Abstract: A workpiece positioning and securing apparatus includes a fixed frame for slidably supporting a welding machine into and out of a preselected position relative to a pair of workpiece components to be welded together. A first workpiece component is fixed by a clamping device on the frame. A second workpiece component is supported by a positioning member that is movable with the welding machine into a predetermined position relative to the first workpiece component. A pair of piston cylinders actuate the clamping device to fixedly engage the first workpiece component. A second pair of piston cylinders on the frame are operable to simultaneously move the welding machine and the second workpiece component into a preselected position relative to the first workpiece component.

Abstract: An improvement is provided in apparatus used to detect combustible gases, which embodies a Wheatstone bridge circuit including a refractory-coated detector element having thereon a catalyst for promoting oxidation of the combustible gas to be detected constituting one leg of the bridge and a refractory-coated reference element constituting a second leg of the bridge. The improvement, in its broadest aspect, consists in using a mixture of palladium, palladium oxide and nickel oxide as the catalyst on the detector element. In addition, an improved reference element is provided which has a coating of either sodium metasilicate or lead borate deposited thereon.

Abstract: A pair of leg frame members are connected in side by side spaced relationship and are adapted to be inserted in the legs of a pair of trousers to display the trousers in a selected position. Each of the leg frame members includes inner and outer seam supports formed by a plurality of elongated elements that are positioned in end to end relationship. The adjacent ends of the elongated elements are pivotally connected so that the inner and outer seam supports are formed by a plurality of spaced parallel pairs of elongated elements. Thus the pairs of elongated elements for each pair of leg frame members are independently pivotal to a preselected angular position. The pair of leg frame members can then be pivoted at a plurality of pivot points along the length thereof so as to display the legs of the trousers in a plurality of imaginative arrangements.

Abstract: A continuous mining machine includes a body portion mounted on endless tracks and a boom member extending forwardly from the body portion with a cutter drum member rotatably mounted on the front end of the boom member. The cutter drum member has an intermediate drum section and a pair of end drum sections. A pair of driven input shafts are drivingly connected to the pair of end drum sections respectively. Intermediate drive shafts extend from the end drum sections into the ends of the intermediate drum section. The intermediate drum section is formed by a pair of releasably connected housing sections. A connecting plate is positioned within and nonrotatably secured to each housing section. Each connecting plate includes planar faces that engage corresponding planar faces provided on the end of the respective intermediate drive shaft.

Abstract: A cutting tool assembly adapted for mounting on a driving mechanism of a mining machine to dislodge solid material in mining operations includes a base member rigidly secured as by welding to the driving mechanism. A cutter member having an elongated shank and a conical head is releasably positioned in a bore through the base member. The conical head extends from the upper end of the shank and supports a hard cutting tip that is operable to dislodge solid material from a mine face upon rotation of the driving mechanism. The shank has a tapered body positioned in a tapered portion of the base member bore. The surface of the tapered body cooperates with the bore tapered portion to form a locking fit of the shank in the base member substantially free of relative movement between the shank and the base member to prevent wear of the base member bore.

Abstract: A mining machine includes a mobile body and an endless conveyor for conveying rearwardly on the body the material dislodged by the mining machine. A gathering platform extends forwardly from the conveyor. Oscillating gathering arms positioned laterally of the receiving end of the conveyor on the gathering platform feed the dislodged material rearwardly on the gathering platform. A plow-like forward edge portion extends transversely across the front of the gathering platform and opposite side portions extend rearwardly from the forward edge portion. Deflector plates are pivotally mounted on the gathering platform adjacent the opposite side portions at the gathering platform forward edge portion to deflect the loose material deposited on the mine floor along the mine wall onto the gathering platform. The deflector plates are biased laterally outwardly from the forward edge portion toward stops mounted on the gathering platform which limit their outward pivotal movement.

Abstract: A process is provided for regenerating a spent electroless copper plating bath which contains alkali metal salts resulting from the reduction of a water soluble copper salt under copper plating and reducing conditions. The regeneration is effected by means of the electrodialytic transfer of at least a portion of the anions in the spent plating bath through an anionic permselective membrane into the anode compartment of an electrodialytic cell. In the preferred embodiment, hydroxyl ions from the cathode compartment of the electrodialytic cell are concurrently transferred through a second anionic permselective membrane to replace the transferred anions, the replacement taking place in a compartment of the electrodialytic cell located between the two anionic permselective membranes.

Abstract: A continuous mining machine includes a body portion. A longitudinally extending conveyor support frame is positioned on the body portion. A pair of parallel spaced side walls are positioned outboard of the conveyor support frame. A unitary stabilizing member is pivotally connected at an upper end to the lower edge portions of the side walls and extends transversely between the side walls beyond the width of and below the conveyor support frame. A lower end of the stabilizing member is adapted for movement into and out of engagement with the mine floor. A pair of piston cylinder assemblies for actuating the stabilizing member are connected to and positioned outboard and laterally of the side walls. The piston rods of the assemblies are intermediately connected to the lateral edges of the stabilizing member.

Abstract: A fountain solution for use with a lithographic offset printing press is prepared by admixing fountain etch constituents, water and between about 0.5 and 5 percent by volume of a substitutive additive for isopropyl alcohol. The additive or replacement may be a Carbitol or Cellosolve derivative or mixtures of Cellosolve or Carbitol derivatives, such as phenyl glycol ethers or other organic non-ionic compounds, as for example, n-hexoxyglycol (n-hexyl Cellosolve), n-hexoxydiethylene glycol, (n-hexyl Carbitol), 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol, n-butoxyethylene glycolacetate, n-butoxy-diethyleneglycolacetate, and 3-butoxy-2 propanol. The fountain solution free is isopropyl alcohol does not have the adverse toxic and flammable properties of prior art fountain solutions containing isopropyl alcohol.

Abstract: A cylindrical valve spool is slidably positioned in a chamber of a valve housing having a plurality of fluid inlet ports and a plurality of fluid outlet ports. The valve spool is movable to a selected one of a plurality of positions to interconnect a selected inlet port with a selected outlet port. A detent apparatus is associated with one end of the valve spool and is operable to lock the valve spool in one of three positions in the chamber. A remotely operated first pilot valve is operable to convey pressurized fluid to either end of the valve spool and thereby shift the valve spool to either a first or second end position for interconnecting selected inlet and outlet ports. A centering device is operable to shift the valve spool from either detented end position to a detented center or neutral position by deactivating the pilot valve and simultaneously conveying pressurized fluid from a second pilot valve to the centering apparatus.

Abstract: A forklift assembly is pivotally connected to the front end portion of a self-propelled mobile frame. A mounting plate extends transversely across the front end portion of the mobile frame. A hydraulic lift cylinder is bolted to the intermediate portion of the mounting plate closely adjacent to the front axles of the mobile frame, and the piston rod of the lift cylinder is pinned to a lug extending rearwardly from the forklift assembly. Extension and retraction of the piston rod raises and lowers the forklift assembly relative to the mobile frame. The lug is connected to the piston rod to permit movement of the lug on a shoulder portion of the piston rod so that the torsional forces exerted on the forklift assembly are not transferred to the piston rod of the lift cylinder. Guide members are secured to the rear of the forklift assembly and the mounting plate to maintain vertical movement of the lift cylinder relative to the mounting plate.

Abstract: A wing former includes a pair of cooperating, spring arm members positioned in overlying spaced relation and movable between an open and closed position for receiving a wing forming material, such as a feather or a thin sheet material for shaping a wing of an artificial fishing lure. Each arm member has a first end portion and a shaped second portion with the first end portions being connected for pivotal movement of the arm members. The wing forming material is inserted between the second end portions. Each second end portion has a configuration corresponding to a preselected wing configuration to be formed. Reference markers on at least one of the shaped end portions facilitate selective positioning of the wing forming material between the shaped end portions. With the material in a preselected position, the shape of the wing is controlled so as to permit construction of a wing that accurately imitates the shape of the wing of an insect of a preselected species.

Abstract: A housing having an interior chamber with an inlet and outlet thereto is suspended by a crane within a ladle or furnace having an interior refractory surface to be relined. A feed conduit for conveying dry refractory material entrained in an air stream extends through the inlet into the interior chamber. A nozzle assembly having a pair of oppositely positioned spray nozzles is rotatably supported in the outlet of the housing. A conduit of the nozzle assembly is rotatably connected at one end by a coupling to the feed conduit within the housing and communicates with the spray nozzles. Each of the spray nozzles includes a water ring that receives a wetting agent, such as water, from a supply conduit that is connected by a swivel assembly to the nozzles to permit rotation of the nozzles relative to the supply conduit. Each water ring directs the water into mixture with the air entrained dry refractory material flowing through the nozzle.

Abstract: A continuous mining machine includes a body portion having a longitudinal axis and mounted on endless tracks. A boom member extends forwardly from the body portion with a cutter drum member rotatably mounted on the front of the boom member. The cutter drum member has an intermediate drum section and a pair of canted end drum section. The intermediate drum section is spaced from the end drum sections to provide openings therebetween. The boom member has front end portions extending through the openings to rotatably support the cutter drum member. Input drive shafts extend from drive motors on the body portion forwardly from the boom member at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body portion through the openings. In each end drum section meshing spiral bevel gears connect the input drive shaft through a planetary gear train to the end drum drive shaft. Rotation is transmitted from each end drum drive shaft to a drive shaft for rotating the intermediate drum section.

Abstract: A brace member having a longitudinally extending tapered body portion includes a first end portion having an expanded head of a frusto-conical shape terminating in a planar surface and a second end portion having a U-shaped member secured thereto. The planar surface of the expanded head is positioned in an abutting relation with a supporting structure, such as the metallic superstructure of an oceangoing vessel. The conical shape of the expanded head forms with the surface of the supporting structure an annular recess for receiving a weld to unite the end of the brace member securely to the supporting structure. The U-shaped member includes a semicircular base having means for securely receiving and retaining a pipe, conduit or the like in a fixed position relative to the supporting structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conserving waste energy by transferring waste heat from an internal combustion engine, solar energy or from any other source of waste heat energy of a temperature of 200.degree. F. or above to a carrier liquid includes conveying the heated carrier liquid to a heat exchanger, pressurizing a refrigerant by heating the refrigerant with heat energy extracted from the heated carrier liquid and performing work with the pressurized refrigerant. The preferred embodiments include a modified Rankine-Sterling cycle engine and a dual absorption generator system.

Abstract: A cable connector includes an insert having a tubular body portion with a conical end portion longitudinally spaced from an annular flanged end portion by diametrically opposed radial grooves. The insert is positioned in an aperture extending through a wall of an electrical junction box. The tubular body portion is contractable to permit the wall surrounding the aperture to be positioned in surrounding relation with the grooves to retain the tubular body portion in the aperture. A passageway extends through the tubular body portion and includes a rectangular inlet and a rectangular outlet. Vertical sidewalls of the passageway diverge outwardly from the inlet to the outlet so that the cross sectional area of the outlet is greater than the cross sectional area of the inlet. A pair of wedge shaped members are positioned in the passageway to secure a cable, such as an insulated conductor, extending through the passageway from being pulled out of the junction box.

Abstract: A pair of limbs extend from opposite end portions of a handle member. Each limb has a free end portion upon which is rotatably and eccentrically mounted a pulley. A continuous cable is reeved about the pulleys and includes an arrow string portion extending between the limbs. The cable portions extend from the pulleys and through a cavity in the handle member where they are supported by idler pulleys. The pulleys are eccentrically mounted by devices that permit adjustments in the eccentric axis of rotation of each pulley relative to a limb to effect a change in the draw weight and draw length of the bow. Each pulley includes a pair of annular grooves positioned in spaced relation around the periphery of the pulley. A first and second set of slots extend radially through the rim portion of each pulley and into the first and second annular grooves respectively. The sets of slots are diametrically opposed on the rim.