Abstract: A controlled needle tufting machine has a cyclically reciprocating latch bar to which the needles may be selectively latched in accordance with a pattern to reciprocate and insert loops of yarn into a backing material or to not be latched and remain stationary above the backing material includes yarn detection apparatus for determining whether the feeding of yarn for the needle is correct. The detection apparatus includes a yarn fault detector for detecting whether yarn is moving between a source and a respective needle and for providing a signal in response to such movement. The yarn movement signal is compared with a signal from the pattern control and if the needle is latched and yarn is supposed to be moving, a fault signal is provided if the yarn is not moving. If the needle is supposed to be stationary but the detector indicates that yarn is moving, a fault signal may also be provided. In either case the fault signal is displayed and the machine may be stopped.

Abstract: A water purification apparatus positionable on an existing dispenser has a valve control member positionable in the water plenum of the dispenser to control release of purified water from the apparatus to the dispenser. A feedwater tank receives supply water which is fed to a water level control tank to maintain the water level in the boiler of the apparatus above the heating element. The control tank includes a partition separating a main reservoir from a de-foamer control chamber within which anti-foaming agent may be added. A condenser is coiled into a number of convolutions about a central opening and has external heat exchanger fins. An end cap assembly closes the central opening except for a small portion through which air is blown by a fan so that substantially all of the air flows over the fins. The boiler is a cylindrical container having a peripheral lip about an open end on which a lid having a steam outlet tube is positioned.

Abstract: A housing having a base having a cavity within which a temperature scanner module may be mounted and which is readily clamped to a rail of a railroad track so that a scanner may detect an over-heated wheel or wheel bearing. The base includes a rail clamp support portion for extending beneath the rail. A clamping assembly is positioned on the clamp support portion with resilient compressible bumpers sandwiched therebetween. The clamping assembly includes a first rail clamp and a pair of spaced apart arms between which a second rail clamp is positioned and adjustably attached to the first clamping assembly so as to secure the assembly to a rail. The arms of the clamping assembly terminate at locations above the upper surface of the clamp support portion and may be forcibly urged to apply a bending moment to the clamping assembly adjacent the cavity to pivot the clamping assembly on the bumpers relative to the base. The base may thus be angularly adjusted relative to the rail.

Abstract: An individual controlled needle tufting machine has a reciprocating latch bar for latching and unlatching to selective needle carriers, each needle carrier being guided in a respective guide formed in a guide block and carrying a respective needle so that each needle selectively may be driven by the latch bar. The tufting machine has mechanism for laterally shifting the latch bar and needle carriers, whether latched or unlatched to the latch bar, together with guide blocks. The latch bar and the brackets to which the guide blocks are mounted are formed from aluminum alloy to which laterally extending tubes are fastened. Water, cooled by refrigeration, is circulated through the tubes so that the thermal expansion of the aluminum alloy elements are not substantially greater than the remainder of the tufting machine.

Abstract: A bow sight includes a housing which is mounted on an archery bow and carries electronic circuitry including a series of aligned target LED's which may be programmed by an archer to correspond to different respective target distances. The housing mounts a color separating dichroic filter sight glass positioned at an angle between upper and lower housing walls. The LED's are positioned to overlay an elongated slot in the top wall so that a lighted LED reflects onto a surface of the glass and may be viewed for sighting a target. Two other LED's, one on each side of the target LED's, are included in the circuitry and may be programmed to light when the bow is tilted to a selected side-wise position, apertures in the top wall of the housing permitting reflection of each of these LED's onto the sight glass. After each target LED have been programmed, the archer may sight through the sight glass and align the reflection of the lighted target LED onto the target.

Abstract: A security system including a security module positioned so that personnel traveling from a first zone to a second zone pass through the module for identification and verification of access. The module includes a card reader on one wall for reading an identification card inserted by the personnel, a scale for weighing personnel within the module, sensors for measuring the height, girth, position and direction of movement of personnel passing through the module, and video cameras for viewing such personnel. Information relating to whether the card is used properly, whether the card is correct and valid, whether issued to the person carrying the card and whether the person should be traveling between the zones at that time is determined and alerts provided when violations occur. The scale includes a floor plate suspended within the module.

Abstract: A creel for feeding groups of yarn strands to a textile machine has a framework of interconnected frame members and vertical support members, each support member carrying a plurality of vertically spaced yarn cone holders. A group of yarn strands is supplied from cones mounted on holders on horizontally spaced apart support members. An outermost cone holder of the group has a yarn guide tube corresponding thereto mounted on a frame member with the inlet of the tube positioned for receiving a yarn from a cone mounted on the outermost holder. Each of the other yarn cone holders has an eyelet on a respective frame member for receiving a yarn strand from a cone mounted on a yarn cone holder carried by a respective horizontally spaced support member.

Abstract: A carpet including yarn pile extending from the face of a primary backing and a secondary backing bonded to the back of the primary backing has a thin film of liquid impervious thermoplastic material bonded either to the rear of the primary backing or to the rear of the secondary backing to provide a fluid barrier for preventing spills from seeping through to a floor beneath the carpet. The film is bonded to either backing by a hot melt thermoplastic adhesive or other non-aqueous adhesive. Additionally, the method of providing such fluid barrier for the carpet is disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for space dyeing yarn includes a series of dye stations each of which has a dye applicator roll and a rotatable pattern roll having deflecting rods which may deflect yarn into engagement with the periphery of the respective dye applicator roll. Each pattern roll is rotatably driven by a servo motor and selectively rotated to position the deflecting rods for permitting dyeing to occur at the respective station and to rotate the roll and thus the rods to angular dispositions where the yarn is not deflected. A programmable controller controls the respective motors to the selected angular positions at precise times to start and stop the application of dye to the yarn. An encoder associated with the yarn feed system feeds timing signals related to yarn movement to the controller so that rotation of each pattern roll is in timed relationship with the movement of the yarn.

Abstract: A tube traveler and slitter for extracting a tube from a heat exchanger tubesheet and slitting the tube longitudinally into two segments includes two spaced apart deforming rolls having a nip between the peripheries defining a passageway. The periphery of each roll is serrated and has a cylindrical central portion of a larger diameter than the remainder of the periphery, and a cylindrical portion spaced from the central portion at each end of the roller, a truncated conical surface being between the cylindrical portions. The rollers extract and deform the tube into a configuration having a flattened central portion and a bulbous configuration at each edge. A rotary slitter blade is positioned for engaging and slitting each edge longitudinally. The axis of rotation of the slitter blades is downstream from the axes of rotation of the rolls.

Abstract: A tufting machine includes a pattern attachment mounted between a yarn feeding device and the needles, the yarn feeding device feeding yarn to the needles at a constant rate in an amount sufficient to accommodate the yarn requirements of the needle and looper system. The pattern attachment includes a series of slats rotatable about an axis in timed relationship to the reciprocation of the needles. Each slat includes a yarn receiving groove corresponding to each needle, certain of the grooves being shallower than others. A first yarn guide directs yarn from the feeding device to the pattern attachment while a second yarn guide directs yarn from the pattern attachment toward the needles. The slats are mounted on chains fastened to sprockets mounted on a driven shaft.

Abstract: An inshot-gas burner for gas burning furnaces and other gas burning appliances has a flame retention head at the outlet formed from porous ceramic foam with a central opening through which a flame may project. A velocity reducing insert is located within the mixing chamber of the burner for reducing the velocity of the mixture received by the head in the area spaced about the central openings so that the head is radiant in operation. The porosity of the foam is in the order of 20 to 60 pores per inch. When radiant, the head permits the burner to operate at higher primary aerations, and provides faster burning velocity and thus lower residence time, and additionally provides a lower maximum temperature and a stable quiet flame. This permits the burner to emit low amounts of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide without increasing the amount of carbon monoxide emissions.

Abstract: A hand-held mending gun for tufting stitches into a backing material has a hollow needle reciprocably driven axially and oscillated laterally so as to form stitches in a backing material laterally offset from other stitches. Zig-zag backstitches may thus be formed as may other laterally offset stitches. A crank drives a needle carrier in a reciprocating path extending longitudinally along the axis of the needle. The elongated path is defined by constraining the needle carrier to move within a slot in a pivotally mounted yoke member having a pair of spaced apart tines disposed about a cam so that rotation of the cam oscillates the yoke member about the pivot. The cam is driven by gears such that it may make one cycle For each two cycles of reciprocation of the needle to form alternate laterally offset stitches. Cams of various configurations may be utilized so that more than one stitch may be provided at each lateral side.

Abstract: A socket for receiving a post, column or rod has a closed end forming a seat against which the post, column or rod may be seated when installed, the socket being secured within the ground or other solid body which may be entered when pierced. The socket is a unitary member which, in one form, may be a sheet of metal folded to have an internal cross sectional configuration corresponding to the post, column or rod and has folds which form the closed end, portions of the folds converging to an oblique leading edge which may pierce and penetrate the ground or other solid body. In an other form of the invention the socket is a hollow tube swaged closed at one end and may be ground to an oblique edge.

Abstract: A tube traveler and slitter for extracting a tube from a heat exchanger tubesheet and slitting the tube longitudinally into two segments includes two spaced apart deforming rolls having a nip between the peripheries defining a passageway. The periphery of each roll is serrated and has a cylindrical central portion of a larger diameter than the remainder of the periphery, and a cylindrical portion spaced from the central portion at each end of the roller, a truncated conical surface being between the cylindrical portions. The rollers extract and deform the tube into a configuration having a flattened central portion and a bulbous configuration at each edge. A rotary slitter blade is positioned for engaging and slitting each edge longitudinally. The axis of rotation of the slitter blades is downstream from the axes of rotation of the rolls.

Abstract: A creel for feeding groups of yarn strands to a textile machine has a framework of interconnected support members and vertical posts, each post carrying a plurality of vertically spaced yarn cone holders. Each group of yarn strands is supplied from cones mounted on a group of holders on each post. The uppermost cone holder has a yarn guide tube corresponding thereto mounted on a support member with the inlet of the tube positioned for receiving a yarn from a cone mounted on the uppermost holder. Each of the other yarn cone holders has an eyelet on the frame for receiving a yarn strand from a cone mounted on the respective yarn cone holder. The yarn strand from the lowermost cone is directed by the lowermost eyelet to the next adjacent eyelet and together with the yarn from the cone on the holder associated with that eyelet directs the yarns upwardly to each subsequent eyelet and thus into the guide tube so that all of the yarns are guided by the guide tube to a header.

Abstract: A premixed gas burner has a hollow body including a closed end and an entry end into which a combustible gas and air mixture may flow. The body has a multiplicity of apertures through which the mixture may pass from the hollow interior. A burner portal deck is positioned in superposed relationship over the apertures for permitting the gas air mixture to form a controlled flame. A porous woven fabric formed from ceramic fiber having high thermal insulation properties is located above the deck and separates the deck from the flame front formed when the mixture is ignited. The fabric insulates the deck from excessive temperatures, prevents flash back, allows use of conventional stainless steel for the deck and body components and makes possible the manufacture of long burner sections. A long burner section has a number of decks in side-by-side relationship with an insulating fabric mat over the decks for not only providing insulation, but also forms a gasket between the adjacent decks.