Abstract: A payload-carrying motor vehicle comprises a frame, a steer axle, tandem drive axles, at least one pusher axle located between the steer axle and drive axles, and a tag axle. A steer axle suspension system suspends the steer axle from the frame, a drive axle suspension system suspends the drive axles from the frame, a pusher axle suspension system including gas springs suspends the pusher axle from the frame, and a tag axle suspension system including a primary tag axle suspension and a secondary tag axle suspension suspends the tag axle from the frame behind the drive axles. The primary tag axle suspension suspends the tag axle for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the other axles and includes actuators incorporating a gas spring forcing the tag axle tires against a road surface to aid in supporting the frame.

Abstract: A payload-carrying motor vehicle comprises a steer axle, at least one drive axle and a tag axle. All of the axles have wheels with tires and air brakes and a tag axle suspension system is adapted to suspend the tag axle in an active condition wherein the tag axle is pivotal about a first axis parallel to the other axles and also about a second axis located equidistant from the tag axle wheels and laying in a plane at right angles to the first axis and wherein the tag axle is forced to urge the tag axle tires against a road surface to aid in supporting the vehicle. An air brake system is adapted to operate the air brakes of all the wheels and a tag axle operating system is adapted to establish the tag axle in the active condition while enabling operation of the air brakes of the tag axle wheels and to disable operation of the air brakes of the tag axle wheels when the tag axle pivots about the second axis and reaches a predetermined tilt angle in maintaining contact of the tag axle tires with a road surface.

Abstract: A payload-carrying motor vehicle comprises a steer axle, at least one drive axle and a tag axle. All of the axles have wheels with tires and brakes and a tag axle suspension system is adapted to suspend the tag axle in an active condition wherein the tag axle is pivotal about a first axis parallel to the other axles and also about a second axis located equidistant from the tag axle wheels and laying in a plane at right angles to the first axis and wherein the tag axle trails the drive axle and is forced to urge the tag axle tires against a road surface to aid in supporting the vehicle. A tag axle operating system is adapted to establish the tag axle in the active condition and relieve the force on the tag axle when the tag axle pivots about the second axis and reaches a predetermined tilt angle in maintaining contact of the tag axle tires with a road surface.

Abstract: A tag axle operating system comprises a gas circuit with gas at a prescribed pressure and a hydraulic circuit that delivers hydraulic fluid pressure to raise and establish the tag axle in an inactive condition and to lower and establish the tag axle in an active condition. The hydraulic circuit establishes a prescribed hydraulic pressure opposing the gas pressure and a resulting force forcing the tag axle tires to bear against a road surface and the tag axle to accept a predetermined load. A brake valve allows air pressure delivery to operate tag axle air brakes while the prescribed hydraulic pressure is maintained and prevents such delivery to disable the brakes when the prescribed hydraulic pressure is relieved. And the hydraulic circuit operates to relieve the prescribed hydraulic pressure to relieve the force on the tag axle and disable the brakes when the tag axle experiences a predetermined tilt angle.

Abstract: A muffle furnace assembly for brazing aluminum heat exchanger workparts comprises a tubular muffle having a workpart conveyer extending therethrough. A pair of fans disposed inside the muffle circulate high temperature atmosphere through the workparts. The muffle is surrounded by an insulative outer shell spaced to form an interstitial cavity therebetween. High temperature combustion gasses are directed into the interstitial cavity and flow in a helical path about the muffle. Louvers are provided in the muffle, between the workparts and the fans, for regulating the amount of inert gas flow within the muffle. Inlet and exit vestibules usher workparts into and out of the furnace assembly to minimize oxygen contamination within the muffle.

Abstract: An angulating piston assembly for a vehicle air conditioning system compressor comprises a composite piston including a metal rod having a ball at a proximal end and a plastic head at a distal end. A piston ring subassembly is operatively received about the periphery of the plastic piston head. The subassembly is characterized by a rigid support collar molded into the piston head and a piston ring of low friction material stretched and snugly received over the collar. An integral molded lip on the piston head and an outwardly projecting skirt on the support collar maintain the piston ring in position. An inwardly projecting flange is provided on the support collar and molded into the plastic piston head to provide a lock to prevent relative axial movement between the support collar and the piston head.

Abstract: A mounting system incorporating a hydraulic torque strut provides torsional damping and noise suppression of vehicle engine vibrations. The strut includes a first mount connected to the engine and a second mount connected to the frame of the vehicle. A rod rigidly connects the two mounts together. One or both of the mounts is a hydraulic mount. The hydraulic mount includes an elastomeric body that is connected to a mounting member and forms a cavity filled with damping liquid. An integral partition divides the cavity into two chambers. An orifice track in the partition provides fluid communication between the two chambers. Passage of damping liquid through the orifice track provides damping action. Further, in order to provide decoupling for vibration isolation and noise suppression, a spool-type decoupler is mounted for reciprocal movement in the opening in the partition.

Abstract: The hydraulic mount assembly includes a hollow body connected to a pair of mounting members. A resilient diaphragm closes the hollow body thereby forming a closed cavity that is filled with damping liquid. A partition divides the cavity into primary chamber and secondary chambers. An orifice track and a decoupler passage are provided in the partition to communicate with both the primary and secondary chambers. A tiered decoupler is positioned for limited reciprocal movement in the decoupler passage. The tiered decoupler includes a plate, that is received and held for limited reciprocal movement within an annular groove in the partition. A pair of plungers that are interconnected by slide rods extending through apertures in the plate and reciprocate in tandem with respect to the plate. This relative reciprocal movement between the plate and plungers generates laminar flow around the decoupler during transition in response to high frequency vibrations for a reduced dynamic rate and smoother/quieter operation.

Abstract: A loose assembly of parts which are not secured is moved from a pallet on a conveyor to a banding station. The assembly may vary in size and a machine readable tag on the pallet bears the size information. A transfer apparatus reads the tag and adjusts a clamp size to fit the assembly. An elevator lifts the assembly from the pallet to the clamp and guide fingers hold the assembly together during the transit. The clamp is suspended from an overhead trolley which carries the clamp and assembly to the banding station where the assembly is released. A lift cylinder on the trolley raises the clamp to clear the assembly and the clamp is then returned to its position above the conveyor, lowered, and adjusted to receive another assembly.

Abstract: A draincock assembly is designed so it may be molded with the radiator tank. The draincock assembly includes a drain for draining fluid from the heat exchanger. The drain includes a cam surface which receives a pin of a draincock therein. The draincock moves rotationally about and axially along a longitudinal axis defined by the drain between open and closed positions in a path defined by the pin moving along the cam surface. A detent is molded to the cam surface and prevents movement of the pin of the draincock therepast unless a rotational force is applied to the handle of the draincock. An O-ring at the end of the cylindrical body of the draincock provides a seal wherein no fluid may exit through the drain nipple until the O-ring moves past the drain nipple, creating a drainage path from the radiator tank.

Abstract: A one-piece molded clamp having two portions connected by a living hinge defines cylindrical passages for two pipes and annular grooves for receiving beads on the pipes. A locking tang on one portion engages a mating cavity on the other portion to hold the clamp closed. The pipes pass through apertures in a wall and the clamp is mounted to the wall by a fastener passing through the clamp. Outstanding ribs on the wall hug the outer surface of the clamp to assist the locking tang in holding the clamp closed. A foam seal with a rubber surface layer is compressed between the clamp and the wall to prevent leaks through the wall apertures.

Abstract: A banding strap for holding together the parts of a heat exchanger core during a brazing operation is crimped at its overlapping ends by forming two longitudinally spaced pairs of tabs, each pair being on opposite side edges of the strap. The tabs are bent from the strap ends at an angle normal to the strap surface so that corresponding notches are formed in the strap. The crimping apparatus includes a clamp for holding one end of the strap, a knife for cutting off the strap from stock, a laminated anvil which descends onto one side the strap, and crimping blades which move around to the opposite side of the strap to push portions of the strap ends against the sharp edges of the anvil to form the tabs. A powered ram is coupled to each of the clamp, knife, anvil, and crimping elements to operate each element in proper sequence during ram motion.

Abstract: Tip seal material 22 is provided on a tip seal reel 12 mounted on a reel support spindle 14. Tip seal material 22 is unwound from the reel 12 by a driven roller 26 of a tip seal material drive and metering mechanism 16. A tool tip assembly 18 with a passage 62 guides tip seal material into a scroll tip seal groove 52 of a scroll 24 inserted in a rotatable scroll assembly fixture nest 78. As the driven roller 26 feeds tip seal material 22 into the tip seal groove 52, the tip seal material rotates the scroll and moves the tool tip assembly 18 along shaft 54, which mounts in support members 56. A knife assembly 64 severs the tip seal material 22 when the proper length of tip seal material has been advanced by the driven roller 26. The driven roller 26 resumes feeding the tip seal material 22 after the severing operation. The resumed feeding results in the remaining severed piece of tip seal material being pushed and transferred from the passage 62 and into the scroll tip seal groove 52.

Abstract: An air conditioning refrigerant compressor assembly includes a swash plate disposed on a drive shaft centrally within a housing. Three double-ended pistons are reciprocally supported on the swash plate within respective front and rear compression chambers. A pulley is freely rotatably supported concentrically about the drive shaft and connected by a flexible endless driving belt to a power take-off of an engine. A hub is fixedly retained on the end of a drive shaft. An annular torque cushion made of an elastomeric material is bonded to the hub and extends radially outwardly therefrom to support an outer ring concentrically about the drive shaft. An armature plate is fastened to the outer ring. An electromagnetic solenoid creates a field of magnetic flux when energized which draws the armature plate into frictional engagement with the pulley causing the rotary motion of the pulley to be transferred to the drive shaft which rotates the swash plate within the housing.

Abstract: A mount assembly is provided for mounting a component, such as an engine, to a vehicle for active control of vibration. The assembly includes first and second mounting members and, an intermediate insert with first and second elastomeric systems connecting said first and second mounting members with the intermediate insert in between. An actuator in parallel with said first elastomeric system provides vertical force to said first elastomeric system to provide a relatively soft vertical rate. A controller operates the actuator in response to sensed vibration so that the vertical force tends to avoid or cancel it. A relatively high fore/aft and lateral dynamic rate of the first system protects the actuator. The second elastomeric system connects the second mounting member with the intermediate insert and exhibits a relatively high vertical rate and a relatively soft fore/aft and lateral rate. One or more sensors feeds data to a controller that analyzes the vibrations to determine the harmonics thereof.

Abstract: A three row condenser for cooling alternative refrigerants for use in automotive air conditioning systems has a continuously formed U-bend tube forming the air inlet to the condenser at a point upstream of second and third rows of like tubes each interconnected by parallel heat conducting cooling fins; the high pressure vapor inlet flow to the condenser is substantially equally distributed into the first, second and third rows and refrigerant flow in the first and second rows of tubes is combined upstream of the outlet of the condenser to provide a series connected tube pattern for increasing the flow velocity through outlet portions of the first and second rows of tubes so as to improve the efficiency of energy transfer between the refrigerant flow through the condenser and the air flow across the air fins therein.

Abstract: A leak detector has a dual sensitivity due to two thresholds, a first established by a standard leak of the test gas representing the smallest leak to be detected, and the second as a fraction of the first one. A variable autozero level is used to compensate for background but is limited in its range to prevent masking of the leak by the autozero level. When measured gas concentration in excess of the autozero level exceeds the second threshold, the autozero value is held at a fixed value and an annuciator produces a signal as a function of the concentration so that the maximum concentration and the leak site can be found. When the leak site is found, the operator selects the first threshold for comparison with the gas concentration in excess of the held autozero value to determine whether the leak exceeds the rejection level.