Abstract: A direct-operated, two-way solenoid valve is disclosed. The valve balances the hydraulic flow forces acting on a poppet in order to achieve fast-acting, high-flow operation. The valve has a housing with the poppet mounted in a main bore. The poppet has a sealing end with a longitudinal central bore that is open at the sealing end and terminates in a pressure wall. A radial cross bore in the poppet provides fluid communication between the central bore and an outlet port formed in the housing. The sealing end of the poppet may contact a valve seat to prevent fluid communication between an inlet port formed in the housing and the central bore of the poppet. The sealing end of the poppet is biased into contact with the valve seat to prevent fluid communication between the inlet port and the central bore. An actuator generating a magnetic flux path tends to move the poppet out of contact with the valve seat.

Abstract: A compact, high response regulating valve has a solenoid modulated armature and plunger construction. The solenoid assembly and armature minimize magnetic flux leakage by maintaining the armature in close proximity to the induced magnetic field. In one embodiment, the lightweight armature has a number of holes to increase the speed at which it may be modulated. Mounted to the armature is a regulator plunger which controls fluid communication between the valve's inlet and outlet ports. Normally spring-biased closed, the plunger uses a line seal to maximize flow with minimal longitudinal plunger movement. Plunger response time is enhanced by eliminating elastomeric friction (i.e., eliminating O-rings and replacing them with a number of notches about the plunger periphery). A conical seat and bevelled plunger provide an effective line seal.

Abstract: A snap-in type fastener for securing an object to an apertured support includes a shank member having predetermined diameter and length. A locking member integral with one end of the shank member is provided to extend through the support aperture to facilitate engaging of the apertured support by the shank whereby the locking member resists withdrawal of the fastener from the apertured support. A head member is disposed at the other end of the shank member and includes a resilient member which provides for axial deflection of the shank for a selected distance in the direction of the apertured support to facilitate engaging of apertured supports of different thicknesses. The resilient member may form all or a portion of the head member depending upon the method of securing or may be associated with the head member.

Abstract: A piston-cylinder device powered by a pressurized fluid and having a mechanical locking means for the piston. The locking means is alternatively actuated into and out of locking position by the pressurized fluid.

Abstract: A hydraulic actuating unit for raising a hospital bed includes a reservoir, a hydraulic piston cylinder device the cylinder of which has its ends connected to the reservoir through a supply conduit that contains a hydraulic plunger pump with suction and pressure valve means and through a return conduit which contains an orifice in a normally closed relief valve. A branch conduit leads to a hydraulic liquid accumulator from the supply conduit at a location between the cylinder and pressure valve means. A multiple pilot operated check valve of the differential type is provided in the branch conduit towards the accumulator. The largest and smallest end faces of the differential spool member are subject to the pressure in the branch conduit while the differential area of the spool member is subject to the pressure in a conduit which leads from the return conduit at a location between the orifice and the relief valve.

Abstract: A valve has a magnetic drive unit axially spaced from a valve section. An axially movable armature is moved by an electromagnet and an annular permanent magnet having radial magnetization. Reciprocation of the armature opens and closes a poppet valve to regulate fluid flow between two chambers. The magnetic characteristics of the magnetic drive unit are such that the armature remains in either of two axial limit positions when current is not being applied to the electromagnetic coils. In order to compensate for fluid flow forces tending to close the poppet when open, a biasing spring is also used to help overcome these forces. In an embodiment applied to vehicle shock absorbers, an orifice plate and disc springs are used adjacent the poppet structure to permit damping characteristics which vary depending on whether the piston or the shock absorber is compressing or rebounding.

Abstract: A vibration damper comprising a housing containing two bell-shaped membranes of resiliently deformable material facing one another, and defining a single liquid filled chamber. The damper is interposed between two devices to be isolated, one of such devices being affixed to the housing and the other being affixed to a rod, which passes between both membranes, with a circular washer shaped element located between the tops of the bells of the membranes. Upon movement of the rod and deformation of the membranes the liquid is subjected to friction due to shearing of the fluid against the housing due to the movement of the washer through the liquid in a non-throttling arrangement.

Abstract: A storing and dispensing system for substantially rectangular objects having a tray (12) with a plurality of side-by-side cells (40). Each cell has a bottom (30) that terminates at a location (41) spaced from a rear guide (32) to create a supporting surface (42) and a gap (44) contiguous with the rear guide of the cell to permit an object in the cell to be tilted into the gap to gain better access to an object in an adjacent cell.

Abstract: A clean room gripper having sliding jaws and including a pressurized piston cylinder and actuator section for moving the jaws towards and away from one another. The jaws are in the form of upper and lower finger sections, with the lower section being provided with a sliding seal located between it and a mating outer surface of an evacuated chamber, whereby no particles or dust created within the unit because of mechanical action will be allowed to escape from the gripper during operation to add to contamination of the environment in a clean room.

Abstract: An individual segment flow regulator is shown having a two landed spool and two landed bore, all with the same nominal diameter, a plug, a spring and a sensing passage from the main spool of the valve. Supply oil entering between the two lands of the bore is separated from a sensing pressure by one spool land which is slidable within the bore. The other spool land meters the supply fluid. The metering land of the regulator spool opens away from the valve bore land to allow supply fluid through and can shut off the supply. A spring chamber above the spool senses the load pressure which opens the metering spool, thereby increasing the flow and therefore the pressure drop across the main spool area opening. Feedback pressure developed at the bottom of the metering land of the spool is used to close down the regulator spool as the flow, and therefore the pressure drop, across the main spool increases beyond the pre-load force of the bias spring.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for determining the positions of a set of points on a body and comparing those points to a set of reference points. The system includes a data acquisition apparatus comprised of emitters, receivers, and microprocessor controls. The emitters are mounted at various predetermined positions on the body, for example a vehicle body or frame, and are triggered in an optimal fashion by the microprocessors. Triggering generates a single acoustic burst signal from an emitter. An array of microphones acts as the receiver. After generation of the signal, the microprocessor initializes an external clock which measures the travel time of the signal from the emitter to the receivers. By repeating this process a number of times, data is acquired which yields the three-dimensional coordinates of a given point when processed by a microprocessor.

Abstract: A powered work clamping device including a housing with an upper and lower chamber and an intermediate chamber communicating with the upper and lower chambers, an upper and lower piston respectively residing in the upper and lower chambers, and wherein the lower piston has a section with reduced diameter slidably and rotatably operating in the intermediate chamber, an index rod projects from the lower piston into an index bore in the upper piston and a piston rod connected thereto. The piston rod projects from the housing and is secured to a work-engaging head. The head is rotatable and independently extendable depending upon operation of the upper and lower pistons and means for rotating the lower piston and actuated upon operation of a check valve served by one of two independently actuated two-stage directional control valves.

Abstract: A hydraulic pressure control valve includes a modulator-controlled solenoid assembly which selectively axially displaces a disc armature adjacent thereto. When not attracted by the solenoid, the armature is biased away from the solenoid by a wave spring. Movement of the armature opens and closes the outlet of a lower body member to a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure. The armature is improved, having dimples on the face adjacent the solenoid assembly to minimize sticking. Additionally, the center pole of the solenoid is axially adjustable and can therefore be set for different valve performance levels. Assembly of the valve is quickly accomplished using pneumatic pressure under performance conditions for adjustment of and setting the initial displacement of the disc armature. Setting is accomplished by crimping the various components in an outer tube.

Abstract: The nut-runner has a power arm and a reaction arm constructed preferably as a casing, each of which is guided in a first end region so as to be pivotable opposite the other about a common axis. It has a clamp wheel with gearing mounted in a drilled hole in the first end region of the power arm so as to be rotatable about the axis, and a catch mounted on the power arm and interacting with this clamp wheel, said catch being in the engaged position when the power arm pivots in one direction, in which said catch engages with the teeth of the clamp wheel and slips over the teeth of the clamp wheel when the power arm pivots in the other direction. The nut-runner also has a hydraulic power cylinder consisting of a cylinder and a piston and acting between the two arms in the vicinity of their other end regions. The reaction arm encompasses the clamp wheel through a maximum of 180 degrees.

Abstract: An automatic, hydraulically actuated, sequencing valve for use with a pair of hydraulic acutators (e.g. double acting hydraulic cylinders) includes a valve body having a cylindrical bore therein. Cam members at either end of the bore are engaged by pins on the ends of a cylindrical spool, thereby rotating the spool 30.degree. each time it engages one of the cam members. A third cam member incorporated into the spool alternately locks open one of a pair of check valves as said spool is pressure shifted between the two bore cam members. The third cam member operates a locking system which permits only one of the two hydraulic cylinders to operate at a time and in sequence.

Abstract: The power screw driver has a power arm (2) and a reaction arm (1), as well as a ratchet wheel (7) and a multi-toothed pawl (8), that meshes with this ratchet wheel and that meshes with several teeth of the ratchet wheel (7) when the power arm (2) is in a rotational direction and when it is in the other rotational position, the pawl slips over the teeth of the ratchet wheel (7). Finally a hydraulic power cylinder is provided between the two arms (1, 2).The power arm (2) has a drive head (9), which is inside the cylinder bore hole (11) and engages in a recess (14) of the piston (13). The cylinder bore hole runs obliquely, in particular at a right angle to the power arm (2).

Abstract: An exercise apparatus includes a bench support, and an input bar pivotally mounted on the bench and movable through a work cycle in response to forces exerted by a user. A hydraulic actuator is connected to the input bar for developing a resistive force against the movement of the bar. An adjusting mechanism enables a user to vary the resistive force. A pressure transducer senses the pressure in the hydraulic actuator which is representative of the input force exerted by a user, and a potentiometer located at the pivotal connection of the input bar on the bench measures the angle of rotation of the bar which is representative of the displacement of the bar. The force and displacement input signals are employed by a microprocessor to generate output signals to a display showing the cycle count, the input force or the work accomplished by a user during each cycle.

Abstract: A base component for a fluid transfer device such as a hydraulic hand pump, cylinder or valve and a method of making the base component for such a device. The base component includes first and second base members having internal passages in communication with one another which subject the members to internal fluid pressure, and an encapsulating housing attaching the members together. In one form, the housing is composed of a moldable plastic material and surrounds both base members which are composed of extruded aluminum. In another form, the housing is integrally formed with one of the base members of a moldable plastic material and surrounds the other base member which is composed of extruded aluminum. In both forms structural members such as yoke members, which pivotally mount the piston and handle assemblies of a hand pump, may integrally be formed with the plastic housing.

Abstract: A hydraulic system for a mobile vehicle that supports and positions a load relative to a docking structure, such as a patient relative to a medical diagnostic apparatus. The mobile vehicle includes a wheeled base, a carriage on the base, a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering the carriage relative to the base, a load supporting cradle slidably mounted on the carriage for movement in a longitudinal direction between an operative extended position and an inoperative retracted position on the carriage, and a hydraulic system for controlling the operation of the vehicle and its components. The vehicle includes co-operating members on the base and on the docking structure for properly aligning and positioning the vehicle with respect to the docking structure. The movement of the carriage may be accomplished either manually through a foot pump or through a hydraulic power interlock between the vehicle base and docking structure which is engageable upon docking.

Abstract: A hydraulic master-slave system for clutch actuation includes a clutch sensor system to continuously detect and measure clutch position and wear. One alternate preferred embodiment comprises a resistive strip and wiper assembly coupled to an electrical control circuit to control vehicle functions dependent upon clutch position and wear. A second alternate preferred embodiment employs an optical fence and optical interrupter designed to generate quadrature output to the electrical control circuit.