Abstract: A hydrodynamic thrust, journal or combined radial and thrust bearing and methods of manufacturing the same. The bearing includes a bearing pad structure that may change shape and move in any direction (six degrees of freedom) to optimize formation of a converging wedge for hydrodynamic operation, equalization of load on the bearing pads in thrust bearings and to adjust for any shaft misalignment. The bearing pad may be formed so as to contact the shaft in the installed state and to deflect under fluid film pressure. The shape of the pads may be altered to achieve desired deformations under load. The pads are supported by a support structure which can include one or more beam-like members. The support structure preferably includes a primary support portion, a secondary support portion and a tertiary support portion.

Abstract: A pipe cleaning machine for driving a pipe cleaning coil. The pipe cleaning machine includes a hand lever having a switch which can be used by the operator to both engage the drive and to change the direction of rotation.

Abstract: A rotary servo fluid pump and a rotary water pump for an internal combustion engine have respective drive shafts which are both drivingly coupled to the rotor of the servo fluid pump by splines, keys, dogs or by having non-circular section shaft portions engaged in complementary non-circular bores in the rotor of the servo fluid pump. Flow passages of the two pumps are preferably formed in a common pump casing part which can be directly mounted on the engine block with the flow passages in open communication with respective flow galleries in the engine block. The casing part can then serve as a mounting bracket for the pumps on the engine.

Abstract: A housed bearing assembly suitable for use as a pillow block bearing unit or flanged bearing unit. The assembly includes a shaft sleeve and roller body secured to one another and enclosed by a housing. The roller body is adapted to roll against an inner peripheral surface of the housing. A supply of lubricant sufficient to lubricate the roller body is contained within the housing. The housing and rolling body are designed to direct lubricant toward fluid tight areas of the assembly and away from those areas where leakage might occur. A lubricant containment reservoir is formed in either the housing or the shaft such that lubricant will not reach the space or interface between the shaft and the housing. The roller body may be provided with a drip edge to further direct lubricant away from the interface between the housing and the shaft. The housing is constructed as a spherical segment seated in a spherical seat to allow pivoting of the inner housing portion to pivot to adjust for misalignment.

Abstract: A water current energy converter designed for and capable of converting the flow energy of a moving body of water into electric power comprises at least one water driven flow machine, especially a water driven turbine, an electric power generator (19) and a hydraulic energy transfer system arranged between the water turbine(s) and the power generator (19). According to the invention in at least one thoroughfare flow duct (8) of a floating buoyant body (2) at least one pumping unit (10) comprising a hydraulic rotary pump (11, 12) coupled to a shaft of the water driven turbine is provided. The buoyant body (2) is held by anchoring means in a predetermined orientation and in substantially stationary position on the surface of the water. The hydraulic rotary pumps (11, 12) form component parts and serve as hydraulic pressure sources in the hydraulic energy transfer system.

Abstract: A scroll compressor has a stationary scroll member and an orbiting scroll member which moves around the stationary scroll member to consecutively compress working fluid. A piston is provided to urge the orbiting scroll member to come close to the stationary scroll member. The piston is driven to urge the orbiting scroll member by compressed working fluid which is guided to enter an annular chamber communicating with compressed working fluid or working fluid being compressed. By this arrangement, the mechanical efficiency of the scroll compressor will be enhanced, and mixing of working fluid and lubricant is able to be reduced. Furthermore, the wobbling of the orbiting scroll member will also be diminished.

Abstract: A molded screw-threaded plastics closure has depending from the underside of the top an annular sealing portion spaced inward of the skirt. The sealing portion includes a plug part with a sealing rib for engaging the internal surface of the neck of a container, a radially outwardly projecting flange above the plug part, and a waisted pivot part disposed between the flange and the top. As the closure is applied, the sealing rib first moves into sealing engagement with the bore of the neck of the container, and then the flange comes into engagement with the top of the neck of the container and causes the sealing portion to pivot outwards about the part to tighten the seal. An internal rib on the skirt engages the outer surface of the neck of the container to form a secondary seal. Forms of stop may be provided for limiting the movement of the closure and/or the pivotal deflection of the sealing portion to prevent over-tightening during application of the closure.

Abstract: A bearing which includes a series of spaced bearing surfaces so as to distribute load amongst a series of spaced bearing surfaces thereby increasing the load carrying capacity of the assembly. The bearing surfaces are formed of a high PV material. The bearing assembly can be either a radial bearing for supporting radial loads or a thrust bearing for supporting thrust loads.

Abstract: Conjugated conductive polymers which are photo-responsive upon ultra-violet light or visible light irradiation are prepared from copolymerization of photo-responsive groups containing heterocyclic monomers and 3-substituted heterocyclic monomers with the substituent containing a flexible segment like an alkyl group, ethoxyl group or siloxane group. The conductivity of the polymer can be controlled reversibly by irradiation of light and so can be used in optical-electronic applications or a production of detectors.

Abstract: A method of arrhythmia with an effective amount of dicentrine or other alkaloids extracted from Lindera oldhammii (megaphylla) Hemsl.

Abstract: A light emitting diode includes a base with a recess and a housing mounted above the base. A conductive plate is mounted in the recess with a red chip, a green chip, and two blue chips disposed thereon, all of which being enclosed by the housing. A first pin has a first contact electrically connected to the red chip and a second contact extending downward and out of the base. A second pin has a first contact electrically connected to the green chip and a second contact extending downward and out of the base. A third pin has a first contact electrically connected to the blue chips and a second contact extending downward and out of the base. A common cathode pin has a first contact electrically connected to the conductive plate and a second contact extending downward and out of the base. Different intensities of light of the three primary colors emitted by the chips result in any desired colored light.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic bearing which includes a carrier and a plurality of bearing pads circumferentially spaced about the carrier. The carrier is formed with a series of circumferentially spaced groups of pad support openings. Each group of pad support openings includes two or more pad support openings each of which is capable of supporting a pad, but only one of which supports a pad at any one time. The carrier is designed such that the openings formed therein are supported as sets of supports such that each group of openings includes one opening of each set of openings. The carrier supports the openings such that the support of each opening within each set is substantially identical to that of the other openings in its set, but different than the support of the openings of other sets such that each set of bearing pad openings is adapted to support bearing pads for a distinct characteristic deflection.

Abstract: A process for making a custom phase-conjugated circular mirror to be used in a laser resonator that will suit specifications of a user is provided. The mirror reverses wavefront of one particular input beam .PSI..sub.o (x) determined by the user, the input beam .PSI..sub.o (x) having a given wavelength, the laser resonator including the mirror and an output coupler cooperating with the mirror and separated therefrom by a laser gain medium, the mirror being at a distance L from the output coupler. The process comprises steps of (a) determining the input beam .PSI..sub.o (x) that will suit need of the user; (b) calculating equation of .PSI..sub.L (x) which is a value of the input beam .PSI..sub.o (x) that is propagated through said laser gain medium at distance L; (c) calculating phase .PHI..sub.o (x) of the input beam, which is a phase of the input beam .PSI..sub.o (x) at distance L, the phase .PHI..sub.

Abstract: An air cleaning and supplying system is provided to a helmet for a user riding a motorcycle. The air cleaning and supplying system is capable of providing cleaned air and supplies the same to the helmet for ventilating the air inside the helmet as well as for the motorcyclist to breathe the cleaned air when the motorcyclist is riding in a hot and air-polluted atmosphere. A blower coupled with a filter utilizes the power from the engine of the motorcycle for sucking air from the atmosphere. The filter is capable of filtering out pollutant gaseous particles from the air passing therethrough. An air hose connected between the helmet and the blower is used for conducting the cleaned air from the blower to the helmet. The cleaned air thus received by the helmet is separated into two parts: one part is sent into the helmet and used for circulating the air inside the helmet, and the other part is sent to a mouthpiece for the user to breathe.

Abstract: An adsorption-type refrigerant recovery apparatus for a refrigeration and air conditioning system that has a connection unit, a refrigerant flow direction control device, a refrigerant adsorbing/desorbing device, a refrigerant/lubricant separating device, a condensation heat exchanging device, a drying/purging device, and a refrigerant reservoir. When the refrigerant enters the connection unit from the refrigeration and air conditioning system, the flow direction control device controls the refrigerant flowing through the adsorbing/desorbing device so that the refrigerant absorbs part of the heat energy of the adsorbent and is thus vaporized. The vaporized refrigerant then enters the refrigerant/lubricant separating device to separate the lubricant therein. The flow direction control device further controls the refrigerant entering the adsorbent container to allow the adsorbent to adsorb the refrigerant. When the adsorbent is saturated, the adsorbent is heated to desorb the refrigerant in a gaseous state.

Abstract: A rotary mechanical face seal for preventing leakage of a fluid, either liquid or gas, across two relatively rotating surfaces. The seal is of the non-contacting mechanical type in which a predetermined spacing is maintained between the relatively rotatable sealing washers by formation of a pressurized fluid film between the relatively rotating surfaces. The opposed faces are constructed to provide a separation of the faces at start-up and thereby prevent damage or destruction to the faces before design pressures are achieved. This is achieved by providing at least one of the opposed faces with a deflection bearing portion which causes the necessary deflections under load. The bearing portion comprises a spaced series of lift pad sections. A variety of lift pad constructions can be used. The seal also includes a hydrodynamic radial bearing which centers the shaft in the static state to avoid shaft runout.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for separating one or more agents, specially solvents, from gases. The agent or the agents are adsorbed by an adsorbent and thereafter desorbed and separated in a condenser (18). The regeneration of the adsorbent includes two steps. In the first step the agent or the agents are separated from a part of the adsorbent by heating. In this way the concentration of the agent or the agents is increased in those parts of the adsorbent which are closest to the condenser. In a second step the remaining parts of the adsorbent are regenerated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bicycle speed change assembly comprising: a pantogtaph link mechanism including a link base supported on a chain stay ahead of a sprocket cluster mounted on a hub shaft, inner and outer link members each extending rearward, and having a base end pivoted by a connecting pin to the link base, and a movable member pivoted by connecting pins to respective free ends of the inner and outer link members; and a chain guide rotatably supporting a guide pulley and a tension pulley, the chain guide being supported on the movable member of the pantograph mechanism to pivot about an axis in parallel with the hub shaft while being elastically urged to tension a chain.

Abstract: A mechanism is used for transmitting the power output of a power drive source such as a wind-up music to an ornament supported thereon. The transmission mechanism has a first drive wheel mounted on a power output shaft of the power drive source at one end of the power output shaft. A drive gear is mounted on the power output shaft of the power drive source at the other end of the power output shaft. A second frame is fixed to the first frame sopporting the power drive source. An idler gear is supported on the second frame by a first shaft and meshed with the drive gear. An output gear is supported on the second frame at the far side of the drive gear and meshed with the idler gear. A second drive wheel is supported on the second frame and securely connected to the output gear through a second shaft. A support plate having a hole formed thereon is pivoted to the first drive wheel at one end and the second drive wheel at the other end.