Abstract: A multilayer metal gasket has a pair of outer active layers separated by an intermediate layer. The outer active layers are formed with at least one pair of aligned apertures and sealing beads surrounding the apertures in radially outwardly spaced relation thereto presenting laterally opposed sealing surfaces of the active layers of predetermined spacing or thickness when the gasket is in a compressed free state. The intermediate layer extends radially inwardly beyond the apertures and is provided with a cold formed stopper portion having a thickness greater than the combined material thicknesses of the intermediate layer and outer active layers but less than the thickness of the sealing beads. The stopper portion is cold formed under a compressive load exceeding the compressive load required to deform the sealing beads beyond their elastic limit, thereby preventing irreversible damage to the sealing beads.

Abstract: A cylinder liner for high temperature, high performance engine applications is cast from gray iron material and thereafter austempered for a time sufficient to achieve a substantially bainitic microstructure that is stable against excessive thermal growth when the liner is exposed to extreme operating temperatures of about 450° F. for an extended period of time of about 20 hours.

Abstract: Described are molds, dies and forming tools comprising: a) a heat exchanging body support member; and b) within the support member, a molding cavity portion formed by thermal spraying metallic particles to a desired configuration in the support member. Also described are methods of making a mold, die or forming tool comprising the steps of: a) providing a body support member having a controlled and designed porosity which permits the enhancement of the heat transfer ability of said mold, die or forming tool; b) configuring a surface of the support member to a desired cavity; and c) spraying particles to the configured cavity in the support member, thereby producing a mold, die or forming tool. Preferably, the materials of construction are metallic and are applied by thermal plasma spraying. The particles may also be ceramics, metal matrix composites, ceramic matrix composites, thermoplastic resins, thermoset resins, and composites based thereupon.

Abstract: Transplanting apparatus for transplanting seedlings from a tray that has a plurality of seedling retaining cells into a prepared ground planting position, the apparatus having a tray holder, a seedling ejector for removing one or more seedlings from the seedling retaining cells, a seedling delivery conveyor for receiving a seedling ejected from the tray and delivering same via a travel path to a ground planting preparation device arranged to at least partly prepare the ground planting position, a seedling holder associated with the ground planting preparation device arranged to hold a seedling delivered by the seedling delivery apparatus, a plant plug remover arranged between the seedling ejector and the seedling holder to remove any plant plug not containing a seedling viable for planting from the travel path prior to reaching the seedling holder, and a seedling planter for moving a seedling from the seedling holder to the prepared ground planting position in response to the transplanting apparatus having tr

Abstract: An air vent damper assembly that controls air flow into the passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle and includes an air passage having a generally rectangular cross-section and a gasketless damper door. The damper door pivots between a closed position in which the door blocks airflow and a fully open position in which the door presents minimum obstruction to airflow. The damper door may be set at intermediate positions between closed and fully open to meter airflow and to direct air flowing from the exit end of the air passage.

Abstract: A method of positioning on a microwave waveguide a sensor (20) including an elongate metallic element (23, 24) comprising: selecting a tubular waveguide (12); determining the general orientation of the magnetic field (3) generated during microwave transmission; and positioning the elongate metallic element (20, 23, 24) substantially parallel to the orientation of the magnetic field (3). Connections (23, 24) of the sensor (20) extend longitudinally of the waveguide (12) and are connected to the outer wall (25) of the waveguide and the central conductor (16) of the coaxial cable (15) that powers the waveguide.

Abstract: The rural mailbox has a rigid flag that is raised by a Post Office patron to indicate that there is outgoing mail in the mailbox. The mail carrier lowers the rigid flag when outgoing mail is removed from the mailbox. Opening the mailbox lid to place incoming mail in the box releases a flexible flag pole to raise a flag that indicates the mailbox has been serviced by the mail carrier. Following removal of incoming mail from the mailbox, the mailbox lid is closed and the flag shaft tip is inserted into the flag shaft tip holder plate to indicate any incoming mail in the mailbox has been removed.

Abstract: A motorized vent and escape hatch assembly has a mounting ring fastened to a vehicle roof around a hatch hole, and a hatch cover that is attached to the mounting ring by a first over center hinge linkage mechanism pivotally connecting one side of the hatch cover to the mounting ring and a second over center mechanism pivotally connecting an opposite side of the hatch cover to the mounting ring. Each over center hinge linkage mechanism has first and second lever members pivotally connected to the mounting ring at one end, first and second plungers that are connected to the respective first and second plungers at the opposite end and that extend into opposite ends of a tube that is connected to the hatch cover. A compression spring in the tube biases the first and second plungers away from each other.

Abstract: A ball screw and nut linear actuator incorporates an axially extending screw and a nut received on the screw to provide a helical raceway with recirculating load bearing balls. An axially extending member carried by the nut on a surface of the nut radially outboard of the raceway has ball return passages opening to the screws groove extending axially to span different turns of the screw groove. The ports lead to the ball return passages and are supplied with a liquid lubricant by a distributor system.

Abstract: A scooter includes a platform and at least three casters. The platform has a horizontal top surface and at least one vertical side surface extending downwardly from the top surface. The casters extend downwardly to support the platform when the platform rolls. The scooter also includes a horizontal flange and a vertical flange. The horizontal flange extends away from the vertical side surface. The vertical flange extends the horizontal flange. The vertical side surface, the horizontal flange and the vertical flange define a groove adapted to receive a mating tongue on a second scooter. This provides an integral, low-profile tongue-and-groove type of connection between two or more scooters.

Abstract: A carburetor having a throttle valve co-rotatable with a small diameter throttle shaft having a free end protruding from an exterior side surface of the associated carburetor body. A throttle lever detent arm is co-rotatable on and with the throttle shaft free end adjacent each body surface. Interengageable detents on the detent arm and body surface are spaced radially away from the throttle shaft rotational axis by a distance, for example, of about three times the shaft diameter. The arm and body detents are releasably engageable with one another for thereby yieldably holding the detent arm and hence the throttle shaft and associated throttle valve in any one of a plurality of selected angular settings.

Abstract: A burner fed with a hyper-stoichiometric mixture of air and gas-fuel comprises a diffuser on which rows of similarly shaped and evenly spaced parallel slots for the flow of said mixture are provided; said rows are separated from each other by an intermediate portion of diffuser having a substantially constant width and provided with further slots for the flow of said mixture, said further slots being non-parallel to said slots.

Abstract: A carburetor with a manual priming pump having an integrated fuel drain which provides both the engine manufacturer and end user with an easy way to drain fuel from a fuel chamber of the carburetor. The priming pump has a pump chamber defined by a resilient priming bulb. The pump chamber generally communicates between the fuel chamber and a fuel-and-air mixing passage of the carburetor body and is preferably positioned above the fuel chamber. The dual function of the manual priming pump, prime or drain, is switched by a valve with a rotatable selector member received between a seat and the resilient priming bulb of the pump. The selector member moves between a drain position and a priming position thus enabling draining of the fuel chamber or priming of the carburetor via successive manual depressions of the priming bulb.

Abstract: A piston assembly for heavy duty diesel engine applications comprises a piston having pin bosses formed with pin bores for the accommodations of a wrist pin. The wrist pin is fabricated of steel and is extendable through the small end bore of a steel connecting rod and the bores of the piston body for coupling the piston body to the connecting rod. In lieu of a conventional Cu—Pb—Sn bushing usually pressed into the small end bore, a coating of manganese phosphate is applied to either the pin or small end bore of the connecting rod and pin bosses to provide the necessary tribological properties therebetween. The porous coating absorbs and entraps lubricating oil, creating a still lubricant squeeze film between the steel running surfaces under heavy load.

Abstract: Four wheel in-line skate, having a half-boot type inner footwear portion and an outer rigid portion made up of a first tip front portion and a second rear portion surrounding ankle and heel. Within the first and second portions are housed the inner footwear portion. The first front portion and the second rear portion of the skate are fixedly coupled each other by a flexible coupling of the lamina or spring kind, provided in correspondence of the underlying portion of the same in such a way to allow their movement and the automatic return to an alignment position. The front and rear portions are provided with vertical elements, perpendicularly provided with respect to the plane of the skate, provided at least partially one within the other, and within each one of couples of vertical elements wheels are provided, connected with the same by pins.

Abstract: An expandable chamber support system for vehicle seat and mattress applications includes an expandable chamber constructed from facing sheets of flexible impermeable material that are sealed along their marginal edges. One of the sheets is formed of electrically conductive an elastomeric membrane that is electrically resistance heated while providing a source of pressure support for an occupant supported by the expandable chamber.

Abstract: The pipe cutter includes a jigsaw with a motor that reciprocates a saw blade back and forth. A way is clamped to the jigsaw. A workpiece holder is slidably mounted on the way. The workpiece holder has a workpiece slot with a base, two side walls and a saw blade slot. A handle is attached to the workpiece holder. A pipe that is to be cut is placed in the workpiece slot and the workpiece holder is moved along the way toward the saw blade. The saw blade forces the pipe toward the base of the workpiece slot and cuts the pipe.

Abstract: An optical waveguide structure for distributing light from a light source includes a cylindrical sleeve configured to accommodate and receive light from the light source. The sleeve includes a central axis. A waveguide collar is formed from a solid, planar block of material. The block of material has a central portion configured to accommodate and surround the sleeve. The first and second output arms extend in a plane away from the central portion. The plane is substantially perpendicular to the central axis.

Abstract: A glass-sealed electrical fitting for an automotive fuel tank is mounted on a flange which supports an internal fuel pump and fuel level sensor within the fuel tank. In one form, the glass seal surrounds a plurality of pins longitudinally disposed within an elongated housing which penetrates a fuel tank wall. An outer surface of the housing engages rigidly to the flange, and an inner surface of the housing engages to the glass seal. In another form each pin is sealed to a housing by a separate glass seal.