Abstract: An article transfer mechanism is disclosed comprising a pair of longitudinally and laterally reciprocable feed bars having opposed cooperable article engaging feed fingers therebetween. The feed bars are supported at opposite ends for longitudinal sliding movement relative to feed bar support members which in turn are supported for linear lateral movement toward and away from one another. An oscillatory drive arrangement is provided at one end of the feed bars for reciprocating the bars longitudinally, and rotatable drum-type cam drive units are provided at each end of the feed bars for reciprocating the support members and thus the feed bars laterally toward and away from one another.

Abstract: A cartridge for dispensing a filler stick wherein the stick is advanced automatically out of one end of the cartridge by the removal of the cap. The stick is supported on a piston slidable in the cartridge and vented at the bottom of the cartridge to the atmosphere and the cap and cartridge have a slidable seal such that removal of the cartridge creates a vacuum within the cap to enable the air pressure on the piston to force the stick out of the cartridge.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for advancing articles step by step between work stations of a press. The mechanism includes a pair of bracket assemblies mounted on opposite sides of the press frame and provided with feed bar support assemblies including members supporting a pair of parallel feed bar-feed finger members for longitudinal and lateral reciprocation to achieve article transfer. The bracket assembly includes a first portion fixed on the press frame and a second portion which carries the corresponding feed bar support assembly and which is pivotal relative to the first bracket portion between use and non-use positions. The drive arrangement for the reciprocable feed bar support members includes portions pivotal with the second bracket portion. The feed bar-feed finger members are detachable, thus enabling the second bracket portions and corresponding portions of the drive arrangements to be pivoted to the non-use position to facilitate access to the press.

Abstract: There is provided a method of making a compression die set of the type including front and back die pieces for compressively forming a sheet of soft, pliable metal, such as superplastic metal, therebetween with one of the die pieces including surface impressions. This method includes the steps of providing a mass of metal in a superplastic state, placing a sheet of the soft, pliable metal corresponding to the sheet to be formed over the one die piece to cover the surface impressions, heating the mass of superplastic metal to an elevated forming temperature, and forcing the mass toward the sheet and the one die piece until the sheet flows completely into the surface impressions.

Abstract: A control circuit is disclosed for a sleeve-type pinch valve and which control circuit utilizes an internal vacuum condition in a main supply line in which the valve is disposed to retain the elastomeric sleeve of the valve open. A check valve is provided in the control circuit to prevent backflow of material from the main supply line into the control circuit and pinch valve. A unique check valve disclosed for this purpose includes an expandable tubular diaphragm of elastomeric material normally closed at one end and which opens cylindrically so as to impose no restriction to one-way flow of material therethrough. The one end collapses when flow is interrupted, thus to prevent backflow through the valve.

Abstract: A press drive mechanism is disclosed having relatively rotatable output shaft and flywheel components which are independently rotatably supported at their opposite ends by fixed support members. The flywheel is mounted on a sleeve which is concentric with the output shaft and located between the opposite ends of the shaft. Clutch discs are cooperatively supported by the sleeve and output shaft, and brake discs are cooperatively supported by the output shaft and one of the fixed support members. The brake and clutch are alternately engaged and disengaged by means of a pneumatic piston and cylinder assembly concentric with the output shaft inwardly adjacent the other of the fixed support members.

Abstract: A casing for enclosing and fireproofing electric conductors comprises of fire resistant side walls and having means for being supported by the conductor supports. In several embodiments, the casing has ventilation openings and heat responsive means for closing the openings.

Abstract: A method of charging a borehole with at least first and second separate sections of explosive material, which method comprises the steps of providing a detonating cord extending into the borehole, providing a first primer on a first carrier having a time delay connection between the cord and the first primer, this time delay having a first selected value, providing a second primer on a second carrier having a time delay connection between a cord and the second primer, the time delay of the second carrier having a second selected value different from the first selected value, sliding the first carrier and primer along the cord and into detonation association with the first section of explosive material and sliding the second carrier and primer along the same cord to detonation association with the second section of explosive material.

Abstract: An anchor removing device is constituted by providing a wedge shaped breaking means tapered in the drawing-out direction, which is temporarily secured to the tip portion of an anchor steel member and a tension steel member encompassed with sheath coupled to the wedge shaped breaking means. After this anchor removing device has been inserted into anchor hole which is bored in the ground, a hardenable filler material is injected into the anchor hole to form an anchor body. The hardenable filler material may produce voids or contains a foreign material of a low rigidity, which produces the effect similar to that of voids, such as air bubbles. The material may be foamable polystyrene and a cork of a given porosity. Typical example of the hardenable filler material is a foamed concrete milk. At the time of removing the anchor, the edge shaped breaking means is withdrawn by pulling the tension steel member with a jack or the like.

Abstract: A scraper assembly is pivotally supported for biased engagement with the outer surface of a moving conveyor belt to clean the surface of the belt. The scraper assembly includes a plurality of scraper elements spaced along the length of an elongate carrier which extends transversely of the side edges of the belt. Each scraper element is removably mounted on the carrier and at an inclined angle with respect to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt to displace material clinging to the surface of the belt outwardly towards the edges of the conveyor belt. The scraper element consists of a resilient body with a fixedly vulcanized assembly profile with an outwardly open undercut groove for a bolt. The undercut groove extends at an inclined angle towards the scraping edges of the scraper element. The elongate carriers of the carrier device have a curved carrying surface facing the scraper elements.

Abstract: A digital device for detecting a metal object in the field of influence of a detector loop controlled by an oscillator which device creates a series of counting intervals and counts pulses during the intervals. The magnitude of the count during an interval is then indicative of metal detected by the loop. The count of a prior counting interval is stored and compared with the count of the next interval to determine whether or not there has been a detection. In this type of device there is provided an improvement wherein the magnitude of the counts stored during an interval is used to change the length of subsequent counting intervals. This maintains a generally high count magnitude for the counting interval to improve the sensitivity of the detecting device.

Abstract: A concrete feeding tube, hereinafter referred to as a "tremie tube", is used to feed concrete grout or the like underwater. This tremie tube consists of an outer tube having desired rigidity and a number of through-holes, and an inner tube having desired pliability, the lower end of the inner tube being adapted to be closed with a closure means. The tremie tube is so designed as to be lowered vertically into a body of water with the lower end of the inner tube being closed with the closure means. So lowered, water is introduced through the aforesaid through-holes inwardly of the wall of the outer tube so as to collapse the inner tube with a resulting decrease in buoyancy of the tremie tube. When the lowered end of the outer tube reaches the water bed then fresh hardening-material, such as concrete grout, is fed into the inner tube under pressure so as to inflate the inner tube.

Abstract: An endless belt conveyor for heavy materials handling is provided in which shock forces generated by the loading of heavy objects onto the conveyor are absorbed in the vertical, longitudinal and lateral directions with respect to the conveyor by resilient suspension means such as a plurality of rubber shear spring blocks which are associated with the support structure for the track upon which the conveyor belt moves. The belt is comprised of slat links having a central transverse reinforcing beam and slat link covers surrounding the transverse reinforcing beam which converge to either side of the beam at a point intermediate the vertical distance between the top and bottom portions of the beam.

Abstract: An article transfer mechanism is provided comprising parallel spaced apart feed plates reciprocable in the direction between the opposite ends thereof and carrying a plurality of laterally opposed article engaging feed finger members. Each feed finger member is supported for reciprocation laterally relative to the corresponding feed plate, and the feed plates support corresponding cam rods displaceable therewith and relative thereto in the direction of reciprocation of the feed plates. A cam and lever arrangement reciprocates the feed plates to displace the feed finger members longitudinally, and a second cam and lever arrangement reciprocates the cam rods to displace the feed finger members laterally inwardly and outwardly relative to the feed plates.

Abstract: A press drive mechanism is disclosed having brake and clutch units including corresponding disc assemblies concentric with respect to the output shaft of the mechanism. A fluid operated piston-cylinder assembly concentric with the output shaft is operable to alternately actuate the brake and clutch units, and an auxiliary fluid operated piston-cylinder assembly is selectively operable to effect simultaneous actuation of the brake and clutch units.

Abstract: A device for inductively heating a cylindrical metal surface on an elongated workpiece having a central rotational axis, wherein the cylindrical surface is generally concentric with the axis. The device comprises an inductor having a generally cylindrical coupling surface matching the metal surface, a main support for carrying the inductor, the main support movable between a first position with the inductor spaced substantially from the cylindrical metal surface and a second position with the inductor in its heating position, and an intermediate frame for mounting the inductor onto the support.

Abstract: An eddy current or hysteresis brake, preferably for track bound vehicles which is infinitely variable and wear-free. A cylindrical rotatable permanent magnet magnetized on its diameter is arranged between a pair of pole pieces in combination with the plurality of stationary magnets, each arranged to magnetize the pole pieces with opposite magnetic polarity. By rotating the cylindrical magnet, the magnetic field at the ends of the pole pieces can be varied from a maximum to zero. The generated flux is projected into the track. Braking occurs by induced eddy currents.

Abstract: Control circuit for shifting a compartment light between an illuminating condition and a non-illuminating condition for use in a vehicle having a door, a manually actuated door switch and a manually actuated control switch generally in combination with the ignition switch of the vehicle. The control circuit provides means for causing the compartment light to remain illuminated for a preselected time delay after the vehicle door has been closed and a second means for providing a different time delay holding the compartment light illuminated for a time after the control switch has been turned off.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating an elongated workpiece having an elongated axis and moving along a heating path in a selected linear direction, the path having opposite sides defining a workpiece passage therebetween. This apparatus comprises a plurality of high permeability flux directing elements, each of the elements having a generally flat surface spaced from and generally parallel to the heating path, means for mounting the elements along at least one side of the path at selected, mutually spaced locations, separate coil means encircling each of said elements and alternating current power means for causing separate, spaced magnetic flux fields extending from said surfaces and into said passage in a direction generally perpendicular to said path.

Abstract: Metal parts are spot welded together. To prevent corrosion of the parts a thixotropic, non hardening, corrosion resistant material including a solvent and having a negligible gravity flow at temperatures less than about 400.degree. F to 440.degree. F and forming a heat insulating coherent gel when burnt is used between the plates. The material is known as Anchor Tuflex #23. The parts are clamped and a pressure, higher than a welding pressure that would be used without the material is used to squeeze out the material. The high pressure is continued during welding. After welding continued pressure, is applied during cooling.