Abstract: A gear lever actuator is provided for remotely or automatically moving the gear lever of a gearbox connected to an engine to be tested. The gear lever actuator comprises a first actuator for moving the gear lever between a neutral plane and gear selecting positions on either side of the neutral plane. Movable jaws are provided for clamping the gear lever during gear changing and for disengaging the gear lever when the engine and gearbox are running under load. The gear lever is then free to jump out of gear upon the occurrence of a fault, thus preventing damage to the gearbox.

Abstract: A track inspection car supported on railroad track by flanged wheels mounted on a truck, and having means for engaging a tractor-truck at one end and wheels with highway tires at the other. The wheels are relatively vertically displaceable by selectively inflating pneumatic springs for converting the car from on-track operation to an off-track trailer-truck configuration. A pair of ultrasonic sensor probes are mounted on the wheel truck coupled to a computer in the car. The car also includes an on-track driving motor, a driver station, a computer operators station, an observer's station, and a water supply for creating a fluid acoustical coupling between the sensors and the rails.

Abstract: A device for the delayed piling of sheets in a delivery mechanism of a sheet fed printing press to provide time for the insertion of a temporary receiving tray as a filled pile board is removed and replaced by an empty pile board. A buffer storage device is located immediately above the support for the receiving tray for intercepting sheets entering the receiving space. The buffer storage device includes a front edge support for supporting the front edge of a sheet and a rear edge support for supporting the rear edge of the sheet. At least the rear edge support, which occupies a normal horizontal position, has a hinge mounting but is lightly counterbalanced so that the first few sheets, upon making a pile change, are intercepted providing a time delay for insertion of the receiving tray, but with the accumulated weight of the first few sheets being sufficient to overcome the counterbalancing force so that the intercepted sheets, following the time delay, are automatically dumped as a group upon the tray.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine including a combustion chamber in a cylinder, an intake port communicated with the combustion chamber at an upper portion of the cylinder, and an intake valve for controlling intake air which flows from the intake port into the combustion chamber at the upper portion of the cylinder, the intake port turns around a valve shaft of an intake valve in a spiral shape so as to produce swirls in the cylinder. The axis of the intake valve is positioned at the plane passing the central axis of the cylinder. The axis of the major intake air flow at an entrance of the intake port is positioned at one side of or out of the plane. The axis of the major intake air flow extends to intersect an inner turning wall of a turning portion of the intake port. The inner turning wall further passes the plane from the one side of the plane to the other side of the plane.

Abstract: A solar heating system including a chemical heat pump for storing thermal energy by converting same into energy in the form of a difference in the concentration of an aqueous multiple-component chemical solution which actuates the chemical heat pump, and a solar collector of a low temperature solar collection type operative to collect excess thermal energy of the sun not used for heating and cooling purposes during the time intermediate the solar irradiance abundant season and the solar irradiance scarce season, or spring and autumn, and store same in the chemical heat pump as energy in the form of a difference in the concentration of an aqueous multiple-component chemical solution.

Abstract: A continuous conveyor composting apparatus to provide a method of completely mixing semi-solid sewage sludge, compost material and refuse into a non-compacted, readily compostable material. A variable capacity mixing chamber is provided to receive a partially mixed product from several hopper bins which are equipped with variable speed auger systems. The mixing chamber is equipped with a compost-throwing member which mixably engages the product to lift, separate and fluff the material.

Abstract: An annular spacer-expander spaces and positions two rails in a piston ring groove of a piston for an internal combustion engine. The spacer-expander comprises a plurality of U-shaped members which lie in respective angularly spaced planes including the spacer-expander axis and whose arms open inwardly of the spacer-expander for urging radially inner ends of respective rails into contact with respective radial walls of the piston ring groove. The U-shaped members are interlinked in serpentine fashion to give the spacer-expander circumferential resilience. The ends of the U-shaped members are bent outwardly for urging the rails into contact with an associated cylinder or liner. A plurality of rail spacer lugs are provided for controlling axial movement of the radially outer ends of the rails. Each ring spacer lug is located between a pair of adjacent U-shaped members and is connected to that portion of one of the pair which forms the base of the U.

Abstract: A programmed control unit for a coffee machine is provided by which the number of cups and strength of coffee made by the machine may be selected. The unit controls the flow of hot water from the reservoir to the coffee in the filter depending on the number of cups selected. Also, the control unit operates to start brewing the coffee ahead of time set in by the user so that the coffee is ready at the time set into the dial.

Abstract: A fluid supply system for a lithographic printing press in which a fountain roller journalled in the frame of the press and driven at a slow speed is partially submerged so that a film of fluid is formed on its surface. A distributor roller is journalled in the frame parallel to the fountain roller and spaced therefrom to form a gap. A ductor roller movable broadwise in the gap is supported by a pair of arms which are, in turn, rigidly supported by a shaft journalled in the frame. A driving arm having a thrust rod connected thereto is rigidly secured to the shaft. The driving arm is coupled to a cam follower which engages a rotary cam so that upon rotation of the cam the shaft oscillates to swing the ductor roller back and forth for successive engagement of the fountain roller and the distributor roller to convey fluid therebetween. Opposed way surfaces are provided at the ends of the arms oriented generally perpendicular to the plane of the arms.

Abstract: A hand tool for dispensing particulate matter such as seeds comprises a V-section scoop with a handle incorporating a vibrator mechanism. A labyrinth type barrier arrangement serves to contain a reservoir of seeds in the scoop and to permit controlled flow of the seeds from the reservoir when the tool is held at an angle and vibrations are applied. A barrier arrangement at the dispensing end portion of the scoop effects final separation of the seeds prior to discharge.

Abstract: A mechanism for controlling the return movement of cassettes in slide-in type tape decks by utilizing a movable frame to return the cassettes and momentarily interrupt the return movement of the movable frame at a point in its travel where at least one of the drive members penetrating the cassettes in the operative position is still engaged in the cassettes.

Abstract: A stretcher is arranged to span an intervening space between adjacent two brackets for the installation of a sliding roof frame with a view to uniformly stretching a portion of a headlining adjacent the two brackets.

Abstract: A vehicle speed control system is disclosed which is primarily intended for heavy vehicles and which is arranged to `anticipate` an uphill section of road immediately following a downhill section, so as to prevent loss of momentum gained on the downhill section. A comparator compares an actual speed signal Vs with a driver-settable desired speed signal Vr and produces an error signal. A level changing circuit produces an output equal to Vr in normal circumstances, but which follows Vs when the vehicle accelerates downhill. This output is fed through a memory via a switch which is open when an acceleration-deceleration unit detects that the vehicle has reached the foot of the hill. This memory therefore stores a signal Vr' representing the speed at that time, and the comparator therefore increases the engine power when the vehicle speed has fallen below this augmented reference speed, instead of waiting for the speed to fall to the original reference.

Abstract: A camera lock-plate assembly having an elongated base plate to be secured to a camera and a support body with an upper surface slidably receiving the plate with a tongue-in-groove connection between tapered ways on the plate and lugs on the body. The lug on one side of the body is movable both down against spring bias, so that the plate can be simply lowered into position with the movable lug snap locking into position, and then moved toward the fixed lugs, so that the plate can be manually clamped in place. The plate can be adjustably slid to position the weight of the camera by unclamping, but not unlocking, the movable lug.

Abstract: A passive seat belt system includes a mechanical linkage between the seat back and a guide member which holds the belt in an appropriate operating position. The linkage serves to move the guide member forward as the seat back is tilted forward, to move the guide member to its normal working position when the seat back is moved to its normal upright position, and to hold the guide member in its working position as the seat back is tilted backwards. The mechanical linkage includes a linkage lever, of which one end is pivotably attached to the seat back and the another end constitutes a contoured lost-motion linkage engaging the pivotable guide member. The lost-motion linkage is designed to actuate movement of the guide member when the seat back moves within the forward moiety of its reclining range, and to be only slackly engaged with the guide member when the seat back is moved in the portion of its reclining range rearward of its normal upright position.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a filter assembly having an improved system for selectively jacking a filter canister into and out of engagement with a filter head. A threaded jackscrew is mated to a threaded portion of the filter head and rotatably mounted to the filter canister, but longitudinally confined near the canister top. The assembly accommodates a second class lever whose fulcrum end is received in a recess in the filter head. The jackscrew includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs around the jackscrew perimeter against which the central portion of the lever can successively act. The manual application of force to the free end of the lever creates a mechanical advantage at the jackscrew lugs such that a torque sufficient to free and turn the jackscrew can be generated. Repeated pivoting of the lever against the lugs of the jackscrew in a ratchet-like manner unscrews the jackscrew, and the captive canister, from the filter head.

Abstract: A system for finish grinding a workpiece monitors the actual radius of the workpiece as the finish grinding progresses; feeds the grinding wheel into the workpiece at a feed rate which decreases, preferably at an exponential rate, as a desired final radius of the workpiece is approached; and terminates the feeding of the grinding wheel at the desired final radius of the workpiece. In a preferred embodiment, the grinding wheel is trued, simultaneously with the finish grinding, by feeding a truing element into the grinding wheel at a rate that varies as a function of the decreasing rate at which the grinding wheel is fed into the workpiece.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of treating waste paper, wherein the waste paper is steeped, under certain circumstances chemically treated at the same time, and is thereafter adjusted to a lower substance density and sorted. Furthermore the invention relates to apparatus for performing such a method.

Abstract: In a field system of a magnet type D.C. motor constructed of a cylindrical yoke and a plurality of pole pieces, each of which is made of a permanent magnet member bonded to the inner peripheral surface of the yoke, an improved field system wherein each pole piece is formed with a recess along its central part. The yoke is provided with bent portions protruding inwards of the yoke, in correspondence with each recess, and the bent portions are held in engagement with the recess through an elastic member.

Abstract: A hydraulic lifter has an upper plunger member and a lower plunger member slidably received in a bore of a casing. A reservoir chamber is formed in the upper and lower plunger members for receiving hydraulic fluid, and a pressure chamber is formed between a blind bottom end of the casing and the bottom of the lower plunger. Both chambers are fluidly connected through a check valve. In order to vent air in the reservoir chamber and thereby to prevent air from entering the pressure chamber, there is formed in the upper plunger member at least one air vent hole located above a fluid inlet of the reservoir chamber. There is further formed a fluid passage between the upper plunger and the lower plunger for allowing fluid in the clearance between the casing and the plunger members to return to the reservoir chamber. This fluid passage may comprises a plurality of radially extending grooves formed either in the face of the bottom end of the upper plunger or in the face of the top end of the lower plunger.