Abstract: In some embodiments, a davit arm system comprises a davit body arranged to engage a support and an arm supported by the davit body. The arm is moveable along a length of the davit body. In some embodiments, a bearing is oriented between said arm and said davit body. In some embodiments, a bearing a polymer sleeve. In some embodiments, a bearing comprises rollers. In some embodiments, a bearing comprises ball transfer bearings. In some embodiments, a bearing excludes moving parts.

Abstract: The disclosed canopy caddy utilizes a pair of wheeled lifting and rotating mechanisms. The canopy caddy allows a person to remove a canopy from a truck bed, rotate it to a vertical position, and roll it to another location such as for storage. In one example, the user can accomplish these tasks alone or with minimal assistance and little danger of damage to the canopy. The term canopy used herein is intended to encompass but not be limited to small open box covers having lateral outward edges which rest upon the upper edges of a truck bed and provide additional covered storage. The term canopy used in this disclosure is intended to also encompass those apparatuses known as tonneau covers as well as some camper tops.

Abstract: An apparatus for moving a patient from a reclining position to an upright sitting position, and methods of using same, are described. The apparatus includes an articulating patient support platform with first, second and third panels. The first panel includes opposite first and second ends and the second panel is movably attached to the first panel first end and is upwardly pivotable from a substantially co-planar relationship with the first panel to a substantially orthogonal relationship with the first panel. The third panel is secured to the second panel in spaced-apart, substantially co-planar relationship therewith. A patient is positioned on the patient support platform with the patient's upper body supported by the first and second panels and the patient's legs supported by the third panel. The second panel is caused to pivot upwardly, thereby moving the patient to a generally upright sitting position.

Abstract: A pneumatic starter for a chainsaw having a pedestal that supports a mounting plate. Clamps are used to mount a chainsaw to the mounting plate while brackets are used to connect a pneumatic cylinder having an extending shaft to the mounting plate. A recoil handle fixture receives the pull cord of a chainsaw. The recoil handle fixture is connected to the shaft. When a pneumatic assembly receiving compressed air is operated the shaft is rapidly extended, pulling the pull cord to start the chainsaw.

Abstract: A body weight support system includes a trolley, a powered conductor operative coupled to a power supply, and a patient attachment mechanism. The trolley can include a drive system, a control system, and a patient support system. The drive system is movably coupled to a support rail. At least a portion of the control system is physically and electrically coupled to the powered conductor. The patient support mechanism is at least temporarily coupled to the patient attachment mechanism. The control system can control at least a portion of the patient support mechanism based at least in part on a force applied to the patient attachment mechanism.

Abstract: An assembly comprises an arm, a first connector, a second connector, an elongate member, and a shock absorber. The arm has a first arm end, a second arm end, a bore extending longitudinally through the arm, and an opening proximate the second arm end providing access to the bore. The first connector is connected to the arm proximate the first arm end, and the second connector is connected to the arm proximate the second arm end. The elongate member has an intermediate portion interconnecting a first connecting end and a second connecting end. The first connecting end is connected to the second connector, the intermediate portion extends toward the first arm end and back toward the second arm end, and the second connecting end extends through the opening. The shock absorber has a first portion connected to the first connector and a second portion connected to the intermediate portion.

Abstract: A gantry crane (10) is configured in a panel turner application. The gantry crane (10) generally includes a gantry crane structure (14) having a first cross-beam (28) and a second cross-beam (30). A first main hoist mechanism (40) and a first auxiliary hoist mechanism (42) are coupled to the first cross-beam (28), and a second main hoist mechanism (44) and a second auxiliary hoist mechanism (46) are coupled to the second cross-beam (30). The crane (10) includes a hydraulic system configured to reduce the lift capacity of the first and/or second main hoist mechanism (40, 44), and to equalize the hoist capacity between the first and second main hoist mechanisms (40, 44) or the first and second auxiliary hoist mechanisms (42, 46) in certain applications. The auxiliary hoist mechanism (42, 46) are configured for powered movement along the respective cross-beams (28, 30).

Abstract: A gantry stacker for transporting and stacking freight containers consists of two chassis beams with steerable wheels, supports, a hoist, an overhead frame, a lifting beam a driver's cab and engines. There are at least two spreaders that are movable in a horizontal direction independent of each other and are disposed in a side-by-side relationship on a lifting beam. Containers deposited directly side-by-side with no gap there between may be gripped, transported and separated or that spaced-apart containers with an alley may be gripped, transported and moved toward each other so that they may be readily transported further, using multispreader systems. Containers of different heights may be gripped and transported. The lifting height allows for straddling containers standing on the floor with attached and lifted containers.

Abstract: A gantry crane (10) is configured in a panel turner application. The gantry crane (10) generally includes a gantry crane structure (14) having a first cross-beam (28) and a second cross-beam (30). A first main hoist mechanism (40) and a first auxiliary hoist mechanism (42) are coupled to the first cross-beam (28), and a second main hoist mechanism (44) and a second auxiliary hoist mechanism (46) are coupled to the second cross-beam (30). The crane (10) includes a hydraulic system configured to reduce the lift capacity of the first and/or second main hoist mechanism (40, 44), and to equalize the hoist capacity between the first and second main hoist mechanisms (40, 44) or the first and second auxiliary hoist mechanisms (42, 46) in certain applications. The auxiliary hoist mechanism (42, 46) are configured for powered movement along the respective cross-beams (28, 30).

Abstract: A gantry crane (10) is configured in a panel turner application. The gantry crane (10) generally includes a gantry crane structure (14) having a first cross-beam (28) and a second cross-beam (30). A first main hoist mechanism (40) and a first auxiliary hoist mechanism (42) are coupled to the first cross-beam (28), and a second main hoist mechanism (44) and a second auxiliary hoist mechanism (46) are coupled to the second cross-beam (30). The crane (10) includes a hydraulic system configured to reduce the lift capacity of the first and/or second main hoist mechanism (40, 44), and to equalize the hoist capacity between the first and second main hoist mechanisms (40, 44) or the first and second auxiliary hoist mechanisms (42, 46) in certain applications. The auxiliary hoist mechanism (42, 46) are configured for powered movement along the respective cross-beams (28, 30).

Abstract: In an embodiment, a crane including a hoisting (i.e., load-lifting) mechanism is provided with a variable-speed load-dependent control system and method for operating functions of the crane. An exemplary control system includes an actuator subsystem for performing at least one function of the crane, a sensor for detecting the magnitude of the load lifted by the hoisting mechanism and a controller that communicates with the sensor, wherein, relative to a load signal from the sensor, the controller transmits a speed signal to vary an operating speed of at least one actuator of the actuator subsystem.

Abstract: A crane provided with a trolley, a hanging member, a rope member, and a hoisting device. The crane includes a horizontal position displacement detection unit which detects a horizontal positional displacement between at least two corners of the cargo and a landing place of the two corners; and a horizontal position displacement correction unit which corrects a horizontal positional displacement between the at least two corners of the cargo and the landing place of the two corners when the two corners have landed based on a detection signal from the horizontal position displacement detection unit. The horizontal position displacement correction unit corrects the position of a corner of the cargo so that the corner lands at the landing place of the corner, and then corrects the position of another corner so that the corner lands at the landing place of the corner.

Abstract: A sway stabilizing system is provided for stabilizing sway of a grappler suspended by vertically movable hoisting cables on a gantry crane. The crane is a type which is particularly useful for lifting a standard container from a standard-height chassis, such as a standard road trailer. According to the invention, the system is designed to optimally dampen sway when the grappler is slightly higher than the top of a standard container resting on a standard chassis. More particularly, in order to cancel pendulum sway effect, the sway stabilizing system provides first and second anti-sway cables which are operably guided from the grappler to an overhead trolley of the crane in a longitudinally diagonal manner. The anti-sway cables are acted upon by respective hydraulic cylinder assemblies mounted on the grappler to apply appropriate tension in the respective anti-sway cables. The cylinder assemblies act in opposite directions to dampen grappler sway in both directions along a longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multipurpose body-turn-over apparatus mainly including an elevator support, a cantilever elevator fixed to the elevator support, a driving mechanism mounted on the cantilever elevator, and a controller for setting operating time and speed, reverse, and pause of the driving mechanism, as well as adjusting height of the elevator support. The driving mechanism drives a driven assembly to reciprocate, so that ropes hanging from two ends of the driven assembly to connect a net thereto are alternately pulled up and lowered, causing a patient lying on the net to turn over regularly to avoid bedsore due to lying on bed for a prolonged time. Means other than the net may also be selectively connected to the ropes to help patient do rehabilitation exercises or complete skeletal traction. The apparatus may be designed into heavy-duty or light model to meet different requirements and can be freely moved for use with different sick beds.

Abstract: A hoist assembly is provided for an overhead crane adapted for pivoting wide panels and the like between horizontal and vertical positions. The hoist assembly is supported on an elevated horizontal beam and includes a main trolley, supporting a main lifting cable, and an auxiliary trolley, supporting an auxiliary lifting cable. The main trolley is mounted for positively drivable movement along the horizontal beam, while the auxiliary trolley is freely slidable along the horizontal beam. The freely slidable auxiliary trolley automatically moves along the beam in response to a horizontal force component of cable tension when a load is being pivoted, so that the auxiliary trolley maintains a substantially vertical position over its lifting point on the load. A method for pivoting a load with the hoist assembly is also provided.

Abstract: A gantry crane 10 is provided having a gantry structure 12 with a pair of front support legs 18 and 20 and a pair of rear support legs 26 and 28. A lift frame 14, having opposed first and second ends 14a and 14b, is suspended from the gantry structure 12. A stabilizing beam 68 operatively connects the lift frame 14 to the gantry structure 12 to prevent sway of the lift frame 14. The stabilizing beam 68 is positioned between the pair of front support legs 18 and 20 and the pair of rear support legs 26 and 28. Preferably, the stabilizing beam 68 is connected proximate a longitudinal center of the lift frame 14. The stabilizing beam 68 is connected to vertical guides 70 and 72 that are connected to the gantry structure 12 so as to be vertically moveable along the guides 70 and 72. A four corner cross-reeving/clutch system 79 is provided to dampen rotational sway of the ends 14a and 14b of the lift frame 14.

Abstract: A transfer system for controlling and initiating the flow of metered amounts of materials which may be radioactive ash, radioactive calcined salts, cement, flour, or pharmaceuticals comprising a vertical non-converging conduit which acts as a storage hopper; a stationary platform located at the downward end of the conduit to allow the radial outward flow of the material; a translatable hollow piston that acts externally but coaxially to the conduit and platform to interrupt the radial flow of material; a hopper located below the platform for accepting the material; and a housing that encloses and supports the hopper and platform and provides a dust tight seal around the apparatus of this invention.