Abstract: A hand stamp assembly that includes a porous ink cartridge received in the stamp housing and a porous ink containing die head that is mounted in contact with the forward face of the ink cartridge so that ink may be transferred from the cartridge to the die head as the ink in the die head is depleted. The forward face of the die head is normally protected by a spring-loaded shielding sleeve that retracts when the stamp is pressed against the surface to be marked. An axial handle socket is provided so as to receive a handle or other gripping means. The socket is designed to have an inherent resilient flexing capability to provide firm gripping of the handle or other holder.

Abstract: A marking apparatus for printing indicia on products being transported along a conveyor. The moving products, such as cartons, are engaged by a printing roll with a drive rim that engages the surface of the article. As the printing roll turns, a printing segment carried on the roll comes into contact with the surface to print the indicia thereon. Ink is supplied to the printing segment by means of an ink supply roll mounted on a lever arm and which contains a supply of ink that is supplied to a porous ink-containing cylindrical surface. The lever arm is urged in one direction of rotation by a biasing device such as a compression spring to force the ink supply roll against an adjacent ink transfer roll with a predetermined force. The ink transfer roll has a cylindrical, elastomeric pad that receives ink from the ink supply roll and transfers it to the printing segment of the printing roll.

Abstract: A hoist for controllably lifting, holding or lowering an object from a mobile aerial device having an articulated or extendable boom supporting a man-lifting platform. The hoist has an adjustably positioned housing and positioning plate mounted to a shaft. The shaft is secured to the boom of the mobile aerial device, in proximity to the man-lifting platform. An elongated jib with sheave at one end is supported by the housing and may be linearly positioned in relation to the hoist housing. The housing may be manually positioned in relation to the positioning plate, and the positioning plate may be rotatably positioned in relation to the mobile aerial device boom by fluid control means. A rotary fluid motor is adapted to turn a drum about the hoist shaft and controllably wind or unwind a line about the drum. The line extends from the drum about a sheave rotatably secured to one end of the jib, and is of a length sufficient to extend to the object to be moved by the hoist.

Abstract: An articulated aerial boom and an elbow linkage therefore permitting the proximal end of the upper aerial boom to rotate approximately 210.degree. about the proximal end of a lower aerial boom.

Abstract: In an articulated boom having a platform and comprised of upper and lower booms respectively, there are hydraulic actuators controlling the movements of the upper and lower booms. Control means are necessary in association with the lower boom to control its rate of movement, slowing such rate of movement as the lower boom approaches its retracted, or full rest, position. A position responsive valve permits unimpeded fluid pressure access to the actuator for lowering the lower boom at its regular rate until the lower boom reaches a critical angle as it approaches horizontal position, at which time the valve prevents further fluid access to its associated hydraulic actuator. Thereafter, a position responsive valve and a pressure reducing valve reduce the rate of descent of the lower boom until the lower boom is fully retracted to its rest position.

Abstract: An imprinting wheel which comprises a plurality of annular disc members coaxial with a shaft and axially spaced therealong to define radially outwardly facing spaces therebetween and connected for rotation in unison. Printing type elements of rubber-like material have a printing portion terminating in a printing face and a base portion provided with an inner circumferential surface and joining ears which extend laterally of the printing portion. Adjacent pairs of disc members have first coaxially aligned annular shoulders forming first annular steps in the disc member which respectively engage the ears of a type element with the base portion extending across the space and the printing portion extending radially outwardly in the space and beyond the peripheral edges of the disc members, the first shoulders preventing radial outward movement of the type element. Annular resilient members have inner and outer circumferential surfaces.

Abstract: A hydraulic valve system uses spool type pilot valves with the valve openings notched to provide non-linear response to movement of pilot valves. A servo type valve with a four-way spring centered spool is operated either manually or hydraulically by the spool pilot valve. A limit stop is located at each end of the servo spool valve. The notching geometry in the spools of both the pilot valve and servo valve provide a non-linear response such that controllability and safety are improved, without hysteresis.The system has a manual override on both ends of the servo valve which is operated independently of the pilot spool valve.The system is proposed for use on articulated aerial towers which consist of a mobile platform, a rotatable mounting for a lower boom, an upper boom having an articulated mounting on the lower boom, and personnel or tool carrying basket at the outer end of the upper boom.

Abstract: In a self-transportable aerial platform, an operator employs a handle for controlling the vertical, horizontal and lateral movements of the platform in order to place the basket or platform at a preferred location. The operator-controlled handle operates a linkage which actuates one valve of a control to produce a first mode of platform movement; the handle is movable in a second direction to displace separately and distinctly a second valve for a further mode of operation; and the handle can further be twisted or turned to effect a separate and distinct movement of a third valve for the final mode of platform movement. The linkage consists of parallelogram linkage having the capability that one of said links can serve as a pivot for the other link, both of said links can be pivoted in unison as part of a parallelogram linkage, and both links of the parallelogram linkage can serve as journals for twisting movement of the handle which effects the additional mode of platform movement.

Abstract: In connection with a pair of articulated booms there is a leveling system consisting of a sprocket wheel at the base of the lower boom and a co-acting sprocket wheel at the free end of the upper boom with chains and rods interconnecting the two sprockets and constituting part of the leveling system maintaining the basket connected to the free end of the upper boom in a level condition.The angular position of the sprocket wheel on the upper boom is calibrated so as to be in a direct relationship to the perpendicularity of the upper boom relative to the horizon, which in turn is related to chain movement at the upper boom.A control valve associated with the upper boom is actuated by a cam on the chain so the valve is operated at whatever preselected critical angle of perpendicularity of the upper boom is desired.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises a wheel having at least two spaced parallel sides. A type-supporting member is slidably mounted between said sides for radial movement, the wheel being open radially outwardly from this supporting member to receive a segment of rubber type. A spring of resilient, rubber-like material, in columnar form extends radially of the wheel between the sides, being secured at its radially outer end to the supporting member and at its inner end to the central portion of the wheel. Radially inward movement of the supporting member causes flexure of said spring which reacts with a corresponding force. A type segment mounted on said type-supporting member will be impressed against a surface to be imprinted depending upon the reactionary force exerted by the flexed spring.