Abstract: Envelopes which are about to receive developed photographic films and/or prints are advanced toward a stacking station in a predetermined orientation and each envelope is provided with one or more fold lines extending in the direction of advancement of envelopes. The fold lines serve to straighten the envelopes which are delivered in rolled, creased and/or otherwise deformed condition such as could interfere with predictable stacking of envelopes in a predetermined sequence which is necessary to ensure that each envelope receive a proper set of film frames and/or prints for shipment or delivery to the parties whose names and/or addresses appear on the envelopes. The fold lines straighten the originally deformed envelopes (which are in random distribution with non-deformed envelopes) for an interval of time which suffices to ensure proper stacking, even if the envelopes exhibit a pronounced tendency to reassume their deformed state.

Abstract: A cigarette rod making machine wherein the apparatus which supplies tobacco particles to the stream building zone at the underside of a belt conveyor is designed to prevent entry of fragments of tobacco ribs into the outer layer of the stream. This is achieved by directing fragments of tobacco ribs into that portion of the stream which is to form the core of the filler of the cigarette rod and/or by directing fragments of tobacco ribs into that portion of the stream which is removed by a trimming device ahead of the station where the thus obtained filler is draped into a web of cigarette paper. Absence of fragments of tobacco ribs in the outer layer of the filler reduces the likelihood of piercing the web of cigarette paper at the wrapping station.

Abstract: A device for shipping suspensible piece goods has an elongated trolley which can travel along an overhead rail. A rod is fixed to either longitudinal end of the trolley and depends from the latter. The end of each rod remote from the trolley has an upwardly open hook-shaped portion. A carrier is removably suspended on the hook-shaped portions and has a cutout which allows goods to be suspended from the carrier. Once the carrier has been loaded, the entire shipping device can be placed in a truck for transport as a unit. A downwardly open hook-shaped element projects laterally of the carrier from the hook-shaped portion of each rod. These hook-shaped elements can be used to suspend the shipping device from a bar in the truck. Since the hook-shaped elements are located laterally of the carrier, the shipping device tilts to one side when it is suspended from the bar. The shipping device and its suspended goods then take up less room in the vertical direction thereby increasing the loading capacity of the truck.

Abstract: A hinge joint for use in the seat of a motor vehicle to pivotally connect the back rest to the body supporting portion has first and second leaves which are affixed to the body supporting portion and to the back rest, respectively, and a pintle which can be rotated by a wheel or by a motor and carries an eccentric installed in an opening of one of the leaves. The eccentric is assembled of two spring-biased arcuate mirror symmetrical sections and a sickle-shaped centering section. The other leaf is rotatably mounted on the pintle. When the pintle is rotated, an arm or a lobe of a motion transmitting member which is affixed to the pintle first disengages the two mirror symmetrical sections from the one leaf so that the one leaf is thereupon engaged only by the centering section while the teeth of an internal gear on one of the leaves roll along the teeth of a spur gear on the other of the leaves.

Abstract: A sheet drying apparatus wherein the horizontal upper reach of an endless foraminous conveyer transports a series of sheets to be dried between a main suction chamber below and a plenum chamber above the upper reach. The drying station between the two chambers is flanked by two additional suction chambers which extend transversely of the direction of advancement of sheets and serve to attract the sheets to the upper side of the upper reach of the conveyor. A blower is provided to draw air from the main suction chamber and to admit the withdrawn air into channels for admission into the plenum chamber. The sheets are directly or indirectly heated by a stationary heating device between the main plenum chamber and the upper reach of the conveyor, by one or more heating elements in the plenum chamber, by heating elements in the main suction chamber and by heating elements in the channels.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring block-shaped arrays of plain or filter cigarettes in a packing machine has a rotary first conveyor which orbits a set of equidistant pockets for discrete arrays about a first vertical axis. The first conveyor is provided with drives which can pivot the pockets about discrete second vertical axes as well as impart to the pockets translatory movements radially of the first conveyor as well as radially of two turret-shaped second conveyors. One second conveyor delivers arrays to the pockets of the first conveyor, and the other second conveyor receives arrays from the pockets of the first conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus for shifting X-ray films in a magazine wherein films having different sizes form a stack and which as a straight or corner-shaped internal stop for properly oriented films. The apparatus has a frame which is reciprocable toward and away from the magazine and carries two or more pivotable links each of which supports one or more driven wheels movable into frictional engagement at least with the outermost film of the stack to shift the engaged film toward and against the stop. Properly oriented films are withdrawn from the magazine by one or more suction cups which share the movements of the links relative to the magazine. The wheels are rotated by a common prime mover.

Abstract: A composite partition with several rectangular sections each of which has a panel surrounded by a frame having top, bottom and lateral frame members with channels for the respective edges of the panel. The top frame members extend into an inverted U-shaped rail which is affixed to the ceiling, and the bottom frame members extend into a U-shaped rail which is affixed to the floor. One lateral panel of one of two neighboring sections is separated from the adjacent lateral frame member of the other neighboring section by a narrow clearance which receives interengaged separable male and female detent elements of two elongated strip-shaped coupling members at opposite sides of the partition. The outer portions of the coupling members are recessed into the adjacent sides of the lateral frame members.

Abstract: A friction clutch for use in motor vehicles wherein a clutch plate can be clamped between an engine-driven flywheel and an axially movable pressure plate. The pressure plate is axially movably coupled to the housing of the clutch by a set of leaf springs, and the housing carries a tiltable diaphragm spring which biases the pressure plate toward the clutch plate in engaged condition of the friction clutch. That side of the pressure plate which faces the diaphragm spring carries an elastically deformable insert which is engaged by the diaphragm spring in engaged or disengaged condition of the friction clutch to thus reduce the likelihood of vibration of the pressure plate, particularly when the clutch is disengaged.

Abstract: Apparatus for repeatedly cutting stacks of overlapping sheets has a first cutting machine from which large stacks are transferred to a loading station which is adjacent a transfer station where the stacks are loaded upon successive wheel-mounted pallets for transport into the second cutting machine. A feeding unit is provided to shift selected numbers of stacks on the pallet which is located in the second machine onto a working platform beneath the guillotine type knife and the hold-down device of the second cutting machine so that the pallet supports portions of stacks which are being severed. The stacks are oriented on the pallet at the loading station, and additional changes in orientation of the stacks can be carried out on the pallet and/or on the adjacent working platform in the second cutting machine.

Abstract: A torsion damping apparatus which is installed between the crankshaft of the engine and the friction clutch in a motor vehicle has two coaxial flywheels which are rotatable relative to each other against the opposition of a composite damper. The composite damper has two dampers which operate in series and a friction generating device which operates between one of the dampers and one of the flywheels. One of the flywheels has an axial projection which centers a flange of the composite damper.

Abstract: Light is passed through a negative located in a primary optical path and towards a band of copy material disposed in the path. A reflector is movable into the primary path so as to deflect the light into a secondary optical path. A mat, transparent plate is situated in the secondary path. The plate is situated in a plane which is a conjugate of the plane of the copy material with reference to the reflector when the latter is in the primary path. A sharp image of the negative is formed on the plate. Light passing through the plate is deflected into a tertiary optical path by a second reflector. The light entering the tertiary path is sensed by a video camera which then causes the image on the plate to be reproduced on a monitor for evaluation prior to copying.

Abstract: A nozzle for injecting molten plastic includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet. Wires embedded in the housing serve to heat the housing. The housing defines a chamber, and a strainer is disposed in the chamber between first and second guides which are respectively located adjacent to the inlet and the outlet. The strainer and the guides divide the chamber into an outer compartment which surrounds the strainer and an inner compartment within the strainer. A rod extends through the inner compartment and carries first and second pistons which are slidably supported by the first and second guides, respectively, so that the rod can be moved between two terminal positions. Each of the pistons is provided with an axial blind bore and several radial bores which radiate from the associated blind bore.

Abstract: Apparatus for transmitting torque from the output shaft of the engine to the input shaft of the variable-speed transmission in a motor vehicle has a primary flywheel which is connectable to the output shaft, a secondary flywheel which is connectable to the input shaft by engaging a friction clutch, and one or more dampers which oppose rotation of the flywheels relative to each other. The flywheels define an annular chamber for the damper or dampers, and such chamber surrounds two closely adjacent portions of the flywheels which define a radially extending clearance for the flow of cooling air. The radially inner portion of the chamber is separated from the clearance by an annular seal which is located at most midway between the radially innermost and radially outermost portions of an annular friction surface on the secondary flywheel. Such friction surface is adjacent one friction lining of a clutch plate forming part of the friction clutch and being connectable to the input shaft of the transmission.

Abstract: Smaller and larger fragments of tobacco ribs are sifted out of a mixture of tobacco ribs and tobacco shreds before the shreds are converted into a rod-like filler which is ready to be draped into a web of cigarette paper. The larger ribs are comminuted and are mixed with smaller ribs prior to readmission into the flow of shreds in such a way that the readmitted ribs are located in the inner portion of the rod-like filler so that they are less likely to puncture the wrapper and that they contribute to hardness of the filler.

Abstract: A conveyor assembly with uniformly spaced-apart grippers for sheet-like printed products wherein the grippers are pulled along a plastic guide by one or more endless flexible bands which replace conventional chains. Each gripper has one, two or more roller followers which are movable along one, two or more tracks defined by the guide. The guide has one or more plastic rails which are affixed to a strip-shaped metallic carrier. The grippers have pairs of jaws one of which supports the follower or followers and the other of which is pivotably mounted on the one jaw and is permanently biased to an operative positioned or to an inoperative position by a prestressed leaf spring which is integral with the second jaw.