Abstract: The combustion air, which is induced into a calcining furnace (calciner) from the lower end thereof and is vigorously swirled upward along the furnace wall, is burned by a plurality of burners and the negative pressure region may be developed at the center portion of the furnace. The exhaust gases leaving a rotary kiln, in which the calcined raw materials are burned to clinker, are led upwardly from the center of the furnace bottom into the said negative region and mixed with combustion gases. The raw material particles may be fed directly into the said negative region or to kiln exhaust gases so as to be entrained into the said region.

Abstract: An internal member for supporting a hollow body during shearing in the form of a close-fitting solid body. The body comprises at least portions meeting in the shearing plane and each portion including at least one split ring having a single gap in its periphery to allow it to expand to fit the hollow body. Expansion may be effected by axial movement of frusto-conical plugs corresponding to and co-operating with frusto-conical inner surface in the rings. Each ring may either comprise a single component, preferably notched on its inner face to increase flexibility, or be in the form of a thin split cylindrical shell surrounding a plurality of inner segments.

Abstract: A framed textile fabric assembly for use in embroidery is disclosed. The assembly includes an open peripheral frame having a textile fabric fixedly secured across the frame. The user embroiders any desired pattern onto the fabric and then quickly and easily obtains a picture framed work by fitting a member across the back of the frame. A pleasing three-dimensional effect to the embroidered work is obtained by inserting a resilient pad between the embroidered textile fabric and the member.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for central heating in which water to be heated passes through a circular array of parallel tubes. Hot gas passes over the outside of the tubes and heats the water up. Metal wire interlaces the tubes and helps conduction heat from the gas to the water. Preferably the arrangement of tubes and wires is metal coated to further help the heat conduction.

Abstract: A portable rack for water skis and tow ropes is provided with means by which it may be releasably mounted on the transom of a boat and comprises spaced connected end members each of which has narrow slots extending inwardly from its edge, the slots in opposite end members being aligned to snugly receive water skis, the end members being provided with rods which are slidable through the end members to permit the rack to be accommodated to boats of different sizes, and quick release means of adjustable length are provided on each end member for releasably but firmly connecting the rack to the boat, and a strap is releasably trained over the edge of each end member to hold the skis in place in the slots. Spaced spools are provided over and between which tow ropes may be coiled for storage.

Abstract: A hydraulic actuator for a vehicle brake system is provided with an auxiliary mechanical actuator e.g. a handbrake cam which is fitted to a first component (e.g. a first piston) of the hydraulic actuator and acts through an automatic slack adjuster on a second component (e.g. a second piston) of the hydraulic actuator. The adjuster comprises a rotatable push rod and a non-rotatable nut with a screw-thread connection therebetween. The rotatable push rod has a portion which is sealed to the first piston and upon which the mechanical actuator acts.

Abstract: A brake comprises an elongate friction pad engageable with a rotor surface, the friction pad being supported close to the rotor surface by a support. A connecting link connects the support to a fixed structure and transmits the braking drag forces to the fixed structure whilst permitting a degree of substantially friction-free movement of the body of friction material toward and away from the rotor surface.

Abstract: The present specification describes and claims a friction pad assembly for use in a sliding caliper disc brake and a sliding caliper disc brake incorporating such an assembly. The friction pad assembly comprises a backing plate, a pad of friction material secured to the backing plate, and a wire spring attached to the backing plate and extending outwardly in two directions from its point of attachment to the backing plate. When the assembly is incorporated in a sliding caliper disc brake which comprises a torque member and caliper member, the wire spring engages the caliper member both pressing the friction pad assembly down onto guides in the torque member and biasing the torque member and caliper member apart to take up any clearance. Thus the possibility of the assembly rattling in the brake and the torque member and caliper member rattling together, is reduced.

Abstract: An automatic slack adjuster assembly is provided in or for a vehicle internal shoe drum brake of the duo-servo type having primary and secondary shoes located within a rotatable drum so that the primary shoe is carried round with the drum when the brake is applied, the slack adjuster assembly being located in a housing between adjacent ends of the shoes and including a thrust member which engages the ends of the shoes and transmits thrust on the primary shoe to the secondary shoe when the brake is applied. The adjuster assembly includes a sensing mechanism which senses relative movement between the thrust member and the housing and controls an energy-storing clutch mechanism which is connected to an adjuster and operates the adjuster to increase the effective length of the thrust member when the torque generated by the stored energy force is greater than the torque generated by the force applied to the thrust member from the shoe ends.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a furnace gas sampling device provided with a gate valve of the type in which a swingable valve disk is actuated to seal a lance insertion hole formed through the furnace wall when a lance is retracted away from the furnace and a mechanism for discharging dust and the like out of the valve box while the valve disk sealing the lance insertion hole.

Abstract: Improved optical means for automatically controlling or monitoring the position of a relatively moving member such as a tool tip in a numerically controlled machine tool has an image of a region of a datum line projected on to a slit in an optical system. Light passing through the slit falls on to a photoelectric detector device which comprises an array of discrete elements. The elements are electronically scanned sequentially and an electric circuit is provided to produce an output signal when a preset change in incident light intensity is detected by any of the photoelectric elements thus indicating the presence of the movable member at the datum line. There may be two slits projecting images of the region around two transverse datum lines on to two separate arrays so that the movable member can be controlled in two dimensions. Alternatively, in place of two separate arrays and two slits a single two dimensional array may be provided suitably masked.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rolling cut type shear wherein a downwardly curved upper blade is moved in such a way that the midpoint thereof in the longitudinal direction passes a cycloidal path, whereby the slip of the upper blade relative to a steel plate to be cut may be prevented.

Abstract: In a vehicle having a high center of gravity and having brakes on wheels on opposite sides operated by hydraulic actuators, either simultaneously for pure vehicle retardation or independently for steering fluid, fluid under pressure from a master cylinder assembly is supplied to all the hydraulic actuators through a inertia-controlled device so that the pressure of fluid from the master cylinder assembly is reduced at least when the brakes are applied simultaneously for pure vehicle retardation and the deceleration of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A fluid flow control valve having a closure member movable by axial movement of a stem in which sealing means are provided between the valve body and a sleeve covering the part of the stem extending out of the valve body. Preferably the seal is a lip seal on a plastics sleeve secured to the body to provide an opening indicator and a lubricant reservoir.

Abstract: In a wedge-type vehicle brake actuator with a cage assembly unattached to the wedge member the travel of the cage assembly is limited by an engagement with one follower member. With an assymetric cage assembly the assembly of the cage assembly into the housing is prevented by an engagement with a follower member when the cage assembly is assembled the wrong way.

Abstract: A suspension unit comprises a cylinder, a diaphragm within the cylinder forming an end wall a pressure space in the cylinder filled with a mixture of fixed masses of gas and liquid and a damping piston working in the pressure space with a piston rod extending sealingly through one end of the cylinder. The position of the diaphragm is variable to adjust the pressure in the pressure space.

Abstract: In a disc brake of the kind in which the clamping member straddling the disc consists of pressure plates located on opposite sides of the disc interconnected at their outermost ends by draw-bars, each draw bar is provided at at least one end with a screw-threaded portion which is screwed into an open-ended screw-threaded bore in a member and a releasable coupling is provided between the member and the one end of the draw bar.

Abstract: In an hydraulically operated disc brake a stop is incorporated for determining the retracted position of the piston, the stop being movable towards the disc to compensate for wear of the friction pads and also acting as an anti knock-back device. The stop comprises a plate having an aperture through which a pin projects, the pin being fixed to the cylinder or to a second piston in the cylinder. An abutment member provides an abutment for the plate, and a first spring acts between the abutment member and the plate so as to urge the plate into a locked tilting position inclined with respect to the pin. A second spring acts on the abutment member to urge it in a direction away from the pad assembly.

Abstract: In a control valve assembly for a vehicle hydraulic braking system a differential piston works in a stepped bore in the housing of the valve and is exposed at its end of greater area to an inlet port and at its end of smaller area to a chamber in the valve, the inlet port communicating at all times with the chamber through a restricted passage in the piston, and the chamber communicating with a further chamber in which a valve is located at least when the valve is in a first position in which the inlet port is in communication through the chambers with an outlet port for connection to the wheel brake.

Abstract: A tool for removing U-shaped wire staples has a handle and an elongated rod-like tool which has a pointed lower part for positioning adjacent the bridge of a staple with embedded legs, a horizontal slot above the pointed end for receiving the bridge of the staple, and an upper part for stabilizing the bridge when it is received within the slot. The handle is aligned with the tool so that the rear end of the handle may be struck, forcing the bridge into the slot in a jam-fit grasp and driving the legs of the staple from the material holding them.