Abstract: An economical, disposable protective liner for the cargo bed area of vehicles, and especially designed for utility vehicles such as four wheel drive passenger vehicles and for station wagons, enclosed vans and the like, is made from flexible, semi-rigid, recyclable materials that can be quickly assembled and slid into place within a vehicle by one person. The liner is provided with interlocking connective corners which make the assembled liner self-supporting so it remains erect and prevents cargo spillage during use. The liner is not fastened to the vehicle but instead slides freely in and out of the cargo area between the wheel wells of the vehicle.

Abstract: A conveyor belt tensioning system having two fluid piston and cylinders units on each lateral side of the belt. The units are parallel to each other and are attached to a tensioning roll. A pair of cables are attached to both of the pistons and pass around pulleys in a manner as to compensate for any differences in force between the pistons such that the pistons move in the same direction the same amount.

Abstract: A method and system for dewatering coal fines from the centrate of a pipeline slurry centrifuge, to recover the coal and purify the water, includes blending the centrate from the centrifuge with slurry from the pipeline in the proportion of about 4:1. The blend is chemically conditioned agglomerating polymer, and then dewatered on a belt press. The cake from the belt press is dry enough to burn in the boiler, and the filtrate is clarified in a gravity clarifier. The clarifier effluent is clean enough for plant purposes or to return to the environment, and the clarifier underflow is returned to the blend for dewatering in the belt press. In a second embodiment, the blend is dewatered directly in a disphragm filter press without chemical conditioning, and the filtrate is clean enough to use directly without clarifying.

Abstract: A vertical media bed dust collector in which the media bed of a filter panel is rejuvenated when necessary by interrupting the gas flow through the panel, withdrawing the filter media from the panel, separating the agglomerated dust from the filter media, returning the filter media to the filter panel, and reestablishing the gas flow through the panel. The system further includes apparatus for removing collected dust from the separating and recirculating surfaces of the media handling apparatus and also from the remote face of the filter panels before the cleaned gas is allowed to pass out of the collector so that the cleaned gas is not recontaminated by small amounts of dust adhering to those surfaces.

Abstract: A clamp strip is bolted to a frame member which may be one side or rail of the basket of a travelling water screen. The strip clamps a margin of the screening to the frame. The strip is of a durable non-metallic material of a high modulus of elasticity and of a general rectangular section. The strip initially is of an arcuate form so that the deformation effected by bolting exerts a force against an extended area of the screening to hold the latter securely. Each strip of one form is secured by a single central bolt. Each strip of another form is secured by two or more bolts including a bolt at each end of the strip.

Abstract: A ground vehicle final drive system includes a hydraulic motor powered by an engine driven pump, and a planetary gear final drive unit mounted between the frame of the vehicle and the wheel hub. A two-speed gear box is mechanically coupled between the hydraulic motor and the final drive unit and includes a remotely operable hydraulic shifter which can shift the two-speed gear box between two gear ratios by the use of a coupling that is splined to the output shaft and slides between an annular recess in one output gear and onto a spline connection on the other output gear.

Abstract: A coupled planetary gear system for use preferably with the wheel assembly of large vehicles in which the secondary planet gears and the primary ring gear are secured to the wheel assembly. The input shaft drives the primary sun gear, and the primary planet gears drive the secondary sun gear.

Abstract: A semi-rigid elastomeric cover for a roller chain coupling which comprises a generally cylindrical center portion having its radial interior contoured to relatively tightly fit the contour of the roller chain and two opposed axially extending flanges connected to the center portion each flange terminating in a circular beaded portion dimensioned for a compression fit with the hub of the coupling.

Abstract: A rotor, for a vane-type fluid pump or motor, having upper and lower vane contact edges formed in each slot thereof is disclosed. The upper and lower vane contact edges substantially eliminate wear of the slots by the vanes reciprocating therein, thereby enabling pumps or motors employing the rotor to operate with low viscosity liquids for commercially useful periods of time.

Abstract: An apparatus for the grinding of hard materials having a conveyor for forming a thin layer of material and moving the layer upward at an angle, and then causing the material in the upper region of the conveyor to tumble back down and along the surface of the upward moving layer, to generate a fine abraded product from the rubbing surfaces of the material.

Abstract: A face seal assembly for preventing leakage of fluid around a rotating shaft of a machine, including a housing in the form of an annular U-shaped trough open at one end and closed at the other end. An annular seal element fits into the housing and is biased outwardly by a spring toward the open end into engagement with a mating ring. The seal element is held in the housing during assembly or servicing of the machine by two spring latch mechanisms which each include a formed spring fastened in a channel. The two spring mechanisms are welded to the inner face of the outer wall of the housing at diametrically opposed positions. The annular seal element has a notch in its outer circumferential wall on opposed diametrical sides to enable the seal element to fit snugly with the housing, with the channels received within the notches.

Abstract: Each face of the disc for sewage aeration includes a multiplicity of recesses. The recesses of one face have no communication with those of the other face and are precisely dimensioned so that the sewage, which is essentially water, flows into and out of each recess without leaving an accumulation of deposits in the recess. This is accomplished with no reduction of and possibly an increase in the aeration efficiency of the disc.

Abstract: A vane-type variable displacement pump is controlled by a first stage servo-valve. The servo-valve is controlled by a second stage which may optionally include devices which provide any of several desired control effects.

Abstract: A resilient support element for a compliant hydrodynamic fluid film bearing has top and bottom corrugated foil modules separated by a thin mid-plane sheet. Both modules are split by slits extending perpendicular to their corrugation axes, and the two modules are arranged with their corrugations extending transverse to each other. The angular stiffness of each finite area of the support element is substantially equal about orthogonal axes over its entire area. The support element provides superior damping and soft, strong isotropic support of the bearing sheet for generation of high load capacity at low speed, stable operation and high load capacity at high speed, and tolerance of manufacturing, use and loading abberations.

Abstract: A control method and system for quasi-proportionally controlling the magnitude of DC excitation current supplied to the DC field coil windings of a linear reciprocating motor in proportion to the magnitude of the AC excitation current supplied to the AC field coil windings of the motor.

Abstract: A compliant hydrodynamic fluid film bearing made of three or more pads, each having a thin, flexible bearing sheet supported by a resilient support element fastened to a mount. A set of split, tiered stiffener sheets is fastened between the bearing sheet and the support element to provide an increasing stiffness gradient to the pad from its leading to trailing edges. The support element includes a plurality of resilient elevations that also increase in stiffness toward the trailing edge for the same purpose. The pad profile changes with changing hydrodynamic loading to present an optimal profile for maximal load carrying over the full speed range of the bearing.

Abstract: A compliant fluid film bearing includes a thin, flexible bearing sheet supported on a resilient bump-form support member which is divided into multiple adjacent strips. The bearing sheet and support member are each formed of a composite material made of Inconel X-750 and copper. The Inconel sheet, in annealed condition, is cut and formed in the desired shape and is coated with copper. The sheet is heat treated in an oxygen-free atmosphere to give the Inconel the small grain size for the desired properties of strength and hardness. During the heat treatment, the copper diffuses into the Inconel, producing at the end a composite material of Inconel X-750 having a diffusion of copper into its top portion such that the top surface is about 100% copper, and the copper fraction decreases exponentially with the depth into the Inconel sheet.

Abstract: A compliant hydrodynamic fluid thrust bearing tolerant of strong misalignment forces includes two radially outside sections and a radially inside section, all lying generally parallel to the direction of rotation of the thrust runner. The outside sections are more compliant than the inside section of the bearing and can deflect independently of it to conform independently with a misaligned thrust runner bearing surface without distorting other portions of the bearing. The surface area of the bearing which is thus made available to bear loads is maximized, thereby increasing load capacity and misalignment tolerance of the bearings.

Abstract: A compliant hydrodynamic fluid journal bearing system tolerant of strong misalignment forces includes an end section at each axial end of the bearing system which lies parallel to the direction of rotation of the rotor. The end sections are more compliant than the central section of the bearing system and can deflect independently of it to conform independently with a misaligned rotor bearing surface without distorting other portions of the bearing. The surface area of the bearing which is thus made available to bear loads is maximized, thereby increasing load capacity and misalignment tolerance of the bearings.

Abstract: A tractor/trailer safety device includes a control mounted in the cab for operation by the driver, when he feels the trailer beginning to jackknife, to disconnect the trailer from the tractor. The control connects a source of pneumatic pressure to a piston which, when operated, lifts a bearing pin to separate the trailer from the tractor. Momentarily afterward, a pair of skid plates attached by chains are released and guided to drop in front of the front wheels of the trailer and the emergency brakes are applied to bring the trailer to a fast halt. Simultaneously, a warning flasher and distress signal system on the trailer is actuated to warn traffic and summon assistance.