Abstract: A hydraulic control circuit for, for example, working members of earth-moving machines such as backhoe loaders. A first and a second control section (9,10) are coupled to first and second linear hydraulic actuators (1,2; 3-8) through respective first a second hydraulic spool valves (21,22; 23-28), and supply (11) of a hydraulic fluid under pressure is connected in parallel with the two control sections (9,10) via a feed line (13). A load sensing circuit (16) is associated with the first and second spool valves. The control circuit includes a series-parallel connection circuit (36) of the load sensing circuit (16), and additional optional devices ensuring a higher operative functionality of the working members of the machine.

Abstract: A power boat helmsman's station chair having a two-section seat bottom articulated by a pivotal hinge framework so that the front section of the seat can be folded up from its normal position as a horizontal extension of the rear section of the seat bottom to a position raised and disposed over the rear section. Port and starboard hinge subassemblies include a L-shape angle corner bracket that is fastened to both the bottom and the side boards of the rear seat section framework, thereby reinforcing the same, and that pivotally carries one end of an associated hinge arm fastened at its other end to the framework of the seat bottom front section. A one piece plastic member of generally inverted V-shaped configuration has one arm fixed to the upright flange of the comer bracket with the other arm disposed for spring latching, camming engagement with a cam follower edge surface of the pivot end of the hinge arm.

Abstract: A method of making an engine block for an internal combustion engine comprising making an engine block with cylinder bores, forming a spray-formed cylinder liner with a predetermined internal diameter and a predetermined external diameter, heating the cylinder block, inserting the cylinder liner in the bore, and permitting the cylinder block to cool such that the liner is locked in position in the bore by compressive forces. The spray-formed cylinder liner comprises a cylindrical body made of a material having predetermined thermal characteristics, wear resistant and scuff resistant materials. The cylindrical body has an external surface formed by spray forming and an internal surface formed by spray forming. The liner can have a single spray-formed layer or multiple spray-formed layers of different materials. The spray-formed liner is preferably heat treated in an inert atmosphere before being inserted in the block. In one form, the spray-formed liner has a radial flange at one end.

Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder with a combustion chamber defined between the cylinder head and a reciprocating piston, and a carburetor which delivers a rich fuel and air mixture to a compressor with a reciprocating piston driven by the engine to compress the mixture until the mixture is under sufficient pressure to open a differential pressure injection valve and thereby inject the mixture directly into the engine combustion chamber. The mixture is ignited by a spark plug to drive the engine piston through its power stroke and rotate its associated crankshaft which is connected to a crankshaft of the compressor to reciprocate its piston and thereby compress the fuel and air mixture and inject it into the cylinder in timed relation with the engine piston.

Abstract: A gas spring with a sealing and bearing assembly received within a casing of the gas spring adjacent to a rod slidably received through the assembly for axial reciprocation. The assembly has an annular retaining ring received within the casing, an annular bearing with a throughbore through which the rod reciprocates carried by the retaining ring, an annular retainer carried by the retaining ring downstream of the bearing, and a sealing member received within the retaining ring adjacent to the retainer and in firm engagement with the rod and retaining ring to provide a gas-tight seal between the rod and the retaining ring to prevent the escape of gas from the gas spring. The retainer preferably has a dovetail flange extending therefrom and the sealing ring has a complementarily shaped recess molded or press-fit onto the flange to attach the sealing ring to the retainer. The retainer is preferably firmly clamped to the retaining ring by rolling its upper edge over the retainer.

Abstract: An apparatus constructed to be received within an interior opening of a sheet metal panels to form a pre-hem and a complete hem about the periphery of the opening with a plurality of generally radially outwardly movable hemming plates or steels which are driven by an actuator to move from a retracted position within the opening to an extended position overlying a portion of the periphery of the opening to pre-hem a flange about the periphery of the opening. With the hem steels in their extended position, a second actuator displaces the steels towards the sheet metal panels to complete the folding or final hemming of the flange about the periphery of the opening.

Abstract: An animal trap comprises a swing frame mounted on a base. The swing frame has a pair of laterally spaced-apart arms and is pivoted to the base for swinging movement from a generally horizontal position to a generally upright position. A spring urges the swing frame to the upright position. A retainer releasably holds the swing frame in the horizontal position. A cable has one end anchored and the other end formed in a loop with the cable extending through the loop to form a noose. Opposite sides of the noose are releasably connected to the arms to hold the noose in an open condition. A baited lure is placed within the noose when the swing frame is horizontal and is operative when pulled by an animal to release the retainer and allow the swing frame to move to its upright position and the noose to snare an animal by the neck and tighten when the animal pulls away.

Abstract: An array of a plurality of module blocks with a common through-passageway with a combined fluid coupling and mechanical connector fitting received in the passageway between each pair of adjacent blocks. The fitting has a swivel body rotatably retained by a flexible retaining wire on a main body with two static-type O-rings. The main body has external straight threads on one end and a hex head protrusion adjacent the other end. A fluid conducting through-passageway in the main body has an enlarged cylindrical counterbore open at the hex end and with a circular internal groove therein. A tangentially intersecting wire-insertion radial opening leads from an external surface of the hex head into this groove. The swivel body has external straight male threads at one end, a cylindrical shank at the other end and a fluid conducting through-passageway communicating at one end with the main body passageway and having a hex socket in the other passageway end.

Abstract: A collet for holding and precisely locating a cutting tool within a tool holder has a bore constructed to receive a shank of the cutting tool therein, a hydrostatically displacable sleeve received in the bore, a piston received within a passage communicating with the sleeve and displaceable to pressurize fluid within the passage to actuate the sleeve and a retaining nut threadably received on the tool holder to displace the piston to pressurize the fluid within the collet as the nut is rotated on the tool holder. The pressurized fluid within the collet acts substantially uniformly across the sleeve to urge the sleeve into firm engagement with the cutting tool to firmly hold and accurately and repeatably locate the cutting tool within the collet. Also, the pressurized fluid acts substantially uniformly on the interior wall of the collet to substantially uniformly urge the collet into firm engagement with the tool holder to firmly hold and accurately and repeatably locate the collet within the tool holder.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling distribution of d.c. power to a plurality of remote d.c.-powered LAN transceivers, which includes a plurality of primary d.c. power supplies and at least one backup d.c. power supply, all having means for connection to a source of electrical power to provide output d.c. power independently of each other. A plurality of electrical switches are each operable in a first mode of operation to connect one of the primary power supplies to at least one set of output terminals for connection to a remote transceiver. Comparator circuits compare the output voltage at each of the primary power supplies to the output voltage at the backup power supply to indicate a failure condition at one of the primary supplies. Circuitry is responsive to a failure indication for operating one or more of the electrical switches in a second mode of operation in which at least one set of output terminals is connected to the backup power supply.

Abstract: A flat commutator for an electric motor of a vehicle fuel pump. The commutator, is made with a one-piece carbon ring having a flat outer face, a one-piece conductor ring underlying the outer face of and embedded in the carbon ring, and a housing of a plastic insulating material molded on the rear face and the inner and outer edges of the carbon ring and adapted to mount the commutator on a motor armature. A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart grooves extend radially and axially completely through both the carbon ring and the conductor ring to provide a plurality of individual sintered carbon segments each with a separate conductor for electrically connecting the segments with armature coils.

Abstract: A permanent magnet armature solenoid has a tip formed of a non-magnetic material operably connected to a ferromagnetic insert which is firmly held to the end of the magnetic armature by the magnetic attraction between the insert and armature. The magnetic field of the armature holds the armature and the insert together as a single unit, even under high acceleration, deceleration and rapid movement of the armature. The insert is relatively small compared to the armature and the addition of the insert to the solenoid does not significantly adversely affect the performance of the solenoid. The insert is preferably formed of a magnetically susceptible metal such as iron, steel or stainless steel. Desirably, the tip is formed of a polymeric material and preferably of an elastomer so that the tip may be molded directly to the insert by conventional molding techniques to facilitate molding the non-magnetic tip onto the insert.

Abstract: A die transfer system that includes a lower die, an upper die carried for reciprocal movement toward and away from the lower die to perform at least one operation on a workpiece positioned therebetween, and a conveyor for sequentially conveying workpieces between the dies. The conveyor includes a pair of elongated transfer bars parallel to each other and to the direction of movement of workpieces through the dies. Each transfer bar includes hands for engaging and carrying the workpieces. A pair of transfer drives are each operatively coupled to an associated one of the transfer bars for moving the transfer bars longitudinally parallel to each other independently of each other and out of phase with each other. A workpiece infeed conveyor is disposed adjacent to one end of a first of the transfer bars for feeding workpieces to the first transfer bar.

Abstract: A toy bridge comprising a stand and, supported thereby, a bridge road element having a roadway on each of two opposite flat sides. The stand is turnable and can optionally be placed on a base in a first or second position, in which the bridge road element is arranged at a first or a second distance from the base and its one or other flat side faces upwards. A supporting yoke is arranged at each end of the bridge to form a support for a ramp road element connected to the bridge road element. The supporting yoke is pivotable relative to the bridge road element by the force of gravity between a first and a second stop position, in which it forms a subjacent support for the ramp road element when the stand is in its first and its second position, respectively.

Abstract: A crossbow that includes a barrel having a pair of limbs and a bowstring cable that extends between the limbs, a trigger mechanism for selectively capturing and releasing the bowstring cable against flexure of the limbs, and a guide for supporting a bolt on the barrel when the cable is captured by the trigger mechanism. The trigger mechanism in the preferred embodiment of the invention includes a latch mounted for pivoting between a closed position in which the latch captures the cable and an open position for releasing the cable. A latch release arm is mounted adjacent to and in opposed engagement with the latch. The upper surface of the latch release arm engages the latch for releasably holding the latch in both the open and closed positions.

Abstract: In the field of fluid power control, there is a need for a control scheme that supplies working fluid under pressure to a load in the event of failure of power supplies to control apparatus associated with the circuit. The disclosure relates to a control circuit 10 in which output pressure from a pump 11 is fed to a control piston 13 therefor via a pressure compensator 17. The pressure compensator 17 is biased to disconnect the supply of fluid at outlet pressure when this pressure is below a threshold value, and permit such supply when the outlet pressure exceeds the threshold value determined by the biassing force on the pressure compensator. A proportional control valve 16 may be employed further to counteract the biassing of the pressure compensator 17, whereby to control the threshold pressure at which the compensator 17 operates to feed fluid at control pressure to the piston 13. The invention is of particular use in control circuits eg. for cooling pumps and cooling fans.

Abstract: In an omni-directional sound system such as a sound-light combination arrangement having at least one loudspeaker and optionally at least one light source, a bass loudspeaker arrangement includes a cylindrical casing having end walls at which are installed a bass loudspeaker and an insert casing respectively. The insert casing forms one or more bass reflection spaces within the casing. A sound deflection cone is arranged with its tip opposite the bass loudspeaker.

Abstract: A composite reinforced limb of an archery bow is at least partially covered with a dry film of a polymeric coating initially applied in a generally liquid mixture adjacent to and firmly engaging at least a portion of the limb to prevent the underlying composite layers or fibers of the limb from becoming noticeably detached from the limb, to reinforce the limb and to reduce vibration and noise of the bow during use. Preferably, a substantial portion of the periphery of the limb is covered by the polymeric coating which is preferably sprayed on to the limb with a spray applicator. Preferably, the spray applicator is automated and several limbs are coated in an assembly line fashion by the spray applicator. Alternatively, the polymeric coating can be brushed on or the limb can be dipped into a supply of the coating material to cover at least that portion of the limb. The polymeric coating dries to a film in generally solid but pliable state and does not effect the draw length or draw weight of the bow in use.

Abstract: A fuel pump with an inlet through which fuel is drawn from a fuel tank and an outlet through which fuel is discharged under pressure to an operating engine of a vehicle has an inlet throttle valve actuated by the pressure of the pump outlet fuel to at least partially restrict the flow of fuel through the inlet of the fuel pump and thereby reduce the flow rate of fuel discharged from the fuel pump when the fuel pump is delivering more fuel than is being consumed by the engine. The valve is preferably received within an inlet module between the fuel tank inlet and the fuel pump inlet. Preferably, the valve is slidably received in a passage in the module and actuated by a diaphragm received in the passage and displaceable by the pressure of the pump outlet fuel in response to engine fuel demand.

Abstract: A positive off and automatic on ignition stop switch and electronic circuit for use in an internal combustion engine. The circuit that allows for normal operation of the engine in an unbiased state. When it is desired to turn the engine off, a stop switch is triggered which provides a single mechanism for shutting off the engine. After the switch is activated, the circuit holds the ignition circuit in an off state for a sufficient amount of time to allow the engine to completely stop operation. The circuit holds the engine in the off state for a period of time even after the switch is deactivated. As a result, the operator of a piece of equipment in which the present invention is utilized can activate a switch one time, which results in the engine coming to a complete stop, without the requirement of further activity.