Abstract: A hubodometer having a wide range of selectable gear ratios so that the same basic structure can be used to indicate distance traveled by wheels of greatly different wheel diameters in either miles or kilometers. The hubodometer has an elongated bore extending through a frame and centered on the axis of rotation of the hubodometer. An odometer helical drive gear and shaft is mounted on the frame transversely to the axis of rotation and removed from the bore in the frame. In assembly of the hubodometer, if a first gear ratio is desired, a support shaft carrying a gear is located within the bore and is fixed to rotate with the casing on its axis of rotation. This gear engages the odometer helical drive gear at a first locus so that the odometer reading is responsive to the rotation of the casing with a first gear ratio. If a second gear ratio is desired, a support shaft having no gear is located within the bore and is fixed to rotate with the hubodometer casing.

Abstract: An automatic lubrication assembly that dispenses grease under pressure to machinery which requires frequent lubrication, including a spring biased one-piece rigid plastic molded plunger that has a flexible thin walled sealing lip eliminating the requirement for any seals, slidable in an open ended plastic grease cup covered by a removable cap that permits the biasing spring to be easily changed. The grease cup is formed integrally with a plastic base that has a metal outlet fitting insert molded therein that extends into the cup a substantial distance beyond a transverely positioned inlet fitting in the base to absorb side loads on the plastic cup and base.

Abstract: An illuminated membrane switch assembly lighted by a contained rearwardly positioned bulb unit. A membrane switch is actuated by a small reciprocable transparent plunger with an illuminated graphics bearing overlay on its forward surface. Light is transmitted axially from the rear of the switch around the periphery of conductive areas on the membranes to the transparent plunger without any shadowing.

Abstract: A paving breaker for the construction industry of the type having a vibrating moil point or tool steel impacted by a pneumatically reciprocated piston including a double walled cylinder slidably receiving the piston designed so that the space between the inner and outer walls of the cylinder forms a passageway for delivery of piston return air to the lower cylinder chamber and the space also forms an accumulator for air compressed by the piston during the lower part of its power stroke. In one embodiment an outer cylinder sleeve is mounted on an elastomeric member surrounding an inner cylinder sleeve, and is free to reciprocate a limited distance in the housing to partly balance the reaction forces of the piston. This double walled cylinder is surrounded by rectangular polyurethane covers that form an air exhaust space around the cylinder so that exhaust air assists in cooling the cylinder.

Abstract: A tool for manipulating beverage bottle closures in which a prior art recapper cup for applying press-fit bottle caps is modified to include an elongated slot to engage thereby a lift tab for opening a flap closure for a tab-top container. The recapper cup is further modified to include a set of four ribs so that screw-type bottle caps can also be operated on by the recapper cup.

Abstract: A piston accumulator having a piston-poppet assembly to equalize substantially the liquid-gas pressure appearing across a piston seal. The assembly projects into the hydraulic chamber from its housed position within a socket recess formed in the piston. In response to an excess pressure differential between the gas chamber and liquid chamber of the accumulator, the assembly prematurely seals off the hydraulic passage which communicates with the hydraulic chamber of the accumulator. This premature sealing operation traps and pressurizes a small portion of hydraulic liquid within the reduced hydraulic chamber so that the pressure differential which would otherwise appear across the piston seal is reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A gearbox drive that adapts the drive train ratios of vehicles to standard speedometers, including an input gear, an intermediate gear and an output gear rotatable about axes defining an equilateral triangle, arranged so that upon rotation of the input shaft in either direction, the reaction forces on the intermediate gear will be substantially balanced. The gears are supported in mating cup-shaped input and output gear cases with the input gear case member having an input gear bearing and two secondary bearings each of which selectively supports either the intermediate gear or the output gear. The output gear case member has an output gear bearing and two secondary bearings each of which selectively supports either the intermediate gear or the input gear.

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: 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.