Abstract: An apparatus for removing heat energy from a work piece comprises a copper plate having a support surface for holding a work piece during cutting or grinding operations. A pump propels cooling fluid, such as antifreeze, through a fluid delivery hose and into a channel formed in the copper plate, adjacent the support surface. After passing through the channel, the fluid passes out of the copper plate through an exit port and along a fluid return hose to a cooler. The cooler cools the fluid as the fluid circulates back to the pump along the fluid delivery hose. The pump returns the cooling fluid to the copper plate.

Abstract: A sealing mechanism for sealing thermoplastic-coated container sealing fins, including a movable sealing jaw and an oppositely disposed fixed sealing jaw. The sealing jaws have parallel, dead-ended grooves formed in the sealing surface thereof, wherein two adjacent grooves cross each other in an X-configuration at their longitudinal mid-point. Engagement of the inter-groove lands against heated outer sealing panels causes the thermoplastic to become molten and flow to the X-configuration area. When cooled, the concentrated thermoplastic serves to seal off the crevice between adjacent folded-over, inner panel segments of the container sealing fin.

Abstract: A method and apparatus wherein a travel limit/dampening device is coupled to the end of a screw of a linear ball screw actuator device for limiting the travel of an actuator extension coupled to a nut supported for linear driven displacement in either direction along the screw. The travel limit/dampening device includes a gas shock supported within a double acting reaction device reactive axially between the nut and screw when the extension is fully retracted and extended, respectively, to collapse the shock absorber and thereby dampen the movement of the extension at each end of its stroke.

Abstract: A vibration damping liner adapted to pass through a relatively small diameter end of a tubular shaft for accommodation in a relatively large diameter section of such shaft, the liner being formed of a plurality of coaxial, helically wound paperboard strips forming inner and outer layers. The confronting edges of adjacent convolutions of each layer are coplanar and unjoined, and the confronting edges of the convolutions of all but one of such layers register with one another. The paperboard strip forming the one layer bridges the confronting edges of the adjacent convolutions of the other layers and is adhesively secured to that layer adjacent such one layer. Such one layer has less resistance to rupture than any of the other layers.

Abstract: A steerable three-wheeled cart has a frame supported by a pair on non-steerable rear wheels and a steerable front wheel. The front wheel is mounted on a steerable wheel carriage that is journaled to the frame for rotation of the carriage and wheel about a generally vertical axis. A handle is pivoted to the wheel carriage to effect steering of the front wheel. The handle mounts a braking member whose braking surface is curved both longitudinally and laterally so as to conform substantially to the curvature of the front wheel. A braking force is applied to the front wheel by rocking the handle downwardly to cause the braking member to bear against the wheel while retaining the ability to steer the wheel with the handle.

Abstract: A skin for an automotive interior panel has a main body portion for covering most of the panel and an air bag cover portion for covering the panel portion that the air bag deploys through. Casting a first plastic material against a first portion of a heated mold surface forms the main body skin portion. Casting or spraying a plastic material against a second portion of the heated mold surface forms the air bag cover skin portion. The mold surface portions may be confined from one another by a partition or by masking one portion while casting against the other. The main body and air bag cover skin portions include adjacent edges that extend along the air bag cover portion periphery. The two skin portions are joined together along their adjacent edges while still on the heated mold. An air bag deployment tear seam is formed by first casting a tear seam gap in the cover portion then spraying or casting a relatively weaker material into the gap.

Abstract: An educational board game including a board having a series of spaces of varying colors and shapes, a plurality of game pieces, and a deck of cards including questions printed thereon. The game also includes a series of blank cards upon which questions can be written by a player or supervisor to be asked during game play. The game is played by rolling a die, moving a game piece a number of spaces designated by the die, drawing a card, answering a question on the card, and following the instructions on the card for movement of the game piece if the answer is correct. If desired, a player may be assisted to answer a question if a partially correct answer is given. Further, players can be required to identify the color and shape of the space on which their game piece has landed during play.

Abstract: A light engine including a lamp casing having a tubular light pipe receptacle. A large core optic light pipe extends from outside the light engine into the tubular receptacle. The light pipe has an inner end supported in the tubular receptacle. Two half-ellipsoidal reflector dishes are joined to form a single ellipsoidal reflector within the casing. A lamp is supported within the casing adjacent a first focal point of the ellipsoidal reflector. The reflector is positioned to focus light energy from the lamp onto a second focal point of the ellipsoidal reflector. A quartz thermal barrier is disposed in the tubular receptacle between the lamp and the light pipe inner end. The thermal barrier has an outer end surface optically coupled to the light pipe and an inner end surface disposed adjacent the second focal point of the reflector to receive convergent light emitted from the lamp and reflected from the reflector.

Abstract: A canister contains two cartridges of activated carbon for storing fuel in gasoline powered motor vehicles. A first cartridge operates to prevent release of hydrocarbons vaporized in the fuel tank while the vehicle is not operating. The second cartridge performs two functions. First, the second cartridge traps fuel in vapor displaced during refueling. Second, the second cartridge is charged with adsorbed fuel after the engine is stopped. Vaporous fuel from the first and second cartridges is supplied to fuel the engine upon startup. An air-fuel ratio sensor and a fuel vapor sensor are achieved by comparing the transit time of sound in two chambers, one containing air and the other containing a mixture of air and fuel. After the engine is stopped a solenoid valve is closed and an electrically energized air pump draws vapor from the fuel tank through the second cartridge to charge it with fuel.

Abstract: A lighting system for preferentially illuminating the seating area of a mass-transit vehicle includes a light fixture with a lamp housing longitudinally disposed above the seating area. An electrically-energized light source is mounted at at least one end of the light fixture. At least one solid-core semi-rigid light pipe extends from and is optically coupled to the light source. The light pipe receives light from the light source, transmits the light along its length, and emits the light laterally into the passenger compartment. The light pipe runs parallel to and is suspended from the lamp housing between the lamp housing and the seating area so that the lamp housing can direct laterally emitted light from the pipe into the seating area.

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 crash sensing switch for automotive vehicles has a cylindrical piston that moves sealingly in a tube during a crash to bridge a pair of contacts. Viscous flow of air through ducts creates pressures that resist movement of the piston. A venting valve may be incorporated in the piston to increase contact dwell. Impedance of the ducts may be adjusted during manufacture by blocking one or more of the ducts. The clearance between the piston and the tube limits air flow between the piston and the walls of the tube and provides aerodynamic lubrication between the piston and the tube during cross axis vibrations. A piston ring may assist in preventing air flow between the piston and the walls of the tube. There may be compensation for changes of air viscosity with temperature. One way to compensate is to make the contacts of thermostat metal which bends with temperature to change the distance the piston must move to bridge the contacts.

Abstract: A process for the production of a rigid multi-layer composite articles (20) prepared from reacting inter alia a sheet of an open cell foam material (22) impregnated with a binder resin, such as isocyanate resin, to fill the cells of the foam material (22) and a polymerization catalyst to cause the reaction of isocyanate and form isocyanurate linkages, urethane linkages, urea linkages, trimer linkages, biuret linkages, and/or allophante linkages to render the composite article (20) rigid, and having a layer of reinforcing fibers, such as glass fibers, completely (24) or partially (25) impregnated by the binder resin affixed to a surface of the foam material (22) by the binder resin. Fasteners (27) formed of a thermoplastic material are provided having an appropriate adhesion surface. The adhesion surface of each of the fasteners (27) is melted by any of the well known techniques such as spin welding, etc.

Abstract: A method of converting, on an in-line printing press, two webs of material into a roll including a web and a plurality of peelable lids thereon. Alternatively, a plurality of underlying lids can be formed from the other web of the roll, in registration with the peelable lids, where these lids are created by die cutting the two webs while bonded. Also, one of the lids has dispensing holes and the other lid is printed with selected indicia and/or logos.

Abstract: A target for use with darts, for example, has a base on which a target frame is secured, the frame having a plurality of spaces within each of which is a segment that is movable toward the base when it is struck by a thrown dart. Corresponding ones of the segments have cavities therein for the accommodation of inserts which are movable independently of the segment toward the target base when such inserts are struck by a thrown dart. The inserts are so arranged that, together, they form an annulus or ring of individually displaceable components. Interposed between the target base and the target segments and inserts are switches and a resilient biasing pad which bias the segments to an initial, at rest position.

Abstract: A deflection system (6) for a charged particle beam (2), in particular for rrangement in an objective lens for a charged particle beam device with a deflection means (60) for generating a magnetic field acting on the charged particle beam (2) and a shield (61) for avoiding eddy currents, which surrounds the deflection means and guides the formed outer magnetic field. The shield (61) consists, transversely to the direction of the charged particle beam (2), of at least one soft magnetic layer which is preferably formed as a strip material and rolled up to a cylinder together with an electrically insulating layer.

Abstract: A preform of complex three-dimensional shape is prepared by a directed fiber preforming process in which a flow of chopped fibers are drawn by vacuum against a foraminous screen having a shape corresponding to that of preform to be made. The screen has depressed regions that are susceptible to excessive build-up of the chopped fibers. To counteract the build-up in these areas, a baffling system is provided behind the screen having baffle plates which are extendable into and out of blocking engagement with the backside of the problem depressed regions to govern the vacuum draw and hence the deposit and build-up of fibers across the depressed regions.

Abstract: A mirror including a glass substrate, a reflective layer of chromium on the substrate, and a reactively sputtered overcoat of titanium nitride.