Abstract: A selector valve for a vehicle braking system in which brakes mounted on opposite sides of the vehicle can be operated selectively either together or independently, comprises an operating lever (9) for displacing a valve spool (2) to control communication between inlet ports (3,4) and outlet ports (5,6), the lever being guided by a slot (8) which includes latching notches (20) in which the lever is engageable to preselect a particular steering mode of brake operation. The lever is automatically disengaged from the notches after each brake operation by a piston (15) which is actuated by the fluid pressure in a chamber (16) connected to an inlet port (4).

Abstract: A writing tip 1 for use with aqueous ink comprises an elongate housing 2. A writing ball 3 is retained in a socket 4 at one end 5 of the housing and a fibrous feed core 6 having aqueous ink feeding capillaries extends into a bore 7 in the housing from the other end 8. The core 6 acts to transfer aqueous ink from a source to the ball via a grooved feed passage 9 between the bore 7 and socket 4 and in order to provide releasable transfer of ink between the core 6 and the passage 9, the core is inserted into the end 13 of the passage, the material of the core being substantially uncompressed within the grooves 12 of the passage 9 and assuming substantially the cross-section of the passage at least at the end 13.

Abstract: A dual brake valve assembly for use in fluid pressure-operated vehicle braking systems embodying two independent braking circuits comprises a housing provided with sets of primary and secondary ports associated respectively with the two braking circuits and each consisting of a supply port for connection to a source of fluid under pressure and a delivery port for connection to a brake actuator, an exhaust, and two co-axial primary and secondary valves which are operative, when actuated, to isolate the delivery ports from the exhaust and connect them to the respective supply ports. A primary piston operates the primary valve directly and acts through the primary valve and a secondary piston to operate the secondary valve. The secondary piston is provided with passages through which the respective supply and delivery ports of each set are placed in communication when the respective primary and secondary valves are operated.

Abstract: In the installation of a roof bolt in the roof of a mine, a hole is driven vertically upwards into the rock above the mine roof and the bolt is pushed up the hole. Moist grit is blown up the annular gap around the shank of the bolt and packs into the gap to anchor the bolt in place. The air can escape from the bottom of the hole. The bolt may be tubular and form a duct for escaping air. When the gap is full of grit a sealing washer is pushed into the bottom part of the hole. A roof plate is located against the roof and held in place by a nut screwed to the projecting lower end portion of the bolt.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension system provides independent suspension for each wheel, with the load on each wheel being supported by a gas spring which has a volume of gas for supporting the load, and a volume of hydraulic fluid through which movement of the wheel is transmitted to the gas. In order to produce substantially constant vehicle handling for all load conditions of the vehicle, the suspension for the rear wheels includes a torsion bar, and a connection is provided between the hydraulic fluid volumes of the rear gas springs to allow flow of hydraulic fluid between the rear gas springs. The fluid may flow freely or through an orifice and relief valve assembly.

Abstract: A binder for a foundry mould or core comprises an alkali metal salt of a polyvalent organic acid or a polymerized monovalent organic acid, for example sodium polyacrylate, and an alkaline earth hydroxide such as calcium hydroxide, together with a suitable solvent. Up to 80% of the calcium hydroxide may be replaced by a polyvalent metal oxide or hydroxide. The mixture may include small proportions of other materials, such as aluminum sulphate. It is important that the pH of the organic acid salt solution before mixing with the alkaline earth hydroxide should not be too high and it should preferably be between 5 and 8, in particular between 5.7 and 6.6.

Abstract: A two-part crab holder is provided with specifically contoured surfaces for supporting a crab through various processing means.

Abstract: A brake particularly suitable for operation under heavy load and adapted to be mounted at the end of the axle of a vehicle, inside a rim of a wheel thereof, adjacent to speed-reducing gearing itself housed in the normal way in said rim. The brake comprises a plurality of elementary distinct interchangeable modules each enclosed by a housing and operating by interengagement of interleaved discs capable of axially sliding one relative to another under the action of a suitable braking control, these discs being cooled by a liquid circulating in a closed circuit.

Abstract: In a vehicle braking system of the kind in which brakes mounted on opposite sides of the vehicle are associated with respective pedals (1) and can be operated together for normal vehicle retardation or independently to assist vehicle steering, the brakes are connected to respective chambers (14, 15) of a tandem master cylinder (5) through respective control devices (7) which are actuated by the pedals (1) and control communication between the respective chambers (14, 15) and a reservoir.

Abstract: A fire-safe butterfly valve (FIG. 2) provides bi-directional sealing. In normal duties a polymeric seal provides forward and reverse sealing against the edge of the valve disc, the polymeric seal being resiliently loaded in the axial direction of the valve by a resilient metal ring. The metal ring provides a bi-directional seal with the disc edge in the event of destruction of the polymeric seal by fire. The metal ring in transverse cross-section consists of an arm having a curved radially inner end presenting a convex surface for engagement with the disc edge. For fluid pressure acting from the smaller diameter side of the disc, in the burnt out condition, the curvature of the radially inner end of the metal ring gives rise to an increased sealing force with the disc edge as the disc moves in response to the fluid pressure and the ring inner end remains in rolling contact with the disc edge.

Abstract: The present specification describes and claims a spot-type disc brake comprising a caliper and a torque taking member, a pair of abutment members being mounted on the torque taking member to form guides for an inboard friction pad assembly, one abutment member being secured in a fixed position and the other abutment member being adjustable in position to a limited extent. This arrangement is particularly applicable to twin-pin sliding caliper disc brakes wherein the same pinch bolts secure both the abutment members and the pins upon which the caliper is slidably mounted, to the torque taking member.

Abstract: A master cylinder assembly comprising two separate master cylinders is disclosed. Pressure spaces of the master cylinders are interconnected through outlet passages and a transfer passage, and a transfer valve is housed within each outlet passage. When the master cylinders are inoperative both transfer valves are retained by yieldable spacers in intermediate positions in which a limited flow can take place through both valves in both directions. This prevents hydraulic fluid from being trapped in the transfer passage which otherwise might cause a fracture to occur upon expansion with temperature of the fluid. Each transfer valve comprises a valve member which is engageable with a seating. The yieldable spacers by which the valve members may be held away from the seatings may be the thickness of a film of hydraulic fluid therebetween.

Abstract: Apparatus for connecting a plurality of integrated circuit components to a circuit board positioned within and held by a frame supported on a flat working table, in which the components are held within a magazine and are moved from the magazine into engagement with the circuit board, means being provided for vibrating the table and circuit board to facilitate movement of the components from the magazines to the board and for connecting the components to the board.

Abstract: A passenger-carrying vehicle (for example a bus) in a passenger transport system is equipped with a ticket reader (18) capable of optically reading information printed on a ticket (10) in bar-code and determining whether or not the ticket is valid. A ticket-printer (16) is provided for issuing bar-coded tickets, and both the reader (18) and the printer (16) are microprocessor-based and associated with a memory (14). Fare-table data is stored in the memory (14a), for reference by the ticket-issuing means, data is stored in the memory (14b) for reference by the ticket-checking means, and both the issuing means and the checking means can communicate information to the memory (14c) and (14d) to enable data concerning tickets handled to be stored for subsequent retrieval for management purposes.

Abstract: A live axle is combined with a brake which is disposed outboard of bearings on which a hub is journalled for rotation. The bearings are mounted on a relatively stationary axle tube, and a drive shaft is mounted within the axle tube for limited movement in an axial direction in order to transmit a brake-applying force to the brake from an actuator housed within a relatively stationary part of the axle.

Abstract: A window assembly for controlling light and ventilation and preventing undesired passage through the window opening has spaced horizontal fixed slats, spaced horizontal movable slats which may be moved vertically to partially or wholly close the spaces between the fixed slats, and vertically spaced tool steel bars extending across the window opening and anchored at their ends in the building structure in which the window assembly is mounted.

Abstract: A sensor is associated with each suspension unit for adjusting the ride height of a vehicle, and each sensor gives an output that varies progressively with ride height. A control circuit, preferably microprocessor based, is arranged to(i) read each of the outputs at least once, preferably in sequence,(ii) select the output which corresponds to the sensed ride height that differs most from the desired ride height, and(iii) apply a correction to the suspension unit associated with the selected output to adjust it towards the desired ride height.The control circuit repeats (i) to (iii) until all the sensed ride heights are within acceptable limits of the desired height whereupon the system enters a so-called trim mode. In this mode corrections are based on a calculated ride height at a conceptual center of height where height variations due to pitch and roll are minimal.

Abstract: A box is provided with an opening in its top for receiving the blade-holding head of a safety razor with the end of the handle of the razor resting on the surface supporting the box. Means within the box directs heated air onto the head of the razor within the opening in the top of the box.

Abstract: A machine for producing crab bodies ready for meat removal comprises means for transporting cooked hard crabs to a first station at which the carapace is centrally cut and the claws, walking legs and swimming legs are removed, then to a station at which the parts of the carapace are loosened and then removed laterally of the crab body as trash, and then to a final processing station at which the crab body is held and cleaned by water jets and specially formed brushes.

Abstract: A spacer bar for double glazing is made as a hollow extrusion of polycarbonate, preferably incorporating about 20% of glass fibre reinforcement.