Abstract: A rotary fluid motor or pump including a rotor mounted to turn about an axis within a housing, and a shaft extending through a passage in the rotor and turning with it, with a key being received within opposed grooves in the rotor and shaft, and with a fastener being connected threadedly to the shaft and being operable by threaded adjustment relative to the shaft to urge the key radially outwardly toward the rotor and thereby rigidly lock the rotor and shaft against relative movement.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for forming a thread of varying pitch by utilizing a threading assembly which includes a plurality of threading elements having thread cutting or forming portions on the different elements for engaging the work piece at different locations, with the assembly and work piece being driven both rotatively and at the same time axially relative to one another to form the thread. The rate of axial advancement per revolution between the work piece and each of the threading elements is varied, and the elements of the assembly are also shifted axially relative to one another during the rotary and axial movement, to give the thread its varying pitch.

Abstract: A lane marker which is attached to the surface of a road to define the boundary between two lanes, and which is adapted to receive light from the headlights of a rear one of two vehicles traveling in the same direction on the road and direct a portion of that light forwardly from the marker for viewing from the forward vehicle, to indicate to the driver of the forward vehicle the position of the rear vehicle with respect to the marker. The device includes a prism or other light directing unit or assembly acting by refraction and/or reflection to aim the light forwardly within a preferably limited angle assuring sufficient intensity of the light for effective viewing by the driver of the forward vehicle. The device may also reflect some of the light back to the trailing vehicle for viewing by its driver.

Abstract: A grip assembly for a hand gun, including two body panels which are received at opposite sides of a handle of the gun, and which may be formed either separately or integrally as a unitary body, with at least one grip element being mountable in fixed position relative to the body panels and relative to the handle. Preferably, the assembly includes both a forward grip unit and a back strap formed at least in part of deformable elastomeric material for cushioning contact of the grip assembly with the user's hand. The forward grip unit may have two side portions to be received at outer sides of the two body panels, with a forward strap extending between and interconnecting the side portions at the front of the handle. The body panels may be connected to the handle by extension of a pin through those panels and through an opening in the handle. The same pin may also extend through an opening in the back strap to secure the body panels, the forward grip unit, and the back strap in fixed relative positions.

Abstract: A gauge which is constructed to measure a thread of varying pitch, and which includes a threaded gauge element adapted to be screwed into engagement with the thread of varying pitch and to a point at which the threads have a light binding relationship resisting further advancement of the threads together, in combination with a dial indicator adapted to indicate the position at which the binding of the threads occurs as a measurement of the thread of varying pitch. The device may include a second element which is shiftable axially relative to the threaded gauge element to a position limited by engagement with the part containing the thread of varying pitch, with the dial indicator being responsive to and adapted to indicate the relative positioning of the two elements.

Abstract: A device for selecting a particular number, letter or other symbol for a lottery game or the like, and which includes a body adapted to be held by a user and carrying a wheel which is manually rotatable relative to the body and which has a series of numbers or other markings movable to a predetermined viewing position in different settings of the wheel. A member is mounted to the body for movement between a position blocking viewing of the markings during rotation of the wheel and permitting viewing of a single marking when the wheel is stopped. Preferably, the member acts to lock the wheel in a particular setting when in viewing condition, and is yieldingly urged by a spring to the position in which the wheel is free to turn.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of forming on a fastener body by relative rotary and axial movement of a thread forming tool and the body, a thread having a pitch which changes progressively through a plurality of turns, and an apparatus for progressively deforming an elongated element having a predetermined initial cross section to the form of a coil defining an internal thread and having a progressively changing cross section giving the thread a progressively changing pitch.

Abstract: A portable abrading or polishing tool including a body containing a cylinder chamber, a piston reciprocable within the cylinder chamber, a shoe which is reciprocated relative to the body by the piston but oppositely from the piston, and at least one counterweight which is located laterally adjacent the piston and is reciprocated oppositely from the piston to reduce vibration of the tool. There may be two at opposite sides of the piston; and a third counter weight such counterweight which is located near the shoe and reciprocated oppositely from the shoe. The tool may include bearing elements interposed between the body of the tool and the shoe and containing openings communicating with passages formed in a pad carried by the shoe to conduct a flow of air or another fluid to or from those passages.

Abstract: A roof structure formed of overlapping rows of tiles retained in place by elongated generally horizontally extending members each of which extends along and is vertically between upper edge portions of the tiles in a first row of tiles and lower edge portions of the tiles in a second row. The tiles of the two rows preferably have flanges which are secured to opposite edges of the member. The tiles and the mentioned retaining members are secured in position by attachment to a series of parallel base boards forming a part of the substructure of the roof assembly. The tiles are strengthened at their side edges by reinforcing plates received beneath the tiles and each projecting laterally into overlapping relation with two adjacent tiles, with these elements also assisting in preventing flow of water downwardly between the side edges of adjacent tiles.

Abstract: A device for transmitting torque from a power unit to a drill string or other rotary pipe, and which is constructed upon reverse rotation to preferentially break a threaded connection between the device and a stand of the pipe without disconnecting a plurality of lengths of pipe in the stand from one another. The torque transmitting device includes a tubular structure having a thread adapted to be advanced into engagement with a thread at an end of the pipe, and a shoulder ring carried by and rotatable with the tubular structure and having a shoulder engageable against a shoulder of the pipe to limit advancement of the threads together, with axial forces being transmitted from the tubular structure to the ring by interengageable bearing surfaces which permit limited rotary movement of the structure and its thread relative to the shoulder ring.

Abstract: A central, length-delineated spine is formed by successive U shaped arms to which a pair of novel starting blocks can be attached, one on each side, and slid to such positions as desired by the runner. Each starting block is formed with a hollow open bottom side housing or box which will fit down over an anchorage block carried by successive U arms so as to lock the two together at a particular position along the spine. When raised free of such lockage, a starting block can be slid lengthwise due to (a) a pair of projecting lips or edge rails formed lengthwise along the starting block and along the hollow housing, and (b) composite slide rails formed by alignment of successive anchor blocks of a line of arms. Such starting blocks are easily raised and slid to new positions but cannot fall off the assembly (which might injure a foot) even if the assembly is inverted.

Abstract: A portable powered abrading tool including a body adapted to be held and be manipulated by a user, a sanding pad or other unit mounted to the body for movement relative thereto and adapted to carry a sheet of abrasive material or other work abrading element, and a motor for driving the pad relative to the body, with the pad or other movable unit containing a passage or passages to be connected to a source of water and which deliver the water through the interior of the unit and discharge it from the unit onto a work surface. The movable unit has a surface bearing against the sheet of abrasive material and containing openings through which the water is discharged for delivery through registering openings in the sheet of abrasive material and onto the work.

Abstract: A soap holder having a projection adapted to extend into a recess in a bar of soap in a manner supporting the bar from its interior to avoid or minimize contact of the outer surfaces of the bar of soap with supporting surfaces. The bar may contain an element embedded within the soap and adapted to engage the projection to limit movement of the soap onto the projection and assist in supporting the bar in proper position.

Abstract: A portable abrading or polishing tool including a body containing a cylinder chamber, a piston reciprocable within the cylinder chamber, a shoe which is reciprocated relative to the body by the piston but oppositely from the piston, and at least one counterweight which is located laterally adjacent the piston and is reciprocated oppositely from the piston to reduce vibration of the tool. There may be two such counterweights at opposte sides of the piston, and a third counterweight which is located near the shoe and reciprocated oppositely from the shoe. The tool may include bearing elements interposed between the body of the tool and the shoe and containing openings communicating with passages formed in a pad carried by the shoe to conduct a flow of air or another fluid to or from those passages.

Abstract: A jaw assembly for apparatus for gripping pipes, the apparatus being of the type having automatic means for exerting increased gripping force upon application thereto, is provided with a member having a concave surface which cooperates with a gripped pipe to override the automatic means for exerting increased gripping force. Having such a member, the jaw assembly of the present invention can exert a predetermined maximum gripping force on a gripped pipe notwithstanding amount of torque applied to the apparatus. Considering angular relationships involving jaw cam angle, the present invention can be manifested in an increasing cam angle jaw for power tongs.

Abstract: A gage including two relatively movable structures which carry two gaging elements for contacting a screw thread or other work surface at different locations and which control an indicator producing a display representing a measurement of the thread or other surface. The two structures are mounted for relative movement by a guide rod attached to one of those structures and slidably movable longitudinally within a bushing attached to the other structure, with a spring applying force in opposite directions to the first of these structures and the bushing respectively to urge the gaging elements against the surface being measured. The bushing is shiftable to different positions relative to the structure to which it is attached, to vary the spring force for use with different size parts or under other varying operating conditions.

Abstract: A portable abrading or polishing tool including a body structure containing an air motor which drives a head carrying an abrading or polishing element to abrade or polish a work surface. The motor has a housing containing a chamber within which a rotor turns, with an essentially vertical shaft of the motor projecting downwardly through a bottom wall of the housing and operatively connected to the head to drive it. A wear plate is located vertically between the rotor and the bottom wall of the housing and is formed of a material harder than the rotor or housing, and contains an opening through which the shaft projects downwardly in closely fitting but non-contacting relation to minimize downward escape of air from the chamber along the shaft and protect a bearing carried by the bottom wall of the housing against loss of lubricant by the pressure of escaping air.