Abstract: A tubular electrical connector having first and second tubular contact members spaced from one another to establish a gap between them and joined in a unitary structure by a strap unitary with corresponding wall portions of the tubular contact members and bridging the gap, a contact bar bridging the gap and secured in each tubular contact member, and a clamping screw for securing a conductor in each tubular contact member against the contact bar. The gap receives a complementary projection on a terminal block to locate and secure the connector in a terminal block assembly. The connector is fabricated by providing and then bending a metal blank along prescribed boundaries, welding along confronting edges, subsequent to bending, and then locating and securing the contact bar in place.

Abstract: Connectors having strip member contact elements wherein louvers or contact fingers extend in dissimilar extents from opposed sides of the strip member. Method is also disclosed for enhancing contact surface area between the extremities of contact fingers and complementary contact surfaces.

Abstract: A reflector assembly is provided for mounting on a spoked wheel such as, for example, a bicycle wheel. The assembly comprises a plate-like reflector and a fastener apparatus for securing the reflector to the wheel. The reflector includes a central aperture extending through the thickness of the reflector and a transversely extending groove on one side of the reflector which intersects the central aperture. The reflector is mounted on and secured to a spoke received within the transversely extending groove by the fastener apparatus which includes a fastening element and a binding screw, each of which are inserted into the central aperture from opposite ends thereof and, upon engagement of the fastening element and the binding screw, serve to secure the reflector to the spoke.

Abstract: A self-locking internally threaded fastener in which the self-locking characteristic is derived from a ring-like plastic patch having a circumferential extent of greater than 180.degree. adhered to the thread-defining surface of the fastener. A method for making the fastener includes seating a fastener upon a pin having a configuration which establishes a cavity between the pin and the fastener, placing an initial deposit of plastic powder in the cavity and then re-distributing the plastic powder, as by blowing, to form a ring-like deposit which can be heated until fused to establish the desired ring-like patch. An apparatus includes a pin having a seating shoulder and a frusto-conical tapered portion for receiving the fastener and establishing the cavity.

Abstract: A heat transfer jacket is placed over the terminal portions of the conductors of a pair of high voltage cables which are connected in a splice connection wherein a housing surrounds the connected conductor portions, the heat transfer jacket extending longitudinally between the confronting ends of a pair of adaptor sleeves placed upon the insulation of the cables to engage and locate the adaptor sleeves relative to one another, and laterally between the conductors and the housing to provide a path of relatively high thermal conductivity between the connected conductor portions and the housing.

Abstract: In an electrical connector of the type in which an electrical conductor is clamped between the end of a clamping screw and a clamping surface in an electrical contact member, a cup-like clamping jaw carried at the end of the clamping screw, the clamping jaw including a clamping base and a circumferentially continuous generally tubular wall having circumferentially spaced portions permanently deformed radially inwardly to capture the clamping jaw upon the clamping screw while enabling relative rotation between the clamping screw and the clamping jaw, and circumferentially spaced lobes projecting radially outwardly between the radially inwardly directed permanently deformed portions.

Abstract: Filtration apparatus comprising at least one microporous member having at least a pair of opposed surfaces and a predetermined thickness, a tubular member positioned with respect to at least one of said opposed surfaces whereby fluid passing through said microporous member is filtered and the filtrate is received by said tubular member for distribution and/or collection.

Abstract: A housing for receiving an electrical device and connecting the device into an electrical circuit has a pair of identical housing members joined together along confronting interior faces by complementary catch elements formed integral with the housing members. The electrical device is received within a receptacle in the housing and captured in place in the receptacle by the engagement of a blade contact in the device with a tooth projecting into a socket of a complementary connector in the housing.

Abstract: An encapsulated transformer in which the coil and core assembly of the transformer is encapsulated within a jacket of non-flexible epoxy resin, and a cushion of closed-cell foam rubber lies between the jacket and the coil and core assembly to preserve the integrity of the jacket while enabling thermal expansion and contraction of the core and coil assembly. Electrical contact members are integral with the jacket and are electrically connected to the core and coil assembly by flexible electrical leads.

Abstract: A connector construction having component parts adapted to be assembled in the field at the termini of a pair of high voltage shielded electrical cables includes a pair of sleeves of elastomeric material adapted to be secured over the insulating jacket on each of the cable ends, connector means for joining the conductive cores of the cables, a housing adapted to overlie the sleeves and the connector means and defining an interior chamber surrounding the connector means, and a pair of retaining members adapted to be directly affixed to each of the conductive cores respectively, in an abutting relation to the terminus of a corresponding sleeve and cable insulating jacket for precluding axial movement of the sleeve toward the cable termini.

Abstract: A self-sealing, self-locking nut in which the nut body includes an annular recess within which there is located an annular member of resilient sealing and locking material, such as a fluoroplastic, and compression-retention means integral with the nut body and including a radially inward extension of the clamping surface of the nut body, the extension being located beneath the annular member of resilient sealing and locking material and below the clamping surface such that upon engaging the fastener with a complementary threaded element and tightening the clamping surface extension against a workpiece, axial clamping forces tend to move the extension upwardly toward the remainder of the clamping surface, thereby essentially completely confining the annular member within the nut body and compressing the annular member axially while contracting the inside diameter of the annular member to establish a seal along the complementary threaded element and a prevailing-torque lock between the nut body and the compleme

Abstract: An apparatus for folding a sheet of relatively brittle material in which an articulated frame assembly is mounted relative to a support structure in a manner so that two portions of the frame assembly can pivot relative to each other in an angular direction to fold the sheet about a fold line intermediate the ends of the sheet. Each portion of the frame assembly includes a movable portion which is adapted to fold the outer end portion of the sheet about an additional fold line intermediate the first fold lines and the outer edge portion. The sheet is heated along the fold lines prior to the folding operations.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis module comprising a semipermeable membrane, a porous membrane support structure, and a porous backing member having at least a pair of opposed surfaces and including a plurality of longitudinally extending channels, said porous backing member being mounted relative to said porous membrane support structure in such a manner that fluid passing through said membrane passes through said porous support structure and is adapted to enter said channels in said porous backing member.

Abstract: An electrical connector in which a sleeve-like insert of conductive elastomeric material serves as an internal shield, the insert terminating at a rounded end made by folding the wall of the insert upon itself at that end to establish the desired rounded profile contour and to space the terminal edge of the wall away from the rounded end in the direction along the insert toward the other end thereof.

Abstract: An internal stress-grading system for protecting against deleterious electrical stress concentration within an electrical connection in which pre-molded elastomeric component parts are assembled to complete the connection. The system includes internal portions of conductive elastomeric material establishing an internal shield of assembled segments, the portions of conductive elastomeric material being joined with portions of insulating elastomeric materials within each component part along a generally continuous, void-free juncture, the juncture following a continuous contour which has an arcuate salient profile defining the boundary of the conductive elastomeric portion at each joint between consecutive shield segments.

Abstract: A self-locking internally threaded fastener in which the self-locking characteristic is derived from a ring-like plastic patch having a circumferential extent of greater than 180.degree. adhered to the thread-defining surface of the fastener. A method for making the fastener includes seating a fastener upon a pin having a configuration which establishes a cavity between the pin and the fastener, placing an initial deposit of plastic powder in the cavity and then re-distributing the plastic powder, as by blowing, to form a ring-like deposit which can be heated until fused to establish the desired ring-like patch. An apparatus includes a pin having a seating shoulder and a frusto-conical tapered portion for receiving the fastener and establishing the cavity.