Abstract: Apparatus for removing fines from a plurality of copper wires advancing generally upwardly in a common plane, comprising three brush rollers each having a generally cylindrical outer brushing surface of a fur-like fine pile material in brushing contact with the wires. Two of the rollers are disposed one above the other at one side of the plane of wire advancement and the third roller is disposed on the opposite side of the plane of wire advancement in brushing contact with the wires along an area intermediate the areas of brushing contact of the other two rollers with the wires. The apparatus also comprises spray means to discharge a spray of liquid at the contact area between the uppermost roller and the wires, and means for rotating the rollers in a direction opposite to the direction of wire advancement at a speed sufficient to throw off fines removed from the wires by the rollers.

Abstract: Control means for the traversing guide drive means in apparatus for winding strand upon a rotating flanged spool comprising means adjustably positioned along the path of travel of the traversing guide for providing a reference position signal as the traversing guide passes in each direction through either of two reference positions near the respective end limits of its reciprocation, and means responsive to the reference position signals and including two bistable flip-flop circuits and a preset counter coupled to the spool rotating means for effecting a reversal in the direction of movement of the traversing guide when the count of spool revolutions occurring after the traversing guide passes a reference position while approaching one end limit of its travel attains a selected value, said last named means being reset for effecting a subsequent reversal operation at the other end limit in response to return movement of the traversing guide from the one end limit.

Abstract: An improved spool for wire having a barrel and frusto-conical end flanges, at least one of which is provided on its inner face with a wire protecting groove extending from the smaller diameter inner peripheral end of the one end flange to wire anchoring means at the larger diameter peripheral portion of the end flange. At the inner peripheral end of the end flange, the groove is substantially tangent with the adjacent end of the barrel and thereafter follows such a curved path to its other end which is substantially the shortest course of travel along the inner face of the end flange.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining the eventual elongation property of a copper wire which has been cold drawn with an intermediate anneal and which is to be subsequently subjected to a predetermined heat treatment by a final in-line continuous anneal. Before a sample length of such wire is elongated to its breaking point in a tensile testing device, a capacitor is discharged through the wire length to produce a heating current flow therethrough of a magnitude and duration that produces a heat treatment of the wire length which approximately simulates that which would be the result of the final in-line continuous anneal. For this purpose, the wire holding devices of the tensile testing device have contact means to establish connection of the wire length in a discharge circuit for the capacitor.

Abstract: In a wire shipping and dispensing package comprising a wire-carrying spool disposed vertically in a generally rectangular carton having side and end walls extending upwardly from a substantially square bottom section to define a substantially square open top, the lower end portion of the carton is adapted to frictionally fit within the upper end portion of a substantially identical carton disposed therebelow. A pad sheet is removably secured in the open top of the carton in engagement with the rim of an upwardly cupped upper end flange of the spool and provides a seating surface for the bottom section of a substantially identical carton disposed thereabove with its lower end portion fitted into the upper end portion of the lower carton.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for extruding a thin uniform coating of fluent plastic material about a continuously advancing strand wherein the fluent plastic material is directed radially toward the strand through a constricted annular feed passage. The strand with the fluent plastic material adhering thereto is then advanced through a passageway conically converging to an exit end and effective to develop hydrodynamic pressure forces which center the strand within the passageway.

Abstract: A multiple push-button switch having three push-button actuators for operation of two contact carrying leaf spring strips each normally urged to a rest position by its natural resilience but adapted for flexing to an actuated position. Each strip is associated with a respective latch member adapted to releasibly retain the strip in its actuated position. A first of the actuators engages the two strips when depressed to deflect the strips from their rest positions to actuated positions in latched engagement with the latch members. The second actuator when depressed interacts with one strip and the latch member associated with the other strip to deflect the one strip from its rest position to its actuated position in latched engagement with its associated latch member and to concurrently disengage the other latch member from the other strip for return thereof to its rest position from an actuated positon.

Abstract: An electrical connector and a method of making the same in which the electrical connections of contacts to the bared ends of the stranded conductors of a cord are positioned within two layers of insulating material. An inner body of insulating material has spaced arms joined to a base with each arm surrounding a corresponding one of the connections. The inner body is injection molded in a mold cavity with serrated or other type irregularly shaped inner surfaces which provide a turbulent flow of fluid insulating material that tends to force any loose strand at the bared ends of the conductors away from the inner surfaces. An outer body of insulating material is injection molded around the inner body and between the arms of the inner body.

Abstract: An electric connector assembly for connecting insulated wires to conductors on a printed circuit board comprises a housing block of insulation material for each pair of wires. Each housing block is formed with two chambers separated by divider wall means which include a flexible retaining arm projecting from the base of the housing block for insertion through a hole in the printed circuit board into retaining engagement therewith. An insulation displacement contact member is disposed in each chamber with a terminal lug portion extending from the base of the housing block for insertion into the printed circuit board. A cover hinged to each housing block has integral pusher members for forcing a pair of wires into respective slotted contact plates of the associated contact members when the cover is moved to a closed position upon the housing block.

Abstract: A molded plastic spool for the shipping, storage and handling of a substantial weight of wire which comprises bottom and top end flanges at respective bottom and top ends of a tubular barrel. A radially inwardly extending end plate at the top end of the barrel has two pairs of generally U-shaped finger-receiving handles formed integrally therewith for two-handed manual lifting of the spool.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for winding an advancing strand onto a spool having an out-turned conical end flange at each end of a cylindrical barrel utilizing a strand traverse guide reciprocated relative to the spool at a linear speed proportional to the relative rotational velocity of the spool. The end limits of reciprocation of the strand guide are established in relation to respective reference positions corresponding to what would be apices of the respective end flanges if the latter were not truncated. During each traverse of the strand guide toward an end flange, the number of turns wound onto the spool outward of the respective reference position is regulated in accordance with the effective winding radius of the spool as determed by measuring the length of strand wound onto the spool for a specified rotational movement thereof.

Abstract: A burner control system for gas fired apparatus of the powered blower vent type wherein a diaphagm valve for controlling the supply of gas to the main burner of the apparatus is operated by a gas bleed line which is subject to pressure regulation by a servo regulator valve. The bleed line is also subject to on-off control by pneumatically operated bleed valve means which are responsive to the subatmospheric fluid pressure produced in the exhaust vent of the apparatus by an exhaust blower to permit opening of the diaphragm valve only when the fluid pressure level within the exhaust vent is sufficiently below atmospheric pressure. The control system preferably includes switching circuit means which are effective to energize the exhaust blower only during the existence of a pilot burner flame adequate to ignite the main burner.

Abstract: A tab receptacle terminal which adapted to be inserted in an insulating housing comprises a box-like main body portion and two cantilever spring contact members extending from the tab-entry end of the body portion and bent back inside the body portion. A spring retention tang struck from each of two opposed side members of the body portion has an inwardly directed projection engageable by a respective one of the contact members upon flexing of the responsive to insertion of a blade tab between the contact members to bias the tang into retaining relation with an abutment shoulder formed in the housing.

Abstract: A tapered flange wire spool construction having a load supporting hub portion at each end of a spool with a load bearing surface lying outwardly of the outer end surface of a respective outwardly flared end flange portion of the spool to enable the weight of wire carried by the spool to be transferred solely through a hub portion to a supportive surface disposed below the spool for preventing impact of the corresponding end flange portion with the supportive surface.

Abstract: In an electric switch having a bridging contact movable into and out of engagement with a pair of fixed contacts, at least one of the terminal elements supporting the fixed contacts comprises a strip of sheet metal folded back upon itself to provide a loop shaped current path with first and second conductive sections extending generally parallel to the bridging contact on opposite sides thereof in close proximity thereto. Attractive forces electrodynamically developed between the bridging contact and the first conductive section of the one terminal element are additive to repulsive forces electrodynamically developed between the bridging contact and the second conductive section of the one terminal element for increasing contact pressure between the bridging contact and the fixed contacts under excessive current conditions.

Abstract: An electromagnetic contactor having an improved contact structure comprising a cantilever mounted contact leaf spring with the free end portion thereof longitudinally slotted into three tongues, the center one of which is bent at an obtuse angle to serve as an overtravel spring. The free end of the contact leaf spring is engaged with a linearly reciprocating actuator which flexes the center tongue toward the outer tongues upon engagement of a fixed contact by a movable contact carried by the contact leaf spring to damp contact bounce.

Abstract: An electrical tab receptacle terminal for mating with a complementary flat rectangular tab comprises a generally channel-shaped receptacle portion having a floor, two side walls upstanding from the floor, inturned flanges along the upper edges of the side walls, and an upwardly bowed deflectable tongue of generally trapezoidal shape integral with the floor at a juncture therewith which extends across the full width of the floor. The tongue has a centrally disposed detent on its upper surface and a free end offset slightly below the floor at the forward tab-entry end of the receptacle portion. Each of the inturned flanges has a downwardly embossed free end region extending through a major length thereof to form a lower narrow planar contact surface. The forward part of the receptacle portion is arranged and shaped to facilitate ready insertion of a tab between the tongue and the contact surfaces of the flanges.

Abstract: An electromagnetic contactor comprising a terminal and contact block supported at one end on a magnetic frame includes cooperating interlocking means on its coil bobbin and the block for rigidly supporting the block at an additional location. The interlocking means on the coil bobbin include a pair of oppositely directed support arms with upstanding projections in mating engagement with wall members of the block. Each support arm also has a recess that receives a sheet metal coil terminal with lugs that are bent into contact with the arm after insertion of the terminal into the recess to prevent movement of the coil terminal with respect to the arm.

Abstract: A combination control for main and pilot burners of gas burner apparatus wherein a thermostatically controlled redundant simultaneously controls the supply of gas to pilot burner and main burner gas outlets. A pilot flow passage has a first branch passageway which supplies a restricted low pilot supply of gas independently of the redundant valve for producing a pilot burner flame of a small standby size when the redundant valve is closed. The pilot flow passage further includes a second branch passageway communicating with the redundant valve for supplying an increased high pilot supply of gas to produce a pilot flame of a larger ignition size when the redundant valve is open. A check valve in the second branch passageway blocks gas flow therethrough from the first branch passageway when the redundant valve is closed.

Abstract: A snap acting heat motor operated gas valve having a valve member carried by a spring blade that is secured to one end of an electrically heated control bimetal strip. Magnetic means associated with the spring blade normally bias the valve member to a closed position to permit opening of the valve member upon a predetermined heating of the control bimetal member and to effect a snap action opening and closing of the valve member. An ambient temperature compensating bimetal member has a cantilever portion in spaced relation to the control bimetal strip and acting on the spring blade to offset the effects of ambient temperature changes upon the control bimetal member.