Abstract: A mounting device for coaxially anchoring a machine element upon a rotary shaft is provided. The device fits between the interior bore of the machine element and the cylindrical surface of the shaft and is effective to position the element at any desired position longitudinally of the shaft and at any angular position circumferentially of the shaft. The device has inner and outer sleeves, the mating surfaces of which are similarly tapered so that relative axial displacement of the sleeves affects expansion and contraction of the interior bore and external surface of the combined elements. Rotation of a threaded nut at one end of the device effects the relative axial displacement of the inner and outer sleeves to afford expansion and contraction of the sleeves without excessively straining the material of the sleeves or the nut.

Abstract: A mounting device for coaxially anchoring a machine element upon a rotary shaft is provided. The device fits between the interior bore of the machine element and the cylindrical surface of the shaft and is effective to position the element at any desired position longitudinally of the shaft and at any angular position circumferentially of the shaft. The device has inner and outer sleeves, the mating surfaces of which are similarly tapered so that relative axial displacement of the sleeves affects expansion and contraction of the interior bore and external surface of the combined elements. Rotation of a threaded nut at one end of the device effects the relative axial displacement of the inner and outer sleeves to afford expansion and contraction of the sleeves without excessively straining the material of the sleeves or the nut.

Abstract: A mounting device for coaxially anchoring a machine element upon a rotary shaft. The device fits between the interior bore of the machine element and the surface of the shaft and is effective to position the element at any desired position longitudinally of the shaft and at any angular position circumferentially of the shaft. The device has inner and outer sleeves, the mating surfaces of which comprise tapered surfaces so that relative axial displacement of the sleeves effects expansion and contraction of the interior bore and external surface of the combined elements. Rotation of a threaded nut at one end of the device effects the relative axial displacement of the inner and outer sleeves to afford expansion and contraction of the sleeves.

Abstract: An assembly for maintaining tension in a drive belt features a housing mounted on a base. The housing contains a biasing element that exerts torque on the housing to bias the housing in a radial direction. A lever arm is connected to the housing and rotates with the housing in response to the bias of the biasing element. A pulley is connected to the lever arm and engages a drive belt in response to the bias force of the biasing element on the lever arm. The pulley deflects the shape of the belt to provide tension in the belt. In one embodiment, the apparatus allows the user to switch the position of the biasing element and alter the direction of torque on the lever arm. In another embodiment, the lever arm and pulley are removable from the housing and replaceable with other arms and pulleys having different configurations.

Abstract: A conveyor system having a first conveyor intersecting a second conveyor is provided. A multi-belt transition conveyor assembly is provided at the intersection of the first and second conveyors. The transition conveyor assembly includes a plurality of parallel conveyors of varying lengths. Each belt includes a link belt and a support layer connected to the link belt. The support layer overhangs the link belt and may be comprised of a series of separate elements extending along the length of the link belt.

Abstract: An assembly for maintaining tension in a drive belt features a housing mounted on a base. The housing contains a biasing element that exerts torque on the housing to bias the housing in a radial direction. A lever arm is connected to the housing and rotates with the housing in response to the bias of the biasing element. A pulley is connected to the lever arm and engages a drive belt in response to the bias force of the biasing element on the lever arm. The pulley deflects the shape of the belt to provide tension in the belt. In one embodiment, the apparatus allows the user to switch the position of the biasing element and alter the direction of torque on the lever arm. In another embodiment, the lever arm and pulley are removable from the housing and replaceable with other arms and pulleys having different configurations.

Abstract: A conveyor assembly is provided, which includes a link belt formed of a plurality of overlapping belt links. A plurality of engagement elements are attached to the link belt to form an upper surface. In one embodiment, the link belt includes a plurality of apertures and the engagement elements comprises connectors that cooperate with the apertures to connect the engagement elements to the link belt. The upper surface of the engagement elements may be configured in a variety of forms. In one embodiment, the engagement elements comprise a protuberance that projects upwardly to form a point of limited contact.

Abstract: A belt for power transmission and for conveying elements is provided wherein the belt comprises a top layer attached to the top surface of the belt. The top layer provides a generally smooth top surface for the belt. The belt preferably is a link belt and the top surface of the belt comprises a bonding layer for adhering the top layer to the belt. The bonding layer may be a thermoplastic urethane that is heat fusible with the compressible layer to adhere the compressible layer to the belt. A method is also provide in which a top layer is adhered to a link belt and the top layer is then severed into a plurality of separate elements.

Abstract: A conveyor assembly is provided, which includes a link belt formed of a plurality of overlapping belt links. A plurality of engagement elements are attached to the link belt to form an upper surface. In one embodiment, the link belt includes a plurality of apertures and the engagement elements comprises connectors that cooperate with the apertures to connect the engagement elements to the link belt. The upper surface of the engagement elements may be configured in a variety of forms. In one embodiment, the engagement elements comprise a protuberance that projects upwardly to form a point of limited contact.

Abstract: A low-profile sheath for protecting elongated items is disclosed having a pair of substrates formed from flexible sheet material with opposite edges paired together to position the substrates in overlapping alignment. One pair of edges is flexibly attached together by a hinge allowing the substrates to pivot between an open and a closed position for receiving and capturing the items. The substrates are corrugated. The hinge is formed from a plurality of thinned sheet regions which alternate between being oriented in the plane of the sheet and perpendicular to it. The alternating orientation reduces the imbalance of shear stiffness between the hinge connected edges and the free edges of the substrates. An apparatus for forming the sheath having intermeshing gears with beveled teeth and facing edge surfaces is also disclosed.

Abstract: A damped sleeve adapted to receive and protect elongated substrates is disclosed. The sleeve has a flexible, resilient support layer corrugated for added radial stiffness and bending flexibility. The support layer surrounds and defines an interior space for receiving the substrates. A longitudinal slit defined by facing edges in the support layer provides access to the interior space. A damping layer of non-woven felt covers the outer surface of the support layer and is attached to it along the edges defining the slit. Hook-and-loop fasteners are used to close the slit. All of the components are made from the same material so they can be attached to each other by fusing via ultrasonic welding.

Abstract: A monolayer foamed corrugated sleeve for protecting elongate substrates is disclosed. The sleeve is extruded from a polymer and a foaming agent. The polymer may be a non-elastomeric thermoplastic, a thermoplastic elastomer or a combination of the two. The sleeve is extruded from a nozzle having a cross sectional area which decreases along its length to maintain pressure on the extrudate and prevent premature foaming. The extrudate is released from the nozzle into moving mold blocks. A blow rod within the mold blocks provides gas pressure to force the extrudate against the blocks. An obturation device is mounted on the blow rod to control the gas pressure.

Abstract: A low-profile sheath for protecting elongated items is disclosed having a pair of substrates formed from flexible sheet material with opposite edges paired together to position the substrates in overlapping alignment. One pair of edges is flexibly attached together by a hinge allowing the substrates to pivot between an open and a closed position for receiving and capturing the items. The substrates are corrugated. The hinge is formed from a plurality of thinned sheet regions which alternate between being oriented in the plane of the sheet and perpendicular to it. The alternating orientation reduces the imbalance of shear stiffness between the hinge connected edges and the free edges of the substrates. An apparatus for forming the sheath having intermeshing gears with beveled teeth and facing edge surfaces is also disclosed.

Abstract: A damped sleeve adapted to receive and protect elongated substrates is disclosed. The sleeve has a flexible, resilient support layer corrugated for added radial stiffness and bending flexibility. The support layer surrounds and defines an interior space for receiving the substrates. A longitudinal slit defined by facing edges in the support layer provides access to the interior space. A damping layer of non-woven felt covers the outer surface of the support layer and is attached to it along the edges defining the slit. Hook-and-loop fasteners are used to close the slit. All of the components are made from the same material so they can be attached to each other by fusing via ultrasonic welding.

Abstract: A flexible protective sleeve (10; 20) for use in protecting an elongated member (W). The sleeve comprises a generally tubular wall (12; 22) for at least substantially surrounding the member. The sleeve also comprises resiliently-deformable projections (16; 24) projecting from an inner surface (18; 26) of the wall, the projections being arranged so that they cushion relative movement between the member and the wall.

Abstract: Convoluted tubing for automotive wiring harnesses and other elongated substrates is provided with sound dampening qualities by filling the valleys between convolutions with a flexible, resilient foamed composition, such as silicone rubber, and foaming the composition to cause expansion of the foam so that ribs of foam project radially from the valleys. In a preferred embodiment, spaced apertures are formed in the valleys to allow the expanding foam to form radially inwardly projecting fingers which contact the wiring harness and act to dampen vibrations. The corrugated tubing may be axially slit and the slit allowed to be filled with the foamed composition which, when foamed, eliminates noises caused by movement of the edge surfaces of the slit when torsional forces are applied to opposite ends of the tube.

Abstract: Convoluted tubing for automotive wiring harnesses and other elongated substrates is provided with sound dampening qualities by filling the valleys between convolutions with a flexible, resilient foamed composition, such as silicone rubber, and foaming the composition to cause expansion of the foam so that ribs of foam project radially from the valleys. In a preferred embodiment, spaced apertures are formed in the valleys to allow the expanding foam to form radially inwardly projecting fingers which contact the wiring harness and act to dampen vibrations. The corrugated tubing may be axially slit and the slit allowed to be filled with the foamed composition which, when foamed, eliminates noises caused by movement of the edge surfaces of the slit when torsional forces are applied to opposite ends of the tube.