Abstract: A re-inking device for a fabric ribbon carried in a cassette with a free run section of ribbon exposed for re-inking, in which the cassette support and location means, the rotational drive means and the combined ink reservoir and dispenser are all mounted to one side of a base member and are all movable relatively thereto. The invention also includes a method of re-inking a cassette fabric ribbon.

Abstract: A vehicle dual wheel braking system of the type in which a respective electronically controlled pressure adjustment channel is provided for each of the wheels at the opposite ends of an axle of the vehicle for setting the braking pressures individually for each wheel in dependence upon a common electrical signal representative of the braking demand level set by a driver of the vehicle, each channel comprising a pressure control loop containing a pressure controller, a pressure control valve which adjusts the supply of fluid from a reservoir to the brake actuators for applying and releasing the brakes by solenoid control of the inlet and exhaust functions of the pressure control valve, and a feedback transducer which supplies a signal representative of the pressure in the pressure control valve.

Abstract: A vehicle braking system wherein, for avoiding serious brake unbalance under fault conditions which would cause either loss of braking or excessive braking at one wheel, a small bore link pipe is arranged to connect the pressure control elements, for example solenoid actuated relay valves, of respective brake circuits associated with the two wheels at opposite ends of an axle whereby the pressure control elements in each electronically controlled pressure adjustment channel are influenced in such a manner that a correctly functioning channel attempts to influence a faulty channel in such a direction as to reduce the pressure unbalance.

Abstract: A drum brake in a motor vehicle, comprising a parking brake which includes a brake cable connected detachably to a hand brake lever arranged in the drum brake by the brake cable being passed through a retaining member which is connected to the hand brake lever an engaging behind the retaining member by a nipple of larger cross sectional dimensions connected to the corresponding free end of the brake cable is characterized in that the brake cable (6) is passed through a guide tube (7) which is fixed to the anchor plate (1) of the drum brake, is exposed to the outside of the drum brake, and terminates at a distance ahead of the retaining means (8), the inner diameter of the guide tube (7) being somewhat greater than the maximum outer diameter of the nipple (9), in that the retaining member (8) has a guide path (10) for the nipple (9) extending from its front face (11) which faces the guide tube (7) to its rear face (12), and in that rear face ( 12) of the retaining member (8) is provided with a locking member (

Abstract: An electronic braking system for a towing vehicle for towing a standard semi-trailer without such a braking system has a separate pressure control channel for the generation of trailer brake pressure whenever the towing vehicle is braked or if the parking brake of the towing vehicle is applied. The pressure signal level set in the towing vehicle is a function of the driver's electrical demand signal, compensated for trailer load and operating gradient. The compensation for trailer load is evaluated by assessing the total trailer mass from measurements of towing load during acceleration and substracting from this value the portion of the trailer load being supported by the towing vehicle as sensed by vertical force protection means on the towing means.

Abstract: The present invention provides a friction pad assembly wherein an edge region of the backing plate has two recesses located symmetrically about a center line (11) of the assembly with a resilient leaf spring secured across each recess (13). In use, in a disc brake retaining pins engage against the springs to hold the assembly in position. This pad assembly design thus minimizes the required space by locating the resilient pad anti-rattle springs within the profile and sides of the backing plate, and by using the necessarily relatively short springs, the tendency for the springs (19) to be buckled or distorted, or affected by heat, is minimized.

Abstract: In an anti-lock brake system (ABS) for a motorcycle the driving stabilty is improved by measuring the position of lateral inclination of the motorcycle and adjusting at least one threshold value for the anti-skid control in response to the measurement. In another embodiment the transverse acceleration of the motor cycle is measured and an ABS threshold value adjusted accordingly.

Abstract: A check valve is disposed in a suction-side line of a feed pump in a fuel feed system and permits the fuel to direct only toward a feed pump; a bypass line is provided for bypassing the check valve; and a pump is disposed in the bypass line. Alternatively, a line is branched from the suction side line of the feed pump in the fuel feed system and is communicated with a gallery chamber within the feed pump; a check valve is disposed in the branched line to direct the fuel only flowing toward the gallery chamber line; and a pump is disposed in the branched line upstream of the check valve. As a result, when air intermixes in the fuel feed system, the pump is energized prior to starting the engine to force the fuel having the air bubbles entrained therein though the feed pump into a fuel tank, thereby accomplishing air bleeding operation.

Abstract: A gun sight comprises a block of transparent material having a line of sight therethrough between a target end and a viewing end. A graticule pattern is mounted to the, in use, top surface of the sight whereby it may be illuminated by light from the sky generally above the sight. The block has a first internally reflecting surface disposed below the graticule pattern and aligned to reflect light therefrom to a second reflecting surface, which in turn is aligned to reflect light from the graticule to a partially reflective doublet lens system in the line of sight. The partially reflective doublet pattern reflects said doubly reflected light to form a virtual image of the graticule at infinity in the line of sight.

Abstract: A pair of pivotally connected crossed arms define tongs having handles at one end and recessed jaw parts at the other. The recesses in the jaw parts are of a size to receive therein the pointed end tips of a crab shell whereby a crab may be easily lifted without danger of being clawed. One of the arms carries a scale and the other a pointer such that when the tips of a crab shell are engaged in the recesses the distances between the tips is instantly indicated and a determination made whether or not the crab is above a minimum size to be kept.

Abstract: A laminated panel for use in the construction of vehicles bodies or buildings comprises a pair of substantially rigid outer layers (1,2), separated by a core (3) of foamed plastics material. The core includes a plurality of spaced elongate inserts (4) of hard plastics material such as ABS. The inserts act as anchor points for attachment of lashing rails or the like externally of one of said outer layers (1,2).

Abstract: When attaching components to composite members, for example leaf springs of composite fibre reinforced resin material, it is necessary to avoid stress concentrations and also the access of foreign matter between the spring and the component since this can cause abrasion and break down of the spring. A composite leaf spring having upper and lower planar surfaces has a two element component clamped to it as indicated by the arrows. Liners of elastomeric material are interposed between one element and the upper planar surface and between the other element and the lower planar surface. Towards their ends the surfaces of the elements adjacent the spring diverge from the spring and the liners are shaped to fill the divergencies. The liners extend beyond the ends of the elements to form sealing lips at the spring surfaces. In an eye end attachment at an end of a composite spring in a one piece component may be used.

Abstract: The lower edge of a wall of a cylindrical rotatable building has a radially inwardly extending flange of inverted U-shape which encompasses the upper peripheries of wheels rotatably mounted on horizontal axles carried on a fixed foundation for the building. The inverted U-shape of the flange not only supports the building for free rotation about a vertical axis but it at all times spaces the building wall from direct engagement with the wheels while restraining the building against substantially any lateral movement relative to the fixed foundation for the building.

Abstract: Preselected words, appearing on cards, are matched by aranging cubes with different letters on each face, some of which are repeated on different cubes in proportion to their frequency of use in the written language, so that the word is spelled out on the exposed upper faces of the cubes. Because some cubes contain two or more letters of a selected word, a player must select the proper cubes in a proper order lest an essential letter on a cube be unusable because another letter on that same cube has been used. The player who completes the word in the least time wins the round.

Abstract: A traction control system for the driven wheels of a road vehicle includes a modulation unit which controls fluid flow from a master cylinder actuated via a servo unit to supply fluid under pressure to a spinning driven wheel in order to reduce the degree of spin and increase the torque transmitted to the other driven wheel. The servo unit is actuatable independently and by itself when spin control is required, by way of a solenoid valve which causes a part of the normal output force of the servo to be applied to the master cylinder for the purpose of spin control.

Abstract: A fluid flow meter of the fluidic oscillator type and suitable for electrically conducting liquids, for example for metering domestic water supplies, comprises a feed back oscillator with magnets creating a magnetic field across at least one of the flow paths and a pair of electrodes detecting the resultant potential difference across the flow path. The frequency of the detected signal gives a measure of the flow rate and a counter of the cycles will give the total flow over a period.

Abstract: A disc brake comprises a brake support which is to be mounted on a first side of a brake disc and comprises a bridge portion engaging over onto the other side. Two brake pads are arranged on either side of the brake disc and supported against braking forces on the brake support. For direct actuation of a brake pad an actuator is arranged on the first side of the brake disc. For transmitting actuating forces to the other indirectly actuable brake pad a floating caliper engages over the brake disc. The brake support comprises two arms on the first side of the brake disc. Of the arms, a first arm of lower rigidity is loaded with the braking forces of the directly actuated brake pad. The other arm, which has a greater rigidity carries the bridge member and is loaded with braking forces of the indirectly actuated brake pad.