Abstract: An electric arc welding apparatus for depositing molten metal from an advancing welding wire into a weld puddle in an open root between two juxtapositioned plates where the root extends in a welding path and is formed by converging walls terminating in generally parallel walls spaced to define a gap, which apparatus comprises a contact holder with a wire outlet, a switching power supply directing welding current to the wire as the wire passes from the outlet toward the open root, with the advancing wire defining an electrode stick out between the contact holder and the weld puddle, a circuit for sensing the length of the stick out, and control means for adjusting the welding current as a function of the sensed stick out length.

Abstract: An automatic chute closure for covering a chute opening wherein the chute closure includes a frame disposed around a chute opening, a chute door pivotally connected to the frame for movement between an opened and closed position, a door movement mechanism for opening and closing the chute door, a switch mechanism for activating and deactivating the door movement mechanism and a latch mechanism for securing the chute door in a closed position until the switch mechanism is activated to open the chute door. The automatic chute closure allows an operator to conveniently activate a single switch to open and close the chute door and to insure once the chute door is closed it is properly locked.

Abstract: Information pertaining to characteristics of metal welding electrode wire and which characteristics are useful in connection with adjusting welding parameters in an arc welding process and/or selecting between operating modes in a welding system are encoded on welding wire and/or on other memory components such as bar code labels and tags, RFID cards and tags, IC cards, and Touch Memory buttons, and the memory device is scanned prior to and/or at the point of use of the welding wire for enabling tracking of product distribution, manual and/or automatic selection of an operating mode for the welding system, manual and/or automatic adjustment of welding parameters in a given operating mode, consumables inventory, and the like.

Abstract: In an electric arc welder including a main transformer with a primary stage coupled to a secondary stage in which is created an AC output current, a first switch opened and closed at a given rate to pass a series of first pulses of DC current in a first circuit having a first lead and through at least a portion of the primary stage in a first electrical direction, with each of the first pulses having a length determined by the time the first switch is closed, a second switch opened and closed at the given rate to pass a series of second pulses of DC current in a second circuit having a second lead through at a least a portion of the primary stage in a second electrical direction with each of the second pulses having a length determined by the time the second switch is closed, and a control circuit for rapidly closing the first and second switches in sequence to induce an AC current in the output stage, the improvement comprising: a first current transformer surrounding the first lead of the first circuit to d

Abstract: An auxiliary multiplex vehicle light harness which includes a headlight connector to connect to a headlight, a power connector to connect to a headlight plug, an auxiliary light connector to connect to an auxiliary light, and a microprocessor to control the auxiliary lights. The auxiliary lights may also include a microprocessor to control one or more operations within the auxiliary lights.

Abstract: A tool support for mounting a working tool on a pipe comprises a base having inverted V-shaped saddle portions engaging the pipe and a clamping chain extending between opposite sides of the base for clamping the base on a pipe. A first end of the chain is mounted on one side of the base by a biasing spring arrangement which provides for limited displacement of the end in the direction of tensioning of the chain, and the free end of the chain is adapted to be releasably interengaged with an adjusting mechanism on the opposite side of the base and by which the chain is tensioned to clamp the base against a pipe. A pipe drilling tool is removably mounted on the base and includes a handle by which the tool can be carried and supported during mounting on and dismounting from the base and by which the base and tool can be carried as a unit.

Abstract: A fueling assembly for a fuel tank of an engine driven welder. The engine driven welder has a housing having a top portion, a side portion and a fueling cavity. The fueling cavity is formed in the top portion and the side portion of the engine welder housing. An engine and a fuel tank are located within the housing. The fueling assembly includes a filler tube, a fuel gauge and a grommet to seal the filler tube and fuel gauge in the fueling cavity. The fuel gauge has a fuel level indicator and a fuel level sensor that extends through the filler tube and into the fuel tank. The fuel level indicator registers a plurality of fuel levels in the fuel tank. The grommet is a one piece structure having a lower intermediate section which includes an opening to provide access to the filler tube opening and the fuel level indicator. The side section of the grommet has flanges to connect the grommet to the engine welder housing.

Abstract: In a guiding mechanism for a vehicle sunroof (4) consisting of at least two panels (6, 8, 10, 12) with a roof-mounted frame (14) forming an essentially rectangular opening in the roof (3) of the vehicle, and with guiding rails (16, 17) that are positioned along the edges of the frame (14) that are essentially parallel with the driving direction of the vehicle, and with guiding carriages (18, 20, 22, 24) that can be moved back and forth in the guiding rails (16, 17), whereas the panels (6, 8, 10, 12) are connected at both ends with one guiding carriage (18, 20, 22, 24) each, the problem of little space requirement of the guiding mechanism is solved. This is accomplished in that the guiding carriages (18, 20, 22, 24) of two adjacent-positioned panels (6, 8, 10, 12) can be moved into positions in which the guiding carriages (18, 20, 22, 24) are at least partly positioned side-by-side with each other. Thus, a large maximal aperture of the vehicle sunroof is facilitated.

Abstract: A densely packed storage drum containing wire, and a method and apparatus for producing the same. The storage drum having an interior storage cavity into which wire is fed. The drum is supported on a turn table adapted to rotate and index the storage drum relative to a rotatable laying head which guides the wire into the drum. A capstan turning at a set rotational velocity pulls the wire and delivers the wire into the rotating laying head. As the laying head feeds the wire into the storage drum the difference in the rotational velocities of the capstan and laying head causes the formation of loops of wire in the storage drum. By varying the relative velocities of the capstan and the laying head, and rotating and indexing the storage drum relative to the laying head the wire can be deposited into the drum in layers, with each layer having a plurality of loops of a specified diameter circumferentially and eccentrically positioned about the interior cavity of the drum.

Abstract: An external electrical connector for connecting one or more components of a snowplow blade unit. The electrical connector includes two housing components that are securable together. Each housing component includes an interface end and a coupling end. The coupling ends of the two housing components are designed to be connect together to form an electrical connection. At least one of the interface ends includes at least one electrical connection interface that is designed to form an electrical connection with at least one external snowplow blade component. One of the housings components is secured to a component of said snowplow blade unit. Protection caps and housing holders are used to protect the parts of the housings when the housings are disconnected from one another.

Abstract: In an electric arc welder for creating an arc welding process between a consumable electrode advancing through a contact tip and a workpiece, the welder including a power supply to create an arc current and arc voltage and having a first lead connected to the contact tip and a second lead connected to the workpiece, the improvement comprising dividing the contact tip into an upper tip section and a lower tip section with an insulator electrically isolating the sections, a first switch selectively shiftable to a conductive state connecting one of the power supply leads to said upper tip section, a second switch selectively shiftable to a conductive state connecting the one lead to the lower tip section and a switch operating network creating a first switch signal to shift the first switch to its conductive state and/or a second switch signal to shift the second switch to its conductive state to control the effective CTWD of the arc welding process.

Abstract: A dock bridge to overlie a gap between two connected dock sections. The dock bridge includes two connector plates and a flexible material connected between the two connector plates. Each of the connector plates is made of a corrosion resistant material and the flexible material is made of a water resistant material. The flexible material includes a plurality of ribs positioned in a substantially parallel orientation and lying substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the dock bridge.

Abstract: A moving web tension monitoring apparatus of easily fabricated, relatively inexpensive and easily assembled construction comprises a cantilever mounted strain beam element coupled at the flexurable end thereof through a rigid coupling to one end of the support shaft for the web supporting guide roll. A twin beam type transducer having strain gauges at the flex points of the beams is coupled to the shaft supporting the moving web. The strain gauges are located and electrically connected to measure the radial forces applied to the shaft. A shaft coupler connects the shaft to a bearing in the transducer to reduce slippage of the shaft. The transducer is designed to be easily adjusted so that the forces applied to the shaft are accurately detected. The components of the transducer are also adjustable to alter the rigidity and/or resonance frequency of the transducer.

Abstract: A process for producing a synthetic and/or fuel gas from an organic containing material by utilizing a thermal pretreatment operation and a gasification reactor. The organic containing material is passed through a thermal pre-treatment operation to produce a gas fraction and a solid fraction. The solid fraction is processed in gasification reactor whereby product gas is produced, and contaminated products are processed for safe disposal. The thermal pre-treatment of the organic containing material produces a solid fraction which can be directly supplied to the gasification reactor without a need to supply a high quality coke to the gasification reactor thereby simplifying the process. The gas fraction and product gas produced from the thermal pre-treatment operation and/or gasification reaction, respectively, can be recycled so as to supply energy and/or processing gas for the various other processes.

Abstract: A Pole Alarm System including an electromagnetic field sensor and collision sensors for detecting overhead power lines and physical obstructions within the intended path of a telescoping mast or utility boom device is disclosed. The present alarm system includes a mast-mounted housing containing the sensors and a microprocessor-based control unit which interprets the output signals of the sensors and provides both audible and control feedback to a safety control module in the vehicle to alert the operator of impending contact and to automatically stop the movement of the mast. The alarm housing also features a light source which provides illumination in the direction of movement of the mast to assist in positioning thereof. The light source also functions as a heating element to prevent the accumulation of ice on the housing which would detrimentally affect the performance of the system.

Abstract: A method of generating a real time control signal for use in an electric arc welding process having welding voltage and welding current, said method comprising: measuring the welding voltage and welding current at a first time, momentarily changing either the welding voltage or welding current by less than about 10%, then measuring the welding voltage and the welding current after the change at a second time, determining the welding voltage difference between the first time and the second time, determining the welding current difference between the first time and the second time, producing a derivative value representing the desired control signal by dividing the welding voltage difference between the first and second times by the welding current difference between the first and second times and generating the control signal by the derivative value.

Abstract: An adhesive, paint and adhesive film removal tool provides different scraping edge configurations for different substrates. The removal tool has a gripping portion which acts also as a bottle cap and a blade portion having a gently curved portion, a straight edge portion and a sharp edge portion allowing one to remove adhesive, paint and adhesively bound film from a variety of substrates.

Abstract: A tortilla forming machine for molding dough into a tortilla shell having a top, a bottom, a peripheral edge, and a thickness. The forming machine includes a first member having a first forming surface, a second member having a second forming surface moveable toward and away from the first forming surface, and at least one removable sizing ring. The sizing ring includes a first edge and an opposing second edge, an inner surface and a height defining a cavity between the first and second forming surfaces when the first forming surface is adjacent the first edge and the second forming surface is adjacent the second edge such that the inner surface of the ring forms the peripheral edge of the tortilla shell and the height of the ring forms the thickness of the tortilla shell.