Abstract: A joint assembly between structural members having plate portions includes an eliptical opening through the plate portion of a first member and a notched locking plate portion on a second member. The latter plate portion is introduced through the eliptical opening parallel to the major dimension thereof and is then rotated 90.degree. to a locking position parallel to the minor dimension of the opening, whereby the notches interengage with the first plate portion to restrain separation of the two structural members. Resilient spring clips are mounted on the first plate portion outwardly adjacent the eliptical opening in the direction of the minor dimension thereof to releaseably engage the second plate portion against rotation when the latter is moved to the locking position. In another embodiment, a composite beam is assembled from a plurality of structural members having plate portions provided with eliptical openings therethrough.

Abstract: A crane is mounted on a platform having ground engaging legs adapted to support the platform in an elevated position straddling railroad tracks so that a railway car to be loaded or unloaded is adapted to be moved beneath the platform. The legs are adapted to be displaced between raised and lowered positions relative to the platform and are in the lowered positions thereof when the platform is so ground supported. When a railway car has been moved beneath the platform, the legs are displaced toward their raised positions whereby the platform is lowered onto the car to rest on the top edges of the side walls thereof. The platform carries clamping arrangements for releasably gripping the side walls of the car when the platform is supported thereon, and the crane is operable with the platform supported on the car to achieve the loading and/or unloading thereof.

Abstract: An improved workpiece ejecting system for presses includes an ejector piston hydraulically driven in response to reciprocation of the press slide in a manner whereby the motion of displacement of the ejector piston corresponds to the motion of displacement of the press slide during the stroke thereof, and the extent of displacement and velocity of the ejector piston are proportional to the corresponding characteristics of the slide. Ejector piston displacement is achieved by the flow of hydraulic fluid to and from the ejector piston chamber during reciprocation of the press slide through its total stroke. Ejector pins of various lengths are selectively associated with the press tooling and ejector piston to provide for varying the length of the workpiece ejecting stroke.

Abstract: Apparatus for isolating and feeding objects, particularly sweets, to a pang machine in which objects are transported on a conveyor in a longitudinal row closely one behind the other, displaced sideways one at a time and accelerated to a higher speed spaced longitudinally from one another. Sideways displacement is provided by pressure pieces moving longitudinally with the objects and providing abutment stops for the next succeeding object to be isolated. Part of the rear face of each object is exposed by the sideways motion and a dog of a dog-chain engages the object at this point at the same speed as the pressure piece and then accelerates the object engaged by it such that the row of objects is longitudinally spaced one from another.

Abstract: A plurality of SCR diamond bridge circuits are coupled in series to generate frequencies higher than the individual operating frequencies of the SCR's. The series chain of diamond circuits is preferably coupled in parallel with the series combination of a DC blocking capacitor and an inductive load. The chain is provided with current from a substantially ripple-free constant current source, and the firing times of individual SCR's can be controlled to minimize the di/dt in each SCR.

Abstract: An anchorage device for a tension wire bundle of tension wires made of composite fibre materials, which are arranged in a plurality of layers. The tension wire layers are clamped between clamping plates non-slidable in the traction direction. The tension wire layer is clamped between two wedges slidable in the longitudinal direction. With this arrangement, the longitudinally slidable tension wire layer is clamped so that the tractive force acting in it is transmitted practically over its total circumference through the clamping elements to the wedges.

Abstract: A system for distilling alcohol from mash onboard a motor vehicle is provided. The system uses the waste heat normally exchanged to the atmosphere by a vehicle radiator to drive a two-stage distillation process and uses the velocity of the vehicle to provide moving air to condensors liquefying the alcohol.

Abstract: A continuous strip preheat furnace and method of operation is disclosed wherein the furnace is provided with fired and unfired sections, separate exhaust stacks operably secured to each section, and means to regulate the flue gases which pass through the separate exhaust stacks to improve the operating efficiency of the furnace. The fired and unfired sections may both be vertical or horizontal, or one may be vertical and the other horizontal.

Abstract: An agglomerated welding flux especially designed to produce tandem arc seam welds having low profiles, increased penetration, and minimal undercutting. The flux includes: aluminum oxide and silicon dioxides in the form of kyanite; magnesium oxide; and, manganese oxide.

Abstract: There is provided a method, system and apparatus for cutting a profile, such as a cigar wrapper, from a natural leaf, such as a tobacco leaf, wherein the leaf is spread and supported on a support surface in a random position. Thereafter, a leaf facsimile or image, including the leaf outline and surface imperfections, is developed and at least one cut position for the wrapper is located in an area excluding the leaf outline and surface imperfections. This cut position is recorded and converted to digital data. The wrapper is then cut from the leaf at an actual cut position corresponding to the located cut position determined by the digital data. Also, the facsimile is created by a back lighting arrangement which illuminates color variations and surface imperfections, as well as the leaf outline, so that leaf color variations can be included in the facsimile or image.

Abstract: An anti-theft system for a motor vehicle comprises an electrically-powered alarm, a switching device for actuating the alarm, and an electrical circuit connecting the switching device and the alarm. The switching device is attached to the motor vehicle and is provided with electrical contacts which automatically close the electrical circuit to actuate the alarm when the vehicle is in an inclined position.

Abstract: A grating fastener is provided having a base member, a saddle clamp and a swivel clamp rotatably mounted on the base member and spring biased perpendicular to the base member for ease of installation. The fastener is easily installed by rotating the swivel clamp parallel to the base member and inserting the assembly between two adjacent bearing bars and allowing the swivel clamp to spring to its engaged position automatically engaging the bottoms of two adjacent bearing bars. The saddle clamp engages the tops of the same two bearing bars engaged by the swivel clamp.

Abstract: A nautical light for watercraft includes a cylindrical metal housing having opposite ends, one of which includes a collar for mounting the light on a tubular mast or pole. The housing includes a pair of vertically tiered light chambers each having a lamp bulb coaxial with the housing axis and a window opening radially thereinto through the housing. A cylindrical closed end lens is axially received over the housing with the closed end of the lens overlying an end wall of the housing opposite the mounting end. The lens member is sealed with respect to the housing, and the closed end of the lens member is fastened to the end wall of the housing to facilitate removal of the lens for access to the light chambers. The housing and mounting collar provide a path for heat transfer to the mast on which the light is mounted, thereby providing thermal protection for the lens.

Abstract: There is provided a quick release hardware snap of laminated construction formed from at least two stamped sheet material blanks, of mirror image, combined to provide a laminated, sheet material body of generally flat configuration having a fixed load supporting hook extending from the body with a free end and an open side with a latchable, locking finger coupled to the free end. The latchable finger is releaseably retainable at the body by a biased, locking sleeve reciprocally mounted about a tubular portion of the body. The locking sleeve is mounted so that a spring within the tubular portion of the body urges the locking sleeve toward the latchable finger for securing one end of the finger to the body, for closing the hook. The locking sleeve may be moved along the tubular portion of the body, against the biasing force to a position whereby the latchable locking finger is released for quick release of the load retained by the load supporting hook.

Abstract: A tubular air screen producing device is mountable on a draft vehicle adapted to tow a trailing vehicle therebehind and has an air inlet end in the direction of towing and an air outlet end for discharging a screen of air toward the horizontal and vertical edges of the front end of the trailing vehicle. The outlet end of the device is of smaller area than the inlet end and is configured to direct a screen of air toward the trailing vehicle edges at a velocity higher than the velocity of air relative to the draft vehicle moving at a given velocity relative to ground. The high velocity air screen streamlines the area between the draft and trailing vehicles and shrouds the space therebetween, so as to minimize air turbulence in the space and along the top and side walls of the trailing vehicle. Thus, air drag is reduced and fuel economy is increased in connection with the towing of a trailing vehicle.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing measured amounts of molten metal to a metal casting operation which is automatic in operation and capable of delivering extremely accurately controlled amounts of metal to the casting operation. A positive displacement pump delivers the molten metal from below the surface of the metal to a dispensing point and a pulse generator generates pulses in exact proportion to the displacement of the pump and delivers such pulses to counters, the counters being started in operation when the metal being pumped contacts a probe at the dispensing point, the counters stopping the pump when an exact amount of displacement of the pump has occurred. Rate multipliers are provided between the pulse generator and the counters to compensate for leakage in the pump, variations in volume delivered for a given displacement of the pump or other unanticipated variables.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for controlling a reheating furnace having entrance and discharge ends, a preheating zone at the entrance end, and heating and soaking zones sequentially adjacent the preheating zone in the direction toward the discharge end, and an exhaust gas flue at the entrance end. The method and control system provides for obtaining an optimum temperature profile through the preheating and heating zones with minimum fuel consumption in connection with operation of the preheating zone by controlling the fuel supply to the preheating zone in accordance with the rate or quantity of fuel flow to the heating zone and the temperature of the exhaust gas from the furnace.

Abstract: A method of allowing for manual connection of electrical terminals of several separate and distinct electrical devices mounted at a selected location and used jointly to control signals displayed at a traffic intersection, comprises the steps of fixing a number of junction blocks on a common display panel, permanently connecting the terminals of the separate devices to selected ones of the junction blocks in a positional pattern not dictated by the origin device of the terminals and releasably connecting selected ones of said junction blocks at said display panel to adjust the hardwired operation or program of the separate and distinct electrical devices as they are used to control traffic at the aforementioned intersection.

Abstract: Method for the construction of a cable-stayed or rein-girth bridge in which the stiffening beam is built together with the guying provided for the final state by the cycle-pushing method and brought into its final position. The guying takes over in this case the support of the stiffening beam during mounting and displacement of the bridge, so that temporary supports between the bridge piers and a temporary guying at the front end of the super-structure are not required.