Abstract: A printing press includes an improved method and apparatus for moving printing cylinders between thrown off positions in which bearers connected with the cylinders are separated and thrown on or printing positions. The printing cylinders are urged to their thrown off positions by springs which, in one embodiment of the invention, apply a biasing force to pivotally mounted support arms for the cylinders. In another embodiment of the invention, the cylinders are mounted on cantilevered leaf springs which urge the cylinders toward their thrown off positions. A motor is provided to apply a force directly to one of the printing cylinders to move it from its thrown off position to its printing position. The other printing cylinders are moved from their thrown off positions to their printing positions under the influence of forces transmitted between bearers connected with the printing cylinders.

Abstract: Strain gauge transducers (5,6,7,8,9) are fitted in pairs to a vehicle axle (2), generally between each wheel (3) and the adjacent suspension (4). They have strain gauges in balanced bridge formation and their orientation is such that their outputs can be combined to produce an indication of various loads, eliminating the influence of irrelevant strains. In one pairing, one transducer is on top of the axle while the other is on a front or rear face. In another pairing both transducers are on top of the axle at different longitudinal positions.

Abstract: A multiple band automatic gain control circuit having a band splitter which is responsive to an input audio signal for separating the audio signal into plural components of different frequencies. Plural gain adjustment circuits each control the gain of an associated one of the components, wherein each of the gain adjustment circuits includes a voltage controlled amplifier, and feed forward control elements for controlling the voltage controlled amplifier as a function of the amplitude of the associated component. A signal combiner combines the gain adjusted components to thereby form a gain adjusted audio signal. A limiter circuit prevents the combined signal from exceeding predetermined amplitude constraints by simultaneously reducing the gain of all of the variable gain circuits whenever the combined signals exceed the predetermined constraints.

Abstract: A gripper conveyor assembly includes a plurality of grippers. A conveyor chain moves the grippers along a track from a pick up station to a receiving station. The conveyor chain has identical links. Any one link can be removed from the chain while all of the other links remain interconnected and enclosed by the track. Each of the links includes a body section with rollers which engage the track to guide movement of the body section along the track. Plug and socket type universal joints interconnect the body sections of the links. An opening having a length corresponding to the length of the body section of a link is provided in the track. When a link is rotated, through approximately 90.degree. at the opening, the plug and socket joints can be disconnected and the rotated link removed from the conveyor chain.

Abstract: A landing adjustment system for offshore marine structures is disclosed herein. The system comprises a plurality of columns extending downwardly from the underside of the offshore marine structure and having the lower ends provided within the columns, the buoyancy by the tanks resting on the sea bed and buoyancy tanks being individually adjustable.

Abstract: In a sealing arrangement for a rotary fluid pressure control valve, such as a power steering control valve, a resilient sealing ring is located in a ring groove for sealing engagement with an outer cylindrical member. Frictional losses and a tendency for the sealing assembly to jam are reduced by equalization of the fluid pressure on opposite faces of the sealing ring. This is achieved by virtue of a tapered ring cross-sectional profile and other ring profiles disclosed herein, or by provision of a relieved zone in the ring groove for transmission of fluid pressure.

Abstract: A method is provided to inspect a resiliently deflectable O-ring which tends to distort under the influence of its own weight. The O-ring is placed on a transparent support member with the central axis of the O-ring in a vertical orientation. Light is directed toward the O-ring and through the support member to cause the O-ring to cast a shadow. The distance between portions of the shadow cast by diametrically spaced apart portions of the O-ring indicate diametral measurements of the O-ring. The distance between radial edge portions of the shadow cast by the O-ring indicates the thickness of the O-ring. To detect surface flaws in the O-ring, light is directed against a small area on the surface of the O-ring while it is rotated. A variation in the characteristics of the reflected light indicates the presence of a flaw in the surface of the O-ring.

Abstract: An improved seat belt retractor has a rotatable reel around which a safety belt may be wound. A locking pawl is movable between a disengaged condition and an engaged condition engaging ratchet wheel teeth on the reel to hold the reel against rotation. To move the locking pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel teeth, a pilot pawl is moved from a disengaged condition toward an engaged condition. As the pilot pawl moves toward the engaged condition, it engages a pilot pawl gear and moves the locking pawl toward its engaged condition. A releasable connector assembly or clutch is connected with the ratchet wheel and pilot pawl gear to allow relative rotation to occur between them after movement of the pilot pawl to the engaged condition. The relative rotation results in a change in the angular relationship between the teeth on the ratchet wheel and the teeth on the pilot pawl gear.

Abstract: A thread cutting mechanism for a lock stitch sewing machine which comprises a stationary blade, a reciprocally movable blade, operation means for moving the movable blade reciprocally and adjusting means for adjusting the reciprocal movement distance of the movable blade so as to vary the operative position with the initial position maintained constant. The movable blade includes a thread handling portion, a thread cutting knife portion, a thread arresting portion and a thread guide portion.

Abstract: A strain transducer is adapted to measure strain at a chosen depth below the surface of a workpiece, such as at the neutral axis of a draft bar. The transducer has a hollow cylindrical plug (6) projecting from a co-axial shoulder (7) of slightly larger diameter, the distal end of the plug being force fitted with a disc-like diaphragm (9) on which strain gauges (10) are mounted. These are on the inside face, and connections (11) extend up inside the plug to encapsulated electronic circuitry at the proximal end. The workpiece is bored (3) to an extent greater than the chosen depth and then counterbored (4) to match the plug and shoulder, and the transducer is inserted with an interference fit.

Abstract: The feed device for a safety belt system for motor vehicles has an automatic belt roll-up, a belt lock and a locking tongue, a feed ram being movable, through a drive device, in two opposite directions, which at the free end is loosely coupled with the section of the belt band having the locking tongue, which moves the belt band and the locking tongue, for the putting on of the belt, into a convenient position in front of or to the side of the vehicle's passenger, and then back again into the original position.To make possible the installation of the feed device even into a narrow space, it is provided, according to the invention, that a ram receiver is present, of which the projection length perpendicular to the base plane of the vehicle, is much less than the length of the feed distance through which the feed tappet must pass.

Abstract: An improved fastener includes a shank section which extends outwardly from a head section. The head section has a rim with an inner side surface which cooperates with an outer side surface of the shank section to form a groove. The inner side surface of the rim includes a plurality of indentations which are separated by side surfaces. The outer side surface of the shank section also includes a plurality of indentations which are separated by side surfaces. The side surfaces on the rim are disposed radially outwardly of the indentations in the shank section and cooperate with the shank section to form a plurality of constrictions. Similarly, the indentations in the rim are disposed outwardly of the side surfaces of the shank section and cooperate with the side surfaces of the shank section to form a plurality of constrictions. The constrictions apply deformation forces to material on which the fastener is mounted upon application of torque load to the fastener.

Abstract: A power assistance steering system 10 for a vehicle comprises steering gear 12 having an internal hydraulic ram supplied with hydraulic fluid by a pump 14 from a reservoir 16 via a solenoid valve 18 controlled by a micro-processor 20 which also controls an electric motor 22 for driving pump 14. Steering input torque is sensed by a torque sensor 36 and steering direction is sensed by a direction switch 34. Output signals from these devices are fed to micro-processor 20 which controls solenoid valve 18 and pump motor 22 accordingly, varying the motor speed in accordance with the pressure requirements of the steering ram as sensed by the torque sensor. In a further embodiment the pump is driven at a constant speed and a proportional control valve 74 is controlled by a micro-processor 78 to vary the fluid pressure supply.

Abstract: An air cleaning apparatus comprises a housing that includes four housing parts and a motor unit with an axial fan arranged in the middle zone of the apparatus. The motor unit forms with upper and lower housing parts a single unit. The air is sucked by the motor through a circular air channel. The outer zone of the air channel is surrounded by a multi-layer filter mat in the form of a shell. Along the side surface of the apparatus, air inlet openings are arranged. In the central zone on the upper surface of the cover air outlet openings are provided.

Abstract: A sorting network is disclosed for sorting N records, N being greater than two, into a total order in accordance with the values of keys associated with each of the records. This sorting network includes as many two-input comparators as are required to compare, substantially at the same time, each of the keys of the records with each of the keys of the other records. Each comparator provides an indication as to the relative values of the two compared keys. A decoder network responds to these indications to determine therefrom the proper order of the records, and gates each of the input records onto an output line corresponding to the proper location of that record in the total order. In the disclosed embodiments, the records are comprised of binary data including plural bits. Embodiments are disclosed for sorting serially by bit and in parallel at least two bits at a time.

Abstract: An improved tuning device for a string of a musical instrument includes a string post having an opening at one end to receive the string. In order to tune the string, a worm and pinion are manually actuated to rotate the string post. In accordance with a feature of the invention, a passage extends axially through the pinion and at least part way through the string post. In one embodiment of the invention, a clamp is provided in the passage to grip the string. In another embodiment of the invention, the string itself is pulled through the passage. In both embodiments of the invention, the string is manually pulled taut before actuating the worm and pinion to rotate the string post and tune the string. This enables the string to be quickly and easily tuned by turning the string post through less than one revolution. Since the string post is turned through less than one revolution, less than one complete turn or coil of the string is wrapped around the string post.

Abstract: A sliding roof for a vehicle comprises a plate movable lengthwise of the vehicle for opening and closing an opening in the vehicle roof. A front support supports the front end of the plate and is movable lengthwise of the vehicle for moving the plate between different positions. A rear support supports the rear end of the plate. A height-adjusting device is associated with the rear support to adjust the height of the rear end of the plate as the plate moves lengthwise of the vehicle. The rear support is also moved lengthwise of the vehicle to effect adjustment of the height of the rear end of the plate. An actuator effects movement of the front and rear supports at different speeds in a predetermined relative relationship in order to effect height adjustment.

Abstract: Strain gauge transducers (15) are fitted to the leading and trailing faces of a vehicle axle between each wheel (14) and the adjacent suspension (13). They have strain gauges (6, 7, 8, 9) in balanced bridge formation and their orientation is such that their outputs can be combined in one circuit (16, 17, 18) to produce an indication of axle loading and in another circuit to produce an indication (26) of torsion, these signals not being influenced by irrelevant strains. The information from the transducers can be combined to indicate individual axle loading, and total loading, and the torsional signal can be used in an anti-skid braking system.

Abstract: A power assisted steering system and a steering assembly for such a system. The steering assembly has a steering output comprising an arm 6 displaceable through a toothed sector 7 by a racked piston nut 3 drivingly engaging a worm shaft 7 rotatable by a steering input shaft 12. The piston 3 and its cylinder 2 provides a first servomotor for power assisting the steering output. The first servomotor is powered by a first hydraulic system 16 comprising a rotary valve 10 which is responsive to the steering input to control fluid pressure to the first servomotor. The steering system also includes a second hydraulic system 25 comprising an axially responsive spool valve 21 which controls fluid pressure to operate a second servomotor 28 coupled to the steering output arm 6. The rotary and axially responsive valves 10 and 21 are axially coupled together by the shaft 7 which is axially displaceable to control operation of the valve 21.