Abstract: A fabric repairing assembly is provided with an impact cutter which is operable by a plunger that is slidably mounted in an embracing housing. The assembly is further provided with a heater which includes a sleeve that slidably receives the said housing and wherein the housing can be moved to cause the plunger to press the heater against cloth undergoing repair.

Abstract: A thread handling system for a sewing machine is provided with elongate thread holding members formed for frictional contact of both members with thread during movement of the thread in the holder free of a takeup, and both formed and placed to cause thread in the thread holder to be pulled by the takeup away from one of the members and frictional drag on the thread holder reduced during movement of the takeup in the stitch setting direction.

Abstract: A jointer-planer is fabricated of a single generally U-shaped die-casting of integral one-piece construction extending generally the full length and breadth of the machine and to which each of the other major components are directly attached having a base section defining the out-feed table and two parallel, spaced apart side edge leg portions extending past the cutter assembly and on opposite sides of the in-feed table so that the in-feed table is disposed between the elongated side edge leg portions. One of the elongated side edge leg portions is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced apart fence mounting bracket portions of integral, one-piece construction therewith having generally arcuate outer surfaces providing a virtual pivot axis about which a molded longitudinally extensive elongated fence of integral, one-piece construction is positioned.

Abstract: A single-operation cam mechanism includes a cam body with a cam surface extending along the body from an entrance location to an exit location. A cam follower is retained in a waiting position adjacent a part of the cam body at which the exit location is found. When the cam follower is moved free of the retainer, a spring forces the cam follower to the part of the cam where the entrance location is found. Then, as the cam rotates, the cam surface engages the follower and forces it back through the exit location and past a resilient trap to the waiting position. The trap snaps shut after the follower has been forced past it, and the surface of the trap then prevents the follower from moving back into engagement with the cam surface except by way of the entrance location.

Abstract: A bobbin thread control comprising a bobbin thread pull-off, carried by a rotating lockstitch looptaker to pull bobbin thread from a bobbin after the previous stitch has been set and having a retraction element variable in its rotational position on the looptaker for enabling selective retraction of bobbin thread from the setting stitch.

Abstract: A brushless direct current motor is provided with a rotor having a rare earth magnet within a nonferrous cylinder and a pair of coil windings which are air wound. To effect rotation of the rotor, current through the coils is controlled to rotate the resultant magnetic flux generated by the currents through the coils so that the rotor attempts to align itself magnetically with the resultant flux from the coils. Both coils are simultaneously energized and the polarity of current flow through the coils is reversed in such a manner that there is a current reversal through only one of the coils whenever the current is switched. Coil switching is directed by a triggering magnet fixed on the rotor shaft, which magnet operates Hall effect switches. The Hall effect switches in turn operate power switches to apply the correct voltage and polarity simultaneously to both windings.

Abstract: An arrangement for storing groups of twelve data bits in an eight bit byte organized memory utilizes three bytes for storing two groups of bits.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a motorized sabre saw for reciprocating an elongated saw blade, or the like, is provided with a saw bar and blade holder or chuck combination wherein an end portion of the saw bar is of generally circular cylindrical configuration having a longitudinally extending groove therein having a first wall spaced apart from a radius of the bar a distance substantially equal to one-half the thickness of the blade to be driven thereby and generally parallel such radius and a second wall generally perpendicular the first wall extending from the first wall across such radius with the first and second walls defining therebetween a generally square shoulder whereby a blade clamped thereagainst will be generally bisected by such radius, together with a clamp block mounted with the saw bar over at least a portion of such groove and having a first generally cylindrical aperture a major portion of which is generally circular and complementary to the end portion of the saw bar and the re

Abstract: In an electronically controlled sewing machine having an arm shaft position sensor signalling release of feed data and of needle position data at opposite extremes of endwise reciprocation of a needle bar, depression of a needle up or needle down position button will implement a slow speed drive circuit, and a fast stop brake circuit will stop the needle bar immediately upon the occurrence of a signal from the arm shaft position sensor corresponding to the selected needle position button.

Abstract: A coupling member adapted for joining in tandem a pair of axial flow valves includes a central hub region having back to back bosses extending longitudinally therefrom and a plurality of rib members extending radially therefrom. The spaces between the rib members provide a fluid flow path between the valve bodies. The interior of each of the bosses is hollow to provide means for communicating with the interior of the valve bodies.

Abstract: A sewing machine motor is provided with stamped out sheet metal end brackets including arms with disc like end portions which are mounted for pivotal movement in slots in a frame to permit the motor to be adjusted as required to alter tension in a belt driven by the motor.

Abstract: An upright suction carpet cleaner is provided with a solid rear axle having wheels mounted on either end thereof and a power assist transmission generally medially mounted therewith. The transmission comprises a housing carrying an input pinion gear driven from the suction fan motor shaft in constant mesh with a pair of contra-rotating face gears freely rotatable upon the axle shaft. A pair of clutch assemblies selectively engage one or the other of the contra rotating face gears in timing relationship with the axle shaft, with the clutch assembly being selectively operable through a bowden cable connection to a shiftable hand grip on the cleaner handle so that slight forward pressure on the hand grip by an operator is effective to engage the forward clutch and provide power assist drive to the cleaner in a forward direction while a slight rearward pressure on the handle grip by the operator provided a power assist in reverse drive.

Abstract: A projection and display system utilizes a modulated laser beam whose energy distribution in the "P" and "S" polarization planes is controlled by a half wavelength retardation plate. The laser beam is then deflected along the X and Y axes and passes through a dichroic polarizer cube which splits the beam to focus upon a P channel smectic liquid crystal display cell and an S channel smectic liquid crystal display cell to selectively form images on one or both of the display cells. At the same time, the formed images are projected by the use of light that is split into two colored light beams by a second dichroic cube and is reflected to back light the images in each of the display cells. The projected beams then pass back through the first dichroic cube where they are recombined and passed through a projection lens system to a suitable display screen. To selectively erase the information on either of the display cells, an AC bias is applied to that display cell during the laser scan thereof.

Abstract: A convertible sewing machine bed lid and hinge arrangement includes a lid that may be pivoted downwardly to expose an elongated arm for sewing tubular garments. The lid has depending pivot bosses and the bed has a web casting that includes legs connected to the bosses by the hinge pins fitted into apertures in the bosses and slots in the legs. A pair of leaf springs held by projections that interlock with the casting entrap the pins within the slots and urge them toward a closed extremity of the slots. Latching projections on the free side of the lid are resiliently forced into recesses in the arm to retain the lid in a horizontal position to provide an expansive work supporting surface.

Abstract: An ansate self-propelled appliance, such as a self-propelled upright floor covering vacuum cleaner is provided with a slidable hand or control grip comprising a pair of clam-shell hand grip halves held on the distal end portion of the cleaner handle by a pair of transverse screws or other fasteners. A rotatable ring is also mounted with the hand grip halves at the forward end portions thereof which has at least one generally arcuate detent spring constructed and arranged to cooperate with and be selectively engagable within a pair of detent apertures or recesses angularly spaced apart around the handle tube. One of said detent apertures or recesses is longitudinally elongated so as to define a slot and enable said detent to slide longitudinally therein for self-propelled operation of the cleaner in response to sliding movement of the hand grip.

Abstract: Means is associated with a carpet cleaner, or the like, having an adjustable nozzle height providing a multiple number of nozzle height positions, for automatically sensing the pile of the floor covering being cleaned and automatically indicating the appropriate nozzle height position for any specific floor covering upon which the cleaner is positioned by automatically measuring and indicating the pile height and density of such floor covering using a pile height and density sensor which is independent of the nozzle height position, that is, which gives a uniform reading for a specific floor covering pile height and density regardless of the nozzle height setting at the time of sensing.

Abstract: A tension spring concentric with the presser bar pulls the presser foot down against the work. The spring is threaded onto two holders, each of which fits around the presser bar. The first holder is attached to the presser bar near its upper end but the second allows the presser bar to slide within it. The second holder is slidably attached to a bracket and controlled by a presser bar pressure regulating cam to slide up and down in the bracket and thereby change the tension in the spring to exert a controlled force on the presser foot. The first holder is also slidably mounted in the bracket, and is controlled by a lever that has a lifting cam linked to the first holder. When the lever is lifted, the first holder is lifted to raise the presser bar and presser foot away from the work. This extends the spring, which urges the presser foot back down against the work as soon as the lever is lowered.

Abstract: An arrangement for indicating to an operator whether a selected stitch length is within, below or above a preferred range for a selected pattern in a multiple pattern sewing machine includes a slide contact board and a group of slide contacts connected to a stitch length selection lever. The different patterns are grouped in accordance with preferred stitch length ranges, each group having associated therewith one of the slide contacts on the lever. The slide contact board is arranged to define the preferred ranges so that for each of the pattern groups, a circuit is completed to energize a low LED if the selected stitch length is below the preferred range; to energize an in-range LED if the selected stitch length is within the preferred range; and to energize the high LED if the selected stitch length is above the preferred range.