Abstract: Gripping apparatus includes a supporting body having a pair of spaced generally parallel jaws independently mounted thereon for movement toward and away from each other. An actuating device is reciprocably mounted in the supporting body and between the jaws and is operably connected to the end portions of the jaws to move them toward and away from each other upon reciprocal movement of the actuating device. The body is in the form of a cylinder and a fluid operated, doubleacting piston is reciprocably received therein and connected to the actuating device for the reciprocation thereof. The jaws extend longitudinally of the cylinder on diametrically opposite sides thereof and the actuating device extends axially of the piston.

Abstract: A gripping apparatus is provided which includes a pair of jaw pads that are independently and pivotally mounted to a pair of bell cranks which are spaced apart from each other and which are pivotally mounted to a supporting structure; the supporting strucuture is mounted to a power cylinder; the power cylinder provides oscillating actuation of the bell cranks through a dog retainer and a spherical portion of the bell cranks; and parallel mechanisms, which include one lever arm of each of the bell cranks, and which include a pair of parallel links, keep pad surfaces of the jaw pads parallel to each other as the lever arms of the bell cranks move arcuately.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chiropractic table having an elongated, body-supporting table mounted upon a base and being centrally divided into upper and lower body supporting portions, the lower body-supporting portion being pivotally mounted at the end thereof proximal said upper body supporting portion for side-bending, rotation, and deflection movement about vertical, longitudinal, and horizontal axes, respectively. Locking mechanisms are provided for selectively locking the lower body-supporting portion in selected side bending and rotation positions.

Abstract: Vibratory finishing apparatus comprises an elongated container having an open top. The container is disposed with its longitudinal axis horizontal and may be divided into a plurality of individual compartments of selected size arranged in tandem. A plurality of drain orifices are provided in the bottom of such compartments, in one form as apertured inserts, whereby the flow of fluid and particulate matter is through each of said compartments individually from the top to the bottom thereof and to a common fluid collecting channel. Means are provided for vibrating the container and its compartments in unison. Minute vibratory motion between metallic parts and medium within such compartments and the further enmasse orbital movement of such mass about a common longitudinal axis are utilized to finish and in some instances polish such parts.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing and crimp connecting terminals to insulated wires either with or without prior removal as by stripping of the insulation from the end portion of those wires is disclosed herein. The terminals are particularly suited for use in multiconductor connector assemblies and may be selectively treated to impart enhanced resilience to the connection forming portion of the terminal while maintaining the crimp connecting end thereof more malleable for better crimp electrical connection to the wires.

Abstract: A childs wheeled riding toy of the three wheeled type having a front steerable wheel and a pair of rear motor driven wheels in which the child sits astride of the toy with his feet resting on opposed foot rest positions of the toy is disclosed having a pair of direct current motors, gear reduction coupled in driving relation to respective rear toy wheels and a pair of like storage batteries for powering the motors. A control circuit for selectively energizing the motors includes a switching arrangement for connecting the batteries in series and to the motors for high speed toy operation, and in parallel and to the motors for low speed operation. A second switching arrangement for disconnecting the motors from the batteries and for connecting the motors to a resistive load for dynamic braking is also included.

Abstract: A battery structure comprising: an enclosure; fuse receiving recess means in the enclosure open on at least one side of the enclosure to allow direct entry of a fuse from outside the enclosure; at least one cell comprising a cell terminal within the enclosure; first and second fuse holder terminals rigidly supported in the fuse receiving recess means to hold fuse terminals; and an electrical connection between the cell terminal and the first fuse; holder terminal, said enclosure comprising immovable means enclosing the connection and the cell terminal.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting metallic tubing into predetermined lengths has a stationary supporting frame on which is mounted a feeding mechanism for moving a straight length of tubing unidirectionally intermittently along a straight path in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the tubing. A cutoff device driven by a motor having a hollow shaft for receiving the tubing is also mounted on the frame. The feeding mechanism is in two sections each being individually reciprocable but controlled to operate oppositely and alternately to feed tubing in predetermined lengths to the cutoff device. The cutoff device is operated to cut off the tubing while it is stationary between feeding movements of the feeding mechanism.

Abstract: The invention comprehends the use of a fixture which fits over a tooth on which a bracket is to be affixed, this fixture having an internal cavity which matches the shape and contour of a portion of the tooth, such as lingual surface, incisal edge and a portion of the labial surface. A second portion of the labial or lingual side of the fixture is fixedly secured to the head portion of the bracket in such a manner as to align the surface of the base in the same anatomical plane or tooth surface as the labial or lingual surface. The fixture may be rigid and of a material which can be changed to a non-rigid state upon application of a state-changing medium thereto. A second fixture or appliance essentially like the fixture may be non-rigid or flexible and conformable over the fixture in such a manner as to be easily removed therefrom and from the bracket. Removal from the bracket is performed after the fixture with the bracket mounted therein is assembled to a tooth and the bracket is bonded thereto.

Abstract: A plastic bonded magnet is formed of a solidified mixture of thermoplastic powder and magnetic particles capable of being permanently magnetized. The magnet in one form is cylindrical and provided with a coaxial bore. The particles are substantially uniformly dispersed throughout the magnet in coaxial sections extending between the cylinder axis and the periphery of the magnet. Also the particles are substantially commonly aligned throughout. A given quantity of the particles may be orientable which leads to the common alignment.The method of fabricating the magnet includes the steps of mixing quantities of plastic material and solid magnetizable particles to obtain a substantially uniform mixture. The mixture is injection molded to form the magnetic body, the molding step including the injection of the mixture into a cavity having a form of the body, primarily cylindrical, and through a disc-shaped gating orifice on the aforesaid axis, which is midway between the body ends.

Abstract: A removable ladder for placement over the side of a boat and extension into water for aiding ingress and egress of swimmers and the like is disclosed and includes a pair of elongated, generally parallel extending upright members terminating at respective first ends in boat engaging hooks with a series of cross members extending generally parallel to one another and spanning the upright members to form a sequence of steps. Each step may comprise a pair of laterally displaced cross members and the boat engaging hooks may be formed as a pair of generally orthogonal projections one extending parallel to and displaced from the direction of upright member elongation while the other extends generally parallel to and displaced from the step forming cross members so that the hooks may be positioned behind upright portions of the boat railing to secure the ladder in place and obviate the need for handrails on the ladder, since the railing upright portions may be used as handgrip regions when using the ladder.

Abstract: A doctor-patient seating arrangement as might for example be used by a chiropractor during examination of a patient's back is disclosed in a form having a single base or pedestal from which a pair of upright seat support members extend with each upright member providing a degree of vertical adjustability to its respective supported seat. The seats themselves are of the backless variety, i.e., stools with the patient's stool being swivelable centrally about its upright support member while the doctor's stool is supported on an obliquely extending arm so as to be movable in an arc around the other upright support member. The other upright support member is located near the patient's back so that the doctor may move in an arc about the patient examining the sides as well as the central portion of the patient's back.

Abstract: A stepladder of the folding freestanding type has steps only toward the upper end thereof and has a step deficient region toward the lower end thereof for receiving a smaller stepladder in nesting relation therewith so that the steps of the smaller stepladder provide user access to the steps of the larger stepladder. A nested sequence of such stepladders with all except the smallest one of that sequence being step deficient in a lower region may include several such ladders thereby providing the user with the option of selecting a ladder of a desired height from among several possible heights with the required storage space for the several ladders being the same as the required storage for space for a single ladder of the greatest height. Braces, supports and locking arrangements for fastening each ladder within the step deficient region of the next larger ladder are also disclosed.

Abstract: Magnetic switch apparatus which includes a casing having a magnetically sensitive component securely positioned therein in a predetermined location. The component may be in the form of either a conventional reed switch or Hall effect sensor and is provided with electrical terminal leads extending therefrom. The casing includes means for locating and securing the leads against movement upon application of a tensile force thereto, such means being in the form of suitable embossments in the casing about which the leads are partially wrapped. The casing further is provided with means for mounting the same on a supporting member, such as a circuit board, in a predetermined position such that the magnetic component will also be correspondingly positioned relative to the supporting member.

Abstract: A high voltage arcing horn device for safely dissipating electrical arcs caused by power surges in high voltage power lines, the device being provided with a first rigid electrode electrically connected to one of a pair of electrically isolated conductor terminals of an insulator, and a second rigid electrode electrically connected to the other of the conductor terminals, the electrodes including proximal portions fixedly clamped to the terminals and extending in predetermined spaced relationship adjacent the insulator and having distal end portions disposed in predetermined, parallel, spaced relationship one to the other.