confections and the like. In the present invention, pairs of manufactured articles having irregular profiles are moved along a conveyor system. Each of a given pair of articles moves along an independent conveyor path toward a predetermined destination. Each article may undergo a change in alignment along its path such that it is in a preferred orientation upon leaving the conveyor system. In a preferred embodiment, pairs of conical articles are oriented with the narrow ends in opposing directions (interlaced) upon leaving the system so as to minimize the amount of space required for packaging of the two articles when placed adjacent one another.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a conveyor and packaging apparatus, as well as packaging conveyance and packaging methods for irregularly shaped articles and packages, such as for packaged food products as in the case of conical packages for ice cream confections and the like. In the present invention, pairs of manufactured articles having irregular profiles are moved along a conveyor system. Each of a given pair of articles moves along an independent conveyor path toward a predetermined destination. Each article may undergo a change in alignment along its path such that it is in a preferred orientation upon leaving the conveyor system. In a preferred embodiment, pairs of conical articles are oriented with the narrow ends in opposing directions (interlaced) upon leaving the system so as to minimize the amount of space required for packaging of the two articles when placed adjacent one another.

Abstract: The present invention includes a spinning valve having an inner valve portion and an outer valve portion, and having multiple inlets and multiple chambers at different heights along the longitudinal axis of the inner valve portion. The present invention also includes a spinning valve having an inner valve portion and an outer valve portion, with multiple inlets at the same height along the longitudinal axis of the inner valve portion with single or multiple chambers at that location along the longitudinal axis. In each of these valves, the inner valve portion is adapted to spin within the outer valve portion. Additionally, the present invention includes an apparatus for dispensing two or more discrete streams of fluid into a series of containers by using one of the aforementioned valves.