Abstract: A stud welding machine features several welding outputs for welding tools with different polarity for various welding operations. The polarity of at least one welding output is reversible.

Abstract: An intermediate bearing support for a drive shaft of a vehicle is required when three or more universal joints are embodied in a driveline between a transmission and a differential. Special bearings of particular dimensions and having wider inner races than outer race have heretofore been employed for this particular application. Such bearings are substantially more costly than standard ones. The new drive shaft support uses standard bearings with special adapter components for use with the supports. The adapter components include special adapter rings located between the inner race of the bearing and the shaft being supported. In most instances, adapter rings are also located around the outer race between the outer race and a grease retainer and rubber mounted block of the support.

Abstract: Lightweight scaffolding is made of aluminum or other lightweight material. The scaffolding includes end frames with vertical and horizontal frame members, the latter having special shapes for greater strength in a vertical direction with rounded top surfaces having ridges to prevent slipping. The horizontal frame members are evenly spaced to provide rungs for workers to climb. The vertical frame members are of generally cylindrical shape with thicker portions on opposite sides, the thicker portions having flat surfaces. One portion provides a full surface to which ends of the horizontal frame members are welded. The other provides a stable surface to which an adjacent end frame can be fastened. Braces can be affixed by bolt and wing nut fasteners so that a brace can be fastened to either side of the vertical frame member. Simplified connecting pins connect vertically stacked end frames. The scaffolding also includes a base to provide added width and stability, to which base vertical frame members are affixed.

Abstract: An article of furniture includes provisions for the storage of tapes and the like. The article can be an entertainment center having a storage unit at one end or both ends, or it can be a free-standing, combined storage unit. The unit includes a stationary section having a back wall with a first, rear side wall and a second, front side wall extending outwardly from side edge portions of the back wall. A plurality of shelves extend between the side walls and outwardly from the back wall. The unit further includes a hinged, movable section having a movable back wall with a third, front side wall and a fourth side wall extending outwardly from side edge portions thereof. A plurality of additional shelves extend between the third and fourth side walls and outwardly from the movable back wall. Hinges connect an edge portion of the movable back wall and an outer edge of the rear side wall.

Abstract: Apparatus for laying pipe in a trench includes a housing with a bottom, side walls, a leading end wall and a trailing end wall, with a tapered nose at the leading end, the nose being designed to be pulled along a trench by a backhoe. The nose is hinged to the leading end wall and can be pivoted up and down when the housing is moved along the trench. The housing includes a trough which receives and orients a pipe and a pusher which moves the pipe along the trough and into assembled relationship with an end of a previously-laid pipe. A hopper near the trailing end of the housing has a chute which deposits fill material around the pipe. The trailing end wall has an opening with a slidable door to strike off the top of the fill material. Mechanism is connected to the trough and door to simultaneously move them up and down to maintain the pipe on grade and to maintain the depth of fill material constant relative to the pipe.

Abstract: A die cut and scored carton blank is formed into a carton. The carton blank is placed in a trough having a side wall and at least one retractable stop for turning upwardly elongate edge flaps of the carton blank, with the trough having two end walls for turning up end flaps of the carton blank. The partially-formed carton is then moved to a second position where it is lowered and horizontal glue strips are applied to an outer surface of an elongate edge flap. As the carton is moved toward the second position, glue strips are applied to end flaps of the carton blank. The partially-formed carton is then moved to an upper position, above the level of the trough, and into a compression chamber where side walls and end walls hold the flaps together until the glue hardens.

Abstract: A rocker arm has a cold-formed, one-piece metal body of generally U-shaped cross section throughout most of its length. The body has a bottom wall and two generally parallel side walls which extend upwardly therefrom and are structurally integral therewith. The rocker arm body has a recess at one end to engage an end of a push rod and a surface at the other end to engage an end of a valve stem. The side walls of the body have aligned circular openings therein through which a cylindrial bushing extends and is affixed to the side walls by brazing or the like. For a pedestal mount, the bushing has an elongate opening facing downwardly to receive a pedestal and has a large upper opening for clearance around a portion of the pedestal. Small oil reservoirs are formed between the bottom wall of the rocker arm body and edge portions of the bushing adjacent the large upper opening.

Abstract: A positioner releasably positions a portion of a person's body relative to a supporting surface. The positioner includes a wide flexible band of sufficient length to encircle a portion of the person's body. The flexible band has accessible ends which have adjustable connections for connecting end portions of the band together around the body portion. An intermediate portion of the flexible band has a first velcro patch of predetermined size and shape facing away from the person's body. The positioner further includes a second velcro patch which is attached in a predetermined position on the supporting surface. When the patches are engaged, the positioner thus releasably supports the portion of the body relative to the supporting surface to aid in holding the body portion in position until the flexible band is released or until the two velcro patches are separated.

Abstract: A transaxle or gear drive unit with an improved shift mechanism and gear drive is set forth. The shift mechanism is of the shift key type and certain gears have recesses to receive a lug of the shift key with the recesses having ramps which depress the lug when the key is shifted. One of the gears has a smooth bore adjacent the recesses to serve as a neutral position for the shift key. A wide gear having teeth or splines around its periphery extending the length thereof is rotatably mounted on one shaft of the gear drive unit. The wide gear has a plurality of additional gears affixed thereto for simultaneous rotation. The wide gear extends beyond the additional gears and connects with a forward speed gear and a reverse gear on another shaft. The wide gear thus functions as a mechanical connection for the additional gears as well as serving as a gear itself.

Abstract: A purge gas unit establishes an enclosed zone for purge gas within tubes or pipes having portions which are to be joined by welding. The purge gas unit includes a first bladder to be positioned on one side of the welding location and a second bladder positioned on the other side of the location. A purge gas supply tube extends through the first bladder and has an opening near the second bladder through which purge gas is supplied to the weld zone or space between the bladders. A vent tube extends through the first bladder and communicates with the weld zone near the first bladder and with a space beyond the first bladder. A safety cable also is attached to the second bladder and extends at least substantially through the first bladder, with the cable enabling the purge unit to be removed from the tubes after welding. The bladders can have annular chambers with central passages through which elongate members can extend. The bladders, in another embodiment, can be substantially flat when not inflated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the individual feeding of studs or bolts 2 or pins 2', arranged one after the other between guide rails 1, to at least one bolt outlet, 3, 4, blasted with blowing air, and leading to a bolt-welding device. According to the invention, a rotor 5 is provided with at least two outlet slots 6, 7, for each bolt 2, this rotor 5 being arranged rotatably alternately between guide rails 1 and one or at least two bolt-welding devices or the bolt outlets 3, 4.

Abstract: A cold-formed rocker arm with unique lubrication provisions is disclosed. The rocker arm includes a one-piece metal body of generally inverted U-shaped cross section having a top wall and two side walls. One end of the body has a recess to engage an end of a push rod and the other end has a large, upwardly-facing recess to retain oil so as to provide lubrication substantially immediately when the engine is started. The bottom surface of the reservoir forms a pad to engage an end of a valve stem. A mounting bolt of the rocker arm has a splash ring on the head thereof to disperse oil when intercepting a stream thereof.

Abstract: A composite, friction weldable stud is used to affix a first plate to a second plate made of dissimilar materials. The stud has a first body made of material compatible with the first plate, with the body having a shank and a collar extending outwardly therefrom of a predetermined diameter. The collar has a first surface extending toward the shank with grooves to mate with cooperating ridges of a chuck of a friction-welding tool. The stud further includes a second body of material compatible with the second plate. The second body has a friction-weldable nose extending outwardly from the collar and substantially coaxial with an axis of the first body. The first and second bodies have cooperating threaded for affixing the two bodies together so that they can move as a unit. A hole is formed in the first plate which is larger than the nose but smaller than the collar. The nose is placed through the first hole into contact with the second plate.

Abstract: A rocker arm has a one-piece metal body made by cold-forming operations, including staming, extruding, coining, and back-packing. The rocker arm includes an intermediate portion and two end portions. The intermediate portion has substantially parallel side walls with a large, generally rectangular opening at the top and with two end top walls extending sharply downwardly therefrom. The parallel side walls are deep and both the side walls and top walls are thinner at upper portions than at lower portions. A first end portion of the body has a wide top wall with arcuate side walls. A method of making the rocker arm includes forming a metal blank with a U-shaped cross section having a convex central portion. A slot is formed in the central portion and that portion is then pushed out or extruded to form the large, generally rectangular opening.

Abstract: An animal tethering device is disclosed which includes a tubular member placed in the ground in a more-or-less permanent position. A rod-like member or restraint stake to which a flexible line can be connected is inserted in the tubular member with a flexible line attached to tie an animal. The tubular member has an upper collar extending outwardly from an upper end portion thereof for visibility. The rod-like member has a rain cap which is received over the upper extremity of the tubular member and substantially prevents entry of water thereinto. A bearing surface is also established between the rain cap and the tubular member to reduce the possibility of entanglement. The upper end of the tubular member has a spiral ridge on the outer surface thereof and the rain cap has an inwardly-extending projection engagable with the ridge.

Abstract: This electric stud-welding device includes a welding gun for a stud or bolt to be welding to a workpiece, and a control device. The latter consists of a welding current source and a setting device for welding time and welding current. The welding gun and the control device are connected through two welding current lines. A pilot current circuit is present, using only the two welding current lines (5, 6). Also present is a setting device (10), coordinated with the welding gun (3), which is switched into the pilot current circuit. In the control device (2), there is a sensor (9) which, dependent on the control signals produced by the setting device (10) each time, after the actuation of the selective switches or setters (13, 14) arranged thereon, controls the control device (8), present in the control instrument, for the welding time and the welding current.

Abstract: A rocker arm for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The rocker arm has a cold-formed, one-piece metal body with a narrow width and a substantial depth. The body has a pad at one end for engaging an end of a valve stem and has a socket at the other end for engaging the upper end of a push rod. An intermediate portion of the body has a large opening of generally trapezoidal configuration with a lower edge longer than an upper edge. A middle portion of the lower edge has a structurally-integral, outwardly-flared portion defining an upwardly-facing socket for engaging a pivot ball about which the rocker arm can pivot during operation.

Abstract: A safety base is provided for a scaffold. The scaffold has casters so that it can be moved periodically at the job site. The safety base has two components, each consisting of an elongate bar with adjustable safety legs near the ends, along with detachable locks for readily attaching the component to frame members of the scaffolding. Feet of the legs are positioned near the supporting surface so that if the casters encounter a depression as the scaffold is being moved, the feet will engage the surface and the scaffold will not tilt excessively.