Abstract: A control apparatus for a power-assisted steering system, comprising a power cylinder having pressure acting chambers respectively communicating with the control ports of a pressure control valve having inlet and outlet ports respectively communicable with the delivery and suction ports of a pump, and first and second flow control valves each having an inlet port and a discharge port communicating with the suction port of the pump, each flow control valve including a control pressure acting chamber communicating with a pressure acting chamber of the power cylinder to develop a differential pressure variable with a differential pressure between the pressure acting chambers of the cylinder, and a valve member movable in response to the differential pressure acting thereon and urged to provide communication between the inlet and discharge ports of each flow control valve, the inlet port of the first flow control valve being in constant communication with the delivery port of the pump and the inlet port of the pr

Abstract: A compact bidirectionally operative tie exchanging apparatus includes an extensible telescoping beam assembly carried in a support cradle mounted on the underside of a railway maintenance car. In a first embodiment, the beam assembly includes an inner and an outer beam telescopically received within one another with hydraulically actuated tie clamping arms mounted on the opposite, remote ends of the beams assembly. A push/pull hydraulic cylinder has its ram and its cylinder connected, respectively, to the inner and outer beams. Hydraulically actuated locking pins mounted on the support cradle are selectively actuatable to lock either the inner beam or the outer beam to its respective support cradle.

Abstract: A spark plug for an internal combustion engine disclosed herein includes a resistive semiconductor body connecting a center electrode and an earth electrode to perform a creeping discharge at low discharge voltages while keeping adequate ignition performances.According to the invention, the spark plug comprises a back electrode at the back of a discharging gap to cause the creeping discharge on surfaces of an electric insulator which is resistant to electrolytic corrosion, thereby improving the durability of the plug and eliminating the trouble of electric waves of noises.

Abstract: A four-wheel-drive system for a vehicle, comprising a power unit having an output shaft in a lateral direction of the vehicle, a power transmission gear unit having input and output shafts parallel with the output shaft of the power unit, a speed reduction gear to be driven by the transmission output shaft, two final reduction gear units one of which is arranged for driving the front road wheels and the other of which is arranged to drive the rear road wheels of the vehicle, a series combination of two planetary gear assemblies one of which is capable of selectively producing two different gear ratios for low-speed and high-speed vehicle driving and the other of which is operatively connected between the two final reduction gear units so as to be capable of providing a differential gear action therebetween, and a low-and-high speed shifting clutch mechanism intervening between the speed reduction gear and the former planetary gear assembly.

Abstract: A fuel storage vessel supporting structure comprising a front bracket member rigidly interconnecting the vehicle body structure and the front end portion of the fuel storage vessel, and a rear bracket member interconnecting the vehicle body structure and the rear end portion of the fuel storage vessel and partially deformable.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling ignition system spark timing. It is detected whether the engine is under cranking or not. Means are included to provide a spark-advance characteristics when the engine is under cranking, which is separate from a spark-advance characteristic provided for the remaining engine operating conditions.

Abstract: A four-wheel drive system for a wheeled vehicle, comprising a power unit having an output shaft extending in a lateral direction of the vehicle, a power transmission gear unit including transmission input and output shafts each extending in a lateral direction of the vehicle; and a power distribution gear unit comprising a power distribution shaft having an axis of rotation in a lateral direction of the vehicle and operative to split into two components the driving power carried on the output shaft of the power transmission gear unit, one of the power components being transmitted through a final reduction gear assembly and a wheel drive differential gear assembly to, for example, front road wheels, the other of the driving power components being transmitted to, for example, rear road wheels by way of a right-angle power transfer gear assembly including a driven gear having an axis of rotation in a fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, the power distribution gear unit further comprising a low-and-high speed s

Abstract: A fan arrangement has a rotatable fan, a plurality of blades formed on the fan, and a shroud. The blades extend radially and are spaced circumferentially. The blades also extend perpendicularly to the radial direction. The base angle of each blade is set at a value of 55.degree. to 75.degree.. The shroud is located on the periphery of the fan so as to cover a part of the fan in such a manner that the fan is partially exposed at its downstream part and a clearance is formed therebetween. The covering percentage of the shroud relative to the fan is set at a value of 50% to 90%. The covering percentage is defined as 100.multidot.L.sub.2 /L.sub.1, where L.sub.1 is the axial width of the outer edge of each blade and L.sub.2 is the axial distance of the shroud from the downstream end thereof to a point in the same axial position as the upstream end of the outer edge of each blade.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle part and fitting structure therefore includes a cover for covering a fastener such as screw so that the sharp end of the fastener does not damage the lining or insulation of electric wiring of the vehicle. The cover is rotatably attached to the vehicle parts and is movable during installation of the part onto the vehicle panel in order to permit the part to be attached to the vehicle panel. The cover mainly comprises two plain sections connected with each other at a right angle, one of which is positioned over the top of fastener to serve as a cover and the other of which engages part of the vehicle panel so as to hold the cover in position covering the end of the fastener.

Abstract: A scaled-down golf course includes a plurality of golf holes, each hole including a first area designated as a driving tee, a second area provided as a putting surface and a fairway area located between the first and second areas. The course is adapted to be played with two types of balls, a fairway ball which is designed to resist long flight when struck by a golf club and a putting ball which is designed to have normal golf ball characteristics when chipped and putted. A stripe is provided at a designated distance from the periphery of each putting surface for indicating when the putting ball is to be substituted for the fairway ball. The use of red, white, yellow and orange balls by golfers participating in this game is preferred so they can readily identify their ball by the chosen color.

Abstract: A door handle device used for an automotive vehicle provided with a resin handle box. Therefore, the door handle device of the present invention is lightweight and inexpensive. The structure of the door handle device is such that almost the entire inside surface of the handle box is in contact with the recessed portion of the door panel. Since a force applied to the handle body is transmitted to the door panel through the handle box without any application of bending or shearing force to the handle box, it is possible to use a resin handle box.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a power-assisted vehicle steering system, comprising a power cylinder having two pressure-acting chambers, a control valve having inlet and outlet ports respectively communicable with a pump and a fluid reservoir and selectively with the inlet and outlet ports, a pressure compensating valve having an inlet port communicating with the pressure-acting chambers, outlet and control ports and a valve member for varying the degree of communication between the inlet and outlet ports, the fluid pressure in the inlet port being variable with the fluid pressure from the pump and urging the valve member to move in one direction and a spring urging the valve member to move in the other direction to maintain constant the differential pressure between the inlet and outlet ports, and a pressure reducing valve having an inlet port communicating with the outlet port of the compensating valve, a discharge port communicating with the reservoir and the control port of the compensating valve and a valve me

Abstract: A weighted exercise suit designed to enable human users to exercise with added weights removably attached to a body suit. Specifically, it is designed incorporating two weight strips that are removably attached to the suit over the shoulders. Each strip contains separate compartments which hold weights, the amount of which is regulated by the user. Furthermore, the suit is designed to provide for a balanced and symmetrical distribution of weight from front to back and from side to side over the upper body, rather than having the weight placed solely on the lower body as in the prior art weighted belts.

Abstract: A window structure of a vehicle body, comprises an inwardly offset flange structure defining a window opening therein, the inwardly offset flange structure including inwardly bent walls which have substantially straight wall portions and curved corner wall portions each merging into adjacent two of the straight wall portions; a window panel secured to the flange structure for closing the window opening, the window panel having an edge wall which includes a plurality of substantially straight edge wall portions respectively spaced apart from the straight wall portions and a plurality of curved corner edge wall portions each merging into adjacent two of the straight edge wall portions and respectively spaced apart from the curved corner wall portions, each of the straight edge wall portions and each of the straight wall portions forming a straight gap therebetween, and each of the curved corner edge wall portions and each of the curved corner wall portions forming therebetween a curved corner gap which merges i

Abstract: Trailer and trailer connector for tractor/trailer for carrying elongated, self-supporting load. Tractor has conventional swivellable front bunk for supporting front of load, and trailer has a wheeled rear bogey and a non-swivelling rear bunk for rear of load. The trailer connector has a flexible link and a forward connection which connects forward end of link to front bunk and a rear connection which connects rear end of the link to the trailer. Length of the link does not change while towing the trailer and thus maintains tractor/trailer wheel alignment prior to loading. Trailer connector is considerably lighter than conventional telescopic trailer reaches, thus increasing maximum payload of tractor/trailer, and is less costly and easier to maintain than trailer reach, and also provides a more stable load platform.

Abstract: A wet-rotor circulator in accordance with the present invention includes a drive motor coupled to the impeller of a fluid pump. The drive motor includes a rotor assembly enclosed within a fluid impermeable jacket and a stator assembly for driving the rotor. The rotor is coaxially supported within the jacket by bearings which are permanently secured in place by circumferentially crimping sections of the jacket radially inwardly to shape-lock the bearings to the jacket. The crimping takes place during an assembly step in which an applied magnetic field causes substantially instantaneous deformation of the jacket without disturbing the coaxial relationship between the rotor shaft and its support bearings.

Abstract: A device for mounting the column switches for vehicles fixes various kinds of unit type column switches for vehicles, for example, unit type turn signal switches, a wiper switch, a washer switch, and so forth on the base board fixed on the handle shaft of a vehicle. Guide projections are provided at both sides of the column switches for vehicles, while U-shaped depressions in which said column switches are fitted are provided on the base board. This depression has guide grooves at its side walls, and the guide projections are inserted into said guide grooves. Further, screw holes are arranged at a part of the column switches for vehicles or a part of said base board, while through holes are provided at a part of the base board or a part of the column switches for vehicles at the position which corresponds to and aligns with said screw holes.

Abstract: The specification describes a push-button type seat belt buckle whose tongue releasing push-button, when mounted on a vehicle, faces toward the passenger and is located in a somewhat sunken position, thereby to facilitate the release of the tongue while avoiding accidental release thereof due to unintentional contact of the passenger to the push-button. The tongue defines in a preferred embodiment a latch hole on its longitudinal central axis, with which latch hole a latch member engages for holding the tongue in a buckle body. Since the area of contact between the tongue and latch member is rather large, it is possible to use a rather thin tongue which contributes to the weight reduction of the buckle.