Abstract: An improved sucker rod assembly is provided for use in oil wells and the like. The assembly includes a sucker rod of fiberglass, carbon fibers, graphite fibers, plastic or the like and with a pair of end fittings secured to opposite ends thereof. Each fitting includes a rigid elongated casing of metal or the like having interior surfaces defining an open front end and a central cavity extending rearwardly from that front end, in which cavity one end of the sucker rod is disposed. The side portions of the interior surfaces of the casing are contoured to define with the side portions of the sucker rod end in the cavity a single, annular, elongated, tapered, frusto-conical or wedge-shaped space. An anchoring component substantially fills the space and bonds to the side portions of the rod to lock the rod end in the space and thereby secure the fitting to the rod. Preferably, the anchoring component has a narrower diameter at the front end than at the rear end thereof.

Abstract: Described are adhesives formed from certain diol/higher polyol/aromatic acid/aliphatic acid branched polyesters and laminates using them.

Abstract: The device comprises a male plug and a female receptacle, each of which has a housing with an electrically insulative central tubular component and a cavity extending through and adapted to receive an electrical conduit. When the plug and receptacle are joined together, electrical conduit ends disposed in the plug and receptacle are electrically interconnected. Both the plug and receptacle also include components for securing the conduits in place and components for thermally sealing the conduits therein against atmospheric conditions. The male plug has flexible fingers extending from its front end while the receptacle has its tubular member dimensioned such that it spreads the fingers as the plug and receptacle are joined together. The receptacle tubular member has recesses into which the finger ends snap to hold the plug and receptacle together. Tabs slide over these recesses to releasably lock the fingers in the recesses.

Abstract: The connector device comprises a male plug and a female receptacle, each of which has a housing with a central tubular component and a cavity extending therethrough and adapted to receive an end of an electrical conduit. Both the plug and receptacle include means for aligning the electrical pathways therein and for sealing the conduits, plug and receptacle against elevated temperature and corrosive gases, etc. The central tubular components are electrically insulated. The male plug has a plurality of spaced parallel connector pins extending forwardly from the front end of the plug's tubular component and spaced inwardly of a plug sleeve. The receptacle tubular member is disposed within a sleeve and carries a pin receiver on the front end thereof, which receiver bears a plurality of spaced parallel passageways extending longitudinally of the tubular member and containing electrical connectors therein for interconnection with an electrical conduit at the rear of the female receptacle.

Abstract: The improved composition comprises: about 43-31 mole % of neopentyl glycol; about 10-21 mole % of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol; about 10-21 mole % of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of adipic acid, sebacic acid, azelaic acid, 1,12-dodecanedioic acid and mixtures thereof; about 22-16 mole % of aromatic acid selected from the group consisting of orthophthalic acid, isophthalic acid and mixture thereof; about 15-11 mole % of terephthalic acid; and, sufficient condensation catalyst to effect substantial esterification and polymerization of said composition at elevated temperature. The catalyst may be, for example, dibutyl tin oxide. The mole ratio of alcohol to acid is about 1.08-1, 13:1. The polyester resin is provided by reacting the components of the composition at a temperature of, for example, 470.degree. F. for a time sufficient to complete the reaction, the resin having an average molecular weight of at least about 5000 and preferably about 5000-7000.

Abstract: An enclosed survival capsule having an automatic allocation system for providing breathing air for its occupants and intake air sufficient to operate a propulsion engine satisfactorily under emergency operating conditions. Air from a compressed air source on board the capsule is allocated between the engine and the crew breathing system. Air exhaled into the cabin by the crew is available through a restricted orifice to provide part of the intake air for the engine. A relief valve on the breathing air portion of the system is operative to insure that sufficient air is available from the cabin to enable the engine to operate at minimal air consumption levels commensurate with power requirements.

Abstract: The fuze comprises a fuze body having a readily crushable nose cone and a thermal initiator, a thermally ignitable flash detonator and a main charge of booster explosive disposed in sequence in the body. The thermal initiator includes a cup having a closed front end and an open rear end closed by a non-metallic, thermally destructive closure. A readily thermally ignitable, incendiary, exothermic chemical material is disposed in the cup, and the cup is fixed in the nose. Rearward of the cup a rotor ball is disposed in the fuze, which rotor ball contains the detonator. A C-spring connects the rotor ball to the fuze body and maintains the rotor ball in an orientation such that the detonator in the rotor ball is out of alignment with the initiator except when the fuze is spinning beyond the gun barrel as when it is connected to a fired projectile. The detonator includes a cup having a closed thermal barrier alignable with the rear end of the initiator cup, and a thermally destructive closure on the opposite end.

Abstract: The improved method of the present invention comprises making selected polyesters by condensation polymerization of polycarboxylic acids with a plurality of diols, the diols being in a eutectic mixture having a melting point below that of the individual diols in the mixture. Thus, the eutectic mixture is charged in the liquid state with a sufficient amount of the acid and reacted under condensation conditions to form an ester and to polymerize the ester to the desired extent. A substantial saving in the amount of labor necessary to prepare the polyester is provided by the present method. The diols are preferably selected from the group consisting of neopentyl glycol, trimethyl pentanediol, cyclohexane dimethanol, and 1,6 hexanediol. Usually two diols are employed to form the eutectic mixture. They are normally waxy solids at ambient temperature, but are liquid when mixed in the proper proportions to provide the eutectic.

Abstract: An improved self-feeding cable stripper is provided which has a base, preferably divided into two parts clampable together about a cable opening extending up through the base. The stripper also includes a cylinder bearing external threads, the cylinder being secured to the top of the base and also having a central cable-receiving opening extending therethrough and aligned with the base opening. A fitting bearing internal threads is threadably secured over the cylinder, the threads being arranged such that when the fitting approximates the base, the threads disengage so that the fitting turns freely on the cylinder. A cutter is mounted in the fitting and extends into a central cable-receiving opening in the fitting, which opening is aligned with the cylinder opening. The cutter has an adjustable blade for cutting sheathing of a cable, clamped in the base and extending up through all of the openings, when the fitting is screwed down on the cylinder.

Abstract: A system for limiting the air intake to a diesel engine or the like under restricted operating conditions. A closure valve is mounted in the air intake passage of a diesel engine. The system includes a fluid pressure responsive mechanism for closing the valve under restricted operating conditions, and an orifice positioned downstream of the valve and sized to the particular engine associated therewith. The orifice is sized to permit air flow into the air intake passage of the engine at a rate which is about 60% of the normal, full-flow rate for normal engine operation at specified RPMs. The pressure responsive mechanism is coupled to a closed atmosphere pressurizing system so as to be actuated in closing the air intake valve when the pressurizing system is activated and to automatically permit the air intake valve to be opened when the pressurizing system is deactivated or when its pressurized fluid is exhausted.

Abstract: An improved hermetically sealed heat resistant connector and cable assembly is provided which comprises an elongated heat resistant connector body having a central passageway extending throughout the length thereof, a sheathed cable containing a plurality of spaced leads slidably disposed in one end of the passageway with the leads projecting from the cable in the passageway, and a dielectric element in the form of a disc having openings extending therethrough within which the leads are disposed, the element being held in the connector body passageway against the cable. A heat resistant connector plug is slidably disposed in the opposite end of the passageway. The plug has a spaced parallel number of hollow pins extending along the length thereof and aligned with the openings of the dielectric element, the pins receiving the leads as they emerge from the dielectric element. The pins are crimped around the leads for proper connective purposes.

Abstract: An improved hydroponic growing system comprises, in combination, an elongated preferably rectangular hollow trough having substantially closed sidewalls and bottom and an open top defining a central space. The trough defines a pair of spaced tracks extending the length thereof in the space and an elongated flexible strip is slideably disposed in the tracks. The strip contains a plurality of spaced apertures extending vertically therethrough along the length thereof and in each aperture is disposed a plant growing cup having a hollow body defining a central space, an open top, a porous bottom and substantially closed or perforated sidewalls. The sidewalls bear outwardly extending peripheral supports so that the body of the cup extends down into the trough space and the cup is releasably held in position by the support bearing on the upper face of the strip.

Abstract: Disengaging apparatus including a hook having its pivot point and its engaging point substantially vertically aligned, being positioned between a pair of plates and having an integral counterweight extending laterally from the engaging point. A first link is attached at one end to the lateral extension and at the other end to the first end of a second link which rotates about a fixed point. The links have a first extended position under a load and rotate to a second position, thereby rotating a constant-radius engaging surface of the hook about its center at the pivot point of the hook in light or no load situations. Additionally, a stop and locking members may be provided to prevent accidental release of the hook.

Abstract: Am improved harvester is provided for hydroponically grown produce borne in spaced cups extending down through a flexible elongated strip along the length thereof. The harvester comprises a frame having at least one and preferably a number of guideways each having a pair of elongated spaced parallel rails secured in the frame and adapted to guide the flexible strip bearing the produce-containing cups. A strip guide roll and separation means are also secured to the frame for separating the produce-bearing portions of the growing cups from the flexible strip during its passage through the frame. A strip take-up reel and means for powering the same are in or adjacent to the frame. In one embodiment, the guide roll is adapted to fully eject the cups from the strip and slide means are provided for passage of said cups to a recovery area. In another embodiment, the guide roll raises the cups while the cups are still retained in the strip and blade means sever the raised portions of the cups.

Abstract: Warhead fragment size can be selectively controlled by: (1) internally or externally grooving a warhead casing; (2) providing an internal casing liner or explosive charge with a predetermined cutting groove pattern confronting the grooves in the casing; (3) positioning the liner or explosive charge groove pattern relative to the casing groove pattern so that warhead fragments of one size will be produced if the grooves in the liner or explosive charge are rendered ineffective for cutting the warhead and so that fragments of another size will be produced if the grooves in the linear or explosive charge are not rendered ineffective and therefore are utilized to cut the casing; (4) providing apparatus in the warhead for delivering a fluid such as water to the grooves in the linear or explosive charge to selectively inhibit the cutting action of those grooves to provide desired warhead fragment size(s).

Abstract: An improved reactive adhesive for bonding rubber to rubber or rubber to other substrates such as metal or plastic, comprises an effective mixture of (a) an ionomer resin comprising a copolymer of ethylene, vinyl or polyoxymethylene monomer with a pendant carboxylic acid-containing compound, and (b) a poly-C-nitroso compound. The ionomer resin may be one which has been metal-or quaternary ammonium-neutralized and may be dispersed in water or the like, along with the poly-C-nitroso compound. Preferably, the poly-C-nitroso compound comprises para-dinitrosobenzene. The ionomer may, for example, comprise a polyethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer which has been neutralized with sodium, zinc, or the like. Preferably, the poly-C-nitroso compound is present in a concentration of at least about 15 parts per 100 parts by weight of said ionomer and, most preferably, between about 35 and about 80 parts per 100 parts by weight of said ionomer resin.

Abstract: A multi-sensor radiation detection system for removable insertion into a nuclear reactor wherein one conductor of all the sensors is a single, common element. This single common element is contained within a tubular metallic sheath and in cross-section comprises a multiple radial armed metallic conductor having a star shaped cross-section dimensioned to form wedge-shaped compartments throughout the active radiation detecting length of the metallic sheath.

Abstract: Disengaging apparatus including a hook pivotally located below its hooking point between a pair of plates, and having a counterbalanced cam locking structure wherein the force applied to the hook by the weight of the item being held causes positive engagement with a cam surface, but when the force applied to the surface falls below a predetermined level a counterweight rotates the cam structure away from the hook and allows rotation of the hook to open. The counterweight is further used to positively pull the hook to the open position after a given amount of travel. Additionally a locking structure may be provided to prevent accidental motion of the counterweight, and a spring-biased reset may also be provided.