Abstract: A dereeler for welding wire capable of dispensing wire from very heavy loaded reels wherein the reel may be rolled upon the reel spool peripheries into the dereeler and manually raised to a reel rotatable position. A carriage upon which the cradles supporting the reel are mounted is supported on a frame by a linkage system wherein pivoting of the carriage between reel loading and unloading positions permits the reel axle to be received within the cradles while the reel spools are supported on the floor, and pivoting of the carriage on the frame lifts the reel axle supported in the cradles from the supporting floor surface permitting rotation of the reel for wire dispensing purposes.

Abstract: In an automated method for mounting a valve stem to the rim of an automotive vehicle wheel, rims are supplied in series by a conveyor to a gauging station where the location and alignment of a hole for receiving the valve stem is determined by a machine vision system. An electronic control system directs a robotic manipulator to grasp the rim, move it to a mounting station where a valve stem is retained, position the rim such that the hole is in alignment with the valve stem, and urge the rim toward the valve stem to insert the valve stem through the hole in the rim. If necessary, a power-actuated nut runner, mounted on the robotic manipulator or adjacent the mounting station, is used to tighten a nut over the valve stem to secure. As an alternative to the machine vision system, the gauging station may utilize a rotating table which rotates the wheel about its central axis, and an “electric eye” optical sensor which directs a beam of infrared light onto the rim.

Abstract: A radially resilient connector is fixedly mounted at one end in a cup shaped recess in a terminal. A cap is fixed over the other end of the connector and rotated with respect to the terminal to angularly offset the opposed ends of the contact member of the connector. The cap is then fixed to the terminal. In one aspect, the connector has two outer sleeves mounted over opposite ends. A tab on one sleeve engages an aperture in the other sleeve after one of the sleeves is angularly offset with respect to the other sleeve. In another aspect, an inner sleeve of the connector is formed with an electrically insulating material, radially extending projection extending therefrom dividing the outer sleeve into two separate conductive parts. An electrical circuit connected to one of the outer sleeves causes current to flow through the contact member to the other sleeve portion to generate heat within the connector.

Abstract: An apparatus for selectively inflating multiple balloons simultaneously, sequentially, or in random order include a housing for storing pneumatic and electrical control devices and gas conduits. Ports are formed through the housing and each having a nozzle secured thereon. One end of one gas conduit is connected to an external source of pressurized gas and another end is in communication with the ports. An actuator is associated with each port for selectively actuating the delivery of pressurized gas to the associated nozzle manually or automatically. Each port may be automatically closed when predetermined parameters are met in the automatic mode.

Abstract: A golf tee height set apparatus includes a golf tee with a shank having a lower end extending between a pointed tip and a shoulder intermediate the opposite ends of the shank. The shoulder defines a surface extending radially outward from the lower end of the shank. The upper end increases in diameter from the shoulder to a ball receiving surface. A stopper in the form of a disc is slidable over the lower end of the shank into engagement with the shoulder. The stopper has an outer dimension suitable for resisting insertion of the tee into the ground beyond the stopper thereby setting a constantly repeatable height of the ball receiving surface of the golf tee above the ground. A plurality of like tees, each with a different dimension of the lower end or the upper end may be provided as a group of tees to provide repeatability for different tee shots.

Abstract: A barrel fan for the heavy duty circulation of air at the floor level consisting of a cylindrical tubular housing having a guarded rotating propeller blade therein. The blade is driven by a belt connected to an electric motor located on the lower exterior portion of the housing preferably shielded by a skirt in ventilating communication with the housing interior for motor cooling purposes. The motor is pivotally mounted and a spring interposed between the motor and housing maintains the tension within the belt.

Abstract: An apparatus adapted to be inflated and deflated in response to selective communication with a source of pressurized fluid includes a bladder having a semi-rigid shell body portion and a relatively thin membrane portion defining an inflatable chamber. The elongate semi-rigid shell body preferably includes a contoured, concave inner surface terminating at a peripheral side edge. At least one passage extends through the shell body defining an opening in the inner surface of the shell body. The flexible membrane is continuously bonded to the shell body adjacent the peripheral side edge to define the enclosed inflatable chamber in communication with the passage. The membrane has a reduced waist portion defining a membrane tension zone adjacent the opening of the passage into the chamber to reduce the probability of occluding the entrance while deflating the chamber.

Abstract: A process for insert molding at least a portion of a flexible webbing material within at least a portion of a plastic injection molded part produces a product having a plastic injection molded part with a contour formed by a front surface and a rear surface, and a flexible webbing material having at least a portion embedded within the injection molded plastic part, while a remaining portion of the flexible webbing material extends externally with respect to the injection molded plastic part. An injection molding die is provided for insert molding the portion of the flexible webbing material within at least a portion of the plastic injection molded part. The die defines a chamber for receiving molten plastic during an injection molding step.

Abstract: A material not releasing gaseous organic substances during use is used as a filter medium and a sealing material for tightly sealing between the medium and a frame. Specifically, a synthetic paraffin not containing an aliphatic hydrocarbon having not more than 19 carbon atoms or less is used as a non-silicone type water repellent contained in a treatment agent for forming fibers into a cloth-like filter medium. A carboxylic acid ester having 400 or more molecular weight is used as a plasticizer and a phenolic compound having 300 or more molecular weight is used as an antioxidant to be added to the treatment agent and the sealing material. This enables that the gaseous organic substances are not present in a clean room, a semiconductor production apparatus or the like.

Abstract: The invention is a magnetic lifting device having a lever-operated cam and roller combination, which facilitates removal of the magnetic lifting device from a workpiece, wherein the cam-mounted roller is free to rotate, eliminating the potential for marring the service of the workpiece when the cam is operated.

Abstract: A weld gun having a pair of opposing arms movable relative to each other to apply pressure to a workpiece during a welding operation. The opposing arms of the weld gun can be rotatable or translatable relative to each other. The opposing arms are moved relative to each other by an inverted roller screw linear actuator. The weld gun can include an electric control for controlling the operation of the actuator. The actuator can be mounted on either of the opposing arms.

Abstract: A load restraining barrier for use in a motor vehicle, suspended between the passenger compartment and the trunk compartment. The barrier includes a barrier body having a front, a back, a top, a bottom, and two sides, the front facing the trunk compartment, the back facing the passenger compartment, the top adjacent the package tray, the bottom adjacent the vehicle's bottom wall, and the two sides adjacent the vehicle's two side walls. A substantially horizontal reinforcing member extends between the two sides and is located at or below a midpoint between the top and the bottom. The barrier body is attached to the vehicle's package tray, and is releasably attached to at least one of the bottom wall and the side walls. When the barrier is installed at the trunk forward end, cargo in the trunk compartment is restrained from entering the passenger compartment under predetermined frontal crash conditions.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a part includes the steps of molding a thermoplastic material into a generally planar sheet form having a textured surface on at least one side. The textured surface is defined by a plurality of protuberances with at least one side wall extending outwardly from the sheet. The thermoplastic material is molded with a predetermined pressure between a die and within a perforated insert. The molded thermoplastic material sheet and perforated insert are removed from the die after molding. The molded thermoplastic material sheet is sintered at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time. The molded, sintered, thermoplastic material sheet is stripped from the perforated insert. The sheet can be masked for etching if desired. The sheet can be inserted into a molding die, where a dissimilar material is introduced into the die under pressure.

Abstract: A latch needle comprises a hook, a stem and a latch. The latch is pivotally mounted to the stem for rotation between two positions in the first of which the latch is located within the hook and in the second of which the latch is located external of the hook. The latch spoon is notched at its tip to permit the latch to pass either side of the point of the hook. Control of the latch is provided by an integral lug which engages in the recess of the slider-positioned along side the needle. Alternatively, the latch is provided with two lugs which are controlled by respective central-faces of an auxiliary sinker.

Abstract: An inlet and switching apparatus for a central vacuum system includes a base body section with a back wall having an inlet aperture formed therein adapted for connection to a central vacuum source. A cover section is mounted on the base body section and extends over a forward side thereof. The cover section includes a front wall spaced from and opposite the back wall. The two sections together form an inlet housing defining a vacuum inlet chamber and this housing has a lower portion forming a dirt receiving opening that permits dirt to enter the chamber under a vacuum influence. A closure member is pivotably mounted on the body section and there is a mechanism for moving the closure member to open or close the inlet aperture. In a preferred embodiment, rails on the cover section engage two nubs on the closure member whereby sliding movement of the cover section causes the closure member to either close or open the aperture.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning golf clubs having an enclosure with a lower reservoir for holding water and an upper spray chamber in communication with said lower reservoir. The spray chamber houses a cleaning path for cleaning golf clubs. The cleaning path is defined by a plurality of opposingly spaced bristle brushes with a plurality of high pressure spray nozzles strategically located between the bristle brushes. A low volume/high pressure pump is utilized for providing highly pressurized fluid to the spray nozzles. Golf clubs are inserted along the cleaning path of the apparatus wherein all portions of the golf club are cleaned through the use of the bristle brushes and the high pressure spraying of fluid.

Abstract: A stress testing apparatus includes a cylinder block 2 with twelve cylinders 4, each housing a piston 14. Hydraulic pressure is provided to each of the cylinders 4 by a common supply bore 6 for urging each piston 14 out of its respective cylinder 4. A stress testing device 16 is mounted over each cylinder 4 and piston 14. For tensile testing (see FIG. 3) of a specimen (X), a piston (14a) acts on the housing (28a) of the device (16a) through pins (26), to push the housing (28a) away from the cylinder block 2. The specimen X is mounted between the housing (28a) and the cylinder block 2. For compressive testing (see FIG. 4), of a specimen Y the housing (28b) is rigidly secured to the cylinder block 2, and the cylinder (14b) acts to compress the specimen Y between the housing (28b) and the cylinder block 2 through a shaft (22b).

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for assembling a stretchable cover upon a rigidly backed foam cushion wherein the cushion lateral dimensions vary along its length. The degree of stretching of the cover varies during cushion/cover assembly as controlled by cams and cam followers to permit wrinkle-free covering of backed foam cushions of irregular configuration.