Abstract: A system and method of raising and lowering a ball coupler for coupling to a ball hitch is provided. A combination of hydraulic pump and hydraulic piston are employed to raise and lower the ball coupler of a gooseneck trailer. Both custom and off the shelf parts combine to create a user friendly system to couple and uncouple a gooseneck trailer to the truck. The system described herein replaces the need to raise and lower a gooseneck trailer's coupling system by hand crank and gear box and even the need to climb into the back of the truck bed. Varying trailer frame configurations and ball coupler sizes can be employed with the present invention. Also described and shown in this provisional is a non-rotating free end hydraulic piston device and method. Also described and shown is a coupling bushing device and method for securing a conventional coupler to piston rod.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device serving both to lay thin layers of powder and to compact them, the device being suitable for being located inside an apparatus containing a powder or powder mixture while it is subjected to the action of a laser. The device comprises a circular cylinder (12) provided with a longitudinal groove (15) formed in an outside surface of the cylinder (12). The cylinder also has a surface (12a) adapted to compact the powder that has been deposited on a deposition zone. By moving the cylinder in rotation and translation, the powder is brought to and deposited on a tray, on which the powder is then compacted by rotating the cylinder in the opposite direction. The invention enables very thin layers of ceramic or metallic powder to be laid in accurate and uniform manner inside a sealed thermal enclosure at a temperature lying between ambient temperature and about 1200° C.

Abstract: A scooping apparatus is disclosed having a carrying frame coupled with a vehicle.A cage having two cage parts, namely a scooping part and a lid are carried by the frame. The rotation axis of the lid part relative to the scooping part extending on a radial distance from the rotating axis of the cage amounts to zero to two thirds of the radius of the cage.A first driving means for rotatably driving at least one of the cage parts. A second driving means for moving the cage parts between the closed position and the open position such that a rotation axis of the lid part relative to the scooping part extending on a radial distance from a rotating axis of the cage amounting to zero to two thirds of the radius of the cage.