Abstract: A hydraulic lash adjuster has a generally cylindrical, hollow body having a closed end, an open end and a top land at the open end. A plunger is positioned in the body and is held in place by a retainer. The retainer is fastened to the exterior of the body. The retainer has a rim supported on the top land of the body and is held in place by tabs which are folded under into grooves in the side of the body.

Abstract: A tappet for an internal combustion engine includes a tappet body having a camface at one end thereof, which camface is positioned for contact with a rotating camshaft. The camface is formed essentially of zirconium oxide.

Abstract: The invention includes a method of retaining, shipping and assembling tappet cartridge assemblies, as well as a plastic sleeve for retaining the tappet cartridge assembly during shipping and assembly. In the method, a plastic sleeve retains an otherwise removable plunger in a tappet cartridge assembly body. The thus-retained cartridge assembly may be shipped and during subsequent assembly is positioned in alignment with a tappet follower. The tappet cartridge assembly is pushed through the retainer plastic sleeve into the tappet follower with such movement releasing the cartridge assembly from the plastic sleeve, permitting removal of the plastic sleeve.

Abstract: An overhead guard is provided for counterweighted lift trucks of different lengths. The overhead guard has a top portion supported at its front end by a pair of laterally spaced front legs extending downwardly to attaching points on the front of the truck and the top portion is supported at its rear end by adjustably positioned laterally spaced rear posts. The top of the rear posts may be attached to different longitudinally spaced points on the upper portion of the guard and the bottom of the rear posts are attachable to support posts on the counterweight which is at different longitudinal positions on different length trucks.

Abstract: A fork lift truck has a safety system for inhibiting further raising of the carriage or further forward tilting of the mast when an excessive tilting moment is acting on the truck and permits the truck operator to selectively simulate an overload on the truck and provides a visual indication that the safety system has responded properly to such simulated overload, thereby permitting the truck operator to test whether or not the truck is protected from picking up an overload.

Abstract: An automatic mechanical brake adjuster for a walk-behind lift truck includes a lever (59) with two relatively pivoted parts (58,76) including a ratchet mechanism (96) therebetween. The ratchet mechanism (96) includes a ratchet wheel segment (77) and cooperating pawls (101-104). The brake adjuster also includes an extensible link (126) which determines the brake shoe back-off distance and cooperates with the ratchet mechanism (96) in effecting pivotal adjustment between the lever parts (58,76).

Abstract: Soybean crop yield can be increased by the foliar application of small amounts of trialkyl-2,4-dichlorobenzylammonium chlorides during certain stages of growth. Application to the Northern indeterminate varieties is at a rate of about 0.25-0.5 lb./acre during the 5-8 trifoliate leaf stage and application to the Southern determinate varieties is at a rate of about 0.5-0.75 lb./acre during the 10-11 trifoliate leaf stage.

Abstract: A surface floodlight assembly for use in a heliport lighting system which provides a wide-angle horizontal beam spread and a very narrow vertical beam spread. A pair of sealed beam high-intensity floodlights mounted in a case with their respective axes at a predetermined angle provide a wide horizontal angle of convergence while limiting the vertical angle. The case enclosing the floodlights has a cover including a perimeter marking light which has a lens providing a wide angle of divergence. Mounting tabs are provided on the case for securing it in place and positioning groups of the floodlight assemblies around a heliport pad such that maximum illumination is obtained over a substantial portion of the pad. To minimize glare, a shroud is incorporated into the case limiting the divergence of the floodlight beams to prevent glare. Each floodlight assembly is a complete self-contained unit including a power supply which provides varying selections of brilliance and it can be permanently mounted or be portable.

Abstract: A cart caster having an improved self-centering structure for causing the caster wheel to have a preselected alignment when elevated from a subjacent support surface. The self-aligning structure includes a cam, a cam follower, and a biasing element cooperatively causing the caster wheel to move to a preselected position about the caster axis when load is removed from the wheel as by lifting of the cart. The aligning structure may include a plurality of alignment portions permitting the wheel to be automatically brought to any one of a plurality of different positions about the caster axis, such as to either a fore or aft direction relative to the cart.

Abstract: A fork lift truck has a safety system for inhibiting further raising of the carriage or further forward tilting of the mast when an excessive tilting moment is acting on the truck and permits override of the safety system so that the overload can be relieved by the operator under certain conditions without requiring the assistance of a second truck.

Abstract: A fork lift truck has an overload protective circuit which is responsive to an excessive tilting moment acting on the truck, as a result of a load on the raised carriage, to disable the mast tilting motor and carriage elevating motor from shifting the load supporting carriage in a direction which would increase the forward tilting moment and also has a crowbar circuit which, upon failure of the protective system to respond properly to such excessive tilting moment, opens an electrical circuit that also results in inhibiting the mast tilting and carriage elevating motors from further raising the carriage or further forward tilting of the mast on the overloaded truck, thereby providing enhanced protection against faulty operation resulting from component failure. One embodiment permits the truck operator to selectively simulate an overload and thereby initiate testing for component failure in the overload protective system.

Abstract: An overload protective system continuously monitors the forward overturning moment on a counterbalanced lift truck and prevents further raising of the carriage or further forward tilting of the mast when the overturning moment is excessive.