Abstract: System of testing and sorting according to tested ranges of values of miniature electronic capacitor and resistor units. A planar carrier with rows and files of openings, loaded with such units, is disposed in an oblique plane to retain the units in place. The carrier is moved in a stepped manner past an electrical testing station and past a series of sorting stations. At the testing station, a file of probes is brought into electrical contact with one end of a set of electronic units in each file. A metal ply laminated in the carrier contacts the other end of the set of electronic units. A bridge network makes measurements by connecting to the file of probes and to the metal ply. A receptacle is disposed at each sorting station. As each file of electronic units passes the receptacles, the units are selectively deposited in the receptacles, by air jets, according to tested ranges of values.

Abstract: A threading device comprises a longitudinally adjustable, C-shaped frame configured with mounting heads at its open ends, the heads being arranged to interchangeably mount a collet for supporting a rod or pipe to be threaded and a threaded die guide shaft mounting a thread cutting die, the pipe or rod and the die guide shaft being secured by set screws so that their confronting ends are in aligned abutment with each other intermediate said mounting heads. Rotation of the threading die on the guide shaft moves the die onto the pipe or rod to form precisely arranged threads on the latter.

Abstract: The timer in a conventional timer-controlled battery charger is replaced with an electronic controller which is connected between the alternating current input and the direct current output of the charger and includes a set of electronic timer-controlled relay contacts that are connected in series with the conventional alternating current power contactor coil of the charger. When the charger is connected to a battery to be charged, the battery voltage activates the controller. If the battery voltage is within a predetermined voltage range relative to the charger, then the relay is activated, thereby energizing the alternating current power contactor coil and the charger. When the battery voltage reaches and stays above a preset level for a predetermined time interval, the controller turns off the charger. At a predetermined number of charging cycles said predetermined time interval is automatically lengthened to provide an equalize charge function.

Abstract: Miniature electronic component parts such as capacitors or resistors are end conductively coated by use of a part handling plate having a multiplicity of passageways therethrough with walls coated by resilient material to grip the parts. A bank of pins in a press (a) are used to move the parts in the passageways, (b) are used to load the parts into the passageways through the use of a loading plate housing part receiving openings filled with parts by the use of vibration equipment, and (c) are used to discharge the parts from the passageways into the recesses of an unloading plate. The parts are moved in the passageways first to expose one end to be coated and then second to expose the other end of the parts to be coated.

Abstract: Sides rather than ends of miniature right-rectangular electronic parts are oriented for coating by disposing the ends of the parts in the resiliently coated passageways of a part handling plate and then raking parts to tip them into the passageways with their sides exposed. The parts are loaded into the part handling plate by first feeding them into a part loading plate subjected to vacuum and vibratory actions. The part loading plate has openings of generally circular upper cross-sections and downwardly tapering. The lower portions of the openings in the part loading plate are formed as ends of oblongs matching the sizes of part end surfaces.

Abstract: Miniature electronic component parts such as capacitors or resistors are end conductively coated by use of a part handling plate having a multiplicity of passageways therethrough with walls coated by resilient material to grip the parts. A bank of pins in a press (a) are used to move the parts in the passageways, (b) are used to load the parts into the passageways through the use of a loading plate housing part receiving openings filled with parts by the use of vibration equipment, and (c) are used to discharge the parts from the passageways into the recesses of an unloading plate. The parts are moved in the passageways first to expose one end to be coated and then second to expose the other end of the parts to be coated.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a plurality of cylinders each containing a reciprocative piston connected to an output rotary power shaft. The cylinders communicate with a common fuel chamber sequentially through a rotary distribution valve driven by the output power shaft.Starting of the engine is achieved by delivering gaseous fluid to the fuel chamber and thence through the distribution valve to a cylinder under pressure sufficient to drive the piston inward in a power stroke. Combustible fuel is delivered to the fuel chamber at a pressure greater than cylinder combustion pressure, and combustion air is delivered to each cylinder from a source of external air under pressure through an inlet port which is opened and closed by the associated piston adjacent the bottom of the stroke thereof.

Abstract: A wood burning stove is formed with double front and rear side walls of heat conductive metal spaced apart by heat conductive spacer fins and providing air passageways by which room air is heated by conduction from the walls which are heated by the burning of wood deposited on a firebox floor supported in heat conducting relationship with the inner side walls. A catalytic converter is disposed over the fire area in the upper portion of the stove, and is arranged to receive preheated fresh secondary air which mixes with hot, incompletely combusted compounds from the fire and, in the presence of the catalyst, induces a secondary combustion of the substances. This mixture is channeled into a heat extraction chamber where the secondary combustion is completed and the resultant heat is transferred to the metal body of the stove. An exhaust passageway is provided for releasing the products of complete combustion into the atmosphere.

Abstract: A rotatable thread spool storage tree comprises a vertically extending post which carries a plurality of vertically spaced groups of limbs, the limbs of each group projecting outwardly from the post and being disposed 90.degree. apart. Each limb mounts an arm which is disposed 90.degree. relative to its limb so that the spool mounted thereon bears flush against the associated limb. The arrangement provides for a maximum number of limbs and arms in a given length of post, thereby providing for the storage of a maximum number of thread spools of conventional or large size, or a combination of the two, together with their bobbins, in a minimum of space.

Abstract: A plurality of pre-pressed plywood veneer assemblies are inserted one at a time onto separate trays mounted in vertically spaced apart relation on a carriage movable toward and away from a hot press, the forward movement of the assemblies on the trays being restricted by stops mounted in fixed relation to the hot press adjacent the infeed end thereof and movable between an extended position for intercepting the assemblies and a retracted position for allowing the assemblies to be moved into the hot press. Sweep arms on the rearward end of the carriage are movable into abutment with the rearward ends of the assemblies for moving them forwardly against the stops for aligning the front and rear ends of the assemblies vertically. Positioning arms mounted in fixed relation to the hot press adjacent the infeed end thereof are movable first to a squaring position for abutting the opposite sides of the assemblies for aligning their lateral sides vertically.

Abstract: The initially high amplitude laser output pulses at the start of a string of pulses from a continuously pumped, repetitively, Q-switched Nd:YAG laser are reduced in amplitude by reducing the current to the krypton arc lamp pumping light source by about 5 amperes for a time of about one-half to about one millisecond prior to gating the Q-switch.

Abstract: A storage structure is provided with a plurality of vertically, horizontally and longitudinally spaced support pads which form a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced, elongated floors for supporting a plurality of cargo container trailers. The longitudinal passageway between adjacent horizontally separated floors freely receives a pair of vertically telescoping stabilizer masts mounted upon a powered vehicle, the front and rear wheels of one side of which are receivable in a longitudinal vehicle guide at the bottom of the storage structure. The upper ends of the masts are receivable in a longitudinal mast guide at the top of the storage structure, whereby the masts are supported in vertical position. An elevator, movable vertically between the masts and horizontally through the longitudinal passageway, is arranged to pick up a cargo container trailer and elevate it to and lower from a desired one of the floors of the storage structure.

Abstract: A bumper car amusement ride includes a floor to which is adhesively bonded over their entire under surfaces a plurality of elongated electrically conductive plates separated by electrically non-conductive strips and with adjacent plates connected across a source of alternating current. A bumper car is supported for movement over the plates and strips by a pair of laterally spaced drive wheels and a pair of longitudinally spaced caster wheels, each of the drive wheels being coupled to the reversible, variable speed output of a hydrostatic transmission, the inputs of which are both coupled to the output of a direct current constant speed electric motor. The motor is connected through a rectifier to a plurality of contacts mounted on the car for sliding engagement with the floor plates.

Abstract: The end cap separating tool of this invention comprises a pair of spreader blocks, generally U-shaped in plan, the projecting ends of which clamp by means of anchor screws to adjoining end cap halves adjacent their outside edges. A T-handled actuator screw is threaded through a tapped opening in one block and the end of the screw opposite the handle is attached rotatably to the second block, whereby rotation of the screw in one direction moves the one spreader block away from the second, thereby separating one end cap half from the other and from the telephone cable. The other end cap half is separated from the cable by a cord extended across the cap diameter, under the telephone cable and up the opposite side of the cable to the one block where it is secured. Rotation of the screw in the direction to move the one block away from the second block engaging the end cap half results in lifting and rolling the cable away from the end cap half.

Abstract: A bore extends radially inward from the top side of the ball component of a ball and socket trailer hitch coupling and removably receives the stem projecting from the underside of a thin pad of plastic material having a low coefficient of friction, whereby when the socket component is coupled to the ball the pad is interposed between their confronting surfaces. The pad may be formed as a hollow segment of a sphere approximately matching the radius of the ball, or it may be flat but sufficiently flexible to be bent to conform to the spherical surface of the ball when the ball and socket components are coupled together.

Abstract: A frame supports a hollow housing which mounts thereon a hot wire die support plate from the outer side of which projects a hot wire die. The housing is pivoted to the frame for movement between an operative position in which the die projects upward for cutting a cavity in a block of material that is moved over the support plate between limit-defining stop pins, and a discharge position in which the die projects downward for the gravity release of scrap material resulting from the cutting operation. The scrap material falls onto a hot wire scrap cutting grid extending across a scrap discharge opening below the housing, whereby the scrap material is reduced to small particles as it gravitates through the hot wire grid.

Abstract: An elongated bending beam and an elongated flexure strap are supported in substantially parallel, spaced-apart relationship by end cantilever blocks one of which is secured to a scale base and the other of which mounts a food receiving platform for movement vertically with respect to the scale base. First and second pairs of matched strain sensing resistors are bonded to the opposite faces of the bending beam adjacent the opposite ends thereof and are connected electrically to form a balanced Wheatstone bridge, the output voltage of which is utilized to operate a digital read-out unit for indicating the weight of a small portion of sliced food deposited upon the scale platform from a food slicer, and is also utilized to turn off the food slicer when the desired weight of food is deposited on the scale platform.