Abstract: A method and apparatus for machining a workpiece to perform several functions including sensing tool wear, enhancing tool life, tool wear compensation, cutting a workpiece having two different materials joined at a boundry, and suppressing chatter, including placing a cutting tool having a rake face and a clearance face with a first clearance angle with respect to a workpiece and a second clearance face with a second clearance angle with respect thereto and with the first clearance angle being less than the second clearance angle and supporting the cutting tool in a rotatable tool holder having an axis of rotation with the cutting tool tip being aligned with the axis of rotation such that rotation of the holder varies the cutting tool geometry to perform the several functions.

Abstract: It is conventional practice to rigidly secure a hood assembly on an engine enclosure for a construction vehicle. The connection joints are thus subjected to undue bending stresses. This invention solves the above stress problem by attaching one end (24) of a hood assembly (14) on an engine enclosure (11) by a mounting arrangement (23) which permits limited fore and aft and cushioned upward movements of the hood assembly (14) relative to the engine enclosure (11).

Abstract: In a communication system including communication transmitting means for modulating a carrier wave having a fixed frequency by a communication signal having communication content and for radiating the modulated signal wave, and receiving means for receiving the modulated signal radiated from the communication transmitting means to demodulate the communication signal, the communication system comprises a communication shielding area provided at a desired location on a boundary between communication areas for limiting the extent of the communication areas in which the modulated signal is transmitted, and shielding transmitting means for transmitting the shielding signal wave into said communication shielding area, the shielding signal wave being received by the receiving means tuned to the carrier wave frequency at a signal receiving level equal to or more than the receiving level of the modulated signal.

Abstract: A synchronous multivalued latch for storing logical current values of input current having any one of a plurality of multivalues, including a quantizer for receiving current, for generating a logical current being a quantization of the received current, and for regenerating the received current from the logical current as an output, an input line for directing the input current to the quantizer as the received current, a feedback line for directing the regenerated current back to the quantizer as the received current, and a clock controlled switching device for coupling the input line to the quantizer while decoupling the feedback line from the quantizer during a setup mode and for decoupling the input line from the quantizer while coupling the feedback line to the quantizer during a hold mode.

Abstract: A self-aligning mounting structure (52) for preventing flaking of, for example, the uprights (16) on a lift truck includes a crowned spring (94) positioned between an axle shaft (76) and a bearing assembly (82) of a roller (22) to allow the roller (22) to maintain full face contact with the uprights (16). The crowned spring (94) additionally acts as a shock absorber to reduce the effect of impact loading. A snubber spring ring (106) can be positioned adjacent the crowned spring (94) to stiffen said crowned spring (94) and further reduce the effect of impact loading. With two or more mounting structures (52), crowned spring (94) allows a load sharing among the rollers (22).

Abstract: A control pedal apparatus (10) including a frame member (12), a Hall effect device (52) for generating a control signal responsive to an applied magnetic field, a pedal (14) having a magnet (16) and movable between first and second positions at which a magnetic pathway is opened and closed, respectively, and a movable pedal support (18) for conducting the field between the magnet (16) and the device (52) when the pedal (14) is at the second position.Prior pedal apparatus have wires, connected between the device and an electrical control circuit, to control vehicle direction and which can fail due to flexing, together with a linkage connected to an accelerator portion to control vehicle speed. The pedal support of this invention conducts the magnetic field to a fixed Hall effect device, whereby the wires are eliminated, and the pedal support is movable to generate pulses to control vehicle speed whereby the linkage is eliminated.

Abstract: Electrical terminal assemblies for providing a conductive path through a wall of a motor housing frequently work loose making connection and disconnection of lead wires difficult and resulting in poor electrical contact between the terminal and the leads. The present invention overcomes these problems by providing a terminal assembly (10) including a terminal (12) extending through a motor housing (16) and secured thereto in a manner such that terminal (12) can not work loose or rotate in the housing.

Abstract: An axle suspension system wherein shock-absorbing members (31,32) allow vertical movement of an axle (25) relative to a frame (16). Unequal vertical movement of the ends of the axle (25) is restrained by a torsion bar (40) spaced from and parallel to the axle and mounted (41,42) on the frame for axial rotation and by rods (46-49) extending between the ends of the torsion bar (40) and the axle (25), the rods each having a non-rotatable connection (53a-d) with the torsion bar (40) and a universal connection (58a-d) with the axle (25). Unequal vertical movement of the ends of the axle (25) imposes a torque on the torsion bar (40) which resists such axle movement. The axle suspension system has particular utility in single-axle tractor units of tractor-scraper vehicles.

Abstract: A carriage and mast assembly (10) including a mast (16) having outer sides (R, L) and a first pair (36, 38) of movable inner uprights and a second pair (20, 22) of fixed outer uprights, a load lifting carriage (12), a pair (48, 50) of free lift cylinders being directly connected to the first pair (36, 38) of uprights and to the load lifting carriage (12), a pair (52, 54) of mast lift cylinders being connected to the first pair (36, 38) of uprights and to the second pair (20, 22) of uprights, each pair (48, 50) (52, 54) of cylinders being disposed at the outer sides (R, L), and a pair of (98) of means for communicating fluid between one (50) of the free lift cylinders (48, 50) and one (54) of the mast lift cylinders (52, 54), respectively.The invention relates to load lifting carriage and mast assemblies (10) having a free lift carriage (12).

Abstract: A "load-plus" valve (34) is oftentimes utilized in the servo-system (20) for a variable displacement pump (11) to maintain pump discharge pressure (P.sub.D) above a minimum pressure level and above a load pressure signal (P.sub.L) generated in a fluid actuator (13). Valves of this type normally include a margin spring (39) for biasing a modulating spool (36) against the opposing force of pump discharge pressure (P.sub.D) to maintain a constant margin over the load pressure signal (P.sub.L) throughout the working range of the system. When the load pressure signal (P.sub.L) exceeds a maximum pressure level, it is normally vented to tank (12), or continuously bled to tank across an orifice, resulting in horsepower losses. The control package employed in systems of this type are also somewhat bulky.

Abstract: A standard hook-type carriage assembly designed for lift truck use in the handling of palletized cargo is converted for use in the handling of concrete blocks by hooking block-handling forks on the carriage plate and positioning such forks on the carriage plate with predetermined lateral spacings between the forks by a removable elongated spacer bar to which all of the forks are attached. Lost-motion connections are made between the forks and the spacer bar and limited lengthwise movement of the spacer bar relative to the carriage plate is permitted so that the forks can float, relative to each other and in unison, laterally along the carriage plate. The forks can also move independently of each other through a limited vertical distance relative to the carriage plate.

Abstract: The pedal effort required to change the setting of a governor (13) of an engine increases sharply with increased engine speed. Booster controls have been provided in the art for applying a boost force (F.sub.B), additive to an operator input force (F.sub.L), for opposing the force (F.sub.S) of a governor spring (42) to thus reduce pedal effort at high engine speeds. The improved booster control (15,15a) herein includes an actuating chamber (53,53a) and a control arrangement (51,51a) for controlling fluid pressure in the chamber (53,53a) when the setting of the governor (13) is changed by the operator and in a predetermined ratio to the operator's input force. The booster control (15,15a) has wider application wherein a boosting force (F.sub.B) is desired to supplement an input force (F.sub.L) for controlling movement of a member (23) having an opposing force (F.sub.S) applied thereto.

Abstract: A fluid motor control system (11) assures that automatic changes of motor displacement, which are initiated by occurrence of a predetermined operational condition in the system (11), result in a change of motor speed of the desired magnitude. Flow adjustment elements (76) respond to a displacement increase by reducing the flow of working fluid available to the motor or motors (12, 13) and respond to a motor displacement reduction by increasing the available flow. In one specific form, the system (11) controls a pair of right and left side vehicle drive motors (12, 13) and automatically increases motor displacements while reducing the fluid flow supplied to the motors (12, 13) to reduce travel speed during a turn of travel direction.

Abstract: A heavy duty drawbar features a Z-type brace which is accessible from the end of a vehicle which carries the drawbar. The Z-type brace provides significant strength for the overall drawbar while still allowing easy access to the hitch fastening bolts for easy changing. Also, the hitch can be placed very close to the vehicle when held by such a Z-type brace. Two of the Z-type braces are supported each between generally vertical frame members and the hitch of the drawbar is supported between the two Z-type braces.

Abstract: Fluid in the relatively long lines (22, 24) between a control valve (16) and a fluid actuator (14) can become overly viscous in cold weather. Herein, fluid is circulated through such lines (22, 24), at least during cold weather, even when the fluid actuator (14) is not being used. This flowing is discontinued in response to shifting of the control valve (16) to a position where it motivates the actuator (14) and in response to pressure in the circulating path (20) exceeding a selected level.

Abstract: A stop assembly (66) for a bail (20) is provided which is particularly useful with the bail (20) of a push-pull scraper (18). The bail (20) is pivotally mounted by a pair of bifurcated brackets (28,30) affixed to the scraper (18), and is normally raised and lowered by a fluid cylinder (38). When the bail (20) is raised, if not positively stopped from further raising, the fluid cylinder could bottom-out or be otherwise damaged. The stop assembly (66) comprises a fixed pin (68) mounted within the bracket (28) in proximity to a pivotal eye portion (22) of the bail (20), and a first surface (76) on the eye portion (22) which engages with the pin (68) when the bail (20) is in a raised position. Engagement of the first surface (76) with the pin (68) stops the bail (20) from being further raised, and protects the fluid cylinder (28) from damage.

Abstract: Governors for diesel engines use a torque-spring to control the slope torque-rise curve as the rack actuator moves between the balance point and full load position. At present, it is difficult to adjust the torque spring mechanism to obtain the correct amount of rack movement between these positions. In the present invention, a first adjustment screw (33) is engageable with the torque spring (20), a second adjustment screw (34) is engageable with a fixed stop member (24), and a means (40) concurrently moves the first screw (33) in spring-deflecting engagement with the torque spring (20) and moves the second screw (34) towards engagement with the stop member (24) in response to fuel-increasing movement of the rack actuator (12), with further fuel-increasing movement of the rack actuator (12) being prevented by engagement of the second screw (34) with the stop member (24).

Abstract: A standard motor vehicle having a pair of driving wheels (8), (9) powered by a drive shaft (10) through a differential (11) can experience difficulties when one of the two differentially driven wheels (8/9) loses traction. The differential (11) directs all of the power to the wheel that is slipping and the wheel with traction remains stationary. Various anti-spin devices have been developed but these often produce an abrupt transfer of all of the driving power to the wheel having traction. The anti-spin apparatus of this invention overcomes this problem and includes an electrical control circuit (24) and sensors (20), (21) for generating a slip signal representing the speed difference between the wheels (8), (9). The apparatus further includes a modulated hydraulic reducing valve (30), (110) for actuating the brake (15/15') on the faster rotating wheel (8/9) and a hydraulic modulating control valve (29) connected to the reducing valve (30), (110) and actuated by the slip signal.

Abstract: The flux dams used to form mounds of granular flux in submerged arc welding deteriorate rapidly because they are subjected to elevated temperatures and high heat. These flux dams also twist and distort creating gaps. Granular flux bleeds through these gaps. Flux is wasted and the welding arc may be exposed to the atmosphere. Flux dams are also awkward to move and slow production down. The apparatus and method disclosed herein overcome these problems by utilized an elongate flux dam (19) that is stationary during welding and which extends for the length of the weld. The flux dam (19) is mounted on a heat exchanger (24) by a mounting plate (21) that minimizes thermal distortion of the flux dam (19). The heat exchanger (24), the mounting plate (21), and the flux dam (19) are pivotally connected to a support arm (26) that is mounted for motion about the platform (6) on a pivot point (32).

Abstract: A cooling system for cooling the cutting edge of an impact type ripper tip includes a source of liquid coolant under pressure and conduit means for supplying the coolant to a spray head mounted below and behind the ripper tip in a position to distribute liquid coolant to the lower surface of the tip behind the cutting edge. The spray head is detachably mounted directly behind the ripper tip and projects downward beyond the lower surface of the tip.