Abstract: A sleeve-type bladder accumulator having an outer generally cylindrical body, an apertured cylindrical stop tube concentrically disposed within the cylindrical body, an elastic tubular bladder sleeve partially enveloping the stop tube with each end of the sleeve being anchored by sandwiching between a bladder retainer carried on the adjacent end of the stop tube and the end cap fixed to the adjacent end of the cylindrical body, a clamping spring nested within the bore of one end of the stop tube and a spring socket formed by the adjacent bladder retainer to exert a force upon the stop tube tending to move the stop tube away from the adjacent bladder retainer to secure a pair of split shear rings which lock each end of the cylindrical body to its adjacent end cap, and sealing means made more secure by the force generated by the clamping spring.

Abstract: A hubodometer having a casing supported solely by, and balanced on, its mounting bracket by a ring-like shock mount. Additionally, an odometer mechanism assembly is carried by, and balanced on, a drive-gear shaft located within the casing on the axis of rotation of the hubodometer. The casing is formed by two joined cup-like shells each having a circular flange integrally formed at a mouth of the shell and lying against the flange of the other shell to define an enclosed cavity. An elastic-like gasket is seated upon the joined flanges, and a rigid retainer ring is seated upon the gasket. The retainer ring is fitted tightly to a circular wall of the mounting bracket to nest the casing at least partially within a socket cavity defined by the mounting bracket. The elongated drive-gear shaft has its shaft extremities anchored to opposite bottoms of each casing shell.

Abstract: A rectangular seal beam lamp unit with a high intensity halogen bulb, particularly adapted for utility vehicles, that is self-supporting without requiring any special mounting fixtures on the vehicle, and includes an entirely plastic reflector having an integral forwardly projecting hood that defines in part a recess that receives a rectangular lens sealed by an epoxy material. The halogen bulb has two rearwardly extending lead wires that are embedded in a synthetic rubber material in a recess in the rear of the reflector to assist in shock mounting the bulb. The bulb is primarily supported by a pair of curved resilient connector rods that are welded to the bulb lead wires at one end and curve downwardly to a connector and terminal assembly at the lower rear of the reflector. A strap surrounds the halogen bulb and is fixed to one of the resilient connector rods to support and shock mount the bulb in the reflector.

Abstract: A vehicular instrument or gauge of the type that has a sealed housing filled with an inert gas and a pressure responsive drive assembly for an indicating element such as a needle pointer. The housing is provided with a pressure relief valve to relieve excessive pressure within the housing that includes an inwardly facing integral frusto-conical projection with a central aperture in the back of the housing that receives a valve member which is actually a rivet covered by a flexible adhesive such as silicone rubber. The amount of adhesive and the housing wall area covered by adhesive determine, with the diameter of the head of the rivet, the pressure at which the rivet will be blown from the housing relieving internal pressure.

Abstract: An airless paint or material spray system having a pressure sensor and regulator for controlling the pressure of paint flowing from a paint pump to an airless spray gun. The pressure sensor and regulator includes three contiguous flexing diaphragms in a material chamber in the outlet flow line of the pump with the outermost diaphragm in direct contact with material being constructed of a thin plastic impervious to attack by common painting or coating materials. The two other diaphragms are rubber coated fabric diaphragms that axially position a precision steel rod movably mounted in a low clearance bore in a regulator housing. The axial movement of the precision rod is converted to rotational movement by an adjustably spring biased, pivotally mounted member in the housing having a universal connection with the precision rod. A normally closed snap action switch in the housing is actuated after a predetermined axial travel of the precision rod by an amplifier bar connected to the pivotally mounted member.

Abstract: A soft tread caster that is manufactured by first molding a relatively rigid plastic hub with integral projections about its periphery and thereafter molding a softer plastic tread directly to the hub periphery so that the tread material flows around and under the projections. The projections consist of two adjacent annular rows of integral T-shaped projections on the outer surface of the hub with the rows being staggered to form a plurality of axially extending holes through the projections. When the tread is molded around the hub, tread material flows under the T-shaped projections securely holding the tread to the hub radially and it also flows through the axial holes, thereby locking the tread to the hub laterally.

Abstract: A caster assembly of the type that accommodates swivelling movement of the caster wheel including a U-shaped horn that flanks the sides of a soft tread and supports a wheel axle. A swivel plate is mounted at the top of the horn, adapted to be connected to the underside of the article to be supported, and it carries a pin that extends through the horn and has an annular toothed swivel lock plate at its lower end. A unitary swivel lock and brake member is reciprocably mounted on spaced rearwardly projecting horn ears and has serrations at its top defining teeth that engage the swivel lock plate teeth to lock the horn with respect to the swivel plate. The lower end of the swivel lock and brake member has an arcuate brake shoe that bites into the soft tread of the outer surface of the wheel to effect braking.

Abstract: A caster assembly of the type that accommodates swivelling movement of a caster wheel including a U-shaped horn that flanks the sides of the wheel and supports the wheel axle. A swivel plate is rotatably mounted on top of the horn and is adapted to be connected to the underside of the article to be supported. This plate carries a kingpin that extends through the horn and has an annular swivel lock plate fixed to its lower end. A swivel lock assembly is provided for locking the caster selectively in one of four 90 degree positions and it is mounted on rearwardly projecting ears on the U-shaped horn. The swivel lock assembly includes a spring biased axially movable plunger mounted radially with respect to the swivel lock plate and it is selectively engageable with four ninety degree spaced recesses in the swivel lock plate.

Abstract: A swivel caster of the type having an inverted U-shaped horn member with a cup-shaped upper portion that rotatably receives a swivel plate adapted for connection to the underside of the supported article. A thrust bearing is provided including an annular array of ball bearings that are seated in adjacent semi-toroidal recesses in the bottom of the swivel plate and the top of the horn member. The area around the ball bearings is sealed by an integral plastic seal and lubrication ring that has an upper frusto-toroidal surface engaging and sealing the swivel plate and a lower frusto-toroidal surface engaging and sealing the horn member. The ring has an integral outwardly extending cylindrical projection that defines a lubrication fitting with a small radial bore extending therethrough and communicating with the interior of the ring to supply lubricant from a source to the bearing.

Abstract: A mileage counter for vehicles that provides signals after predetermined mileage intervals indicating the need for vehicle maintenance. Several different maintenance requirements are signalled at different intervals and after the maintenance on the vehicle has been performed each of the counting functions may be reset independently.The counter consists of a plurality of ascending order counter wheels driven by the vehicle's speedometer drive. Several ratchet wheel and switch counting assemblies are mounted adjacent and driven by the higher order one of the counter wheels. One of these counting assemblies may, for example, provide a signal indicating the need for maintenance after a five thousand mile interval, and another signal after fifty thousand miles. Each of these counting assemblies includes an advancing pawl for the ratchet wheel that moves laterally to reset the wheel after the maintenance has been performed, and a holding pawl that also defines one of the contacts of the switch.

Abstract: A pneumatic power tool having a torque sensing control system is disclosed which is capable of consistently applying a precise torque to a fastener so that uniform tightening of any number of fasteners can be obtained. A torsional strain responsive transducer is mounted internally in the tool body and includes a strain gauge network mounted on a torsionally resilient portion of one of the gear cases of the drive train of the tool, the gear case being subject to a reaction component of the torque being transmitted through the drive train. The strain gauge network provides a control signal which effects energization of a solenoid-actuated air shut-off valve in the handle of the tool to automatically terminate the operation of the tool when a predetermined torque is obtained at the output spindle. The control system permits adjustment of the torque output of the tool and provides a visual readout of such output.

Abstract: An air cooling tower system for condensing exhaust steam in power plants, that has water cooling augmentation to maintain the plant cooling capacity during high atmospheric temperature periods. The cooling tower includes a plurality of banks of brazed aluminum plate and fin type heat exchangers arranged in inverted "V" shaped sets. These heat exchangers cool ammonia used as the cooling fluid in the primary condenser for the power plant turbine exhaust steam. Each of these heat exchangers has a core consisting of a plurality of parallel aluminum plates spaced apart by fin assemblies that define a plurality of fluid passes. Approximately every other one of these passes has closed sides that open at the ends of the core to headers and define ammonia passes. The passes adjacent the ammonia passes are open at the sides and define air passes that permit the free flow of air transversely through the heat exchanger cores.

Abstract: A vacuum operated electric switch designed for automotive applications having a vacuum responsive diaphragm that releases the switch mechanism for movement from one of its two stable conditions. The switch assembly has a spring biased pivotal overcenter contact blade movable between two stationary contacts to give the switch a snap action characteristic. Stationary contact wiring is eliminated by bending the ends of the terminals, which are insert molded in a switch base, to directly support the contacts. Movable contact wiring is eliminated by staking a bracket for the movable contact blade directly to one of the terminals so that the bracket provides the conductive path between the movable contact and its terminal. The switch assembly is designed as a complete integral subassembly that may be manufactured separately from the main switch housing having a vacuum chamber and diaphragm therein.

Abstract: A follower assembly for a lubrication gun that effectively seals in either the gun cylinder after bulk-loading of the lubricant, or a smaller diameter lubrication cartridge positioned alternatively in the gun cylinder. The primary element of the follower assembly is a one-piece elastomeric follower body slidably received on a follower rod in the gun cylinder. This elastomeric follower body has a heavy central portion with a thin forwardly extending outer wall that seals against different diameter bores. The forward end of this thin outer wall has a heavy inwardly directed flange portion that stabilizes the thin wall. A plurality of forwardly projecting posts on the heavy central portion of the follower body engage this flange to pull the thin wall when the follower assembly moves forwardly.

Abstract: A switch assembly having a single plunger that sequentially actuates electrically independent terminal contacts such as found in a speed control and brake light switch adapted to be actuated by an automobile brake assembly. The switch has a reciprocable plunger with a conductive ferrule on its end that actuates one set of terminal contacts and an intermediate cylindrical cam that operates another set of terminal contacts. A cover is positioned over an opening in the housing and it has a first integral yolk projection that surrounds a reduced shank on the plunger to maintain the plunger within the housing which permits the plunger to be inserted from outside the housing during assembly, and it also has an integral slotted projection that fits over one set of terminals to secure these terminals within the housing.

Abstract: A tire deflation monitor and method of making the same including a pressure switch consisting of a cup-shaped conducting retainer element and a cup-shaped substantially rigid electrical conducting diaphragm that has a very short travel. The diaphragm closes against a conducting base member spaced very close to the diaphragm but separated therefrom only by a thin insulator so that the contact travel of the diaphragm is very short and the switch is very insensitive to temperature gradients. A first terminal is connected to the diaphragm and a second terminal is connected to the base member. The retainer is roll staked around the diaphragm and the conducting base member.

Abstract: An indicator assemblyhaving a plurality of indicators mounted in a common rectangular housing having a rear wall, there being provided a circuit plate integrally molded in the rear wall of the housing that provides the necessary circuitry for actuating each of the indicators from a remote transducer, the circuit plate prior to being molded into the rear wall of the housing having narrow cut-out portions defining the circuits in the plate with small web bridges across these cut-out portions to provide the necessary support for the plate prior to insertion molding into the rear wall, and after molding the housing these supporting webs are selectively removed through the housing rear wall and the circuit plate at each of these webs to isolate the circuits in the circuit plate.

Abstract: A dual wheel caster assembly consisting of an arcuate central horn carrying an axle with projections on either side of the horn that rotatably receive wheels. The axle has recesses that receive annular projections on the wheels for the purpose of retaining the wheels in position.A vertical opening in the horn receives a vertical pintle having a portion projecting upwardly from the horn adapted to be received in an associated piece of furniture. This pintle has two spaced thrust surfaces, a lower one adapted to directly engage the plastic horn and the other one adapted to engage a one piece plastic bearing.The two thrust surfaces are spaced such that the lower thrust surface initially carries most of the load until a certain amount of wear causes the load to be distributed between the two thrust surfaces from the associated piece of furniture.