Abstract: The present disclosure provides a feeding mechanism for an interline fishing rod which couples to the rear end of the rod body or handle. The feeding mechanism differs from conventional designs by receiving a fishing line from the reel in a direction moving away from the rod tip, the line is then pulled around an internal pulley in the feeding mechanism housing and fed through a channel that is aligned with the central channel of the interline rod when coupled to it. The design protects the fishing line from tangling and damage while facilitating fast and easy assembly of the rod for use. Various accessories and compatible rod designs are also provided.

Abstract: A current collector for an electrical load that can be moved along a conductor line in a travel direction. The current collector has at least one contact piece, which is supported on a rocking arm to be rotatable about an axis of rotation extending perpendicularly to the travel direction. To bring the contact piece into contact with an electrically conductive conductor strand of the conductor line, the contact piece can be moved toward the conductor strand by the rocking arm. The current collector also includes a connection cable, which connects the contact piece to a connection terminal for the electrical loads in an electrically conductive manner. A conductor line system includes a conductor line and at least one electrical load that can be moved on the conductor line in the longitudinal direction of the conductor line. The conductor line has at least one electrically conductive conductor strand for bringing into sliding contact with at least one contact piece of a current collector.

Abstract: A fence post assembly including a wood post member (having a longitudinal axis, a first end surface, and a second end surface) and an elongated metal insert (having an insert longitudinal axis, a first end surface, and a second end surface), where the metal insert is positioned within the wood post member, with the first end surface of the metal insert at least substantially aligned with the first end surface of the wood post member, and the insert longitudinal axis at least substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the wood post member. Typically, the metal insert is longitudinally shorter than the wood post member so that the metal insert does not extend into an end portion of the fence post assembly, allowing the end portion to be conveniently trimmed off or otherwise processed, e.g., during or after installation. Other aspects are methods for manufacturing or installing any embodiment of the fence post assembly.

Abstract: A strain reliever for a hollow tube is disclosed. The strain reliever has a fitting dimensioned to fit at a tube segment and a tapered sleeve extending from the fitting. The tapered sleeve is configured to surround the tube segment and to provide relief of strain imposed by forces exerted on the tube. Strain relievers having helical conic and slotted tapered sleeves are also described.

Abstract: A golf club producing less drag on a golf club during a swing than a conventional golf club with drag-reducing structures having different surface areas on specific portions of the golf club, the structures divided into a first portion on a shank, a peripheral portion surrounding a ball impact face, an upper surface, toe, hosel, rear face, sole, and heel of the club head; a second portion on a forward face outer portion; third and fourth portions on a respective impact face second ring and first ring; and a fifth portion centered on the impact face. The structure surface area progressively decreases from the fifth portion, to the fourth portion and then to the third portion. Each drag-reducing structure of the first and third portions has an equal surface area, while each structure of the second portion has a surface area larger than each structure of the first portion.

Abstract: A cradle for supporting conduit extending between a truck and articulating trailer. The cradle includes a radially curved and open ended body which is resiliently supported upon an adjustable vertical support member for permitting lay-in receipt of the harness. A mounting assembly for the vertical support member positions the same atop a platform extending between the tractor and trailer and, in one non-limiting variant, is constructed of two parallel plate members with three or more compression/extension spring combinations.

Abstract: A dump truck 1, which is a transport vehicle equipped with a current collector, includes a vessel 5 to load a load, a pantograph 7 that extends to receive electric power from an overhead line 8 and contracts and retracts so as to be disposed below the vessel 5, and a vehicle body 3 that rotationally drives driving wheels 32 by at least one of electric power from the pantograph 7 and a self-propelled driving source and on which the vessel 5 is placed.

Abstract: Method of commerce and system components that enable the sale of electricity on-request to independent vehicle operators for propulsion. Electricity could be delivered by conventional roadway overhead electric line components (see FIG. 2). Vehicles would be equipped with a computer-like component that contains an electricity meter, flow switches, and wireless communications capabilities (see FIG. 14) to communicate with an operations (12) computer site. Site would have customer credit profiles for approving distribution, wirelessly requested from customer vehicles. Vehicles would be additionally equipped with a robotic collector module (51). If implemented on a highway, the driver would request service while driving in an electrified lane via a user interface and, if approved, the robotic collector module (51) handles engaging electrical contact and disengaging when needed. Customer would be electronically billed for the electricity used.

Abstract: A gravity biased constant response pantograph is disclosed. A counterweight is used to lift a collector towards an overhead conductor. A constraint mechanism constrains movement of the collector to remain substantially vertical thru the entire range of working travel. The counterweight provides a driving force via the force of gravity. A lift mechanism suitable for receiving the driving force drives a travelling assembly upwards towards the overhead conductor. The travelling assembly can be realized combining various types of collectors and masts. The counterweight is provided in two portions to accommodate various combinations of masts and collectors. By further trimming the weight of the counterweight, the amount of constant response force acting on the travelling assembly can be precisely pre-determined to be substantially constant throughout the entire range of travel of the travelling assembly.

Abstract: A device for balancing a force. The device includes an articulated mechanism (10). The articulated mechanism (10) includes a proximal arm (12) borne by a support wedged on a first hinge pin (20) and a distal arm (14) borne by the proximal arm and wedged on a second hinge pin (24) extending parallel to the first pin. The distal arm has a free end (26) supporting a load (F). The device further includes first balancing means (18,20) with high bandwidth acting on the proximal arm (12), second balancing means (18,22) with high bandwidth acting on the distal arm (4), and coordinating means interposed between the first balancing means and the second balancing means to coordinate rotational movements of the proximal arm and the distal arm.

Abstract: A power rail is mounted on the face of storage system support columns. The power from the rail is transmitted to the equipment using a right angle, low clearance power rail trolley. The towing device is mounted to the side of the moving equipment. The device incorporates a new low profile trolley and towing arm attachment to permit mounting inches from the floor surface. The towing device includes a pair of pin engagement guide fingers that provide tolerance for traveling misalignments between the moving equipment and the stationary power rail. When an obstruction is encountered, power to drive the traveling stacker-retriever is cut off. The trolley engagement unit is mounted on a lateral swivel arm, the towing arm. The swivel arm mount has a mechanical overload spring pin detent. If a mechanical overload is detected, the swivel arm disengages from the spring pin detent, causing a limit switch to signal an emergency stop condition to disconnect motive power and to stop the moving equipment.

Abstract: A trolley pole support apparatus is provided in which the trolley pole is urged to an extended position by a spring acting against a moment arm and the force required to position the trolley pole in the stowed position is minimized by minimizing the moment arm between the spring contact point and the trolley pole pivot. By doing so, even with the maximum compression of the spring in the stowed position, this small moment arm permits only small forces to be transmitted to the trolley pole shoe.

Abstract: A current collector assembly for positioning a current collecting shoe into electrical contact with an electrified rail for use with a mobile unit. The collector assembly includes a pair of identical mounting blocks which are used to mount the collector assembly to the mobile unit. The mounting blocks can be used with either a single collector head configuration or a dual collector head configuration. The collector assembly includes a universal support arm that can be used either alone or in combination with a second identical support arm to connect a collector head to the mounting block. The universal support arm includes a main body and a first and a second end. The first end extends at an angle with respect to the main body and is connected to a connecting rod passing through the mounting block. The second end of the support arm includes a pair of mounting holes which are used to connect the support arm to the collector head.

Abstract: A current collector is provided for transmitting energy between a contact wire and a motor coach. The current collector has a first support am (11) connected to the motor coach and being raisable about a first horizontal axis (28); and a pair of second support arms (8 and 18) connected to the free end of the first support arm rotatably about a second horizontal axis (28). The pair of the second support arms (8 and 18) is connected to an extension element (14) protruding over the second horizontal axis (28). Further, the current collector has a guide bar (13) rotatably connected with the motor coach and the extension element (14); and at least one collector shoe which is supported on the free end of the pair of the second support arms (8 and 18). The extension element (14) is connected to each of the two second support arms (8 and 18) via a torsional actuator (16 and 17, respectively) being arranged on the second horizontal axis (28).

Abstract: An energy collector allows flow of electrical energy between a vehicle and a rail of a railway track. The energy collector includes a vehicle mounting device for mounting the energy collector to such vehicle; a collector shoe for sliding electrical contact on such rail; and a lever arm having a first end and a second end. The energy collector also includes a bottom torsion unit connected to the collector shoe and connected to the second end of the lever arm. The bottom torsion unit is disposed so that the collector shoe is forcefully and generally aligned upon such rail even as the collector shoe encounters physical deviations along a surface of such rail. The energy collector further includes a top torsion unit connected to the vehicle mounting device and connected to the first end of the lever arm.

Abstract: A current collecting apparatus provided with sliders 2 for collecting electric power from a power feeder 1, a current collector 3 for collecting power, an insulator for insulating and supporting the current collector 3, and a flexible conductor for delivering the power collected by the current collector 3 to a conductor 5, which is connected to the flexible conductor and used for supplying the power to the vehicle side. The conductor 5 and the insulator 4 are disposed so that the former is offset with respect to the latter in the crosswise direction of a railway vehicle. With this arrangement, aerodynamic noise emanating from the current collector loaded on the vehicle running at high speed can be substantially reduced.

Abstract: A hollow trolley pole associated with an electrically propelled vehicle has an upper end portion and a lower end portion. A passageway extends downwardly through the trolley pole from the upper end portion to the lower end portion. A trolley wire contact shoe is mounted on the pole upper end portion and slides along an electric power line or trolley wire that is suspended, for example, from a mine roof in an underground mine. An electrical conductor extends from the contact show through the passageway to the lower end portion of the pole which is received within a socket-like connector which is spring mounted in a base member connected to the vehicle frame. The conductor is enclosed within an impact resistant flexible conduit that extends from the passageway in the lower end portion of the pole through the connector and the base member and into a contactor box for connection to a propulsion motor.

Abstract: It is common practice to provide electrically propelled mine vehicles, such as locomotives, people carriers and shuttle-cars, with solid wooden trolley poles. The lower end of such a pole is mounted on the vehicle and the upper end carries a trolley shoe that slides along an electric power line or trolley wire suspended from the ceiling of the mine. An electric cable connects the shoe with the vehicle propulsion motor. The cable extends down the outside of the trolley pole, to which it is attached by tape or the like, as is also a fuse case.