Abstract: A shim is clamped between a component of a vehicle bumper assembly and a support member to provide a desired spacing for bumper alignment. The weight of the shim and the cost of material for its manufacture are minimized by forming the shim from sheet metal half the thickness or less of the desired spacing, and by folding the metal over inserts to provide multiple thicknesses in selected load bearing and other regions. A number of openings may be provided to further reduce the weight. Additional folded areas may be used for applications where loading is not restricted to areas adjacent the bolts, and ribs may be embossed in the shim to facilitate mounting of the shim and enhance its stiffness. The composite shim is finally "bumped" to give it a uniform taper.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for mixing fuel and an oxidizing agent includes an electrically charged electrode which forms an electrostatic field through which a stream of fuel is passed so that the fuel particles become electrostatically charged and subsequently repel one another to disperse into and mix with an oxidizing agent and vaporize on contact with a heat source such as the wall surface of an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine or the walls of fuel burning apparatus, or combustion chambers of jet or rocket engines and the like. Fuel particles passing through the electrostatic field are charged by induction charging and in addition may also be electrostatically charged by direct contact with the electrode, which is provided with an open outlet end to permit a relatively unobstructed flow of intermixed fuel and oxidizing agent with a minimum of flow resistance and little possibility of ice formation.

Abstract: A shim is clamped between a component of a vehicle bumper assembly and a support member to provide a desired spacing for bumper alignment. The weight of the shim and the cost of material for its manufacture are minimized by forming the shim from sheet metal half the thickness of the desired spacing, and by folding the metal to provide double thickness in selected load bearing regions. A number of openings may be provided in other regions further to reduce the weight. Additional folded areas may be used for applications where loading is not restricted to areas adjacent the bolts, and serrations may be embossed in the shim to facilitate mounting of the shim and enhance its stiffness.

Abstract: The method of making a gasket structure for sealing mating parts together in which the body portion of the gasket structure is formed by convolutely wound annular alternate discrete layers of a carrier material and a fluid impermeable polymeric material adhered thereto of substantially uniform thickness from layer to layer, and cured, and characterized by having the body portion of the gasket structure, throughout substantially its entire extent, compacted to a substantially uniform density. The gasket structure may be formed with a bead of relatively low density, as compared to the body portion, on at least one surface thereof to compensate for surface contour variations, and a coating layer may be provided covering the gasket structure, which is cured after application and which is characterized by its impermeability to, and resistance to, the fluids which are to be sealed off, and to minimize the clamping forces required for compaction to completely seal the mating parts.

Abstract: Method for a unitized valve plate assembly in which a suitable gasket is firmly bonded to one or both sides of a metal plate with the unitized assembly having one or more die-cut holes or apertures therethrough and with the unitized plate assembly being particularly suitable for use as a valve plate unit in automatic transmissions, but having other uses as well.

Abstract: Methods for forming heat-insulative gasket structures permitting the selective variance of components thereof whereby high torque retention, heat-insulative and fluid-tight sealing characteristics are obtained in an internal combustion engine between the intake manifold and the carburetor throttle body or between the carburetor throttle body and bowl. The method provides for densified and non-compressible bolt hole portions to be achieved by mechanical compression, provision for suitable insert members, or a combination of the two. Such portions provide desirable characteristics to control spring action and torque retention of the structures. The method also provides for formation of fluid-tight compressible sealing beads from the gasket material on one or both sides of the insulator member.