Abstract: A luggage article may include a plurality of walls together defining an outer structure of the luggage article, a wheel bracket attached to and extending from one of the walls, and a wheel attached to the wheel bracket. The wheel bracket may comprise first and second elongate arms extending along a common side of the wheel. The first and second arms may be vertically-spaced apart from one another over at least a portion of the length of the first and second arms. The configuration of the wheel bracket may result in higher shock absorption and reduced wheel noise comparative to conventional wheel brackets, and offer an improvement and alternative to conventional luggage wheel brackets.

Abstract: An articulating camera transport apparatus and corresponding methods involving an articulating camera truck for accommodating a camera element and for engaging a set of camera dolly tracks, the tracks having a curvature, the truck including a carrier and an undercarriage, the undercarriage having a plurality of articulating wheels and a structure for gimbaling the plurality of articulating wheels for accommodating the curvature and for facilitating a smooth passage of the truck along the tracks. The gimbaling structure has a gimbaling mechanism which includes a rocker arm.

Abstract: A camera positioning system comprising a track having two parallel outer rails and a center rail, a self-propelled camera positioning device comprising a chassis configured to support a camera, wheels coupled to the chassis for riding on the outer rails of the track, and a drive unit for propelling the chassis along the track, said drive means comprising at least one roller coupled to the chassis for engaging the center rail of the track, and a motor for rotating said at least one roller against the center rail, thereby positioning the chassis along the track; and a control logic for controlling the drive unit.

Abstract: A camera dolly has a track wheel system including a kingpin pivotally supported on a dolly chassis. A kingpin tube extends laterally from the kingpin. An axle is pivotally supported within the tube on pins. A track wheel around a bearing is supported on a bushing on the axle. A knob unit threaded into the axle may be turned into a locked position wherein the track wheel is supported as in a conventional axle. For use on curved track, the knob unit is released or backed out, allowing the track wheel to shift laterally, to accommodate moving on curved dolly track, and to allow the wheel to steer on the track at a proper steering angle, by pivoting on the pins.

Abstract: A material handling car and track assembly, the assembly comprising a track having a pair of opposed U-shaped rails, and a car having a chassis with four wheel assemblies mounted on the chassis, each of the wheel assemblies comprising a first generally vertical travel wheel movable along a bottom plate portion of the rail, a second generally horizontal travel wheel engagable with a side wall portion of the rail, and a wear block engagable with a top plate portion of the rail.

Abstract: A surface-treated steel sheet is provided, at a low cost, which has high weldability and is useful for a material of containers of foods and beverages. The surface treatment is conducted by applying flattened granular tin coating deposits having a specified diameter and high adhesion on a steel sheet surface at a specified plated area ratio, and applying thereon a metallic chromium coating and a chromium hydrate oxide coating.In the surface treatment, firstly, the surface of a steel sheet is subjected to tin-plating in an acidic tin plating bath containing a conventionally used brightener in an amount of from 0.001 to 0.05 g/1 so as to form flattened granular tin coating deposits having a diameter of 0.4-2.4 .mu. at a plated area ratio of 5 to 30% and to improve the adhesion to the steel sheet and decrease falling-off of the granular tin coating deposits until completion of chrome-plating, thereby the variation of the amount of tin coating being decreased.

Abstract: There is provided a multi-rail vehicle system, which can be used to improve the efficiency of existing systems and to reduce risk of derailments. The systems comprises a vehicle designed to ride upon a pair of conventional outer rails and an additional load-carrying central rail. The central rail comprises a pair of slanted rails having external surfaces which extend, preferably, substantially perpendicularly one to the other, and are joined at an apex pointing upwardly. The intersection of the central rail surfaces coinciding, preferably, with the central line of the rail. The vehicle of the present invention comprises a central traction wheel with an axle secured to the vehicle by means permitting vertical linear movement and rotation about a vertical axis, the wheel, being rotatably secured about the horizontal axis of the axle. The vehicle also includes two or more pairs of outer wheels on axles; the wheels are designed to ride upon the three rails.

Abstract: Mobile shelving apparatus comprises rails that are leveled by stacks of interlocking shims. The shims are placed under and interlock with rail support brackets at the joints in the rails. Rail spreaders used to align the rails are also leveled with and interlock with the shims. The mobile shelving apparatus includes a carriage platform supported on the rails by wheel assemblies that are assembled to the platform without fasteners. Wheels are retained to bearings by swaging portions of the wheels onto the bearing outer races. The bearing inner races are retained on respective shafts by swaging rings onto the shafts. The wheel assembly shafts are secured to the platform by swaging the ends of the shafts to the platform. The invention further comprises an upright anchor clip for joining the platform to the carriage framework that stores selected items.

Abstract: A wheeled carriage is capable of moving on rails to-and-fro, and of moving on a railless flat floor in any desired direction. The carriage has at least three pivotable wheel units. Each of these units consists of a first wheel and a second wheel. The first wheel includes a core wheel portion and a raised peripheral wheel portion surrounding the latter. The second wheel resembles substantially the core wheel portion of the first wheel. The wheel unit is designed for making two contact points with rails when seen in side view and equally making two contact points with rails when seen in its front or rear view.

Abstract: A wheeled carriage is proposed which is capable of moving on rails to-and-fro, and of moving on a railless flat floor in any desired direction. The carriage has at least three pivotable wheel units. Each of these units consists of a first wheel and a second wheel. The first wheel comprises a core wheel portion and a raised peripheral wheel portion surrounding the latter. The second wheel resembles substantially the core wheel portion of the first wheel. The wheel unit is designed for making two contact points with rails when seen at its side view and equally two contact points with rails when seen at its front or rear view.

Abstract: A rail-supported carriage, adapted to be moved along a pair of rails spaced from one another at a predetermined distance includes at least three wheel assemblies, each including a frame; at least one wheel assembly is adapted to travel on one rail, and the remaining wheel assemblies are adapted to travel on the oppositely disposed rail. A connecting mechanism connects oppositely disposed wheel assemblies, and includes a compensating arrangement mounted on each wheel assembly for compensating any variation of distance between oppositely disposed wheel assemblies due to any curvature in the rails, each compensating arrangement includes a platform and a pin passing through the platform, and wherein the platform is movable with respect to the frame.

Abstract: A driverless transfer truck includes a chassis having two bogies for riding on rails. Each bogie is provided with at least one drive wheel which is pressed against a drive shaft so that the force for propelling the truck is produced by the friction engagement between the drive wheel and the drive shaft. By attaching the drive wheels to the bogies, the truck can negotiate a curved section of the rails having a smaller radius than is otherwise possible.

Abstract: A system for towing a plurality of wheeled load-carrying vehicles in a train in which coacting tongue and pin members are provided on the vehicles. Each vehicle has a body having a front end and a back end, a pair of fixed position wheels secured to the underside of the body at the back end, a single caster wheel assembly secured to the underside adjacent the front end, and a tongue member mounted on the back end of the vehicle and having an opening in one end. The caster wheel assembly includes a flange secured to the wheel support and a downwardly extending towing pin on the outer end of the flange. To achieve tracking of a trailing vehicle behind a leading vehicle, the tongue on the leading vehicle is moved to a position in which the tongue opening receives the caster wheel pin on the trailing vehicle. A releasable connection is thus made, with the pulling force applied directly to the caster wheel support.

Abstract: A short wheelbase railroad truck having two axles intended to assume a radial configuration when the railroad vehicle rounds curves comprises a frame having two side members and axles mounted in bearing means. The bearing means are pivotally attached to the frame members with at least two of the bearing means being attached to the frame members by means of steering levers which are pivotally attached to the associated bearing means and the frame members for independent pivotal movement. Steering rods connect each steering lever to the vehicle body such that the chording of the vehicle as it rounds a curve will guide each axle to the radial alignment. In one embodiment each axle is guided by such steering rods and levers. In another embodiment one axle is guided by steering rods and levers and the side members move relatively longitudinally to guide the other axle.