Abstract: An abnormal tire profile indicating system comprising a telemetry unit mounted on each wheel of a vehicle and a central receiver. Each telemetry unit comprises a piezoelectric transducer which is deflected with each wheel revolution when the tire profile is low. Deflecting the transducer produces an electric pulse. The transducer pulses are accumulated on a charge storage capacitor to provide a power supply. When the level of charge on the capacitor reaches a predetermined level, a counter commences counting the transducer pulses. When a predetermined number of pulses are counted, the counter renders a transistor conductive, which transistor connects the power supply capacitor to an encoder and a transmitter. The encoder produces encoded signals and resets the counter after a predetermined number of encoder signals are produced. The central receiver receives the modulated radio signals from each of the telemetry units.

Abstract: A ball joint construction having a ball-stud member with a ball portion and a shank portion and an open-ended socket member into which the ball portion is inserted. An elastomeric covering is permanently bonded to both the ball member and a part of the shank portion to provide increased bond life and strength and then deformed for inserting in the open end of the socket thereby resiliently interconnecting the socket and ball members. An additional rib or lip of elastomer is provided on the covering of the ball adjacent the shank which collapses into a continuous multiple curved pattern during insertion into the socket. The rib provides for increased life of the elastomer by improved surface tension parameters and also keeps stones and other debris out of the open-ended portion of the socket. A further bonding between the socket and elastomer after insertion provides a completely bonded system capable of accepting very substantial angular movement without slippage or pullout.

Abstract: Elongated cylindrical workpieces are transported by gripping same between a driven belt and a supporting surface. The belt imparts rotation to the workpieces for rolling same along the supporting surface.

Abstract: A metal composite comprising a substrate having a uniformly, mildly etched surface of an aluminum alloy, e.g. an alloy, consisting of at least about 99 wt. % aluminum, and the balance comprising specified quantities of silicon, iron, copper, manganese and zinc, and a uniformly adhering, electrocathodically deposited copper foil. The resulting peel strength between the aluminum alloy surface and the copper foil, after lamination of the composite to a resinous substrate under heat and pressure is within the range of from about 6 to about 8 lbs./in. of width of copper foil. This can be reduced to a value within the range of about 0.3 to about 2 lbs./in. of width by overplating the copper foil with a layer of zinc or indium. The resinous substrate may be a glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin, such as is used in the manufacture of printed circuit boards.

Abstract: Elongated pipes are internally peeled by positioning a machining head within the pipe while providing relative rotational and longitudinal movement between the pipe and machining head. An external clamping force is applied to the pipe generally radially of its longitudinal axis and in substantial alignment with the machining head for minimizing vibration of the pipe during the machining operation.

Abstract: Internal cyclindrical surfaces are machined with a machining head movable longitudinally along the internal surface. The machining head carries at least one cutting tool having a cutting edge and a chip deflecting surface positioned for deflecting metal chips toward the trailing end of the machining head.

Abstract: A thin film strain gage is deposited on a flexure beam under controlled deposition conditions such that the dielectric parts thereof are normally in a compressive state. During use, when the strain gage is flexed in a manner tending to place parts thereof in tension, the dielectric parts are instead maintained either in compression, which is their more resistant state against mechanical fracture, or only in slight tension. Specifically, the dielectric films are deposited by sputtering with the substrate negatively biased, with the deposition rate and substrate temperature maintained at predetermined levels for enhancing compressive deposition.

Abstract: A quick disconnect coupling comprising a female coupling and a male coupling is provided with shrouding around the valves of the couplings. The female coupling includes a poppet slidably mounted within a shroud, and fluid can flow freely between the shroud and the poppet so that the poppet will close quickly when the couplings are disconnected. The male coupling includes a ball valve mounted within the shroud, and fluid can flow freely between the shroud and the ball so that the ball will close quickly when the couplings are disconnected. The elongated parts of the poppet of the female coupling and the shroud of the male coupling are formed from deep drawn sheet metal.

Abstract: A push-to-connect fitting for sealed connection to a synthetic resin tube end. The fitting includes a body, an eyelet, a nut threadedly connected to the body, and a radially constrictible sleeve for retaining the tube end effectively positively within the fitting. The fitting is arranged to be connected to the tube end by a coaxial insertion of the tube end into the fitting with the tube end being received between the sleeve and the eyelet in moving to the fully inserted position. The sleeve is provided with annular gripping portions, one of which is slidably engaged by the tube end as it is inserted into the fitting. The one tube portion is arranged to be mechanically interlocked with the tube end as a result of an outward movement of the tube end from the fully inserted position whereupon the sleeve is concurrently urged axially outwardly with the tube end.

Abstract: A service tool structure for effecting improved, simplified removal and installation of end fitting gaskets, adjustment of the adjustable valve depressor, and storage of spare gaskets and depressor elements. The tool structure is arranged to provide a partial installation of the gasket in the hose coupling with a first projection portion thereof and a completion of the installation of the gasket therein by a second projection portion thereof. The first projection portion may be further arranged to define structure for effecting adjustment of the valve depressor, the gasket being arranged to fit coaxially about the valve depressor adjusting structure. A threaded third projection portion of the tool structure is arranged to be threaded into the installed gasket so as to provide a sufficiently secure connection thereto to permit withdrawal of the gasket from the hose coupling as in replacement of the gasket.

Abstract: An improved battery plate comprises a grid or web of woven non-conductive material having lead metal or other electrically conductive material wires as some of the weft and possibly some of the warp threads. By alternately applying positive and negative active materials at laterally spaced locations across a wide web of such material and gathering portions of lead wires to form terminals, plate pairs are produced which are joined by a length of woven material of suitable strength for supporting the plates in a battery. Thus, pure lead metal wires may be used for improved electro-chemical properties, while simultaneously a great reduction in plate weight is achieved. A method of making such plates is also disclosed.

Abstract: A readily etchable printed circuit board is provided which comprises a resinous substrate having bonded to at least one surface thereof a composite metal structure. This metal structure includes a layer of copper foil having opposed first and second surfaces and a thin layer of nickel having opposed first and second surfaces with one of the surfaces of the copper foil being bonded to one of the surfaces of the nickel layer and the opposite opposed surface of the nickel layer being bonded to the resinous substrate with the nickel layer containing an effective amount of sulfur to render the copper foil and the nickel barrier layer mutually etchable, i.e., etchable by the same etchant. The preferred amount of sulfur ranges from about 0.05 to about 10.0 weight percent.

Abstract: A process is provided for electrodepositing a covering layer of lead-tin on the surface of a bearing structure formed by co-electrodepositing lead, copper and tin which process comprises providing a metallic substrate; placing said metallic substrate in an electroplating bath containing lead ions, tin ions and copper ions; passing electrical current through said bath to deposit a layer of lead-tin-copper on the surface of said substrate; removing said so-plated substrate from said bath; subjecting said so-plated substrate to an aqueous rinsing media to remove electrolyte drag-out from said plating bath from the said plated substrate; bring said aqueous rinse media into contact with a metal selected from the group consisting of lead, tin and alloys thereof for a period of time sufficient to cause copper ions in said media to be replaced by ions of said metal and said copper ions to deposit as copper metal on the remainder of said metal; placing said rinsed substrate in an electroplating bath which is essential

Abstract: A new packaging method and apparatus for positively nesting at least one workpiece in a base member comprised of permanently deformable material such as cellular urethane foam. The base member is electrostatically neutralized, cleaned and then moved onto a rotating table-like arrangement defining a circular work path and which is adapted to be selectively indexed between a plurality of individual work stations. Disposed above the work path and selectively movable toward and away therefrom is a frame member. This frame member advantageously includes individual work performing means at spaced intervals therearound adapted to be placed in operative association with selected ones of the work stations in order to achieve the desired workpiece nesting in the base member. These work performing means may facilitate various aligning, performing, compression nesting and ejection operations in any sequence which may be desired and/or necessary to accommodate different workpiece types and styles.

Abstract: A process is provided for plating a composite structure which includes one surface composed of an aluminum base metal and another surface composed of a ferrous base metal with a thin adherent layer of tin or an alloy of tin.

Abstract: An improved copper electroplating method typically for use on a carrier material such as aluminum is provided by pretreating of the carrier surface and electrodepositing copper foil utilizing a single-step copper plating process comprising an acidic plating bath containing copper, nitrate, and fluoride ions which can be operated at a single-current density.

Abstract: A self powered tire condition indicator system is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of wheel mounted transmitting assemblies which communicate by a radio frequency transmission to a receiver located within the operator compartment of a vehicle. Each of the transmitting assemblies generates its own transmitting power by converting the mechanical compression of a flat tire into electrical energy. The electrical energy is used to generate an intermittent characteristic tone associated with a deflated tire condition by the frequency modulation of a carrier.

Abstract: A machine having a folding channel for wrapping blanks of packaging material about substantially rectangular objects that are advanced through the folding channel by a sliding ram. The blanks are introduced across the channel in front of the object before it is moved, and movable folding means are positioned at the output of the folding channel to complete the wrapping. By providing for selective relative positioning of the blank feeder and the movable folding means in conjunction with an appropriate change in the stroke of the ram, a wide variety of object sizes are efficiently accommodated.

Abstract: A feed channel for elongated workpieces including a plurality of adjustable workpiece receiving openings. Each opening is formed by a plurality of profiled segments including a fixed segment and at least one movable segment. The movable segments are movable to expose the openings for lateral introduction thereinto of an elongated workpiece. The movable segments are then moved to reduce the size of the openings and engage the workpiece for at least partially straightening same. The movable segments are then moved to increase the size of the openings for providing longitudinal and rotational movement of the workpiece relative to the openings. Workpieces are smoothly carried into the feed channel instead of being rolled or dropped thereinto. The fixed segments are positioned and profiled for locating the longitudinal axes of various diameter workpieces in the same plane.

Abstract: Peeling apparatus includes opposite clamping devices engageable with opposite ends of a workpiece for carrying same longitudinally through a cutter head. Support bearings for the clamping devices are located on opposite sides of the cutter head, and are longitudinally movable for maintaining same as close as possible to the workpiece end faces. This minimizes the length of the clamping devices between the support bearings and the workpiece end faces, and thereby reduces vibrations. The support bearings include hydrostatic support devices transversely engaging the clamping devices to minimize vibration by eliminating transverse play between the parts.