Abstract: A vehicle comprises a main body including a firewall having a pair of side rails connected thereto and extending forwardly therefrom. A front bumper beam is secured to the side frames. The bumper beam comprises an elongated box structure having a pair of tubular elements therein in alignment with the pair of side rails. The tubular elements provide additional crush distance in the event of a frontal collision.

Abstract: Emergency springs are disposed within air springs which are used for normally supporting a railway car body. When the air springs fail, the car body is supported by the emergency springs. Each of the emergency springs includes a conventional spring in combination with a pair of angularly disposed springs which changes operating chracteristics when the load is increased.

Abstract: A four passenger automobile frame includes a main platform and an open frame secured thereto for receiving panels thereon. Energy absorbing means are included in pairs of forwardly and rearwardly extending side rails which are connected from the platform to front and rear bumpers.

Abstract: A main tubular support structure extends along the length of a plurality of curved solar panels. Integral support sheet members are curved to receive the panels on one side. The opposite side of the sheet members include projecting sections welded to the tubular structure.

Abstract: Digital information is encoded prior to storage for minimizing the space required for storage of the digital information. The data is compared with prior received data such as to detect repetition. When repetition is detected, a code indication of the period of repetition and the duration of repetition is inserted in the stored data. Information is restored utilizing decoding networks responsive to the inserted codes which cause reinsertion of the repetitions.

Abstract: A first set of selectively movable platens are disposed at a fixed station to receive a container therein to provide shoring of the external surfaces of the container. A second set of selectively movable platens are disposed to provide shoring of the internal surfaces of the container. Expandible and retractable slat members connect the upper corner portions of the second set of platens so that when these platens expand, the slat members provide internal shoring at the inside corners of the container.

Abstract: A hitch mechanism connected to a freight car is disposed to receive a king pin of a trailer to be carried by the car. The hitch mechanism is adapted to be selectively opened to receive the king pin therein and then closed by a lever to secure the king pin in place. A latch mechanism automatically locks the hitch mechanism in a closed position after the hitch mechanism is closed. A manual operation of the latch mechanism is required before the hitch mechanism can be opened.

Abstract: A source of relatively high air pressure is connected to a pressure regulator which provides a lower relatively uniform predetermined pressure to a plurality of tires on wheels of a vehicle. If the pressure in any one of the tires drop below the others, the pressure from the regulator automatically brings it up to the uniform pressure.

Abstract: Transfer apparatus is adapted to receive a mechanical part from a die and transfer it to a subsequent die. The apparatus may be movably aligned in place and includes means for aligning the part received from the first die and position it to permit transfer to the subsequent die.

Abstract: A support structure for supporting a plurality of solar reflectors include a truss structure having a plurality of bar elements welded together to provide strength and rigidity. Longitudinal connector elements are connected to the truss element to permit attachment to the aligned closely disposed reflector panels. A receiver element with means for compensating for dimensional changes is also attached to the support structure. A pedestal disposed at each end of the support structure is adapted to receive and hold the truss structure with the attached panels and receiver. The entire support structure is adapted to be rotatable in the pedestal structure about 360.degree..

Abstract: A water ski formed of molded upper and lower shells made of sheet molding compound which have mating and overlapping flanges around the entire perimeter of the shells which are bonded together to form a buoyancy chamber. In one embodiment, the chamber is filled with polymerized foam and in another embodiment longitudinally extending ribs are formed to maintain the upper and lower surfaces of the shells in spaced relationship to each other.

Abstract: A magnetic fingerprint dusting brush comprising a handle (10) incorporating a projecting magnet (14) at one end, and a powder cartridge which is a push fit onto the handle, said cartridge comprising a shroud (16), which includes an inner blind sleeve (18) which extends coaxially from an inner cylindrical sleeve (20) of larger diameter, whereby the section (18) receives the magnet (14) and section (20) receives the lower end of the handle (10) when the cartridge is fitted in place on the handle, and a cap (24) which assembles with the shroud (16) to form a reservoir around the shrouded magnet containing a measured quantity of ferrous powder particles (26) carrying dusting powder which align on the shrouded magnet to form a bristle like array (28) exposed when the cap (24) is removed.

Abstract: An anti-locking system controls the service braking pressure for controlling the application of pneumatic braking pressure applied to a wheel vehicle. A valve responsive to the speed of the wheel causes actuation of a fluid pulse generator to generate fluid pulses of predetermined amplitudes and frequency to switch the braking pressure on and off when the vehicle wheel becomes locked.

Abstract: A first set of selectively movable platens are disposed at a fixed station to receive a container therein to provide shoring of the external surfaces of the container. A second set of selectively movable platens to provide shoring of the internal surfaces of the container are attached to a movable assembly which is normally disposed on a support platform at a second station. The assembly is selectively moved off and on the support platform in and out of the container to bring the second set of platens into alignment with the interior surfaces of the container.

Abstract: A secondary suspension system includes a pair of air springs connected between the bolster of a truck and the car body. The air springs are disposed at angles extending inwardly from opposite ends of the bolster towards the center of the car body to provide both vertical and lateral suspension for the car body.

Abstract: A fastener for retaining two adjacent edges of a pair of panels against the surface of a structure includes a head with an eccentrically disposed stem extending therefrom. A flange section around the stem is spaced from the head. Projecting sections extend from the stem below the flange. The projecting sections extend through an opening in the surface of the structure and retains the fastener therein.

Abstract: A wire bonding machine for wedge bonding fine wires to semiconductor devices is provided with a rotating bonding head which is mounted on a fixed machine frame and having a X-Y table mounted on the fixed machine frame opposite a vertically movable bonding tool mounted on the rotating bonding head. The bonding head is provided with means for articulating the bonding tool in a vertical direction and in a rotational direction. The rotational movement of the novel bonding head does not impart vertical movement to the bonding tool.

Abstract: A guard beam is disposed below the bottom of the rear end of a trailer or truck. Energy absorbing members are connected between the trailer and the guard beam. When impact forces applied to the guard beam exceed predetermined minimum levels, the guard beam collapses and energy is absorbed in the absorbing members during the collapse of the beam.

Abstract: The output signal of a voltage-controlled oscillator of a phase-locked loop has its phase compared with the phase of incoming data in a phase detector producing a first signal. This first signal is then passed through a non-inverting amplifier to produce an amplified signal of the same polarity. The first signal is also passed through an inverting amplifier otherwise similar to the non-inverting amplifier to produce an amplified signal of opposite polarity. The inverted and non-inverted amplified signals are then filtered in respective low pass filter circuits and combined differentially in an amplifier which produces an error voltage for the voltage-controlled oscillator. Differential combining of the inverted and non-inverted amplified signals eliminates undesired D.C. voltage components caused by temperature drifts and the like by mutually cancelling such components while effectively doubling the amplitude of the desired error voltage.