Abstract: A centering apparatus and method is provided which automatically measuring the radius or radius deviation of a large cylindrical bore, and shorten the time required for centering. The inspection apparatus is supported on a rise and fall base which is horizontally supported on a top portion of the large cylindrical bore in such a manner that it is allowed to vertically move in parallel with a fine wire which is hung perpendicularly from the center of the top portion. The inspection apparatus having a non-contact type two-dimensional position sensor for detecting the relative position of the fine wire to the cent-er of the inspection apparatus. The inspection apparatus is positioned at an arbitrary height.

Abstract: A vertical non-parallel link type robot having a robot arm construction with which it is possible to increase a movement range easily and cheaply without making the moving arm longer, and to make the driving motor for an upper arm lighter. The robot has a base, a revolving table mounted on the base and rotatable with respect to the base about a vertical axis thereof, a vertical lower arm mounted on the revolving table and pivotable with respect to a first horizontal axis thereof, and a mounting structure whose upper portion is pivotably supported on one side of the tip or upper end of the lower arm with respect to a second horizontal axis thereof and whose lower portion depends from and extends at a right angle to the upper portion.

Abstract: A vibration finishing method and apparatus in which the surface roughness and form of a hole in a compound material such as a printed board can be made excellent and the working accuracy of the hole can be significantly improved and the working cost of the hole can be lowered. In the punch pressing device, a compound material is fixed to a lower metal mold having a lower die hole into which a punching tool can be inserted. While the compound material is held between the lower metal mold and a pressing plate and pressed by pressing members provided with the pressing plate having an upper die hole into which the punching tool can be inserted, a minute-vibration of frequency of several ten hertz is applied onto the punching tool and then, the compound material is punched out. After that, the punching tool is temporarily drawn from the hole to be worked in the compound material.

Abstract: A resilient seal for a rolling bearing having an outer peripheral edge secured in a circumferential groove of an outer race and an inner peripheral end directed toward the outer periphery of a groove of an inner race. The seal is reinforced by a circular reinforcing core and includes a center lip and an inner lip both at the inner peripheral end thereof. The center lip extends radially inwardly from a thick rigid portion of the seal formed adjacent to the inner end of the circular reinforcing core to always contact the side outer wall of the groove of the inner race irrespective of the axial relative movement between the inner and outer races. The inner lip is thin and extends toward and below the top of the side inner wall of the groove of the inner race to form a labyrinth clearance therebetween. When the outer race is rotated at high speed, the inner lip is moved to decrease the labyrinth clearance by a centrifugal force in proportion to the rotational speed of the outer race.

Abstract: A robot control method of the playback type and an apparatus for using the method in which position data and data regarding velocity are taught at a sequence of points for a work program, and a servo system is driven by the use of the taught data to playback or repeat the work program. Phase angles which increase as the robot progresses through the sequence of teaching points are taught as the data regarding the velocity of the work program. At playback, a reference phase angle computed on the basis of a previously-set playback cycle time for the work program. The reference phase angle increases at an advance velocity which decreases with an increase in the playback cycle time. During operation, the reference phase angle is compared with one of the taught phase angles, and the corresponding taught position data is outputted to the servo system when the reference phase angle exceeds the taught phase angle.

Abstract: A drill for use in drilling hard and brittle materials includes a shank and a drilling portion attached to one end of the shank. The drilling portion includes a tapered primary cutting edge, a first secondary cutting surface extending from the primary cutting edge and having an angle of taper substantially identical to that of the primary cutting edge, and a second secondary cutting surface extending from the first secondary cutting surface and containing a line substantially parallel to the central axis of the drill. The primary cutting edge has a first abrasive grain layer, and the first and second secondary cutting surfaces both have a second abrasive grain layer. The first and second abrasive grain layers both have a binder made of material selected from the group consisting of metal, resin and glass. Each abrasive grain in the first abrasive grain layer has a diameter greater than that of each abrasive grain in the second abrasive grain layer.

Abstract: An injection method for making a hole in an injection molded plastic article comprising the steps of filling a mold cavity with a molten plastic and cooling the mold to effect gate seal. A first hole-making punch and a second punch, which are slidably inserted in a bore provided in the mold coinciding with the hole to be made in the article in an axial direction in which a movable mold half is opened and closed, are vibrated with high frequency after gate seal is completed to soften the solidified plastic between the two punches. The punches are then displaced with respect to the bore when the plastic is softened to make the hole. A second injection method comprises the step of making the hole in the molded article by sliding the punches during both dwelling and cooling subsequent to the completion of dwelling after filling the mold with the molten plastic and before gate seal is effected.

Abstract: A method for degating an injection molded plastic article includes the steps of filling a mold cavity with a molten plastic, dwelling and cooling the mold subsequent to filling to effect gate seal. A first degating punch and a second punch are provided slidably inserted in holes in the mold which cross a gate in an axial direction, being the direction in which a movable mold half is opened and closed. The punches are vibrated at a high frequency after gate seal is completed in order to soften the solidified plastic in the gate. The punches are then displaced with respect to the gate when the plastic is softened in order to effect degating. In another method, a step of cutting the gate in the molded article by sliding the punches occurs during both dwelling after filling the mold with the molten plastic, and cooling subsequent to the completion of dwelling, and before gate seal is effected.

Abstract: A solenoid valve comprising a valve body, and a poppet vertically slidable within the valve body and moved to and from a valve seat so as to open and close an oil passage. The poppet is in the form of a cylindrical tube and is slidably fit around and supported by a guide rod in an oil-tight manner. The guide rod has a valve seat at its bottom and an oil passage for communication with the interior of the poppet. Features of the present invention are as follows. The guide rod has a surface on which the inner peripheral surface of the poppet is slidable. The outer diameter of such a surface of the guide rod is slightly smaller than that of the valve seat. In this way, the solenoid valve acts as an on-off valve and a relief valve. The valve of the type as thus far explained further includes a passage for reducing the flow velocity of an oil as pressurized between the poppet and the guide rod. A surface of the poppet is shaped to maintain an oil film between the poppet and the valve seat.

Abstract: A vibrator has a hydraulic circuit connected with a hydraulic power unit. An electromagnetic valve disposed at the hydraulic circuit is regulated for the time for actuating a switch valve through a control signal. A plunger capable of bearing a load of an object to be tested at an upper end portion thereof has an oil chamber for pressurizing the plunger in such a manner as to be able to move upward and downward. An oil passage communicates with the oil chamber and with the electromagnetic valve. A vibration applying cylinder is capable of vibrating the plunger at a desired amplitude and frequency through hydraulic oil which is fed from the electromagnetic valve. A lift means lifts the vibration applying cylinder to a predetermined height. A controller capable of outputting, as a control signal, a setting signal for setting at least the amplitude and frequency of the plunger is provided. A control unit actuates the hydraulic power unit and the electromagnetic valve in accordance with the control signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatic glazing of cars which comprises a robot having a robot arm. A tool is mounted on the robot arm for gripping a window glass, and two T.V. cameras are fixed along a conveyor line for respectively taking images of front and rear pillars of a body shell stopped at a predetermined position. T.V. cameras are mounted on the gripping tool for taking images of a window frame for position compensation of the window glass, and an image processing unit is provided for distinguishing the kinds of body shells and for calculating position variations of the stopped body shell with respect to predetermined positions thereof from the images. A control unit is provided for receiving signals corresponding to the position variations from the image processing unit and for moving the robot so as to compensate for position variations.

Abstract: An off-line teaching method for an industrial robot wherein a master robot, separate from a line robot, placed in an actual operation line, and a model work similar to the line work processed in the operation line are prepared. Four predetermined points which are not in the same plane are obtained on each of the works, and are taught to the line and master robots in the same order to obtain a reciprocal transformation matrix. The transformation matrix is used to automatically transform an operation program taught to the master robot into an operation program for the line robot.

Abstract: A variable output vane pump for use with an automotive automatic transmission. At least one pressure chamber is formed between the circular bore of a housing and the outer circumference of a ring by means of at least one seal pin which is fitted in the axial groove formed in the ring circumference and which is opened in the housing bore. The ring is urged by the action of a spring, which is fitted in the housing, in a direction opposite to the pressure to be built up by the pressure chamber. An elastic member is fitted in the bottom of the axial groove to urge the seal pin both toward the housing bore and at the same time toward one of the side walls of the axial groove. The urging direction of the elastic member and a tangential line, on which the seal pin is tangential to the housing bore, are angularly positioned at an acute angle with respect to each other.

Abstract: A slicing cutter blade, adapted for securing to a holder having a tension ring provided with a protuberance thereon, which comprises an annular sheet steel body rolled in a predetermined direction. The annular sheet steel body includes a cutting edge formed at the inner circumferential edge of a central opening in the annular body, an outer circumferential portion secured to the holder and a tension generating portion adjacent the outer circumferential portion which is forced into contact with the protuberance on the tension ring. A middle portion located between the cutting edge and the tension generating section is provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged circular apertures. Two of these apertures having a first diameter are located on a first line parallel to the predetermined direction and two apertures of smaller diameter are located on a second line perpendicular to the first line.

Abstract: A double row angular contact ball bearing having a one-piece inner ring and a one-piece outer ring and containing therebetween a first row of a larger number of balls inserted in a maximum-type manner and a second row of a lesser number of balls inserted in a manner similar to the Conrad-type manner. The balls of each of the first and second rows are held by two separate cages. The raceway of the outer ring for the second row of balls is an angular contact raceway laterally open at one side, whereas the other raceway of the outer ring for the first row of balls is cut out from the bottom thereof in a substantially radially outward direction and then laterally toward an end face of the outer ring to form an inner cylinder bore surface. By such an arrangement, it is possible to insert a greater number of balls into the second row of balls than was the case in the prior art bearing of this type, resulting in increased load capacity, longer life, and improved reliability.

Abstract: A quick-change holder for a machine tool wherein a nut holding a tool can be attached and detached by a single action. In the quick-change holder of the type, in which the nut charged with the tool can be attached to and detached from a holder body by the radial movements of a plurality of balls which are so loosely fitted in a plurality of radial through-holes formed in the holder body as to be made movable in the radial direction, according to the present invention, the aforementioned holder body is formed with an outwardly diverging conical inner circumference in which a spring having free wire ends with a gap therebetween so as to be compressible radially inwardly is fitted under radially inward compression in an inscribed relationship therewith, and the aforementioned spring is brought into abutment engagement with the balls, when the nut is not inserted, thereby to push the balls outwardly in the radial direction.

Abstract: An internal gear pump motor having a housing, a pinion and an internal gear rotatably supported in the housing and meshing with each other, and filler piece means located in a space defined between the pinion and internal gear for dividing the space into two regions providing a low pressure region and a high pressure region during operation. The filler piece means includes at least one filler piece floatingly mounted within the space and having portions capable of coming into sliding engagement with tooth crests of the pinion and internal gear respectively in a portion of the space where the distance between the tooth crests of the pinion and internal gear is reduced toward the low pressure region. A stopper pin is secured to the housing operative to engage one end of the filler piece on the side of the low pressure region for restricting the circumferential movement of the filler piece toward the low pressure region.

Abstract: A needle-roller type chuck for machine tools which includes a chuck body having a chuck barrel integral with the leading end portion of the chuck body. The chuck barrel has a leading end portion and an outer peripheral surface tapered to form a conical surface, and includes a plurality of holes extending from the leading end of the chuck barrel toward the chuck body. A rotatable clamping ring is positioned over the chuck barrel and has an inner conical surface extending in the axial direction of the chuck and parallel with the outer periperal surface of the chuck barrel. A needle-roller assembly having a plurality of needle rollers is positioned between the chuck barrel and the clamping ring in rotatable contact with the conical surface of the chuck barrel and the clamping ring.

Abstract: An AC or DC solenoid for operating a hydraulic or air valve, or another machine comprises a means provided at one end of an armature for reducing the effective cross-sectional area of a magnetic path extending through the armature and a yoke when the armature and a stationary core have a distance therebetween which is smaller than a predetermined fraction of the full stroke of movement of the armature. The solenoid is further provided between the armature and the stationary core with a means permitting them to be brought into axially overlapping relation to form a section of leakage flux therebetween. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided novel means for securing a solenoid of the armature in tube type to a valve body. The improved solenoid has a small size, a long life, and superior performance without causing any excessive attraction over a given small stroke and generating any large noise.

Abstract: A method of hardening steel so that it may have a surface layer with sufficient hardness to permit fabrication into machinery parts with a minimum of strain developed therein. The method comprises heating steel at a temperature in a range not lower than 100.degree. C. below its A.sub.1 transformation point (about 630.degree. C.) and not higher than 50.degree. C. thereabove (about 780.degree. C.) in an atmosphere consisting solely of ammonia gas, or composed of ammonia gas and at least one of organic liquids, petroleum gases, endothermic gases and neutral gases, while ammonia gas is being supplied continuously at a lower flow rate, or at a higher flow rate followed by a diffusion treatment to austenitize a surface layer of the steel by penetration of nitrogen thereinto, and quenching the steel to transform the austenitized surface layer into a martensite layer.