Abstract: A central tire inflation system for a steering knuckle wheel end assembly providing a steering knuckle secured to the vehicle, and a wheel end hub rotatably mounted about the steering knuckle. A bearing assembly is disposed between the steering knuckle and wheel end hub to establish the rotatably connection. A drive shaft is rotatably disposed through the steering knuckle and is in driving connection with the wheel end hub. A pair of adjacent rotary seals are disposed between the wheel end hub and steering knuckle and defining a small chamber there between. An inlet passage is formed directly through the steering knuckle in communication with the sealed chamber. The inlet passage transmits pressurized air from a pressurized air source directly to the sealed chamber. An outlet passage is formed directly through the wheel end hub and is also in direct communication with the sealed chamber to establish communication between the wheel end hub and the steering knuckle.

Abstract: A device for mutually fastening at least two portions of a cooking vessel grip; the portions to be fastened have a continuous seat for the insertion of a fastening element having opposite end heads, which cooperate with and on which rest respective annular stop surfaces formed at opposite ends of the seat to secure the grip portions to one another; the fastening element is defined by two plugs, respective end portions of which are inserted concentrically by a predetermined length one inside the other, and are connected to each other with a predetermined amount of radial interference; and the end portions of the plugs have been welded to each other, e.g. by means of an ultrasonic welding process, after the plugs are inserted inside the seat, so that the plugs define a monolithic fastening element.

Abstract: A vent system for a wheel hub comprising a first filtered vent at the wheel end cavity and a second vent formed by a one-way, pressure relief valve venting the axle tube to atmosphere. The vent system defines a vent path from the wheel end cavity through a first, preferably filtered, vent into the axle tube then through a second check valve connecting the axle tube to atmosphere. A porous material is positioned to cover the vent passage at the wheel end cavity for allowing a flow of gases to enter and exit the vent passage while preventing liquids and other contaminants from traveling therethrough. The porous material is held in place over the vent by a snap ring or other suitable retention system disposed within the vented plug member.

Abstract: A device comprising an outer body (6) integral with a guide tube (4) defining on its own a blind ring-shaped cavity (40) axially oriented wherein a piston (3) moves guided by the guide tube (4). The guide tube (4) is produced by impact extrusion. The invention is applicable to motor vehicles.

Abstract: A powder coating apparatus and method feeds fine powdered coating material such as thermoplastic type material to a succession of discrete articles passing by the apparatus which includes a vibratory feeder bowl and a spiral track for delivering a substantially constant supply of powder coating material to the articles. A sensor is also used to regulate an amount of powdered coating material supplied to an auger to the vibratory feeder. The invention also provides a powder feed system that deposits an excess of powdered coating material than that required to form the coating and provides for recirculation of the powder not ultimately used to form the coating back to the powder feeding apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stacking and loading disc-like objects into receptacles is provided. The apparatus includes a lane combining conveyor which receives multiple lanes of product and combines one or more of the outer lanes into the remaining lanes. A stack former is provided for forming individual stacks of patties which are side supported onto rails. The rails can be pivoted down to divert patties for clearing jams. After the product is formed on the stack formers, a stack transfer mechanism transfers the stacks of products formed on the stack forming rails to the matrix former. Matrix former receives individual rows of multiple stacks from the stack transfer mechanism. A stripper mechanism is used to ensure that the stacks are not scrambled during this transfer. Once the matrix former is filled with product, a case rollover mechanism is rotated to the matrix former.

Abstract: A rotational position detecting apparatus for an internal-combustion engine for use with a Hall IC comprising at least two Hall elements for detecting the protrusion of a rotator. One of the two Hall elements is arranged with a magnet for forming a magnetic field, and the magnet is disposed on one side of the Hall IC to form a magnetic circuit for converging the magnetic flux on only one element within the Hall IC.

Abstract: The invention concerns an arrangement (10) for fixing a tubular shift cylinder (12), between two mounting and locking positions in a motor vehicle body, comprising means for blocking the cylinder (12) in axial translation including, from the front rearwards, a transverse surface of the cylinder (12), axial elastic means, a body wall (20), pierced with an orifice (18), and a transverse eye mounting (34) of the cylinder (12) passing through a cutout (40) of the orifice (18) and enabling to immobilise the cylinder (12) axially when a rotation of the cylinder (12) locks it by squeezing the wall (20) between the support surface, the axial elastic means and the eye mounting (34).

Abstract: A wheel end is provided where the spindle is an integral cast and machined trumpet-shaped arm made from high strength ductile iron, and a seal retainer is provided to locate and protect the inner wheel bearing and wheel end from debris. The trumpet-shaped arm is formed with a long parabolic radius machined with a reasonable surface finish to reduce or significantly eliminate stress concentrations. The mating cast iron seal retainer is employed to provide proper location for the inner wheel bearing and to transfer axial loads of the bearing to the spindle shoulder. In addition, the seal retainer retains the inner half of the seal face and provides a sealing surface to prevent escape of the axle wheel end oil. In this design, the outside diameter of the seal retainer is made to fit inside the wheel hub bore where it is protected from rocks, stumps, other debris, etc.

Abstract: A golf club shaft is constructed by a pipe-shaped body in which a sheet of reinforced fiber prepreg impregnated with synthetic resin is rolled. The golf club shaft includes: a front end portion to which a club head is attached; and a grip portion arranged on the opposite side to the front end portion, wherein a portion, the flexural rigidity of which is the maximum, is arranged on the front end portion side of the grip portion of the pipe-shaped body. The golf club shaft has a characteristic by which user's requirement can be satisfied.

Abstract: A universal axle and differential carrier stand comprising a base provided with a pair of upright support arms secured to the base at their lower end, and being horizontally adjustable for providing a variable spacing between the pair of support arms. A pair of axle clamps for receiving and positively engaging the vehicle axle or a pair of differential carrier mounts for mounting the differential carrier are alternatively and interchangeably affixed to upper ends of the support arm. Furthermore, the axle clamps and the differential carrier mounts may be adjustable in height. The stand may be quickly and easily loaded and unloaded, because no tools are required to operate axle clamps. The base is provided with caster wheels that allow easy movement of the universal stand with or without vehicle components.

Abstract: A system and corresponding method for bulge testing films (e.g. thin films, coatings, layers, etc.) is provided, as well as membrane structures for use in bulge testing and improved methods of manufacturing same so that resulting membrane structures have substantially identical known geometric and responsive characteristics. Arrayed membrane structures, and corresponding methods, are provided in certain embodiments which enable bulge testing of a film(s) over a relatively large surface area via a plurality of different freestanding membrane portions. Improved measurements of film bulging or deflection are obtained by measuring deflection of a center point of a film, relative to non-deflected peripheral points on the film being tested. Furthermore, membrane structures are adhered to mounting structure in an improved manner, and opaque coatings may be applied over top of film(s) to be bulge tested so that a corresponding optical transducer can more easily detect film deflection/bulging.

Abstract: A bail (20) is joined to a pair of bail joining arms (16) through a pair of bail support members such that rotation and inversion of the bail (20) are permitted. One of the bail support members incorporates a swing arm (18), a line roller (22) rotatively joined to the swing arm and a fishing-line introducing portion (24) disposed adjacent to the line roller. A bail joining portion (26) to which an end of the bail can be joined is formed at the leading end of the fishing-line introducing portion to project over the leading end. The fishing-line introducing portion has a shape (a curved surface), the diameter of which is gradually reduced from the line roller to the bail joining portion. Moreover, the end and the bail joining portion arm joined to substantially the same axis by a predetermined joining means.

Abstract: The invention concerns a monofilament for use in engineering textiles, in particular in papermaking fabrics, made up of a plastic material having a principal constituent that is polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTMT) and at least one additional constituent, and is characterized in that the additional constituent is a nylon or a mixture of several nylon types. The invention further concerns a papermaking fabric having the aforesaid monofilaments.

Abstract: A flat key having a grip element (2) and a key bit (3), the grip element (2) including a casing (4) and the key bit (3) being arranged in a manner enabling it to be moved into and out of the grip element casing (4) and to be fixed in its respective extreme position. In order to provide a flat key (1) with an axially displaceable key bit (3) which has an inexpensively manufactured drive and requires relatively small dimensions, a spring (7)—preferably a scroll spring—is disposed as the drive in the grip element casing (4), the two end zones (8, 9) of said spring each being wound spirally onto two holders (10, 11) arranged at the side of the key bit (3). The central zone (12) of the spring (7) rests against a support (13) on the end of the key bit (3) that is situated inside the grip element casing (4), with the usual result that when the key bit (3) is inserted into the grip element casing (4) the spring (7) becomes uncoiled from the holders (10, 11) and thus tensioned.

Abstract: A heat exchanger module for a motor vehicle having a fan shroud mounted on a heat exchanger. The shroud includes two blocks that extend from a first side of a duct and are adapted to engage corresponding housings in a first manifold of the heat exchanger. Two spring clips extend from a second side of the fan duct and have an aperture for accommodating a lug projecting from a side face of a second manifold of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A pressure swing adsorption process for the separation of hydrogen from a mixture of the same with methane, utilizing two separate PSA stages, one containing a nitrogen selective crystalline zeolite, and the second containing a methane selective adsorbent.