Abstract: An apparatus for packing slide fasteners as they arrive in a longitudinal transport direction one after the other at a predetermined travel speed from a production facility has a speedup conveyor receiving the arriving slide fasteners and operating at a speed substantially higher than the travel speed thereof and a separating conveyor running transversely of the speedup conveyor and having an upstream end receiving the fasteners from the speedup conveyor and a downstream end transversely offset therefrom. A collection trough having a floor inclined to the horizontal, upper and lower ends, and a plate blocking the lower end is positioned underneath the separating conveyor to receive the fasteners therefrom and a downstream trough is aligned longitudinally with and has an upstream end separated by a space from the collection trough, a floor formed with a throughgoing aperture, and a downstream end. A collection vessel is provided underneath the downstream end of the downstream trough.

Abstract: A telecommunications installation has a plurality of stationary and similar base plates including one main plate and a plurality of secondary plates mounted stationarily immediately adjacent one another and each formed with mounting holes. Respective different circuits each mounted on a respective one of the plates are each provided with an array of stiff connectors. A terminal strip mounted only on the main plate and provided with an array of stiff connectors matable with the connectors of the circuit of the main plate is itself provided with a bus extending from the strip of the main plate, having a plurality of conductors connected to the connectors of the terminal strip, extending along the secondary plates, and provided at each of the secondary plates with an array of stiff connectors matable with the connectors of the respective circuit. Respective caps are releasably secured to each of the plates over each of the respective circuits.

Abstract: A roll stand includes a generally stationary frame, a roll centered on an axis, and a radial-thrust bearing having an outer race fixed in the frame, an inner race fixed on the roll, and a plurality of rollers radially engaging the races and supporting the roll in the frame for rotation about the axis. The rollers are axially shiftable along one of the races. An axial-thrust bearing has outer and inner faces one of which is axially fixed to the roll and the other of which is axially movable in the frame and rollers between the respective outer and inner races. An actuator is braced axially between the roll and the frame for axially shifting the roll in the frame and thereby axially shifting the other of the radial-bearing races relative to the respective rollers and the one radial-bearing race.

Abstract: The apparatus transmits a high shifting force reliably and has a simple and rapid assembly. The axial shifting occurs by a clamping device which is in releasable working connection with the roll stub shaft of a rolling-mill roll or the rotating shaft. The disengageable clamping junction is formed between the clamping device and roll stub shaft shaped to fit together. Especially the clamping device is formed as a compact unit comprising a clamping head with at least one axially precompressed compressible spring which acts on a plurality of clamping disks working as a clamping body. The clamping disks force a radially elastic clamping sleeve to grip the roll stub shaft. The clamping disks are releasable from a clamped position by a hydraulic pressurized medium against the action of the compressible spring. The clamping disks are supported axially on the one side on a portion of a housing of the clamping head and on the other side by an axially slidable hollow cylinder acted on by the compressible spring.

Abstract: A high-output main power plant comprises a coal gasifier producing a combustible fuel gas at a large volume/time output rate, at least one gas turbine fed by the fuel gas from the coal gasifier and burning same at a volume/time rate smalle=r than the output rate to produce heat and mechanical energy, at least one steam turbine fed by the heat generated by the gas turbine, and an electrical generator driven by the steam turbine. A conduit conducts the continuously produced excess fuel gas from the main plant to a remote user where there is at least one satellite plant itself comprising a gas turbine fueled from the conduit by the excess fuel gas from said main plant and burning this excess fuel gas at a volume/time rate substantially smaller than the output rate to generate mechanical energy, and another electrical generator driven by the mechanical-energy output of the gas turbine in the satellite plant.

Abstract: A fine-grinding machine having a tool engageable with a workpiece is oscillated linearly at high speed has a drive comprising a tool-carrying slide having a connecting pin extending along an output axis, an input shaft centered on and normally rotating about an input axis offset from and generally parallel to the output axis, an eccentric carried on the shaft and having an outer surface eccentric to the input axis, and a link having an input end at the input axis and an output end at the output axis. A roller bearing supports the input link end on the outer surface of the eccentric. An elastomeric sleeve bearing snugly surrounds the connecting pin and snugly fits in the output end of the link.

Abstract: A chuck has a chuck body generally centered on and rotatable about a rotation axis, a head displaceable on the chuck body generally perpendicular to the rotation axis, and three jaws angularly generally equispaced on the head about a clamp axis offset from and substantially parallel to the rotation axis. All of these jaws are displaceable on the head generally radially of the clamp axis. An actuator is connected to the jaws for synchronously displacing same generally radially toward and away from the clamp axis. The actuator includes an actuator member displaceable axially in the head and provided with respective actuating surfaces inclined to the clamp axis and engageable with the jaws. Two of the jaws are pivotal about respective jaw axes parallel to the axes and the other jaw is displaceable in a plane substantially including the clamp and rotation axes.

Abstract: A safety system used in combination with a vehicular power door latch has a mechanism operated by a motor in turn driven by a drive apparatus for opening and closing vehicle door. The safety system comprises a vehicle speed sensor generating an output when vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined limit, a counter startable when the motor is actuated, and a controller connected between the speed sensor and the counter and to the apparatus for shutting down the apparatus and thereby deenergizing the motor when the vehicle-speed output exceeds the limit and when the counter has counted since the motor started beyond a predetermined limit.

Abstract: A manual fluid-control valve has a housing defining a chamber formed with a seat and with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet opening into the chamber at opposite sides of the seat and a valve body in the housing having an end face and displaceable axially forward into a closed position with the end face engaging the seat and blocking fluid flow through the chamber between the inlet and outlet and an open position with the end face spaced-axially backward from the seat and permitting fluid flow through the chamber between the inlet and outlet. An operating element is axially displaceable in the housing adjacent the valve body but out of direct contact with the valve body and a spring is braced between the operating element and the valve body and constitutes the only axial-force- transmitting link between the body and the element. An operating mechanism is connected to the operating element for axially displacing same and thereby also displacing the valve body between its positions via the spring.

Abstract: A dam for sealing an underground passage extending along an axis is formed with a pair of end ridges themselves formed by--oppositely inclined inner and outer surfaces and at least one middle ridge also formed by a pair of oppositely inclined surfaces. The surface projected parallel to the axis of the outer end-ridge surfaces is larger than the surface projected parallel to the axis of the dam of the inner end-ridge surfaces and the middle ridge is offset outward, that is into the earth bounding the space, of the end ridges by a distance equal to at least the difference between the sizes of the projections.

Abstract: An apparatus for dosing a fragile bulk material has a supply bin having an inclined wall formed with a throughgoing aperture and a filler for maintaining the supply bin filled with the bulk material up to a level below and not above the aperture. Thus the wall aperture is always above the level of the material. A slider formed with a throughgoing aperture like the wall aperture is slidable along the wall between a lower position with the slider aperture wholly below the material level and out of alignment with the wall aperture and an upper position with the slider aperture above the level and aligned with the wall aperture. An actuator reciprocates the slider between its positions and thereby fills its aperture with a dose of the material in the lower position, moves the dose up above the level while shedding material atop the slider on movement into the upper position, and drops the dose through the wall aperture when in the upper position.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch for use in combination with a door bolt according to this invention has a housing formed with a horizontally open recess in which the bolt is receivable, a latch fork formed with a fork seat and with at least one detent, and a fork pivot on the housing supporting the fork for pivoting between a locked and a semilocked position with the seat directed vertically away from the fork pivot and the bolt engaged in the seat and an unlocked position permitting the bolt to enter and exit seat and recess. An operating plate pivotal on the housing about an axis substantially parallel to the fork pivot carries the pivot of latch pawl which is pivotal on the link plate into and out of a position engaging the detent and thereby retaining the fork in the semilocked position. A motor connected to the operating plate can pivot same about its axis and, when the pawl is engaged with the detent, pivot and fork into the locked position.

Abstract: A vibration damper is used in combinataion with a ski having an upper surface, a turned up front end, a rear end, and a central ski binding on the upper surface. The damper is between 5 cm and 20 cm long and comprises a viscoelastic sheet flatly engaging the upper surface immediately behind the front end, immediately ahead of the rear end, or immediately ahead of the ski binding and a damper plate with a high modulus of elasticity overlying the viscoelastic sheet. The plate is secured atop the sheet on the upper ski surface. The damper is between 10% and 20% of the length of the ski from the rear end of the ski, between 65% and 75% of the length of the ski from the rear end, and/or between 85% and 97% of the length of the ski from the rear end. A 2 m ski normally has a distance of 180 cm between the rear end of the ski and the start of the front upturned end of the ski.

Abstract: A garden chopping/shredding apparatus has a frame provided with an upwardly open intake hopper on the frame having a lower end in which is in turn provided a generally horizontal blade plate and formed about the axis with a plurality of angularly spaced apertures. Respective flat blades carried on the blade plate have cutting edges above the apertures and a plurality of prechopping blades carried on the blade plate projecting upward therefrom have cutting edges inclined upward and inward toward the axis. The drive rotates the plate and the blades in a predetermined direction about the axis so as to define with the cutting edges of the flat blades a generally planar and circular orbit perpendicular to the axis and having an inner periphery offset radially outward from the axis and to define with the cutting edges of the chopping blades an upwardly tapered frustoconical orbit centered on the axis and having a small-diameter upper end and a large-diameter lower end.

Abstract: A cylinder-head gasket comprises a metal core plate having two faces and formed with a plurality of cylinder holes, an annular groove of a predetermined depth around each cylinder hole on one of the plate faces, a plurality of stud holes, and a plurality of lubricant/coolant holes. This plate is normally made of stainless steel, a specialty steel, or a steel with a special surface treatment or coating. A resilient seal normally made of a fluorocarbon or silicone is provided on each of the core-plate faces around the lubricant/coolant holes. A cylinder plate of a thickness greater than the groove depth forms respective cylinder rings of the plate thickness sitting in the grooves around each of the cylinder holes. This cylinder plate is normally of a stainless or specialty steel also.

Abstract: A method of knotting with a clamp adjacent an axis and a two-jaw knotting head rotatable about the axis comprises the steps of first wrapping a strand around an object to be trussed with the strand ends together and gripping and retaining the strand ends together in the clamp with one of the strand end portions passing under the jaws of the knotting head and then upward to the object, the other strand end portion passing over the knotting head between the one end portion and the axis and then downward to the object, and the strand end portions crossing between the knotting head and the object being trussed. Then the knotting head is rotated through less than one full revolution with the jaws closed together to bring the crossing point of the strands onto the jaws and loop the one end portion around the jaws. The jaws are then opened and the head rotated through the balance of the revolution to engage both end portions between the jaws between the clamp and the axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for immobilizing a patient so as to perform on this patient medical and paramedical procedures, in particular x-rays, this apparatus having a holding device that is upwardly open and set up to receive the patient (8) when laying down.It has a rigid, preferably rectangular, oblong base (1) of a material permeable to x-rays, and has sides (3 and 4) that are closed and foldable against the patient, the sides being of a material permeable to x-rays and having the general shape of channels attached to the long edges of the base and of a convexity directed when they are against the patient toward the longitudinal axis of the base, tightening elements (5) permeable to x-rays being also provided to solidly maintain these channels in lateral contact with the patent.

Abstract: The drive apparatus is for rolling mills, especially for those which are subjecting the strip to a heat treating operation in wide-strip rolling-mill trains. The lower drive roll is mounted in the frame, and with reference to the upper drive roll which is connected to the swing arm, so as to be capable of performing adjusting and swinging movements. The respective housings of the lower drive roll are connected to hydraulically operated swing cylinders and position indicator devices. When the pressure control is operative the contact force at the rolls is a function of the prevailing hydraulic pressure. The apparatus also allows automatic zeroing of the drive roll gap.

Abstract: An apparatus for setting the height of a desk chair for a person has a base adapted to stand on the floor, a guide fixed to and extending vertically up from the base, a support vertically slidable in the guide, and a clamp that can arrest the suport in the guide at any of a multiplicity of vertically offset positions therealong. A rigid arm extends horizontally from the support and has an outer end displaceable between a horizontal position nested in the arm and a vertical position depending straight down from the arm outer end and having a lower end 1in to 2in below the outer end of the arm in the vertical position.

Abstract: A pressure-relief valve has a housing forming a chamber extending along an axis and a valve seat centered on the axis and subdividing the chamber into an outer high-pressure compartment and an inner low-pressure compartment. The seat defines generally the only fluid-communication path between the compartments. A pump and a load can be connected to the high-pressure compartment and a sump to the low-pressure compartment. A valve body is formed with a central radially outwardly open main groove, an outer face exposed in the high-pressure compartment, an inner face exposed in the low-pressure compartment, a radially outwardly open control groove offset axially inward from the main groove toward the inner face, and a diametrally throughgoing control bore at the main and control grooves.