Abstract: A molded cup-shaped dielectric member and a cup-shaped conductor member are pressed together to comprise an integral dimensionally stable sealed enclosure for a contact member movable axially therein for selectively making or breaking an electrical connection between the cup-shaped conductor member and a second conductor extending axially through and sealed within the base of the cup-shaped dielectric member. The axially outer surfaces of the base and the second conductor comprise electrical contacts for a gravity actuated switch. The overall axial dimension between the axially outer surfaces is obtained by telescoping the cup-shaped members coaxially together until the preselected axial dimension is obtained. In one embodiment the cup-shaped dielectric member has a cylindrical base and a coaxial diametrically reduced cylindrical portion extending from the cup-shaped base to an upper opening. The conductor is telescoped over the diametrically reduced portion in fluid sealing relationship.

Abstract: A cover of moulded plastics material for fitting to a pressed steel motor car wheel to simulate in a realistic manner a wire spoked wheel comprises two separate, but individually integral, injection mouldings 1, 2 of plastics material. The part 1 comprises an inner hub part 3, an inner rim part 5 and a series of spokes 8 extending between and integrally moulded with the parts 3 and 5. The other part 2 comprises a hub part 11, a rim part 12 and a series of spokes 15 extending between and integrally moulded with the parts 11 and 12. Owing to the moulding of the cover in two separate parts which fit together co-axially, it is possible to make the cover with the spokes 8 and 15 lying in a number of axially separated planes while still forming the moulds from the which the parts 1 and 2 are produced in such a way that there are no undercuts and the mouldings can easily be removed from the moulds.

Abstract: A multiple part wheel cover comprises a retainer plate, separate axially inner and outer one-piece spoke assemblies, having spokes extending to outer free-standing ends and a hub cover. The retainer plate and inner and outer spoke assemblies are supported coaxially in predetermined axial spacing. Bending force is applied to the spokes to bend them resiliently within elastic limits sufficiently to align their radially outer ends respectively with recesses in the rim. Thereafter the bending force is progressively relaxed and the supported parts are simultaneously and progressively moved coaxially toward each other to cause the outer ends of the spokes to enter their recesses as the spokes straighten resiliently. The parts are then secured together by clamping the hub cover toward the hub of the retainer plate, whereupon removal of the outer ends of the spokes from their recesses is prevented.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel trim assembly comprises a molded flange member of hard, lightweight plastic material adapted to provide a form-sustaining backing and reinforcement for a thin outer ornamental layer and has an axial flange portion adapted to fit coaxially within an annular axial flange of a vehicle wheel. The axial flange portion of the trim assembly carries a plurality of circumferentially spaced resilient retainers adapted to engage the wheel flange yieldably at an interference fit for securing the flange member to the wheel.

Abstract: A closed, air-free blood oxygenator assembly having integrated into one self-supporting unit a rigid-shell blood reservoir having an easily visible, concavity which is closed by an attached expansible, flexible membrane which overlies the concavity and forms a variable volume liquid and air-tight blood reservoir, and an attached blood heater, and a hollow fiber membrane oxygenator. The assembly stores, heats, oxygenates and purifies blood by passing oxygen through the lumens of a mat of small diameter gas-permeable hollow fibers supported on a cylindrical core as blood flows over the outside surfaces of the fibers in a small, easy to use, safe, integrated unit which avoids blood contact with ambient air as blood circulates through the assembly during surgery.

Abstract: A hollow fiber medical separatory device of the type including a shell containing a plurality of hollow semipermeable fibers extending through a central dialysate chamber and terminating in spaced apart blood chambers; the device is improved by tubesheets at each end of the fibers having the shape of a frustum of a cone and sized such that the fibers fill the cone to the peripheral edge at the outer end planar surface of the frustum; and a multi-functional blood chamber means forming a blood chamber by pressure sealing engagement with the outer tapered surface of the cone and also pressure sealed to the outer end surface of the shell to prevent air ingress into the dialysate chamber during testing or use.The invention also includes a method for potting the frusto-conical tubesheets on the end portions of the fibers while the fibers are positioned in the shell which is improved by the use of steps and means to insure centering of the fibers in the cone during centrifugal casting of the resin.

Abstract: The invention provides an artificial kidney extracorporeal circuit assembly including an artificial kidney having detachably attached multifunctional subassembly means for automatically venting gas bubbles from liquid flowing therethrough, for continuously sensing the liquid pressure of and for filtering said liquid, together with blood tubes for connecting a patient's artery to the kidney and the subassembly outlet port to a patient's vein.The subassembly includes means associated with a hydrophobic gas bubble vent which prevent clogging, minimize blood clotting and insure against ambient gas entry through the vent.

Abstract: A positive displacement pump for delivery of blood, or the like, from patients to an extracorporeal circuit, for purification, as in hemodialysis treatments. The pump is small, and sufficiently inexpensive to be discarded after one use. The pump comprises a single blood chamber attached to inlet and outlet conduits separated from the chamber and each other by low resistance flapper valves. The flapper valves are integral with a flexible diaphragm which forms one side of the blood chamber and are operative to close the outlet valve and to open the inlet valve to fill the blood cavity responsive to withdrawal of the diaphragm from the blood chamber cavity and to reverse each valve upon penetration of the diaphragm into the blood chamber to deliver uniformly small increments of blood to an artificial kidney or other blood treatment device.

Abstract: A torque limiting drive coupling adapted to rotate a conveyor roller of an accumulating conveyor system comprises inner and outer cylindrical driving and driven surfaces rotatable about a common axis and providing a space therebetween extending entirely around said axis, which space may have a constant radial dimension, or a radial dimension that decreases in both circumferential directions from a maximum to a minimum. A torque transmitting roller of resiliently deformable elastomeric material is initially compressed within said space to engage said cylindrical surfaces in rolling a frictional torque transmitting relationship. The maximum torque that can be applied to rotate the driven surface, which is connected with a conveyor roller for rotation in unison therewith, is a function of the force required to deform the roller upon rotation of the driving surface when rotation of the conveyor roller and the connected driven surface is stopped by operation of the conveyor system.

Abstract: A multiple part wheel cover adapted to simulate a wire spoke wheel when attached to a vehicle wheel comprises a retainer plate, separate inner and outer one-piece spoke assemblies, and a hub cover. The retainer plate has a peripheral rim around a central hub and is adapted to be attached to the vehicle wheel. The rim also has two sets of spoke receiving recesses therein opening generally radially. Each spoke assembly comprises a one-piece injection molded plastic having an annular member of smaller diameter than the rim and integral with the radially inner ends of a plurality of spokes which extend from their inner ends to outer ends confined respectively within one of each of the two sets of recesses. The annular member of the inner spoke assembly lies adjacent to and axially outwardly of the hub of the retainer plate. The annular member of the outer spoke assembly lies adjacent to and axially outwardly of the annular member of the inner spoke assembly.

Abstract: A lift compensator for the muzzle end of a gun barrel comprises a tubular element detachably mountable on a flash hider for the gun. The element is rotatably adjustable on the flash hider to various preselected positions and has vents and deflectors selectively cooperable at each position with different ports of the flash hider for utilizing gases discharged therefrom transversely of the barrel and for redirecting those gases to compensate for a particular angle of muzzle lift.

Abstract: Two different types of retention devices for attaching a wheel trim to a vehicle wheel are provided alternately at circumferentially spaced locations on the trim. Each retention device of one type comprises a generally axially extending barbed retention arm adapted to engage an axial flange of the wheel with spring force to embed its barb into the flange and attach the trim coaxially to the wheel. Each of the latter retention devices also preferably comprises a spring clip cooperable with portions of the wheel trim to prevent excessive bending of the clip during attachment and removal of the trim from the wheel and also to assure substantially coaxial alignment of the trim and wheel in predetermined axially spaced relationship when the trim and wheel are attached.

Abstract: A wheel cover is attached to a vehicle wheel by a plurality of spring steel clips secured to the cover at circumferentially spaced locations. Each clip is provided with a resilient arm cooperable with portions of the wheel cover to prevent excessive bending of the clip during attachment and removal of the cover from the wheel and also to assure substantially coaxial alignment of the cover and wheel in predetermined axially spaced relationship when the cover and wheel are attached.

Abstract: An assembly for feeding the luff of a jibsail into a grooved foil mounted on the headstay of a sailboat comprises a grooved feeder and prefeeder adapted to be removably mounted on the headstay. The feeder comprises a pair of interfitting spline members adapted to be assembled together by relative sliding movement along paired guideways to freely encircle the headstay and to confine the lower end of the foil therebetween and to be clamped to the latter and to each other as a unitary element by a single attachment means, such that the grooves of the feeder and foil are rigidly maintained in alignment. The prefeeder comprises a guide slidably and universally pivotal on the headstay at a location below the feeder and having a luff receiving opening through which the luff of the sail may be fed and guided to the grooved feeder and thence to the grooved foil.

Abstract: A toggle clamp has a bolt carried by a swinging clamping arm for generally axially and limited arcuate movement in a clamping operation against a workpiece. The clamping end of the bolt is removably secured within a socket in a polyurethane work engaging bumper and seated against the socket base. By virtue of the physical characteristics of the polyurethane and interference fit between the bolt and the socket wall throughout an appreciable axial extent, the assembled bolt and bumper are capable of withstanding the axial and radial forces of repeated clamping operations and outwearing comparable assemblies available heretofore without recourse to a chemical bond between the bolt and bumper or an enlarged force distributing bolt head as has been required heretofore.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel trim assembly comprises a molded flange member of hard, lightweight plastic material adapted to provide a form-sustaining backing and reinforcement for a thin outer ornamental layer and has an axial flange portion adapted to fit coaxially within an annular axial flange of a vehicle wheel. The axial flange portion of the trim assembly carries a plurality of circumferentially spaced resilient retainers adapted to engage the wheel flange yieldably at an interference fit for securing the flange member to the wheel.

Abstract: This torque-limiting drive coupling in the annular hub of a drive sprocket has an oppositely-disposed pair of oblique internal notches in one of which is tightly seated one end of a steel driving leaf spring, the opposite end of which loosely fits the opposite notch. The central portion of this spring resiliently engages one of the flat sides of a hexagonal driven shaft for driven transmission of a conveyor roller mounted thereon under normal circumstances. This leaf spring, however, yields so as to slip over the corner ridges between the flat sides of the hexagonal shaft so as to permit the sprocket to continue rotation upon anti-friction bearings pressed therein while the shaft is halted or slowed by an obstacle, such as work accumulating on the rollers of an accumulating conveyor driven thereby.

Abstract: A laminated article comprising a plurality of abrasive resistant ceramic tiles secured to an elastomeric polyurethane cushioning support by means of a multitude of short thin fibers having major portions thereof embedded within an epoxy resin bonded to the tiles is fabricated by applying a thin layer of the resin in an uncured liquid phase to the tiles, applying a coating of the fibers to the liquid resin such that minor portions of the fibers in contact with the resin are wet thereby and the remaining major portions of the fibers extend from the resin layer, curing the resin to secure the fibers therein and to bond the resin to the tiles, applying a layer of a thermosetting polyurethane in an unpolymerized liquid phase to the fiber impregnated resin layer, and thereafter curing the polyurethane layer.

Abstract: A pivotal vane carrying member secured to the damper for a furnace flue normally maintains the damper by gravity in an open position. An electric motor driven air blower discharges air against the vanes of the pivotal member to pivot the latter and damper to a closed position when no fuel is supplied to the furnace. Otherwise power for the blower motor is shut off and the pivotal member returns by gravity to its normal flue-open position.