Abstract: An independently steerable drive pulley is operable by the means of a non-concentric adjustable steering bushing mounted interiorly of a bearing fitted within the bore of the pulley, with the steering bushing and bearing and pulley being mounted on a drive shaft, with a pin and roller assembly for transmitting torque from the drive shaft to the pulley, the steering bushing being adjustable for changing the angular alignment of the pulley with respect to the drive shaft upon which it is mounted, following which adjustment the steering bushing is locked upon the shaft.

Abstract: An independently steerable tube stock idler pulley for simplifying tracking adjustments of a belt, wherein the pulley is rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft supported at its ends by such as pillow blocks or the like, with a pair of roller bearings for permitting rotational movement of the pulley relative to the shaft and a pair of steering bushings each mounted within a bearing and keyed to the shaft, the steering bushings each having a bore which is offset and non-concentric relative to the outer diameter of the bushing, one bushing being rotated 180.degree. out of phase relative to the other bushing for inducing an angle into the pulley relative to the axis of rotation and locking mechanism for selectively locking the shaft against rotation, with the angle of the pulley being alterable by loosening the locking mechanism and rotating the shaft following which the locking mechanism is secured.

Abstract: A method of construction of a multi-storey building which comprises precasting side slab walls (3) with a plurality of cavities (6). The pre-casting includes incorporating shaped lengths of steel bars (8,9) so that one or more lengths pass through each cavity (6). Tie elements (20, 30, 40 or 50) inter-engage with the bar (9) and are secured to the slab floor slab (4) by a concrete or other topping (5), which together form the floor unit (2). The ties can be secured to the bar by a pin (11) once the tie is engaged with or about the bar (9), but may perform this function without a pin. The ties can be one of a number of embodiments.

Abstract: Here is a method of construction of a multi-storey building comprising the following steps: positioning precast side slab walls on the site; each slab wall defining outer and inner wall surfaces with the inner wall surface being inclusive of a plurality of inwardly-extending cavities; positioning one or more precast floor slabs each being of appropriate dimensions for a respective floor of the building; each floor slab having secured thereon or therein one or more retaining means; engaging each retaining means in an adjacent cavity to position the floor slab as required; and securing the so-engaged retaining means such that the respective floor slab is secured relative to the side walls.

Abstract: In a steam turbine having a main inlet pipe which introduces steam to a nozzle chamber through the turbine casings and a bell seal assembly for sealing the inlet pipe relative to the casings and the nozzle chamber, the bell seal assembly including a bell seal disposed in the nozzle chamber, and a retainer nut sleeved by the bell seal and threadedly engaged in the inlet pipe, the improvement which comprises: the bell seal being replaced by a ring carrier, a stack of inner and outer sealing rings loosely sleeved on the ring carrier, the material of the inner rings having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the material of the ring carrier and the outer rings being made from a material having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the material of the nozzle chamber.

Abstract: A method of forming a joint (2) and the member (8, 28) used therein between two cementitious faces (3, 4) in which the space between the faces is not of uniform cross-section, but has at least two different widths (5, 6) and is stepped with a shoulder (7). The joint member has a central upright portion (9), a lower portion or head (10) for positioning the member relative to the lower faces (5). The lower portion includes one or more sets of projections (14) which are resiliently deformable. Flanges 11 on either side of the central portion have limited movement relative to the central portion rest on the shoulder (7) of the faces when the space between the member and the faces 3, 4 is filled with a resilient but compressible product.

Abstract: In a gas cleaning apparatus a filter belt is arranged to move in a flight path across and transverse to a gas flow stream so that successive incremental portions of the filter belt enter the gas flow stream at an entrance point, pass thereacross, and then leave it at an exit point, with and means for moving the successive incremental portions of the filter belt in seriatim into and out of the gas flow stream.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing structural components for any type of vehicles and other devices, in particular cars and motorcycles, where the components can operate under compressive and/or extensive stress or successive repetitions thereof, in which method two or more spools in a fixed, predetermined spatial placement, are used as starting elements, with the formation of rigid rods of yarn therebetween, the rods being built up by the winding of the yarn around and between the spools to form a component which may be in either finished or unfinished form.

Abstract: In a steam turbine inlet which includes an annular steam strainer stationarily positioned therein for stopping the passage into the turbine of large metal particles in the steam, the improvement in the strainer which comprises a plurality of spaced through holes in a major portion of the strainer circumference, the through holes being of differing diameters, with holes of like diameter being positioned in longitudinally-extending, circumferential zones, holes of the largest diameter being disposed in zones where metal particles are least likely to enter the holes, holes of smaller diameter being disposed in zones where metal particles are most likely to enter the holes, and a longitudinally-extending, circumferential zone in the strainer without holes where the particles velocity and direction of movement would be damaging to any holes located in such a zone, the through holes each having an entrance end on the outer periphery of the strainer, an exit end on the inner periphery of the strainer, and an interio

Abstract: A retrofit assembly for a tool post adapted for rapid attachment and detachment relative to the compound rest of a lathe for adjusting the positioning thereof and for the presentation of a tool holder relative to the tool post consisting of a single operating body for tightening/loosening the tool post relative to the compound responsively to the turning of a stud on a screw means and for tightening/loosening a tool holder relative to the tool post responsively to the driving force of a manipulating device.

Abstract: A hybrid cable is implemented by a concentric arrangement of a central optical fiber encased by a sleeve of Kevlar and an outer jacket of FEP(Teflon) insulation and surrounded by an annular (hollow) electrical conductor consisting of two rows of 16 insulated strands each of 33 AWG. A second conductor made of braided copper strands concentrically surrounds the first conductor but is separated therefrom by a layer of FEP insulation. Another layer of insulation surrounds the second conductor.

Abstract: A delivery device for delivering freshly mixed concrete includes an open-ended concrete conveyor chute having an inner guide surface and an outer surface defining a generally U-shape along a main axis and with a receiving terminus at one end and a discharge terminus at the opposite end. An arcuate belly band is sleeved over and fixed to the outer surface of the chute adjacent its discharge terminus and has a forwardly-projecting ear on each end of the belly band extending forwardly of and upwardly above the respective upper planes of the chute and belly band. There is a rearwardly-facing notch in each ear. A U-shaped frame defines a pair of oppositely-disposed rearwardly-projecting arms. Each arm is disposed outboard of a respective ear of the belly band and with an inwardly-facing lateral-extending lug at the distal end of each arm and with a cross arm extending between and connected to the arms and being receivable in the notches of the ears.

Abstract: In a turbine inclusive of:a turbine shaft having a longitudinal axis, a steam pipe, a shell circumadjacent the pipe, the pipe and shell being shiftable in vertical and transverse and axial directions relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and a seal assembly disposed between the pipe and shell and comprising a stack of interdigitated relatively large and small piston rings, the improvement comprising: placement of the stack of large and small rings into a circular container which is inserted into the shell with adequate clearance to permit thermal expansion, the container being provided with a flexible seal to the shell and having thermal inertia similar to that of the rings and the pipe.

Abstract: In a steam turbine shell which includes a horizontal joint, flanges and bolts or studs, washers and nuts, the provision of special disassembly bolts or studs, washers and nuts to be used to replace certain initially removed operating bolts or studs, washers and nuts to accept the forces which would normally build up on the remaining operating bolts or studs or washers, or nuts caused by the tendency of the shell to distort as bolts or studs, washers and nuts are removed, the special disassembly bolts or studs, or washers, or nuts having special characteristics, including a high thermal coefficient of expansion, the special disassembly bolts and washers being coated with a friction reducing compound and having high short term strength to enable their easy removal, even from a distorted shell.

Abstract: A hot water heater capable of delivering a relatively large quantity of hot water, the quantity being larger than the total volume of the storage capacity of the heater is disclosed.The hot water heater comprises a vessel having an inlet port and an outlet port, a cold water inlet coupled to the inlet port, a hot water outlet line coupled to the outlet port, with heating means for heating water in the vessel, and control means for establishing a flow path between the inlet and outlet lines. The arrangement is such that water flowing in the inlet line is divided between the flow path and inlet port in a predetermined ratio whereby water flowing in the outlet line is, in use, colder than the water passing through the outlet port.

Abstract: In a compressible rotating machine having stationary and rotating elements and employing seal teeth between the stationary and rotating elements capable of being rubbed, worn and damaged by the rotating elements, the improvement which comprises providing a small patch of hard, cutting or grinding material on a small portion of the rotating elements disposed in opposition to the seal teeth and capable of intermittent cutting of the seal teeth during temporary contact so as to avoid mushrooming or of melting of the teeth and to leave them sharp and thin and to prevent grooving of the surface of the rotating elements.

Abstract: In an elastic fluid turbine employing a segmented packing ring mounted in a ring-like stationary holder or diaphragm having upper and lower half-parts which meet at a horizontal joint and circumscribe a rotor to minimize leakage between the components, interfitting butt ends on certain of the packing ring segments at the diaphragm horizontal joint, and cam pins on the diaphragm at the horizontal joint and engageable with slots in said certain of the packing ring segments for accurately positioning the packing ring segments relative to the horizontal joint.

Abstract: This is a hand operated fertilizing tool by means of which, upon ground penetration of a tine, the apparatus may be swung in a side-to-side and back-to-front motion so as to enlarge the void created by the tine, into which enlarged void the fertilizing substance, whatever it may be, is gravity fed downwardly through a dispensing tube and directly into the enlarged void, the fertilizing substance being blocked from passage through the dispensing tube until a laterally shiftable blocking means intercepting through the dispensing tube is slid from a no go to a go position.