Abstract: A self-sealing expansion rivet assembly comprises an expandable hollow plastic rivet and a plastic drive pin therefor. The rivet has a head and a slotted expandable shank for insertion in aligned holes in sheets which are to be joined together. The drive pin has a head and a serrated shank which, when inserted in the rivet bore and axially drawn thereinto by a tool, causes the pin head to engage the insertion end of the rivet shank and effect outward expansion of the rivet shank to fasten the sheets together, as well as break-off of the projecting end of the pin shank. The pin shank serrations engage a serrated reduced-bore portion in the rivet to hold the pin and rivet together permanently. Integrally formed annularly-shaped conical flexible liquid sealing flanges are provided on the rivet on, at or near the rivet head. As the rivet is expanded by the tool, the sealing flanges are forced against the adjacent panel around the hole therethrough to form a leak-proof seal.

Abstract: A manually operated valve is usable as a shut-off and stop/check valve for handling refrigerant fluids in a system subject to reverse fluid flow. The valve comprises a hollow valve body having fluid inlet and outlet ports, a valve plate within the body with a fluid flow passage therethrough, an annular valve seat on the valve plate around the passage, a hollow internally threaded valve stem sleeve attached to the valve body, a rotatable and axially shiftable externally threaded valve stem extending through the valve stem sleeve into the valve body, and a valve disc which is rotatably and axially shiftably mounted on the inner end of the valve stem and releasably engageable with the valve seat to open and close the valve. Rotation and axial shifting of the valve stem effects axial shifting of the valve disc to open and close the valve to enable it to function as a shut-off valve.

Abstract: A reciprocating type gas compressor comprises a hollow frame or housing having spaced apart end walls, a motor-driven crankshaft disposed within the housing and rotatably mounted on bearing assemblies on the end walls and connecting rods connected to crank pins on the crankshaft for driving pistons located within the housing. The crankshaft comprises a drive shaft at one end and a pump shaft the other end, both extending along a common axis of rotation. The crankshaft also comprises a pair of axially spaced apart counterweights located between the two shafts and a crank arm or link located between the counterweights. A crank pin extends from each counterweight to the link along a pin axis which is parallel to and spaced apart from the common axis of rotation. Each bearing assembly has a hollow cylindrical inner race which is friction-fitted on a shaft at an end of the crankshaft and abutts the side of one counterweight.

Abstract: A rotary screw gas compressor for a refrigeration system comprises a motor-driven single main rotor having helical grooves and mounted for rotation in a rotor bore in the compressor housing and a pair of star-shaped gate rotors rotatably mounted in the housing and engageable with the helical grooves to define a plurality of compression chambers. A suction slide valve member is slidably positionable (between full load and unload positions) to control where low pressure uncompressed refrigerant gas from a suction port is admitted to the compression chambers to thereby function as a suction bypass to control compressor capacity. A discharge slide valve member is slidably positionable (between minimum and adjusted volume ratio positions) to control where high pressure compressed refrigerant gas is expelled from the compression chambers to a discharge port to thereby control the volume ratio and thereby the input power to the compressor.

Abstract: A reusable two-piece fastener for releasably securing together a plurality of panels which have aligned apertures therethrough comprises a body member and an associated externally threaded screw member. The body member, which is molded of resiliently flexible compressible plastic, comprises a head at one end radially expandable/retractable legs at the other end. A cylindrical bore extends inwardly from the head end of the body member. Screw-engaging internal female threads are integrally formed on the bore wall and are arranged in axially spaced apart sets therealong, each set including a plurality of thread sections, each of which sections extends around only a part of the circumference of the bore. These female threads are resiliently movable radially outwardly either because they are inherently compressible and flexible (one embodiment) or because they are formed on outwardly swingable bore wall portions (another embodiment).

Abstract: A rotary screw gas compressor for a refrigeration system comprises a motor-driven single main rotor having helical grooves and mounted for rotation in a rotor bore in the compressor housing and a pair of star-shaped gate rotors rotatably mounted in the housing and engageable with the helical grooves to define a plurality of compression chambers. A suction slide valve member is slidably positionable (between full load and unload positions) to control where low pressure uncompressed refrigerant gas from a suction port is admitted to the compression chambers to thereby function as a suction bypass to control compressor capacity. A discharge slide valve member is slidably positionable (between minimum and adjusted volume ratio positions) to control where high pressure compressed refrigerant gas is expelled from the compression chambers to a discharge port to thereby control the volume ratio and thereby the input power to the compressor.

Abstract: The marine jet propulsion unit of this invention, in preferred form, has a pair of laterally adjacent blade carriers, each having a vertical outer surface movable in a horizontal orbit and to which blades are fixed that project edgewise outwardly. Each blade has a surface facing in the direction of its orbital movement that is concavely curved along its height. The two blade carriers, at opposite sides of a fore-and-aft extending vertical plane of symmetry, are driven in opposite orbital directions such that each has a driving portion remote from the plane of symmetry that moves rearward in an acceleration channel and has an opposite forwardly moving portion adjacent to the plane wherein its blades are interleaved with those of the other. Water entering a forward intake is guided in two streams, one to the front end of each acceleration channel, and the rear end of each acceleration channel is communicated with a discharging outlet nozzle.

Abstract: A gas compressor has cylinders in which gas is compressed by pistons. Each cylinder has a suction valve and an exhaust valve to admit uncompressed gas and expel compressed gas. The suction valve includes a suction valve plate which repeatedly moves toward and away from the top end of the cylinder between closed and open positions, respectively. Apparatus to control compressor capacity includes an unloader mechanism to selectively prevent the suction valve plate moving to fully closed position to thereby unload the cylinder and reduce compressor capacity. The unloader mechanism comprises an unloader piston movable in an unloader cylinder in response to system conditions to move a linkage which determines the closure position of the suction valve plate. The linkage includes a pivotable lift arm biased toward a position which allows full closure of the suction valve plate and is movable by the unloader piston to another position which prevents full closure of the suction valve plate.

Abstract: A universal paper feed cassette wherein the position of a slidable guide plate for stopping the recording paper to be loaded is detected by a detecting device, so that the size of recording paper can be detected.

Abstract: A picture image discriminating apparatus operating for picture image discrimination processing by scanning a document, converting a light signal corresponding to every unit reading sizes 0.01 mm.sup.2 or over of the document photoelectrically and transmitting it to a signal processing division that a density signal of the picture image of document. The document is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the density signal of the picture image of document is processed at every blocks, thereby discriminating picture images. The density signal of the picture image of document is processed to obtain an effective density histogram, and a cumulative value of the density signals over or below a specific density threshold is obtained in the histogram, thereby discriminating picture images.

Abstract: A rough terrain vehicle comprises a vehicle chassis, resilient terrain-engaging wheel assemblies connected to the chassis and enabling vertical and angular deflection of the chassis relative to the terrain during vehicle movement, a telescopic crane boom carried by the chassis, a pivot pin for connecting the boom to the chassis and enabling limited reciprocable angular deflection of the boom relative to the chassis as the vehicle moves across supporting terrain and a hydraulic boom hoist cylinder to raise and lower the boom. A deflection reduction system is connected between the chassis and the boom to reduce or eliminate vertical and angular deflection (bouncing and porpoising) of the chassis relative to the terrain which tends to occur in response to dynamic loads imposed on the vehicle axles by movement across uneven terrain or by acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle.

Abstract: A folding fillet knife comprises a molded two-piece plastic or metal handle, a metal blade pivotally connected to the handle and pivotable between open and closed positions, and a latching member slidably mounted on the handle. The latching member is spring biased into a latching position wherein it engages the base end of the blade and either releasably secures the blade in closed position or positively locks the blade in open position. The latching member is slidably movable to an unlatching position either automatically (as the blade opens) to enable the blade to be pivoted from closed to open position, or manually to allow the blade to be pivoted from open to closed position.

Abstract: A refrigeration system comprises a compressor, a condenser, a receiver, an evaporator, and an adjustably controllable expansion valve connected in the refrigerant supply line from the receiver to the evaporator. An electronic control system adjustably controls the expansion valve so as to maintain the maximum amount of liquid refrigerant in the evaporator while preventing flow of liquid refrigerant to the compressor. The electronic control system measures both the actual refrigerant temperature and refrigerant vapor pressure at a common point near the evaporator outlet port, converts the measured vapor pressure to a saturation temperature, determines the differential between the two temperatures and adjusts the expansion valve in accordance therewith, i.e., closing or opening in response to differentials below or above a set point, respectively.

Abstract: In a two-piece plastic fastener, initially molded as a unit, one piece is a grommet having a head with a flat front surface and forwardly projecting legs defining a sidewardly and forwardly opening slot; the other piece is a pin receivable through the head and forwardly slidable in the slot to an operative position holding the front ends of the legs flexingly diverged. As molded, a front end portion of the pin is connected with the head by a frangible flashing. A forwardly opening radially extending groove in the front of the head, opening from one side of the slot, defines a substantially flat forwardly facing groove surface that is rearwardly offset from and parallel to the front surface of the head and is flush with the front end surface of the pin. Cooperating ridges on the grommet legs and the pin confine the latter to lengthwise motion between the legs.

Abstract: A refrigeration gas compressor comprises a piston reciprocably movable to effect gas compression, a motor-driven rotatable crank shaft, and a connecting rod between a crank shaft, crank pin and a piston wrist pin. A crank pin receiving hole and a wrist pin receiving hole in the connecting rod are connected by an oil passage. The crank pin has two lubricating oil supply ports at opposite sides of its outer surface through which lubricating oil is pumped. A bearing assembly comprising semi-circular upper and lower bearing sections is disposed around the crank pin. The upper bearing section has wedge-shaped oil well recesses at opposite ends of its inner surface which receive oil from the oil supply ports. The upper bearing section also has two oil feed holes therethrough for supplying oil from the wells to a groove in the crank pin hole side wall adjacent the upper bearing section.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for manufacturing electrical cords comprising modular multi-contact connectors attached to opposite ends of a segment of a multi-conductor sheathed cable. Each connector comprises a plastic housing having a cavity for receiving an end of the cable segment, displaceable anchors for mechanically engaging the cable sheath and the insulation on the conductors, and flat contacts displaceable for piercing the insulation on the conductors and making electrical contact with the wires therewithin. The apparatus includes: machinery for cutting segments from a strand of cable and for conveying them along a path; strippers along the path for removing small portions of the sheath from the ends of the segments to expose the ends of the insulated conductors therewithin; trimmers along the path for trimming the exposed ends of the insulated conductors; and connector attachment machines along the path.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for knitting stockings on a circular knitting machine, wherein the reciprocating mode knitting is performed with at least two feeds, the needles are retracted to their rest positions to be raised solely by means of jacks, and a heel cup is formed by initially narrowing and subsequently widening one needle at the beginning of each reciprocating stroke. The invention aims at achieving smaller and more uniform openings along the narrowing and widening boundaries. This is achieved by narrowing, or widening respectively, a further needle at the end of each reciprocating stroke.

Abstract: A film mounting device wherein a mounting frame constituted by a pair of foldable main and auxiliary plates is transferred from a stocking position to a mounting position by a cam means, a developed film is fed so as to be set in place one frame at a time in the mounting frame by a detecting means, one frame thus of the film fed out is cut, the film is fitted into the main plate of the mounting frame and the auxiliary plate of the mounting frame is folded on the main plate by means of a folding rod which is driven by a cam, and finally the auxiliary plate is pressed on the main plate intimately by using rollers.

Abstract: A knife holder for removably supporting kitchen knives, each having a handle and a blade, is adapted to rest on a table or counter or hang on a wall. The holder includes an upwardly sloped upper surface, a generally vertical front surface, a plurality of slots extending inwardly from these two surfaces, and an obstruction near the lower end of the slots so that the length of the interior portion of a slot at least equals the length of a knife blade, whereas the frontal portion of a slot (down to the obstruction) is shorter than the knife blade. A knife handle engaging projection is located adjacent the upper end of each slot to prevent accidental slippage of a knife from a slot. When a knife is supported in a slot, the blade tip is behind and below the obstruction, and the knife handle rests on the upper surface of the holder behind the handle engaging projection.

Abstract: A developing method wherein a developer layer formed on a developer feeding carrier is conveyed, into an oscillating electric field, and an electrostatic latent image on an image retainer is developed by the developer of the developer layer inside the oscillating electric field. The developer has carrier particles and toner particles and the average particle size of the carrier particles is from 5 to 50 .mu.m. The average particle size of the toner particles is up to 20 .mu.m. The carrier particle and the toner particle are sphered.