Abstract: An endless power transmission belt and a transverse belt element therefor as well as methods of making the same are provided, the belt construction comprising an endless flexible carrier and a plurality of transverse belt elements assembled on the carrier, each belt element having a peripheral face and a medial slot passing therethrough and receiving part of the carrier therein. Each belt element has a slit in the peripheral face thereof that leads to the slot thereof and a hinge spaced from the slit thereof that permits the belt element to have the slit thereof opened sufficiently to permit at least part of the carrier to be received therethrough for subsequent positioning in the slot thereof and thereafter be moved to a closed position to prevent at least that part of the carrier from escaping through the slit.

Abstract: A belt construction for a continuously variable transmission, a transverse belt element therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the belt construction having an endless flexible band unit and a plurality of belt elements carried by the band unit in sliding relation therewith. Each belt element has a slot arrangement receiving the band unit therein and has opposed faces disposed in compressed relation against adjacent faces of adjacent belt elements. Each belt element has opposed sides for respectively engaging pulley faces of the transmission, the slot arrangement for each belt element defining a pair of slots respectively interrupting the opposed sides thereof and being spaced from each other by a central stem portion of the element. The pair of slots for each element receive parts of the band unit therein and respectively define a pair of shoulders engaging the parts of the band unit.

Abstract: A holddown bar for a hatch cover of a railroad car or the like is provided, the holddown bar having opposed ends one of which has a hinge unit that is adapted to be pivotally mounted to the car and the other of which has a latch unit that is adapted to be releasably latched to the car while a medial portion thereof intermediate the opposed ends is adapted to extend across the hatch cover and carries a sealing gasket in a channel thereof that is adapted to engage against the hatch cover. The opposed ends and medial portion of the holddown bar comprise a one-piece member formed of a relatively rigid polymeric material and has a reinforcing unit therein.

Abstract: A hatch cover arrangement for a railroad car or the like and a railroad car utilizing such hatch cover arrangement are provided, the hatch cover arrangement comprising the combination of a hatch cover and a holddown bar for the hatch cover. The holddown bar has opposed ends one of which is adapted to be pivotally mounted to the car and the other of which is adapted to be releasably latched to the car while a medial portion thereof intermediate the opposed ends thereof extends transversely across the hatch cover, the holddown bar and the hatch cover comprising a one-piece homogeneous member formed of polymeric material.

Abstract: A tensioner for a power transmission belt that is adapted to be operated in an endless path, a part therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the tensioner comprising a support unit for being fixed relative to the belt, a belt engaging unit carried by the support unit and being movable relative thereto, a mechanical spring unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit for urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit and against the belt with a force to tension the belt, and a fluid dampening unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit to dampen the movement of the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit in at least one direction of movement thereof, the fluid dampening unit comprising a rotary dampening unit.

Abstract: A holddown bar for a hatch cover of a railroad car or the like and a railroad car utilizing such a holddown bar are provided, the holddown bar having opposed sides and opposed ends one of which is adapted to be pivotally mounted to the car and the other of which is adapted to be releasably latched to the car while a medial portion thereof intermediate the opposed ends is adapted to extend across the hatch cover and carries a sealing gasket in a channel thereof that is adapted to engage against the hatch cover, the holddown bar having a rain shield secured to one of the opposed sides thereof at the medial portion and opposed ends thereof so as to be adapted to be disposed adjacent and outboard of an end of the hatch cover for protecting the same from the elements. The rain shield comprises a one-piece member formed of a relatively flexible polymeric material.

Abstract: A tensioner for a power transmission belt that is adapted to be operated in an endless path is provided and comprises a support unit for being fixed relative to the belt, a belt engaging unit carried by the support unit and being movable relative thereto, a mechanical spring unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit for urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit and against the belt with a force to tension the belt, and a frictional dampening unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit to dampen the movement of the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit in at least one direction of movement thereof. The dampening unit has a longitudinal axis and the support unit comprises a shaft having a longitudinal axis and being fixed from movement relative to the belt engaging unit. The belt engaging unit has a portion thereof rotatably carried by the shaft so as to rotate relative to the shaft.

Abstract: A holddown bar for a hatch cover of a railroad car, the holddown bar having opposed ends one of which is adapted to be pivotally mounted to the car and the other of which is adapted to be releasably latched to the car while a medial portion thereof intermediate the opposed ends is adapted to extend across the hatch cover and carries a sealing gasket in a channel thereof that is adapted to engage against the hatch cover. The medial portion of the holddown bar has a surface adapted to engage a certain structure of the car outboard of the hatch thereof when the holddown bar is pivoted to a hatch opening position thereof. The surface of the medial portion of the holddown bar comprises a resilient bumper carrier by the holddown bar for engaging the structure of the car when the holddown bar is pivoted thereagainst whereby the bumper tends to prevent damage to that structure of the car when the holddown bar is pivoted to the open position thereof.

Abstract: An endless power transmission belt construction and a transverse belt element therefor as well as a method of making the same are provided, the belt construction comprising an endless carrier unit and a plurality of transverse belt elements assembled on the carrier unit, each belt element comprising a block of polymeric material having a reinforcing member of metallic material disposed therein. Each reinforcing member comprises a folded blank defining two spaced apart side parts that extend outboard of one of the surfaces of the carrier unit and an elbow joining the side parts together and extending outboard of the other of the surfaces of the carrier unit. Each belt element has a slot receiving the carrier unit therein and a shoulder arrangement that defines part of the slot and engages the inner surface of the carrier. The side parts of each reinforcing member of each belt element define the shoulder arrangement of their respective belt element.

Abstract: A belt construction and method of making the same are provided, the belt construction comprising a tensile member intermediate the opposed sides of the belt construction, a plurality of teeth defining one of the opposed sides of the belt construction and being mainly formed of a first polymeric material that has reinforcing fibers therein, each tooth having opposed sides that are disposed in spaced relation to adjacent sides of adjacent teeth, the belt construction having a land area between adjacent teeth, and a backing member defining the other of the opposed sides of the belt construction, the backing member being mainly formed from a second polymeric material that is initially separate from the material of the teeth and is substantially free of fibers therein, the material of the backing member having a surface that joins with a surface of each tooth whereby the joining surfaces define an interface line therebetween, the interface line for each tooth extending from the tensile member at a point inboard of

Abstract: A belt construction provided, the belt construction comprising a tensile member intermediate the opposed sides of the belt construction, a plurality of teeth defining one of the opposed sides of the belt construction and being mainly formed of a first polymeric material that has reinforcing fibers therein, the belt construction having a land area between adjacent teeth, and a backing member defining the other of the opposed sides of the belt construction, the backing member being mainly formed from a second polymeric material that is initially separate from the material of the teeth and is substantially free of fibers therein, the material of the backing member having a surface that joins with a surface of each tooth whereby the joining surfaces define an interface line therebetween, the interface line in each land area having a portion thereof disposed spaced from the tensile member on the side thereof opposite to the side thereof that faces toward the teeth.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a polymeric coated layer is provided, the method comprising the steps of providing a strand layer with the strands thereof disposed in a predetermined pattern, forming the strand layer to comprise a first substantially planar layer of strands disposed in superimposed relation with a second substantially planar layer of strands whereby the strands of the first layer are not woven with the strands of the second layer, disposing a liquid polymeric coating on the strand layer while the strands thereof are disposed in the pattern thereof, doctoring the coating, stretching the strand layer in one direction after the step of disposing the coating thereon, and drying the coating with a heating unit to at least a degree thereof that will hold the strands of the strand layer in substantially the pattern thereof whereby the coating effectively is the sole securement securing the strands of the first layer to the strands of the second layer and thereby imparts its flexible characteristic

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a polymeric coated fabric layer is provided, the method comprising the steps of providing a fabric layer having warps and fills initially woven at a certain angle relative to each other, then changing the certain angle to another angle by stretching the fabric layer in one direction thereof whereby the fabric layer is in an altered condition thereof, disposing a liquid polymeric coating on at least one side of the fabric layer while the same is in the altered condition, doctoring the coating, further stretching the fabric layer in the one direction after the step of disposing the coating thereon, and drying the coating with a heating unit to at least a degree thereof that will hold the fabric layer in substantially the altered condition thereof, the step of doctoring the coating taking place after the step of further stretching the fabric layer and the step of further stretching the fabric layer taking place after the heating unit has dried the coating to at least a degree th

Abstract: A banded polymeric endless power transmission belt and method of making same are provided wherein such belt comprises a plurality of laterally spaced belt elements and each of the elements has fabric material defining the exposed surface thereof and a tie band interconnecting the elements with the tie band comprising fabric material; and, the fabric material defining the exposed surfaces and the fabric material comprising the tie band is a single piece of fabric material with such single piece of fabric material having a first portion bonded against top surfaces of the elements, a second portion covering the remaining exposed surfaces of the elements, and a third portion overlying the first portion so that the tie band comprises two layers of the single piece of fabric material.

Abstract: An elastomer coated bias fabric for reinforcing power transmission belts and the like is disclosed wherein one face of the fabric is provided with an uncured, tacky, carboxylated elastomeric composition. In one embodiment, the fabric is prepared by pre-impregnating the fabric with a neoprene latex composition followed by coating the neoprene composition on both faces of the fabric, and after drying the fabric, overcoating one face only of the coated fabric with a tackified, carboxylated neoprene latex composition. A method and apparatus for manufacturing the coated fabric is also disclosed.

Abstract: A polymeric-coated fabric layer, product using the layer, method and apparatus for making such layer and a method of making a belt construction comprising a polymeric belt body having a surface and a polymeric-coated fabric layer having an outer surface secured to the surface of the belt body are provided, the method of making a belt construction comprising the steps of providing a fabric layer having opposed sides, securing a main layer of polymeric material to one of the sides of the fabric layer, forming the main layer of polymeric material to have the outer surface facing away from the one side of the fabric layer, disposing the outer surface of the fabric layer against the surface of the belt body to provide an assembly thereof, bonding the outer surface of the layer to the surface of the belt body by a heat curing operation on the assembly, securing a gauge building layer of fibers to the one side of the fabric layer with another layer of polymeric material that is disposed on the one side before the la

Abstract: An endless power transmission belt having a toothed compression section and method of making the same are provided, the belt being formed substantially of polymeric materials and comprising a tension section, a compression section, and a load-carrying section disposed between the tension section and the compression section and having a transverse centerline, the compression section having an outer layer and an inner layer joined to the outer layer and defining an interface therewith that is substantially uniformly spaced from the load-carrying section by the outer layer throughout substantially the entire width and length of the belt. The compression section has an inner surface in the form of alternating transverse teeth and grooves with the grooves respectively defining the roots of the teeth.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an elastomer coated bias fabric for reinforcing power transmission belts and the like is disclosed wherein one face of the fabric is provided with an uncured, tacky, carboxylated elastomeric composition. In one embodiment, the fabric is prepared by pre-impregnating the fabric with a neoprene latex composition followed by coating the neoprene composition on both faces of the fabric while the fabric is transversely stretched, and after drying the fabric, overcoating one face only of the coated fabric with a tackified, carboxylated neoprene latex composition.

Abstract: A railroad track insulator, part therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the railroad track insulator being adapted to hold a railroad rail against its foundation and comprising the combination of a metallic part and a polymeric part secured together so that the polymeric part is adapted to engage the rail. The metallic part has an open ended recess in one of the opposed sides thereof and is defined by a peripheral flange arrangement thereof. The polymeric part has a peripheral edge and is disposed and secured in the recess so as to have the peripheral edge thereof supported by the peripheral flange arrangement of the metallic part. The metallic part comprises a stamping that has a generally L-shaped cross-sectional configuration that defines two legs thereof being disposed at an angle relative to each other, each leg having opposed ends and an outer free end extending between the opposed ends thereof.

Abstract: A system for fastening a rail to a foundation such as railroad ties or sleepers to form a railroad track. The system includes L-shaped inserts which are imbedded into the foundation and extending above it, supports which are laterally located with respect to the rails, and a fastening member or clip securing the rails. The main portion of each clip is mounted between the insert and the foundation, and one end contacts the upper surface of the supports. The other end of the clip contacts the flange of the rail, and has an offset lower surface which applies vertical and lateral pressure to the edge of the flange. The clip is made of a metal material and is a resilient spring having a multiple curved cross-section in order to apply compressive forces to the rail flange, the curved portions having undulating portions which make the various contacts.