Abstract: Axial alignment of a pair of articles such as the ends of a pair of optical components is effected by an alignment device, which serves also as a connector. The alignment device employs a pair of sleeves, for holding the pair of articles, the sleeves being slidably and rotatably mounted in a pair of hingeably connected members. A pair of adjustment means disposed between the hinged members are used to move one of the members about the other member until the pair of articles are in axial alignment. An additional means is also included for locking the adjacent surfaces of the axially aligned pair of articles in a fixed position. Two embodiments of the device are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to the monitoring of the filling effectiveness during the filling operation of a waterproof or filled telecommunications cable on a manufacturing line, and includes measuring the capacitance change per unit length of an outer pair of insulated conductors in the cable, measuring the capacitance change per unit length of an inner pair of insulated conductors in the cable, determining any deviations in the measured capacitance changes and utilizing such deviations by feedback control to eliminate further deviation, as well as determining the point of deviation along the cable length.

Abstract: Four trains of gripping element quadrants are advanced continuously around four endless paths, meeting along one length of travel common to the four paths and cooperating to form a succession of centrally apertured gripping elements moving continuously toward an extrusion die located along the common length of travel. The gripping element quadrants are driven by pinion gears, each of which engages simultaneously sets of teeth on gripping element quadrants in two adjacent trains in order to key the quadrants together and thereby prevent one quadrant from lagging another during their advance toward the die. Four guide elements extend along the paths of the gripping elements and engage simultaneously portions of the two adjacent gripping element quadrants to guide the engaged quadrants during their advance toward the die. Four endless belts are advanced with the gripping elements toward the die and serve to transmit pressure from four stationary pressure pads to the moving gripping elements.

Abstract: 1. In combination, means normally unblocked for receiving incident wave energy pulses, a multi-resonant cavity supplied with the received pulses for storage of the radio frequency energy in said pulses, means normally blocked to be supplied with the received pulse energy for transmitting said received pulse energy after storage for a finite time in said multi-resonant cavity, a control circuit for disabling the receiving means and enabling the transmitting means at intervals subsequent to the reception of incident pulses, and a timing source for continuously varying the duration of said intervals.

Abstract: A product comprising a cellular plastic material is extruded from a modified conventional extrusion head by injecting a gaseous expanding medium into advancing fluent plastic material through porous material forming at least a portion of a section of the core tube in an extrusion chamber. By controlling the interrelationship between various process parameters such as the speed and pressure of the advancing fluent plastic material, the rate of injection of expanding medium into the advancing plastic material, the place where the expanding medium is injected, and the amount the extruded product is allowed to expand before cooling, it is possible to extrude, from a single source of fluent plastic material, a product comprising many different configurations of cellular and solid plastic material such as a uniform cellular structure throughout, or a cellular plastic inner section with a more dense outer covering.

Abstract: In transfer molding thermosetting polymeric materials, a first preform of first thermosetting polymeric material having a volume substantially equal to the volume of the die cavities is placed in the transfer chamber adjacent the runners. A second preform of second thermosetting polymeric material cheaper than the first polymeric material is placed in the transfer chamber above the first preform. The transfer chamber is pressurized and the second preform is deformed and pressurizes and deforms the first preform and causes the first thermosetting polymeric material to flow through the runners into the die cavities. After curing, the molded articles consisting of first thermosetting polymeric material are removed from the die cavity, and scrap cull and runner consisting substantially of cheap second thermosetting polymeric material are removed from the mold runners and the bottom of the transfer chamber. Thus, considerable economies are effected.

Abstract: A bundle of hexagonal billets, each billet being coated with a shear transmitting medium, is extruded through one form of die having a plurality of hexagonal die apertures, to produce simultaneously a plurality of individual hexagonal wires. The bundle may be extruded through another form of die having a single die aperture with a transverse cross-section registering with the transverse cross-section of the bundle, to produce simultaneously a plurality of individual hexagonal wires. In each case, the billet material is advanced against and through the die by means of frictional or viscous drag force exerted along the surface of the billet material toward the die. The foregoing operations may also be applied to drawing.

Abstract: In transfer molding thermosetting polymeric materials, a first preform of first thermosetting polymeric material having a volume substantially equal to the volume of the die cavities is placed in the transfer chamber adjacent the runners. A second preform of second thermosetting polymeric material cheaper than the first polymeric material is placed in the transfer chamber above the first preform. The transfer chamber is pressurized and the second preform is deformed and pressurizes and deforms the first preform and causes the first thermosetting polymeric material to flow through the runners into the die cavities. After curing, the molded articles consisting of first thermosetting polymeric material are removed from the die cavity, and scrap cull and runner consisting substantially of cheap second thermosetting polymeric material are removed from the mold runners and the bottom of the transfer chamber. Thus, considerable economies are effected.

Abstract: A chamber having a first end and a second end and receiving a billet having an aperture therethrough slidably receives through the first end a die. A mandrel slidably extends through the second end of the chamber into the aperture of the billet and has a conical section extending into the zone of deformation of the die. Hydraulic cylinders having piston rods operatively associated with the die and the mandrel advance the die into the chamber through the first end thereof against the billet end, and simultaneously and at the same velocity retract the mandrel from the second end of the chamber, the zone of deformation of the die and the conical section of the mandrel defining a converging annular passageway through which the billet is extruded to produce tubing.

Abstract: Billet material is extruded through a die having a plurality of die apertures thereby to produce simultaneously a plurality of extruded products such as wire. In one embodiment, the die has a conical mouth with a first die aperture at the apex thereof and with a plurality of radially equispaced second die apertures located forwardly of the first die aperture, the second die apertures having bevelled entries at the inlet ends thereof communicating with the conical mouth. In another embodiment, the die has multiple aperture groupings arranged therein, each grouping having a central die aperture and a plurality of peripheral die apertures radially equispaced about the central die aperture.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for concurrently thermocompression bonding a plurality of lead frames to a plurality of planar articles. In operation, a plurality of lead frames are referenced to a plurality of unheated bonding tips and to the associated metallized bonding sites on a first side of a plurality of planar articles. The bonding tips are then simultaneously activated to independently move the referenced lead frames and articles in a first direction to engage the second side of each article with a heated thermode, and apply a sufficient compressive force to bond the leads of each lead frame to the associated bonding sites on the referenced article. The bonding tips are then returned to their initial or starting position.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for terminating flat flexible telephone lines laid flat on the surface of a floor to be covered by flexible floor covering such as carpeting are disclosed, wherein a bracket having a peripheral flange and an opening surrounded on two sides by raised flanges and adapted to receive the telephone lines to be terminated is placed on the floor over the lines and is fastened to the floor. Female telephone connectors are mounted across the raised flanges over the opening, and the telephone lines are brought up through the opening and are connected thereto. A shallow temporary cover is mounted on the bracket to cover the opening, the telephone lines extending therethrough and the female telephone connectors but not the peripheral flange. The flexible floor covering is laid over the floor, the lines and the covered bracket.

Abstract: Four trains of gripping element quadrants are continuously propelled around four endless paths, meeting along one length of travel common to the four paths and cooperating along said common length of travel to form a continuously moving train of centrally apertured gripping elements moving toward an extrusion die adjacent the end of said common length of travel. Rod of indefinite length, coated with shear transmitting medium and extending into the central apertures of the gripping elements, is drawn along the common length of travel by means of shear forces generated in said coating by said gripping elements and transmitted to said rod as viscous drag force along the surface of the rod. Axial and normal stresses are built up in the rod to stress the rod far above its yield strength and increase its ductility, or capacity for deformation without fracture. In this state, the rod is moved through and deformed by the die.