Abstract: A wrapping machine stretch head comprises a pair of tension rollers having first ends mounted upon a base plate and second ends mounted within separate and independent brackets such that the second ends of the tension rollers are not connected to each other and define an axially open space therebetween. In this manner, when wrapping film is to be threaded or routed between and around the tension rollers, the wrapping film is able to be inserted into the axially open space in an axially oriented mode. The rotary drive system for the tension rollers is also mounted upon the base plate and not within an upper frame member as is characteristic of conventional wrapping machine stretch heads.

Abstract: A device for dampening the movement of a pivotally supported structural part, for example, a flap or closure within an automobile, comprises a pivot arm attached to the structural part, and a rack operatively connected to the pivot arm. A housing is rotatably supported upon a support surface or member, and a rotor is rotatably disposed within the housing along with a viscous fluid which tends to dampen rotary motion of the rotor. The rotor also comprises a pinion which is enmeshed with the rack, and the housing comprises a pair of guides for confining movement of the rack in a translational or rectilinear mode while maintaining the rack enmeshed with the rotor pinion. Consequently, when the flap or closure is either opened or closed, the flap or closure is moved in a dampened mode due to the movement of the pivot arm and the rack relative to the dampened rotor pinion.

Abstract: An improved combustion powered tool for driving fasteners into a workpiece includes a main housing enclosing a cylinder body and an adjacent combustion chamber. The tool includes a workpiece-contacting nosepiece attached to the housing at the end opposite the combustion chamber and holds fasteners to be driven into the workpiece. A reciprocally disposed piston is mounted within the cylinder body, and is attached to an elongate driver blade, the driver blade being used to impact the fasteners and drive them into the workpiece. At the upper end of the cylinder body is disposed a compressible piston retaining device. The retaining device is of sufficient strength to accommodate the weight of the piston and to retard the upward velocity of a returning piston, but is overcome when the tool is fired.

Abstract: A steel pin is disclosed of a type to be forcibly driven into a steel substrate by using a powder-actuated tool. The steel pin has a substantially cylindrical shank, and a substantially sharp point which extends from one end of the substantially cylindrical shank, which conforms substantially to a tangent or secant ogive except for a substantially spherical tip having a radius in the range of approximately 0.015 inch (approximately 3.75 millimeters) to approximately 0.03 inch (approximately 7.5 millimeters), which has substantially true concentricity, which has surface-texture irregularities with a roughness-height index value not greater than approximately 30 microinches (approximately 0.76 micrometers), and which appears to be substantially free of other surface imperfections when viewed under 60.times. magnification.

Abstract: This invention relates to an unpleating system for machines for molding, filling, and automatic closing of flexible-film-based wrappings, characterized by the fact that it comprises two units capable of sequenced travel toward and away from the transverse welding plane, which units each hold at least one flexible jack bearing a pulling mechanism, the jack being slanted in relation to the transverse welding plane and the direction of travel of the units so that at the time of approach of the units toward the transverse welding plane, the jacks will be retracted and the pulling mechanisms automatically moved toward the outside.

Abstract: A rotary apparatus, such as a pneumatic motor, is disclosed. The rotary apparatus comprises an end plate having a race cavity, a main rotor with a stub shaft extending from one end, and a bearing, which includes an outer race seated in the race cavity and an inner race having a central bore. The stub shaft is fitted into the central bore with a frictional fit. In a preferred embodiment, the threaded shank of a screw is threaded into a threaded socket in the stub shaft so as to draw the stub shaft into the central bore with a washer bearing against the screw head, against the stub shaft, and against the inner race, whereby a controlled gap is provided between an outer surface of the main rotor and an inner surface of the end plate.

Abstract: A fastener for a high strength connection with a substructure with a straddling dowel, drilling cylinder or nail for insertion into a substructure material, for example, of concrete, rock, wood or the like, is disclosed. At least a portion of an outer surface of the fastener means is coated with a curable adhesive.

Abstract: A steel pin is disclosed of a type to be forcibly driven into a steel substrate by using a powder-actuated tool. The steel pin has a substantially cylindrical shank and a substantially sharp point which extends from one end of the substantially cylindrical shank, which conforms substantially to a tangent or secant ogive except for a substantially spherical tip having a radius in a range of approximately 0.02 inch (approximately 5 millimeters) to approximately 0.03 inch (approximately 7.5 millimeters), which has substantially true concentricity, which has surface-texture irregularities with a roughness-height index value in a range from approximately 10 microinches (approximately 0.25 micrometers) to approximately 15 microinches (approximately 0.38 micrometers), and which appears to be substantially free of other surface imperfections when viewed under 60.times. magnification.

Abstract: An article with a tethered prong fastener having a first stem protruding therefrom, wherein the first stem has a distal end portion with a first resilient arm extending divergently outwardly therefrom and back toward the article, and a first flexible tether coupling the first resilient arm to the first stem. The first resilient arm is flexible inwardly toward the first stem and subsequently flexed back outwardly away from the first stem, whereby the first flexible tether member limits outward deflection of the first resilient arm away from the first stem, thereby improving fastening performance thereof without interfering with the inward flexing of the resilient arm. The tethered prong fastener is configurable as a clip useable for engageably retaining elongate body members, as a w-prong fastener fastenable through an opening in a workpiece, and as a spacing member useable for engaging and retaining first and second workpieces in spaced relation.

Abstract: A cutter implement, for use within a cutting tool in connection with the securing of a tensioned steel strap about a package wherein a pair of vertically overlapped end portions of the tensioned steel strap are supported upon an anvil, is provided with a non-cutting recessed portion or notched region at a substantially central portion of its cutting edge such that if the cutting assembly of the cutting tool experiences overtravel movements with respect to the anvil and the pair of vertically overlapped end portions of the tensioned steel strap supported thereon, while the upper one of the pair of vertically overlapped end portions of the tensioned steel strap will be severed by the cutter implement, and while the upper surface of the lower one of the pair of vertically overlapped end portions of the tensioned steel strap may be scored by the cutting edge of the cutter implement, that portion of the lower one of the pair of vertically overlapped end portions of the tensioned steel strap which is engaged by or

Abstract: A one-way damping system is provided for dampening the movement of a closure member when the closure member is moved in a first direction toward its opened position such that the closure member is opened at a controlled rate of speed, and for permitting the closure member to be moved in a second direction toward its closed position such that the closure member is able to be closed at an undampened or unrestricted rate of speed. The closure member includes a gear rack integrally molded therewith, and a rotary damper gear is movable into engagement with and out of engagement from the gear rack in order to provide the dampened and undampened movement modes. An idler gear or a pair of control arms are operatively associated with the rotary damper gear so as to ensure proper engagement and disengagement of the rotary damper gear with respect to the gear rack.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing an oriented plastic strap having a predetermined desired thickness and flatness characteristics for use in connection with the strapping of packages or the like, is disclosed. A sheet workpiece is conducted into a nip defined between a pair of opposed milling and stretching rollers wherein one of the rollers is rotated at a lineal surface velocity which is greater than the lineal surface velocity of the other roller, and the rollers are rotated in opposite directions. One of the rollers effectively brakes or retards one of the surfaces of the sheet workpiece while the other one of the rollers effectively accelerates the other one of the surfaces of the sheet workpiece as the workpiece passes through the nip defined between the rollers whereby the workpiece is simultaneously milled and stretched.

Abstract: The pipe spacer washer according to the invention includes a radially split annular element defined by three mutually hinged sector elements; and a snap-on fastening device defined by a tooth and a seat for insertion of the tooth, located at opposite substantially facing circumferential ends of the annular element, and for integrally connecting the circumferential ends to define an inner ring housing the pipe and connected in one piece to an outer supporting ring by a number of radial ribs. The washer is made entirely of a single material of a Shore A hardness of more than 80, in particular xantoprene.RTM.; the retaining tooth is in the form of an asymmetrical arrow, and has an inner axially through cavity elongated circumferentially; and the seat for receiving the retaining tooth is closed partially on both sides by two lateral braces offset circumferentially.

Abstract: A stabilizer system is designed for an automotive vehicle having a rear suspension including left and right shackles, each having a first end coupled at a first pivot point to a respective one of the left and right frame members and a second end spaced from the first end and pivotally coupled to one end of a leaf spring. The stabilizer system comprises first and second elongated arms, each of the arms being rigidly coupled to one of the shackles and extending transversely thereof. First and second elongate flexible members tensionably link the arms, the first elongate flexible member being operatively connected to and extending between a first end of the first arm and a second end of the second arm, and the second elongate flexible member being operatively connected to and extending between a first end of the second arm and a second end of the first arm. Each of the elongate flexible members passes over both of the frame members between its operative connections to the respective first and second arms.

Abstract: A fastening system including two components in the form of two independent fastening elements wherein a first fastening element is used to fasten a finish element such as a door panel, dashboard panel, or the like, to a vehicle body, and is first inserted through a hole in the finish element, and then fixed firmly to the vehicle body inside an opening formed in the body; and a second fastening element is used to fasten an accessory to the finish element, and is first fitted separately to the accessory, and then inserted inside the first fastening element and rotated slightly to establish a reversible connection; the first fastening element in the system is in the form of a one-piece plug made of high-mechanical-strength plastic, and the head of which has an inner cavity with two opposite symmetrical teeth projecting inwards of the cavity; the second fastening element includes an actuating body and a retaining element connected to each other beforehand through a hole formed in the accessory; and the retaining

Abstract: Device for winding a wrapping film around an article (1) to be packaged, the article to be packaged having the shape of a substantially flat rectangle in cross-section. The article to be packaged comprises two substantially parallel broad sides (2, 3) and two narrow sides (4,5), the edges between the broad and narrow sides forming supporting points (6) for the wrapping film. The device comprises a film distributor (7) disposed to travel along a ring-like endless track (8) at a substantially constant speed around the article to be packaged.

Abstract: A gear damper includes anti-ratcheting means for preventing disengagement between a gear of the damper and a mating gear rack when a sliding or rotating tray is moved or rotated in and out of a stationary housing. The gear damper further includes mounting means so as to permit the gear damper to move floatingly in a direction perpendicular to the gear rack as a toothed wheel gear follows the gear rack. As a result, the distance between the toothed gear of the damper and the gear rack is held substantially constant so as to eliminate ratcheting and gear skipping.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a machine for automatically forming, filling, and closing bags made from a flexible film. The machine includes means suitable for generating at least one fold associated with the film that is to constitute a bag, so as to form at least one gusset in the final bag. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such bags.

Abstract: A guide sleeve for neck rests on vehicle seats adapted to slidingly accommodate a rod carrying a neck rest, the sleeve comprising an enlargement adjacent to the upper end thereof which extends transverse to the axis of the sleeve, a slider element slidably guided within the enlargement and including a manually operable portion extending outwardly of the enlargement. A pin-shaped metallic locking element is positioned in the slider element adapted to cooperate with the rod on the side opposite to the manually operable portion whereby an axial displacement of the rod is prevented. A spring element of the locking element acts on the slider element to bias the pin element towards the rod, the spring element being formed by a bent elongated spring portion of the pin-shaped locking element which is supported by a rear wall of the enlargement.

Abstract: An accelerator module comprises a printed circuit board having resistance elements mounted thereon, and an actuator pivotably mounted upon the printed circuit board and having a wiper member mounted upon a first end of the actuator. A rotary input shaft, connected to an accelerator pedal of an electric vehicle, has an input shaft arm fixedly mounted thereon, and the input shaft arm is pivotably connected to a second end of the actuator whereby the structural arrangement defines a mechanically advantaged linkage system whereby a predetermined pivotable movement of the rotary input shaft and its associated input shaft arm translates into an enhanced, enlarged, or magnified pivotable movement of the actuator and its associated wiper member for movement along the resistance elements of the printed circuit board.