Abstract: A connector arrangement serves to connect a plurality of the circuits of a printed circuit board with a plurality of electrical conductors, respectively, including a locking member for locking together a first connector member having terminals connected with the electrical conductors, respectively, and a second connector member having a plurality of conductive pins connected with the printed circuit board circuits, respectively. In a first embodiment, the locking pin is connected with the first connector member for longitudinal sliding displacement between unlocked and locked positions relative to a second connector member electrically connected with the first conductor member. Pairs of auxiliary contacts may be provided that are operable when the locking member is in the locked position. In a second embodiment, the locking member is pivotally connected with the first connector member for pivotal displacement between the unlocked and locked positions relative to the other connector member.

Abstract: An electrical connecting arrangement includes a locator device mounted on a photovoltaic panel for relatively positioning a connector housing such that a resilient contact on the connector housing is arranged for electrical connection with a stationary rigid contact on the photovoltaic panel that extends in space relation within a chamber contained in the locator device, connection being made via an access opening contained in the locator device. Preferably, the stationary contact is a knife contact having a rectangular configuration defining a pair of parallel end edges that are supported by a pair of support slots defined in the opposed walls of the access opening, thereby to support the stationary contact during the engagement thereof by the resilient contact.

Abstract: A connector assembly for connecting the flat conductors of a photovoltaic panel with an electrical component, such as a diode, printed circuit or the like, includes a conductor support body having a base portion adapted for connection with the photovoltaic panel, and a bridge portion carrying a plurality of flat seats with edges around which the free ends of the flat conductors are bent, respectively. A bus bar is provided for each flat conductor, each bus bar including a pair of resilient contacts arranged for engagement with the portion of the associated conductor that is bent around the conductor seat. A protective housing encloses the bus bars and at least the bridge portion of the support body, which housing contains openings for receiving output cables the ends of which are connected with the bus bars.

Abstract: An adjustable fit insole system for shoes includes an insole member formed of flexible, resilient cushioning material that is removably inserted within the foot-receiving chamber of the shoe, the insole member and the shoe having corresponding heel, arch, ball and toe portions. In order to vary the internal width and girth dimensions of the ball portion of the chamber, a width adjustment pad of a desired thickness and/or hardness is removably connected with the bottom surface of the ball portion of the insole member, thereby to permit the user to customize the fit of the shoe. The top surface of the insole member is contoured to position the foot relative to the insole, and the bottom surface of the heel portion of the insole member is provided with an anti-slip stabilizing arrangement, thereby to prevent sliding movement of the insole member relative to the shoe.

Abstract: A plug and socket connector arrangement for electrical or fiber optic cables includes a pair of tubular locking sleeves mounted for axial and rotational displacement on the plug and connector bodies, which locking sleeves have adjacent ends provided with internal and external screw threads, respectively. The adjacent sleeve ends each contain a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal slits that define a plurality of resilient threaded sectors. After the plug and socket connectors are brought into connected engagement, the locking sleeves are successively displaced from retracted separated positions axially together toward an adjacent locked position, whereby the resilient inner sleeve sectors are initially radially expanded, and the resilient outer sleeve sectors are subsequently radially contracted. The inner and outer screw threads are thus brought into threaded engagement, whereupon the locking sleeves are slightly relatively rotated to lock the sleeves together.

Abstract: A plug-in connector arrangement includes a terminal block containing a chamber in which are mounted a horizontal bus bar having a transverse wall, and a resilient contact having a fixed horizontal leg portion, an intermediate portion bent upwardly from the first leg portion, and an outwardly biased second leg portion reversely bent back above the first leg portion. The second leg portion contains a clamping end portion that extends through a conductor opening contained in the first leg portion. The clamping portion includes at least two discrete clamping surfaces so arranged that when a bare conductor is inserted into the conductor opening, the conductor circumferential surface is selectively engaged by one or more of the clamping surfaces in accordance with the diametrical size of the conductor. The conductor is biased by the clamping portion toward electrical engagement with the bus bar transverse wall.

Abstract: A connector block arrangement includes a first connector block housing having a row of first contacts, a second connector block housing having a row of second contacts in engagement with the first contacts when the connector block housings are in a connected condition, a conductive jumper device having a base portion and a plurality of resilient fingers normally connecting together a group of the second contacts, and an electrically-insulated code device carried by one of the housings for selectively disengaging from the jumper device at least one of the contacts of the second contact group. The code device has a planar generally comb-like configuration including a base portion arranged in an opening contained in either one of the connector block housings, and at least one code bar portion operable to separate a resilient finger of the jumper device from the corresponding contact to be disengaged.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a quick-fastening locking arrangement for locking together a plug member and a socket member, including a locking peg connected with one of the plug and socket members, and a cylindrical locking cam connected with the other member, which locking cam is pivotable through a relatively small angle between locked and unlocked positions relative to the locking peg. The cylindrical locking cam is mounted at one end of the plug member adjacent the socket member for rotation about a transverse axis relative to the collinear axis of the plug and socket members. In one embodiment, the socket member is mounted in an opening contained in a mounting wall to which the locking peg is fastened. In a second embodiment, the locking peg is fastened directly to the socket member.

Abstract: An humane trap for small animals, such as cats, includes a housing having rigid bottom, top, side, front and rear end walls which cooperate to define an animal-receiving chamber, the front end wall being guided for vertical movement between opened and closed positions relative to the other housing walls. A retaining rod is axially displaceable within the chamber between a retaining position in which an end portion of the rod extends through a retaining opening contained in the second wall to maintain the same in the open position, and a released position removed from the retaining opening, whereby the second wall is displaced by gravity downwardly toward the closed position. The retaining rod is released either by a food retention plate that is engaged by the animal in the trap, or by a remotely controlled solenoid arrangement.

Abstract: Device for coupling an inner shaft and an outer shaft that slide in the direction of a common axis with balls disposed between the two shafts. The balls are disposed in axial grooves of the inner shaft and in axial grooves of the outer shaft. Each row of balls is held by a double spring member that bears on the groove and which pushes on two rolling tracks for the balls, which come into contact with the groove. The two rolling tracks are articulated at the junction of the groove and the inner shaft.

Abstract: A terminal block connecting apparatus includes first and second support members displaceable from a disengaged condition toward an engaged condition in which corresponding main terminal blocks are brought into electrical engagement, characterized by the provision of first and second test terminal blocks connected with the support members for electrical engagement when the first and second support members are in an intermediate condition between the disengaged and engaged conditions. One of the test terminal blocks is supported by a carrier member for movement relative to the associated support member, whereby the test terminal blocks will remain in electrical engagement during displacement of the support members between the test and connected conditions. A friction retaining arrangement serves to resist displacement of the carrier member relative to its associated support member.

Abstract: Metal hydride compounds, which are prepared by mixing together from about 1 to about 10 parts by molecular weight of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of silicon, aluminum, tin, and zinc; from about 1 to about 3 parts by molecular weight of an alkali metal hydroxide; and from about 5 to about 10 parts by molecular weight of water and allowing this mixture to stand for a time sufficient to form a metal hydride, can be used for making fuel additives, treating sour gas, enhancing oil refining, extracting oil from tar sands and shale, increasing production of hydrogen from a hydrogen plant, treating oil and gas wells to enhance production, eliminate PCBs, cleaning soil contaminated by hydrocarbons and/or heavy metals, controlling odors, cleaning polluting stack emissions, extracting edible and essential oils, and eliminating bacteria, fungicides, and parasites from vegetation.

Abstract: An electrical module connecting arrangement includes a male lug projection integral with a first module and arranged for insertion within an opening contained in a second module, which opening includes an entrance portion having cross-sectional dimensions less than those of the lug projection, and an enlarged chamber portion of greater dimensions, thereby to define a transition wall surface. The male lug projection is formed from a suitable non-resilient compressible synthetic plastic material, such as a polyamide, that is so operable that a first section of the projection is compressed within the opening entrance portion, and a second section subsequently expands, after a delay, within the enlarged chamber portion and engages the transition wall, thereby to lock the two modules together.

Abstract: An improved electrical connector is formed by stamping and bending a sheet of conductive metal, wherein as a preliminary step, a series of longitudinally-spaced openings are formed in the sheet to define a plurality of transversely extending strips from the side edges of which a pair of parallel spaced integral side walls extend, which sheet is coiled on a storage spool, and is subsequently unwound and fed toward a stamping station at which the transverse strips are severed at spaced separation points, thereby to define a connector body wall integral with the side walls. The side walls have portions that are simultaneously bent to form top, bottom and/or end walls which cooperate to define a chamber in which a spring contact is mounted. The connector is then connected an electrical component, such as a printed circuit board, in the manner of a surface mounted device (SMD).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for obtaining combustion gases of high calorific value, wherein carbonaceous materials are allotermically gasified in a fluidized layer containing solid particles, using a gaseous gasifying agent and by supply of heat, and the gases thus produced are separated from the solid particles and withdrawn. Said method is characterized in that the solid particles are indirectly heated in a first descending bed and supplied to a second ascending fluidized bed in which the fluidized layer is formed and gasification takes place for the greatest part. The method further relates to an apparatus for performing said method.

Abstract: A compact insulation stripping tool includes a U-shaped tool body to which are pivotally connected a pair of clamping jaws that pivot about parallel spaced pivot axes, thereby to clamp an insulated conductor within clamping recesses contained in the extremities of the leg portions of the tool body. A knife is supported between the leg portions by a knife support member arranged in an opening contained in the transverse base portion of the tool body. The knife has a linear cutting edge, and the knife support member is rotatable between first and second positions in which the knife edge extends alternatively transversely and longitudinally of the insulated cable. A depth control member controls the depth of cut of the knife edge into the insulation layer. The clamping jaws are interconnected for simultaneous movement relative to the tool body, and have relatively short operating levers.

Abstract: A quick-fastening plug and socket arrangement includes a locking sleeve arranged concentrically between the plug and the circular socket opening within which the plug is axially inserted, which locking sleeve includes a resilient projection that is radially biased outwardly into locking engagement with screw threads carried by the inner circumferential surface of the socket opening. Alternatively, the projecting portion is biased radially inwardly for locking engagement with screw threads carried by the outer circumferential surface of the plug member. The sleeve is connected against longitudinal displacement relative to one of the plug and socket members, which sleeve is rotatable relative to the associated plug and socket member, thereby to release the plug for removal from the socket opening.

Abstract: An improved tin tag dispensing and nailing tool includes an operating member that is adapted for connection with a roofer's nailing gun, which operating member is guided by a pair of spaced vertical guide rods for vertical sliding displacement relative to the tool housing between an upper retracted position and a lower nailing position. The operating member is formed from a synthetic plastic material and contains vertical though bores that respectively receive the guide rods. Tubular oil-impregnated bushings are mounted in the through bores concentrically about the guide rods. A linkage arrangement connects the operating member with a shuttle plate that is displaced between a loading position adjacent the tin tag supply station and a discharging position adjacent the tin tag nailing station. An integral punched-out tongue portion extends upwardly at an acute angle from the shuttle plate for engagement with the lowermost tin tag of a stack.

Abstract: An electrical connector arrangement includes a socket having a central body portion supporting a plurality of female contacts, and a tubular outer portion extending in concentric spaced relation about the body portion to define a groove. A plug component having a cylindrical body portion including a plurality of male contacts includes a tubular end portion that extends axially within the groove to connect the male and female contacts, respectively. A fastening sleeve is rotatably mounted on the plug between the outer surface thereof and the socket outer portion, whereby external screw threads on the sleeve engage internal threads on the socket tubular portion, thereby to fasten together the plug and socket components. In order to reduce the assembly time, the number and length of the screw threads on one of the sleeve and socket components is less than the number and length of the screw threads of the other component.

Abstract: A connector system includes a plurality of conductor piercing units supported by a frame for vertical displacement between upper disconnected and lower connected positions relative to a plurality of parallel spaced insulated conductors supported in a horizontal plane by a base plate. The piercing units are displaced between said upper and lower positions by operating disks eccentrically mounted for rotation on a horizontal support shaft that extends between an opposed pair of side walls of the frame. The base plate, frame and piercing unit assembly are arranged in an open-topped support housing that is closed by a cover member or lid. Electrical components may by mounted on the lid for connection with the piercing unit assembly.