Abstract: A belt tensioning device for an endless drive belt for a vehicle accessories drive system. A sheet metal bracket is adapted to be mounted on an engine adjacent the drive belt and has a lever plate pivotally mounted thereon. An idler pulley is rotatably mounted on the lever plate and is adapted to be moved in a belt tensioning direction for engagement with the drive belt. A coil spring is mounted on the bracket and is engaged with the lever plate biasing the lever plate and pulley in the belt tensioning direction. A series of ratchet teeth is provided in the lever plate and is engaged by a detent which is mounted on the bracket and formed of a strip of spring steel. The spring steel detent-ratchet teeth engagement retards movement of the lever plate in a direction opposite to belt tensioning direction. Also the detent will bow outwardly due to the resiliency thereof while retarding the reverse movement of the lever plate to provide a damping effect on the belt engaging pulley.

Abstract: An improved caulking gun has a usual semicylindrical frame with a disc-shaped rear wall and a split front wall. A handle and trigger mechanism is mounted on the rear of the frame for advancing a plunger forwardly within the tube to discharge caulking material from the tube through the spout. A guide channel is mounted on and extends along the bottom of the frame and curves upwardly along and is spaced from the split front end. A flat strip of flexible metal is slidably mounted in the channel and has a front cutting edge which cuts partially through the plastic spout when a new tube is placed in the frame. The outer end of the metal strip blocks the flow of caulking material from the spout. A lever is pivotally mounted on the guide channel and is engaged with the metal strip for moving the strip between a flow-blocking position and an open material-discharge position.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a sheet metal pulley from a cup-shaped blank in a single hydraulic forming operation. A pair of die holding members supports a plurality of groove-forming inner dies and is movably mounted on a base for horizontal reciprocal movement between open and closed die positions for capturing a pulley-forming blank therebetween. Tapered pins extend vertically through aligned openings formed in overlapping shelf members of the die holding members to wedgingly clamp the dies toward each other and to lock them in a horizontally closed position. A ram plate is mounted on a plurality of vertical posts for reciprocal vertical movement with respect to the captured blank. The ram plate has a top die which exerts axial pressure on the hub portion of the blank during the hydraulic bulging of the blank side wall by a confined fluid within the blank in cooperation with the groove-forming inner dies.

Abstract: A wheel-like device enables a looped-strand drum lacing to be made thereon from two lengths of rope for use when forming a tree root ball of soil during transplanting of the tree. The device has a central hub with a plurality of outwardly projecting posts mounted thereon in a circular arrangement. A plurality of equally circumferentially spaced legs extend radially outwardly in a spoke-like fashion from the hub. Each of the legs have a peg mounted on the leg at a predetermined distance from the hub. A first piece of rope is looped about the hub posts and leg pegs to form a plurality of outwardly extending closed end loops. A second piece of rope is wrapped in an overlapping manner with the individual strands of the previously formed loops into a circular configuration about the hub posts to form a circular drum lacing base. The two pieces of rope are stapled together at alternating overlapped locations.

Abstract: A tensioning device for maintaining a predetermined amount of tensioning force on an endless drive belt for a vehicle accessories drive system. A housing is mounted in a fixed position on the vehicle engine adjacent the drive belt. A lever is pivotally mounted on a shaft which is located within the housing and extends generally radially outwardly from the housing and is adapted to move in a belt tensioning direction. A first pair of cylindrical, torsional coil springs is telescopically mounted on the shaft, with the springs being located one on each side of the lever. A second pair of cylindrical, torsional coil springs is telescopically concentrically mounted on the shaft and surrounds the first spring pair. One end of each spring is attached to the housing with the other spring ends being attached to the lever. The spring pairs are placed in torsion and bias the lever in the belt tensioning direction.

Abstract: An improved tool construction for removing spindles from axle shafts by use of a slide hammer which exerts an axial pull on the spindle to dislodge it from an axle housing. The tool is a section of cylindrical thick-wall tubing or pipe which forms a housing, one end of which is open and the other end having an end wall attached thereto. A circular opening is formed in the end wall and is concentric to the cylindrical tubing. A pair of bolt-receiving lugs are mounted at diametrically opposite locations on the tubing at the open end thereof. The outer end of a spindle is inserted through the opening formed in the end wall of the housing and the spindle nuts are reinstalled on the spindle and are adapted to abuttingly engage the inside surface of the housing end wall. A plate is attached to one end of the slide hammer and is mounted on the open end of the housing by a pair of bolts engaged in the housing lugs.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioning device for maintaining a predetermined amount of tensioning force on an endless drive belt for the vehicle accessories drive system. A hydraulic cylinder is adapted to be mounted in a fixed position with respect to the vehicle engine and is operatively connected to the hydraulic fluid system of the engine. A bellcrank mechanism is pivotally mounted on the cylinder and has a belt-engaging idler pulley rotatably mounted on an extended end of one of the levers. The other lever is operatively engaged by the cylinder piston which pivots the idler pulley into tensioning engagement with the drive belt. A check valve is provided in the incoming hydraulic fluid passage of the cylinder and keeps that portion of the cylinder chamber which is located behind the piston filled with hydraulic fluid to maintain a constant predetermined tensioning force on the belt whether the engine is running or stopped, and to provide a shock-absorbing damping action for the idler pulley.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioning device and arrangement which maintains a predetermined amount of tensioning force on an endless drive belt of the vehicle accessories drive system. A hydraulically actuated piston applies a predetermined force to one of the vehicle accessories which is pivotally mounted with respect to the engine to tension the drive belt which is drivingly connected to this vehicle accessory. A self-contained hydraulic fluid supply and pump assembly is mounted in a fixed position on the vehicle engine and has a fluid pressure line connected to the piston for hydraulic actuation of the piston. An idler pulley is rotatably mounted on the fluid supply and pump assembly and is engaged with and driven by the drive belt for actuating the pump to supply hydraulic fluid from the fluid supply to the piston. A coil spring mounted within the piston cylinder applies a portion of the tensioning force on the belt tensioning accessory with the major portion of the tensioning force being applied hydraulically.

Abstract: An improved pivotal mounting assembly, preferably for use with a centrifugal clutch for pivotally mounting the clutch shoes, has a plastic insert which forms either a sector-like portion of a usual cylindrical-shaped, metallic pivot pin, or a portion of the clutch shoe which forms a pivot pin receiving opening. The plastic insert will have an outer convex surface when forming a part of a cylindrical pivot pin or will have a concave surface when forming a part of the clutch shoe. Preferably the convex and concave surfaces will have arcuate lengths of approximately 120.degree.. The plastic insert provides a low-friction pivotal bearing surface for the clutch shoe, which will absorb many of the forces and stresses exerted on the pivot assembly upon coupling engagement of the clutch shoes with a driven drum. The supporting metal areas of the pivot pin or clutch shoe adjacent the plastic strip provides the mechanical strength for the strip.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioning device for maintaining a predetermined amount of tensioning force on an endless drive belt for the vehicle accessories drive system. A self-contained hydraulic fluid supply and pump assembly is mounted on the swinging end of a pivotally mounted lever and is moved toward the drive belt by a hydraulically actuated piston which is mounted in a fixed position on the engine. An idler pulley is rotatably mounted on the fluid supply and pump assembly and is engaged with and driven by the drive belt. The drive belt rotates the idler pulley which hydraulically actuates the piston by driving the pump which supplies hydraulic fluid to the piston from the fluid supply. The piston pivots the lever toward the belt whereupon the idler pulley engages the belt and exerts the desired tensioning force on the belt. Check valves in the pump assembly regulate the amount of hydraulic force applied to the piston and ultimately to the belt.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioning device for maintaining a predetermined amount of tensioning force on an endless drive belt for the vehicle accessories drive system. A hydraulic cylinder is adapted to be mounted in a fixed position with respect to the vehicle engine and is operatively connected to the low-pressure hydraulic fluid system of the engine. A bellcrank mechanism is pivotally mounted on the cylinder and has a belt-engaging idler pulley rotatably mounted on an extended end of one of the levers. The other lever is operatively engaged by the cylinder piston which moves the idler pulley into tensioning engagement with the drive belt. The cylinder has a plurality of discs mounted in a spaced relationship on the piston rod for imparting movement to the rod when acted upon by hydraulic fluid. Each disc forms a movable forward wall of a separate hydraulic subchamber located within the cylinder. A hollow bore is formed in the rear portion of the piston rod to provide a fluid passage between the spaced subchambers.

Abstract: A belt tensioner for an endless drive belt for vehicle accessories has a shaft which is mounted in a fixed position adjacent the belt. A lever is pivotally mounted on the shaft and has an idler pulley rotatably mounted on an extended end of the lever. The pulley is movable into tensioning engagement with the belt by rotation of the lever. A first cam plate is slidably mounted on the shaft and is engaged with a second cam plate which is attached to the lever for rotation with the lever. The cam plates each have a plurality of a series of camming surfaces which are mutually engageable with the opposite cam plate surfaces. A plurality of spring discs are telescopically mounted on the shaft and bias the first camming block into engagement with the second block applying a rotational force on the lever to move the pulley into tensioning engagement with the drive belt.

Abstract: An improved conduit bender of the type having a curved rocker base portion formed by a pair of laterally spaced, arcuate-shaped side walls which define longitudinally extending conduit-receiving groove means therebetween. A hook formation is formed at one end of the base portion and a treadle member is formed at the opposite end. The improvement includes the formation of two pairs of curved surface sections on the inner surfaces of the side walls which form a pair of vertically spaced overlapping conduit-receiving grooves therebetween to enable the improved bender to be used for forming bends in the four types of electrical conduits presently used in the building industry. The inner groove is used to bend the single type of thin-wall conduit (EMT) and the outer groove is used to bend the three types of rigid or heavy-wall conduits. The starting and ending points of the arcuate bending surfaces of the two grooves are offset 15.degree.

Abstract: An in-ground swimming pool which utilizes a relatively flexible, continuous sheet-like wall member in combination with a bottom construction which is formed from polyurethane foam. The polyurethane foam bottom is reinforced at the surfaces of concave curvature with rail-like concrete members to which the foam is bonded.Also disclosed is a method of forming the polyurethane bottom which consists of applying a relatively thin coating of polyurethane foam to the bottom excavation and immediately placing a sheet of polyethylene, 2 to 4 mils thick, over the foam before the foam has set, conforming and adhering the polyethylene sheet to the foam and earth surface. The final steps include applying a series of polyurethane foam layers by spraying over the polyethylene sheet to achieve a desired thickness. By following the procedures disclosed, the foam surface can be controlled to obtain the desired pool bottom smoothness.

Abstract: A novelty device for producing a liquid vortex which simulates a tornado in a transparent circular-shaped chamber which is mounted on top of a housing and filled with a liquid. A flexible bag is mounted within the housing and is divided into upper and lower liquid storage chambers which are connected by a one-way check valve that permits liquid to flow only from the lower chamber into the upper chamber. A fluid passage extends between the upper chamber and the vortex chamber and enters the vortex chamber through a discharge opening in a tangential direction along the outer periphery of the base of the vortex chamber. A drain opening is formed in the base of the vortex chamber and is connected to the lower chamber by a drain passage. A spring-actuated lever is mounted within the housing and engages the upper storage chamber to collapse the chamber and pump the liquid into the vortex chamber to produce the vortex.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for injection molding solid steel-banded industrial rubber tires wherein a steel band is inserted in the bottom mold member cavity when the top mold member is in open position. Bite ring and knockout member components are contained in mold member cavity recesses. Closing movement of the mold members to mated position seals the bite ring and knockout member components against the steel bank and mold member recess surfaces to prevent leakage of injected rubber compound from the cavity during injection and curing. The mold has an internal wedge member which expands a split ring against the steel band when the mold is closed to prevent band distortion from pressure existing when the mold is injected and the rubber is cured therein to form the tire tread portion which is bonded to the steel band during curing. Mold components knock the cured tire out of the top mold member upon opening the mold.

Abstract: A clutch housing and pulley assembly is formed from a plurality of stamped metal components. A plurality of annular discs are mounted on a radially extending base of a V-grooved pulley member. A cup-shaped clutch housing having a radially extending base is mounted in abutting relationship with one of the outer discs on one side of the pulley base. A plurality of rivets extend through axially aligned holes formed in the pulley base, discs and housing base to assemble these components into a single unit. A ring bearing is telescopically mounted in the axially aligned central openings of the discs and pulley base for rotatably mounting the clutch housing and pulley assembly on a drive shaft which is adapted to extend through a central opening of the clutch housing base.The pulley member and discs are arranged in a stacked relationship on a plurality of guide pins extending through the rivet receiving holes.

Abstract: A clutch construction has an improved arrangement for pivotally mounting a pair of centrifugally actuated clutch shoes on the drive rotor assembly of the clutch. A backing plate and drive flange are mounted in a spaced axial relationship with respect to each other on a hub of the rotor assembly for rotation with the hub which is adapted to be mounted on a drive shaft of a prime mover. A clutch housing is rotatably mounted on the hub by a bearing ring and is driven by the clutch shoes upon a predetermined shaft speed being reached. A pair of openings are formed in the backing plate located diametrically opposite of each other and are axially aligned with a pair of similar openings formed in the drive flange. A resilient bushing is telescopically mounted in each of the backing plate and drive flange openings to provide a shock-absorbing effect between the clutch shoes pivot pins and the drive flange to prevent fracture of the drive flange.