Abstract: A wheel-supported, fluid-tight, top filling, rear discharge cargo box having a door pivotally supported in suspension for closing the rear discharge opening, a hydraulically actuated latching mechanism for controlling the operation of the door and a drag chain totally confined within the cargo box characterized by a pair of horizontally spaced, endless chain members disposed in horizontally spaced vertical planes and a discontinuous series of drag bars extended between the lower runs of the chain members for the drag chain defining a load receiving opening between the opposite ends of the series for facilitating a top-loading of the cargo box.

Abstract: A solid waste disposal system employs solid waste transport trailers adapted to be towed by a tractor. The trailers each comprise a closed body of a generally rectangular cross-section having a bottom, side and top walls, a forward end wall and a rear end wall. The top wall proximal to the forward end wall is provided with a loading neck through which solid waste can be loaded. The rear end wall is a door hinged at the rear edge of the top wall and is adapted to be closed during the loading operation and transport of the solid waste and opened for the unloading of the solid waste. A conveyor is located adjacent the bottom wall of the trailer and extends substantially over the entire length of the bottom wall. The conveyor is operable during loading and unloading to move the solid waste in a direction from the forward end wall toward the rear end wall. The trailer is supported by ground wheels with tires, the wheels being low pressure flotation tires to facilitate the use of the trailer on landfill sites.

Abstract: A mine-haulage vehicle is provided which consists of a first elongated body section providing a pair of steering wheels and coupled in articulating relation to an intermediate body section which is coupled in articulating relation to a third elongated body section providing a second pair of steering wheels. A first pair of driven wheels is provided by the intermediate body section with a common axis of rotation at or proximate to the first point of articulation. A second pair of driven wheels is provided by the third elongated body section with a common axis of rotation at or proximate to the second point of articulation.

Abstract: A mobile ballast cleaning machine comprises a frame running on two undercarriages a rear one of which is supported on a track section resting on cleaned ballast. A ballast excavating and conveying chain is mounted on the frame in front of this track section and a ballast screening mechanism on the frame receives the excavated ballast from the chain, cleans it and discharges the cleaned ballast to a storage receptacle arranged on the frame between the undercarriages. The storage receptacle has sufficient capacity to hold a volume of the cleaned ballast corresponding to that of the excavated ballast and a rising ballast conveyor is mounted in the storage receptacle for distributing the cleaned ballast therein. The cleaned ballast is discharged from the storage receptacle for redistribution by a ballast conveyor system and devices for regulating the flow of the cleaned ballast and for guiding the same between the discharge from the receptacle and the ballast conveyor system.

Abstract: Apparatus for loading and unloading of vehicles such as a semi-trailer in which two pairs of continuous chains riding on their side plates extend substantially the length of the vehicle, the pairs being separated by a vertical wall, each pair of chains having a sprocket equipped drive shaft at the rear end of the vehicle with a hydraulic motor for driving the shaft and hydrauically operated struts connected to the bearing housings of the shaft for varying the chain tension.

Abstract: A self-driven forage harvester including a main vehicle and a trailer opeively joined therewith wherein the trailer includes an upwardly inclined scraper floor and an axle with a pair of drive wheels located below the forward half of the scraper floor. The main vehicle also includes a drive axle and drive wheels with a drive unit for the forage harvester being mounted thereabove. A pair of steering wheels are located forwardly of the main vehicle drive wheels.

Abstract: An improved conveyor system, designed particularly for unloading bulk cargo, such as refuse, from a tractor-trailer type transporter. The conveyor system traverses the full length of the trailer cargo-box floor and includes at least a pair of endless chains arranged in parallelism, each chain being affixed to a plurality of cleat members that are affixed in a predetermined space relationship to each other, the cleats being arranged along only one-quarter of the total continuous length of the chains; and wherein the cleats are positioned along the rear half of the cargo box floor when loading refuse therein, whereby the rear half of the refuse is unloaded first, followed by the forward half of the refuse.

Abstract: A tiltable bed is provided with a set of toothed chains and a control system therefor so that the chains are moved along the length of the bed at a linear speed which corresponds to the linear speed of movement of the bed relative to the ground and independent of the rate of movement of ground engaging means directed to move that bed along the ground: thereby there is no strain put on a cotton module engaged and caused to traverse the length of such bed by those moving chains while being lifted or lowered during adverse traction conditions.

Abstract: Bank out module builder with unloading mechanism having a generally rectangular framework formed by spaced apart sidewalls and spaced apart front and rear walls with the top and bottom being open, the rear wall being formed by a door being movable between open and closed positions. Ground engaging wheels are carried by the framework to facilitate movement of the framework over the ground. A bottom structure is secured within the lower extremity of the rectangular framework for closing the bottom side. A carriage is mounted in the framework for movement longitudinally along the framework between the front and rear walls. A tramper mechanism is carried by the carriage and is movable vertically in the framework for tramping material introduced into the rectangular framework through the top side to form a module within the rectangular framework.

Abstract: A novel drive system for a manure spreader is disclosed wherein an infinitely adjustable variable speed drive mechanism transfers power from the power input shaft to the apron assembly and a constant speed drive mechanism transfers power from the same power input shaft to the beater assembly. A bypass mechanism allows for an extension of the hydraulic cylinder controlling a cam device, used for varying the speed of the apron drive mechanism, without activation of the cam device when the power input shaft is not engaged for rotation of the drive system. A tensioning idler connected to the cam device through a lost motion linkage provides for disengagement of the beater drive system during the cleanout of the manure spreader by the apron assembly. A drive shaft to the beater assembly is included inside of a tubular drive shaft to the apron assembly, whereby a concentric drive line assembly transfers power rearwardly to the driven assemblies.

Abstract: A bale unroller for unrolling cylindrical bales of hay. A boxlike container has a side door for insertion of a bale of hay onto an elevated and inclined floor. A plurality of angle irons extends transversely across a floor and are connected at ends by chains which are in turn driven by sprockets. As the sprockets are driven, the angle irons slidably move along the floor to impart rotative movement to the bale. A plurality of rollers, horizontally disposed above the floor at the discharge end of the unroller, limit forward movement of the bale. A pair of wheels, which are pivotally supported by a framework, urge the bale forward to keep it in contact with the rollers. The sheet of hay, which is removed from the bale, is fed from the unroller by a lower roller and by a paddle conveyor. Methods of unrolling a cylindrical bale are also provided.

Abstract: The invention is a produce handling system with a self-unloading trailer and a free-standing conveyor. The trailer has an unloading conveyor in its bottom covered by removable doors. The free-standing conveyor has an infeed section that receives the produce from the trailer unloading conveyor pivoted to an out feed section which delivers the produce from the infeed section to a stacking position such as a truck.

Abstract: A discharge gate for silage wagon operated by at least one cylinder supplied with hydraulic fluid pumped from a pulling tractor's hydraulic remote outlet, the same outlet also supplying hydraulic fluid to an hydraulic motor which operates an endless chain-type floor-positioned silage discharge mechanism. The gate is preferably a front gate so that the silage is spread by the wagon axles in a substantially level manner in a trench or pit silo as the wagon passes thereover after discharging the silage through the open gate.

Abstract: A mine haulage vehicle comprising a body having front and rear sections which are pivotally interconnected at adjacent ends enabling them to swing freely in a horizontal plane relative to each other about a vertical pivot axis. The body has a pair of ground-engaging wheels on each of the body sections. The vehicle is steered by hydraulic cylinders connected between the body sections for swinging them about the pivot axis. The body sections have aligned trough-shaped compartments extending substantially its full length and containing a horizontally flexible, center strand, orbital, chain conveyor. The rear body section has a load-carrying compartment above the conveyor and has upstanding push blades on opposite sides of the conveyor with power cylinders to move the blades inwardly and to transfer material onto the conveyor during unloading.

Abstract: A refuse compacting mechanism is provided in the container of a refuse wagon. The mechanism includes a series of bars transversely oriented on the floor of the container and a pusher mechanism at the rear of the container. Uncompacted refuse falls into the container rearwardly of the bars and is pushed toward and compacted against the rearmost bar by the pusher mechanism. As additional refuse is added and compacted, the previously compacted mass topples forwardly over the rearmost bar to be further compacted against the next bar. Preferrably, the bars are connected to endless chains and may be moved rearwardly in unison to aid in unloading compacted refuse from the container.