Abstract: A unique plastic retainer is disclosed having a pair of axially spaced cylindrical rings. Retainer arms for retaining an upset portion of a tube within a housing bore extend from a rear ring, and a plurality of webs connect the front and rear cylindrical rings of the retainer. When a tube is initially inserted into the housing bore, it contacts an inner periphery of the arms. The retainer then moves axially forwardly within the bore for a small distance until the forward ring abuts a seal package within the housing. Further movement of the retainer is then prevented, and the upset portion of the tube causes the arm to flex radially outwardly at a flex point in the rear ring. The upset portion may then move axially beyond the arms into a fully connected position within the housing.

Abstract: A fluid connector system comprising a housing having a fluid port; a cartridge permanently insertable in the fluid port; a conduit detachably insertable in the cartridge; the cartridge comprising a housing insertable in the fluid port and having an opening therethrough communicable with the fluid port, a first O-ring mounted thereon and disposable in sealing engagement with the housing, the cartridge housing being securable within the housing when the cartridge is inserted in the fluid port, a bushing and at least one O-ring disposed in the cartridge opening and disposable in sealing engagement with the conduit, and a retainer disposed in the opening and cooperable with the conduit for detachably securing the conduit in the cartridge in a coupling condition therewith when the conduit is inserted in the opening; and a release member mounted in the cartridge housing and cooperable with the retainer for releasing the conduit to allow it to be removed from the cartridge into an upcoupling condition.

Abstract: A unique quick connect fluid coupling is disclosed in which a tube inner end does not contact a seal if the tube is not fully connected. Preferably, a retainer retains the tube within the bore. The retainer is of the avalanche type such that a high force is required to insert the tube, and once this high force is overcome the momentum of the tube carries it to its fully inserted position. No seal is formed between the tube and seals within the housing unless the tube has moved beyond the point where the high force begins. Once the tube has moved beyond that point, it will be fully connected. The invention ensures that there would be no seal between a tube and a housing unless the tube is fully connected.

Abstract: A wrench for applying rail anchors to the flange of a rail of a railroad track. The wrench includes an elongated handle and a shoe. The shoe is connected to the handle by a pair of links which are pivotally connected to the shoe and the handle. The shoe has a nose, a tine, a heel and a jaw opening. The jaw opening is defined between the nose and the tine and receives the hook end of a rail anchor when the hook end is placed over the flange of a rail prior to installation. The nose of the shoe rests on the flange face of the rail in contact with the hook end of the anchor when the wrench is in its anchor installing position. The first link of the pair of links is pivotally connected at one end to the handle and at its opposite end to the nose of the shoe. The first link engages the head of the rail to fix in position its pivotal connection with the handle. The second link connects the handle and the heel of the shoe.

Abstract: A chock for use in securing four wheel vehicles to a deck mounted rail of a transport carrier is formed of a polymer body which has a pocket formed and adapted to mount the body laterally over a deck mounted rail having a series of transverse openings. A pin is mounted in the body for movement into a rail opening to secure the chock to the rail. The pin is mounted in a bushing which is encased in the polymer chock body and there is a vertical load member extending upwardly from the bushing, with the vertical load member being encased in the polymer chock body to distribute vertical loads through the body. The pocket has spaced walls which extend generally parallel to and closely adjacent the rail.

Abstract: A vehicle primarily for unmanned operation is equipped with a video camera pointed up, and progressively records in an on-board computer memory the observed locations of points derived from overhead features such as pre-existing overhead lights in a building during a manually driven teaching mode trip along a desired course. On subsequent unmanned trips, the vehicle directs itself along the chosen course by again observing the overhead features, deriving points from them and comparing the locations of those points to the locations of the points that were recorded during the teaching mode trip. It then corrects its steering to bring the errors between the observed locations and the recorded locations to zero, thereby directing the vehicle to automatically follow the course that was followed during the teaching mode trip.

Abstract: A bicycle handlebar construction provides a handlebar having first hand gripping portions and a forward extension having second hand gripping portions. There is a pair of arm rests mounted on the handlebars for support of a rider's arms when using the forward or second hand gripping portions. The arm rests are positioned a distance away from the first hand gripping portions to prevent interference therewith when the rider is using the first hand gripping portions.

Abstract: A pick off attachment for use with automatic multiple spindle machines includes a spindle and housing to be mounted within a sliding workholder, which is moveable along the longitudinal slide of the workstation of the cutting machine. The spindle is mounted upon a splined shaft which is mechanically linked to the spindle via a collet at one end and connected to the machine gear box at the other. The shaft extends partially into the spindle where it is connected to an ejector. The face of the ejector rests inside the shoulder of another collet. This collet is mounted on the interior of the spindle and serves to hold the part to be machined during the machining cycle. Two adjustable nuts on the shaft allow the positions of the part holding collet and the ejection mechanism with respect to the part to be machined to be varied.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring film formers in an opaque process stream by immersing a disc in the fluid stream, allowing time to accumulate film formers, then rotating the disc to expose the previously immersed section to optical monitoring by which a sample reflectance and a reference reflectance are compared.

Abstract: A door check for controlling pivotal movement of a vehicle door between a closed position and one or more open positions, sometimes incorporated in a hinge, includes a rigid, elongated track member having two opposed track surfaces with at least one detent receptacle in one track surface or in both track surfaces. A roller detent member engages one track surface in rolling pressure contact at least part of the time whenever the door moves between its open and closed positions; a second detent member, comprising a sliding, self-aligning, non-rotational bearing, engages the other track surface. Both detent members are formed of a fiber reinforced resin, such as a glass fiber reinforced nylon. The second detent member is urged toward one track surface by an elastomer pad, preferably an elastomer such as a silicone polymer that retains its elastic properties over a wide temperature range that extends beyond the temperatures of manufacturing processes or human environments.

Abstract: A flush valve body has a passage which connects the inlet and outlet. There is a valve seat at one end of the passage and a diaphragm is positioned to control the flow of water through the passage and to close upon the seat. A guide member is attached to the underside of the diaphragm and a refill ring is attached to the guide member. The improvement is specifically directed to the exterior of the refill ring which has a plurality of recesses to channel the flow of water through the flush valve passage. The recesses have a portion of constant size and a portion of gradually changing size. There are fins which separate the recesses and the fins are always in contact with the interior of the passage. The stroke of the diaphragm when moving between fully open and fully closed positions is approximately one-half of the axial length of the refill ring.

Abstract: Sand and gravel material conveyed from a floating dredger is fed to a treatment installation where silt is separated. The silt arising in the process may be fed over a floating pipe line and swingable pipe so arranged as to feed silt to an under-water diffuser which deposits the material for sealing-off on the lake bottom or its side. The diffuser may be arranged by a floating station.

Abstract: A high speed food patty molding machine capable of handling whole-fiber food products has two food pumps, each pump having a cavity with an inlet at once end, an outlet at the other end, and a plunger movable through the cavity. The two pump cavities are located adjacent to each other and separated by a common wall; a moldable food product is supplied into the inlet of each pump cavity. A manifold connects the outlets of the two pump cavities to a molding mechanism; a pump drive reciprocates the pump plungers in overlapping alternation and a valve seals off the outlet of each pump cavity whenever the plunger of that pump is moving toward its retracted refill position, so that there is a continuous pressurized supply of food product to the molding mechanism. Each pump cavity outlet is located at the juncture of the cavities common separation wall and the discharge end of its cavity. The outlets merge to form a common inlet to center of the manifold.

Abstract: A chair base and post assembly for an office chair in which the base is formed of one piece of injection molded plastic. The base includes a central tubular hub and integral base arms which extend from the hub. A partially tapered socket extends vertically through the hub. A steel post tube is positioned in the socket and is supported to extend above the hub by a ring welded to the outside of the post tube, which ring rests on the top of the hub. A steel sleeve located in the socket near the top thereof and an internal surface formed as an internal surface of the socket at the bottom thereof provide annular surfaces which engage the post tube to stabilize it vertically. A plastic guide bushing fits inside the steel post tube at its top and receives the pneumatic lift cylinder to stabilize and guide it during its extensions and retractions.

Abstract: An agitator comprises a vessel having an intake (101) through which a medium is introduced into the vessel, and rotating guide devices (12) for guiding and discharging the medium. The inner and outer defining surfaces of the vessel have a hyperbolic, conical shape and the cross-sectional area of the intake increases progressively towards the guide devices. The guide devices (12) extend horizontally towards the periphery of the vessel and are mounted on a horizontal rotatable bottom plate (11) which is driven for rotation from beneath.

Abstract: An electro-mechanical mixing faucet for proportionally mixing hot and cold water in accordance with a user-selected mix ratio. A user-adjustable temperature selector produces a mix signal which adjusts hot and cold water valves to permit flow in amounts which will produce the desired temperature. The temperature selector includes a bank of LED's for indicating the selected temperature. When a user actuates the temperature selector, the LED's turn on brightly to indicate the selected temperature and also the water is immediately turned on. Following use of the faucet, the temperature selection is returned to a neutral temperature after a dormant period. An LED flashes when all hot water is demanded.

Abstract: A resilient rotational bias device that is continuously adjustable to supply any preselected rotational bias force to a shaft, within a wide range, by rotation of a multi-step shaft retention member, usually a gear, by a simple drive such as a worm gear that engages the shaft retention member; the shaft retention member an the drive are mounted in a housing that is affixed to one end of a resilient torsion member, the other end of the torsion member being affixed to a stationary frame. All elements of the device other than the torsion member, but including a connector for connecting the shaft retention member to the end of a biased shaft, are mounted in the housing. All elements of the device, except a drive shaft for th worm gear, are usually formed of the same molding resin, preferably polyurethane.

Abstract: A system for use with assisted human breathing systems which includes an enclosure adapted to receive a granular material for absorption of carbon dioxide from the air exhausted from a patient using the system. An exhausted air inlet is provided to the device, and a return air outlet is provided from the device to the user. The exhausted air inlet and the return air outlet are in communicative relation through the granular material contained within the apparatus. The enclosure which contains the granular material is insulated so that heat generated by the absorption of carbon dioxide onto the granular material is retained by the return air stream emitted from the enclosure. Insulated tubing can be provided to be connected between the device and the patient so as to decrease heat loss and condensation of moisture from the circulating air.

Abstract: A shower head which has a one-piece body with a closed discharge end has a plurality of discharge openings arranged in concentric circles. The openings in the inner circle are generally cylindrical. There is an axial projection at the closed discharge end of the body which extends toward the body interior, with the projection being so sized and positioned that the water velocity profile across each opening in the inner circle is generally uniform, resulting in a water discharge spray pattern with higher velocity and improved trajectory.