Abstract: A dual-bed ventilation air regeneration system is adapted for use in conjunction with a ventilation or respiration air loop of an astronaut space suit wherein the ventilation loop includes inlet and outlet manifolds. A pair of chemical beds, having inlet and outlet manifolds, are provided for alternatively adsorbing carbon dioxide and water vapor deposits from the ventilation or respiration air, and for desorbing such deposits to the hard vacuum of space through spool valve housing vacuum ports. A single spool valve controls the fluidic connections between the ventilation air inlet and outlet manifolds, the chemical bed inlet and outlet manifolds, and the exhaust or vacuum ports. The spool valve also permits equalization of the chemical bed pressures and volumes during transition between chemical bed changeovers between the adsorbing and desorbing phases so as to save one-half the volume of air as compared to that which would otherwise be lost to space if such pressure equalization was not achieved.

Abstract: A furniture leveling foot and system therefor includes a threaded shaft with a lead end portion, and a foot end portion having a resilient head with a curved flange portion curving generally radially outwardly from the threaded shaft with increasing axial distance from the foot end portion thereof, whereby the head is flexible so as to absorb impact shock directed toward the threaded shaft. The threaded shaft has screw threads disposed helically thereabout, and the screw threads have a leading side configured at an angle. An opening disposed through a plate member has a partially circumferential helical edge defined by a helical surface portion having an outer surface at an angle equal to the angle of the leading side of the screw thread. The lead end portion of the threaded shaft is rotatably disposable in the opening of the plate member from the second side thereof by engaging the screw threads with the helical edge.

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 rotation damper with a housing, a rotor which is rotatably mounted in the housing and which, with the housing, forms at least one gap into which a viscous medium is enclosed, and an axle or shaft which is connected to the rotor and which at least at one end projects out from the housing. There is further provided a filler opening, for the viscous medium, which is formed in the housing and which at least over part of its length comprises a uniform circular cross section and a closure element comprising a circular linear sealing edge, the diameter of which is somewhat larger than the inner diameter of the filler opening in the region of the uniform cross section.

Abstract: An inflatable dunnage bag comprises a first inflatable inner bag comprising an inflatable bladder surrounded by at least one paper ply, and a second outer bag comprising at least one paper ply, or two or more paper plies whereby the number of paper plies comprising the entire composite inflatable dunnage bag, that is, the number of paper plies comprising the inner bag and the number of paper plies comprising the outer bag, is an odd number of paper plies. Consequently, the number of paper plies required to fabricate an inflatable dunnage bag, while maintaining the structural integrity and burst strength characteristics thereof for predetermined load applications, is effectively reduced with respect to currently manufactured dunnage bags.

Abstract: An obliquely collated strip of brads useable in an angled magazine of a fastener driving tool, each brad having a head on one end and a point on an opposite end, the point of each brad of the collated strip of brads having a tip defined by converging first, second and third facets so as to form an edge at an acute angle relative to an axis of the brad, the edge of each brad forming a substantially continuous edge of the collated strip of brads, the head of each brad of the collated strip of brads arranged step-wise relative to the head of an adjacent brad, the step-wise arrangement of heads forming a stepped edge substantially parallel to the substantially continuous edge of the collated strip of brads, the head of each brad of the collated strip of brads being disposed at an angle relative to the axis of the brad, the angle of the head sloping oppositely relative to the angle of the substantially continuous edge of the collated strip of brads.

Abstract: A composite ring member comprises an annular ring member and an annular reinforcing ring member welded to the external peripheral portion of the annular ring member. The annular ring member comprises a tubular stock member, having a substantially rectangular or square-shaped cross-sectional configuration, which is bent into the form of the annular ring member and the free end portions thereof are welded together. In this manner, excessive waste of material in forming conventional ring members, wherein such conventional ring members are cut out from square plates, is eliminated. Segmentally-configured gusset plate members are welded to diametrically opposite internal peripheral portions of the annular ring member so as to respectively support a film roll carriage and dispensing assembly and a counterbalancing mechanism.

Abstract: A high-flow, pneumatically-controlled hot melt adhesive applicator valve assembly comprises a housing which includes a lower module body within which a die orifice is defined. A ball valve member is operatively associated with the die orifice, and a hot melt adhesive charge passageway is provided within the module body so as to fluidically conduct the hot melt adhesive to the die orifice. A middle-air cylinder is disposed atop the module body and defines a first cylinder chamber therein, and an upper-air cylinder is disposed atop the middle-air cylinder and defines a second cylinder chamber therein. The valve member is fixedly mounted upon the lower end of a piston rod, and first and second pistons are fixedly mounted upon axially central and upper end portions of the piston rod so as to define with the piston rod and the first and second cylinder chambers a dual-piston multiplier assembly.

Abstract: A wrapping method comprises the prior stretching of a film wherein the prior stretching of the film advantageously includes a step of paying out the film from a feed reel, a stretching step, and a step of winding the stretched film onto a mandrel or a take-up reel in readiness for subsequent use. The film of the present invention is previously-stretched under a large amount of tension, is released, and is then wound under moderate tension, under which the film is allowed to relax. The present invention is applicable to preparing film for wrapping loads that are optionally palletized and suitable for being put into place either manually, or mechanically.

Abstract: A combination, one-piece, integral, electrical connector and rocker-type power switch module comprises an electrical connector housing having a plurality of 90.degree. terminals mounted therein and adapted to be mounted upon and connected to a printed circuit board (PCB), and a power switch housing having a rocker mechanism, a substantially U-shaped, hairpin type contactor, and a pair of contacts defining a common contact and a make/break contact. The housings are fabricated from a thermoplastic material and are specially structured so as to permit the mounting of the power switch housing upon the electrical connector housing whereby the housings may be ultrasonically welded together so as to form the one-piece, integral module.

Abstract: A strap tensioning apparatus for a strapping machine comprises a large pulley which is power rotated during strap feeding by powered rollers pulling strap off of a feed strap coil. Tension is maintained on the end of the strap being pulled from the feed strap coil by inertial movement of the large pulley and other rotating elements after power to the rollers is stopped.

Abstract: A fuel filler pipe housing mountable on automotive body panels. The housing generally includes a flange member coupled to a body member mountable on a surface of the body panel, and a trim member coupled to the flange member by a hinge. The trim member is movable relative to the flange member between a first position where the trim member is disposed away from a surface of body panel and a second position where the trim member is disposed toward the surface of the body panel, whereby the trim member is biased toward one of the first and second positions. The housing may be installed on the body panel with the trim member positioned away therefrom prior to applying paint thereto, whereafter the trim member is positioned toward the body panel.

Abstract: In a thermal printer in which ink is transferred from a single-use thermal print ribbon to a substrate such as packaging material by energizing selected print elements of a thermal print head (22), a first print run is executed by energizing only a group of print elements in registry with one half of the ribbon width so that ink is depleted from only one half of the ribbon, and a second print run is executed by energising the same group of elements using the same ribbon but with the ribbon supply and take-up spools interchanged in order that ink is depleted only from the other half of the ribbon. This allows printing on comparatively narrow printing areas using ribbon which is at least twice the width of the printed area without undue ribbon wastage and with reduced ribbon breakage frequency compared to the breakage frequency with a ribbon of a width nearer to the width of the printed area.

Abstract: An improved fastener driving tool is provided that is especially adapted to the application of fasteners in trim applications, such as the fastening of wood trim and decorative pieces. The preferred embodiment is a combustion tool, and includes an incrementally adjustable fastener driving depth setting mechanism. The incremental control permits an operator to select from a number of discrete depth settings over a limited range. The preferred tool also includes a distance amplifying fastener lockout. The lockout amplifies a fastener follower movement permitting the blocking of movement of a linkage necessary to tool operation in response to the movement associated with an individual small fastener being dispensed. A trigger and handle of the preferred tool are proximate to the driver blade axis, and the trigger is disposed within an imaginary extension of a fuel canister held within the tool housing.

Abstract: Actuation lever for the actuation of a control lever in an automobile, in particular for the actuation of a seat, comprising an eccentric element having an eccentric circumferential surface and a bore, a bearing pin having a threaded portion at one end thereof, the threaded portion being adapted to be threaded into the bore of the eccentric element, the other end of the pin having engagement surfaces for a tool, said actuation lever having a bore, the pin being rotatable supported within the bore of the with a rotation of the eccentric element changing the spacing between the circumferential surface and the control lever, rotation limiting elements being provided upon the eccentric element and upon the control lever adjacent the bore such that in a first axial position of the bearing pin the limiting elements engage each other in order to prevent the eccentric element from rotating, and in a second axial position spaced from the first position the limiting elements are disengaged so as to permit rotation of t

Abstract: An automotive vehicle headrest system comprises a pair of laterally spaced upstanding support shafts or bolt members for threaded engagement within internally threaded or tapped holes, sockets, or sleeves defined within an automotive vehicle seat frame. The headrest component includes bracket members, having disk members incorporated therein, which are mounted upon the shafts or bolts such that the bracket/disk assemblies are normally mis-aligned with respect to each other, and the disk members define two-point contact systems with the shaft or bolts so as to support the headrest at a predetermined elevational position.

Abstract: A buckle including a first buckle portion having an engagement member and a second buckle portion having socket arms forming a socket for releasably engaging the engagement member. A sleeve member is reciprocatably disposed about the socket arms between first, second and third positions, whereby the sleeve member in the first position prevents expansion of the socket arms so as to retain the engagement member, and the socket arms are expandable when the sleeve member is in the second and third positions so as to permit release of the engagement member from the socket and insertion of the engagement member into the socket.

Abstract: A gantry film wrapping system and method useable for wrapping film about an elongated load. The system includes an overhead frame with first and second lateral support members for supporting opposing end portions of a carriage, which is reciprocatably translatable back and forth along the first and second lateral support members. A film wrapping apparatus having a rotary arm is coupled to the carriage, and a film wrapping carriage is coupled to a dependent member extending from an end portion of the rotary arm. The rotary arm and film wrapping carriage are rotatable in approximately 180 degree rotational increments between and during back and forth translations of the carriage along the first and second lateral support members of the overhead frame, wherein the film wrapping carriage is orbital in a substantially oval orbit about an elongated load disposed below the overhead frame.

Abstract: A portable wall assembly and methods of making same include support columns made from thin flexible sheets rolled into free standing cylinders. Wall panels also made from thin flexible sheets may be attached to the support columns. After disassembly of the wall, the sheets can be spiraled into a nested circular bundle for storage and transportation.

Abstract: A unitary fastener collation tube for retaining a plurality of fasteners useable in a stand-up fastener driving tool. The fastener collation tube includes an elongated body member having a channel having a substantially T-shaped cross section for receiving the fasteners arranged side by side therein. At least one end of the elongated body member includes a resilient fastener retaining member engageable with an endmost fastener of the plurality of fasteners so as to retain the plurality of fasteners in the channel of the fastener collation tube, whereby the plurality of fasteners retained in the fastener collation tube are releasable from the fastener collation tube when the resilient fastener retaining member is disengaged from the endmost fastener.