Abstract: Lap wound direct-current dynamoelectric machines may allow excessive currents to flow in single turn windings when such machines are operated at relatively low speeds and/or relatively high voltages, and plural turn windings cannot be practically formed from heavy gauge wire, or from heavy gauge rectangular wire or from rectangular wire, to efficiently fill armature slots. A plural turn, preformed winding is disclosed having two ends for connection to commutator segments substantially adjacent each other on the armature, and with at least four sides defining at least two open turns, for engaging slots in the armature core which are spaced substantially 90.degree. apart for a four pole machine. A three open turn winding is also disclosed. The number of open turns is limited only by space available in the armature coil slots.

Abstract: A method of forming battery plates or electrodes from tetrabasic lead sulfate includes the step of adding a lead peroxide such as lead dioxide in powdered form to the tetrabasic lead sulfate for making the paste to be applied to the plate or electrode supporting grids. The addition of this lead peroxide allows forming the plates or electrodes in an electrolyte of high specific gravity, and in reduced time, with increased efficiency and reduced energy consumption. Such battery plates or electrodes may thus be formed in their final containers or jars, significantly reducing the practical problems of disposing of used forming electrolyte solution.

Abstract: A fuel and ignition control for a pulse combustion furnace includes both analog and digital timing means for fail safe operation, fuel valve control means which depend on proper cyclic operation for proper function, and flame detection means which are fail safe due to the necessity of its components providing a critical phase shift angle. The fuel control valve means includes energy storage means which is stepwise depleted to positively limit the time of valve energization in the absence of detection of flame, and is also disabled after a predetermined time by the digital timing means.

Abstract: Improvements in a dry charged lead-acid storage battery and in a method for producing such a battery are disclosed. The improvements in the battery involve negative plates having an initial polarization, when on charge, not greater than zero; preferably, the positive plates have an initial polarization, when on charge, of at least 100 millivolts, and most desirably, from 150 to 180 millivolts. The improvements in the method involve, for example, reducing the initial polarization of the negative plates by partial discharge thereof after formation or by air or chemical oxidation. The battery of the invention is protected from catastrophic positive grid corrosion upon activation and consequent premature failure in service without the necessity for conventional (high voltage) boost-charging at the time of installation into a conventional float charging system.

Abstract: Several embodiments of reduced crosstalk ribbon cable having alternating twisted and straight sections of indefinite length are disclosed, crosstalk being reduced by differing starting positions of alternate twisted pairs, differing lay of alternate twisted pairs, and variation in lay along the length of alternate twisted pairs. A preferred embodiment uses offset starting positions, and a lay in alternate twisted pairs substantially longer than that of adjacent pairs, becoming shorter to minimize the nontwisted portion resulting from the time to bring adjacent pairs into planar alignment. An apparatus for making such cable is also disclosed, having several wire supply twisters and several second twisters, removing the twist inserted by the wire supply twisters while forming twisted pair ribbon cable sections, allowing indefinitely long twisted sections. Twisters are provided in two groups operating in opposite directions, preventing curl of the cable.

Abstract: A round battery is provided with a formed separator set to replace the conventional separators, the center insulator of the positive plates, the edge insulators of the positive plates and the edge insulators of the negative plates. A formed separator set including first and second separators is provided, the separators having wall-shaped lip portions extending between first and second separators when the separators are disposed in an assembled electrode assembly and appropriately positioned to extend over and insulate the inner periphery of the positive plates or electrodes, the non-joined portions of the outer periphery of the positive electrodes, and the outer periphery of the negative plate, to separate and insulate unlike plates from each other and to prevent the formation of conductive bridges at the edges of the plates.

Abstract: A structure for retaining a cartridge brush holder in a dynamoelectric machine having a tubular frame member having a smooth curved inner surface and an outer surface is shown, including an aperture adapted to receive a generally cylindrical body of said cartridge brush holders through the frame member, the body of the cartridge brush holder being installed through the aperture with its flange adjacent the outer surface. A plano-convex member having a first convex surface and a second flat surface and having a bore therethrough receives the body of the cartridge bursh holder. A spring washer is placed over the cylindrical body of the brush holder, and retained by a retaining ring means pressed over the cylindrical body of the brush holder adjacent the spring washer to compress the spring washer to retain the brush holder in the tubular frame member.

Abstract: An actuating mechanism for sliding doors is intended to be installed in a van. A winch (44) is mounted inside of the van. A guide assembly (50) is installed in an aperture in the door frame. A cable (52) is connected to an arm added to the latch operating mechanism, and to the winch (44) for opening the door. A second cable (60) is attached to the rear edge of the door, and to the winch (44) for closing the door. A switch (102) connects an additional winding on an electric motor (138) to provide a high force for latching the door, allowing the use of a low and noninjurious force for closing the door. A control circuit is provided which allows a keyless closing switch to be used, subsequent operation of the switch having no effect on the motor.

Abstract: Several embodiments of reduced crosstalk ribbon cable having alternating twisted and straight sections of indefinite length are disclosed, crosstalk being reduced by differing starting positions of alternate twisted pairs, differing lay of alternate twisted pairs, and variation in lay along the length of alternate twisted pairs. A preferred embodiment uses offset starting positions, and a lay in alternate twisted pairs substantially longer than that of adjacent pairs, becoming shorter to minimize the nontwisted portion resulting from the time to bring adjacent pairs into planar alignment. An apparatus for making such cable is also disclosed, having several wire supply twisters and several second twisters, removing the twist inserted by the wire supply twisters while forming twisted pair ribbon cable sections, allowing indefinitely long twisted sections. Twisters are provided in two groups operating in opposite directions, preventing curl of the cable.

Abstract: A jumper cable is formed from conventional ribbon cable having parallel conductors embedded in insulating material, either by laminating insulated or uninsulated conductors between plastic films, by extruding a plastic film around insulated or uninsulated conductors, or by bonding insulated conductors together, and subsequently separating the resulting individual insulated conductors at spaced intervals, forming a jumper of increased flexibility and reformability for use in confined spaces, without the need for subsequent removal of any part of the ribbon cable. The ribbon cable is preferably formed in sections, each section containing an oblique section of separated conductors, and separated by an oblique stripped area of uninsulated conductors, adjacent insulated cable sections being offset from each other.

Abstract: A winch for use with a van door opening system having separate opening and closing cables includes a two-section drum mounted on a common, motor-driven shaft. A helical spring is interposed between each drum section and the shaft, for compensating for differential extension of the opening and closing cables and for maintaining tension in the opening and closing cables. A driver is affixed to the shaft, and cooperates with a stop on the interior surface of each drum section, for providing a positive driving force for opening the door, and for closing the door. In operation, rotation of the shaft stores energy in the appropriate spring before the driver contacts a stop to provide a positive driving force, so that cable tension will be maintained when the motor-driven shaft is de-energized.

Abstract: A speed limiting system particularly suited for use with magneto ignition systems for small internal combustion engines is disclosed. In a first embodiment, shorting transistor (38) is made conductive for a predetermined time after a first trigger pulse from a trigger coil (12) thus preventing subsequent trigger pulses from being effective above a predetermined engine speed. A capacitor (44) is charged by a trigger pulse, and maintains shorting transistor (38) conductive until it is discharged through the shorting transistor (38), subsequent trigger pulses arriving while shorting transistor (38) is conductive recharging the capacitor (44). A diode (42), which also serves to prevent the capacitor (44) from discharging through the trigger coil (12), provides for normal ignition system operation by delaying operating of the shorting transistor (38) until a trigger pulse has become effective upon the gate (34) of a SCR (30).

Abstract: An explosion-proof battery vent and filler plug (10) is disclosed, which provides a flame barrier (16) to prevent external ignition of gas evolved from a battery during operation from causing ignition of the larger volume of gas within the battery itself, without simultaneously allowing a high rate of evaporation of the electrolyte. In accordance with the invention, the flame barrier means (16) is provided with an indirect, restricted outlet (64) for the evolved gases to pass to the atmosphere, thus reducing the flow of air through the electrolyte space of the battery. The preferred embodiment includes a filler tube (14) with a funnel-shaped entrance (24) within a shell member (12) which sealingly engages an opening of a battery.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector including an insertion member having first and second annular portions, the first portion having a larger outside dimension than the second portion. When the connector is inserted on the fiber optic cable, the first portion of the insertion member underlies the insulation and fiber sleeves of the cable whereas the second portion of the insertion member underlies not only the insulation and fiber sleeves but also the outer shell of the cable. A ferrule is employed to mechanically stabilize the cable about the first and second portions of the insertion member of the connector. The cable, including its outer shell, is firmly held in position. Preferably, the ferrule includes one or more openings therein to even more firmly hold the outer shell in position.

Abstract: An emergency release mechanism for passive seat belt systems including a housing retained in the window frame of a vehicle door, a pivotable lever in the housing about which a loop of seat belt webbing is placed, a latch normally holding the lever in its lock position and a release member for movement of the latch out of engagement with the lever in order to release the belt.

Abstract: A critical brush wear circuit for a dynamoelectric machine which is not sensitive to stray voltages and currents resulting from brush dust accumulation within the machine, and which may be used over a wide range of voltages, is disclosed. The brush wear detection circuit is provided with a novel memory device shown as a latching relay, formed by two conventional relays disposed perpendicular to each other, with the armatures of each disposed to perpendicularly overlap a portion of the other armature and latch it in energized position when it has been moved to energized position by energizing its coil. One relay is provided with contacts for disabling the coil of the other relay, so that the other relay coil is automatically de-energized after a momentary period of connection, so that it can be allowed to draw high current, since it is not connected long enough for damaging heat to occur.

Abstract: Several embodiments of reduced crosstalk ribbon cable having alternating twisted and straight sections of indefinite length are disclosed, crosstalk being reduced by differing starting positions of alternate twisted pairs, differing lay of alternate twisted pairs, and variation in lay along the length of alternate twisted pairs. A preferred embodiment uses offset starting positions, and a lay in alternate twisted pairs substantially longer than that of adjacent pairs, becoming shorter to minimize the nontwisted portion resulting from the time to bring adjacent pairs into planar alignment. An apparatus for making such cable is also disclosed, having several wire supply twisters and several second twisters, removing the twist inserted by the wire supply twisters while forming twisted pair ribbon cable sections, allowing indefinitely long twisted sections. Twisters are provided in two groups operating in opposite directions, preventing curl of the cable.

Abstract: A paste for coating electrodes for fabricating plates of lead acid batteries containing water, tetrabasic lead sulfate, and an effective amount of a carbonate material such as ammonium carbonate has been found useful in the curing of battery plates or electrodes made with tetrabasic lead sulfate, allowing the curing of such plates or electrodes to be performed without the use of gaseous carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A speed limiting indicating device for an internal combustion engine having an engine speed sensor providing a first signal indicative of engine speed, means responsive to said first signal for providing a speed limit signal indicative of said engine speed exceeding a predetermined speed limit, said speed limit signal means including a logic gate having its input connected to said first signal for providing said speed limit signal at said predetermined limit speed.

Abstract: This invention provides an improved magneto system which is reliable and stable irrespective of environmental conditions, wear and the like, and has no contacts, breakers or other moving parts in addition to the rotor itself. The conduction in the magneto winding means is initiated and terminated by a solid state device and preferably a solid state threshold device which is responsive to impulses of electrical energy to change its state between one of conduction and nonconduction whereby magneto operation can be controlled by relatively short duration trigger impulses. The trigger impulses may automatically produce a spark advance for increased magneto speeds.