Abstract: An apparatus for automatically supplying long-continuous blanks comprises a hopper formed with a front wall having a V-shaped cut-off, a rear wall and an open bottom portion; a disk provided at its circumferential portion with at least one notch to receive a single blank, the disk being rotatable with an angular rotation of 90 degrees; and rollers and drum rollers for transferring the single blank to a subsequent machining station. The apparatus may further be provided with a pusher for pushing up and down the blanks in the hopper and a sensor interlinked with the pusher for carrying out efficiently the feeding operation of the blanks.

Abstract: A photoelectric measurement head (26) for the monitoring of the cross-section of a profiled section between an extruder and a calibrating device of an extrusion press for the manufacture of plastic profiled sections (24) is provided in the region of a free head end of the measurement-head housing (30) with two light-passage openings (38, 42) for a light outlet and light inlet respectively. The light passage openings are arranged on opposite sides of a passage (40) for the profiled section. In each opening (38, 42) a light-transmitting glass cover (64, 66) is inserted. Furthermore, two heating elements (60, 62) are inserted in the measurement-head housing (30) in the region of its free head end in the direct vicinity of the glass covers (64) and (66). The heating elements are connected to a temperature-setting device which maintains the temperature of the free head end of the measurement-head housing at the temperature of the profiled section (24) at the nozzle outlet of the extruder.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fixing a pipe by means of a clamp body. A bent wall is formed by being provided integrally with a tabular clamp member in such a manner as to project from at least one portion of a pipe assembly hole bored in the tabular clamp member having a fixing portion or by allowing a separately formed cylindrical member of a short length to be inserted and fitted in the assembly hole and secured to the clamp member. In an engagingly secured state in which the pipe is inserted in the assembly hole, the projecting wall and a portion of the pipe in the vicinity of the projecting wall are clad with a heat shrinkable cylindrical piece of a short length such as an irreversible shape memory alloy or a heat shrinkable resin, and the fixing of the pipe is effected by subjecting the cylindrical piece to heat shrinkage by heating. A plurality of the bent walls constituting projecting walls may be provided at intervals, or the bent wall may be provided on each side of the clamp member.

Abstract: A honing tool for sharpening an end of an electrode to be employed in the fusion splicing of optical fibres includes a rotatably mounted honing wheel of frusto-conical shape and a rotatably mounted bush whose axis is parallel to that of the honing wheel and is so coupled to the honing wheel that, when the honing wheel is rotated with respect to the body of the tool, the bush will be rotatably driven in the same rotational direction. An electrode is so mounted coaxially within the bush that an end of the electrode will bear against the frusto-conical surface of the honing wheel and that, when the honing wheel is rotated, rotation of the electrode with respect to the bush is prohibited and the abrasive frusto-conical surface of the honing wheel will form a sharp point at the end of the electrode.