Abstract: A packing arrangement for sealing an area about a shaft in a structural body includes a plurality of V-shaped packing rings in stacked alignment. The packing rings are made from a memory retainable material and preformed into the V-shaped configuration with a forming die. After being preformed, the V-shaped packing rings are compressed beyond their preformed configuration and placed in a packing chamber. The memory characteristics of the packing ring material are such that the rings are urged toward their preformed V-shape to compensate for any dimensional instability of the rings during thermal cycling. The packing rings also have a very small stack height and provide an increased number of sealing surfaces within a predetermined sealing area.

Abstract: A box for transporting and storing flexible cordlike material has a pair of opposing flap panels for closing an either the front or rear opening of an endless enclosure. Each of the flap panels has a pair of opposing L-shaped slits which are foldable in perpendicular relationship to the flap panels to form a core about which the flexible cordlike material may be wound.

Abstract: A fail-safe actuator mechanism has an actuator housing encapsulated within a tank which stores a pressurized fluid media. Ports of the actuator housing are put into selective fluid communication with both the interior and exterior of the encapsulating tank by a valve at selective pressures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for more efficiently agitating and intermixing organic waste material in a containing vessel includes a rotary cutting assembly which is vertically advanced downwardly into an accumulated quantity of organic waste material. The rotary cutting assembly separates an end portion of an accumulation of material from the remainder of the material and intermixes the separated portion with ambient air. The separated portion of material is then transported to a new location in the containing vessel.

Abstract: A connecting rod, especially useful as a piston rod, is bifurcated into two relatively moving components which permit the rod to elongate and contract under the influence of pressure which is selectively directed into one of two variable volume parts while being exhausted from the other. The fluid which is directed into and exhausted out of the variable volume chambers is controlled as a function of the angular displacement of the connecting rod relative to a driving shaft.

Abstract: Iodine has long been known for its bactericidal, viricidal and cysticidal activities. Recently it has been attracting attention as an agent in water purification. Water purified with iodine is nevertheless subject to some objections. Because of its displeasing appearance iodine treated water is esthetically unacceptable. In the case of drinking water, color, odor and taste of water purified with iodine are even more detracting. The process herein overcomes these disadvantages, yet iodine, with its germicidal advantages, can still be used.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the infeed of a grinding machine senses the interface force between a grinding wheel and a workpiece to control infeed for grinding a workpiece with diverse grindability characteristics. The infeed is increased in response to an increase in the sensed force until the interface force reaches a predetermined level; while the interface force is decreased to a predetermined level in response to a decrease in the sensed force.

Abstract: A compact, internal-external gripper apparatus for use with an industrial robot utilizes a sliding block actuated toggle linkage to apply an input force to a pair of finger supports in a fully enclosed housing. Pressure is selectively supplied to each end of the sliding block to reciprocably move it along an internal way system with a unidirectional spring assist in the workpiece clamping position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for precision placement of a workpiece onto a transport member. A plurality of workpieces are aligned in a predetermined spacial relationship upon an infeed conveyor. The workpieces are then moved transversely off the conveyor and dropped through a pair of counter-rotating lubricating rollers. An arcuate chute directs the workpieces from the lubricating rollers to a horizontally disposed planar surface where they are realigned by a cooperating scraper positioned intimately above. Relative movement between the scraper and the planar surface causes to workpieces to be discharged from the surface and precisely deposited upon the transport member.

Abstract: A tool for deburring or finishing a workpiece is mounted for common reciprocatory movement with the wheelhead of a grinding machine. The tool, which is form of an elongated rod, is supported in a housing which is in turn pivoted about an axis transverse to the tool. A biasing means urges the tool toward a predetermined angular position about the pivotal axis of a housing. The tool cooperates with a workpiece to selectively overcome the bias and oscillate the tool in accordance with the relative reciprocatory movement between the grinding wheel and the workpiece.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for grinding a surface upon a workpiece having disparate grindability characteristics. A mechanical cam is used in the preferred embodiment to model the characteristics of a cylindrical surface and is rotated with the workpiece. The cam imparts motion to a follower which in turn imparts the motion to a pulse generator. Electrical signals which are dependent upon the angular orientation of the workpiece and the grindability characteristics of a circumferential sector of the workpiece in grinding contact with an abrasive wheel are produced by the pulse generator and used to partially control the infeed movement and the interface force between the workpiece and the abrasive wheel.

Abstract: A workpiece detection circuit in an article handling apparatus aborts workpieces from the apparatus whenever an unanticipated workpiece presence or absence is sensed. An error signal from either of a pair of parallel gating circuits removes a primary chute from the workpiece flow path and directs workpieces down a secondary or abort chute.

Abstract: A method of purging a particulate suspension fluid from a fluid system during system shut-down utilizes an unparticulated constituent as the purging fluid. The unparticulated constituent remains in the system during shut-down periods and is subsequently converted to a composite fluid of the type it was previously used to purge.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for precision placement of a workpiece onto a transport member. A plurality of workpieces are aligned in a predetermined spacial relationship upon an infeed conveyor. The workpieces are then moved transversely off the conveyor and dropped through a pair of counter-rotating lubricating rollers. An arcuate chute directs the workpieces from the lubricating rollers to a horizontally disposed planar surface where they are realigned by a cooperating scraper positioned intimately above. Relative movement between the scraper and the planar surface causes the workpieces to be discharged from the surface and precisely deposited upon the transport member.

Abstract: A wheel dresser unit has a housing with an internal fluid chamber, and a diamond dresser nib is mounted to the housing in thermal communication with the chamber. A thermally conductive fluid flows through a plurality of ports within the housing in thermal communication with the dresser nib, thus conducting heat from the dressing zone through the dresser nib and to the thermally conductive fluid, tending to cool the dresser nib.

Abstract: A hydraulic cylinder with heads on each end of a cylinder body utilizes a tie rod of hexagonal cross section to positively prevent relative rotation with an attached magnetic switch. The switch is engaged along the tie rod about a section in which the diametral dimension is at a relative minimum and has mated flattened portions which cooperate with flattened surfaces on the tie rod.

Abstract: An apparatus in a machine tool controls the flow of coolant in accordance to tool contact with a workpiece. The preferred embodiment measures and stores a torque value exerted upon a spindle motor under no-load conditions and compares this value to an operating torque value upon the same spindle motor. When the tool contacts a workpiece and the operating torque exceeds the stored no-load torque value by a predetermined amount, a solenoid operated valve is opened and coolant is permitted to the area of tool engagement with the workpiece.

Abstract: A multimodal cycle for a grinding machine is modified as the function of the grinding force and the mode of operation. The grinding force is monitored by measuring the electrical load value upon the grinding wheel motor during operating conditions and biasing this value by a stored value representative of the nongrinding idle load. The idle load bias is updated with each grinding cycle and the grinding force signal is used to control a variety of machine operations. If the grinding force signal exceeds a predetermined threshold during an early portion of the grinding cycle, the wheelhead advancement is terminated; while the same situation in a later portion of the cycle permits continued wheelhead advancement but at a reduced rate. The grinding force signal is also used to count parts and detect part absence. It is further used to regulate rough and finished spark-outs as well as a peak load limit for the grinding cycle.

Abstract: A remotely operable manipulator orients an end-effector mounted to one end of a plurality of serially connected drive shafts. The manipulator has two sets of concentric shafts with individual shafts within each set independently rotatable about an axis common to the set. The common axes of the two sets are obliquely oriented with respect to each other; and a third shaft, rotatable about a third axis, is angularly oriented and connected to the most remote set of shafts. The preferred embodiment has the axes of the two sets and the third shaft intersecting at a single point and permits orientation of the third axis normal to any point upon the spherical surface of a spherical sector generated by the combined movement of the plurality of shafts.

Abstract: An apparatus utilizes fluid pressure measurements to sense sufficient chucking stock for a chuck with work gripping surfaces. A flexible seal cooperates with a workpiece at a location proximal to the chuck jaws to restrict flow of a pressurized fluid. Flow resistance varies at this location with the presence or absence of sufficient chucking stock. A pressure switch senses the resulting fluid backpressure which varies with the resistance of the flow path and generates a signal indicative of the presence or absence of sufficient chucking stock which is used to control functions of a machine tool.