Abstract: An ice cube making machine having a vertical, open-faced freezing mold over which water is circulated from an underlying trough to build up ice. When the mold is full, the pump circulating the water is stopped and the ice is harvested. Harvesting is facilitated by a plunger that is biased to push ice from the mold. Water pressure from the pump holds the plunger against its bias until the pressure is released for the harvest cycle. The mold open face is covered by a water curtain having a lower lip underlying the mold open face so that the underlying trough need not extend substantially out from the mold, thereby permitting similar such units to be vertically stacked.

Abstract: In a circular knitting machine problems may arise from differential thermal expansion, particularly in a radial direction, or rotatable carrier disc (22) and a coaxial bearing body (16) in which it runs by means of a bearing (36). In order to overcome this by absorption of the differential expansion, one of the running surfaces of the bearing is formed on or supported by a resiliently yieldable part (34), which preferably also preloads the bearing. As alternatives to the illustrated embodiment, in which the yielding is axial, as indicated by the arrow A, the yielding may be radial, and also the yieldable part may be on the bearing body (16) rather than the carrier disc (22).

Abstract: A clamping device for thin flexible printing plates has a tensioning rail at the trailing wall of a wide longitudinal groove in the plate cylinder. The tensioning unit is mounted for axial and peripheral adjustment on a support of "L" cross-section having a first leg seated with respect to the bottom of the groove and a second leg presenting an upstanding reference surface interposed between the tensioning rail and the trailing wall of the groove. A set of tensioning springs recessed in the tensioning rail bear against the reference surface and apply peripheral tension to the plate. A spring detent latches the tensioning rail temporarily against the reference surface, overcoming the tensioning springs while the trailing edge of the plate is being gripped. The spring detent is mounted upon and movable with the support. Screws having a plurality of selectable holes anchor the support in a series of peripheral positions for accommodation of plates of different length.

Abstract: A direction finding system has two antennas with response patterns at 90.degree.. A sense antenna 14 is mounted to produce a sense output dependent on the received radio signal but independent of its bearing. A commutating and combining arrangement receives the antenna outputs and produces a sequence of control signals each of which represents a respective one of the following: the North-South output, the East-West output, the sum of the NS and EW outputs, the difference between the NS and EW outputs, the sum of the NS and sense outputs, and the sum of the EW and sense outputs. A receiver produces an output having a magnitude dependent on any amplitude modulation on the received radio signal but independent of its bearing.

Abstract: An improved cable clamping device which is suitably adapted to hold and support long hanging electrical cables which extend through a continuous shaft between floors of a high-rise building wherein substantially identical members each including an arcuate portion having flanges at opposite ends and a leg depending from the arcuate portion being first angled outwardly and then downwardly substantially parallel to the flanges and each of the flanges has a boss formed therein with an aperture passing through the boss, preferably with one of the apertures being threaded and the other aperture carrying a captive bolt so that with the arcuate portions positioned about the cable tightening of the two bolts presented on opposite sides forms the assembly whereby the downwardly depending legs rest on a floor and firmly hold and support the cable against descention in the shaft.

Abstract: In a prior-art variable venturi carburetor in which the cross-sectional area of venturi is automatically varied according to the amount of intake air to keep the flow rate of intake air or the vacuum generated at the venturi at a constant level, since the cross section of venturi changes rectangularly, fuel is concentratedly jetted only near the middle portion of the venturi, so that fuel is not uniformly mixed with air passing through the venturi. To overcome these drawbacks, a wall having a reverse trapezoidal recess is provided near the nozzle and further a pair of triangular slots or cutouts are formed near the lower end surface of the suction piston obliquely and symmetrically so as to slidably engage with the wall, with the result that the cross section of the venturi changes trapezoidally and therefore a stable mixture is obtained even when the engine is running at a low speed or being idled.

Abstract: A piston includes an insert, such as a piston ring insert or crown insert. In order to prevent the insert springing off the piston body in an axial direction, the insert is so formed with a recess or recesses which interlock with projections on the piston body so that the mechanical interlock between them holds the insert securely on the piston body. Further interlocking recesses and projections may be provided which are arranged to prevent relative rotation between the insert and the piston body.

Abstract: A load handling apparatus particularly suited for incorporation into a vehicle for lifting and transporting heavy loads such as steel billets, comprising a main frame to straddle a load, pivotally mounted lift frame assembly providing the lifting capability to raise a steel billet and suspend it during transport, suspended load engaging and clamping members, hydraulic cylinders to actuate the clamping and lifting members and an hydraulically actuated drag link for stabilizing the load while transporting over uneven terrain. The drag link is pivotally connected at its one end to the main frame and at its other end to the suspended load engaging and clamping assembly so that these pivot points, in conjunction with the pivot points of the lift frame assembly, substantially define a parallelogram relationship. By varying the length of the drag link, the clamping assembly is maintained in proper orientation relative to the ground.

Abstract: An aircraft handling system, particularly applicable to helicopters on board ship, said system incorporating a plurality of hydraulic winches for effecting movement of an aircraft from a first position to a second position; and secondary restraining mechanism preferably including hydraulically-actuated constant tension reels for controlling movement of an aircraft from said first position to said second position in order to prevent lateral movement or toppling of the aircraft.

Abstract: An electronic still camera is disclosed having an optical system, a transducer in the form of CCD image sensors for producing image representing signals responsive to an image focused on the sensors by the optical system, an actuable shutter control and circuits in the camera for transmitting image representing signals from the transducer to a recording device having a plurality of individual no-volatile integrated circuit memory units. A controller means in the form of a microprocessor is operated by a shutter control and controls the transmission of image representing signals from the transducer through the circuits to record only a separate single image in each of the individual memory units.

Abstract: This invention deals with a substation in which one terminal of a breaker which consists of breaking sections elevationally contacted and separated is electrically connected to a transformer, said breaker is contained in an insulator which is substantially vertically arranged, the lower portion of said insulator is mechanically connected to the tank of said transformer, and a connecting terminal which is electrically connected to the other terminal of said breaker is securely fixed onto the upper portion of said insulator.

Abstract: The gear shaping machine is of simplified construction and is dedicated essentially to forming only a single type of gear or a narrow range of gears. To enable the machine to be of simplified construction, the drive train between the cutter and work spindles consists of only four gears in a machine for cutting internal gears and consists of only four gears and a direction-changing idler in a machine for cutting external gears. Relative infeeding of the cutter and the work blank is effected by pivoting one of the spindles relative to the other spindle with one of the drive gears walking around another one of the drive gears during such pivoting. The differential rotation of the spindles produced by the pivoting action is negated in order to keep the spindles in proper rotational relationship.

Abstract: A gripping mechanism is mounted on a carriage and is adapted to be shifted back and forth along an inverted L-shaped path to pick up and transfer parts. Inverted L-shaped cam tracks are formed in a main support member and receive and guide rollers which support the carriage. The cam tracks and the rollers are arranged to allow the rollers to roll freely without skidding while preventing radial play between the rollers and the tracks. A flexible drive linkage is connected between the carriage and its actuator and is capable of yielding in both directions in order to prevent damage to the actuator if the carriage becomes jammed when the carriage is being either advanced or retracted. Before being picked up by the gripping mechanism, the parts are held in a track by an escapement having spring-biased fingers adapted to move between open and closed positions.

Abstract: The punch, stripper and die holders of a punch press are moved bodily toward an indexable turret and automatically pick up a punch, a stripper and a die from the turret preparatory to being shifted bodily away from the turret to perform a punching operation. When the punching operation is completed, the holders return the tools to the turret, the turret is indexed and then the holders pick up a different set of tools from the turret. Means are provided for shielding vulnerable areas of the holders from debris created during the operation of a plasma-arc torch which is associated with the press. The tools on the turret also are shielded from the debris.

Abstract: A circuit including arcing contacts is connected in parallel with main contacts of a disconnector to facilitate interruption of a loop current caused through the disconnector when switching main bus bars in a power station. A switching surge suppression resistor is adapted to be inserted in and removed from the circuit of the arcing contacts. Plural pairs of arcing contacts are provided in the circuit of arcing contacts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mechanism for adjusting the speed of movement of an arcing contact for a switching apparatus for preventing main contacts of the apparatus from being damaged by arcing. A support that supports an arcing contact and a cylinder accommodating a piston secured to the support are formed respectively with nozzle grooves and nozzle holes. The nozzle grooves and nozzle holes serve to communicate the inside and outside of the cylinder and adjust the speed of movement of the arcing contact according to the movement of the arcing contact. The way in which the speed of movement of the arcing contact is adjusted can be varied by varying the shape and length of the grooves formed in the support.

Abstract: In a starter wherein planetary reduction gears are installed on an end part of an output shaft of a magnet type D.C. motor; a starter comprising an intermediate frame member in which a ring gear constituting the planetary reduction gears, and an intermediate bracket for supporting the output shaft of the D.C. motor are integrally formed, and on which poles of the D.C. motor are held.

Abstract: A holder for the core of a yarn package includes a spindle, a conical base slidable and rotatable on the inner end portion of the spindle and an anchor in the form of a nose cone threaded on the free end portion of the spindle, the spindle being mounted on a support on the machine in which the holder is used. A plurality of flexible linkages connect the base and the anchor to turn together while permitting each to move axially independently of the other. A spring acts between the support and the base to urge the latter toward to anchor and flex the linkages resiliently outwardly against the inside of the core. The initial flexing of the linkages is adjusted to accommodate cores of different sizes by turning the anchor to move it toward or away from the base.