Abstract: Fasteners for securing a shaped embellishing molding across the gap between the peripheral edge of a fixed window panel and fillister support surface in which the panel is mounted in an automotive vehicle. The fasteners are integrally fabricated from a material such as plastic and are adapted to mount in the gap without the need for welded studs or other means secured to the fillister. Each fastener includes a base and pair of projecting resilient wings which are downwardly flexed to fit in the gap. The wings include beveled bearing faces that resiliently bear against the inside corner of the mounted panel and develop a reacting force tending to load and position the fastener flushly against both sides of the fillister. The beveled bearing faces also allow the fastener to take up large tolerances both in the width of the gap and in the spacing of the panel from the inner side of the fillister.

Abstract: A closure switch operates a bulb responsive to the opening and closing of a compartment lid. A bracket carries the switch including three contacts and a hinge, and a striker for a lid latch. The hinge is pivoted from a first to a second position by the latch upon lid closure. The first contact includes an end for connection into an electrical circuit and another end that connects to one bulb contact. The second contact includes an end for connection to ground and another end biasing the hinge into its first position. The third contact includes an end connecting to another bulb contact and another end engaging the second contact to energize the bulb when the lid is open and the hinge is in its first position. Upon lid closure the hinge pivots to its second position disengaging the second and third contacts to de-energize the bulb.

Abstract: A switch operates a lamp bulb in a compartment in response to the opening and closing of the compartment's lid. The switch includes a housing that retains the bulb and mounts in an aperture adjacent the compartment. The housing includes a hinge that is pivoted from a first to a second position when the lid is closed. A pair of contacts on opposite sides of the housing include terminals which connect into an electrical circuit. One end of one contact engages the bulb contact. One end of the other contact engages the bulb base and biases the hinge member into its first position. When the lid is open, the hinge is in its first position and the circuit through the bulb is complete. Closing of the lid pivots the hinge to its second position and moves the end of the other contact away from the bulb to break the circuit.

Abstract: A tool is provided for applying adhesive material to a surface. The tool utilizes a cartridge of heat-softenable, thermoplastic material which is positioned in a chamber of the tool. Air under pressure at the rear end of the chamber is applied directly to the rear of the cartridge to urge it toward a heat block located at the forward end of the chamber. That portion of the adhesive material in contact with and near the heat block is softened and flows through passages in the block and past a check valve to a nozzle from which the softened adhesive is directed to the surface. The heat block has a plurality of radially-extending fins which are designed to concentrate heat at the center of the cartridge. The tool features a sleeve of plastic material in the cartridge chamber adjacent the heat block, which sleeve is isolated from the rear portion of the chamber to minimize the conduction of heat toward the rear.

Abstract: A closure switch operates a bulb that illuminates a compartment in response to the opening and closing, respectively, of the compartment's closure lid. A metal bracket carries the switch and a striker member for a latch carried by the closure lid. The bracket also serves as a current carrying member of the switch and includes a terminal for connection into an electrical circuit, e.g., to ground. A molded plastic housing mounts to the bracket and retains the bulb. The housing includes an integral or "living" hinge that is pivoted from a first to a second position by the latch when the lid is closed. When the lid is open and the hinge member is in its first position, the circuit through the bulb is complete. When the lid is closed, the latch on the lid pivots the hinge to its second position and the circuit is broken.

Abstract: An integral, spring metal fastener has the form of a generally flat, interrupted or incomplete ring and a pair of opposed, spaced hooked arms mounted within the ring and curvedly extending toward, but not completely to, the ring ends defining the interruption. The ring ends are squeezable together, as with pliers, to bring the hooked arms closer together and, when released, the ring and the hooked arms resiliently return to their original, uncompressed position. The hooked arms are adapted to be engaged within a hole in a mounting post so that the fastener can secure other mounting elements to the post. The fastener is particularly adapted for securing antivibration mounting elements of the type conventionally used in mounting vibration causing devices, such as compressors, in this manner.

Abstract: A washer-nut assembly wherein a sheet metal nut is rotatably coupled within an annular plastic washer. The nut has an inner threaded barrel portion for engaging the threads of a cooperating bolt, an outer barrel portion shaped for engagement by a tightening tool and a frusto-conically shaped skirt portion extending outwardly from the outer barrel portion. The washer includes a central through-aperture and an inboard surface near one end of the washer that defines a seat for the skirt portion of the nut. The axial height of the washer is substantially greater than that of the nut so that the nut is recessed within the washer. The nut is coupled to the washer by skiving material from the inboard surface of the washer to form tongues that overhang the skirt portion of the nut. The tongues retain the nut within the washer yet permit free-spinning of the nut and washer relative to one another.

Abstract: A four terminal polarity reversing electrical switch. Two of the terminals each have a pair of contact surfaces so located as to form opposed pairs of contacts, each pair including one contact from each terminal, when the terminals are positioned symmetrically with respect to each other. The other two terminals provide bearing surfaces supporting rotatable arms which extend intermediate corresponding contact surface pairs and which contact one of the other surfaces of the pairs when the arms are rotated to opposed positions.

Abstract: A molded plastic socket for a wedge base bulb has a bulb receiving cavity defined in part by resilient side walls for securely but releasably engaging the bulb base. The side walls also carry contacts connected to the socket terminals, which contacts also releasably grip the sides of the bulb base and electrically contact the wires leading to the bulb filament which are located on the outer sides of the bulb base. The bulb cavity is also defined by end walls which carry wire guides that direct the wires on the bulb into engagement with the socket contacts as the bulb is inserted into the socket cavity.

Abstract: A plug for a panel aperture comprising a plate portion and a plurality of resilient legs which depend from the plate portion and which are shaped to be snap-engagable through the aperture in the panel so that the plate portion is drawn onto the panel thereby at least substantially closing the aperture, wherein the legs are formed by extensions of the plate portion which have been folded back onto the plate portion and then away from the plate portion, whereby the legs project from the plate portion from a position radially inwardly of the periphery of the plate portion leaving the periphery of the plate portion unbroken. The folded portion of each leg is preferably located in a recess in the plate portion so as to lie flush with the undersurface of the plate portion and a sealing member may be provided on the undersurface of the periphery of the plate portion.

Abstract: A mechanically actuable electrical control relay has normally open contacts at least one of which is associated with a movable armature. A fixed, magnetizable core part has a winding or coil associated therewith. A movable core part associated with the armature is connected to a mechanical actuator for moving the movable core part toward the fixed core part. With the winding or coil energized, the fixed core part is magnetized and the movement of the movable core part (which is of a ferrous material) into proximity to the fixed part completes a magnetic circuit therebetween and the contacts are closed to establish and maintain an electrical circuit controlled by the relay. Improved circuitry for operating automotive equipment in which the control relay is one of the components is also described.

Abstract: A panel hole closure is composed of a rigid plate having an integral array of resilient fingers projecting from one surface of the plate inboard of the plate rim. A integral stiffener is provided for each finger which stiffens the finger against inward deflection toward the axis of the plate so that once the closure is seated in a panel aperture, it is difficult to dislodge. A plastic sealing ring encircling the plate rim may be melted and flow to provide a fluid-tight seal between the closure plate and panel.

Abstract: A tire pressure indicator includes a cylindrical housing having an axial bore communicating with the interior of a pneumatic tire either through the tire valve stem or directly through the wheel rim. A valve poppet is movable within the housing between a first position in which it seals the tire by engaging a shoulder projecting inwardly in the bore and a second position in which it is spaced from the shoulder to release air from the tire. A hollow cap threadedly connects to the housing and, when so connected, compresses a spring in the housing that biases the poppet toward its second, releasing position against the air pressure in the tire biasing the poppet toward its first, sealing position. When the pressure in the tire drops to a predetermined level, the poppet moves to its second position releasing air into the cap. An indicating element normally concealed within the cap is projected from the cap by the released air to provide a visual warning of the tire pressure drop.

Abstract: The specification describes a device termed a silent obturator which is in the form of a flexible strip having at least one mounting hole at one end portion at least and supported in bowed or arcuate configuration between two supports, one of which is movable toward the other and which carries a "moveable" contact member near but not at the mid-point thereof whereby motion of one support relative to the other causes outward or inward deflection of the obturator relative to a line between the supports in such manner as to displace the contact member toward the fixed support in one coordinate direction and away from the line between said supports in another coordinate direction effectively providing a resultant path of motion at an angle to the line between said supports which, when said moveable contact member is placed in spaced association with a "fixed" contact member relatively fixed in space provides a contact action therewith which is substantially tangential relative to the bow or curve of the obturator

Abstract: A closure plug particularly useful in the manufacture of insulated closures such as refrigerator and freezer cabinets. The plug comprises a molded, one-piece resilient plastic body member including a peripheral portion for sealingly engaging the edges of an opening in the closure, a central portion extending inwardly from the peripheral portion and defining an aperture communicating with the opening, first and second relatively flexible flaps extending above the central portion and overhanging the aperture and first and second relatively rigid tabs extending from the central portion between the flaps toward the center of the aperture. The flaps are deformable past the tabs through the aperture of permit the insertion of an insulative foam introducing conduit into the closure. Upon withdrawal of the conduit, the flaps tend to return to their original position outside the aperture but are restrained from passing back through the aperture by the tabs.

Abstract: In a relay construction, an insulate coil form having a through bore and a coil wound thereon is fixed to an insulate base by a fixed core part which straddles the coil form and is fastened to the base. The fixed core part has an opening aligned with the bore in the coil form and a plunger or movable core part is mounted for linear reciprocating travel in said opening and bore. An armature in the form of an obturator-type strip of spring metal has one end fastened to the base beneath the coil form and extends outwardly and upwardly from the base in a continuous arcuate bend to its other end which lies above the fixed core part and is fastened to the upper end of the plunger. The obturator strip carries a contact proximate the apex of its bend which tangentially engages a fixed contact leading to an output terminal when the relay coil is energized to magnetize the fixed core part and thereby cause the plunger to move downwardly further into the bore in the coil form.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the iron content of a zinc phosphating process. The processing bath is continuously aerated and agitated to precipitate iron compounds out of solution and maintain the precipitate in suspension. The bath is constantly recirculated through a series of settling tanks or a single compartmentalized tank wherein the precipitate is settled out of solution and from which relatively clarified solution is discharged back to the processing bath. Periodically iron bearing sediment is removed from the settling tanks for disposal as solid waste.

Abstract: A plug for closing an aperture in a panel comprising a metal plate portion and a plurality of metal legs. The plate portion and the legs can be formed from different materials having different characteristics. Each leg comprises an attaching portion which attaches the leg on the plate portion and a mounting portion which depends from the plate portion. The legs are so shaped and positioned that they are co-operatively snap-engagable through the aperture in the panel to mount the plug in the aperture. The legs and the plate portion are manufactured separately and subsequently assembled. A sealing ring having a channel shaped cross-section is optionally attached to the periphery of the plate portion so as to overlie the upper and lower surfaces of the periphery of the plate portion.

Abstract: A hold-in type of automotive relay which when actuated by a first switch controlled exciting current closes its normally open relay contacts and a second switch magnetically connected to said relay and the source of current. The contacts of the second switch remain closed even after the first switch is opened and until such time as the current passing through the second switch is interrupted.

Abstract: A probe for use in a fluid level sensing system has an electrode and an insulating body located between the ends of the electrode. The insulating body is in the form of a hollow, tubular shell and includes electrode carrying parts ad resilient fluid container wall engaging parts. The electrode and container wall engaging parts are spaced along the longitudinal axis of the electrode so that, when the probe is mounted in its operative position in an opening in a fluid container, the container wall engaging parts resiliently engage the container wall parts which bound the opening, and the electrode is supported by the shell at a position within the container and spaced from the container wall.