Abstract: A rotatable member which may comprise a toggle lever for a wiring device is supported by two sets of bearing elements, one set being located on a base and the other set being located on sidewalls integral with the base to provide a self-contained unitary assembly. In one embodiment, the rotatable member may be snapped into position and is simultaneously engaged by both sets of bearing elements in the housing portion of a molded wiring device to provide locational integrity independent of the location of other parts of the wiring device.

Abstract: A selectively deflectable tab hingedly coupled to the cover portion of a two part wiring device is positionally responsive to the presence or absence of an obstruction located within a cable receiving notched opening in the housing portion of the device so that, in the absence of such cable, the tab will enter the notched opening to provide a seal thereat but will selectively tilt away from the opening upon contact with an obstruction located therein.

Abstract: A hand tool for assembling two or more articles along an extended plane. Arcuate motion of a movable handle is converted to axial movement of a presser plate to assemble the articles placed on an aligned platen. The movable handle controls a drive bar which is coupled to the tool frame by pivotally movable links which move the drive bar in two orthogonal directions and to the presser plate to move it in two orthogonal directions by means of pivotally movable links coupled to the drive bar. The movements along one orthogonal axis cancel one another and the movements along the other orthogonal axis are cumulative whereby the presser plate is moved only in the direction of the platen.

Abstract: A multiposition modular connector assembly includes lower and upper halves each comprising a series of frangibly interconnected connector elements, each upper element being individually engaged to a lower element by latch means to provide a composite structure preselectively partable into segments of a predetermined number of positions.

Abstract: A tension sensing and cut off control mechanism which operates independently of the mechanism for drawing tight a closed loop bundling strap placed about objects to be bundled. Within a stationary block, afixed to one end of a tool housing, is placed a movable block held stationary by a displaceable pin. Adjustable loading means engage said pin to control its movement based on the tension to be applied to the strap. Below the established load a separate pawl mechanism draws the strap up about the bundle. When the load on the pin is exceeded, the movable block is moved by the strap head causing a blade means to sever the strap adjacent the head and all parts return to their original positions.

Abstract: An electrical splice contact comprises a narrow central portion flanked by undulating slotted end portions having peaked segments providing piercing and cutting surfaces for engaging the ends of a pair of insulated conductors to provide an in-line electrical splice joint therebetween.

Abstract: A glove for increasing the efficiency of a swimmer includes an integral webbed elastic member having open-ended digit receiving tubular portions joined to one another by web portions reinforced at both ends by thickened ribs. An apertured extending portion encompasses the periphery of the wearer's palm and wrist to provide additional security of the glove to the wearer's hand.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a die set wherein both the upper and lower die members are molded of a semi-rigid, flexible material. The physical properties of the materials from which the die members are formed are such that they resemble those of typical conductor and connector insulations. The dies can deform around the insulation of the conductor and shield without nicking, cutting or otherwise damaging the metallic conductor or other portions of the insulated conductor. The dies can conform to concentric and nonconcentric conductor configurations and are thus not sensitive to the conductor concentricity and to the conductor size in the range of conductor sizes the dies are formed to handle. The use of alignment ribs, along with the die interlocks serve to center the two die members and stops serve to prevent rotation of a connector in the die set and control the maximum die set opening.

Abstract: A die set comprising a pair of die members one ofwhich is provided with discretely mounted and independently laterally movable die elements cooperable with extending leg portions on the other die member to provide a variable opening die nest to assist in releasing a ferrule or similar article therefrom after the deforming operation.

Abstract: An electrical contact for use preferably in connection with ribbon-type flat cable comprises a rectangularly configured head portion having discrete, individually sloped cutting edges at the upper end thereof for piercing through the webbed insulation between adjacent conductors of the cable, the front and rear walls of the head portion being suitably slotted to receive a conductor and make electrical contact therewith.

Abstract: An improved tubular ferrule which may be employed in a wire connector or the like comprises a helical coil of closely wound turns of generally elongate tubular form with each of the turns of the coil being bonded to an adjacent turn to form a crimpable tubular structure having an undulating interior surface and readily adaptable for use as an electrical connector or the like. The individual turns of the coil may be bonded to one another either by the selective application of a bonding material to the coil or by pre-coating the wire with a preferably heat responsive fusible material and subjecting the coil to a heating operation to fuse the turns together. Wire having a circular, rectangular, or other suitable cross section may be employed and selectively oriented to provide a variety of selective interior and exterior surface configurations. The wire may be pre-worked, prior to winding, to provide sharp protrusions thereon to enhance the engagement between the ferrule and external parts joined thereto.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a hand tool of the pliers configuration having a set of crimping nests located in jaw members and having the expansion zones of the crimping nests overlap so as to permit placement of each of the nests closer to the optimum distance from the handle pivot. A visual indicator permits the operator to crimp terminals of different discrete sizes in a single one of the crimping nests and a hook member used to lock the handles in a closed position further provides discrete limits of crimping nest closure. A compression spring located in overlapping slots of the handle member provides a recessed means to rapidly open the handles when the hook member is released. Discretely sized insulation cutting edges located between the pivot and the handle free ends permits the edges to overlap one another and thus provide an almost complete cut about the wire periphery and provide a wedge to break through the uncut land of insulation.

Abstract: A bicycle construction for tandem operation includes an auxiliary drive means which may be attached to a conventional single operator bicycle between the main drive means and the rear wheel to permit operation by two occupants. The auxiliary drive means comprises a pair of first auxiliary sprockets each connected to an associated one of a pair of independently supported rotary pedals each of which is coupled to an associated fork of a forked rear wheel support. A pair of second auxiliary sprockets is mounted on the main drive means, each of the second auxiliary sprockets being coupled to a respective one of the main rotary pedals. A pair of support columns coupled to the bicycle frame may be provided to serve as an auxiliary seat support, at one end, and as an auxiliary rotary pedal support at its other end. The auxiliary crank arms associated with the auxiliary rotary pedals may be coupled to eccentrically mounted bearing for adjusting the spacing between the auxiliary drive means and the main drive means.

Abstract: Means for simultaneously interconnecting selective conductors of an insulated multiconductor flat cable include a pair of mating metallic strips adapted to overlie opposite sides of a given segment of the cable and include a first strip having bifurcated contact elements arranged to pierce through the cable insulation about selective conductors and enter preformed apertures in the other strip, which apertures are dimensioned to snugly receive and contain the tines of the bifurcated contact elements. A dielectric housing may be provided to enclose and insulate the various elements of the assembly.

Abstract: The wall of a thin walled hollow member such as the ferrule portion of an electrical terminal or the like is subjected to a longitudinal pinching force which may be applied by one or more pair of spaced parallel elongate forming surfaces at selective locations along the length of the perimeter of the thin walled member to produce one or more obliquely angled double thickness fins which are then subjected to an inwardly directed radial force causing the fins to be folded back against the outer surface of the hollow member which is thus tightly contracted about a further member located within the hollow member.

Abstract: Apparatus for slitting a sheathed three-conductor cable having two outer conductors and a central ground conductor preparatory to installing the slit segment into a specially prepared electrical fixture comprises a slitting assembly reciprocatingly slidable towards and away from a cradle member arranged to support and align a given length of the cable for engagement with a pair of spaced blade members affixed to the slitting assembly. The sheath of the cable is slit on either side of the central ground conductor, one of the outer conductors being displaced out of the plane of the conductors while the other outer conductor is displaced laterally away from the central conductor. The slit portion of the cable is thus suitably arranged for installation in a specially prepared electrical fixture which may be placed between extending portions of the jaw members of a further embodiment of the invention to complete the installation.

Abstract: The interior passageway formed at the central axis of a bundle of at least three cylindrical elements which are drawn together within a contractable outer member serves to maintain the ends of optical fibers or the like in accurate axial alignment to provide a splice joint or connection thereat.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a hand tool of the pliers configuration having a set of crimping nests located in jaw members and having the expansion zones of the crimping nests overlap so as to permit placement of each of the nests closer to the optimum distance from the handle pivot. A visual indicator permits the operator to crimp terminals of different discrete sizes in a single one of the crimping nests and a hook member used to lock the handles in a closed position further provides discrete limits of crimping nest closure. A compression spring located in overlapping slots of the handle member provides a recessed means to rapidly open the handles when the hook member is released. Discretely sized insulation cutting edges located between the pivot and the handle free ends permits the edges to overlap one another and thus provide a complete cut about the wire periphery and provide a wedge to break through the uncut land of insulation.

Abstract: An electrical contact adapted for resilient engagement with a substrate having a conductive surface thereon includes a highly deflective preferably spirally looped tail portion arranged to provide relatively uniform contact pressure over its elastic range of deflection. In one embodiment the tail portion is interconnected to a generally tubular head portion having cutting edges thereon for piercing through the insulation of an insulated conductor, a plurality of such electrical contacts being further designed to be contained within a connector housing adapted to interconnect a flat cable to a conductively surfaced substrate and including mounting means on the housing for maintaining the tail portions of the contacts in firm engagement with the substrate while minimizing the force required to assemble the connector to the substrate.