The Kingstar Company

Delaware Capital Formation, Inc.

Michigan Technological University

Somero Enterprises, Inc.

Other

Charles A Hallstrom

Carl B Kieranen

Glen Raymond Simula

Nils P Ruonavaara

James D Waineo

Cal G Niemela

Marcus Niemela

Philip J Quenzi

Mark A Pietila

Jeffrey W Torvinen

A hinge locking system is provided for locking pivotable hinge parts at a desired angular position relative to one another. The hinge locking system includes a locking pin, a plate with a locking pin receiver, a movable pin receiver defining an axial bore for receiving the locking pin, and a pair of spaced-apart limit stops along the plate. The movable pin receiver is movable relative to the plate, and the limit stops are selectively contacted by the movable pin receiver to limit the maximum relative movement of the movable pin receiver. When the axial bore of the movable pin receiver aligns with the plate's locking pin receiver, the locking pin is insertable through the locking pin receiver and the axial bore in the movable pin receiver, to thereby lock the movable pin receiver and the hinge parts against further movement.

Hinge locking system

A livestock living quarter for a transport trailer, such as a livestock trailer, provides livestock stalls and mangers inside the trailer. The living quarter includes at least one stall for a livestock animal, the stall defined by a chest wall, an interior wall, and a front wall set parallel to the interior wall. A second stall may be provided, with the interior wall of the first stall providing a divider wall between the first and second stalls, and acting as a front wall of the second stall. The stall divider may be pivotable to allow for entry of a livestock animal into the stall. A manger is disposed in front of the stall for storage of feed that is accessible to the livestock animal in the stall. Optionally, a water trough is accessible at the manger, and other spaces may provide living quarters or facilities for an operator.

Livestock living quarters for a transport trailer

A deployable corral system for a transport trailer, such as a livestock trailer, provides a readily deployable corral along the trailer, and is readily stowable along the trailer in a retracted configuration for travel. The corral includes a pair of spaced-apart and extendable corral rails with a cross-rail extending between distal ends of the extendable corral rails. When the extendable corral rails are extended the cross-rail is spaced from an exterior side of the livestock trailer, and when the extendable corral rails are retracted the cross-rail is positioned near a roof of the trailer. The extendable corral rails move between the extended and retracted positions manually, or automatically with a drive system. Optionally, the drive system is powered by motors associated with linear or rotary actuators. Further options may include storage bins along the cross-rail, a deployable shade awning, a deployable trough, jack stands, securing flaps, and position sensors.

Transport trailer with deployable corral

A deployable corral system for a transport trailer, such as a livestock trailer, provides a readily deployable corral along the trailer, and is readily stowable along the trailer in a retracted configuration for travel. The corral includes a pair of spaced-apart and pivotably-extendable corral rails with a cross-rail extending between distal ends of the extendable corral rails. When the extendable corral rails are extended the cross-rail is spaced from an exterior side of the livestock trailer, and when the extendable corral rails are retracted the cross-rail is positioned near a roof of the trailer. A drive system is operable to move the extendable corral rails between the extended and retracted positions. Optionally, the drive system is powered by motors associated with linear or rotary actuators. Further options may include storage bins along the cross-rail, a deployable shade awning, and a deployable trough.

A device and method for contouring three-dimensionally curved surfaces includes an elongated contouring assembly that is supported at two locations by height adjustment mechanisms that raise and lower the two locations of the contouring assembly independently of each other. The contouring assembly creates a three-dimensionally curved surface as it passes over an area to be contoured. The control of at least one location of the contouring assembly is based on a comparison of the measured position of one portion of the contouring assembly with a profile of the surface to be leveled that is stored in a computer memory. Control of the height of the other location is preferably based on the height above a physical reference measured with a proximity sensor. A pivot or tilting controller may control the tilting of the contouring assembly to follow the slope of the profile stored in computer memory.

Apparatus and method for three-dimensional contouring

A contouring device and method for contouring three-dimensionally curved surfaces includes an elongated contouring assembly that is supported at opposite ends by a pair of fluid cylinders. The fluid cylinders are controlled to raise and lower the ends of the contouring assembly independently of each other, thereby allowing the contouring assembly to create a three-dimensionally curved surface as it passes over an area to be contoured. The control of one of the fluid cylinders is based on a comparison of the measured position of a first end of the contouring assembly with a profile of the surface to be leveled that is stored in a computer memory. The measurement of the position of the first end of the contouring assembly is achieved by a tracking device which tracks the position of a target positioned on the first end of the contouring assembly and which determines the three dimensional position of the target. A proximity sensor measures the position of the second end of the contouring assembly from a surface and outputs a control signal that adjusts the height of the second end of the contouring assembly to follow the surface. Alternatively, a second target positioned on the second contouring assembly end is tracked by a second tracking device to determine the three-dimensional position of the second end. The contouring assembly preferably has a plow, rotating auger, and a vibratory screed positioned adjacent and parallel to one another in an orientation transverse to the direction of motion of the contouring assembly. The plow, rotating auger, and vibratory screed are all pivotable about an axis parallel to their longitudinal direction. A pivot or tilting controller controls the tilting of the plow, rotating auger, and vibratory screed to follow the slope of the profile stored in computer memory.

A contouring machine control system, contouring/smoothing method, and kit for enabling a contouring machine to automatically contour three-dimensional surfaces includes a contouring member, such as a screed or dirt grading blade, a target either attached to the contouring member or located at a remote location, a tracking device at the other of the contouring member or remote location that tracks the target and measures the position of the target in three dimensions, a proximity sensor adjacent one end of the contouring member to detect its height above a physical reference, and a controller/computer for controlling the height of the two ends of the contouring member. One of the ends is controlled as a function of a stored profile of the desired surface to be contoured and the target or tracking device position, while the second end is controlled as a function of the current height of the proximity sensor above the reference.

A device and method for contouring three-dimensionally curved surfaces includes an elongated contouring assembly that is supported at opposite ends by height adjustment mechanisms. The height adjustment mechanisms raise and lower the ends of the contouring assembly independently of each other, thereby allowing the contouring assembly to create a three-dimensionally curved surface as it passes over an area to be contoured. The control of at least one end of the contouring assembly is based on a comparison of its measured position with a profile of the surface to be leveled that is stored in a computer memory. A pivot or tilting controller may control the tilting of the contouring assembly to follow the slope of the profile stored in computer memory.

A concrete placing apparatus is provided for placing uncured concrete on a support surface, such as an elevated deck of a building. The apparatus comprises a base unit and a movable support, with a conduit assembly extending therebetween. A supply end of the conduit assembly is positioned at the base unit and is connected to a supply line for uncured concrete or other material, while a dispensing end of the conduit assembly is supported by the movable support and extends outwardly therefrom to dispense uncured concrete or other material through a discharge outlet. The movable support is movable arcuately and/or radially relative to the base unit to dispense the concrete in a generally uniform manner over a targeted area. The apparatus may further include a screeding device at the discharge outlet to grade, level, compact and smooth the concrete as it is placed.

Concrete placing and screeding apparatus and method

A concrete placing apparatus is provided for placing uncured concrete on a support surface, such as an elevated deck of a building. The apparatus comprises a movable base unit and a movable support unit, with a conduit assembly extending therebetween. A supply end of the conduit assembly is positioned at the base unit and is connected to a supply line for uncured concrete or other material, while a dispensing end of the conduit assembly is supported by the movable support and extends outwardly therefrom to dispense uncured concrete or other material through a discharge outlet. The movable support is movable arcuately and/or radially relative to the base unit to dispense the concrete in a generally uniform manner over a targeted area. The apparatus may further include a plowing and/or screeding device at the discharge outlet to grade, level, compact and smooth the concrete as it is placed.

A mobile tree harvester includes a shear mounted at the base of a harvesting frame for shearing a tree trunk, a grip arm pivotably mounted to the frame above the shear for gripping the tree trunk, delimbers mounted above the grip arms for removing branches from the trunk, and an endless tract mounted on each grip arm for propelling the tree trunk along the forward frame. Lift arms pivotably couple the forward frame to a main body of a wheeled vehicle. A sway mechanism is coupled to both lift arms to provide for relative movement of one lift arm with respect to the other such that the harvesting frame can sway from the vertical position in a left or right direction. A tilt mechanism is coupled to the harvesting frame, lift arm, and main body to maintain the frame in its vertical ground position as the lift arms lift the frame off the ground. The tilt mechanism also tilts the frame about an axis transverse to the vehicle axis to a horizontal position such that the sheared end of the tree trunk faces rearwardly. Behind the frame is a storage space within the main body adapted to receive the tree trunks as the endless tracks propel the tree trunk therein and to store a plurality of logs therein. Movable panels at the bottom of the storage area release the logs when desired.

Growing community of inventors

Calumet, MI, United States of America

Charles A Hallstrom