Abstract: A rotary railroad car coupler is described as having a rotary connector with a spherical butt end for seating engagement in a spherical cavity formed in an adjacent front follower.

Abstract: A high capacity plate-type friction draft gear is disclosed for utilization with railroad cars. The draft gear has a friction clutch mechanism with a special two-piece split spring seat, so that two individual spring forces can be exerted separately against the friction shoes to maintain operability of the friction clutch mechanism when the various plates become worn to the point of normal replacement.

Abstract: An accumulator head is described as having an annular accumulation chamber, an annular ring-piston movable axially through the chamber, an inlet through which plasticized resinous material is forced into the chamber between opposing ends thereof, and a special feature built into the ring-piston which causes material, flowing into the chamber, to wipe the face or tip of the piston and keep it clean and free of any material. A discharge passageway leads from the accumulation chamber to a discharge orifice adjacent which a parison is formed by resinous material from the chamber. Another inlet is provided in the discharge passageways as a means of providing a final, outer layer or laminate of material to that flowing out the discharge passageway from the chamber.

Abstract: An oven, having a series of separate and isolated chambers which are horizontally aligned and sealed from each other and the ambient atmosphere and through which a continuous element is passed for treatment by heated gas within the chambers, is disclosed. The oven is provided with means for circulating heated gas to the chamber of the oven last-to-be-encountered by the element and cascading such heated gas successively through the other chambers to the first chamber to be encountered by the traveling element, or in an upstream direction relative to the travel of the element. Thus, the source of heated gas for a particular chamber is from the next succeeding downstream chamber which is contrary to present day ovens wherein each chamber is normally supplied with its own burner system for separately temperature conditioning gas circulated to that particular chamber.

Abstract: An accumulator head is described as having an annular accumulation chamber, an annular ring-piston movable axially in the chamber for forcing resinous material from the chamber through an annular discharge passageway leading from the chamber to an annular discharge orifice which, for example, is in communication with a blow mold. An annular inlet is provided in the discharge passageway between the chamber and orifice as a means whereby resinous material is moved into the discharge passageway to add an outer laminate to material flowing through the discharge passageway, or as a means of filling the accumulation chamber with a slug of material.

Abstract: A chuck is described for use with another similar chuck to hold a hollow cardboard tube on which a web, such as plastic film, is spirally wound after it has been slit into a desired width on a slitting and rewinding machine. The chuck has a plurality of sears which are positioned within specially shaped slots that are recessed in the chuck. Each sear is generally L-shaped and has a first leg for engaging the open end of the tube and a second leg for engaging and gripping the inner periphery of the tube, as the open end of the tube engages the first leg and causes it to move and rock the sear in the slot.

Abstract: An apparatus used in the treatment of a sheet of metal without the aid of conventional sprays and flooding nozzles normally used in the application of the metal treating liquid and support rollers and squeeze used for contacting and guiding the sheet of metal through successive baths of the metal treating liquid and preventing the carryover of liquid between the treatment tanks of the apparatus. In the apparatus, a sheet of metal is guided in a horizontal pathway between successive treatment tanks or units having horizontally elongated chambers with two rows of oppositely disposed and horizontally aligned nozzles between which the sheet of metal travels on a liquid bed that is created by the nozzles which are designed to direct streams of liquid, under pressure, against the traveling metal sheet at angles that are substantially less than 90.degree. relative to the plane in which the metal sheet travels.

Abstract: A sorbent-type air conditioning system which employs conventional refrigeration unit, including a compressor, evaporator, condenser and refrigerant. The cooling and heating effect or energy generated by the evaporator and condenser is the primary source of energy to temperature and moisture condition air and to regenerate or concentrate sorbent which becomes diluted during the moisture conditioning of the air.

Abstract: A latching mechanism for a railroad car hopper door. The mechanism includes, a pair of hook-like catches mounted adjacent the hopper door, a pair of latches carried by the hopper door for interlockingly engaging the catches, a pawl which engages one of the latches to prevent the latches from becoming disengaged from the catches, and a spring biased plunger for frictionally engaging the pawl to aid in the prevention of movement of the pawl out of the position where it blocks disengagement of the latches from the catches, whereby the hopper door is free to swing to an open position.

Abstract: A Willison rigid jaw coupler with a locksetting pawl for interlockingly engaging the locklifting lever, when the lock is in lockset, is described. A special fulcrumming of the pawl is provided to cause disengagement of the pawl from the lever to allow the lock to return from lockset to the locked position.

Abstract: A rotary railroad car coupler and attached draft gear are provided with strategically located stops for maintaining a predetermined clearance between the butt end of the shank of the coupler and the adjacent front follower of the draft gear when the coupler is in a neutral position intermediate the buff and pull positions, whereby an operator can readily mount the coupler to the yoke of the draft gear, especially in a side entry pivot pin arrangement where it becomes necessary to rotate the car coupler.

Abstract: A car coupler having a coupler head with coupling structure and a shank extending from the coupler head and terminating at a butt end in which a configured recess is formed. A replaceable, nonmetallic wearplate is disposed within the recess and has an outer, convexly curved surface for resting in a concave seat of a front follower, and matingly inclined surfaces on the wearplate and recess for frictionally holding the wearplate within the recess.

Abstract: A coupler having a coupler head and a shank which extends from the coupler head and terminates at a butt end adjacent which a pinhole is formed for receiving a pivot pin that is used to pivotally mount the coupler on a railroad car, mine car, etc. A semi-cylindrical recess is formed in the backside of the pinhole closest the butt end of the shank for receiving a matingly configured wearplate that is held captive in the recess between the pivot pin and adjacent butt end of the shank. The wearplate is composed of an ultra high molecular weight polymer.

Abstract: A rigid jaw-type coupler having a locksetting mechanism which can be easily tripped to restore the lock from a lockset position back to a locked position. The mechanism comprises a lock operating lever which is provided with a projecting lug that is designed to slidably engage and override a specially contoured cam which is carried by a pawl for holding the lever and lock in a lockset position.

Abstract: A vacuum furnace having a single chamber in which a workpiece is supported and heat treated. A unique cooling system is designed for adaption with the low pressure/high volume radial flow fan which is positioned interiorly of the furnace adjacent the vertically uppermost portion of the chamber. The system includes an exhaust opening in the top of the chamber and a plurality of small openings strategically located in the lower half of the chamber for improving the uniformity of the flow pattern of cooled gas circulated upwardly through the chamber for cooling a workpiece positioned in the chamber.

Abstract: A belt-type printing machine, having a stationary web-handling assembly, including a pair of impression rolls, and a plurality of belt-supporting assemblies which are mobile and separable from the web-handling assembly, is disclosed. The belt-supporting assemblies each carry a plate support roll and an endless conveyor belt to which a number of printing plates are bonded. The belt-supporting assemblies are each stabilized in a printing position adjacent the web-handling assembly, by locking the plate roll adjacent an impression roll to form between the rolls, a nip through which the web and belt pass. The rolls are locked together in such a way that the rolls of the belt-supporting assembly and web-handling assembly are driven, in unison. A pair of mobile, belt-supporting assemblies are provided for each impression roll of the web-handling assembly, so that one of the belt-supporting assemblies can be removed to a remote location for rebelting while the other is in operation.

Abstract: A device which is positionable within a flue for recapturing heat from hot gases exiting the flue. The device comprises a pair of tubes which are disposed in parallel relation longitudinally of the flue. The tubes are formed from cylindrical tubes which have been flattened from a circular to a generally oval cross-sectional configuration. A shield is positioned longitudinally between the two tubes for radiating against the tubes, heat which contacts the shield by convection.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for air-conditioning by which solar heat is collected and utilized in winter heating and in summer cooling and humidity adjustment. A hygroscopic liquid circulates through a solar heat collector and a reservoir thereof to accumulate sufficient heat to furnish energy for (1) dehumidification, adiabatic cooling of air, and concentrating of the hygroscopic liquid in summertime operation, or alternatively, heating of air in winter time.

Abstract: An apparatus used in the electrodeposition coating of a continuous sheet of metal as it travels in a horizontal pathway between a pair of electrically charged electrodes and through a bath of liquid coating solution that is continuously circulated to the bath through a pair of liquid seals which are disposed adjacent opposing, aligned openings through which the sheet of metal enters and exits a chamber containing the bath. The liquid seals are each comprised of a pair of nozzles for directing converging streams of liquid coating solution against the traveling sheet of metal in the direction of the chamber and have a three-fold purpose.

Abstract: A core box having a core pattern and a self-contained mechanism for physically contacting a core, disposed within the pattern, and forcibly ejecting it from the pattern. The mechanism comprises a plurality of ejector pins which are movable into contact with the core by an inflatable bag disposed in the core box.