Abstract: An electromechanical switch having a manually operable lever with a long lever arm, a low power circuit on a circuit board, low pressure contacts and a force decoupling assembly for connecting the lever and contacts while decoupling the forces associated with the operation of the lever from the forces associated with contacting the circuit. The force decoupling assembly includes a contact carriage pivotable in a first direction to move the contacts across traces on the circuit board to activate the switch and springs for biasing the contacts against the traces in a direction perpendicular to the pivot plane.

Abstract: A device for inspecting a glass container to evaluate its wall thickness. The minimum thickness, the maximum thickness and the minimum to maximum thickness ratio are calculated and an inspected bottle is rejected based on one or more of these three parameters.

Abstract: An electromechanical timer includes a motor-driven cam, and electrical switches responsive to the cam supported in a housing. An array of rows and columns of electrical terminals are connected to the switches and extend from one end of the housing. First electrical busses of corrugated form fit into similarly shaped first channels parallel to each row of terminals and c-shaped second electrical busses fit into similarly shaped channels connecting the first channels and the terminals. The first and second busses are compressed between opposing walls of the first and second channels to provide a first bias force which holds the busses in place. The second busses are also compressed between their corresponding terminal and an opposing wall of the corresponding second channel to provide a second bias force in a direction perpendicular to the first bias force, which second bias force provides the force for electrically contacting the terminals.

Abstract: An indicator housing has a window in it and an aperature for passing a gearshift lever through it. There is a light guide having indicia on it which are viewable in the window, an indicating arm, and a metal tape closing the aperature in the housing, connecting the indicating arm to the gearshift lever, and supporting the indicating arm for movement along a first axis parallel to the light guide over a range that permits it to be visually aligned in the window with the indicia to indicate the lever position. The tape has two openings in it along an edge and the indicating arm has two pins. The housing includes a body portion and a cover portion. When the cover is secured to the body, the arm is trapped between the cover and tape in a direction perpendicular to the first axis, with the pins in the openings, thereby securing the arm to the tape.

Abstract: An electromechanical timer includes a motor-driven cam and electrical switches responsive to the cam supported in a housing. An array of rows and columns of electrical terminals are connected to the switches and extend from one end of the housing. First electrical busses of corrugated form fit into similarly shaped channels parallel to each row or column of terminals the corrugations being arranged so that the portions of the busses between the terminals is closer to a line passing through the row or column of terminals than the portion adjacent the terminals. Second C-shaped second busses fit into similarly shaped channels between the first busses and the terminals to connect the terminals to each other. The corrugated shape of the first channels and the C-shape of the second channels result in the air paths between a first bus and an adjacent terminal is not connected to it being three or more times as long as the straight-line distance between them.

Abstract: Apparatus for performing a non-contact three-dimensional inspection of a surface-mount component prior to placement on a printed circuit board. Specifically, an arrangement to ensure acceptable alignment (i.e. coplanarity) of all component heads in the XZ or YZ plane, where XY is the plane of the component. The apparatus is embodied within a conventional pick and place machine and performs critical, in-process, lead coplanarity inspection.

Abstract: An appliance timer includes a motor-driven cam, a plurality of electrical switches responsive to the cam, and a plurality of electrical terminals electrically connected to the switches, all of which are supported in a housing. The terminals are arranged on one end of the housing in n rows, and bussing between the terminals is provided so that all terminals to which external electrical connection is to be made are in one of m rows, with m being less than n. An insulating maze structure is provided in the housing within which the terminals are mounted so that the air path distance between terminals connected to differing electrical polarities is greater than the straight line path. The terminals to be connected to are longer than the other terminals. A terminal cover is snapped onto the housing and covers all of the terminals in the rows other than the m rows while leaving the longer terminals in the m rows exposed for connection to an external connector.

Abstract: A timer includes a motor-driven cam, switches responsive to the cam, and terminals connected to the switches, all supported in a housing. The housing includes slots to receive the terminal blades and cavities communicating with the slots. The blades of the terminals include a notch with one side perpendicular to the axis of the blade to form a stop and the other side forming a first ramp at an acute angle to the perpendicular. The first ramp is bent out of the plane of the blade to form a second ramp. As a blade is inserted into a slot, the second ramp forces the first ramp into the plane of the blade as it passes through the slot. After passing through the slot, the first ramp snaps into the cavity along a scissoring intersection until the stop engages the housing, at which point the housing is gripped between the first ramp and the stop, thus securing the blade in the housing.

Abstract: There is described a speed sensor that is particularly adaptable to moving vehicles such as automobiles. A permanent magnet, stator assembly, and field coil are held within a cup that is adapted to mate a bearing assembly of a non-driven wheel of the vehicle. Rotor poles are carried on the wheel spindle. A magnetic flux is provided by the permanent magnet, the flux passing through the rotor poles which rotate with the wheel and through poles of the stator assembly. As the wheel turns, the rotor poles are at times aligned with the stator poles across on air gap and at other times not aligned across an air gap, the air gap being in a plane parallel to the plane in which the wheel rotates. This results in a changing magnetic flux, which in turn generates an alternating voltage current in the field coil. The alternating current so generated is then fed through an electrical terminal to a vehicle computer.

Abstract: An indicator housing has a window in it and an aperture for passing a gearshift lever through it. There is a light guide having indicia on it which are viewable in the window, an indicating member, and a metal tape connecting the indicating member to the gearshift lever and supporting it for movement along a first axis parallel to the light guide over a range that permits it to be visually aligned in the window with the indicia to indicate the lever position. The indicating member includes a surface at a 45.degree. angle to the first axis. A wire spring has two ends attached to the indicating member and a V-shaped portion between the ends. The end of the V engages the housing and forces the sides of the V against the angled surface to prevent the arm from rattling in directions orthogonal to the first axis. The 45.degree. surface also acts as a reflectinhg surface to reflect light from a bulb into the indicating member.

Abstract: An improved, moisture-proof container of solid, moisture-curable composition for use as a hot-melt in the apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,636 in which the composition in the container is further retained within a sealed bag of heat-resistant, resilient foil. The foil may be a simple film of polyamide or polyester but for higher-temperature melting a shrinkage-resistant laminate of polyamide or polyester film supported on an aluminium foil may be used.

Abstract: A check valve assembly which is to permit flow into a pneumatic cylinder is accessible without taking the cylinder apart. The check valve is located within an insert which is secured to the cylinder head at an exterior surface. Removal of the inserts makes the check valve accessible.

Abstract: A lockset for a door comprising a latch bolt assembly including a bolt movable between a partially extended latching position, a fully extending dead bolt position, and a retracted position. A spring biases the bolt toward its dead bolt position and a spindle extends through the latch assembly. The spindle is connected to the bolt to move the bolt between its positions upon rotation of the spindle. A mechanism is provided for holding the latch bolt in its latching position when the door is open and a mechanism responsive to the closing of the door is provided to move the latch bolt automatically into its dead bolt position.

Abstract: A gob severing mechanism comprises a single blade which severs a series of gobs by passing rapidly through columns of glass, severing a first series on movement in one direction and a second series on movement in the other direction. In rest positions on opposite sides of the glass columns wherein the blade is positioned in shrouds in which it is cooled by a mist of coolant, e.g. water.

Abstract: An arm for a door closer includes a shaft rotatable about a first axis. The arm includes a first arm member having a first end connected to the shaft and rotatable therewith. A second arm member has a first end pivotably connected to a second end of the first arm member and a second end pivotably connected to a mounting bracket. The second arm member includes an open ended axially movable housing member having radially inwardly extending detent. A clamp has a first end forming the first end of the second arm and a second and forming radially expandable jaws of the clamp. The detent on the housing when disposed in a first axial position maintains the jaws in a closed position and when moved to a second axial position permits the jaws to radially expand. A link has a first end forming the second end of the second arm and a second end. A joining member is connected to the second end of the link and extends towards the clamp.

Abstract: Stud welding apparatus comprising a housing, a spring-loaded stud holder which holds a welding stud in welding position by its resilient restoring force, a feed channel through which the stud is delivered into a substantially cylindrical space within the stud holder, and loading means which is movable relatively to the welding stud by a pneumatic piston and which presses the stud into the stud holder against the resilient restoring force, characterized in that the loading means is pivotally attached about an axis fixed in relation to the housing, that at least one lever is disposed between the loading means and the pneumatic piston whereby the pivotal point of said lever on the loading means is spaced by a small distance from its axis of rotation and that loading means, lever and the movement of the pneumatic piston are coordinated so that loading means is pivotable between a loading position, in which the feed channel is cleared, and a position in which the loading means presses stud into the stud holder.

Abstract: An inactive feeder supports a lead tape having evenly spaced sprocket holes and components within a feed channel. Pairs of ball detents spaced at the same pitch forcefully enter corresponding sprocket holes when the lead tape is incremented to precisely locate and hold the lead tape.

Abstract: An armature for a solenoid operated valve in which a magnetically responsive tubular housing has a central aperture extending longitudinally therethrough. Secured within the aperture is a seal component with opposite ends positioned relative to the open ends of the housing so that either of the ends of the seal component are sealingly engageable with a valve seat. The tubular housing has either a split-seam construction or a seamless construction. Both ends of the sealing component extend outwardly beyond the ends of the tubular housing, and may include a disc-shaped portion at either or both ends.

Abstract: A rivet-setting tool for pull-to-set blind rivets having mandrel-gripping jaws in which the teeth are widely-spaced at a level of only 8-15 teeth per inch; preferably the teeth in each jaw have non-uniform spacing, the spacing between some pairs of teeth being at least twice the spacing of the pairs of teeth in the same jaw; preferably, also, each tooth in one jaw is located directly opposite a tooth in the other jaw.

Abstract: A piezoelectric signaling device has an oscillator circuit which includes a transistor amplifier and a piezoelectric transducer. There is a Zener diode in the transistor circuit. The Zener voltage of the diode determines the start-up voltage of the device. By choosing diodes with different Zener voltages, the start-up voltage may be preselected. In other embodiments, the diode may be connected in the base circuit of the transistor or in other portions of the oscillator circuit.