Abstract: A riveted brake assembly comprising a friction pad attached to a metal support plate with rivets. Each rivet comprises a rivet head disposed in a counter bored friction pad hole, a shoulder portion disposed in and filling a small diameter portion of the friction pad hole, a shank portion of lesser diameter than the shoulder portion disposed in the support plate hole, and a tubular tip portion extending beyond said support plate and adapted to be rolled over to secure the friction pad to the support plate. In its preferred form, the rivet is an eyelet of substantially uniform wall thickness, wherein the length and diameter of the rivet shoulder are substantially the same as the length and diameter of the small diameter portion of the friction pad hole.

Abstract: A bicycle handlebar holder for a wrist instrument with pushbuttons and electrical contact means, said holder having a holder body, a cover which is pivotable with respect to the body and defining therewith a receptacle for holding the case of said wrist instrument when the cover is closed, a clamp for attaching the body to a bicycle handlebar, a plurality of electrical contacts disposed in the body and opening into the receptacle, and at least one manual actuator disposed in the cover and adapted to be operated from outside of the cover and having a portion movable inside said receptacle which is disposed to depress a pushbutton when the actuator is operated.

Abstract: A process is provided for the recovery of vanadium and nickel values from petroleum residues and, in particular, from Flexicoke. In the process, Flexicoke is blended with an alkali metal source, such as sodium sulfate or sodium carbonate, and then roasted in an oxygen-containing gas until carbon is removed and a fused mixture is obtained. Thereafter, the vanadium is leached from the mixture with an aqueous solution, and nickel is contained in solids remaining from the leaching.

Abstract: An electronic wristwatch includes an electronic circuit such as a lead frame with extending conductive strips providing a first battery contact terminal and switch contact terminal for operating and setting the wristwatch. A multipurpose switch actuator makes continuous electrical contact between the wristwatch battery and the first contact terminal, and makes selective switching contact with the second contact terminal when actuated by a push-pull detented stem. The stem is removable when twisted using a tool so as to unseat the detent spring, so that it can be pulled from the watch frame, and is also reinsertable without disassembling the watch. The switch actuator serves various other functions, including spring biasing of the stem detent and holding the electronic circuit lead frame in the watch frame.

Abstract: In a wristwatch movement with a stepping motor with a rotor connected to drive a gear train which periodically advances the hands of the wristwatch, the stepping motor has a flat stator piece secured in a plastic movement frame. A coilcore assembly comprising a flat hook-shaped core plate having a straight core portion of uniform width with a coil inserted over the free hand of the core portion is secured to the stator so that opposite ends of the hook-shaped member overlap opposite ends the stator to complete a path for the magnetic flux. The hook-shaped coil core is placed on top of the stator during assembly and is held down by insulated clamping means such as a bridge or circuit board bolted to the frame at the time of final assembly. Preferably, the stator and coil core member are located with respect to one another by plastic studs integral with the frame extending through aligned holes in the stator and coil core. Some of the studs receive bolts which hold the clamping means to the frame.

Abstract: An improved contact spring in a movement for a timepiece having a frame, a stepping motor, an energy cell, a circuit driving the stepping motor with a switching terminal for disabling the stepping motor, a gear train driven by the stepping motor, and a manually actuatable stem disposed in the frame. The improved contact spring comprises a shaped member of electrically conductive spring metal with a battery contact portion and a circuit supply portion respectively engaging the energy cell and the supply terminal of the circuit. The contact spring has a spring biased first arm actuated by movement of the stem, said first arm having a braking portion adapted to supply a braking force to a member of the gear train when the stem is actuated. The arm may further include a switching portion adapted to make and break contact with the switching terminal of the circuit to disable the stepping motor when the stem is actuated.

Abstract: An improved motion display for articles inside a showcase comprises a base member having longitudinally spaced walls, and a moving set of shelves each having receptacles for articles to be displayed. A continuous loop chain conveyor traverses the walls in a substantially rectangular pattern. Stationary guide rails cooperate with the shelves to periodically pivot or rotate them into various orientations as they travel. A photoelectric sensor stops the travel of the shelves when a customer interrupts light striking the sensor.

Abstract: Briefly stated, the invention is practiced by providing a wristwatch with a case having manually actuated switches, a microcomputer in the case responsive to the switches, an annunciator responsive to the microcomputer, and an electrooptic display having a set of first segments arranged to provide digits and a set of second circumferentially spaced radial segments surrounding the first segments. The microcomputer is programmed to provide several modes of operation, such as a time of day mode, a timer mode, a chronograph mode, and a ratio calculation mode. The time of day mode is arranged to display local time of day on the first segments and time in another time zone on the second segments. The timer mode is arranged to display the time remaining in a countdown time period selected by manually actuating one of the switches. The time remaining is displayed on the first segments while local time of day is displayed on the second segments.

Abstract: A digital wristwatch having a case and strap also serves as a computer to display speed, distance, and pedaling cadence when temporarily attached to a holder on the bicycle handlebar. Wheel and sprocket sensors are connected to electrical terminals in the holder. The wristwatch is provided with external electrical terminals connected to a microcomputer in the watchcase which uses signals from the sensors when the watchcase is termporarily retained in the holder. The watch mode is converted to bicycle mode by actuating push buttons on the watchcase, which are accessible through windows on the holder.

Abstract: An electroluminescent device adapted to serve as the dial of a conventional analog timepiece, with a central aperture for the stem carrying the timepiece hand and inscribed on the upper surface thereof with conventional time-indicating indicia, so that it can be read as a normal watch dial.

Abstract: An antenna for a wrist transmitter or receiver carried in a wrist instrument is made of a wire mesh enclosed in an elastic fabric sleeve. The antenna wire is composed of a tubular mesh of individual copper conductors which are loosely woven, twisted, or braided in such a way as to permit lateral expansion and also to assume a flat configuration. In a preferred form of the invention, the wire is woven in a manner similar to that of a coaxial cable outer shield conductor. The method of making the expansion band antenna consists of inserting an unexpanded wire mesh within a stretchable elastic fabric sleeve, expanding the mesh within the sleeve, and then flattening the sleeve and wire mesh. The wire mesh may be expanded within the sleeve by allowing a stretched sleeve to relax while holding the unexpanded mesh within it, or it may be expanded laterally within the sleeve by a mechanical or pneumatic tool.

Abstract: A first device having a segmented display for normally displaying information in numeric or alphanumeric form is provided with means to aid the setting of a bank of externally accessible switches on a second device so that they correspond with internal switching data contained in the first device. Segments or groups of segments on the display of the first device are selected in pairs to represent a position of a respective switch on the second device. One of each pair of segments or groups of segments is activated so that the appearance of the display corresponds to the desired appearance of the properly set switches in the bank of switches. This aids in setting the switches to the proper positions. For example, each pair of vertically aligned segments in a segmented numeric display represents a switch position. The switch is set on or off depending upon whether the upper or lower segment of each vertical pair is activated.

Abstract: An antenna for a radio frequency transmitter or receiver carried in a wrist instrument is made as a loop of individually insulated multistrand wire embedded in an elastic fabric which comprises an expansion wristband for the wrist instrument, together with a capacitor embedded in a strap end. The multistrand wire is longer than the unstretched fabric and is either interwoven into the elastic field or sandwiched between two layers of fabric. The wire is folded back and forth in a serpentine shape in order to accomodate expansion. One end of the multistrand wire is soldered to a ground connection clip and the connection is embedded in a molded strap end. The other end of the multistrand wire is soldered to an insulated wire leading into the instrument case and to one lead of a capacitor. The other lead of the capacitor is soldered to a ground connection clip and all connections, as well as the capacitor are embedded in the other molded strap end.

Abstract: A movement for a three hand quartz analog timepiece has an energy cell supplying power to a timekeeping circuit which periodically steps the rotor of a Lavet type stepping motor. The stepping motor rotor drives a "seconds" wheel assembly attached to the "seconds" hand spindle through one or more intermediate wheel assemblies of gear, pinion, and spindle. A first intermediate wheel spindle of non-magnetic material is journaled such that its axis extends through the circumferential gap carrying magnetic flux between the rotor and the stator of the stepping motor. Several alternative means of journaling the first intermediate wheel assembly within the active flux gap of the stepping motor are shown and described, as well as movements having two intermediate wheel assemblies. The arrangement allows a small diameter "seconds" wheel and a relatively large energy cell, which provides a long running time for the movement.

Abstract: A wristwatch movement has a Lavet stepping motor directly driving a center wheel attached to the minute hand. The frame plate of the movement is of non-magnetic plastic material with recesses locating the pole shoes of two stator members of the stepping motor. An integral plastic cylindrical wall extends from the recess. The stepping motor rotor is rotatably supported within the wall by a journal at one end in the frame plate and at the other end by a cap. The stator pole faces are accurately spaced from the rotor by the wall and held in place by deforming plastic material against the stator pieces toward the wall.