Abstract: A hose clip wherein a flexible annular strap can be place around one end portion of a hose and a relatively small portion (less than 50 percent) of the inner side of the strap is overlapped by the convex external surface of a deformable insert. The space between the insert and the strap confines one or more springs, or one or more springs are outwardly adjacent the strap, to bias the concave internal surface of the insert against the adjacent portion of the hose. The strap can constitute an endless ring or it can be of finite length and the hose clip then comprises a tightening mechanism for the strap. The insert can be biased by one or more leaf springs, by one or more C-springs or by one or more coil springs. The spring or springs can be caused to store more energy than required to maintain the hose in sealing engagement with a pipe or nipple, and the surplus energy is then dissipated as soon as the strap is placed around the hose and the tubular body is inserted into the hose.

Abstract: A button wherein the deformable shank of a rivet (which carries the enlarged portion that is to pass through a buttonhole) must be caused to penetrate through a layer of textile or other carrier material and to thereupon enter a retaining device having a portion which deforms the free end portion of the rivet. The rivet is part of the male component of a universal joint which further comprises a socket secured to the rear surface of the enlarged portion.

Abstract: A stream of square folded sheets, wherein one marginal portion is thicker than the marginal portion which is parallel thereto, is fed into the nip of a rotary core and one or more flexible bands which are being convoluted onto the core whereby the sheets form a roll having convolutions which alternate with the convolutions of the band or bands. The thicker marginal portions of the sheets are fed in a direction at right angles to the axis of rotation of the core so that, in the absence of any undertaking to the contrary, the diameter of the respective end face of the roll would exceed the diameter of the other end face which is formed by the thinner marginal portions of the sheets. The development of such frustoconical roll is prevented by moving the single band or one of several bands close to that end face of the roll which is formed by the thicker marginal portions of the sheets and by maintaining the thus positioned band under requisite tension in order to compress the thicker marginal portions.

Abstract: An inhomogeneous stream of tobacco particles is homogenized by feeding the stream onto a vibrating support having openings through which the particles descend onto a conveyor serving to transport the thus homogenized stream in a direction counter to that of advancement of the inhomogenized stream toward and on the support. The homogenizing operation can be repeated by positioning a second vibratory apertured support to receive the once homogenized stream from the conveyor and by positioning a second conveyor beneath the second support.

Abstract: A swivel for use in a crane has a stationary upper member which is secured to the boom and a lower member which is rotatable relative to the upper member and is connected with the end of the cable. The cable is looped beneath the swivel and the bight of its loop carries a roll which supports the load. A driving unit is provided to positively rotate the lower member of the swivel when the cable portions flanking the roll beneath the swivel tend to cross each other. The driving unit is of the self-locking type or the lower member of the swivel can be braked to prevent a change in its angular position independently of the driving unit. If such independent change of angular position of the lower member is desired, the machine employs a load-responsive clutch which disengages the lower member from the driving unit in the absence of load upon the roll.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump with an outer casing which has one or more discharge branches, with an inner casing which is installed in the outer casing and rotatably surrounds a pump shaft, and an impeller which is mounted on the shaft at the inlet of the outer casing has one or more fluid flow guiding inserts, one for each discharge branch, in an annular chamber between the inner and outer casings. The inserts are offset relative to the respective discharge branches in the direction of rotation of the shaft and have front faces provided on spur-shaped front portions immediately behind the exit end of the impeller. The inserts further have guide surfaces including first sections adjacent the inner casing, second sections adjacent the outer casing, and third sections which direct a portion of the fluid medium directly from the exit end of the impeller to the corresponding discharge branches.

Abstract: A perfect binder wherein the grippers of a transporting unit advance discrete stacks of paper sheets along a horizontal path past a series of successive treating stations from a stack receiving location of the grippers are located in a common plane, and those portions of the stacks which require treatment extend downward beyond the respective undersides. A second unit of the perfect binder includes a set of treating devices (which can include aligning panels, milling tools, grinding tools, adhesive applicators and cover applicators) which are mounted on a platform beneath the path for the stacks and are individually adjustable toward or away from the common plane. In addition, the perfect binder is provided with an apparatus which can move the transporting unit and/or the second unit toward or away from the other unit in order to simultaneously alter the spacing of all treating devices relative to the common plane.

Abstract: A washer for securing screws, nuts or the like has substantially ring-shaped inner and outer washer bodies as well as a transitional region between the bodies. Each washer body has a conical surface at the supported side of the washer and the outer body continuously merges into the inner body in the transitional region at the supported side. The transitional region has a smaller cross section than the adjoining parts of the inner and the outer bodies.

Abstract: A display counter wherein the upper portion of the case has several upwardly and forwardly sloping hollow supports for modules which pivotably mount one or more front panels each of which can be moved to a first position in which it overlies the customer side of the counter and a raised second position in which the internal space of the counter in accessible from the customer side. The modules include linear actuators which can pivot the front panel or panels between the first and second positions as well as to one or more intermediate positions. Each actuator is pivotally secured to a frame of the respective module at the lower end of the corresponding support and to a hinge for a front panel at the upper end of the support. The pintle of the hinge is mounted in the upper end portion of the corresponding frame.

Abstract: A torsion damping apparatus between the crankshaft of the engine and the input shaft of the change-speed transmission of a motor vehicle has two flywheels one of which is driven by the crankshaft and the other of which drives the input shaft by way of a friction clutch which generates heat. In order to prevent the transfer of heat from the friction clutch to the antifriction bearing between the flywheels, which are rotatable relative to each other against the opposition of a damper, the bearing is at least partially surrounded by a thermal barrier of synthetic plastic, ceramic or metallic material which prolongs the useful life of the bearing and enhances the torsion damping action of the damper. The thermal barrier can constitute or form part of the damper.

Abstract: A calender roll wherein a cylindrical shell is rotatably mounted on a stationary carrier by way of bearings which are disposed in the end portions of the shell. The median portion of the shell is heated by a first heating device, and the end portions of the shell are heated by a discrete second heating device. The second heating device has channels which are provided in the end portions of the shell and/or indictive heaters which are adjacent to the exterior of the end portions of the shell. Alternatively or in addition to such expedients, the second heating device can include the bearings in the end portions of the shell; each such bearing includes or constitutes an axial or radial hydrostatic bearing which is heated by hydraulic fluid to thereby heat the respective end portion of the shell. The second heating device ensures that the effective length of the shell approximates or even matches the axial length of the shell.

Abstract: A row of at least two coherent cruciform elementary patterns of stitches is formed in a zig-zag sewing machine by first making a first series of at least two zig-zag stitches and by thereupon making a second series of at least two zig-zag stitches which are mirror images of the stitches of the first series and each of which crosses a different stitch of the first series of stitches. The needle is caused to penetrate into the work in the middle of the first or last stitch of the first series of stitches prior to making the second series of stitches. Each stitch of the first and second series of stitches includes at least one uninterrupted length of thread. Only one crossing point of the stitches which form the first and second series is located at a needle perforation point. The first row of at least two cruciform elementary patterns can be followed by any desired number of additional rows in any desired orientation to form ornamental or other arrays of rows of cruciform patterns.

Abstract: A casement window wherein the sash is pivotable in the frame about a vertical axis has a self-locking crank drive which pivots the sash between open and closed positions by way of a pivotable lever, a link which is coupled to the lever, and an actuator which is movably installed in the sash, which is coupled to the link and which forms part of a locking-unlocking mechanism for the sash. The first stage of rotation of the crank drive in order to pivot the sash from closed position involves a displacement of the actuator which ensures that the sash is unlocked, and further rotation of the crank drive results in pivoting of the sash to the open position. If the direction of rotation of the crank drive is reversed, the sash is moved to the closed position before the actuator is caused to lock the sash to the frame. A blocking device for the actuator is operated by the frame to release the actuator for movement to its operative position shortly before the sash reaches the closed position.

Abstract: Chains of coherent labels for use on garments are obtained by severing a running web of woven or knit textile material with heated wires so that the web yields two or more elongated strips having a width exceeding the width of a label. The strips are advanced under tension, and their marginal portions are folded over the adjacent zones of central portions of the respective strips. The thus folded marginal portions are thereupon bonded (particularly heat-sealed) to the respective central portions. The combined width of two marginal portions matches the difference between the width of a strip and the width of a label. Each strip consists of a series of neighboring labels.

Abstract: Successive panels of a running web with panels in zig-zag formation are deflected into a duct wherein the panels gather into a growing pile on a vertically movable bottom wall. A severing tool is moved across the pile at a selected level above the bottom wall to sever the web along the fold line between two neighboring panels when the pile beneath the level of the severing tool reaches a preselected height. A spreading device is used to spread apart the panels immediately above and below the level of the severing tool to establish a clearance for entry of the tool. The panels above and below the clearance are clamped to prevent the tool from displacing and/or otherwise affecting such panels during penetration into the clearance and during severing of the web along the fold line between the panels immediately adjacent the clearance.

Abstract: Apparatus for advancing sections of newspapers has a first conveyor with equidistant grippers which deliver a series of suspended sections to a transfer conveyor. The latter delivers successive sections into successive pockets of a turret-shaped conveyor and comprises a driven shaft carrying two annuli of bearings for the stubs of two sets of plate-like clamping members. Each clamping member of one set cooperates with a clamping member of the other set to engage a section which is delivered by an oncoming gripper and to transfer the thus engaged section into a pocket of the turret-shaped conveyor. The clamping members of each set are pivotable relative to the shaft and orbit about the shaft when the latter is driven to advance the clamping members along an endless path. The devices for pivoting the two sets of clamping members during predetermined stages of each revolution of the shaft employ exchangeable stationary cams and followers provided on the respective sets of clamping members to track the cams.

Abstract: A filling valve wherein a piston is mounted for angular movement about a vertical axis immediately above a thin bottom wall of a housing which defines a metering chamber for a flowable material to be introduced into a succession of vessels. The material which is to be dispensed flows from a metering chamber in the housing through one or more channels in the piston and into and from dispensing openings in the bottom wall. The bottom surface of the piston has sharp sealing edges which slide along the upper side of the bottom wall and shear off the flow of material at the outlets of the channels when the piston is turned to a position in which the outlets of the channels are sealed from the dispensing openings in the bottom wall. This prevents dripping of flowable material in such position of the piston.

Abstract: A mattress has a one-piece base of hollow fibers or polyurethane foam with a rectangular recess in the upper side of its torso supporting intermediate portion. The recess is filled by a removable insert wherein a fabric envelope contains a supply of fragmentized polyurethane foam and/or polypropylene beads or superimposed layers of foamed plastic material having different specific gravities and/or hardnesses. The base and the insert are confined in a mattress cover. The intermediate portion is harder than the leg supporting end portion of the base, and the intermediate portion has two rigid lateral sections which flank the recess between the leg supporting and head supporting end portions of the base.

Abstract: A conduit having a circular or polygonal cross-sectional outline serves for reception of one or more receptacles which are conveyed therein by a hydraulic fluid. Each receptacle can be taken apart or is formed with one or more compartments for one or more sealed containers confining foodstuffs or other substances which are to be heated or cooled by the hydraulic fluid. The front and/or rear end walls of the receptacles are provided with distancing elements which ensure that the distance between two neighboring receptacles in the conduit cannot be reduced below a predetermined minimum value. The distancing elements of neighboring receptacles can form universal joints which maintain such receptacles at a predetermined minimum and maximum distance from each other. The openings of one-piece receptacles are immediately or closely adjacent the internal surface of the conduit, and the openings of sections of composite receptacles are accessible only when the respective receptacles are located outside of the conduit.