Abstract: An apparatus for safely transporting a roll of paper or the like and including the capability of lifting it to a stand or removing it therefrom. The apparatus includes roll supporting ramps and a pair of powered, articulated arms and is supported by air bearings. The device includes safety controls whereby the roll cannot be lifted to or from the pair of roll supporting ramps unless the roll is located at approximately the center of gravity and then the roll is moved along a line substantially vertically above the center of gravity.

Abstract: A self-propelled vehicle includes a vehicle body having a forwardly facing operator's compartment or cab. The vehicle is provided with a front end implement which is controlled by vertically swingable lift arms that extend along the sides of the operator's compartment. A pair of safety gates are pivotally mounted on the front portion of the vehicle body and prevent an operator from being thrown from the operator's compartment when the gates are in the closed position. The gates also obstruct vertical movement of the lift arms when the gates are in the open position.

Abstract: In cylindrical insert loading apparatus of the type wherein an insert transfer unit is reciprocated by a transfer device between stationary and movable metal molds of a die cast machine and an insert supply unit, the insert transfer unit comprises a movable frame and insert loading cylinders are mounted on the movable frame with their operating axes cross with each other. After the inserts have been supplied from an insert supply furnace to the operating ends of insert loading cylinders, the insert transfer unit is moved between the stationary and movable molds while maintaining horizontal attitude. The movable frame is moved in the axial direction of the die cast machine until the insert transfer unit collides against the movable metal mold to align the inserts with the insert receiving sections in the movable metal mold. Thereafter, insert loading cylinders are operated to load the inserts and the insert transfer unit is returned to the insert supply furnace.

Abstract: A mechanism for unloading a part which is retracted upwardly with a tool and which remains on the tool as the latter begins its downward stroke. The mechanism includes a tray which initially is moved into position to remove the part from the tool as the tool starts through its downward stroke. After removing the part, the tray catches the part and then shifts clear of the downwardly moving tool and discharges the part.

Abstract: A vehicle has a mobile, self-propelled chassis with a platform extendable upwardly by a motor and scissors linkage. A lever is pivotally connected to the chassis and has pipe grabs on the free end; the lever is raised to deposit a pipe on rails on the platform. A vertical hydraulic motor on the platform has saddles for lifting a pipe from the rail to a higher elevation.

Abstract: A tool support arm 22 is mounted to a plate member 18 which in turn is mounted to a horizontal rotatable table 16. The plate 18 has, on its upper face, a plurality of horizontally extending tool support sleeves 20, each sleeve cooperating with one of the horizontally extending tool support arms for secure engagement and quick release therebetween. The sleeve includes means 40, 48 for indexing the tool arm therein. The tool support arms are intermediately hinged 28 for pivotal movement in a vertical plane to lower the vertical projecting tool supported thereon to a non-interfering inactive position while the active tool on another tool support arm extending horizontally from the plate is in the active, raised position.

Abstract: This relates to a feeder for feeding articles on a continuous basis one behind the other. The feeder includes a plurality of flight bars which are mounted for rotation about an axis with the flight bars being circumferentially spaced and having article engaging elements carried thereby. The flight bars are so mounted wherein the distances of the flight bars from the axis of rotation may be infinitely varied to thereby infinitely vary the circumferential spacing between adjacent flight bars. In this manner, the feeder may be readily adjusted so as to feed articles of all dimensions within a prescribed range.

Abstract: A truck vehicle carried boom and hopper system for lifting, transporting, and depositing a load of particulate material such as powder, granules or seeds into storage bins in material dispensing aicraft, including a hopper boom framework having spaced apart side bars pivotally mounted on the side bars on the front end of the vehicle mounted support structure. An extensible piston-cylinder hydraulic motor system is utilized to obtain various pivotal positions of the hopper boom. A manual hopper control valve is located in the bottom of the hopper, the hopper is pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis on the extended end of the boom and a safety bar is secured to a mid-portion of the boom to enable a safety block when the boom is in the aircraft loading position. Between the boom pivotal mounting on the truck frame and the truck frame is a trussed frame support construction which enables rigid pivotal support of the boom and hopper.

Abstract: In a loading crane comprising a crane post on which is pivotally mounted a crane arm or boom, and a main hydraulic piston-and-cylinder unit the lower end of which is pivotally connected to the base of the crane post and the upper end of which is pivotally connected to the inner crane arm end to effect raising and folding movements of said arm, a device, preferably in the form of an auxiliary piston-and-cylinder unit, arranged to displace the upper fulcrum of the main cylinder unit away from the crane post, past an imaginary line extending between the fulcrum pin on which the crane arm pivots relative to said post and the lower fulcrum point of the main cylinder unit.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming stacks of flat objects, such as chocolate bars, which includes a toothed wheel to which juxtaposed objects are fed while traveling on an at least horizontal input path, and between the teeth of which the objects are accommodated and are then moved to the area of a stacking station through rotation of the wheel, with the toothed wheel being composed of two toothed dics spaced apart along the axis of the wheel and each provided with circumferentially spaced teeth defining object retaining pockets between successive teeth, and the apparatus further being provided with a plunger device operatively associated with the wheel for pushing each object arriving at the end of the input path into a respective pocket when such pocket is situated at the top of the wheel and for braking the next following object on the input path to synchronize the introduction of objects with the rotation of the wheel, the wheel being driven in continuous rotation and objects being supplied continuously thereto during

Abstract: An improved and modified cheese stacking machine for forming stacks of individually wrapped slices of cheese. Individual cheese slices are wrapped, cut and delivered in the machine to a discharge assembly where the individually wrapped slices are stacked one atop the other. A cam shaft rotates as the machine cycles and mounts a plurality of cams which operate cam switches to cause discharge of the stacks. An electrically operated clutch is provided between the cam shaft and the driving means, and an electro-optical sensor is mounted for sensing each slice as it is delivered to the discharge assembly. A counter is connected to the sensor for accumulating a count indicating the slices stacked since the last discharge, and the clutch operated upon a predetermined count to cause the stack to be discharged.

Abstract: A lift truck comprising an open-frame carriage having at least two longitudinal frame girders, two lifting arms, each of which is pivotally mounted relative to its respective longitudinal frame girder for pivotal movement relative to its respective frame girder; and a lifting yoke turnably mounted between the two lifting arms and being further tiltable relative to the lifting arms, the lifting yoke being turnable, relative to the lifting arms through an angle of at least 90.degree., and preferably about 110.degree..

Abstract: A transfer mechanism for transferring successively fed objects to a station, from which the objects can be taken one by one. On the station a holder is present, substantially comprising two wall-shaped holder portions each supporting one object, at least one portion being adapted to perform a translatory and rotary movement.

Abstract: A horizontally rotatable and vertically elevatable power boom is disclosed. The boom includes a link providing increased lifting torque about the boom hinge pin and the boom assembly is designed for minimizing the head room requirements for the vacuum machine without sacrificing payload capacity. The link also permits the boom to be locked down hydraulically for traveling.

Abstract: A trailerable utility crane having a compound articulated mast to provide variable working configurations and foldable on itself to provide a relatively compact storage configuration as well as an extended length sufficient to load and unload a tow vehicle. Transport wheels for road travel are carried by the mast in a manner that allows the base of the crane to be lowered to the ground automatically with extension of the mast. The mast is supported for azimuthal movement on the base and outriggers for stabilizing the base are safety-interlocked with the azimuthal support.

Abstract: Transport and assembly apparatus for a screw-tightening device having a carrier ring seatable on a pressure-vessel cover for loosening and tightening fastening screws thereon includes a lift truck having an elevating platform whereon a carrier ring is mountable, means for pivoting the carrier ring about a horizontal axis, and means for vertically adjusting the carrier ring with the elevating platform.

Abstract: A transfer for elongated articles such as angles, flats, channels or rounds includes an optionally deployable rolling restraint to maintain rounds such as bars or tubes properly on the transfer during operation thereof. More particularly, the transfer is in the form of a relatively thin stacking carriage which elevates to pick up a single layer of predetermined width of such articles to transfer the same to the top of a stack being formed. The relatively thin stacking carriage pivots downwardly adjacent the top of the stack and then retracts with adjustable uprights on the stacking cradle causing the layer to be wiped off onto the top of the stack. During such retraction, the top surface of the stacking carriage must be free of obstructions to permit the layer properly to be wiped therefrom. Accordingly, a rolling restraint is provided for the stacking carriage which will move from an ambush position to a position projecting slightly above the top surface of the carriage as it elevates to lift the layer.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispatching boards of lumber from packages of sawn boards delivered to at least one predetermined position. At least one arm is pivotally supported adjacent one end at a pivot point with its other end being rotatable around the pivot point. A dispatch pan mounted for rotation at the other end of said arm has a face at its forward side, as viewed in the direction of rotation of said arm, disposed to engage at least one board adjacent said first position and transfer it to a preselected position at an angular distance from said first position. Controlled means rotates the arm about its pivot point to move the dispatch pan from said first position to preselected positions and subsequently around to said first position to start another cycle of operation.