Abstract: A trim press for severing articles differentially pressure formed in a thermoplastic sheet comprising a stationary die member and a movable trim die member mounted on a frame for movement toward and away from the stationary trim die member between a spaced apart position and a closed position in which the trim die members engage opposite sides of a sheet to sever the article from the sheet. Dynamically balanced drive mechanism is provided for moving the platen in a to-and-fro path of travel while concurrently oppositely moving a counterbalance weight movably mounted on the frame.

Abstract: A differential screw adjusting mechanism comprised of an externally and internally threaded adjusting nut which has a plurality of slots formed along its length. The internal threads of the adjusting nut cooperatively and threadedly engage screw threads at the end of each of the expansion rods. The rods are in turn fixed to the lip of the die via set screws or jam nuts. A spool having an internally threaded diameter and a slot along its length is engaged to the external threads of the adjusting nut. The head of the spool has a flattened portion to limit rotation of the spool when clamped in place. Thus, the slotted adjusting nut is overfit with the slotted spool. The entire assembly of spool, nut, and rod is clamped in place via a clamping arrangement affixed to the die. The tightening of the clamp serves to close the spool via the slot over the nut, and in turn, the nut, via its slots, over the rod.

Abstract: A take-up mechanism for winding strand material at low speeds comprising a take-up spindle and traverse mechanism driven by a torque motor having a flywheel interconnected in the drive system is described. The flywheel controls power fluctuation during the strand winding operation and provides for a substantially uniform tension on the yarn strand during winding.

Abstract: A differential pressure thermoforming machine has a female mold with a female mold cavity, and an opposing mold, with a mold closing portion cooperable therewith. A foam injection head is perimetrally separated from the mold closing portion and is provided on the opposing mold. When the molds are initially closed, a differential pressure is created in the molds to cause the heated plastic sheet to move into contact with the mold cavity and form a configured pocket in the sheet. Mechanism is provided for releasing the plastic sheet from the carriage in which it has been moved between the molds, after the molding operation, to the cavity in the female mold, after which the molds are restored to spread-apart position.

Abstract: Thermoforming machines with a heating station and a downstream mold station have carrier clamp frames for gripping the edges of sheets of plastic at a load station and indexing them successively to a heating station and a mold station. The carrier frame members to which the plastic may be releasably clamped carry their own remotely operated clamps and are themselves expandable and contractible to a condition in which, prior to molding, they control the sag in the sheet formed during heating of the sheets to differential pressure forming temperature. The plastic sheet can be molded to only a portion of a product which functions as a mold member.

Abstract: A system for producing generally concavo-convex synthetic plastic containers and like articles, such as picnic plates wherein a mold station has a stationary intermediate mold with projecting male mold parts on one side and directly opposite recessed female mold cavities in alignment therewith on the other side. A first movable mold, on the side of the intermediate mold having the male mold parts is provided with recessed mating female mold cavities of the same dimensions as the said cavities in the intermediate mold and a second movable mold on the other side of the intermediate mold has aligned projecting male mold parts mating with the cavities in the intermediate mold. A pair of heated, moldable synthetic plastic webs are advanced in unison to opposite sides of the intermediate mold and are later removed in unison from the mold station. The heated sections of the webs are moved in unison to opposite sides of the intermediate mold when the said first and second movable molds are separated therefrom.

Abstract: This relates to the provision of a stall shutdown circuit for a brushless direct current motor wherein energization of the windings of the stator of the motor is controlled by transistors. By providing a stall shutdown circuit for shutting down power to the transistors when a stall condition exists, the capacity of the power supply transistor may be reduced to one-third of that presently required, thereby greatly reducing the cost of the motor. The brushless direct current motor utilizing the stall shutdown circuit of the present invention is particularly useful in a textile machine such as a take-up device where it is necessary to stop a spindle to doff and don yarn packages.

Abstract: Improvements in differential pressure, thermoforming machinery for molding articles in thermoplastic material wherein a mold station incorporates female mold mechanism and opposed mold mechanism, a web advancing mechanism indexes a plastic web in which products are to be formed between said mold mechanisms, a drive moves the female and opposed mold mechanisms between open and closed positions on opposite sides of the plastic web, severing knife means is cooperable with a final increment of said relative movement to dispose said mechanism in closed position to sever the products formed from the web, and ejector mechanism is operable after severing is accomplished and there has been relative movement of said mold mechanisms toward open position to eject the product.

Abstract: A differential pressure molding apparatus comprising plural female mold cavity members and mating plug assist members, vacuum and pressure means for forming sheet material and clamping means to clamp said material, said clamping means having removable insert rings held in place by o-rings.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in the detection of leaks comprising an annular flexible, gas permeable skirt carried by and projecting from a carrier member which closes one axial end of the skirt. The opposite axial end of the skirt is closed in use by engagement with the surface being searched, such that the surface and the carrier member contain between them a sample volume bounded by the skirt. The apparatus further includes a sensing probe communicating with the sample volume for detecting the presence of a signal gas in the sample volume.

Abstract: A floatable oil/gas production platform assembly has a deck, disposed beneath the deck a zone including a plurality of adjacent stations for support of oil/gas flowlines/risers originating from beneath the platform, and a crane disposed in a space above the station zone but below the deck and moveable over at least some of the stations.Such an assembly enables two new alternative equipment arrangements to be provided in floating platforms for tensioning and supporting underwater well maintenance lines or "workover risers" which require considerable tensioning forces and stroke capacity for safe support.

Abstract: A connector assembly comprises first and second connecting parts which are oriented for joining by a guide post and a cable having a hydraulic hose core terminating in a radially expandable mandrel. The cable is threaded through a bore in the second connecting part and located in the bore of the guide post by a hydraulic latch. The cable is tensioned and the second connecting part slid along the cable to the receive guide post in the opening thus orienting the two connecting parts for proper connection.

Abstract: A guide is provided for forming a pipe connection from a sub sea wellhead back to a surface platform which may not be in perfect alignment. The guide comprises a guide post and a cable on which it may be lowered through a pipe to the wellhead. The guide post has a radially expandable mandrel for temporary rigid attachment in the wellhead and an elongate portion having a rotatable sleeve over which the pipe may be lowered into engagement with the wellhead and rotation to form the connection desired. The rotation of the pipe to form the connection is possible because of the sleeve.

Abstract: A guide for use in connecting a riser pipe to a subsea riser base comprises a guide post and an expanding mandrel actuable by hydraulic pressure applied through a cable having hydraulic hoses in its core to lock the mandrel in a subsea riser base. The guide post is provided with buoyancy means to reduce its effective weight in water to enable it to be manipulated and manoeuvred by a remote controlled vehicle or diver.

Abstract: This invention relates to the treatment of wastes including sewage, solids which may include both combustible and incombustible solids, and optionally waste fuel such as oil. The invention provides a method and plant for treating wastes in which solids are converted to an incineratable form which, in a first embodiment, is incinerated with the sewage solids obtained by separating the sewage into a sewage solids component and a clarified waste water component together with additional fuel if necessary, at least a part of said clarified waste water component being optionally incinerated to control temperatures during incineration, and any remaining waste water being disinfected. In a second embodiment the incineratable material is incinerated with the sewage together with the waste fuel and additional fuel if necessary.