Abstract: A hood bumper assembly which may be used, for example, to adjustably align the hood of an automobile with the adjacent fenders as the hood is brought down into locked engagement over the engine compartment. The assembly includes a workpiece, which may be the framework of the engine compartment, having an aperture and a helical internal marginal portion defined around the aperture, and a member having an end with a spherical surface portion arranged to engage the hood when closed and a shank portion including a helical thread adapted to be threadingly received by the aperture. The assembly further includes detent means carried by the shank and the workpiece for releasably locking the shank within the aperture against rotation at predetermined rotational intervals. The spherical surface portion of the member end is arranged to coact with a stamped recess in the underside of the hood to prevent lateral vibration of the hood and to positively locate the hood in proper position when it is closed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a gas-cushion shock absorber wherein a sealed uninflated cushion bag containing gasifiable material is initially assembled within a hydraulic reservoir of the shock absorber whereupon the gasifiable material is activated for producing sufficient gas for inflating the bag.

Abstract: A two-position electrical switch assembly is disclosed for mounting in an aperture of a metal panel. The housing for the switch assembly is constructed of an electrically non-conducting body having a head portion and a shank portion. The head portion is integrally formed with the shank portion such that the shank portion extends transversely away from a panel contacting surface of the head portion. A central opening is formed through the head portion and extends coaxially with an axial opening formed longitudinally through the shank portion. The shank portion includes means for resiliently mounting the switch assembly housing in the apertured middle panel where the resilient mounting means includes a first electrical conducting member, a pair of spring-biased electrical conducting fingers, and a second electrical conducting member. The pair of spring-biased electrical conducting fingers are disposed longitudinally in the axial bore with their free ends normally biased together.

Abstract: A one-piece thermoplastic fastener assembly is disclosed having a friction-weld fastening surface with a centrally located heat-activated adhesive pellet. A plurality of deflector segments are integrally formed with the friction weld surface at the plurality of radial distances from the axis of rotation. The shape of the base member and the thickness of the plurality of deflector segments are selected to cause any imaginary straight line emanating from the axis of rotation and passing through the marginal edge of each intercepted deflector segment to extend below the radial plane which passes across the outer marginal edge of the innermost deflector segment to thereby causes even distribution of the heat-activated adhesive across the friction weld surface in response to a driving rotation of the base member.

Abstract: A switched telephone tester comprises a tester body defining a connector portion of complementary configuration for receiving a modular telephone plug, a light emitting element responsive to a given voltage for emitting light, and a switch coupled with the tester body and with the light emitting element and movable relative to the tester body to a first position for placing the light emitting element in electrical circuit across tip and ring contacts of the modular telephone plug and a second position for taking the light emitting means out of circuit across the tip and ring contacts, to thereby test for the presence of a voltage across the tip and ring contacts.

Abstract: A butt jointing assembly comprises two identical butt joint parts with the one being reversed with respect to the other. The butt joint assembly comprises an elastic locking and unlocking pawl and at least one retaining slot therein such that the pawl in the one part engages the slot in the other part, as two of such parts are butt jointed, the elastic pawl being moreover flexible through pressure of one's finger to unlock it. Application to the connection of rigid or supple elements with each element being provided with a butt joint part or being configured so as to have a butt joint part at one end thereof.

Abstract: A telephone line tester comprises a tester body having a connector portion of complementary configuration for insertion into a modular telephone jack; a light emitting element having a light body and a pair of elongate leads extending outwardly of the light body; guides in said tester body for guiding the elongate leads to and across the connector portion to a position for engagement with tip and ring contacts respectively of the modular telephone jack when the connector portion is inserted into the modular telephone jack. Preferably, the light emitting element comprises a bipolar LED adapted to emit a first color of light in response to a voltage of a first polarity thereacross and a second color of light in response to a voltage of opposite polarity thereacross, and to emit no light in response to substantially no voltage thereacross. The invention also contemplates a method of forming a telephone line tester of the foregoing type.

Abstract: A support member for mounting an electrical component to a circuit board is constructed of a frame-like body portion, one or more retention members for coupling the body portion to a circuit board, and a socket arrangement for receiving and supporting the electrical component in a predetermined orientation relative to the body portion. The socket arrangement is constructed of a recess formed in the body portion for receiving the electrical component, one or more fingers projecting over an outer end portion of the recess for overlying a first surface portion of the electrical component therein, and a resilient spring-like element in the recess for resiliently urging the electrical component in a direction for positive engagement of the first surface thereof by the finger or fingers.

Abstract: A one-piece, integrally formed tie apparatus is provided for releasably suspending a vine or the like from a line. A line engaging portion releasably engages the line and a vine holding portion loosely surroundingly holds the vine or the like. The vine holding portion comprises an elongate flexible arm integrally depending from the line engaging portion and elastically deformable to define a loop for loosely surrounding the vine or the like. A first coupling means is integrally formed with the flexible arm. A second coupling means is adapted to connect with the first coupling means to form the flexible arm into a closed loop around the vine or the like. One of the coupling means is responsive to application of a predetermined amount of force to the flexible arm substantially in at least one direction for releasing the other coupling means to open the loop and permit removal of the vine or the like.

Abstract: A ball socket assembly is constructed of a plastic molded housing and a locking member. The plastic molded housing has a ball socket integrally formed on its bottom wall in the form of a base member having a spherical-shaped internal wall segment which faces an opening in the housing and having a pair of resilient arm members integrally formed with the base segment. The resilient arm members extend generally parallel to and equidistant from the axis drawn through the center of the spherical-shaped wall segment. Each of the resilient arm members have a curved internal face which matches the curvature of the spherical-shaped wall segment. A locking member can be selectively installed to prevent outward flexing of the resilient arm members after a spherical ball-headed screw has been installed into the ball socket.

Abstract: A device for tensioning belts or the like, comprising a first portion adapted to have one end of the belt fastened thereto and a second portion adapted to be brought into engagement with a portion of the belt spaced through a distance from one end of the belt and locating the same in the tensioning position vis-a-vis the first portion, whereby the two portions which are formed of synthetic material are adapted to be connected to each other and to the belt in a manner to be pivotable such that upon pivotal movement into the tensioning position a limited shortening occurs in the length clamped by the belt between the two points that have been established, and in that the portions are interlockable in the clamping position via an arresting connection, said arresting connection being releasable by means of an actuation portion accessible from outside.

Abstract: A two-part fastener made of resilient material is disclosed as comprising two identical mating fastening devices. Each fastening device is constructed with a circular disc head integrally formed with a shank. The shank has an elongate symmetrically-shaped body having a longitudinal central axis and is formed with a pair of leg members disposed along the central axis in diametrically opposed spaced apart relation. Each leg member is formed by two wall elements molded together in a V-shaped configuration wth the outer end portion laterally spaced apart from the adjoining leg member a distance sufficient to embracingly receive the pair of leg members of the identical fastening device. When the identical fastening devices are brought together in a nesting relationship, they are locked together by virtue of the interlocking cooperating relationship of a plurality of tooth formations formed on one of the two V-shaped wall elements of each leg member.

Abstract: A tool retention mechanism is disclosed for clamping a tool holder knob. An elongate rod member is supported lengthwise in a compartment formed within the center of an elongate housing. A knob clamping assembly is mounted on the outer end of the rod member and is constructed of a circular array of claw fingers that are spring biased to urge them to move radially inward. A first piston is slideably supported on the actuator rod rearwardly of the claw fingers and has a cylindrical collar portion which slides over the claw fingers to retain them in a knob clamping position. A second piston is secured to the inner end portion of the actuator rod and slideably supported in the compartment to define a closed chamber with the inner closed end of the compartment.

Abstract: A spin welded fastening assembly is constructed of two interfitting components. A circular base member formed of thermoplastic material has a circular disc portion with a workpiece engaging surface for friction welding and has a circular upstanding coupler portion integrally formed on the opposite surface of the disc portion for mounting a standoff member. The standoff member has a downwardly extending circular flange portion which snaps over the upstanding circular coupler portion of the circular base member. The circular flange portion of the standoff member has a closed end in the form of a transversely extending mounting plate portion having a central mounting aperture formed therethrough. The head of a quarter turn type fastener is installed in the mounting aperture of the standoff member.

Abstract: A one-piece plastic wing-nut fastener is constructed to push onto a threaded stud and be held in threaded engagement therewith through the use of a pair of opposing arcuate thin wall sections which are formed with internal threads and which flex radially outward whenever the fastener is pushed onto a threaded stud to provide a ratcheting action therebetween. The thin wall sections are supported on a base member by a U-shaped support having a head section and a pair of leg portions. The pair of leg portions are integrally formed with the base portion and extend between the base portion and head portion in a parallel relationship with the thin wall sections. The pair of thin wall sections are integrally formed between the base and the head portion with its axis in alignment with an enlarged aperture in the base portion and an enlarged central opening in the head portion.

Abstract: A transient voltage protector is provided for telephone lines and the like. An insulating plastic housing is provided with two pairs of terminals having female connections at the lower ends for association with selected terminals of a telephone terminal block. The upper ends of these terminals are of a male type and extend above the top of the housing for receipt of further elements such as bridging clips, plug-on fuse units, or line status indicators. An offset and raised portion of the housing carries a pair of zener diodes having lower wire terminals connected to two of the aforesaid terminals. The upper wire terminals of the zener diodes are connected to a grounding terminal having an upper portion extending above the housing in the form of two spaced tines for receipt of a common ground wire between the tines. The various terminals and the zener diodes and the housing have complementary structure for positioning of the terminals and the diodes within the housing.