Abstract: Each end of a flexible non-metallic band to be attached to a wrist watch case is divided into two terminal tabs by a central longitudinal slit through the folded-over end portion of the band, the length of the slit being sufficient to permit the tabs when spread apart to fit between more or less widely spaced band-attaching lugs on watch cases and so that when moved toward each other they will engage and fit between such lugs when closely spaced, a rigid bushing being inserted in a tunnel formed by the folded-over end portion of each of the tabs; extending through the bushings is a coiled wire spring having end portions which extend into said bushings and are biased to force said bushings and terminal tabs apart sufficiently to fit between widely spaced lugs and said spring yielding to permit the terminal tabs to fit between lugs which are closer, the portion of the spring exposed between the terminal tabs, when said latter are spread apart, being tightly wound turn against turn, the tabs being attached to th

Abstract: A finger-held and operated small seed dispenser has a seed container having one open end through which the container may receive the seeds to be dispensed, the open end being closed by a removable spout through which the seeds may pass; a seed dispensing rod extends through said container and the spout and beyond the enclosed end and there has a fingerpiece, said rod having a cylindrical portion that normally closes the open end of the spout against the escape of the seeds until the rod is finger operated, the rod having a longitudinal groove for the passage of the seeds and a transverse groove to facilitate the entrance of the seeds into the longitudinal groove.

Abstract: The liquid dispenser disclosed herein comprises two telescoping sleeves, one sleeve having a base portion to be mounted on the mouth of a container and the other sleeve forming an actuator having a discharge aperture, and a pump unit sandwiched between said sleeves and having a pump cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder and having a tubular piston rod connected to the spray nozzle of the actuator, and a return spring between said pump cylinder and said actuator, said spring being isolated from the liquid being pumped. The pump unit may be assembled by machine and can be tested for leakage, prime retention and operability before being inserted between the telescoping base and actuator parts, the pump unit having as a unitary part thereof a dip tube adapter to extend into the container from which the liquid is to be dispensed. The pump unit, being self-contained, may be used with various base portions designed to be mounted on container necks of different diameters.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a diaphragm-operated gas regulator in which the diaphragm and valve operating means are protected against being damaged when subjected to excessive force resulting from excessively high pressure in the gas chamber of the regulator due to malfunctioning of the regulator.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein an electrical extension cable unit in which the portion of the flexible cable extending from the plug is surrounded by strain-relieving means comprising a contractible sleeve of stiff interlaced wires, the ends of which are clamped to the plug, said wires being sufficiently stiff to resist sharp bending of the cable adjacent its connection to the plug. In the event of the socket for the plug being connected to a flexible power-carrying cable, the latter is also surrounded by a like strain-relieving, sharp bending resistant sleeve secured to the receptacle for the plug.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a gas pressure regulator having valve means for stopping the flow of gas downstream through the regulator when the pressure of the incoming gas is higher or lower than predetermined acceptable values even though acceptable pressure is subsequently restored, and manually operated means for resetting the valve means after it is determined that the pressure of the gas flowing to the inlet of the regulator has returned to said predetermined acceptable values, provision being made for maintaining a high pressure shut-off valve closed until manually opened even though pressure of gas in the regulator returns to acceptable pressure.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a gas pressure regulator having valve means for stopping the flow of gas downstream through the regulator when the pressure of the incoming gas is higher or lower than predetermined acceptable values even though acceptable pressure is subsequently restored, and manually operated means for resetting the valve means after it is determined that the pressure of the gas flowing to the inlet of the regulator has returned to said predetermined acceptable values, provision being made for maintaining a high pressure shutoff valve closed even though pressure of gas in the regulator returns to acceptable pressure by manually operable means not accessible to inexperienced persons.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein methods and apparatus for proof testing fluid meters, particularly gas meters of the positive displacement, diaphragm-operated type in which the number of cycles of operations of the valve mechanism of the meter is used as a factor in proving the accuracy of the meter, the number of said cycles being determined by sensing a series of pressure waveforms in the test gas entering and leaving the diaphragm chambers of the meter, which waveforms are characteristic of the particular meter being tested and occur in each cycle and reoccurring cycle of operation of the meter when operating, detecting a characteristic waveform in each series of waveforms amplifying and shaping the characteristic waveform and counting a predetermined number of cycles of said waveforms and comparing the volume of test gas which has passed through the meter as measured by a meter prover with the amount that should have passed during that predetermined number of cycles of operations of the meter.

Abstract: There is disclosed a spindle unit for machine tools in which the spindle is rotated by a change speed mechanism comprising a drive sleeve splined and slidable axially in the spindle and a gear shift sleeve slidable with the drive sleeve and having a bull gear adapted in one position to engage a driving gear driven by a motor and in another axial position to cause a clutch element to engage a companion clutch element connected to a pulley also driven by the motor. There are pneumatic means for moving the sleeve to cause the bull gear to disengage said drive gear to free the spindle for independent hand rotation when setting up or adjusting the mechanism. The spindle driving means includes gear shift means to cause the drive sleeve and spindle to selectively rotate at high speed, low speed or be in neutral.

Abstract: There is disclosed a spindle unit for machine tools in which there is a spring operated drawbar in the spindle having finger hooks for engaging the adapter of a toolholder for drawing the latter into a tapered socket at the nose of the spindle with means for locking the finger hooks in engagement with the toolholder adapter and automatically operated means for relieving the pressure of the hooks against the toolholder adapter and providing push rod means to cause the finger hooks to move clear of the adapter and apply a force to the toolholder so that the latter, with the tool carried thereby, may be removed from the spindle socket. The spindle is advanced toward the work and retracted therefrom by a tubular quill provided with a helical groove to cooperate with a ball-nut means formed integrally with a pulley which is connected by a timing belt driven by a pulley on the shaft of a stepper motor, the advancement of the spindle depending on the number of step-like movements of the motor.

Abstract: There are disclosed herein methods for transporting a toolholder between a tool storage rack and a machine tool spindle which include the steps of, in one continuous operation, causing a tool carrier to remove a toolholder from said storage rack and transport the toolholder to the position of the machine tool spindle, causing the tool carrier to be raised to and deposit the toolholder in the spindle, causing the tool carrier while still raised to disengage the toolholder and return to a position remote from the spindle. After the work has been performed by the toolholder, in one continuous operation, advancing the tool carrier to the spindle to engage the toolholder, causing the tool carrier to descend to withdraw the toolholder from the spindle, then be raised and return the toolholder to the storage rack, said reverse operations being caused by reversing the direction of operation of means for supplying power to said tool carrier.

Abstract: There is disclosed a tool storage and changing mechanism comprising a rotatable table tool rack having radial sockets to removably hold toolholders, a horizontal arm, forming a track between the tool rack and the machine spindle, carries a mechanical hand having a forked end to receive from the rack and hold a selected toolholder and carry it to and from the spindle. Assuming that the work with the toolholder has been performed, the empty hand travels to the spindle where, without vertical movement of the arm, the hand grasps the toolholder in the spindle which then releases the toolholder. The arm and hand then descend to withdraw the toolholder from the spindle, after which the arm rises again and the carriage travels back to the rack and deposits the toolholder in its rack socket.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein an abrasive article having a cylindrical body formed of cellular plastic material having on its bottom surface a layer of abrasive material, such as used for sanding or scouring surfaces, the body being shaped to fit on the palm of a user's hand and being tall enough so that the fingers of the hand using the article cannot conveniently extend below the bottom of the body, the body being resiliently compressible so as to be indented by the user's fingers when firmly gripping the article, and the abrasive material being secured directly to the bottom surface of the body or being carried by paper or cloth which is adhesively secured to the bottom surface of the body. The top of the body may have a layer of mop-like fibrous material which acts as a cushion for the user's hand and may be used to remove dust from the article being sanded or scoured.

Abstract: There is disclosed a gas pressure regulator having valving means comprising an orifice sleeve slidably mounted in a bushing which is located in an aperture in a dividing wall in the regulator casing located between the inlet and outlet means of the regulator, for movement toward and from a stationary upstream valve seat carried by the bushing to regulate the flow of fuel gas from the inlet through the regulator to the outlet thereof. To monitor the flow of gas through the meter the bushing has a valve seat adapted to be engaged by a valve operated by a valve stem to control the pressure of the gas at the outlet of the regulator and to shut off the flow of gas into the diaphragm chamber when the pressure of the gas exceeds a predetermined value and the regulating valve for some cause fails to stop the flow of gas.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a gas pressure regulator having valve means for stopping the flow of gas downstream through the regulator when the pressure of the incoming gas is lower than a predetermined acceptable value even though acceptable pressure is subsequently restored, and a unique method and means, generally not available for use by unauthorized persons, adapted to be manually operated for resetting the valve means after it is determined that the pressure of the gas flowing to the inlet of the regulator has returned to said predetermined acceptable value.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a toolholder for use in machine tools, particularly those of the type having means for automatically changing tools according to a predetermined plan, the toolholder being transported from a tool rack to a spindle for use and being returned to the tool rack when it has served its purpose. The toolholder has two flanges forming two annular grooves, one groove shaped to receive holding means on the tool rack and the other groove shaped to receive the edges of a socket in the tool transporting means; one flange having a single peripheral keyway to receive a key on the tool rack to maintain the circular orientation of the toolholder and tool therein when being stored on the rack and the other flange having two usually diametrically placed slots, one to engage a driving key on the spindle with which the tool is used, and the other to be engaged by a key on the carrier by which the tool and toolholder is transported to and from the spindle, said keys serving to maintain the desired 360.

Abstract: There is shown herein an improved means for safely storing articles in motor vehicles comprising a box-like receptacle having a lockable upholstered cover to function as an armrest, the receptacle being mounted on the back support for the backrest cushion of a bench-type motor vehicle seat, particularly the front seat of a passenger automobile, where it is conveniently available to the driver and the passenger seated on the front seat. The receptacle is pivotally mounted on the back support and is upholstered on its bottom and exposed end surfaces so that it may be swung upwardly and lie in a cavity provided in the backrest to receive it. The cover is so pivotally mounted on the receptacle that it will be automatically closed and concealed from access when the receptacle is swung into the backrest. When in lowered, i.e., horizontal position, the cover of the receptacle may serve as a seat for a small child.

Abstract: A camper trailer adapted to be converted from a retracted, trailable condition in which it has normal length and width and reduced height which does not obstruct the rear view of the driver of the towing vehicle and a power-erected, livable condition in which it has normal length and height and expanded width whereby the amount of living space within the erected camper is increased substantially over the amount of living space available in a camper trailer having the corresponding normal length, width and height. A feature of the invention involves the provision of extension assemblies which are mounted in each side of the camper trailer and are slidable to an extended position to increase the width of the camper and substantially increase the living space therewithin.