Abstract: Programmable motor vehicle steering control apparatus, which enables zero settings of front wheel caster, camber, toe-in and steering axis inclination, comprises left and right pairs of first and second, tangentially loaded helical spring elements and means for connecting the left pair of spring elements between a left front wheel steering arm and tie rod and the right pair of spring elements between a right front wheel steering arm and tie rod. Parallel connecting arms of each second spring element cross so that when either pair of spring elements in push or pull loaded during vehicle turns, the two spring elements in each pair act in opposite, spring coil opening or closing directions. The connecting means includes means for offsetting outboard ends of the spring elements in each pair and preloading means are provided for selectively preloading each of the spring elements.

Abstract: A cooking unit having a hood equipped with air cleaning structures and blowers for moving air through the cleaning structures. The air cleaning structures include a pre-filter having spaced baffles for collecting air borne greases and particles. A primary fiber filter and secondary charcoal and oxidizer beds are located downstream of the pre-filter. A high efficiency filter is located downstream of the secondary cleaning beds. A damper behind the pre-filter closes in response to an increase in temperature of the air moving through the filters. A separate heating unit is used to reactivate the charcoal.

Abstract: A control valve that can be used as a pilot-assisted pressure relief valve or as a sequence valve, which is substantially insensitive to system back pressure. The valve comprises a valve body 10 defining a multistep bore 36, and a valve member 44 engageable with a coaxial valve seat 46, both supported for reciprocating motion within the bore 36 and cooperating to control the fluid communication between first and second ports 30, 32 defined in the valve body 10. A primary biasing spring 48 enclosed within a vented spring chamber 52 urges the valve member 44 into engagement with the valve seat 46. Fluid pressure at the first port 30 exerts fluid forces on the valve member 44 that opposes the primary spring force. The valve member 44 is a unitary element including first and second annuli 44a, 44b joined by a reduced diameter shank portion 44c. A radial surface on the first annuli 44a defines a net effective pressure area against which fluid pressure at the port 30 is applied.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for producing ultrasonic sound waves used to disperse rodents including negative feedback damping of a tuned band-pass filter output circuit. An electrical signal is frequency modulated, amplitude modulated asynchronously with the frequency modulation, pulsed on and off and applied to a speaker to produce ultrasonic sound waves corresponding thereto. The output signal is passed through a tuned band-pass filter circuit which includes negative feedback damping to reduce the power consumption of the amplification of the output signal and in part to produce the band-pass characteristics of the band-pass filter output circuit.

Abstract: A pilot-assisted pressure relief valve including a valve body 10 defining a first and second plurality of ports 30, 32 and an internal stepped bore 40 that slidably supports an elongate, tubular primary piston 34 engageable with a valve seat 36 mounted at one end of the valve body bore, which cooperate to control fluid communication between the first and second plurality of ports. The piston 34 is biased towards a flow interrupting position by a spring and is biased towards an open position by fluid pressure at the first plurality of ports. A pilot-operated piston 70 is mounted coaxially with the primary piston and is operative to engage the primary piston 34 and oppose the spring force thereby reducing the effective relief setting of the valve.

Abstract: A web severing device has a pair of spaced-apart carriages straddling the path of the web, a severing blade being attached to one of the carriages. Power devices are provided for moving the carriages toward each other to bring the blade into severing contact with the web. Resilient devices are provided to prevent activation of the severing blade if a relatively rigid foreign object such as a human finger is accidentally embraced between the carriages and to prevent injury. When only the web is disposed between the carriages a portion of the resilient devices also functions to urge the blade-carrying carriage into web severing contact.

Abstract: A roof bolt having particular adaptability for use in a mine defined by soft shale formations utilizing an anchor tube and an inner seal tube made from a plastic resin, where the combination of the anchor tube, which may be selectively ribbed, with conventional grouting material affords optimum holding power in the bolt hole. Aside from the preceding, the roof bolt is generally standard in configuration and usage, including a bolt carrying a movable metal wedge which causes the outward spreading of the upper portion of the plastic anchor tube upon rotation of the bolt. The preceding may be used independently of or with a support system employing angled roof bolts which create, through tensioning, a cradling effect especially advantageous in the instance of a fragile mine roof condition.

Abstract: A system for detecting breaks in a web moving through a predetermined area including a scanner head assembly having an infrared emitter, optical filtering and an adjustable receiver for detecting the presence or absence of reflecting infrared radiation from an object within the scanner path. The scanner control system provides a power source for the emitter which pulsates at a predetermined frequency and low duty cycle, a receiver circuit incorporating selective filtering, and a phase-locked detector loop tuned to the emitter frequency for optimum selectivity and performance in the face of varying ambient light conditions. A scanner head having a linearly adjustable operating range is employed for tailoring the system to a wide range of web locations and conditions.

Abstract: An RF probe and method for making same including laminating sheets of thermoplastic insulation to both sides of a layer of wire screen which is evacuated and pressure thereafter applied by fluid pressure acting on a diaphragm pressing member.

Abstract: A web tension transducer device which is easily in-installed, has a high natural frequency, excellent linearity, and extremely low hysteresis. A twin beam type transducer having strain gages at the flex points of the beams is coupled to the shaft supporting the moving web through a self-aligning anti-friction bearing, the strain gages being so located and electrically connected that effects of friction in the bearing due to bending of the shaft are automatically cancelled out in the circuitry in which the strain gages are connected. The self-aligning bearing coupling is arranged to permit relative axial displacement between the shaft and the twin beam transducer for accommodating comparatively large amounts of shaft expansion. The bearing also may have a bearing surface liner comprised of a low coefficient of friction thermoplastic resin material such as teflon fiber or teflon fiber-filled acetal resin fabric.

Abstract: A dual thermostat apparatus includes two thermostats which generate fluid control signals proportional to room air temperature. The thermostats are matched leakport pressure sensors having a signal orifice and a bimetal lid element to generate back pressure signals linearly related to temperature. The bimetal elements have adjustment cams to set the reference position with respect to the orifice. The cams are connected to a common shaft and dial to provide simultaneous and opposite readjustment with respect to the reference pressures. The signals are applied to separate signal chambers of the duplex relay, with a pressure regulator connected to the heat signal chamber to limit the operative pressure level of the heating signal to a selected maximum switchover pressure. The duplex relay controls a pressure supply valve for supplying a proportional pressure signal to a common output line to pneumatic operators of a heating valve and a cooling valve.

Abstract: A process for preparing french fried potatoes for freezing and subsequent finish frying to resemble closely french fried potatoes prepared directly from fresh potatoes, in which after completion of the preliminary potato treatment steps of peeling, trimming, cutting into french fry size strips, and washing, the strips are then treated with hot oil for a brief period, and that step is repeated following at least one treatment of the potato strips to a hot, (300.degree. to 400.degree. F.) high velocity process vapor of high moisture content (60 to 65%) and following a final oil treatment, exposing the strips to a hot, dry process vapor for reducing the gross weight about 30%. This process produces a pre-fried potato product with an oil content of about 3 to 7%.

Abstract: A pilot assembly includes a base having a cylindrical side wall which holds an electrode subassembly and glass preforms in place for fusing the glass to secure the electrode subassembly to the base. Prior to fusing, a spark electrode is assembled by inserting it into a metal clip receptacle held in a ceramic insulator body forming a part of the electrode subassembly. A pilot tip and orifice subassembly are secured to the base. Fusion of the glass and brazing of the metal including the high tension clip to bring it to spring temper for connection to a plugged wire are accomplished in a single step of heating. The pilot tip includes a locator member which holds the spark electrode in place during fusing and establishes the spark gap. It is removed after fusing.

Abstract: A control system for the ram of a hydraulic injection molding press, the injection speed or velocity of which is to be precisely controlled according to a predetermined velocity command signal. A programmable relief valve is used to effect accurate control over the flow of hydraulic fluid under pressure to the ram cylinder and is responsive to signals representing diverse conditions of operation of the press. In one application of the concept, velocity and subsequent holding pressure control of a ram are obtained.

Abstract: A control circuit for a fuel supply and ignition control system controls the operation of pilot and main valves of the system and of a motor which controls the positioning of a vent stack damper plate to normally close the vent stack and to open the vent stack at the start of each ignition cycle. At the start of each ignition cycle, a start relay is operated to energize the pilot valve and a spark generator for a trial for ignition interval defined by the excursion time of the damper plate as it is driven to the open position. When the pilot fuel is ignited, a flame sensing circuit operates a flame relay which completes a holding path for the pilot valve and when the damper plate reaches the fully open position, limit switches connect the main valve to the holding path and deenergize the drive motor and the start relay.

Abstract: A fluid signal inverting unit includes a motion balance unit having a lever which operates a valve. The balance lever is supported at the opposite ends by a pilot signal chamber and a feedback signal chamber and an intermediate pivot support is coupled to position a back pressure leakport valve. Each chamber includes an outer matched linear metal diaphragm fixedly connected to the aligned end of the lever. Increases in pilot pressure result in the outward movement of the linear diaphragm and corresponding outward and pivotal movement of the lever. The lever tends to move away from and open the valve resulting in a decrease in the output pressure and an inverted output pressure signal which may be further amplified and transmitted to a flow booster relay, and as negative feedback signal to the feedback chamber. Decrease in pilot pressure results in an opposite action and an increase output pressure.

Abstract: A thermometer is disclosed comprising a housing with a lens member and a sensing sleeve extending from the lens member. The lens member is configured to define an enclosed chamber in which a temperature indicating means is disposed. The temperature indicating means is attached to a shaft which extends into the sensing sleeve. A temperature responsive element is mounted within the sleeve and operatively associated with the shaft to rotate shaft and indicating means in response to changes in temperature. Means for constraining mechanically induced rotation of the shaft and indicator means to a predetermined arc of angular displacement are provided. In an important aspect of the invention, the constraining means permit temperature induced rotation of the shaft and the indicator means to exceed the pre-determined arc of angular displacement. The constraining means utilized include fusible stop arrangements and the introduction of a dampening fluid to the enclosed chamber of the thermometer housing.

Abstract: A weight and balance system for an aircraft or the like which measures the bend in a structural member of the aircraft, such as a landing gear element or a wing or fuselage section, by use of inclinometers mounted to the member and each having a signal output representing the angle of the member with respect to a reference plane and then summing signal outputs from the incinometers to determine the angle of the bend which provides an indication of weight. In one example, the landing gear of the aircraft includes a member which bends in response to aircraft weight and a pair of inclinometers, in the form of servoed accelerometers, are mounted to the member adjacent opposite ends thereof and each provide a voltage output representing the angle of the member relative to the reference plane, and a summing device for summing said signal outputs as an indication of weight.

Abstract: A normally open, two stage solenoid actuated flow control valve having a pressure relief function, in which a poppet assembly comprising a spring biased poppet, a range spring and a spring adjusting screw, controls the communication of balancing fluid pressure to a primary valve member. The adjustment screw includes an axial extending shaft engageable with an externally extending adjustment stem; rotation of the stem effects concurrent rotation and axial displacement of the adjusting screw within the poppet sleeve. An armature is disposed in axial alignment with and intermediate the stem and the poppet assemby so that the poppet assembly can be driven to engagement with its associated seat by the actuation of the solenoid or by the direct axial displacement of the adjustment stem.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing a visual information screen by means of a plurality of gas cells serially arranged along gas channels within a glass panel, having orthogonal parallel conductors in dielectric separation over the channels, wherein a single electrical input circuit is utilized to ignite a gas cell which may be serially shifted to selected gas channels and subsequently parallel shifted with other similar gas cells along the channels by electrical excitation of the conductors.