Abstract: Apparatus for concurrently puncturing the sidewalls of and moistening elongate, generally cylindrical tobacco products is disclosed. The apparatus includes a body member, and a container for liquid cooperative with the body member and provided with liquid discharge means for delivering liquid therefrom. The apparatus also includes a push button member movable relative to the body member between an actuated and a deactuated position and cooperative with the liquid discharge means, when actuated, for delivering liquid from the liquid discharge means. One or the other of the body member and the push button member includes a means for supporting a tobacco product thereon, and means are provided for conducting liquid delivered from the liquid discharge means to the tobacco product.

Abstract: Apparatus for moistening a cigarette, particularly a filter tip cigarette, prior to smoking. The apparatus preferably includes a button mounted on the stem of an aerosol cartridge. The button has a cigarette-receiving bore arranged so that a cigarette received in the bore extends transverse to the axis of the cartridge. The button may also have a nozzle recessed in an end wall of the bore so that liquid discharged through the nozzle spreads transverse to the axis of the cigarette in a chamber defined by the end of the filter and the end wall of the bore. The button desirably is arranged to engage the stem of a stem-actuated aerosol cartridge or similar dispenser to mount the button on the dispenser and to hold the button in the desired orientation relative to the dispenser. In an alternative arrangement, the button has a hollow needle disposed within the cigarette-receiving bore and arranged to impale a cigarette engaged in the bore. The interior of the hollow needle is connected to the aerosol cartridge.

Abstract: In a worm wheel for a roller worm drive, each roller is movable along its axis relative to the body of the wheel, and biased towards an extended position by a spring. The springs are mounted in the space between inboard and outboard bearings associated with each roller, so as to conserve room within the roller wheel and hence permit use of large, robust, anti-friction bearings. In particularly preferred arrangements, the outboard anti-friction bearing can be used to limit outboard movement of each roller relative to the wheel body, and may also serve to transmit inboard-directed thrusts from the roller to the body via the biasing spring. The overall arrangement provides enhanced load carrying capacity and compactness in roller worm drives.

Abstract: A variable speed power transmission pulley and system are disclosed. The system includes a pair of spaced shafts each having a pulley keyed thereto, the effective diameter of which is adjustable. A flat band belt is entrained about annular elastomeric members carried on the surfaces of the pulleys to drivingly interconnect the pulleys. Each pulley includes a pair of slotted, interengaging conical pulley sections and the effective outer diameter of the pulley is variable by moving the conical sections axially toward or away from one another.

Abstract: A worm drive system includes a worm wheel having two sets of angularly arranged rollers. Each set of rollers mates with a separate screw thread on a worm screw associated with the worm wheel. The worm drive system may also include a second worm screw having two separate screw threads, each one mating with a corresponding set of rollers on the worm wheel. The worm drive system may be used as a speed increaser and/or a speed decreaser by suitably selecting the ratio between the worm wheel and the worm screws. The worm screws rotate in the same angular direction if the screw threads on one worm screw have the same hand, which is different from the hand of the screw threads on the other worm screw. The worm drive system also has a load-sharing capability and an anti-backlash capability.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for machining hourglass screw threads on an enveloping-type worm screw by engaging at least one angularly positioned cutter with a screw blank having an hourglass shape. The screw blank is rotated about its central longitudinal axis at the same time that each angularly positioned cutter is pivoted through the screw blank at a rate which is less than the rate of rotation of the screw blank.

Abstract: A heavy duty hydraulic weighing apparatus includes an integral base having a piston mounted in and encircled by an annular ring, a cooperating cylinder which fits radially between the piston and ring to receive the piston in freely interfittable relatively reciprocally moveable relation, and a flexible diaphragm of fluid impervious material sealed in the cylinder and overlying the piston to form a pressure receiving chamber. A bearing arrangement, which facilitates free relative reciprocal movement between the piston and base and the cylinder to permit heavy loading, comprises a plurality of cylindrical raceways, a first portion of each being defined in the outer wall of the cylinder and a second portion of each being defined in the inner wall of the annular ring. First and second bearing inserts, which are highly resistant to wear and minimize bearing friction, at least partially line the first and second raceway portions respectively.