Abstract: A cutting tool comprising a shank having a substantially diametrical cut through one end of the shank and having the diametrically opposed limbs formed by such a cut bent radially outwardly from the axis of the shank. Cutting blades are secured to the flat surfaces of the limbs formed by the cut. Preferably, the limbs are bent outwardly in opposite directions along the plane of the cut, and the edges of overlapping portions of the limbs are welded together to strengthen the cutting tool.

Abstract: A safety device for use with a gun of a type which fires a conventional cartridge casing having an annular rim portion which cooperates with an ejector mechanism of the gun to unload the cartridges. The safety device includes a body portion having a neck portion extending from one end and a rear portion at an other end. The plug is inserted into a firing chamber of a gun with the neck portion extending into a bore of a barrel of a gun. The neck portion has a diameter slightly greater than the inner diameter of the bore to provide a press fit. The rear portion of the plug has a cylindrical portion having a diameter less than the diameter of the annular rim portion of a suitable cartridge casing such that the ejector mechanism of the gun cannot engage and eject the plug from the firing chamber. The plug is, thus, fixedly inserted into the firing chamber of the gun so that the gun cannot be accidentally loaded or fired.

Abstract: A coin- or token-operated game duration controller for a game utilizing a net stretched across a court between a pair of posts. The controller is attached to one of the posts and comprises an electrically driven winch winding and unwinding the net cord cable for raising the net at the beginning of a game period and for lowering the net at the end of a game period. The electric motor is controlled by a coin or token operated switch and timer. The invention requires no modification or alteration of conventional existing net support posts.

Abstract: A process for surface hardening a ferrous article such as an aircraft engine rocker lever shaft includes the steps of creating a nitrocarburized oxide layer atop the ferrous core, and subsequently creating a nitrogen enriched case between the oxide layer and the ferrous core. The article is exposed at a first elevated temperature to a mixture of an inert carrier gas, ammonia, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, and thereafter exposed to the carrier gas and ammonia at a second elevated temperature higher than the first temperature. The article formed by the process has a ferrous core covered by a case of nitrogen enriched, institially hardened steel over the core, and a complex nitrocarburized oxide layer atop the case. The complex nitrocarburized oxide layer includes a lower portion comparable to a conventional epsilon nitride or white layer, and an upper porous oxide zone. The upper porous oxide zone is preferably infused with an extreme pressure oil or a liquid polytetrafluoride material.

Abstract: A replaceable shim is provided for a planetary gear arrangement of the type having planetary gears each of which is rotatably mounted to a frame by a shaft. The shim includes an elongated flat body having a generally U-shaped recess at one end and which is adapted to be inserted in between the planetary gear and the frame so that the shaft is positioned within the U-shaped recess. The opposite end of the shim is then pivotal to a position in which the opposite end abuts against a portion of the frame thus locking the shaft in the U-shaped recess on the shim body. A bendable locking tab is then bent to a position in which the bending tab abuts against a second surface on the frame and prevents further pivotting of the shim. In doing so, the bending tab locks the shim to the frame with the planetary gear shaft positioned within the shim recess.

Abstract: A speed motor control circuit for an electric motor of the type which drives a louvered sign assembly between predetermined rotational positions. The speed control includes a silicon controlled rectifier which is connected in series between the motor and the power supply. A unijunction transistor has one of its bases connected to the gate of the silicon controlled rectifier to switch on, or activate, the silicon controlled rectifier whenever the unijunction transistor becomes conductive. A variable resistor controls the bias to the emitter for the unijunction transistor in order to vary the time period or duty cycle that the unijunction transistor conducts and thus the time period or duty cycle that the silicon controlled rectifier is in its conductive state. A switch assembly and timing module are also employed to activate the motor at predetermined time intervals and for a predetermined angular rotation of the motor shaft.

Abstract: A portable blind for hunting having a support structure which is laterally expandable by interconnecting identical frames to each other and to a standard member, each frame having a connecting portion adapted to be received within a loop of an adjacent frame member. A camouflaged cover is clipped to the support structure. Vertical extending members are pivotally attached to frame members to provide additional vertical coverage.

Abstract: The present invention provides a paddle boat having a hull and a closed loop flexible member which is rotatably mounted to the hull while a pedal assembly longitudinally drives the flexible member around its loop. A plurality of substantially planar paddles are pivotally mounted to the flexible member at spaced positions therealong. The paddles are pivotal between a first and a second position. In the first position, the paddles extend outwardly from the flexible member and propel the hull forwardly as the flexible member is driven by the pedal assembly. Conversely, in its second position, the paddles lie in planes substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the flexible member to permit free gliding of the boat. However, a locking assembly is associated with at least one paddle to lock the paddle in its first position when the flexible member is driven in the reverse direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling racing car brake assemblies removes entrained contaminants from the airstream prior to allowing the cooling airstream to impinge upon the brake assembly. The apparatus first comprises a rectangular or cylindrical housing for directing the airflow, disposed at the front of the vehicle. The housing contains a conical or V-shaped baffle to serve as a first compression stage, while a tapered portion or pair of angled walls forms a second compression stage, spaced from the baffle. A tubular outlet communicates with an aperture located between the two compression stages, and cleansed air is fed to the brake assembly by a hose attached to the housing outlet. The inertia of the entrained contaminants causes them to pass somewhat linearly through the compressing stages and out a pair of exit ports at the rear of the housing. This flow-through construction obviates the need for any additional mechanism to collect or remove the separated contaminants.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the amount of deflection, or curvature height, of an electrode wire during machining of a workpiece by the electrode wire in a travelling wire EDM apparatus. A parametr affecting the curvature height of the electrode wire is varied from a first value to a second value and the resulting variation .DELTA.f of the curvature height is measured. The measuring is effected by determining the difference between the length of the path travelled by the wire guide members and the length of the path travelled by the active portion of the wire. The ratio between the curvature height of the wire and the inverse of the relative variation of the parameter is subsequently determined. Preferably, a parameter independent of the machining speed is selected, such as the force of longitudinal traction exerted on the wire or the distance separating the two wire guide members.

Abstract: A fuel pumping and transfer system for a multiple concentric shaft gas turbine engine which has the capability to handle contaminated or slurry fuels. The fuel is introduced into the innermost shaft at any desired low pressure thereby eliminating the need for a high pressure fuel pump. Fuel is introduced through a rotating fuel tube disposed within the inner shaft of the engine. The centrifugal force caused by rotation of the shafts causes the fuel to be collected against the inner wall of the shaft creating a centrifugal pressure dam. As the fuel passes from one collection region to the next the differential pressure between the inner shaft region and the combustor increases sufficiently to provide proper combustion.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for preventing machining errors due to changes in the inclination of the electrode wire in a travelling wire EDM apparatus wherein the electrode wire effectuates a cut on a workpiece such that the workpiece is provided with a bevel or taper on its peripheral surface. A test or trigger electrical pulse of low power is applied between the electrode wire and the workpiece in the machining zone and the location where the trigger electrical pulse occurs along the length of the electrode wire in the machining zone is detected and the trigger electrical pulse is converted into a machining electrical discharge, or not converted, according to the speed of feed of the electrode wire at such location while being displaced transversely along the cutting path in the course of a change of inclination of the electrode wire.

Abstract: A housing system for a central electronic processing unit of a heat engine, including a first part connected with heat-developing component elements of the processing unit, this first part contacting over at least a substantial part of its surface, an outer surface of a portion of a fuel mixture induction manifold of the engine.

Abstract: A process for forming elongated vehicle doors includes the steps of removing the sheet metal skin from the existing door, severing the door substructure into two portions and inserting appropriately sized extension sections into the door substructure. A new elongated skin is contoured to match the side of the vehicle body and is cut to the shape of the elongated door. The new skin is placed in an adjustable mold fixture and end flange portions are hammered over the mold. The adjustable mold includes two lower portions which are contoured and configured to simulate the underlying door substructure, and two upper mold portions similarly contoured and configured, which are clamped to the lower mold portions with the new skin between the upper and lower mold portions. The molds are kirksite molds made directly from components of the door, and adjusting the spacing between the mold portions permits the manufacture of skins of different lengths to go on doors of different lengths.

Abstract: A tool for inserting valve stems in the wheel rim of a tubeless tire and wheel combination comprises a tubular body having a tapered inner peripheral wall and an end portion adapted to be received in the stem hole of the wheel rim. The other end of the tubular body has a threaded aperture adapted to receive a threaded shaft therethrough. The shaft is adapted to engage the end of a valve stem and as it is rotated to drive it axially through the tubular body. As a result, the resilient, spaced apart ribs at the other end of the valve stem are axially compressed as they are driven through the stem hole in the wheel. Once the end most rib has protruded outwardly from the end of the tubular body, and expands on the inner side of the wheel rim wall, the tube is removed from the stem hole and the shaft is further rotated to extract the innermost rib from the end of the housing whereby the innermost rib expands on the opposite side of the wheel rim wall to thereby mount the valve stem to the wheel rim.

Abstract: The specification discloses a passive restraint system for high speed vehicles utilizing inflatable bags placed in the backs of the seats of the vehicle. The bags are connected by headers to a manifold which communicates with the exterior of the vehicle and, when open, allows air at high speed to enter and inflate the bags. A relief valve is provided in the cabin to open moments before the bags inflate to remove any danger of pressure shock from the rapid inflation of the bags and to, in some cases, aid in the inflation thereof. In some applications, an optional compressed air and/or compressed gas supply is also disclosed.

Abstract: The specification discloses an improved railway car truck providing increased dampening for high volume rail cars by the use of bolster pocket wear plates in combination with five different types of springs in the spring baskets of the railway car trucks. The five different types of springs include either a single outer coil, or inner and outer coaxial coils, with the outer coils being of different lengths to provide multiple effective spring rates action which place the critical frequency of the car trucks at two different speeds, rather than a single speed, and makes the amplitude of resonance occurring at the critical frequency much smaller than would otherwise occur, to prevent the car truck from resonating in such a way as to rock the rail car excessively. These types of spring arrangements also prevent excessive vertical bouncing of railway cars.