Abstract: A spring rewound tagline device having a mechanism in the form of a brake for controlling unwinding of the spring and its operation of a connected cable reel, with the brake being selectively operable to engage a peripheral portion of an associated member arranged for rotation with the reel. Manipulation of the brake permits the reel to be locked against rotation, and the spring held against unwinding, or permits rotation of the reel in a regulated manner to control unwinding of the associated spring.

Abstract: A dynamic acoustic transducer device of small, compact, highly efficient design, wherein a vibratable diaphragm is supported in an open side of a casing, a pair of permanent magnets being secured to the diaphragm for vibrational movement therewith, the magnets extending into the casing and being respectively surrounded by an electric coil winding which is isolated against vibrations of the diaphragm, the coils being connectable with a signal circuit. When the dynamic transducer comprises a microphone, the device is susceptible of mounting in an operating position by adhesively securing the outer surface of the diaphragm to a vibratable surface of a musical instrument, or other vibratable medium so that the relative movements between the magnets and coils in response to the sensed vibrations will function to produce a modulated output signal capable of being amplified and coupled to a loudspeaker.

Abstract: A spring rewound tagline device having an elongated housing on which a cable reel is rotatably mounted by a shaft journalled in a bearing fixed to the housing. The shaft rotates a core structure which in turn tightens a coiled spring arranged around the core structure by winding the coils relative to the bearing. One end of the spring is connected with the core structure by an anchor means, and the other end of the spring is connected with a fixed structure by an anchor means in the form of a frangible shear pin which will break and release this end of the spring, when a predetermined excessive load is placed on the spring, thus preventing damage to the spring as a result of the excessive load.

Abstract: A key ring and/or chain holder for retaining keys in a position where they can be readily located and easily removed when desired has a bracket arranged for being fixed to a support member and releasably receiving an attaching member having at least one key fastened to it for connecting the key to the bracket. The bracket is provided with a longitudinally extending key-slot having a longitudinal opening communicating with an enlarged inner portion which retainingly receives a head terminating an elongated neck of the attaching member. By making the smallest dimension of the head greater than the transverse width of the longitudinal opening, and greater than a restricted end of the inner portion of the key-slot, and by providing shoulders on a body portion of the attaching member, the head only can be entered into and withdrawn from the key-slot only from the unrestricted end of the key-slot, thus assuring retention of the attachment member, and associated key, on the bracket.

Abstract: A load sensing unit for load indicating apparatus, the sensing unit comprising a hydraulic load cell and an electronic load cell connected in stacked relation between opposed members of the apparatus capable of relative movements under applied load forces, and wherein means are provided to operably selectively bypass the load forces with respect to each of said load cells, in order to operatively inactivate one of the load cells, and hold it in reserve as a back-up cell which is susceptible of immediate connection for the active operative other load cell.

Abstract: Reset means to advance a valve spool from a first valve seat to a second valve seat in opposition to exceedingly high biasing fluid pressure comprises a manually rotatable actuating means in screw threaded engagement with the body of the pilot valve. With the manually operable actuator at its retracted position, means is manually operated to operatively connect the manual actuator to the valve spool to permit advance of the manual actuator to drive the valve spool from the first valve seat to the second valve seat against the resistance of the biasing fluid pressure.

Abstract: A conveyor having an endless series of holders equipped with cushions to carry fragile objects has an upper run extending from a receiving station to a discharge station and a lower return run with an upward arcuate return path from the lower run to the start of the upper run. The holders are turned upside down on the lower run of the conveyor and are subject to centrifugal force on the upward arcuate return path. The cushions are envelopes of flexible sheet material containing masses of pellets. A free-falling object lands on a cushion at the receiving station of the conveyor and is decelerated without harm by forming a seating recess in the mass of pellets. The return journey of the cushions redistributes the pellets to eliminate the seating recesses and thus enables newly received objects at the receiving station to be decelerated by forming new seating recesses.

Abstract: A rotor has two opposite lobes which cooperate with the inner surface of a cylindrical wall and further cooperate with four equally spaced retractible radial vanes to form successive pairs of diametrically opposite expanding chambers and successive pairs of diametrically opposite contracting chambers. The pairs of diametrically opposite chambers progress step by step in the direction of rotation of the rotor. Actuating fluid is supplied continuously to the expanding chambers from space inside the rotor through ports on the trailing sides of the two lobes of the rotor and the contracting chambers are continuously exhausted to an exhaust space inside the rotor through exhaust passages from the leading sides of the two lobes.

Abstract: Pressurized fluid is controlled by a reverse valve gate on a valve stem that extends through annular packing in a bore of a bonnet to a piston in an outer control chamber. Control fluid pressure moves the piston inward to open the valve against line pressure on the valve and/or spring pressure on the valve. In the absence of both line pressure and control pressure, the valve is closed by spring pressure. The control chamber construction permits quick replacement of control chamber seals. In the event of a fire, the control chamber seals disintegrate to release the control pressure and thus cause line pressure and/or spring pressure to close the valve. The valve stem packing may be conveniently expelled hydraulically for replacement. Various different control assemblies may be mounted interchangeably on the valve bonnet without disturbing the structure of the valve. An auxiliary control may be quickly mounted on the outer end of the control chamber to convert the shut-off valve to manual operation.

Abstract: A conveyor having a single row of receptacles to seat individual fruit of a corresponding row of citrus fruit moves the fruit in succession past a station where it is required that the major axis of each fruit, i.e., the axis through the stem and blossom ends of the fruit be parallel to the direction of travel of the fruit. In each receptacle the individual fruit rests on a pair of parallel power-actuated spool-shaped rollers the axes of which are parallel to the direction of travel of the receptacles, which rollers spin the fruit to cause the major axes of the fruit to be oriented parallel to the direction of travel.

Abstract: A pencil-size instrument body has a manually operable valve to control an air passage connected to a vacuum source. A first hollow axle projecting forward from the body carries a rotary finger control member. A rigid air tube of small diameter is mounted by one end in a second hollow axle and constitutes therewith a replaceable probe assembly that plugs into the first hollow axle. A rotary hub member on the second hollow axle is operated by the rotary finger control member and is connected to the end of a coil spring that rotatably embraces the rigid air tube. The second end of the coil spring is connected to a rotary tip member on the rigid air tube that picks up small objects by vacuum action and rotates the objects under control of the finger control member.

Abstract: A resilient wire is bent to the form of an elongated closed loop having parallel upper and lower sides. The upper side of the closed loop serves as a handle to be gripped by the user. The opposite ends of the wire overlap along the length of the lower side of the closed loop and cooperate to clamp the upper end of a paper bag.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for automatically evaluating articles particularly citrus fruits, on the basis of the uniformity and non-uniformity of their transparency to light rays and selectively separating them into different grades according to such evaluations, the fruit being oriented and carried by a conveyor in a path between a light ray source and light ray detectors positioned to straddle the fruit core portion, the signals from the detectors being carried to an internal quality computer controlled by timing sensors responsive to fruit movement through the light rays, wherein the percentage of internal damage is computed for each fruit, after which the fruits are successively separated into different predetermined grades according to their respective damage evaluations.

Abstract: In a system for classifying objects, particularly fruits, which pass successively through an inspection station for evaluation according to respective grades and for generating evaluation signals corresponding to such grades. The inspected fruits are then delivered to a distribution apparatus by means of a sorting conveyor having a single row of traveling holders for the individual fruits. The sorting conveyor has a plurality of discharge stations corresponding to the different evaluation grades and, when a holder carrying a fruit reaches a discharge station that corresponds to the evaluation grade for that particular fruit, the generated evaluation signal for that particular fruit causes the holder to discharge the fruit.