Abstract: A hand held, electronically controlled soldering instrument in which the electronic control module is placed several feet along the power cord away from the tool utilizes the power cord leads to measure the resistance of the heater element during each inflection point of the AC input power. The resistance magnitude is used to provide a signal which is a function of the temperature of the heater element. This signal, in turn, is used to control the electric current to the heater element. This arrangement thermally isolates the heater element and the sensitive electronic control circuit and also removes the heat generating circuitry from the handle of the soldering tool. The handle is further cooled by minimizing the heat flow from the heater element to the handle and by using conductors in the power cord as heat sinks to remove heat from the base end of the heater element shaft.

Abstract: A hand held, spring actuated, vacuum desoldering implement is disclosed having a tubular body and a forward end cap portion thereof. The end cap has a central bore for removeably retaining a small, tubular Teflon nozzle element. The rear end of the nozzle element is formed with an increased diameter retainer collar portion to limit its forward and outward disposition within the end cap bore. The nozzle element is provided with an annular, O-ring retaining groove disposed axially contiguously to the forward end of the end cap; and an O-ring is disposed therein to retain in cooperation with its retainer collar, the nozzle element within the end cap portion. The outer diameter of the nozzle is less than that of the end cap bore whereby the nozzle element is provided with a nutational freedom of movement about its rear retaining collar connection with the end cap, this motion being cushioned and limited by compressing the O-ring laterally.

Abstract: A vacuum booster and filter, including a manifold having at least two nipples which connect, respectively, to a vacuum source and at least one vacuum utilization device. The latter may either be a vacuum-operated holding fixture or a vacuum-operated desoldering instrument. The booster itself includes a manifold with two or four nipples which may either extend laterally or upwardly. The booster also includes a hollow cylinder connected to the manifold by a narrower neck portion. A piston is disposed in the cylinder which is urged away from the manifold by a compression spring. Hence, when the vacuum pump is operating to pull out air from the vacuum utilization device, the air is partially stored in the vacuum booster and tends to urge the piston downwardly. The air that can be stored in the booster depends on the area of the booster multiplied by the spring force. The compressible filter of cylindrical form may be housed in the manifold and may consist of two parts, one of which acts as a spring.

Abstract: An electronic control circuit for controlling the power applied to an electronic component such as a heater element or an electric winding for a motor. This is effected by measuring variations of the resistance of the component caused by the power flow therethrough. In a preferred form, the circuit has two operational amplifiers, one of which is a voltage comparator and summing amplifier to sum various signals, one being representative of the resistance of the component, the other amplifier operating as a monostable multivibrator. The component, which may be an electric heater for energizing through a switch controlled by the second amplifier. The resistance measurement is effected during the inflection point of the applied AC voltage. The heater is then energized for a full wave of the AC input. During every inflection point the resistance measurement is updated. A modification of the circuit includes a second heater disposed closely adjacent to the object to be heated to serve as an anticipatory circuit.

Abstract: A tip assembly for a desoldering instrument, which features a replacable tip. The tip assembly itself includes a tip housing which houses the replaceable tip and a spacer bushing. Screwed into the tip housing is an end cap against which the spacer bushing bears. The replaceable tip preferably consists of Teflon; that is, polytetrafluoroethylene resin. The Teflon may be substantially pure Teflon which has the advantage that it releases solder readily, or it may consist of a conductive Teflon, filled or mixed, for example, with carbon, which makes it conductive and provides an anti-static feature. The tip housing extends very closely to the outer end of the tip, to provide a heat sink and to provide electrical conduction. Alternatively, the tip may be relatively long and extend substantially through the bore of the tip housing. It is surrounded by a spacer bushing of pure Teflon.

Abstract: A combination tip wrench and stand which is particularly designed for use with a soldering or desoldering instrument, but having other uses. Basically the tip wrench is of generally U-shape, consisting of a top wall and two side walls, preferably of sheet metal. The instrument has a first, a second, and a third width of successively smaller dimensions, the largest width being at one end. The top wall extends only from the second width and is provided with a first U-shaped opening. The other end also has a second U-shaped opening in the top wall, thus forming a first, a second, and a third wrench. Near the third U-shaped opening is a portion normal to the top wall and the side walls and integral therewith and having a circular opening to extend, for example, a soldering tip therethrough, while its nut can be unscrewed by engagement with the side walls. The instrument also includes a pair of legs which in their folded position extend over the smallest width of the tip wrench.

Abstract: A storage system for housing parts such as product packaging parts. The system includes a modular plurality of housings and a drawer for each housing. Each housing includes a top wall and two parallel side walls. The top wall has a plurality of alignment slots adjacent its side walls and alignment tabs extending along the lower portion of the side walls and registering with alignment slots of a housing disposed thereabove. Further, each housing has a recess on its top wall extending through a major portion of its length and a lateral rail extending opposite the recess from a side wall and arranged to fit the recess of a laterally adjacent housing. Alignment slots on the rail permit to interconnect lateral adjacent housings. Each drawer has a bottom wall and two side walls, as well as a front and rear wall. A handle is disposed on the front wall for removably inserting or withdrawing the drawer into or from one of the housings.

Abstract: A hot air soldering and resoldering system may include means for also generating a jet of room-temperature or cold air. The hot air jet issues from a jet tip having an axial bore. The air is heated by a heater element and closed in a conventional heater sleeve. Surrounding the heater sleeve is a retainer sleeve to form a large preheating chamber. The jet tip is provided with a tip assembly sleeve which extends between the heater sleeve and the retainer sleeve but is substantially shorter than the retainer sleeve. A heating chamber is formed between the heater sleeve and the tip assembly sleeve which is connected to the bore through the tip. The temperature control disposed in the handle of the instrument. Also, the air flow is controlled. This will provide a jet of hot air which may be used for liquifying a small amount of solder and hence can be used for soldering and resoldering.

Abstract: Various electronic circuits are disclosed for controlling the temperature of an object by means of a resistive heating element. Some of the circuits include a digital display for displaying the actual temperature A plurality of different temperature sensors may be used, such, for example, as a resistive sensor, a thermocouple or a thermistor. The sensor may either have a positive or a negative temperature coefficient. Since most of the sensors are not strictly linear, different means are disclosed for compensating for their nonlinearity. Some of the control circuits feature a proportional control to which may be added an anticipatory control. Less sophisticated and more inexpensive circuits simply provide an on-off control.

Abstract: A storage system for housing parts such as product packaging parts. The system includes a modular plurality of housings and a drawer for each housing. Each housing includes a top wall and two parallel side walls. The top wall has a plurality of alignment slots adjacent its side walls and alignment tabs extending along the lower portion of the side walls and registering with alignment slots of a housing disposed thereabove. Further, each housing has a recess on its top wall extending through a major portion of its length, and a lateral rail extending opposite the recess from a side wall and arranged to fit the recess of a laterally adjacent housing. Alignment slots on the rail permit to interconnect lateral adjacent housing. Each drawer has a bottom wall and two side walls, as well as a front and rear wall. Each drawer has a downwardly extending front portion for readily holding the drawer and pulling it out. This portion of the drawer handle is also provided with a lock for locking the drawer to its housing.

Abstract: A pair of tweezers specifically designed for removing DIP (dual in-line pins) components or other electronic components from a circuit board. To this end, the tweezers include a pair of legs secured together at the top portion and having a sharply inwardly bent end portion formed with claws for engaging the pins of a DIP component. Near the curved ends of the tweezers there may be provided a bumper for each leg extending through an opening in the leg. The bumper serves the purpose to hold the DIP component between the curved end portions and the bumpers. A sliding clamp is provided which is of general U-shape and provided with an elongated slit. The clamp may be secured by a knurled nut extending through an opening in the legs of the tweezers. Hence, the clamp may be slid downwardly of the legs to squeeze them together. Thus, the opening between the jaws may be adjusted to the size of the component to be removed.

Abstract: A Magnus effect windmill for generating electrical power is disclosed. A large nacelle-hub mounted pivotally (in Azimuth) atop a support tower carries, in the example disclosed, three elongated barrels arranged in a vertical plane and extending symmetrically radially outwardly from the nacelle. The system provides spin energy to the barrels by internal mechanical coupling in the proper sense to cause, in reaction to an incident wind, a rotational torque of a predetermined sense on the hub. The rotating hub carries a set of power take-off rollers which ride on a stationary circular track in the nacelle. Shafts carry the power, given to the rollers by the wind driven hub, to a central collector or accumulator gear assembly whose output is divided to drive the spin mechanism for the Magnus barrels and the main electric generator.

Abstract: A composite window for a vehicle entrance door includes means for affording a downward view while the door is closed. The window includes an outer pane having two substantially parallel plane surfaces, an inner pane having a plane surface facing the outer pane and spaced therefrom. The opposite surface is formed with a prism which extends either partly or entirely over its surface. Additionally, the opposite surface of the inner pane may be provided with a concave surface forming a concave lens which enhances the effect of the prism.

Abstract: A liquid dispenser includes a conventional syringe of the type having a piston, a piston rod, an actuating knob disposed in a cylinder, and a needle extending from the cylinder. The invention consists of a needle assembly therefor which includes a cap, a sleeve slidable on the needle and a retainer cap interconnecting the two. The cap is used for closing the needle to preserve the liquid and prevent spillage. The needle is provided with an inner coupler which may consist of two slightly spaced beads fixed to the needle near the end thereof. There is also provided an outer coupler into which may be fitted an extension tube by means of another inner coupler of the same construction as the first one. The inner coupler may be so mounted on the needle that its extension tube is housed in the inner needle, or it may be reversed so that the extension tube extends from the inner needle to extend the point at which the liquid is dispensed.

Abstract: A heavy duty, pneumatic or manually operable hand-held desoldering tool. The tool comprises a hollow cylindrical large size barrel. There is further provided a hollow plunger loading cylinder and a plunger assembly removably mounted on the plunger loading cylinder. A plunger loading member is concentric with the plunger loading cylinder and includes a hollow cylinder slidable within the loading cylinder. A plunger loading guide is disposed concentric with and partially surrounding the plunger loading cylinder. Spring means are disposed in the plunger loading cylinder for urging the loading member outwardly and away from the loading cylinder. Trigger means are connected to the barrel and externally actuable for locking the plunger loading cylinder in its cocked, loaded position and for releasing it. Heavy duty spring means are disposed in the barrel and are retained between the plunger and the rear end of the barrel for rapidly returning the plunger rearwards upon release of the trigger means.