Abstract: A signature stacker providing improved structure for intercepting a stream of signatures of newspapers from a infeed conveyor of a press apparatus and having improved apparatus for controlling timed operation of the various elements of the stacker so as to provide for high speed and continuous operation of the stacker.

Abstract: An operation member can be driven to move along a rectilinear path, which is perpendicular and laterally positioned with respect to a rotating control shaft of a first controlled member and directed towards a control element of a second controlled member. There are provided movement transmission means provided with clearance, which firstly transform an initial advancement of the operation member into a rotation of said rotating shaft and then, while maintaining stationary the same shaft, allow said operation member a final advancement up to the operation engagement with said control element.

Abstract: A kelly valving apparatus for controlling flow of fluid through a kelly and drill string comprises a rotatable tubular section having a fluid conveying bore adapted to be attached to the drill string at the kelly with a valve associated valve body valving the flow of fluids through the bore. A remotely operable operator is rotatable with the rotatable tubular section, operably engaging the valve for moving the valve between positions which open and close the bore, the operator including at least one hydraulic cylinder having an extensible ram actuated by hydraulic fluid, and linkage is connected to the valve and the hydraulic cylinder so that extension/contraction of the ram effects an opening or closure of the bore. A liquid interface fluid collector ring is positioned adjacent the rotatable tubular section for transmitting pressurized hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder, even during spinning of the cylinder with the tubular section.

Abstract: Dual circuit pressure control valves for brake system are known in which the control pistons are located parallel to each other with each control piston controlling a different one of two brake circuits. Both control pistons are loaded by a common preloading force. The known arrangement is complicated in its construction and has a large overall length. According to the present invention, the construction is simplified and the overall length is reduced by providing a torsion spring which provides the preloading force acting on the control pistons via stationarily supported swivelling levers.

Abstract: A piston-rack rotary actuator having four pistons each with an integral rack and each displaceable along a cylinder unique thereto, the racks meshing with a center gear at equiangularly spaced points and causing angular movements of a shaft about its rotational axis when said pistons are displaced along their respective cylinders, said gear being secured to said shaft. The racks are formed in respective webs which are supported by the actuator body in such a manner as to prevent piston-slewing which would otherwise occur due to the separating force generated by the meshing gear and racks when said racks are moved relatively to the gear.

Abstract: This valve actuator is primarily intended for use with rotary cut-off valves. It includes a housing which is attached to the valve body for receiving the valve stem and a longitudinal passage slidably mounting opposed piston elements. The piston elements include spaced shoulders which engage the remote end of a radial arm mounted within the housing and attached to the stem for rotating said stem. The radial arm includes a cam at the remote end having opposed cam faces alternately engaged by the piston elements and configurated to provide a minimum gap between the cam and the piston shoulders during the rotation of the valve between open and closed positions.

Abstract: A high efficiency, low cost fluid pressure engine. This engine converts reciprocating piston motion to rotary output in a novel manner. The engine comprises at least two parallel pistons adapted to reciprocate in cylinders within an engine block closed by upper and lower heads. Each piston is rigidly secured to a piston rod located along the cylinder centerline and extending through substantially fluid tight packing in the lower head. The lower end of each piston rod is flexibly connected to a first connecting means which also includes an opening surrounding a first crank pin. A pair of reciprocating valve means, located within said engine block, are adapted to selectively introduce and exhaust the engine drive fluid into and out of the cylinder above and below the pistons. Valve push rods secured to said valve means are connected to a second connecting means which also has an opening surrounding a second crank pin.

Abstract: A hydraulic pressure integrator for averaging a plurality of independent input pressures comprising a base plate, a pivot plate mounted above the base plate for pivotal movement about a horizontal pivot axis disposed above and parallel to the base plate, a plurality of input cylinders mounted between the base plate and the pivot plate, each input cylinder having a slidable input piston mounted therein and adapted to contact the pivot plate along a given side of the pivot axis, and a single output cylinder mounted between the base plate and the pivot plate and having an output piston slidably mounted therein and adapted to contact the base plate on a side of the pivot axis opposite from the input pistons, each input cylinder receiving one of the independent input pressures.

Abstract: The take-out mechanism on a glass container forming machine is operated by the vertical reciprocation of a fluid motor. The movement of the tongs into position to grasp a new container is controlled so that the tong arm which is swinging through an arc of 180.degree. degrees, is cushioned in its final movement so as to avoid excessive vibration of the mechanism.The pressure introduced into the motor for moving the tong arm into position over the dead plate is also connected to a second piston which is spring-biased in relation to the piston rod of the motor. When the tong arm has completed its movement and released the container at the dead plate, the pressure is discontinued at both the motor and the second piston which results in the rod of the second piston actuating the motor rod to cause the tongs to be lifted a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A high efficiency, low cost fluid pressure engine. This engine converts reciprocating piston motion to rotary output in a novel manner. The engine comprises at least two parallel pistons adapted to reciprocate in cylinders within an engine block closed by upper and lower heads. Each piston is rigidly secured to a piston rod located along the cylinder centerline and extending through substantially fluid tight packing in the lower head. The lower end of each piston rod is flexibly connected to a first connecting means which also includes an opening surrounding a first crank pin. A pair of reciprocating valve means, located within said engine block, are adapted to selectively introduce and exhaust the engine drive fluid into and out of the cylinder above and below the pistons. Valve push rods secured to said valve means are connected to a second connecting means which also has an opening surrounding a second crank pin.

Abstract: A high efficiency, low cost fluid pressure engine. This engine converts reciprocating piston motion to rotary output in a novel manner. The engine comprises at least two parallel pistons adapted to reciprocate in cylinders within an engine block closed by upper and lower heads. Each piston is rigidly secured to a piston rod located along the cylinder centerline and extending through substantially fluid tight packing in the lower head. The lower end of each piston rod is flexibly connected to a first connecting means which also includes an opening surrounding a first crank pin. A pair of reciprocating valve means, located within said engine block, are adapted to selectively introduce and exhaust the engine drive fluid into and out of the cylinder above and below the pistons. Valve push rods secured to said valve means are connected to a second connecting means which also has an opening surrounding a second crank pin.

Abstract: A high efficiency, low cost fluid pressure engine. This engine converts reciprocating piston motion to rotary output in a novel manner. The engine comprises at least two parallel pistons adapted to reciprocate in cylinders within an engine block closed by upper and lower heads. Each piston is rigidly secured to a piston rod located along the cylinder centerline and extending through substantially fluid tight packing in the lower head. The lower end of each piston rod is flexibly connected to a first connecting means which also includes an opening surrounding a first crank pin. A pair of reciprocating valve means, located within said engine block, are adapted to selectively introduce and exhaust the engine drive fluid into and out of the cylinder above and below the pistons. Valve push rods secured to said valve means are connected to a second connecting means which also has an opening surrounding a second crank pin.

Abstract: A high efficiency, low cost fluid pressure engine. This engine converts reciprocating piston motion to rotary output in a novel manner. The engine comprises at least two parallel pistons adapted to reciprocate in cylinders within an engine block closed by upper and lower heads. Each piston is rigidly secured to a piston rod located along the cylinder centerline and extending through substantially fluid tight packing in the lower head. The lower end of each piston rod is flexibly connected to a connector which also includes an opening surrounding a first crank pin. Swinging links are provided interconnecting each of the connector and the engine housing to constrain the movement of the piston rods and valve push rods to substantially linear motion. The crank pin is mounted on a crank plate offset from an output drive shaft so that as steam or another fluid drives the pistons, linear motion is converted to rotary output motion.

Abstract: An actuator is provided for converting linear to rotary motion to manipulate a valve. Preferably, the actuator has a rotor which is rotatable about an axis and is operably associatable with the valve member. A pair of motors, preferably actuated by pressure fluid, each includes a reciprocal push rod assembly. Flexible means are coupled between the push rod assemblies of the motors and spaced apart points on the rotor such that when one of the motors is actuated, the respective one of the push rod assemblies is moved linearly in a direction to transmit torque to the rotor, thus causing the rotor to rotate about its axis in one direction and manipulate the valve member to one of open and closed positions, and when the other of the motors is actuated, the other of the push rod assemblies is moved linearly in an opposing direction to transmit torque to the rotor whereby the rotor is rotated about its axis in an opposite direction to manipulate the valve to the other of open and closed positions.

Abstract: A driving mechanism for a vehicle wheel includes a housing and piston-cylinder assemblies pivoted to side plates of the housing. Each assembly communicates with hydraulic fluid under pressure and a reciprocating piston rod of each assembly drives a pinion through a surrounding eccentric and driving ring when the assembly is rocked about its pivot connection. The assemblies with corresponding pinions are located around and in mesh with the outer periphery of a central pinion that is fixed to an output shaft to rotate the wheel. As each assembly rocks, a sliding valve within a control valve housing opens and closes return and inlet fluid ducts. An anchorage links each sliding valve to the housing for the mechanism. The latter housing affords the connection between the wheel and the vehicle frame and includes two spaced apart plates with strips between the plates that leave upper and lower blocks.

Abstract: The actuator includes two piston motors interconnected in opposed driving relation with a fixed axis rotary shaft, and fluid pressure control means for controlling the piston motors so that they rotate the shaft bi-directionally at constant rotational velocity with constant resultant torque. The two piston motors preferably are of different effective cross sectional areas, the smaller motor being continuously pressurized with fluid composed solely of fluid from a fluid pressure source, and the larger motor being selectively pressurized with fluid made up of fluid from the fluid pressure source together with fluid exhausted from the smaller motor. A single valve controls fluid flow to and from the piston motors to effect bi-directional shaft rotation, or maintain the shaft in a fixed position. The valve may be operated automatically by servo control means responsive to the positions of the piston motors.

Abstract: The arm of a forging manipulator has tongues at one end for engaging with a workpiece and is journaled for rotation about a horizontal axis. At the other end the arm carries a pair of clamps each of which has a pair of clamping jaws pivotally connected at one end and adapted to be spread apart or drawn against the arm by a spreading hydraulic cylinder at the other end of each pair of jaws. The cylinders are interconnected for reversing operation and are hydraulically linked to a pair of drive cylinders, the pistons of which are pivotally connected to the respective clamps so that one of the drive cylinders is effective to rotate the arm when its clamping cylinder draws its jaws against the arm while the other clamping cylinder spreads the other pair of jaws apart during the ineffective stroke of the drive piston.

Abstract: An oscillating piston internal combustion engine comprises a bank of combustion chambers mounted on the front of an engine block for rotation in an annular path to rotate an output shaft protruding from the rear of the block. Gearing inside the block converts oscillating motion of the pistons and cylinders into unidirectional rotation of the output shaft.

Abstract: An adaptive actuator system comprising a rotatable shaft operatively coupled to a torque biasing means for biasing the rotational direction of the shaft, and also operatively coupled to a counter torque developing means for sensing the rotational bias of the shaft and providing a counter torque proportional to the rotational bias.