Abstract: Alternate conveyor slats have laterally outwardly projecting, upper side portions, each with a depending, longitudinal, load transmitting bead (B). The beads (B) sit down on and slide longitudinally along bearing/seal surfaces (90a, 92a) that are a part of upper side portions of the intermediate conveyor slats (12). The alternate conveyor slats (10) are guided by longitudinal guide beams (14). Hold down members (20) secured to the guide beams (14) serve to resist unwanted upward movement of the conveyor slats (10). The intermediate conveyor slats (10) are snap-fitted onto bearings (18) which in turn are snap-fitted onto longitudinal guide and support beams (19). The weight of conveyor slats (10), and the weight of any load on the conveyor slats (10), is transmitted by the contact of the bead (B) with the bearing/seal surfaces (90, 92) to the conveyor slats (12).

Abstract: A movable conveyor (10) comprising a platform (24) for carrying a soccer field (12) or the like, and pairs of sled assemblies (26). Each sled assembly (26) includes a shoe (42), a pair of linear hydraulic motors or actuators (60, 62), a plastic bearing (79), and an expandable air bag (83). Air bag (83) inflates to raise platform (24), while actuators (60, 62) operate to move platform (24) along shoe (42). With air bag (83) deflated, platform (24) rests on a foot support (38). This allows actuators (60, 62) to reposition shoe 42 to a forward position, to again raise and move platform (24).

Abstract: A conveyor slat (CS) is formed by pultrusion (FIG. 1). It has a slat body comprising a resin matrix and reinforcement fibers (66) and/or fiber fabric (68). At least some of the fibers (66, 68) extend longitudinally of the slat body. Others extend transversely of the slat body. Surface veils are provided where the slats contact the bearings (34, 72, 74, 76) or are contacted by seals (136, 162). The conveyor slats (CS) can be made from a food grade resin. Grit (128) may be bonded to upper surfaces (124) of the conveyor slat (CS) to provide such upper surfaces with high friction characteristics.

Abstract: A garbage handling system (10) including a plurality of garbage collector bins (12) each provided with a reciprocating floor conveyor (50) and a movable, suspended chain assembly (30) at an outlet end (16) of a garbage collector bin for the purpose of breaking up accumulated garbage as the garbage is transferred out of the collector bin to a subsequent processing station, such as an incinerator. The size of each collector bin is large enough to hold several loads of garbage. The chain assembly is movable up and down, as well as laterally, to assist in breaking up garbage that has bound together while in the collector bin. The sidewalls (36) of collector bins (12) are angled inwardly to prevent garbage from becoming lodged between the sidewalls, preventing the reciprocating floor conveyor from moving the garbage.

Abstract: An elastomeric seal member (94) includes a split, V-shaped upper edge portion including and formed by branches (110, 112) that angle away from each other and toward opposite sides (88, 90) of adjacent conveyor slat (80) of a reciprocating slat conveyor. The seal member (94) includes a base portion (96) that is retained within a longitudinal groove (102) formed in a first side (88) of a first conveyor slat (80). It also includes an outboard portion (98) that is situated within a gap (92) between first and second conveyor slats (80). The inboard and outboard portions (96, 98) are interconnected by a neck (100) that extends through a slot (106). The neck (100) and outboard portion (98) form a dihedral corner (108) where they are joined. This formed corner (108) and contact between neck (100) and a lower slot surface (114) holds and braces the seal member (94) against rotation in the gap (92) in response to downward forces acting on the outboard portion (98) of the seal member (94).

Abstract: Each of a plurality of side-by-side drive units (90, 92, 94) has a cylinder barrel component (98, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108) at each end and a centrally positioned piston component (110, 112, 114). The drive assembly also includes a pair of longitudinally spaced apart transverse mounting frame members (116, 118), each of which has an elongated body (124) with a corrugated center section (132). The center section (132) has a plurality of alternating ridges (134) and valleys (136) extending transversely of the body (124). Each valley (136) is sized to receive a cylinder barrel component. The cylinder barrel components are secured by clamps (142). At least one strengthening rib (126, 128, 130) is secured to the body (124) and extends crosswise of the ridges (134) and valleys (136) to strengthen the corrugated center section (132). The cylinder barrel components have opposite end flanges (144, 146) that abut the mounting frame members (116, 118) to restrain longitudinal movement of the components.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the production of metal sheets enamelled with two layers, wherein the sheet is coated, before shaping, with a polymer suspension. The sheet is then dried and shaped, and optionally is coated with an enamel frit. The sheet is then fired at a temperature of 560 to 850 degrees C. The binder in the polymer suspension is preferably a material which burns completely at melting and stoving temperature.

Abstract: Generally horizontally disposed bracing trusses (44, 46) are interconnected between the bottoms of the longitudinal drive beams (70, 72, 74) and the bottoms of the associated transverse drive beams (100, 102, 104), within a reciprocating floor conveyor. This and other reinforcement particularly adapts the system for use in a stationary installation having a relatively wide floor. Trucks (RV) equipped with reciprocating floor conveyors are backed into a receiving house (H) and the conveyors are used for unloading bulk material (B) from the trucks (RV) into the receiving house (H). The bulk material (B) is conveyed from the receiving house (H) up to an elevated inlet (16) at one end of an elongated enclosure (E). The enclosure (E) includes a reciprocating floor conveyor (24) at its bottom and an elevated screw conveyor (36) at its top. The reciprocating conveyor (24) is operated to move bulk material out from the enclosure (E) at a controlled rate.

Abstract: A hydraulically actuated driving tool is provided with a ground engageable member which is driven into the ground by the action and reaction of a drive mass which is free to slide within the tool and which is repetitively forced away from and back to the ground engageable member in a manner determined by a hydraulic control system. Each repeated cycle of operation engenders two separate forces to drive the ground engageable member into the ground, one being the force exerted by high pressure fluid in the hydraulic control system when the drive mass is forced away from the ground engageable member and the other being the force exerted when the drive mass impacts back upon the ground engageable member. A switch means is provided whereby the returning drive mass initiates the next cycle of operation of the hydraulic control system.

Abstract: A draft attachment for wheeled implements. The attachment is characterized by an elongated frame member having a coupling located at one end thereof adapted to connect the frame member with a wheel-supported implement, a singular ground wheel disposed substantially beneath the opposite end of the frame member and pivotally connected thereto in supporting relation therewith, a power train connected to the wheel for selectively driving the ground wheel about its axis of rotation and an operator's platform mounted on the frame member in fixed relation therewith.

Abstract: A fluid operated reciprocatable device has an outer, usually fixed, member nd an inner relatively movable member joined by a resilient member e.g., of rubber. The outer member is closed at one end so as to form an enclosure into which fluid under pressure can be admitted so as to displace the inner member in a given axial direction relative to the outer member. When a pulsating pressure is applied to the fluid the inner member vibrates axially in accordance with the pulses. The resilient member is proportioned so that its dimension in the axial direction is large in comparison with the thickness between the outer and inner members, e.g. 4 times larger. The properties of the resilient member are chosen so that it acts not only as a seal between the outer and inner members to contain fluid, but as a return spring whereby the inner member is returned, between fluid pulses, from an axially displaced position.