Abstract: A component placement machine comprising an X-Y table, at least two pick-up tools movable between an up-position and a down position is set up to allow for movement of each tool in a horizontal plane in moving between its down position and its up position. A test piece is removably mounted in a pocket on the X-Y table so that it is accurately reproducibly mounted. The test piece is picked-up by a pick-up tool in its down position and a detection device detects the actual position of the piece on the tool in its up position. This is repeated for all the tools so that, when the X-Y table drive is used to compensate for variations in component position on a tool, as detected by the detection device, account can be taken of said movement in a horizontal plane.

Abstract: The take-out mechanism comprises first and second container gripping structures (50a, 50b) and independently operable moving structures (58a, 70a, 72a; 58b, 70b, 72b) therefor. Each moving structure comprises a first horizontally-disposed linear motor (70a; 70b) operable to move the gripping structures horizontally along the center-line of the machine, a second horizontally-disposed linear motor (72a; 72b) disposed perpendicularly relative to the first horizontally-disposed linear motor and operable to move the gripping structures horizontally perpendicular to said center-line, and a vertically-disposed linear motor (58a; 58b) operable to lower the gripping structures from the level at which they are moulded in the machine to a level at which they can be released on to a conveyor (30).

Abstract: A clutch assembly permits a manual setting of a timing mechanism camstack by an appliance operator and at the same time insures that the camstack cannot be manually set during the time that electrical power is being supplied to the timing mechanism. The assembly includes a support and a camstack, a shaft and a bearing mounted in the support for rotation about a common axis. First clutch teeth are integrally formed within the bearing and second clutch teeth are integrally formed within the shaft. The bearing is mechanically coupled to the camstack via tangs on the camstack which pass through channels in the bearing. The shaft is axially movable from a first position in which the first and second teeth are engaged to a second position in which the teeth are disengaged.

Abstract: A strip of resistive carbon is deposited on a longitudinal plastic film and a strip of conductive copper is deposited on a second film. The two film strips are glued together with the resistive and conductive strips opposing to form a sealed envelope having a longitudinal cavity. This sandwich is placed in a flexible extruded tube membrane and the whole inserted in a longitudinal slot in a frame, with a channel communicating with the slot and the exterior of the frame. Liquid in a tank compresses the envelope, causing the copper and carbon strips to contract at a point depending on the level. The change in resistance of the carbon-copper circuit with level produces a changing voltage which is processed to provide a signal indicative of the level of in the tank. Temperature sensors in the frame provide the temperature of the at various levels.

Abstract: An individual section of a glass forming machine has a cylinder for controlling the displacement of the plunger. The piston is tandem in nature so that pressure can be selectively reduced for the final portion of plunger advance and the inner diameter of the cylinder guides plunger advancement at all pressures.

Abstract: A control valve for the mandrel collection system of a rivet setting tool is described. The control valve features two shut-off modes; the first effected by a manual quarter-turn operation, and the second effected by an actuator stem located on the base of the tool and occurring when the operator puts the tool down on a support surface.

Abstract: A quick connect/disconnect solenoid operated valve providing simultaneous electrical and fluid connections to a refrigerator with an icemaker.

Abstract: An assembly for preventing a flanged finish on the neck portion of a glass container by permitting continuous engagement between the neck ring and the guide ring even though the guide ring is subject to wear and by forcefully maintaining this continuous engagement with a spring urged centering sleeve which extends through a bore in the neck ring to engage the bottom of the guide ring. The neck ring includes a stepped interior annular groove into which a guide ring having an outer stepped annular portion is received. While the total height of the guide ring corresponds to the total height of the groove of the neck ring, the upper surface (70) of the bottom step (72) of the guide ring establishes a selected clearance (Z) with the upper surface (74) of the bottom portion (66) of the neck ring groove so that the continuous engagement can be maintained as the top surface of the guide ring wears.

Abstract: An electronic lock includes a bolt having a fully extended position when a door is closed and a partially extended position when the door is open. The lockset is selectively placed in a locked state when the bolt is in its fully extended position. A switch is responsive to the position of the bolt and has a first operating position when the bolt is fully extended and a second operating position when the bolt is partially extended. A processor is responsive to the switch for preventing the selective locking of the bolt when the bolt is partially extended.

Abstract: An apparatus for manual wire bonding, comprising an ultrasonically energizable and/or thermocompression wedge (11) for pressing the wire (34) against a bonding pad, wherein the wedge (11) is part of a bonding head (10) adapted to be moved towards and away from said bonding pad, especially in up/down direction. The bonding pad is disposed on a base which is movable in a direction approximately transversely to the direction of movement of the bonding head (10) for positioning the bonding pad opposite said wedge (11). Furthermore, means is provided for controlling the drive unit (20) of the bonding head. Preferably, the drive unit (20) for the bonding head motion is a d.c. servomotor, wherein each part-motion and non-motion of the bonding head (10) can be adjusted individually in respect of travelling distance and speed and motionless period, respectively, and can be checked as to execution. To this end the drive unit (20) cooperates with a distance and speed control (44-51) and feedback (28) unit.

Abstract: The mechanism supports mould side portions (10;110) on an upper support (50;150) and a lower support (52;152) both mounted on an arm (14) for limited movement in a horizontal plane. A force apportioning member (62;162) is mounted on the arm and pivotally engages both supports. The force apportioning member (62;162) pivots on a horizontal axis between the supports to apportion mould closure force between the supports. The pivots may be provided by spherical bearings (64,70;164;170).

Abstract: An improved system for controlling the operation of a cyclically moving shear mechanism, including a circuit for automatically synchronizing the cyclical actuation of a fluidic drive assembly to the timing of a related mechanism such as a glass gob feeder. The synchronizing circuit increases or decreases a "start delay time" each cycle if a Return sensor signal precedes or follows a Start signal, respectively. A count corresponding to the Start Delay period is adjusted within a single cycle by the amount required to bring the return sensor signal and the start signal back into synchronism in subsequent cycles.

Abstract: An electrically operated exit device comprises a low powered dogging assembly for a pushbar and an electrical actuator for a latch bolt. A latching bracket is attached to the pushbar for movement inwardly and outwardly along a path. A dogging plate of the dogging element is pivotally moveable between a retracted position out of the path of the latching element and an extended position in the path of the latching element. The dogging plate is spring biased toward the extended position and has a protruding shoulder. When the dogging plate is extended and the pushbar moved inward manually, the latching bracket strikes the dogging plate, retracts it slightly against the force of the spring bias and then continues slightly beyond the shoulder of the dogging plate. Then, the dogging plate again extends fully under the influence of the spring bias such that a bearing surface on the far side of the shoulder catches the latching bracket and thereby dogs the pushbar.

Abstract: An elongated bilaminate bender is formed from a pair of piezoelectric ceramic sheets laminated to a conductive metallic strip. In response to an alternating current, the bender bends in a direction substantially perpendicular to its long axis, first one way and then the opposite. One end of a pivot bar is driven by the bender. A spring provides a bias force opposite to the direction that the pivot bar is pushed by the bender, to return the pivot bar when the bender bends in the opposite direction. A pair of pawls attached one on either side of the pivot axis of the bar, alternately drive a ratchet wheel on the bender drive stroke and the return stroke. The ratchet wheel turns a drive shaft. A stop prevents the pivot bar from exactly following the motion of the bender, so that the motion of the drive shaft is independent of voltage fluctuations of the alternating current.

Abstract: The capacitance of the wall of a glass bottle is sensed and converted to a periodic voltage by a measuring oscillator. A periodic voltage is generated by a phase locked loop which includes a voltage controlled reference oscillator which is forced to operate at the same frequency as the measuring oscillator. The voltage inputted to the reference oscillator will accordingly represent the thickness of the wall of the container. The following model is utilized by the machine computer to translate capacitance to thickness;C(T)=A.times.T/(1+B.times.T)where C is the measured capacitance, T is the wall thickness, A is the coefficient describing the small thickness, linear relationship and B is the coefficient describing the large thickness, non-linear relationship.

Abstract: A dryer timer includes a housing and a motor and a cam assembly carried in the housing. A switch in the housing is responsive to the cam to switch the motor between a 120 VAC standard timer circuit and a 240 VAC dryer heater circuit. A leadless voltage dropping resistor in the 240 VAC circuit is mounted on the exterior of the housing clasped between the feed-through to the switch and a terminal strap connected to the timer terminal which connects to the dryer heater circuit. A flanged member connected to the feed-through and the terminal strap engaged the flat surfaces of the disk-shaped leadless voltage dropping resistor to dissipate the heat it produces.

Abstract: A shaft is rotatable in a housing and connected to a rotatable actuator having a notch that pivots around the shaft. A slidable actuator is slidable along the shaft and has a notch that moves parallel to the shaft. The shaft is inserted into a slot in a lever, and a pin having a shoulder is passed through the lever perpendicular to the slot, passing through a bore in the shaft and the shoulder pressing the shaft against the side of the slot. The pin is driven in with a predetermined force high enough to hold the lever and shaft together with zero clearance and low enough to allow the lever to easily pivot on the shaft. The lever is deformable and thus grips the pin. A pair of identical carriages are pivotable on pins, each carriage having an arm that fits into one of the notches in the actuators, the arm and notches having surfaces shaped to provide a zero-clearance, non-jamming fit over their entire range of motion.

Abstract: A straight line shear mechanism has rack driven shears which are operated by a pneumatic cylinder. Opposite ends of the operating rod of the pneumatic cylinder are connected via nail head couplings which permit rotation of the rod about its axis and which automatically accommodates slight misalignments to minimize distortion of the rod.

Abstract: The displacement of one or more of the plungers in an individual section glass forming machine is monitored so that the location of the plungers, when each mold cavity has completely filled (parison formation point), can be determined. When a plunger is located at the parison formation point the feed pressure is reduced by a selectable amount.

Abstract: A plastics retaining clip for clamping e.g. brake lines to a stay bolt of a motor vehicle of the kind disclosed in German DE-OS 32 38 345 characterized by projections which protrude into the bore for housing the stay bolt, the number of the projections corresponding with the number of gripping jaws, the projections and the gripping jaws having the same angular disposition with reference to the center axis of the bore, the width of the projections being at least equal to the width of the relevant gripping jaws, and the projections at their edge which butts against the stay bolt and points in the direction of underside of the retaining clip, are formed with sharp edges. Thus when the clip is mounted on a bolt treated with underseal material, the sharp edges remove a modicum of underseal material from the stud which enables the clip to be seated securely on the stud.