Abstract: A wire spring assembly adaptable for use in a mattress for a sleeper sofa or roll-away bed in which individual wire spring units are secured to each other and arranged in rows that extend transversely of the assembly. Each spring unit has a pair of end portions, a plurality of torsion bars and one or more connecting bars extending between the torsion bars. The end portions are adaptable to be attached to the corresponding end portions of adjacent spring units in the same row. The assembly further includes a plurality of flexible wire members extending longitudinally of the assembly substantially the length thereof, which are secured to the end portions of some of the spring units to position the rows while allowing the mattress to be folded.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for injection molding plastic articles having solid exterior surfaces and porous interior cores wherein a molten mixture of a chemically reactive foaming agent and a thermoplastic resin is injected into a mold so as to fill the mold cavity with unfoamed resin and form an outer solid skin on the molded article. Immediately prior to injection, an activator additive is introduced into the mixture, the additive reacting chemically with the foaming agent after a time delay of no more than a few seconds to provide for cellular expansion within the core of the molded article. The result is a molded body with a solid unfoamed skin which accurately relicates the surface of the mold and a cellular inner core.

Abstract: A box spring assembly which includes a generally rectangular frame, a welded wire grid disposed above and aligned with the frame, a plurality of upwardly extending limited deflection wire springs which are mounted at their lower ends on the frame and at their upper ends are secured to the welded wire grid, and corner springs which are yieldable and are supported on the corners of the frame so as to support the corners of the grid. Each of the limited deflection springs is formed at its upper end with an attaching portion that is readily secured to the grid by conventional clips and includes wire sections which provide additional spaced supports for the grid. Improved cross rails in the frame support the springs and improved corner springs support the corners of the grid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for transferring blanks, plastic parisons or other articles to be molded in a sealed cavity. One embodiment includes mold sections which are closeable along a first axis to form a mold cavity and which are movable along a second axis from a first station where the mold sections may receive a moldable blank to a second station where the blank may be molded under pressure. Optional biasing means may be included to hold the mold sections sufficiently close together to hold the blank in the mold cavity as the mold sections move from the first station to the second station. A clamp, or other pressure applying means, exerts a final closing pressure on the mold sections at the second station for molding the blank under pressure. The clamp is stationary in relation to the first and second stations so that the mold sections can move relative to the clamp along the second axis.

Abstract: At a blow-molding machine for fabricating hollow blow-molded articles from a thermoplastic material a hollow blow mold is moved back and forth with a swinging or pendulum movement upon a transport device containing a mold-supporting platform between a receiving station for the hose-like thermoplastic material to be blow molded and a blow molding station. The platform carries article receiving and transfer means which move in unison therewith and serve to receive the hollow blow-molded bodies or articles formed at the blow-molding station and for delivering the same to an article outfeed or delivery station.

Abstract: A box spring assembly which includes a generally rectangular frame, a welded wire grid disposed above and aligned with the frame, a plurality of upwardly extending limited deflection wire springs which are mounted at their lower ends on the frame and at their upper ends are secured to the welded wire grid, and improved corner springs which are yieldable and are supported on the corners of the frame so as to support the corners of the grid. Each of the corner springs is a limited deflection spring formed at its upper end with an attaching portion that is readily secured to the grid by a conventional clip and including upright columns which will yield under load and which will also engage the frame to limit deflection.

Abstract: A fluidized bed discharge bin comprises a removable closure covering an opening in the bottom of the bin. The interior surface of the closure is covered by an air-permeable sheet whose outer perimeter is held between the bin opening and the closure. Spacing means are disposed on the surface of the closure to space at least a portion of the air-permeable sheet from the closure. Aerating fluid is introduced into the bin via an inlet in the closure which is located in close proximity to the location where the spacing means is spacing the air-permeable sheet from the interior surface of the closure. The aerating blower system includes a control for supplying aerating fluid to the bin in the form of successive aerating pulses and provision is made for causing an initial surge of pressure to be imparted to the beginning of each aerating pulse which is greater than the nominal aerating pressure. Plural embodiments of the invention are disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved injection molding apparatus which enables change out of the injection mold without requiring core pin to injection mold cavity alignment for each change out operation. Automatic alignment is provided by pockets into which the injection mold halves fit. The injection mold halves and the pockets are configured to insure correct alignment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming blown thermoplastic articles in which an extrusion head extrudes an essentially tubular parison of thermoplastic material. Sections of a preform mold are then closed around the parison, the sections having a preform cavity with a configuration such that one end of the parison is open after closing and the other end is enclosed. A core pin is next inserted into the open end of the parison and is utilized to compression mold the parison to form a preform. Heat is transferred from the parison through the inner and outer walls of the preform between the mold cavity and core pin during the compression molding step in order to thermally condition the preform and bring the temperature within the desired range. The sections of the preform mold are then opened and the preform is enclosed within sections of blow molds within a blow mold cavity. The preform is next expanded to the shape of the blow mold cavity.

Abstract: A joint for securing a tubular member to a support member comprises a pair of extruded holes in the sidewall of the tubular member opposite each other, a hole in the support member, the tubular member being disposed against the support member with the extruded holes in alignment with the hole in the support member, and a self-tapping fastener engaging the support member and passing through the hole therein to threadedly engage both extruded holes, the threaded fastener having cut complementary threads in both extruded holes during fastening.

Abstract: A seat back recliner comprises an infinitely variable mechanism which positions the seat back angularly relative to the seat cushion about a hinge axis in one-to-one correspondence with operation of an operating lever. Once the seat back has been positioned to a desired setting by operation of the lever, the seat back remains in the selected position. External torques applied to the seat back about the hinge axis tending to displace the seat back from the selected position are resisted by a locking action between wedging members in the infinitely variable mechanism. When it is desired to position the seat back, operation of the lever is effective to rotate the seat back to the desired position while concurrently interacting with the wedging members so as to prevent the wedging members from disallowing the desired rotation.

Abstract: A sound barrier system particularly suited for out-of-doors, ground-mounted installations, such as for a highway noise barrier, comprises a vertical wall composed of successive individual wall sections arranged with immediately adjacent wall sections disposed at an intersecting angle to each other. Immediately adjacent wall sections are rigidly joined together in abutment along a common vertical joint. An earth anchor is anchored into the ground at each vertical joint. Each joint is secured to the corresponding earth anchor so that downwardly directed hold-down forces are applied by the earth anchors to the wall at the bottom portions of the joints.

Abstract: An overdeck assembly for use in a sofa bed mechanism consisting of a plurality of sections foldable between collapsed sofa positions in which sections are stacked vertically and extended bed positions in which the sections extend in substantially horizontal alignment. The overdeck assembly includes a flexible over deck member formed of a polypropylene sheet and secured to the sofa bed mechanism by a tensioning mechanism which allows the deck member to hang loosely below the sofa bed sections in the extended bed position of the mechanism and is stretched across the top of the stacked sections in the sofa position so as to provide a taut uninterrupted support surface for the sofa cushion or cushions.

Abstract: A box spring assembly which includes a generally rectangular frame, a welded wire grid disposed above and aligned with the frame, a plurality of upwardly extending limited deflection wire springs which are mounted at their lower ends on the frame and at their upper ends are interlocked with the welded wire grid, and corner springs which are yieldable and are supported on the corners of the frame so as to support the corners of the grid. Each of the limited deflection springs is formed at its upper end with an attaching portion that is connected to the grid merely by moving it from an initial assembly position to an interlocked position, without the requirement of any notches in the grid. This structure enables assembly of the grid and the springs without the requirement for the usual attaching clips.

Abstract: A box spring assembly which includes a generally rectangular frame and a plurality of wire springs mounted on the frame and connected to each other so as to yieldably resist downwardly directed bedding loads. Each of the springs has an elongated body portion arranged above the frame and downwardly extending end portions, each of the end portions having a lower column section consisting of a straight length of spring wire and an upper section consisting of a plurality of substantially horizontal torsion bars and a plurality of angularly arranged connecting bars connected to and extending between the torsion bars so that in response to a downwardly directed bedding load, the upper section will yieldably collapse to accommodate the load and impart a feeling of soft support to the bedding user. The straight wire column is inclined inwardly so that it can bend slightly and cause a twisting of the torsion bar on which it is mounted. This action imparts a feeling of firm support to the bedding user.