Abstract: Apparatus is provided for separating liquids and particularly water and oil. The separating apparatus includes a tank containing two coalescent cells or units, one of which receives the liquids directly from a supply pipe and immediately disperses the liquids through a perforate recess into the cell. The liquids are partly separated in that cell and further in the second cell. Oil is separated from the top of the tank into a separate chamber and water is separated from the bottom into another chamber from which it is discharged and can be recirculated. The cells, which contain bodies with a high surface-to-weight ratio and are made of a material having an affinity for oil, are readily removable from the system for cleaning or replacement of the bodies.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing characters on a surface of a grit-erodible body are provided. A negative of the characters is first produced, usually photographically. Ultraviolet light is then directed through the negative onto a blasting mask blank comprising a backing sheet and a uniform layer of polymerizable material thereon. Light struck portions of the layer harden and the rest is washed away to produce the characters, and specifically a font of type. Selected characters are then positioned backward on a transfer sheet and transported to the surface of the body of grit-erodible material to which they are adhered, with the transfer sheet then peeled away. Blasting grit is then directed toward the surface to erode the grit-erodible material around the characters to a desired depth.

Abstract: A supporting rack for suspending heavy cooking utensils is provided. The supporting rack basically includes a bar of predetermined width and length with suspending members including hooks assembled in the bar. The basic bar has outwardly-extending flanges at the ends with the flanges having fastener-receiving openings therein. The bar also has notches in a lower longitudinal edge thereon near each of the ends. The suspending member has a web with end lips extending outwardly and back toward one another to fit over the longitudinal edges of the bar. A shank is connected to one of the lips and a hook extends from the shank for suspending a utensil. The web and lips of the suspending member are dimensioned such that the suspending member can only be assembled with and disassembled from the bar at the notched portions thereof.

Abstract: A ladder support is provided for use with an eavestrough or gutter. The support is mounted in the eavestrough without the necessity of using fasteners. It is also mostly concealed by the eavestrough and yet supports the ladder in spaced relationship thereto so that the ladder does not contact the eavestrough and cause damage to it. The ladder support includes two main legs having members at first ends adapted to engage the eavestrough at the juncture of a back wall and a bottom thereof with the legs being of sufficient length to extend above and beyond a front rim of the eavestrough. Second ends of the main legs have brackets for engaging the rails of the ladder to support it spaced from the eavestrough and to resist sideways movement. Outwardly-extending leg braces are affixed to intermediate portions of the main legs and have feet for engaging the interior of the rim for resisting movement of the main legs when a ladder is supported thereby.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for handling bobbins and transferring them from one location to another. The apparatus includes upper and lower housings connected by an articulated joint. The upper housing is supported by a fluid-operated, overhead hoist which is controlled by a manually-operated control mounted on the upper housing. The lower housing has an outwardly-extending, compact, fluid-operated gripper which extends into a central passage of the bobbin and has movable jaws engaging the inner surface. The articulated joint enables the lower housing to pivot relative to the upper one and move the gripper between horizontal and vertical positions. The articulated joint has a manually-operated locking pin locking the lower housing in either position, with a manual release handle located near the hoist control on the upper housing to enable both to be manipulated by one hand. The apparatus also includes a fluid interlock system which prevents accidental release of the bobbin from the gripper.

Abstract: A universal sign bracket is provided which can be cut to size and bent or even twisted to accommodate signs of various shapes and sizes. The bracket comprises a main leg and an intermediate flange extending generally perpendicular from an intermediate portion of the main leg. The intermediate flange can have spaced slots adjacent the main leg to receive mounting straps for mounting the bracket on a pole. The main leg can also have spaced openings to receive fasteners for mounting the bracket on poles and other supports. The main leg has a longitudinally-extending groove adjacent the intermediate flange to receive an edge of a sign panel with the sign panel than serving as a supporting gusset for the bracket when affixed by fasteners extending through the intermediate flange. The main leg also preferably has two spaced ribs along edge portions on the side opposite the flange to cooperate with supporting posts.

Abstract: Shifting mechanism for shifting gears in a gear box. The gear box has a housing, a gear shaft in the housing, a plurality of gears on the shaft, a shift key movable along the shaft for individually connecting the gears to the shaft, a shift collar positioned around the shaft and engaged with the shift key, and a shift fork for moving the collar along the shaft. The shift key moves along a longitudinal groove in the shaft and has a lug with an extended position and a retracted position. The gears have bores through which the gear shaft extends so that the gears are rotatably supported on the shaft. At least one of the gears has a plurality of uniformly spaced recesses circumferentially located around the bore to receive the lug of the shift key so that the gear rotates with the shaft. The recesses have ramps extending regularly in common directions from the bottoms of the recesses toward a common face of the gear.

Abstract: A one-piece, cold-formed rocker arm of the cam follower type is provided. The rocker arm includes a one-piece metal body cold-formed from a metal blank and being of inverted U-shaped cross section substantially throughout its length. The body has a top wall with depending, structurally integral side walls. An intermediate, convex portion of the top wall has a rectangular opening therein exceeding therethrough. A cam-contacting roller is rotatably mounted on an axle carried by the side walls below the rectangular opening. The roller has a circumferential surface extending upwardly through and beyond the rectangular opening to engage a cam. The rocker arm body has a rounded recess formed at one end portion to receive a lifter post on which the rocker arm can pivot. The body has an additional recess at another end portion to receive an end of a valve stem.

Abstract: A pressure-operated valve is provided, particularly for use with a downhole pump of the fluid-driven, successive-stage, bladder type. Such a pump includes a plurality of pump and transfer modules. The pump modules have bladders which are operated by fluid, preferably gas, under pressure supplied through two separate internal passages in the modules to pump liquid upwardly through transfer modules. The pressure-operated valve is located below the bottom of the pump module and normally closes off the two gas passages. When gas under pressure above operating pressure is supplied through one of the passages, to establish a sufficient pressure differential between the passages, the valve opens to connect the passages. Heated gas can then be circulated to increase the temperature of internal oil passages extending through the modules to prevent paraffin formation. The two gas circuits can also be connected to enable removal of condensate.

Abstract: A tripot universal joint of the end motion type is provided. The joint includes a first shaft with a cup-shaped member at one end having three axially-extending, parallel grooves in its inner periphery. Another shaft has a spider at one end with three trunnions extending radially outwardly. A roller is mounted on each trunnion for slidable, rotatable, and pivotal movements with respect to the trunnion. The roller is maintained with its axis perpendicular to the associated groove, even when the spider shaft is positioned at a substantial angle to the axis of the first shaft and the cup-shaped member. The roller mounting includes a guide ring slidably mounted on the trunnion for axial movement with respect thereto, the guide ring having an outer segmental spherical surface.

Abstract: A traffic barrier carrier or mover is provided, by means of which traffic barrier sections can be repositioned according to changing needs. The carrier includes a supporting frame having two opposite end plates upon which adjacent ends of two generally aligned barrier sections are supported. The frame carries a hydraulic cylinder which raises and lowers supporting wheels mounted on an axle under the frame. The wheels are moved between an upper position located above the lower extremities of the supporting frame with the barrier sections being supported on a surface, and a lower position below the lower extremities of the supporting frame with the barrier sections being raised above the surface. In the latter position of the wheels, the barrier sections can be towed in end-to-end relationship from one position to another. Steering mechanism can be employed with the wheels of each carrier to steer the barrier sections.

Abstract: A shimming system and shim assembly are provided, particularly for door guides and supports for sliding and folding doors of closets and the like. The shim assembly includes shim members having shim plates and projections of different lengths so that different shim members can be assembled in stacked relationship with one another to raise the door guide or support to a desired height. The shim members are of clear plastic material so as not to require painting, staining, or the like. Each shim member can be readily reduced to proper width and length so as to be positioned completely under the base of the door guide or support and thereby be substantially concealed. The shim plates have score grooves by which portions can be broken off to reduce the shim plate to the proper size and the shimming system includes a tool for facilitating removal of the unwanted portions beyond the score grooves.

Abstract: A gearbox, specifically a transaxle, which has the usual input shaft and only two additional, parallel shafts. The two shafts include an intermediate shaft on which a plurality of first gears and a first reverse sprocket are rotatably mounted. These have recesses which individually receive a shift member which is rotatably mounted on the intermediate shaft and is selectively engaged with the recesses to cause the gears and the sprocket to be selectively individually rotated with the intermediate shaft. A drive gear is also affixed to and rotates with the intermediate shaft. The two shafts also include an output shaft or axle on which a plurality of second gears and a second reverse sprocket are rotatably mounted. The second gears mesh with the first gears and the second reverse sprocket is connected to the first reverse sprocket. An output gear meshes with the input gear and is connected to and rotates with the output shaft.

Abstract: Shift mechanism is provided for shifting gears in a gearbox. The gearbox has a housing, a gear shaft in the housing, a plurality of gears rotatably mounted on the shaft, a connecting member moveable along the shaft for individually connecting the gears to the shaft, and a collar positioned around the shaft and engageable with the connecting member to move it along the shaft. The shaft mechanism includes a shifter fork for moving the collar and the connecting member along the shaft, the fork having a shift shaft pivotally mounted in the housing transversely to the gear shaft. This shaft has a first arm affixed thereto and extending on one side of the collar, with the arm having a projection on an end portion engaging a first portion of the collar. The shifter fork also has a detent plate affixed to the shift shaft and extending on the other side of the collar, with the plate having a second projection engaging a second portion of the collar generally diametrically opposite the first portion thereon.

Abstract: A mechanical, infinitely variable speed drive is provided with reverse actuation and a single control lever. The drive includes a shaft with an output gear and two driven, face-to-face bevel gears. Shifting mechanism connects either or neither bevel gear to the shaft. A drive bevel gear engages both driven bevel gears and is driven through variable speed pulleys. A cam plate operates the shifting mechanism and a cam manipulates the variable speed pulleys. Both the cam plate and the cam are controlled by a single control lever. The output can be through a differential with the bevel gear shaft being hollow and rotatably mounted on one of the axles of the differential.

Abstract: An infinitely variable speed drive is provided which is entirely mechanical, rather than hydraulic. The drive includes a rotatable housing having an output gear or sprocket rotatable therewith. An idler shaft is carried in the housing perpendicular to an axis of rotation thereof with first and second bevel gears rotatably mounted on the shaft. First and second shafts extend into the housing on the axis of rotation and in alignment with one another. Third and fourth bevel gears are affixed to the first and second shafts in the housing and mesh with the first and second bevel gears on the idler shaft. First drive gears rotate the first shaft at a constant speed in one direction. Second drive gears rotate the second shaft at different variable speeds in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the first shaft to cause the housing to rotate and drive the gear or sprocket thereon at infinitely variable speeds. A variable speed pulley arrangement can be used to drive the first and second drive gears.

Abstract: A radiator comprising a pipe block having channels for passing a fluid to be cooled with the aid of air flowing around the channels and with fluid collecting casings arranged near the ends of the pipe block, in which the pipe block or the water casing has an at least substantially U-section continuous groove and the water casing or the pipe block respectively is provided with a continuous fixing rim fitting in the U-section groove with the interposition of a resilient gasket, while a limb bounding the U-section groove has holes for receiving guard members, with the aid of which the pipe block and the water casing can be fastened to one another, a guard member being formed by a strip-shaped part and fingers adjoining the strip-shaped part and being transverse of the strip-shaped part, said fingers being passed through the holes in the limb bounding the U-section groove and engaging the fixing rim.

Abstract: A simplified disc brake is provided, particularly for small gearboxes in the nature of transmissions and transaxles. The gearbox includes a housing having an output shaft extending therefrom with a brake disc mounted on the shaft for rotatable and limited longitudinal movement. The housing has a structurally integral brake puck pocket holding a first brake puck facing toward an inside surface of the brake disc. The housing also has a structurally integral second brake puck pocket holding a second brake puck opposite the first and facing toward an outside surface of the brake disc. The housing forms two spaced passages communicating with portions of the second brake puck pocket and holding pins positioned to move longitudinally toward the second brake puck to move it toward the brake disc.

Abstract: A rocker arm and method of making same are provided. The rocker arm is of the cam-follower type and includes a metal body preferably made from a stamped metal piece and a stamped metal strip. A rounded recess is formed at one end portion of the metal piece and facing away from the metal strip to receive a lifter post having an end on which the rocker arm can pivot. The metal piece also has an additional recess at another end portion to receive an end of a valve stem and the metal strip has an intermediate convex portion facing away from the metal piece. The metal piece has a hole extending therethrough and communicating with the rounded recess, while the strip forms an oil passage communicating with the hole and extending toward the convex portion to supply lubricating fluid between the convex portion and the rounded recess. The convex portion has a shallow recess in which is received a hardened metal insert to be engaged by a cam.