Abstract: A tire building machine including a building drum for receiving a belt-tread assembly and a pair of coaxial shafts having disc members freely rotatable thereon for receiving and supporting a tire carcass. The disc members and shafts are pivotally movable as a unit and the disc members are also movable with respect to one another for engaging annular beads formed on said carcass to effect a seal therewith and permit the introduction of air to inflate said carcass to assume a toroidal shape. A radially expansible and contractable transfer ring, that is axially movable, engages the belt-tread assembly and transfers same from the drum to the carcass prior to the pivoting of the carcass, belts and tread stock into engagement with a rotatably driven stitcher apparatus.

Abstract: A glass suitable for use as the core glass in a high numerical aperture optical fibre has a composition selected from the range of glasses which comprise(i) from 15 to 25 mole percent of soda,(ii) from 25 to 65 mole percent of silica and germania, taken together, the content of germania not exceeding 42 mole percent,(iii) up to 22.5 mole percent of boric oxide and barium oxide, taken together, the content of boric oxide not exceeding 20 mole percent, and the content of barium oxide not exceeding 12 mole percent, and(iv) from 0.01 to 1 weight percent of a redox buffering agent. The glass can be prepared by controlling the partial oxygen pressure of the melt so that it is approximately 10.sup.-5 atmospheres. An optical fibre can be produced, by using a soda-boro-silicate clad glass, and a core glass having the composition in the above range.

Abstract: A self cleaning industrial dust filter includes a housing divided by a tube sheet into an upper clean air chamber and a lower dirty air chamber. Pleated fiber cartridge type filters are supported in the lower chamber from the tube sheet and the interior of the filters communicate with the clean air chamber through openings in the tube sheet, one for each filter. The lower chamber is formed as a plurality of panel venturis which converge downwardly from the lower end of the filters to a narrow throat. A clean air outlet connects with the upper chamber and a dirty air inlet with the lower. Downwardly directed jet nozzles are positioned in each venturi to induce reverse flow through the associated filters, remove accumulated particulates and conduct them to a take out at the base of the lower chamber.

Abstract: A parison mold and baffle system for an automatic molding machine of I-S type includes a two piece split parison mold with an integral funnel. A combined blow-down and baffle member cooperates with the mold in a first position to perform the blow-down function and then in a second position acts as the bottle bottom end of the mold during the blow-back final shaping of the parison.

Abstract: Fluid pressure for engagement of a clutch is controlled by a valve alternating between supply and drain conditions in response to a high frequency electrical square wave signal. The valve produces a low flow pilot pressure signal which controls clutch engagement pressure through a valve incorporating a piston which allows clutch engagement pressure to drain whenever that pressure exceeds pilot pressure.

Abstract: A rotary power transmission having a series of up to five gear trains and two clutches alternately engagable to provide drive paths through the gear trains in series sequence has control means including a fluid pressure source and three solenoid-operated valves to direct source fluid to two spool valves which provide discrete fluid pressure signals for engagement of gear trains two at a time in progressively over-lapping pairs, the gear trains being for eventual drive according to clutch engagement.

Abstract: An internal shoe drum brake having a pair of brake shoes mounted on a back plate with double ended expanders located one between each pair of adjacent ends of the shoes. The expander has a strut assembly slidable within itself so that when the expander is operated the strut assembly transmits braking loads from one shoe to the other so that the brake operates in a duo servo mode. With the expanders arranged to operate vertically the weight of the shoes and acts against the strut assembly. In order to support the upper brake shoe and prevent the shoes moving off-center a variable length support acts between the upper shoe and the wheel cylinder. The support has a spring therein so that the support can resiliently collapse when the sheos move during duo servo braking.

Abstract: A vapor generating and vapor superheating installation for marine propulsion purposes, and a method of operating such an installation. The installation including a vapor generating and vapor superheating unit adapted to be fired with fluent fuel including tubulous vapor generating and vapor superheating surface proportioned to give a predetermined superheated vapor output at a maximum firing rate. The installation also including a fluent fuel fired fluidized bed furnace provided with a superheater tube bank connected to receive vapor from the vapor generating and vapor superheating unit and arranged to impart superheat to the vapor at part load operation of the unit.

Abstract: This invention relates to clutch driven plates for motor vehicles and which comprise a hub having a circumferential flange, a co-axial friction facing carrier mounted on the hub and capable of rotational movement about the hub, and a co-axial intermediate drive means mounted on the hub for rotational movement relative to both the hub and facing carrier. Rotation of the facing carrier relative to the intermediate drive means is resisted by the larger springs and rotation of the intermediate drive means relative to the hub is resisted by softer springs. The construction of the plate is such that the drive means comprises two annular drive plates aranged one on each side of the hub flange and which are rotationally engaged with the hub by loosely engaging splines that allow for limited movement of the two plates around the hub.

Abstract: A method of depositing a group III element--group V element compound or alloy on a hot substrate using a metal organic chemical vapor deposition procedure. Attempts to apply an MOCVD procedure to the production of a group III element--group V element compound from alkyl derivatives of group III elements which are strong Lewis acids and group V element hydrides have met with limited success. This is because the reactants react in the cold gas phase to form an involatile polymer which does not give the required product on the hot substrate. The present invention proposes modifying the alkyl derivative of the group III element to be a weaker Lewis acid. This can be achieved by either substituting an electron donating group for one of the alkyl groups bonded to the group III element or by combining the group III element alkyl derivative with an alkyl derivative of a group V element thereby forming a volatile compound.

Abstract: A vehicle automatic clutch control has an engine speed sensor that produces an electrical signal indicative of engine speed, an electrical reference signal generator that produces a reference signal, a throttle position sensor that produces a signal indicative of throttle opening. The throttle signal is summed with the reference signal to produce a modified reference signal which is then compared with the engine speed signal by a comparator that produces an error signal. The error signal is used for controlling a clutch actuator that operates the clutch to vary the engagement of the clutch to alter the engine speed and equalize the modified reference signal and engine speed signal and thus maintain a substantially constant engine speed until the clutch is fully engaged.

Abstract: An internal shoe drum brake automatic adjuster comprising a strut extending between one brake shoe and a wedge, mounted between the strut and an abutment on a second brake shoe. The wedge is spring loaded to increase the spacing between the adjacent end of the strut and the abutment. The wedge has serrations thereon that engage with a pawl on the second brake shoe so that the wedge can only move to increase said spacing and not in the reverse direction. There is also provided a brake in which the strut is engageable with a mechanical lever pivoted to the one brake shoe. The brake is de-adjusted by moving the lever so that it no longer contacts the strut.

Abstract: The invention is concerned to control the combustion conditions of a burner 1 supplied with a mixture of pulverized fuel and air. By use of a vortex amplifier 10 in the supply pipe 3, the supply of fuel is interrupted so that the flame is consequently first too lean and then too rich. The temperature of the burner flame is monitored by a photodiode device 6a and an indication is produced of the delay between the operation of the vortex amplifier 10 and the flame temperature passing through that indicating that the flame conditions are optimum. The length of the delay will indicate whether, and to what extent, the flame before the operation of the vortex amplifier was too lean or too rich. Adjacent burners can be controlled by operating the vortex amplifiers associated with each at different regular frequencies.

Abstract: An electronic control system for a motor vehicle friction clutch and which has an electrical reference signal generator, an engine speed sensor and signal means, and a throttle position sensor which produces a signal indicative of throttle opening. The throttle signal is combined with the engine speed signal to form a modified engine speed signal and a comparator receives the modified engine speed signal and reference signal to produce an error signal derived from the two. A clutch position control is operated by the error signal to vary the state of engagement of the clutch to equalize the modified engine speed and reference signals.

Abstract: A hydraulic wheel cylinder assembly is particularly for use in a drum brake of the kind in which the wheel cylinder assembly is interposed between one pair or adjacent ends of a pair of brake shoes and a mechanical expander and fixed abutment is interposed between the other pair of adjacent ends of the shoes. The wheel cylinder assembly incorporates a pair of piston assemblies each including an adjustable variable length tappet assembly comprising rotatable and un-rotatable screw-threaded components. The rotatable screw-threaded component can move axially relative to the driven member of a one-way drive mechanism by compression of a spring when a flange on the driven member strikes the wheel cylinder body. This provides a self-centering force which prevents drag when the brake is installed with the shoes one above the other.

Abstract: An overhead plural conductor trolley rail and flying pickup for supplying electrical power to a vehicle includes a plastic extrusion fastened to an overhead structure housing parallel flat conductors, the exposed underside of each of the conductors being engaged by shoes carried on vehicle supported trolley units. At one end of the rail a guide structure for the trolley includes a central, side skirted or inverted channel shaped portion, flanked at either end by oppositely extending side-skirted ramps each inclined upwardly from the central portion. The approach ramp also diverges horizontally outwardly of the rail support. To accurately engage the trolley carried shoes with the rails, the operator need only insure that the trolley enters the divergent portion of the guide at its widest open end.

Abstract: An explosive device comprises a charge of explosive material which can be fired by feeding power from a firing circuit to an igniter circuit which includes an electrically-energizable fuse. In order to check the integrity of the igniter circuit, a monitoring circuit feeds a continuous stream of electrical pulses to the fuse circuit at such a low energy level that the pulses cannot cause ignition of the explosive charge, but they are sufficient to cause a light-emitting diode to emit short bursts of light. The production of these bursts is monitored by a receiver circuit via an optical fibre, and provided that corresponding signals are received continuously by a timer, a lamp indicates that the igniter circuit is ready for operation. If there is a break in the received signals, for example due to open-circuiting of the fuse, an alarm is operated. The connections between the igniter circuit and the monitoring circuit may be made via a demountable transformer.

Abstract: An electronic control system for a motor vehicle friction clutch and which has an engine speed sensor, a reference signal generator, and a clutch actuator responsive to an error signal E derived from engine speed and reference signals V.sub.1 and V.sub.R respectively. The error signal E is fed into an integrator having two operation modes, dependent upon whether a capacitor in the integrator circuit bypassed by the error signal E or not. With the capacitor initially bypassed by the error signal E the integrator has unity gain, and with the capacitor subsequently placed in the error signal path the integrator has high gain. By having two response modes the time delay between the error signal E reaching its trigger point and the clutch actuator responding is greatly reduced.

Abstract: A control system is provided for a rotary transmission having a set gear trains and two clutches independently operable and providing alternative drive paths through the gear trains from an input to an output, alternate gear trains in the set being driven respectively through one and the other clutch. The control system includes sensor means to sense the operating state of the transmission, command means to command a change in the operating state of the transmission, control means responsive to the sensor means and the command means and including an array of electronic logic elements to control the transmission in a given series of discrete steps and operating means arranged to operate the transmission.

Abstract: In order to provide improved resistance to attack by atmospheric water etc. a clad glass optical fibre has a plastic coating which is in turn coated with a metal coating. The metal coating may in turn be coated with a second plastic coating. The metal coating is formed by drawing the plastic coated fibre through a globule of molten metal, the surface of which is exposed to an oxygen rich atmosphere.