Abstract: Apparatus for inspecting the wall thickness of non-round containers includes capacitive sensors which cooperate with oscillator means to provide voltage signals corresponding to container wall thickness to electronic processors which convert the voltage signals to corresponding thickness values and compare them with the desired thickness values. The apparatus subjects the containers to translational movement through the inspection zone while resisting rotational movement. The sensors have at least one sensor element having capacitive sensor portions that are not in the same plane as other capacitive sensor elements or a single sensor element having portions in more than one plane. The sensor elements may be individual sensor elements which are each adapted to inspect different portions of a container or may, in another embodiment, be a single sensor element. The sensors are adapted to be movably mounted so as to maintain efficient contact with non-round containers during inspection.

Abstract: Apparatus for inspecting the wall thickness of non-round containers includes capacitive sensors which cooperate with oscillator means to provide voltage signals corresponding to container wall thickness to electronic processors which convert the voltage signals to corresponding thickness values and compare them with the desired thickness values. The apparatus subjects the containers to translational movement through the inspection zone while resisting rotational movement. The sensors have at least one sensor element having capacitive sensor portions that are not in the same plane as other capacitive sensor elements or a single sensor element having portions in more than one plane. The sensor elements may be individual sensor elements which are each adapted to inspect different portions of a container or may, in another embodiment, be a single sensor element. The sensors are adapted to be movably mounted so as to maintain efficient contact with non-round containers during inspection.

Abstract: A ramp lever is adjustably supported by a frame secured to the rail of a railway track. The lever has a shaft portion and a car wheel striking portion that extends upwardly from the shaft portion. The ramp lever is rotatably supported by the frame for movement between a raised position and a depressed position. The shaft portion of the ramp lever is connected through an indexing assembly to a drive shaft. A torsion spring extends in surrounding relation from the shaft portion to the indexing assembly. After the car wheel has passed over the ramp lever and depressed the lever, the torsion spring returns the ramp lever to the initial raised position. During the return stroke of the ramp lever to the raised position, the indexing assembly transmits rotation from the ramp lever shaft portion to the drive shaft. The drive shaft is disconnected from the ramp lever as the car wheel depresses the ramp lever to isolate the drive shaft from the shock forces transmitted by the car wheel.