Abstract: In a braking system a dump valve opens during an imminent skid condition to dump fluid from a brake circuit to a reservoir space. A reservoir piston defining a boundary of the reservoir space then moves in a first bore against a spring so that a control rod, integral with the reservoir piston, allows a ball valve member to engage with its seat to cut-off communication between a master cylinder and a wheel brake. Simultaneously, fluid flows from the reservoir space through an inlet valve to a working chamber of a pump provided in a second bore in the reservoir piston so that a pump piston working in the bore engages with a rotatable eccentric. Fluid is then pumped from the pump chamber, past an outlet valve through an outlet passage in the control rod, and returned to the reservoir space through the open dump valve.

Abstract: An electrical wiring harness is formed as a flat tape by securing individual leads side-by-side by a bonding material which is itself in the form of tape. With the bonding material in a potentially bond-forming condition, for example softened by heat, the leads and the bonding material are combined by pressure in a roll nip. It is known to lay the leads out along a work top and move a heating and combining unit along the leads to form the harness. However, the machine is very long, requires turntables at each end to turn the combining unit, and leaves the harness in an inconvenient form for further handling. The leads and bonding material 12 are drawn past combining means 40, 24, 26 by a winding drum 22, which winds up into the form of a coil a harness so formed.

Abstract: A heating furnace in which radiant tubes are extended widthwise into the furnace so that the products of combustion are discharged into the furnace, whereby intermediate shapes such as slabs which are transported through the furnace are heated to desired rolling temperatures.

Abstract: Balusters for building the balustrades of stairs, verandas or the like, in which baluster bars are telescopically inserted into a main body so that the positions of the baluster bars relative to the main body can be adjusted depending upon the distance between top and bottom rails or the like and/or the slope thereof, whereby the baluster can be easily and quickly joined between the top and bottom rails or the like.

Abstract: A brake has an automatic adjuster including a pawl and ratchet mechanism, the adjuster comprising a bimetallic strip arranged to disengage the pawl from the ratchet when a predetermined temperature is attained. When there is excessive travel of the pawl, the strip permits re-engagement of the pawl with the ratchet to thereby permit adjustment. The pawl is preferably formed on a lever pivotally connected to one of the shoes of the brake and the bimetallic strip is connected to the lever.

Abstract: A housing for a disc brake incorporates an expander mechanism formed by two pressure plates and, a stack of friction discs between one plate and a braking surface, and a single friction disc between the other plate and another braking surface. The one plate is formed by separate inner and outer concentric rings, and the inner ring and the other plate are slidably coupled against relative angular movement. In normal braking an annular piston works in an annular hydraulic cylinder in the other plate to urge the inner ring and the plate axially apart so that the single friction disc engages with the braking surface and the inner ring engages with a corresponding inner ring of friction lining material on the adjacent disc of the stack, thus urging the stack into engagement with the braking surface.

Abstract: An automatic grinding machine adapted to form a desired profile of the peripheral ridge of a spectacle lens which mates with the profile of the lens receiving groove of a spectacle frame. During the semi-finishing grinding step, the peripheral edge of the spectacle lens is ground by a semi-finishing grinding wheel whose outer cylindrical surface is formed with a V-shaped circumferential groove having a width greater than the thickness of the spectacle lens at the peripheral edge thereof, so that the axial center of the spectacle lens may be automatically aligned with that of the semi-finishing grinding wheel by the self-alignment action due to the contact of the peripheral edges of the spectacle lens with the inclined surfaces of the V-shaped groove.

Abstract: An adjuster strut for a vehicle drum brake comprises a non-rotatable bar abutting one of the brake shoes, and internally screw-threaded barrel non-rotatably mounted on the bar, a screw-threaded rod screwed into the barrel and being fast with a ratchet wheel, the wheel being arranged to be rotated by a pawl in the event of excess shoe travel, such rotation of the wheel screwing the rod out of the barrel to increase the strut length, and an abutment member which abuts the other shoe and on which the ratchet wheel is rotatably mounted. In order to ensure that the strut is clear of a wheel hub even in the worn condition of the brake shoes, the bar extends over the major part of the length of the strut and is flat.

Abstract: In a power braking system for a vehicle a supply of fluid from a power source is utilized to augment the output pressure to be supplied to a brake from a pedal-operated brake control valve assembly. The power source comprises a source of hydraulic fluid of a type different from that which is supplied to the brake from the control valve assembly, and the fluid under pressure from the pressure source is supplied to at least one pressure converter which is adapted to pressurize hydraulic fluid in a sub-system to augment the output pressure from the control valve assembly. The sub-system is provided with hydraulic fluid of a type different from that of the power source, and an hydraulic accumulator is incorporated in a line between the pressure converter and the control valve assembly.

Abstract: In multi-core electric cable in which the cores extend in side-by-side spaced and parallel relationship, instead of producing the cable with the cores continuously interconnected by surrounding insulation so that when cut into lengths the insulation has to be pulled or cut apart in order to separate the cores for connecting, the cable is made at the outset at intervals along its length with the cores separate, never having been interconnected. This is applicable to most known methods of manufacturing flat multi-core electric cable including those in which each core has an individual insulating sheath interconnected to form the multi-core cable by the bonding of the sheaths together or to backing strip material or to both.

Abstract: An hydraulically-operated anti-skid braking system includes a pump rotatable with a wheel to be braked and of the type which, once a predetermined minimum wheel speed is attained, produces a constant output flow irrespective of any further increase in the wheel speed, and a fixed orifice through which the output flow from the pump is circulated to provide a back pressure which is utilized to control the application of a brake. Since the pump is rotatable with a wheel to be braked by the brake, the wheel is automatically prevented from locking.

Abstract: An automatic slack adjuster comprises a pair of thrust assemblies. Each thrust assembly acts between a cam and a respective shoe-end and is guided to slide axially in a bore in a housing. Each thrust assembly comprises a nut which engages with, and is held against rotation with respect to, a respective shoe-end, and a screw-threaded tappet having a piston part which slides in the bore, and an integral threaded stem of reduced diameter which is screwed through the nut. The piston parts are both provided with gear teeth to enable them to be rotated together by the engagement of a crown wheel, or a pair of pinions carried by opposite ends of a transverse shaft which is rotatable in a bore normal to a bore in which the cam shaft carrying the cam is rotatable.

Abstract: A machine for transporting cooked hard crabs to a plurality of successive stations at which the carapace pincers, walking legs, swimming legs and viscera are removed, and the remaining body is scrubbed and washed. An important feature is the provision of novel means for supporting each crab.

Abstract: A vehicle cab has an airflow deflector (9) pivotally mounted on it for movement between a lowered position and a raised position in which the deflector is inclined upwardly and rearwardly from a front upper portion of the cab, and the deflector has, or is associated with, side and rear walls which together with the deflector define a compartment above the cab when the deflector is in a raised position. Access can be gained into the compartment from inside the cab. A bunk (11) can be provided in the compartment for a person to sleep in the compartment. Seats in the cab have back rests (4) which fold down on to the seats, or can be removed, so that a bunk, which is stowed at the back of the seats when not in use, can also be erected in the cab over the seats.

Abstract: The adjuster has a clutch mechanism operative between an actuator piston and an auxiliary mechanical actuator. The clutch mechanism includes a first member and a second member, one of the members being connected to the actuator piston for axial movement therewith at all times in both directions and the other of the members being connectible with the mechanical actuator. The one member is free to move back and forth with the actuator piston during normal service brake applications, the other member not hindering its movement. Also, the other member is only moved to engage the one member upon actuation of the mechanical actuator. Thus the actuator piston is free to move back during "knockback" and normal braking is not hindered by the clutch mechanism.

Abstract: In a servo booster for a vehicle braking system, of the kind having a tie rod for relieving the booster housing of braking reaction forces which extends through the movable wall(s) of the booster, the movable wall is sealingly connected to a wall of the housing by a bellows located substantially coaxially about the tie rod. The bellows has at least one integral reinforcing rib which completely encircles the tie rod. The rib resists ballooning of the bellows and also guides the bellows along the tie rod. In the case of a tandem booster having a stationary partition wall between a pair of movable walls, the interior of a bellows connecting the rear movable wall to the partition wall provides fluid communication between the chambers bounded by the rears of the movable walls. Fluid communication between the other two chambers is provided via a tubular member integral with the front movable wall and extending sealingly through the partition wall.

Abstract: In an hydraulic anti-skid braking system a pump having a liquid throughput which is adapted to increase with the rotational speed of the wheel is arranged to control operation of a modulator valve assembly for relieving the pressure supplied to the brake when the deceleration of a wheel exceeds a predetermined value. A sensing device for sensing the deceleration of wheel operates a control valve assembly which is provided to control the supply of operating fluid from the pump output to the modulator valve assembly.