Abstract: A carton score line breaker assembly for breaking four end closure panels. The assembly includes two oppositely disposed pairs of breaker elements for, in turn, breaking the two oppositely disposed panels inwardly. Both pairs of elements are continuously rotating.

Abstract: An automatic speed range shifter for bicycles is disclosed which produces a downshift when a predetermined pedal force is exceeded and which produces an upshift when a predetermined pedal rotational speed is exceeded. A pedal force sensor comprises a strain gage element on an arm supporting an idler sprocket for the chain. A pedal rotational speed sensor comprises a magnet/coil coacting with the pedal crank. A microcomputer receives inputs from the force and speed sensors and produces control signals for the automatic shifter. The automatic shifter comprises a front shifter actuator including a reversible electrical servo motor which is coupled by a cable with the front derailleur. It also comprises a rear shifter actuator with a reversible servo motor which is coupled by a cable with the rear derailleur.

Abstract: A composite plastic article having a foam core between reinforced plastic skin layers is made by placing foam spacers, a lower reinforcement preform, a foam core and an upper reinforcement preform on a lower mold part. An upper mold part is then mated with the lower mold part in a partially closed position to form a sealed mold cavity containing the foam spacers, reinforcement preforms and the foam core with fill spaces provided adjacent exterior surfaces of the reinforcement preforms. A low viscosity resin is then injected into the fill spaces while the mold parts are held in the partially closed position. The mold parts are then moved to a fully closed position. This distributes the resin across the exterior surfaces and forces the resin into the preforms so that the resin thoroughly penetrates throughout the interstices of the preforms and bonds to the foam core.

Abstract: A hollow heating head for insertion into an open, spouted, top end closure of a carton comprises an interior chamber with slot-form outlets for hot air supplied to the chamber. The slots include a U-shaped, narrow slot, or its equivalent, extending generally horizontally around two lateral vertical walls and an end vertical wall of the head. Each limb of the U-shape includes horizontal, upper and lower sections and a vertical intermediate section. The base of the U-shape is adjacent the lower sections, is at substantially the same level as the lower sections and is of a shallow V-shape in a vertical plane. The slots also include several vertically extending slots above each of the base and the lower sections of the U-shaped slot.

Abstract: A periscopic telemicroscope for spectacles mounts over the periphery of one of the spectacle lenses and extends behind and towards the central axis of the spectacle lens to provide a high level of magnification while maintaining a cosmetically acceptable appearance. The telemicroscope has upper and lower housings with the upper housing holding an objective lens and a mirror and the lower housing holding a divergent lens and a prism. The mirror is oriented to reflect light received from the objective lens downward towards the divergent lens. The prism is oriented to reflect the light received from the divergent lens so that it exits the telemicroscope towards the wearer's eye and can be viewed by upwards rotation of the eye. Focusing is provided by a lever that is pivotally mounted on the upper housing and that cooperatively engages a guide pin which extends from the lower housing through a cam slot in the lever to move the lower housing toward and away from the central axis of the spectacle lens.

Abstract: An automotive interior trim part (10) is made by molding a substrate retainer layer (16), forming a skin layer (12) and forming an intermediate layer (14). The intermediate layer (14) is formed from a plurality of clusters of entangled high melt and low melt kinked fibers of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The PET layer is blown into a partially closed mold that has the skin and retainer positioned in each mold die. The mold undergoes induced vibrations to promote tightening of the packed clusters. The mold is then fully closed to compress the PET fibers into full density. Heated air is then blown into the mold to soften the low melt fibers to adhere them to the retainer layer and skin. Cool air is then blown into the mold to resolidfy the clusters and form the intermediate layer into its molded shape.

Abstract: A rivet system (10) locks separate parts (12, 14) of an assembly (13) together on a support fixture (20) with the clamping devices (28); which prevents release of the parts (12, 14) from the fixture (20) until a required number of rivets (51) have been counted. A rivet setting tool (50) provides insertion of the rivets (51) between the parts (12, 14), and which disposes spent rivet mandrels (62) through a vacuum tube (58) to be sensed and counted. A controller (100) automatically locks the parts in the support fixture and counts the sensed mandrels (62) to allow release of the assembly (13) only upon a predetermined count of mandrels (62).

Abstract: An article and method are disclosed for controlling the build-up of static electricity within a clothes dryer by adding the article to the dryer along with a load of fabrics to be dried. The article comprises a bladder formed from a waterproof, moisture-permeable material, such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. Within the bladder is a sponge or other water-absorbent material. The article releases sufficient moisture during tumbling of the article with the fabrics to prevent the build-up of static electricity on the fabrics. To avoid loss of moisture from the bladder when it is not in use and during the early portions of the dryer cycle, the waterproof material utilized can be one that is moisture-impermeable at room temperature, but that becomes moisture-permeable at the elevated temperatures that exist within the dryer during the later portions of the dryer cycle. The article includes a fill spout for adding water and other fabric conditioning agents to the bladder.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of sealing the porous surfaces that can be generated during the manufacturing and processing of molded plastic parts. Liquid thermoset coatings are applied to preheated parts and cured to create a barrier on the surface to gasses generated during heat curing of subsequently applied surface coatings. The liquid coating may be comprised of polyurethane forming components; those components in combination with unsaturated polyester resins; vinyl ester resin compositions; coatings derived from hydroxyl or carboxyl containing oligomers reacted with alkylated urea-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, and/or benzoquanamine-formaldehyde resins; and oligomers containing carboxyls reacted with triglycidyl isocyanurate.

Abstract: A cover assembly for concealing an air bag restraint system in a vehicle passenger compartment has an underlying support and air bag door substrate. The door substrate is held in the closed position by flexible tabs that are disposed in a slot at the confronting edge of the support. When the air bag inflates, it engages the door substrate and pushes the tabs out of the slot to release the door substrate. The door substrate then swings open rupturing the covering to provide an opening through the cover assembly for deployment of the air bag.

Abstract: A drive shaft assembly includes an aluminum torque tube and aluminum yokes that are arc welded to the ends of the torque tube. The torque tube has a hollow cylindrical end portion at each end that is pressed onto an annular end portion of the respective yoke to form a narrow annular slit. The two parts are then arc welded together by forming an electric arc between the parts at the narrow annular slit and a consumable aluminum based electrode. The electric arc is sustained with a pulsed high amperage direct current to fill the narrow annular slit with aluminum based material from the consumable electrode in a single pass.

Abstract: A container or group of containers formed in thermoformable and heat-weldable material and including an inlet having inlet wall portions which are elastic so that the inlet is self-closing prior to permanent sealing. A blow-molding system for the manufacture of such containers or group of containers includes a forming station for forming a group of containers with respective inlets or a group of containers with a common inlet. A filling station is located downstream of the forming station.

Abstract: Method for increasing the torque generating capabilities of a clutch are disclosed including the application of a film lubricant composition onto the engagement surfaces of a clutch. The composition imparts anti-galling properties to engaging surfaces of metallic pieces such as brakes or clutches.

Abstract: A wheel cover is formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings corresponding in number and arrangement to the wheel studs of a vehicle wheel. A decorative cap member is provided in each opening for threaded engagement with external screw threads of the vehicle's lug nuts to secure the wheel cover on the wheel. A retainer member is mounted on the inner end of each cap member presenting a radially outwardly extending shoulder that prevents the cap members from being separated from the wheel cover once installed. The retainer members further act between the cap members and their lug nuts in such manner as to hold the cap members securely but releasably against unthreading from the lug nuts during normal use.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for blow-molding hollow articles. The blow-molding apparatus includes a carrousel mounted to rotate within a support frame. The carrousel carries four molds around a circular mold path. Two blow-molding work stations are disposed next to the mold path in fixed positions relative to the frame. The carrousel is indexed to cause each mold to pause by each work station one time during each carrousel revolution. The molds pause by each work station to allow blow-molding operations to be performed in conjunction with each mold at each work station. At one blow-molding work station, located at the 12:00 position of the mold path, an extruder injects parison into each mold. At the other work station, located in the 9:00 position of the mold path, a take-out mechanism extracts blow molded articles from the molds. The carrousel is additionally indexed, i.e.

Abstract: A feeding and loading mechanism for use in pulling carton side-seam-sealed blanks from a magazine, opening same into tubes, and loading the latter onto mandrels of an indexing turret on a liquid-carrying container forming, filling, and sealing machine. The feeding and loading mechanism includes a slidably mounted carrier having at least one vacuum cup mounted at each end thereof aligned with oppositely disposed magazines, a forming shoe fixedly secured between each magazine and adjacent mandrel for opening each tubular flat side-seam-sealed blank into a tube as the blank moves therepast, a loading finger for loading each tube onto the respective mandrel, and a drive assembly operatively connected to the carrier for reciprocally moving same to alternately remove blanks from the oppositely disposed magazines to alternately process same.

Abstract: The reciprocating floor conveyor (11) includes a plurality of elongated floor slats (52) that are slidable supported on bearings (50) and constitute a substantial portion of the floor 46 of a cargo container (10). Drive bars (60, 62 and 64) are reciprocated back and forth by a drive and control system to move cargo supported by the floor slats (52). Wedges (68) are attached to the upper surfaces of the floor slats (52) where required to improve conveying. Each wedge (68) has a generally vertical pushing surface (70) with a height and width. The width of a wedge (68) is about 30% of the width of a floor slat (52). An upwardly facing inclined surface (72) of the wedge (68) has a length that is about four times the height of the pushing surface (70). The wedges (68) can be removed or neutralizing wedges (82) can be added to block action of the wedges.

Abstract: A trailer 10 has a frame 12 with cross members (20). A bottom rail (62) is secured to the frame 12. A top rail (130) is supported by the frame. A plurality of extruded panels (70) are attached to the bottom rail 62 and the top rail (130) to form side walls (22 and 24) and a front wall (26). Each panel (7) is a hollow member with an outside wall 72, and inside wall (74), a first end wall 76 and a second end wall (78). A first outside flange (80) and a first inside flange (82) are integral with the first end wall (76). A second outside flange (90) and a second inside flange (92) are integral with the second end wall (78). When plural panels (70) are connected together to form a trailer wall (22, 24, or 26) first inside flanges (82) are between second inside and outside flanges (90, 92) and second inside flanges (92) are between first inside and outside flanges (80, 82). A passage (99) is formed between adjacent first and second inside flanges (82 and 92) and end walls (76 and 78).