Abstract: Two counter rotating rollers are provided having elastomeric exterior coatings into which ribs and grooves are formed for intermeshing to blanch nuts at a pinch point therebetween. Grooves in the lower roller hold nuts as ribs on the upper roller pass across the nuts to break skins on the nuts. The elastomeric exterior coatings have surface hardness values which measure around 30 durometer. The squeeze at the pinch point between the two rollers can be repeatably adjusted for running different sizes of nuts.

Abstract: A kerb climbing device for a wheelchair having a pair of wheels of relatively small diameter comprises a guide arm and a lifting arm mounted centrally between the wheels for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis extending between opposed sides of the wheelchair. The guide arm and lifting arm extend forwardly of the wheels in an operative position of the device in which the free end of the lifting arm is spaced above the free end of the guide arm. The free end of the guide arm is arranged for locating against the kerb and the lifting arm is pivotal in response to engagement of the free end of the guide arm with the kerb to lower the free end of the lifting arm onto the kerb and lift the wheels of the ground thereby facilitating mounting of the kerb.

Abstract: A wheelchair having four ground engaging wheels, two at the front and two at the rear, and four electric motors, one for each wheel, wherein each wheel is connected to a respective electric motor for driving the wheelchair and the front wheels are mounted on respective steering arms of a steering linkage driven by an electric actuator coupled to a track rod connecting the steering arms for steering the wheelchair.

Abstract: A foldable wheelchair is provided of small and compact folded size for use particularly in travelling where only limited access for wheelchairs is available, e.g. on airplanes or trains. The wheelchair has two side frames (1) connected by a foldable linkage (2) operable on lifting members (6) to which the seat panel (5) is fitted with slide rods (44) being guided through cross members (11) of the side frames. The wheelchair includes front castor wheels (8) and removable rear wheels with hand rims (15) for self-propelling, and to remove the wheels (14) there is a control mechanism operable by a handle (26) to lower rear castor wheels (13) to jack the larger wheels (14) off the ground ready for detachment by lifting a pull ring (23). The control mechanism includes a brake applied to the rear castor wheels on jacking, and the rear castor wheels are biased by springs (34) into the raised position.