Abstract: A device is described for orienting intravenous needles or other similar articles having relatively long shank portions which terminates in bevelled or flat tips. The device has a fixture for supporting the needles at an angle to the horizontal and with the bevelled tip resting on a knife edge. A vibrator is coupled to the needle supporting fixture causing the needle to turn to its most stable position on the knife edge where the flat portion engages the knife edge.

Abstract: A basket loader apparatus for a machine to cast commoning straps onto the positive and negative plate lugs of plate stacks used to form a multi-celled lead acid storage battery. As configured the apparatus is designed to hold a basket which contains said stacks and hold it during the casting operations. Prior to the start of said operation, the apparatus is further adapted to properly align the lugs for casting and further to enter the plates and the plastic separation which lie between them within the basket. The apparatus further includes vertical adjustment means so that plates of different size may be accommodated and vacuum cleaning means to remove fragments of lead sulfate paste and other foreign materials which might interfere with proper alignment of the plates within the basket.

Abstract: A bobbin wound stepping motor has a stator formed of a plurality of stamped metal pieces that are concentrically secured together by projection welding through the use of an arbor except for its rear plate which is positioned concentrically by locating holes and half-blanks and secured in the assembled motor by push nuts after insertion of the rotor.

Abstract: A method for mounting a ring-shaped construction on a ship stern in front of a propeller which comprises fixing a plurality of pieces at a predetermined distance along a periphery of a ring-shaped construction, marking the points respectively on a plurality of said pieces which are located in a same distance from the center of said ring-shaped construction, and mounting said ring-shaped construction to said ship stern. In this process, centering so that the circular locus of the beam emitted from a projector being rotated around the rotating axis of a propeller passes over said marked points of a plurality of pieces fixed to said ring-shaped construction, the settling position of said ring-shaped construction is adjusted.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for adjusting roller rings (5) on a roller (4) in exact positions in the peripheral and the axial directions in relation to each other and in relation to the roller (4), and in which the apparatus comprises a parallelogram means (11) which is movable parallelly to the rotatable roller (4) and which comprises an adjustment head (14) having a guide pin (18) adapted to co-operate with the corresponding guide bore (17) in each roller ring, and in which the parallelogram means (11) is supported by a support body (15) which is fixed mounted in relation to the rotatable roller (4) and which comprises both a drive mechanism (14) for positively moving the parallelogram means (11) and a locking means (19) for locking the parallelogram means in an adjusted position and a gauge apparatus (16) for exactly gauging the movements of the parallelogram means (11).

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus and method for aligning a very fine wire relative to a workpiece. It comprises an alignment fixture supporting a pair of spaced-apart lead screws for receiving the wire in the threads thereof. The wire is affixed to spacer arms oppositely protruding from the fixture and spans the spacing between the screws. The workpiece is supported between the spacer arms and may be raised or lowered to provide alignment with the wire which is then translated or oriented by turning either or both of the lead screws until the relative alignment is achieved. The wire is affixed to each of the arms in a slackened condition and a tiny weight is suspended from the wire for yieldably tensioning the same across the threads, but providing for translation without fracture.

Abstract: A tool for fixing the position of an optical fiber with respect to the connector containing same. The connector containing an optical fiber is fastened to a movable connector support which is moved into position with respect to a collar that causes portions of the connector to retract and expose the fiber adjacent the index of a gauge. The position of the fiber end can be adjusted while viewing the fiber end and the index through a magnifying device properly illuminated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loading solder preforms on to the pins of a multiple pin connector. A positioning plate has open sockets in the pattern of the pins of the connector to be loaded, the sockets being sized to receive a single solder preform in each one. A slidable retainer fits into a channel below the positioning plate to partially close the sockets and retain preforms therein. Loose preforms are contained in a dam attached to the top of the positioning plate and are shaken into the sockets on a vibrator table. The dam and excess preforms are removed and the positioning plate is covered by a cover plate to hold the preforms in place. The connector pins are then inserted through slots in the retainer, through the preforms and through holes in the cover plate. The retainer is removed, allowing the preforms to drop on the pins and the loaded connector is removed from the apparatus.

Abstract: Axial alignment of a pair of articles such as the ends of a pair of optical components is effected by an alignment device, which serves also as a connector. The alignment device employs a pair of sleeves, for holding the pair of articles, the sleeves being slidably and rotatably mounted in a pair of hingeably connected members. A pair of adjustment means disposed between the hinged members are used to move one of the members about the other member until the pair of articles are in axial alignment. An additional means is also included for locking the adjacent surfaces of the axially aligned pair of articles in a fixed position. Two embodiments of the device are disclosed.

Abstract: A wood-chipping cutter drum is rotatable about a drum axis and carries at least one elongated blade which has a cutting edge defining an orbit of rotation of the drum and which is radially displaceable in a blade direction relative to the drum axis. An adjustment device for aligning the cutting edge on an ideal desired orbit centered on the drum axis has an elongated alignment bar with a flat surface that can be brought into engagement with the cutting edge of the blade on a non-rotating drum to push it into a position lying exactly on the desired orbit. This bar is pivotal about an axis parallel to the cutting edge being adjusted and positioned relative to this cutting edge so that a line between the point of contact with the bar and the pivot axis for the bar forms a right angle with the displacement direction of the blade in the drum.

Abstract: A method of repairing the teeth of a dredge cutterhead wherein at least two position openings are provided on the head for each tooth for receipt of a locating fixture for properly positioning a replacement tooth part.

Abstract: A clutch-brake unit for a mechanical drive, such as used on a press, has a hub which fits over a spindle at the end of a driven shaft, which may be a crankshaft, and locates against a flange on the driven shaft, thereby enclosing the entire spindle. The hub has a flange portion which carries an annular piston, and the chamber in which this piston is located is in communication with the hub interior. The hub has a drive disk mounted on it by machine screws that extend axially through the drive disk, the flange portion of the hub, and thread into the flange on the driven shaft so as to secure the hub to the shaft. The drive disk is spaced from the flange portion of the hub, and interposed between the two is a brake disk, a pressure plate, and a transfer disk. The brake disk is connected to an anchor attached to the press frame, and the pressure plate is spring loaded so as to urge the brake disk against the flange portion of the hub and thereby impede rotation of the hub.

Abstract: An improved method of assembling truss joist comprising locating and aligning apertures in chord and web members by inserting a tapered pin followed by driving out of the tapered pin and replacing it with a knurled or enlarged pin is disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an access floor system with deep pile carpet covered panels. The deep pile fibers from adjacent panels intermingle with each other to visually obscure the cracks between the panels. Disclosed is a tool and method for inserting or reinserting such panels into the floor system without pinching carpet pile between the panel edges. Disclosed is a floor system having service conduits running between adjacent panels but being visually undetectable due to the uniform appearance of the deep pile carpet covering.