Abstract: A lift station for raising the level of an open channel flow of liquid by sweeping blades mounted to a rotated wheel into the liquid flow after entering a housing to sweep the liquid up and back along a housing interior wall and over a weir edge located well above the level of the open channel flow stream. The flow stream is caused to descend as it enters the housing through a drop to increase the flow velocity to a degree sufficient to offset the impeding effect on upstream flow of the encounter of the flow with the rotating blades. Roller bearings are mounted to the inside of the housing to side walls to support the bladed wheel and are packed with a solid lubricant to insure a long service life despite being exposed to the liquid and debris entrained therein. A reverse rotation device positively prevents a backwards rotation of the wheel to prevent damage to the blades. The wheel is driven by a motor mounted in a housing tray affixed to one side wall driving a drive shaft penetrating the side wall.

Abstract: An arrangement and method for maintaining a minimum flow velocity in return piping receiving dirty coolant from a plurality of machine tools receiving filtered coolant from a filter apparatus. A bypass line diverts clean coolant into the return piping via a pressure reducing valve set to allow make up flow of clean coolant into the return piping just sufficient to maintain a pressure corresponding to the minimum flow velocity in the return piping. A pressure maintaining valve is interposed upstream of the pressure reducing valve and set to restrict flow as necessary to maintain adequate pressure to insure that the machine tools are adequately supplied with clean coolant at start up prior to the beginning of contaminated flow in the return piping.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are described delivering alternating pulses of fluid and air within either a fully sealed or partially sealed tooling enclave in the direct presence of a constant or variable vacuum source for the purpose of removing loose as well as attached contamination from the part and it's associated internal passageways, as well as internal and external surface areas. The agitation of the debris is created by the displacement of the air or other gases, held under compression by the fluids when released to the vacuum source surrounding, affixed, or presented to the part/area to be cleaned. The fluid/air medium is generated in an alternating method by the use of a rotating pulse generator. The generator receives a constant or alternately a variable rate flow of fluid to be used in the application as well as a constant or alternately variable rate flow of compressed air.

Abstract: Preheated plastic sheets are squared and flattened to be engageable by clamping fingers of clamps on a clamping frame by an array of paddles having vertical and horizontal portions moved to engage any upturned or skewed sheet edges to flatten and square the same as said paddles are simultaneously moved longitudinally and vertically by respective actuators.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for cutting a workpiece. A laser beam is directed at successive points along a workpiece surface to be cut and a sensor emits a sensing beam directed at the same successive points as the cutting beam. A beam combining device receives both the sensor beam and the cutting beam and causes downstream beam segments to be collinear with each other as they impinge the workpiece surface. The cutting is thereby able to be carried out in a single pass, and is precise, repeatable and independent of cutting depth, angle of cutting, scoring patterns, material inconsistency, material color, and surface grain variability.

Abstract: A conveyor using a drive chain to drive pallets along a closed loop path on a track lying in a horizontal plane through inside and outside turns so that the conveyor may transport parts along non aligned stations. An advance and a return run extend parallel to each other and are closely spaced to minimize the floor space required. The drive chain is engaged by two spaced apart sprockets engaging a respective side of the drive chain, the sprockets mounted to the pallet on a pivoted bar spring biased to urge the sprocket teeth into engagement with the chain. The sprocket bar is pivotally mounted to one end of the swing bar which has an opposite end connected to the pallet to allow the chain and pallet to move together along the track and negotiate inside and outside turns. The chain is guided in a chain guide channel through inside turns, and on sprockets around the outside turns.

Abstract: A hard tonneau cover having one or more sections is constructed of a framework of extruded rails with one or more section panels held by molded plastic trim strips installed on perimeter rails included in the framework. The cover is mounted above the cargo box of a pick-up truck by a plurality of striker-latch assemblies on one side of the cargo box, and hinge assemblies on the other side, each having components mounted to the cargo box side walls with universal clamp brackets. The panels are constructed of reinforced corrugated plastic which is covered by a color integrated film. A simplified connector plate is used to connect abutting ends of the rails in the framework. A peripheral seal extends down from the perimeter rails in which it is mounted to engage the top of the cargo box side walls and tailgate. Water drainage paths including drainage channels in the rails are provided to eliminate water from the panel surfaces.

Abstract: A connection for a rod and pin includes a two piece housing molded from hard plastic which defining a cavity enclosing a soft elastomeric isolator on one end of the rod. The housing pieces also define a pin receiving cavity with retention prongs which engage and hold a pin inserted therein. The housing pieces are able to be snap fit assembled by interfitting prongs and receptacles formed on each housing piece. The housing pieces are molded together as one part, connected by an integral hinge allowing the housing parts to be swung into abutment with each other to be snap fit together.

Abstract: A brush for a car wash has radial arrays of fingers cut from flat sheets of closed cell foam. The finger arrays are stacked atop each other with interposed spacer discs, bonded together to form sections of the brush. A top brush has a center section core formed by the spacer discs of a larger diameter than two smaller core diameter ends to provide a larger diameter center section core caused to roll when encountering a vehicle surface to pass over the some without damage, and smaller core diameter end sections able to accommodate antennas with less bending. The fingers of the scrubbing section of the brush are short, no longer than and are held sufficiently stiffly to support the brush on the side rails of pickup cargo beds at a high enough height as to avoid finger contact with the cargo bed bottom surfaces.

Abstract: A wood handling clam having a pair of hollow curved jaws constructed of side walls and inside and outside covers welded thereto. A hollow carrier housing on which the jaws are pivoted at their upper ends has a downwardly extending center portion received into a slot formed into the upper end of each jaw. A tubular pivot pin extends through each upper end of each of the jaws and a pair of carrier housing side plates, as well as the through the down central portion of the carrier housing. Tubular cross shafts in the jaws and housing anchor devises for mounting each end of a power cylinder for each jaw extending into the slot in the upper end of each jaw.

Abstract: An arrangement and method for maintaining a minimum flow velocity in return piping receiving dirty coolant from a plurality of machine tools receiving filtered coolant from a filter apparatus. A bypass line diverts clean coolant into the return piping via a pressure reducing valve set to allow make up flow of clean coolant into the return piping just sufficient to maintain a pressure corresponding to the minimum flow velocity in the return piping. A pressure maintaining valve is interposed upstream of the pressure reducing valve and set to restrict flow as necessary to maintain adequate pressure to insure that the machine tools are adequately supplied with clean coolant at start up prior to the beginning of contaminated flow in the return piping.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for displaying the weight or cost of segments of an irregularly shaped item involves passing a sensor bar supported above a supporting surface over the item lying on the surface. A compact hand-held embodiment of the sensor bar enables the operator to move the sensor bar in various linear or non-linear motions over the item surface as the sensor bar moves laterally across the item surface while the sensor bar support posts remain in constant contact with the supporting surface. The sensor bar contains one or more sensors which generate signals corresponding to the height of the item as the sensor bar traverses the item. At the same time, a displacement detector arrangement generates signals corresponding to displacement of the sensor bar relative to the support surface. These signals are processed in a signal processor to determine the volume of an uncut segment of the item lying behind the sensor bar at successive positions.

Abstract: A turnover apparatus and method for inverting articles such as lumber or board pieces being conveyed sideways on two or more conveyor chain loops in which each article is advanced on the conveyor chain loops by speed up belts engaging the underside of the articles to force a leading side against a pair of lugs mounted on a respective conveyor chain loop, the article thereafter flipped up to an on edge position by flipper arms also mounted on the conveyor chain loops which each engage an adjustable cam ramp at a turnover station, the article thereafter tipped over backward by being driven by the speed belts against an elevated overhung trailing edge on the lugs to complete the turnover. Optional pivoted let down elements may be arranged to engage the trailing side of the articles to controllably lower the same by motion induced by a second cam ramp at the turnover station.

Abstract: An attachment system for a boat cover using an insert strip press fit in a conventional rub rail channel fixed to the boat hull. The insert strip has a lengthwise slot which is configured to mate with a series of retainer elements attached about the perimeter of the cover. Each retainer element has a portion configured to be received in the insert strip slot and locked thereto by being turned sideways. In one embodiment, the retainers have a flattened pin which can be pushed into the insert strip slot and turned, a larger head portion thereby fit to a larger interior section of the slot to be locked therein. In another embodiment the retainer elements each have a pair of spread projections which are compressed together to be able to be pushed in through the slot entry section and which spring apart in the interior slot section, to be locked therein. A threaded pin can be advanced between the projections to produce a positive spreading of the projections.

Abstract: A lift station for raising the level of an open channel flow of liquid by sweeping blades mounted to a rotated wheel into the liquid flow after entering a housing to sweep the liquid up and back along a housing interior wall and over a weir edge located well above the level of the open channel flow stream. The flow stream is caused to descend as it enters the housing through a drop to increase the flow velocity to a degree sufficient to offset the impeding effect on upstream flow of the encounter of the flow with the rotating blades. Roller bearings are mounted to the inside of the housing to side walls to support the bladed wheel and are packed with a solid lubricant to insure a long service life despite being exposed to the liquid and debris entrained therein. A reverse rotation device positively prevents a backwards rotation of the wheel to prevent damage to the blades. The wheel is driven by a motor mounted in a housing tray affixed to one side wall driving a drive shaft penetrating the side wall.

Abstract: A knee bolster installation for an automotive vehicle includes a bridge plate extending across a space receiving a steering column in front of the driver's knee and having a knee impact absorber structure attached behind each end of the bridge plate. Each knee impact absorber structure has diverging front and back walls having a curve top wall and a curved intermediate web extending between the front and back walls, and a curved bottom connecting the lower end of front and back walls together. A horizontal stabilizer web connects the top wall and intermediate web together to restrain bulging when crushed to avoid horizontal collapse thereof during deformation. Offset openings in each of the top wall, intermediate web, and bottom wall form wider curved strips at the inside adjacent the steering column space so that the front of the outside ends of the knee installation absorber structures are inclined away from the steering column space when deformed by knee impact.

Abstract: A method of sharpening bedknives for reel type mowers by installing sets of locator surfaces in a bedknife grinder, grinding the surfaces with the grinder to be aligned and parallel, installing a bedknife located against surfaces in both sets, and electromagnetically locking the bedknife in position while grinding the edge to be sharpened. The bedknife is adjusted to be aligned with the reel blades by adjusting the bedknife pivots in the mower.