Abstract: A humidifier apparatus for admixture of heated water vapor into a gaseous stream include heating means for generating heated vapor from the water and a housing with a transfer chamber formed therein secured to the heating means which is exposed within the chamber. The housing includes intake and effluent conduit for flow passage of the gaseous stream through the chamber and a water intake conduit extending through the housing and chambers so that the conduit directs discharge of the intake water against the heating means to generate the heated vapor.

Abstract: An hydraulic power generating pack 1 comprises a primary pump 23 of the multi-cylinder, reciprocating ram type with a reciprocable piston 27 located in each cylinder 28 and displaceable by a crank shaft 20 rotatable by a prime mover 2 to provide a primary hydraulic fluid output 32 at a predetermined constant pressure and constant volume, and a power take off 14 to drive a secondary pump 36 of the pressure compensated variable delivery type, the output 40 of which drives a pressure intensifier 42 serving to intensify, to the required secondary pressure and volume, hydraulic fluid supplied to the intensifier 42 at a first pressure and volume.

Abstract: An improved joint structure and tooling apparatus are provided for assembling a self-clinching fastener to sheet material, particularly sheet metal. The fastener includes head and shank portions with an intermediate locking groove formed in the shank. The fastener shank projects through the aperture and the head is at least partially embedded within the peripheral material surrounding the sheet metal aperture. A portion of the peripheral sheet metal is disposed within the groove to form a mechanical interlock for securement of the joint assembly. The shank has an outwardly flared end portion which is staked so that it has an exposed surface coplanar or flush with the exposed, opposite surface of the sheet material relative to the embedded fastener head, which provides a smooth continuous undersurface of the joint.

Abstract: The invention relates to cutting and the like tools and is particularly concerned with the cutting of an internal weld bead from within plastics pipes. It is well-known to remove an external weld bead from the junction between two plastics pipes, not only to provide a smooth external profile but also to allow the weld between the pipes to be inspected. The costs and difficulties in removing the internal beads at the welded junction has frequently resulted in the internal bead being left, and when the internal weld cannot be inspected, and turbulence created in gas or fluid being driven through the pipeline results in a higher power requirement.

Abstract: An improved fastening nut is disclosed which is secured to an unthreaded stud which is inserted through a central bore in the nut. The bore includes a guide and retaining splines which provides alignment guidance during sliding insertion of the stud into the bore. The guide splines preferably has an annular configuration with an inner diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the stud so that the initial insertion of the stud does not produce significant frictional resistance. The bore of the nut further includes a plurality of helical threads, preferably twin leads having equal pitch, which are disposed in the bore axially distinct from the guide and retaining splines and terminate within the bore adjacent the guide and retaining splines. The internal helical threads have a crest diameter smaller than the stud diameter and also projects radially inwardly into the bore further than the guide and retaining splines.

Abstract: In an ink supply device having an ink reserve vessel being composed of a bottom member and surrounding side wall members, means for shifting one member of the bottom and surrounding side wall members between a closed position contacting the one member with the other members to form the ink reserve vessel and an open position separating the one member from the other members at the bottom level of the ink reserve vessel are provided for quickly discharging ink therefrom.

Abstract: A valve assembly and overall system provides selective fluid flow switching and communication between a plurality of flow conduits. The valve assembly includes two valve members which have respectively engaged surfaces which are relatively rotatable to provide the valving action. A first valve member has a plurality of through apertures for respective communication with the flow conduits and a second valve member includes flow passage means for selectively interconnecting at least two of the apertures through the first valve member in order to enable fluid flow therebetween. Drive means is provided for driving continuous relative rotation of the valve members in order to enable rotationally cycled interconnection and fluid flow through the interconnected apertures.

Abstract: A headlamp aiming apparatus is provided for attachment to an automotive headlamp assembly which includes a frame member rigidly mountable to an automotive vehicle and a headlamp mounted to the frame member for pivotal motion about a horizontal and/or vertical axis of the headlamp for aiming the headlamp beam. The apparatus includes an aim-indicating arrangement having a housing mounted for movement in unison with a given surface of the headlamp so that the housing is movable with the headlamp during aiming. A headlamp adjusting assembly is operatively coupled with the housing for producing movement of both the housing and the headlamp relative to the frame member for achieving the aimed condition. An indicator adjusting assembly is provided for adjusting of the aim-indicating means to indicate an aimed condition of the associated headlamp and, in particular, while the headlamp is in a condition wherein the beam is aimed as desired responsive to adjustment by the headlamp adjusting assembly.

Abstract: A screw unit with a shaft (1) and an enlargement at one end, to join together semi-rigid mats, consisting for example of mineral fibers or foam material, has the shaft (1) consisting of a wire helix (W) wound in corkscrew fashion and continuing at the one end as a spiral winding forming the headpiece (2), with the helical slope (.alpha.) of the wire helix (W) adjacent the headpiece (2) being smaller than the helical slope (.beta.) in the region of a point (5) at the other end of the shaft (1).

Abstract: A nozzle assembly is provided for a container and dispenser which maintains a supply of liquid, such as saline solution for contact lenses, in sterile condition during storage and has a flexible wall for manually squeezed displacement of the dispensed liquid from a storage cavity within the container. The nozzle assembly includes first and second conduits for defining separate fluid flow paths between an opening from the container and a nozzle from the structure. The first conduit enables flow of the stored liquid to be discharged from the nozzle orifice during squeezing of the flexible wall. The second conduit includes a barrier obstructing flow of the liquid through the second conduit which obstruction is permeable to air and impermeable to bacteria, allowing aspiration of air through the second conduit into the liquid storage cavity to replace the dispensed liquid and re-expand the container wall while preventing entry of any bacteria with the aspirated air.

Abstract: The punch comprises peripheral cutting edges and lateral cutting edges. The peripheral edges cut a slug in the desired shape, for examples, rectangular, square, oval, trapezoidal, D and double D-shaped, etc. while the lateral edges cut transversely from one peripheral edge to an opposite peripheral edge, thereby splitting the slug. Lateral cutting edges provide a dividing line across the working face. Surfaces and cutting edges on each side of the dividing line are similar and canted at opposite angles. Lateral cutting edges and peripheral cutting edges at their juncture provide pyramidal cutting sections which initially pierce the workpiece and initiate lateral slug splitting. This split grows from the slug periphery toward the center. Splitting is complete before a substantial portion of the slug periphery is cut.

Abstract: A material regulating valve which controls the flow of an additive material into a primary material as a function of the volume, flow rate, and viscosity of the primary material. The device is comprised of a two sectioned body with a primary flow path and an additive flow path through the body such that the additive flow path intersects the primary flow path at one portion in the body. Located between the primary flow path and the additive flow path is a additive flow regulating component. The device also included a flow indicator which provides a visual confirmation when material is flowing through the primary path and a manual control component which provides a manual over ride of the normally self controlling flow regulating component.

Abstract: A spinal implant, e.g., to replace an excised disc, comprises a rigid generally horseshoe shape of biocompatible material, such as carbon-fibre reinforced plastics, having upper and lower planar faces (10, 11) converging towards the ends (12) of the horseshoe, and at least one hole (13, 14) from each planar face (10, 11) emerging in the outer curved face (15) of the horseshoe, to enable the horseshoe to be fixed by screws inserted through one or more selected holes in each plurality (13, 14) from the ends in the outer curved face (15) into respective adjacent vertebrae, with the screw heads bearing against shoulders (18), and with the space bounded by the inner curved face (17) of the horseshoe available for the insertion of bone graft or a bone graft substitute.

Abstract: The panel punch includes a main punch configured to punch a trapezoidal opening in an electrical panel to receive an electrical chassis connector and a secondary punch integral with the main punch and extending from opposite ends thereof configured to punch a U-shaped slot in the panel extending from the ends of the trapezoidal opening to receive mounting screws for physically attaching the electrical connector to the panel.

Abstract: An improved method and joint structure are provided for assembling a self-clinching fastener to sheet material, particularly thin sheet metal, in which an aperture and a peripheral flange are formed in the sheet metal; thereafter the shank portion of the fastener is inserted into the flange followed by clinching the fastener to the flange to secure the assembly. The sheet metal aperture and peripheral flange can be fabricated in a single work station in which the fabricating tooling punches the sheet metal aperture and extrudes or shapes the peripheral flange between a pair of forming dies. Assembly of the fastener joint with the flanged metal is performed in a second work station in which the fastener shank is inserted into the flange and then the head portion of the fastener is driven into the flange material to begin the clinching step.

Abstract: An adjusting mechanism for a headlamp or the like is provided with a molded gear housing having a gear-journaling bore and an apertured cap portion closing the outer end of the bore. A drive gear is rotatably journaled in the bore and is coupled to a drive shaft extending through the apertured end cap portion. A retainer member is mounted within the bore and engages the shaft and bears against the interior surface of the cap portion in order to prevent correspondingly uncoupling and retraction of the shaft end from the housing and the drive gear. The drive gear is rotatably meshed with an adjusting gear which is journaled with a second bore integrally molded in the gear housing. The second gear has a nut portion which is threaded to a linearly movable screw which produces the pivoting torque for adjusting realignment of the headlamp.