Abstract: A double blank detector apparatus and method of operation determines the condition of when one blank, no blanks or more than two blanks are about to be fed into a press. An indicator bar advances relative to the number of blank sheets of material being detected and interrupts an infra-red light beam when only blank of material has been detected. Under this preferred condition, a signal is produced which allows a press located adjacent to the double blank detector to continue its stamping operation. Alternatively, if either a no blank or a double blank condition is sensed, then the indicator bar advances accordingly, thus not interrupting the infra-red light beam. During this condition, a signal is produced indicative of the situation thus notifying the operator that there is a problem and stopping the press from cycling.

Abstract: A compliance device for robot assemblies is provided which permits the automation of tooling operations that generate significant reaction loads, such as automatic riveting and the like. The compliance device includes a compliance control assembly and a tool isolation assembly. The compliance control assembly is an air cylinder having a tubular piston rod. An elongated shaft extends through the tubular piston rod and an axial bore in the piston of the air cylinder. The shaft is affixed to an end plate of the cylinder and includes a position locator cone affixed to its free end. The position locator cone is housed in the tool isolation assembly which is a cylindrical housing having a tool support end and a position locator end. Equally spaced-apart, radially-oriented rollers are affixed to an inside surface of the locator end of the tool isolation assembly.

Abstract: A vision system for controlling welding robots and a method of controlling a welding robot using a vision system are disclosed. The vision system includes an ordinary unoriented light source, such as a fluorescent light source, to illuminate a part to be welded so that a light intensity gradient is created along a seam to be welded. An image of the light intensity gradient is captured by one or more fixed solid-state video cameras. The image is compared with a stored image of a reference part so that a deviation of the seam to be welded with respect to the seam of the reference part can be computed for each of a plurality of predefined reference points. The deviation at each reference point is translated by a microprocessor into a coordinate adjustment which is downloaded to a controller for the robot.

Abstract: A combination of an engine block heater and electrical coupling includes the conventional cylindrical insert which slides into a sleeve on the mounting member for the block heater. An additional spring clip member is provided to hold the electrical coupling in place. The spring clip member has a collar surrounding a rib on the connector body and a pair of spring arms extending at right angles to the collar along a sleeve of the coupling to snap behind a rib on the sleeve. The spring clip arms are connected to the collar at an outer edge thereof with a pair of lobes of increased diameter between the spring clip arms for pushing of the collar longitudinally. A central opening of the collar engages over the connector body with a pair of inwardly projecting portions which slide along slots to a groove at the rib on the connector body.

Abstract: A heating element for an air flow comprises a channel shaped bracket including a base and side walls at right angles thereto within which is mounted a pair of mica sheets arranged parallel to the base and at right angles to the sides and connected to the sides by ribs longitudinally of the sides with transverse slots within which the sheets slide. Each sheet is wrapped with a heating wire formed into helical coils so that each side of the sheet carries a plurality of parallel helical coil portions with connecting portions wrapped over the edges of the sheet. The sheets are symmetrical and one is inverted relative to the other. Each sheet carries at ends thereof a male and a female connector of the blade and receptacle type so that the blade of one sheet engages into the receptacle of the other sheet.

Abstract: A method of installing an engine block heater includes the provision of an O-ring carried by the cylindrical body of the heater. The heater also includes a flange portion with a passage therein. The engine block wall is provided with a threaded opening located adjacent to the typically found aperture in the engine block. The heater can be easily installed by aligning the passage in the heater flange with the opening in the engine block and then inserting the body into the aperture such that the O-ring seal engages the aperture wall to provide a sealing engagement therebetween. The heater can be secured by way of a fastener passing through the flange passage which is threaded into the engine block opening.

Abstract: It is difficult if not impossible to install conventional engine block heaters robotically. The present device includes a cylindrical body with a heater element extending upon one side thereof and operatively connected to terminals on the other side thereof with a sealing o-ring around the body portion for sealing engagement with a cylindrical aperture formed in the engine block wall. A retainer ring surrounds the outer end of the body portion having at least one of standing portion formed thereon with an aperture formed therethrough and a corresponding screw-threaded aperture is formed in the wall of the block to one side of the aperture into which the heater engages.

Abstract: An engine block heater adapted for insertion through an opening in the block wall of an internal combustion engine has a novel arrangement for securing the heater within the opening of the block wall. The heater includes a plug member having a heating element, an adjustable screw and a fastening assembly attached to the screw and extending from one side of the heater into the interior of the engine block. The adjustable screw loosely passes through the plug member for adjusting the position of the fastening assembly. The fastening assembly comprises an elongated flexible bar and a rigid member. The flexible bar has the ends thereof normally biased such that one surface of the bar is flat and the distance between the ends is greater than the diameter of the block aperture. The flexible bar is capable of bending in opposing directions to reduce the distance between its ends and facilitate the insertion of the flexible bar through the block aperture.

Abstract: An engine block heater adapted for insertion through an opening in the block wall of an internal combustion engine has a novel arrangement for securing the heater within the opening of the block wall. The heater includes a plug member having a heating element and an adjustable fastening assembly extending from one side of the heater into the interior of the engine block. The fastening assembly passes through the plug member for adjustment from outside the block. A spiral spring is further included having its center positioned in fixed relation with the fastening assembly. The spring spirals towards the one side of the plug member. Additionally, two wing members are mounted in pivotal relation with the fastening assembly through an intermediate support member threadably mounted on the fastening assembly. The wing members have an inverted V shape with respect to the one side of the plug member when positioned within the spiral so as to facilitate insertion of the plug member into the aperture.

Abstract: An engine block heater adapted for insertion in an opening in the block wall of an automobile engine has a plug member and a novel yoke assembly for securing the heater within the opening. The yoke assembly includes a pair of wing members each having one end thereof abutting the inner face of the heater plug. Each of the wing members is hingedly mounted on and carried by a respective one of the opposite ends of a pressure bar so that each wing member is pivotable about the associated end of the pressure bar and adapted to fulcrum thereon. A screw passes through an axially extending opening in the plug member and is threaded into a tapped opening in the pressure bar. Upon insertion of the heater in the opening in the block wall, the screw is tightened to draw the pressure bar towards the inner face of the heater, thus causing the wing members to pivot about the ends of the pressure bar.

Abstract: A frost plug immersion heater has improved clamping structure which comprises a clamp element having a base engageable against the inner end of the heater body and a pair of channel-shaped clamping arms narrower than the base extending in splayed relation from opposite sides of the base, with the free ends of the arms initially close enough together so that the heater can be installed straight into a cylinder block core plug hole. A T-shape bolt has a cross arm bar-shaped head which has opposite ends engaging in the arm channels and spreads the clamp arms when a nut threaded on the outer end portion of the bolt shank is tightened against the outer end of the heater body. The cross arm head has a thickened crown area of maximum mass providing a maximum strength portion aligned with the shank of the bolt and the top of the cross arm tapers with diminished mass toward the opposite ends thereof to provide a truss-like reinfocement for the head when force is applied through the bolt shank as the nut is tightened.