Abstract: An apparatus specifically tailored to transporting pipes in a tunnel is disclosed. A pair of low slung bogies are used to support and transport a pipe to pipe junction location. The bogies move over a pair of rails on rollers. The pipe rests on a set of inflatable devices which may be selectively inflated in a controlled manner to move the pipe in two axes during transport to the junction site. At the junction site, the inflatable devices are used to "jockey" the pipe on the transport device to provide limited roll, pitch and yaw movement of the pipe to facilitate mating the transported pipe with the end of a previously set pipe string.

Abstract: A system for building, testing, and repairing gas turbine engines and for transporting gas turbine engines from one location to another includes a transporter and a build cell. The build cell is a frame structure supported by a plurality of pedestals for mounting the gas turbine engine thereon and is transportable by the transporter to allow assembly and disassembly of the gas turbine engine at any location. The transporter removes the gas turbine engine from either a build cell or another type of a structure at a first location and transports the gas turbine engine either with or without the build cell to a second location and loads the gas turbine engine onto either a build cell or a second structure.

Abstract: A transporter vehicle comprises two lifting devices which carry respective jacks and which can be joined at their ends by cross bars to form a rectangular dolly with a central opening therein. The lifting devices each have front and rear wheels so that the dolly can be rolled on floor surfaces. In practice, the two are placed on opposite sides of a load seated on a floor in the opening between those devices, the jacks are placed under the load, the cross bars are assembled with the side frames, the load is jacked up on its opposite sides to be above the floor and the load may then be transported. The jacks may include linkages which cause the load to be lifted wholly vertically while not undergoing any horizontal translational movement.

Abstract: A plurality of main and sub-chucks are used in a manner wherein the main chucks are used to pick up objects from a first tray, to move the objects to a second tray, and to place them in the second tray in exactly the desired positions. A floating mechanism allows the main chucks to slide from side to side while the sub-chucks are released. The sub-chucks are arranged to grasp a fixed centering structure and to center the main chucks in exactly the required positions for the precision placement of the objects. During the operations wherein the objects are picked up from the first tray, the sub-chucks are released so that during the pickup operation, the main chucks may center on the objects which are being picked up. After the objects are grasped, the sub-chucks are closed to re-center the main chucks in exactly the positions required for accurate placement.

Abstract: A device for lifting, steerably moving and putting down a load includes a removable dolly which cooperates with an anchor plate fixed to the load. The removable dolly includes a chassis provided at its front part with a lifting and abutment system which cooperates with a complementary system on the anchor plate, the chassis being lockable to this plate. A steering system embodies two wheels mounted individually on the chassis and a set of links which hold the wheels parallel at all times. An orientable maneuvering bar is pivoted to the chassis and to the set of links. A locking arrangement is provided for selectively locking the maneuvering bar relative to the chassis. A device of this kind can be used to move and to position equipment to be slung underneath an aircraft.

Abstract: A powered material handling apparatus or lift provides for the movement and positioning of large, heavy and/or bulky objects using six degrees of freedom of motion. The lift may be used for the handling of virtually any such materials, but is especially suited for the handling of such objects as jet aircraft engines and aircraft external stores. The lift may be remotely operated by a hand controller which is mechanically arranged in the same manner as that of the lift, through a power supply and servo device. Feedback may be provided to the hand controller by the power supply and servo device, thus enabling the operator of the control to sense the forces occurring at the lift as it is actuated. Additionally, provision is made for the recording of a history of the forces, torques and linear actuation of the struts of the apparatus in the event of some subsequent question regarding a particular operation.

Abstract: A transporter vehicle comprises two lifting devices which carry respective jacks and which can be joined at their ends by cross bars to form a rectangular dolly with a central opening therein. The lifting devices each have front and rear wheels so that the dolly can be rolled on floor surfaces. In practice, the two are placed on opposite sides of a load seated on a floor in the opening between those devices, the jacks are placed under the load, the cross bars are assembled with the side frames, the load is jacked up on its opposite sides to be above the floor and the load may then be transported.

Abstract: A transporter vehicle comprises two lifting devices which carry respective jacks and which can be joined at their ends by cross bars to form a rectangular dolly with a central opening therein. The lifting devices each have front and rear wheels so that the dolly can be rolled on floor surfaces. In practice, the two are placed on opposite sides of a load seated on a floor in the opening between those devices, the jacks are placed under the load, the cross bars are assembled with the side frames, the load is jacked up on its opposite sides to be above the floor and the load may then be transported. The jacks may include linkages which cause the load to be lifted wholly vertically while not undergoing any horizontal translational movement.

Abstract: A system is provided for transporting large glass sheets or blanks. A-frame stanchions are removably secured to a base section to form a rack for carrying stacks of sheets supported on edge upon the base. The base section is supported above the floor or supporting surface by spacer sections which define a corridor beneath the base for removably receiving a transport dolly. The transport dolly includes lift platforms positionable beneath frame members of the base section. Inflatable air bags are adapted to raise and lower the lift platforms for selectively raising the rack to permit it to be moved about on the transport dolly. A steerable wheel arrangement is provided at the forward end of the transport dolly. Stacking posts are provided at the corners of the base whereby when empty, the A-frame stanchions can be disassembled and the racks stacked in nested relationship for return shipment and storage.

Abstract: A piano lift and dolly has an upper H-frame that engages a piano and a lower H-frame that is supported on wheels. Four posts extend vertically upwardly from the lower H-frame and are received in downwardly extending tubes connected to the upper H-frame. A jack has its base mounted on a cross beam of the lower H-frame and its jack RAM mounted directly to a center point of the cross beam of the upper H-frame. Two beams of the upper H-frame engage the underside of the piano at different heights with respect to a floor on which the dolly is supported. As the jack is raised, the RAM raises the upper H-frame with respect to the lower one to lift a piano off of the floor. In this way, the piano is moved without the legs of the piano engaging the floor.

Abstract: A front body structure of a vehicle and a method of assembling the front vehicle body in such a manner that a nose unit having at least both a shroud panel and a shroud upper is mounted to a front vehicle body having on both right and left sides front fenders. A mounting portion is provided further inboard or lower than a mounting portion for the front fender. A fixing portion fixed to the mounting portion is formed on both ends of the shroud upper constructing the nose unit. Furthermore, a step portion which is a mounting portion for the nose unit is formed on the upper portion of the engine room and on further front and lower than the monting portion for the front fender mounted to the vehicle body.

Abstract: A dolly specifically adapted to carry a snow plow blade having a mounting yoke and straight lower edge has a longitudinal beam elongated between front and rear extremities, a transverse beam orthogonally attached to the longitudinal beam and having an upwardly directed channel for receiving the straight lower edge of the plow blade, and a cross bar for supporting the mounting yoke. The cross bar is mounted atop a jack device which controls the elevation of the cross bar. Monodirectionally rotatable wheels are mounted beneath the extremities of the longitudinal beam. Omnidirectionally rotatable wheels are mounted beneath the extremities of the transverse beam.

Abstract: A system for handling iron and steel products, such as, in particular, slabs, blooms, billets and similar products, which have intersecting translation movements. These include apparatus for gripping, handling and transporting iron and steel products and adapted for being driven in a translation movement along a running path, and a transfer carriage on which the apparatus for gripping and carrying a product is positioned. The transfer carriage is capable of being displaced along a running path, according to a translation movement perpendicular to the translation movement of the gripping apparatus in order to bring the product to any desired location.

Abstract: An apparatus stacks semiconductor wafers and spacers and clamps them in an axial alignment for mounting in a semiconductor wafer edge polishing machine. After edge polishing, the apparatus separates the wafers and spacers and delivers them respectively into separate cassettes for further processing or recycling.

Abstract: A container 1 has a support member 3 which ascends and descends freely and is provided at back of a container body 2, a top connecting member 11 which is fixed at front of the container body 2 and can couple and decouple with a carrier 45, a bottom connecting member 16 which is provided at the front of the container body 2 so as to be able to move and which couples and decouples with the carrier 45, and transmitting members 21, 40 which transmit the movement of the bottom connecting member 16 to the support member 3 and raise and lower the support member 3.

Abstract: An apparatus for positioning and holding an individual in a prescription posture followed by a determination of the surface contour of the posterior trunk. The positioning utilizes an array of adjustable pads arranged in rows. The shape sensing is accomplished by tracing a transverse cross-section of the posterior half of the trunk, at serial increments along the vertical axis of the trunk. The tracing is based on angular orientation, linear displacement and vertical elevation of a sensor mounted on a radial arm.

Abstract: An aerial weapons handling trailer includes a frame comprising longitudinally extending beams and a cross beam interconnecting the front ends of the longitudinally extending beams. The frame is supported on wheels which are pivotable between positions wherein the trailer is movable longitudinally and positioned wherein the trailer is movable laterally. The wheels include drive motors for positioning the trailer. A plurality of lift arms are pivotally supported on the longitudinally extending beams of the frame and in turn support lift beams. The lift arms include inwardly offset portions, and the lift beams are separated by a distance not greater than the width of a weapons package that is lifted and positioned by the trailer. The lift arms are actuated by hydraulic cylinders which are provided with load lock valves to prevent inadvertent lowering of the load carried by the lift beams.

Abstract: Apparatus for lifting and positioning mobile homes has a slide movably mounted upon a track. An elevator is supported on the slide. Hydraulic cylinders are provided for independently raising and lowering opposite ends of an elevator platform and for sliding the slide and the elevator supported thereon. A utility vehicle is hitched to the slide.

Abstract: Wall constituent members of a curtain wall are conveniently mounted to a building body by making use of vertical guide sections formed on the respective wall constituent members. A wall constituent member having a vertical guide section formed thereon continuously in the vertical direction, is mounted to a lower portion of the building body. A guide jig that is movable along the vertical guide section of the already mounted wall constituent member is detachably connected to upper and lower portions of a new wall constituent member to be additionally mounted. The new wall constituent member is moved up to a predetermined position while raising the guide jig along the vertical guide section of the already mounted wall constituent member. Then, after the new wall constituent member has been mounted to the building body, the guide jig is lowered along the vertical guide sections of the new wall constituent member and the already mounted wall constituent members.

Abstract: An automatic guided vehicle comprising a loading table provided with positioning motors for three directions including two on a horizontal plane and a rotational one around a vertical axis and also with optical sensors for detecting positioning marks at stop positions so that positioning of the automatic guided vehicle at a stop point thereof may be ensured in high precision, and a method for positioning the automatic guided vehicle without attendant with high precision in such manner that the optical sensors detect degrees of deviation between the guided vehicle and the positioning marks, and positioning motors are driven after computing three-directional positioning correction values based on the result of detection or reducing deviation at the loading table.

Abstract: A pivotable hand truck for supporting or installing a heavy object is provided comprising an L-shaped structure, a pair of wheels secured to the L-shaped structure about which the structure may be pivoted between horizontal and vertical positions, and lifting means carried by the structure adapted to vertically adjust the object to a selected height above the floor surface. The lifting means is defined by a floor-engaging pedal affixed to the L-shaped structure, height-adjusting members carried by the structure, and activating means for activating the height-adjusting members when the pedal is moved between a non-operational position and an operational position. The activating means is defined by a rod member secured to the apparatus which engages the height-adjusting members, and coupling means mechanically coupling the rod member to the pedal. The coupling means is defined by a plurality of interconnecting lever arms, or, alternatively, a cable-and-pulley mechanism.

Abstract: A work piece support device features two pincer members which can be moved toward and away from each other and which can be varied in length in manner to accomodate different shaped work pieces. The device is mounted on a manipulator which selectively displace the same in three mutually opposed directions. Location and locking probes can be used in combination with the support device to locate and/or lock the work piece in place.

Abstract: A linear unit for transferring objects, particularly for removing workpieces from a linear conveying track, comprising vertically and horizontally movable grippers for grasping the objects and comprising a gripper carriage which is movable between a pick-up position and delivery position and having first and second carriage parts, wherein the movement sequence of the grippers for receiving the objects in the pick-up position and for depositing the objects in the delivery position is effected due to relative movement of the second carriage part with respect to the first carriage part.

Abstract: A bottom unheading device adapted for unheading vertical vessels such as coking drums. The unheading device includes a cover unit adapted for attachment to a lower flange of a coking drum and which is fastened by a plurality of swing bolts which are disconnected by remotely operated detensioning equipment, and a frame which can lower the cover unit and a carriage which moves it laterally to one side. A chute attached to the frame can be raised into engagement with the coking drum lower flange for removal of coke from the drum. Following such coke removal, the chute is lowered and the cover unit is moved laterally and remotely reconnected to the coking drum lower flange. The invention also discloses a method for remotely operating the unheading device.

Abstract: A support device of the present invention includes an expansible means attached to at least one of plural support systems for supporting an object. Even when the object has dimensional errors caused in its making process, therefore, the interval between the support systems which contact the object to be supported can be self- and micro-adjusted. This enables objects, different in shape, to be correctly positioned and supported.

Abstract: Combination machine tool appartaus and pallet changing system includes a single pallet changer for changing both work pieces at a work piece machining station on the machine tool and tools at a tool storage station on the machine tool. The work piece machining station and tool storage station are offset approximately 45.degree. from each other as measured from the rotational axis of the pallet changer, which is provided with additional retractable rotational stops for locating the pallet changer at these additional 45.degree. indexing positions. Also, the tool storage station is located forwardly of the work piece machining station, thus allowing the pallet changer to be positioned closer to the front of the machine tool in the region of the work piece machining station without interfering with the indexing movement of the pallet changer between stations.

Abstract: A cargo transporter having a cargo platform, mounted on a frame. The frame is supported by lift assemblies, which are mounted on wheel assemblies. Each lift assembly has a leg having an upper end which supports the frame and a lower end connected to the wheel assembly. Each lift assembly also has a support arm having an upper end pivotally connected to the frame and a lower end pivotally connected to the leg. Each lift assembly also has a hydraulic cylinder and piston rod, mounted between the leg and a bell crank of the support arm for changing the angle between the leg and the support arm, to cause the frame in the cargo platform to move vertically. A plurality of hydraulic cylinders and piston rods are mounted between the frame and the cargo platform for maneuvering the cargo platform relative to the frame.

Abstract: A friction roller conveyor includes friction rollers mounted within a housing. A housing cover has openings therein through which the friction rollers partially extend. The rollers are secured against axial shifting and are driven. The friction roller conveyor is made from easy to assemble and replace individual elements, and may be walked on and driven over without damage to the conveyor, the people or to the crossing vehicles. Repairs can be made without disassembling the entire conveyor construction.

Abstract: A wheeled carrier apparatus for attaching and removing a demountable snow plow from a motor vehicle comprising a planar assembly of slender members which is adjustable forwarding to an open operative configuration and rearwardly to a closed shipping and storage configuration, a singular elevating structure pivotally mounted on the base structure and a singular jackscrew for raising and lowering the elevating structure. The base structure has a multi-piece slender front lateral rail, a slender rear lateral rail, a pair of slender side rails which pivotally interconnect the outer end portions of the front rail with the outer end portions of the rear rail, a first locking pin for securing the planar assembly of slender members in the open operative configuration, and a second locking pin for securing the planar assembly of slender members in the closed shipping and storage configuration.

Abstract: A load positioning assembly and method for locating and maintaining a load supporting device on a material handling vehicle, includes a load carrying device mounted on a frame and a load carrying portion elevationally movable along an elevationally oriented axis. A pilot member which is freely movably supported on a carrier connected to the load carrying portion is elevationally movable with the load carrying portion between first and second preselected elevationally spaced apart positions relative to the frame. A first engaging device moves the pilot member in directions transverse to the axis in response to movement of the pilot member toward the first elevational position and maintains the pilot member at a first preselected transverse location relative to the axis and the load supporting device at a preselected transverse location at the first elevational position of the load carrying portion. The load positioning assembly is particularly suited for use on an SGV.

Abstract: Device for transporting load units consisting of a drive system carrier to which two track-laying drive systems are linked. A lifting platform is supported opposite the drive system carrier over several longitudinally adjustable lifting elements, so that said elements are at least partially provided with articulations movable in all directions, both in the region of the lifting platform and also in the region of the drive system carrier, so as to ensure the displacement in all directions of the lifting platform.

Abstract: A traveling platform unit which is movable in the horizontal direction, for loading and unloading a printing paper on a roll stand. The roll stand has swivel arms and is part of a web-fed rotary printing press which uses the printing paper rolls. The traveling platform is equipped with lifting elements acting together in pairs, which permit aligning of the paper rolls with a paper roll bearing axle of the roll stand while allowing paper rolls of different diameters and widths to be brought for clamping between pairs of the swivel arms of the roll stand or to be removed from the swivel arms of the roll stand.

Abstract: A device for pulling a shaft from the core of a roll of web material, the device comprising a jack having a wheeled base, a head, and means for raising and lowering the head relative to the base. A shaft receiver is mounted on the head, the shaft receiver having a passage therein for receiving the shaft. The device further comprises a shaft gripper adapted to grip a shaft inserted into the shaft-receiving passage, permitting relative forward movement of the shaft in the passage but resisting relative rearward movement of the shaft in the passage, so that the device can be applied to the end of the shaft to grip the shaft in the passage and pulled to pull the shaft from the roll.

Abstract: A conveyor system for use in an automobile assembly line having a body-carrying tact conveyor arranged in an endless form past an engine mounting position, and switchable between a running mode and a stopping mode, a body-carrying continuous conveyor arranged in an endless form and having an inlet section and an outlet section which are arranged on the extensions of the inlet section and the outlet section of the tact engine mounting position, a pair of feeders for delivery an automobile body between the inlet sections of both conveyors and between the outlet sections of both conveyors, and engine transferring conveyor arranged in an endless form past a delivery position near the engine position and stoppable at the body delivery position, and an engine shifting conveyor having an engine shifting jig and extending between the body delivery position and the engine mounting position and being reciprocable at a comparatively high speed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method of utilization thereof of a robot with a floating arm. The floating arm aspect of the robot allows the robot to align its associated tooling with the workpiece in situations where the workpiece may be in a variety at different locations. By use of the present invention the requirement for use of a vision system to accomplish alignment between the robot and the workpiece is eliminated.

Abstract: The machine comprises a tower, driven horizontally along two rails, on either side whereof loading and unloading stations are located. The tower carries pairs of guides, adapted for supporting lateral side members, movable in vertical and horizontal directions with respect to the tower. The lateral side members have at their bottom ends supporting members adapted for supporting the bin bases. The movable members of the machine being operatively linked to sensors effective to sense the presence of bins at the stations and to a selector unit for selecting the loading and unloading stations.

Abstract: An elevating apparatus including a base, a platform, at least a pair of pivotally interconnected boom assemblies connecting the base and the platform together, the pair of boom assemblies including a pair of hollow middle booms pivotally interconnected substantially centrally thereof by a shaft, and upper and lower booms telescopically disposed in each of the middle booms and movable out of upper and lower ends of the middle booms, the lower booms having ends pivotally mounted on the base in spaced relation and the upper booms having ends pivotally mounted on the platform in spaced relation, each of the boom assemblies including a synchronizer for synchronizing intervals of extension of the upper and lower booms from the middle boom, a pair of hydraulic mechanisms operatively coupled between the shaft and the base at spaced locations thereon for moving the middle booms to displace the upper and lower booms into and out of the middle booms to lift and lower the platform, and a controller for selectively contro

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating radar drive mechanisms is provided with a workpiece support assembly including a generally horizontal base and at least two sides extending vertically from the base to form a chamber for receiving a bottom portion of the drive mechanism. An adjustable height vertical member extends from the support assembly base and is capable of being secured to various components of the drive mechanism. An alignment saddle positioned below the support assembly is used for adjustment of angular orientation of the support assembly and associated drive mechanism, and is pivotally mounted on a support structure to permit rotation of the drive mechanism for disengagement from the radar tower pedestal. The support assembly, alignment saddle, and saddle support structure are mounted on a forklift which provides convenient vertical motion.

Abstract: A weighty object mounting system comprises tact-transporting means for transporting a transportable object so as to have the same stop temporarily at each working stations, position detecting means for detecting a stop position of the transportable object stopped at one of the stations, a lifter provided in a mounting station and including a mounting portion provided for supporting a weighty object placed thereon and arranged to be movable forward and backward, right and left, and up and down in relation to the transportable object in the mounting station and a driving portion for moving the mounting portion so as to cause the weighty object to engage with the transportable object and to be automatically mounted to the same, and control means operative to supply the driving portion with control commands which direct the driving portion to cause the mounting portion to have each of predetermined movements at a predetermined timing, and operative also to calculate a misalignment between the transportable object

Abstract: An apparatus for removing injection molded articles from the opened injection mold of an injection molding machine. Two carriages traveling in directions perpendicular to each other are used for moving a grasping member for the molded articles. Pneumatic linear drives are used for moving the carriages. To prevent undesired oscillations of a linear drive, a braking device is used which is disengaged when the linear drive is actuated and is engaged when the liner drive is not actuated.

Abstract: A device for handling metal sheet workpieces for a bending press or other metal-working machine has a pair of vertical plates which are movable along the front of the press and are spanned by guide columns upon which respective slides are movable vertically to carry the tongs. A turntable on the press allows rotation of the plates about horizontal axes in the vertical plane.

Abstract: The handling apparatus includes two spaced apart lower arms pivoting on a base, and two spaced apart upper arms pivoting on an elbow bearing on the lower arms. The lower arm is driven by a ball-screw arrangement in which a threaded drive, mounted on the base of the apparatus is connected to a ball screw attached to a strut between the ball screw and the lower arm. Moving the ball screw along the threaded drive member pivots the lower arm upward. Another ball screw arrangement is mounted on the lower arm and is attached to the lower end of the upper arm by means of cables that extend along a rear curved surface of the upper arm to allow for more travel of the upper arm. Various attachment can be mounted on the upper arm including hangers for propellers and rudders and a gripper unit for supporting propeller shafts. When handling propellers and rudders, a single material handling unit is used, and the propeller or rudder is hung between the spaced apart arms.

Abstract: An apparatus connected to an arm in a robot system removes injection molded and die cast products while compensating for the load on the piston rods of the apparatus. A chuck for grasping the products is moved up and down by a pair of pneumatic cylinders on a frame and intermediate frame. The pneumatic cylinders carry the load of the various elements of the apparatus. In order to eliminate variations in the load carried by the cylinders and absorb the shock at the ends of the cylinder strokes, the apparatus includes surge tanks connected to the cylinders. Compressed air is provided through the surge tanks to provide an upward pressure offsetting the load on the cylinders.

Abstract: A device for taking out sheet rolls and mounting sheet roll cores comprises a wheeled roll holder support capable of being advanced and retracted with respect to the sheet rolls, a sheet roll holder provided on the sheet roll holder support for vertical movement thereon and capable of receiving the sheet rolls, and core holding means provided on the sheet roll holder support or the sheet roll holder. This device is adapted to be used for a sheet winder which has a mechanism for discharging sheet rolls by withdrawal of a take-up shaft in the axial direction thereof from the sheet rolls. With this device, the withdrawn take-up shaft is returned to the take-up position after the sheet rolls have been discharged.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading a furnace with semiconductor wafers is known, which has at least two heat treatment chambers (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D), each of them having an associated stationary loading unit (8) with a receptacle movable in the direction of the furnace axis via a feed apparatus and having a loading system (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D) for semiconductor wafers. In order to provide such an apparatus for automatically loading the furnace with semiconductors which facilitates loading and overcomes the disadvantages of the known apparatuses, the apparatus according to the invention has a common central loading station (9) for all the semiconductor loading systems (2), and these loading systems are removable from the loading unit (8).

Abstract: In order to facilitate the operations of handling and of transportation when empty between the works of an engine manufacturer and the works of an aircraft manufacturer, a transportation framework is provided with support members which are adjustable. These members, on which the turbo-machine rests, are mounted pivotally on the platform. It is possible to cause them to be adapted so as to take up two positions; a higher position where they support the turbo machine and, a lower position where they are folded on to the platform. The vertical height of the frameworks is thus reduced when empty and enables them to be stacked.

Abstract: A heavy-object loading jig has a slide plate provided on the upper end portion of a lifting drive means and a mounting plate for mounting a heavy object thereon. Between the slide plate and the mounting plate is disposed a rolling member which allows the mounting plate to move in any horizontal direction within a limited range. The lifting drive may include: a circular cylinder vertically extending with the upper end thereof opened; a cylindrical member which is integrally secured to the inner lower end portion of the cylinder and defines an annular cylinder chamber between the same and the inner surface of the cylinder; a ring-shaped piston slidably received in the cylinder chamber; and a cylindrical rod which is formed integral with the piston and is projected beyond the upper end of the cylinder and further has the slide plate secured to the upper end portion thereof.

Abstract: A tire supplying apparatus has a self-propelled green tire carrying wagon for carrying a green tire to be vulcanized, a green tire unloading device mounted on the wagon and a green tire receiving stand disposed at a predetermined position located in front of a vulcanizing press or a green tire loading device mounted on the vulcanizing press. The green tire unloading device is provided with an aligning mechanism adapted to hold the unloaded green tire so as to displace it in any radial direction while it is lifted up, the aligning mechanism serving to locate its center in correct alignment with respect to the green tire receiving stand or the green tire loading device.

Abstract: An automated workpiece handling system for use with a machine tool having a plurality of workstations spaced along a longitudinally movable, elongate worktable comprising a first cart for transporting workpieces to one end of the tooling machine, adjacent a first workstation, a first feeder mechanism on the machine tool for drawing workpieces from the first cart and delivering the workpieces onto the worktable, a mechanism on the worktable including the worktable itself for moving the workpieces along the worktable from a position adjacent the first workstation to a position adjacent a final workstation, a second cart for transporting workpieces from the other end of the machine tool, adjacent the final workstation, and a second feeder mechanism on the machine tool for drawing workpieces from the worktable and delivering the workpieces onto the second cart.

Abstract: A lifting device for cradle supported goods includes cradle engaging lifting arms pivoted to a wheeled chassis. A lever element located between one of the lift arms and the chassis is positioned by a winch and cable to raise the lift arms. An emergency stop block is provided in the event of cable breakage.