Abstract: A battery and charging system tester includes an automatically-operated carbon pile for loading the battery, the pile having a shaft therethrough rotated by a stepper motor, and a compression nut threadedly engaged with the shaft for movement into and out of engagement with the carbon pile in response to rotation of the shaft for varying the compression of the pile and, thereby, the impedance thereof. Probes are provided for sensing battery load current and output voltage, and the output current of an alternator charging unit. A feedback control circuit including a microprocessor operating under stored program control converts the analog probe outputs to digital signals and compares the battery output voltage and load current to selectively variable references for controlling the stepper motor to vary the battery load so as to regulate either the battery load current or the battery output voltage to a predetermined reference value, depending upon the test being performed.

Abstract: A digital engine analyzer has an oscilloscope display and is controlled by microprocessors operating under menudriven stored program control. The analyzer receives analog input signals from an engine being analyzed. Peak capture circuitry permits the display of a full cylinder period of a waveform, even though it contains very high frequency portions, by selectively switching between normal and high resolution modes. The circuitry samples the analog waveform at a very high rate and selects samples for display at a much slower display rate. The circuitry captures and stores the highest magnitude sample in each cylinder cycle by storing each sample only if its magnitude exceeds that of the previously stored sample. In the normal mode, at each display clock pulse the most recent sample is selected for display, irrespective of its magnitude. In the high resolution mode the stored peak value is selected for display at each display clock pulse.

Abstract: A hand-held contact tachometer includes an elongated hollow handle comprising two interconnected members defining a clevis at one end thereof and carrying therewithin a magnetic sensor disposed adjacent to the clevis and conditioning circuitry coupled to the output of the sensor. The clevis has hub portions defining an axle on which is rotatably mounted a contact wheel of molded construction including a body of non-magnetic material in which is embedded a toothed magnetic wheel and a bearing. The wheel is provided with a frictional ribbed surface on its outer periphery to facilitate engagement with an associated moving surface, thereby rotating the wheel to generate a pulsating signal having a frequency proportional to the speed of the moving surface.

Abstract: A caulk gun has a cartridge-carrying body with a fixed handle and a pivoting handle depending therefrom, the pivoting handle being coupled to a plunger for axial movement thereof to dispense material from the cartridge in response to movement of the pivoting handle toward the fixed handle. The pivoting handle has a proximal end portion which diverges from the fixed handle to an index finger engaging portion and a distal end portion which is curved toward the fixed handle in the normal rest configuration of the gun, such that the pivoting handle, at both its distal end portion and its index finger engaging portion is spaced from the fixed handle generally the same distance. The fixed handle has a widened portion intermediate the ends thereof.

Abstract: A tool cabinet is formed without the use of fasteners or weldments by providing back and side panel sections in an integral unit having top and bottom flanges, and separate top and bottom panel sections having attachment flanges adapted to be interfitted with the flanges on the back and side panel unit to form an open-front housing. Three continuous loop frame members are spaced apart front-to-back inside the housing and are adhesively secured to the top, bottom and side panel sections and support drawer assemblies mounted in a front opening. A lock bar guide is adhesively secured to the back panel section and receives a lock bar which is inserted through a notch in the bottom panel section after the housing has been assembled. Adhesive or frictional interengagement may also be used to secure together the flanges of the panel sections. An internal framework comprising a single, wide loop frame member with spaced-apart ribs is also disclosed.

Abstract: A force-multiplying device includes a base or stationary structure and three levers all pivotally mounted on the base and each having a force input end and a force output end and being arranged in a folded configuration such that each lever extends from the force input and to the force output end thereof in a direction generally opposite to that of adjacent levers in the series. The pivot point of each lever is closer to its force output end than to its force input end so that the force delivered at the output end is greater than that applied at the input end. The base and the output lever may operate as a pair of opposed jaws, each carrying a removable force application device for different applications such as cutting, crimping, punching, lifting and spreading. The input lever and the base structure may be configured as handles of a hand-operated tool and the levers may be arranged to either open or close the jaws in response to movement of the handles together.

Abstract: A digital engine analyzer has an oscilloscope display and is controlled by microprocessors operating under menu-driven stored program control. The analyzer receives analog input signals from an engine being analyzed, digitizes the signals, captures the digital peak ignition voltage values for each cylinder and stores only these values for each cylinder over a number of successive engine cycles, and then simultaneously displays all the stored values for any one cylinder over a number of engine cycles to provide a historical display. Each peak value is stored twice and displayed twice to provide width to the value display and effectively produce a bar graph-type display.

Abstract: A digital engine analyzer has an oscilloscope display and is controlled by microprocessors operating under menu-driven stored program control. The analyzer receives analog input signals from an engine being analyzed. The analyzer is provided with a scanner interface, so that a scanner designed to read data from a vehicle on-board computer, can transfer this data to the analyzer for display on the analyzer oscilloscope. The analyzer processor, when operating in the scanner interface mode, operates under stored program control to reconfigure analyzer keyboard and soft key functions to duplicate scanner control functions, so that the scanner control functions can be effected from the analyzer.

Abstract: The tool includes a housing having two substantially semi-cylindrical members. An air motor in the housing has motor end members located adjacent each end thereof. Two O-rings, respectively disposed between the motor and the end members, are squeezable axially so as to be forced radially outwardly to abut the housing. A manifold includes a chamber of a size that dampens Helmholtz frequencies in the exhaust air. A bearing block includes an outer surface configured to transfer operating loads from a crank shaft extending through the bearing block to the housing. Each of the members of the housing has an arm with a cylindrical opening for receiving a rotatable drive body. The drive body has a knob including a shaft having an ear cooperating with an O-ring in the drive body for preventing the knob from inadvertently rotating between operating positions while the tool is in use. An O-ring between the knob and the drive body isolates the housing from shock to the knob resulting when the tool is dropped.

Abstract: A tool cabinet has rollers depending from a bottom wall for rolling engagement with an underlying floor. A retractable step is carried by a support arm which extends laterally from the step and has an upstanding shaft portion which extends through an axial bore in a spiral cam which is fixed to the bottom wall of the cabinet. The shaft has a cam follower pin which extends therefrom and is slidably engageable with a spiral cam surface on the cam for accommodating simultaneous pivotal swinging movement and vertical movement of the step between a stowed position disposed beneath the cabinet and above the floor and a use position extending from beneath the cabinet in engagement with the floor.

Abstract: The tool includes a housing having two substantially semi-cylindrical members. An air motor in the housing has motor end members located adjacent each end thereof. Two O-rings, respectively disposed between the motor and the end members, are squeezable axially so as to be forced radially outwardly to abut the housing. A manifold includes a chamber of a size that dampens Helmholtz frequencies in the exhaust air. A bearing block includes an outer surface configured to transfer operating loads from a crank shaft extending through the bearing block to the housing. Each of the members of the housing has an arm with a cylindrical opening for receiving a rotatable drive body. The drive body has a knob including a shaft having an ear cooperating with an O-ring in the drive body for preventing the knob from inadvertently rotating between operating positions while the tool is in use. An O-ring between the knob and the drive body isolates the housing from shock to the knob resulting when the tool is dropped.

Abstract: A tool cabinet has rollers depending from a bottom wall for rolling engagement with an underlying floor. A retractable step has depending legs and spring-loaded casters which support the step so that it can freely roll except when weight is placed on the step driving the legs into engagement with the floor. The step has a vertical slot in which is received a depending arm of an angle bracket which is fixed to a roller slide assembly mounted on the underside of the cabinet so that the step can be horizontally rolled between a stowed position beneath the cabinet and an extended position extending from beneath the cabinet and can move between raised and lowered positions when extended.

Abstract: A pivotal hand tool includes first and second lever members which intersect and have aligned openings therethrough in which is received a pivot pin having an enlarged head at one end adjacent to one of the lever members and having the other end thereof welded to the other lever member or to a flat washer which bears against the other lever member. The head and the flat washer may be received in complementary recesses in the lever members. A frustoconical washer may be disposed beneath the head of the pivot pin for resiliently urging the lever members together.

Abstract: The double-ended reversible box wrench for use with a hexagonal fastener includes two box wrenching heads interconnected by a handle shank, with each head having a double-hexagonal socket opening therethrough, each of the outwardly directed corners of which has an axis extending through the center of the socket opening. One socket has a corner inclined at an offset angle of 33/4 degrees to the shank axis and the other socket has a corner inclined at an offset angle of 111/4 degrees to the shank axis so that, by sequential application of the four wrench faces to a hexagonal fastener, the fastener maybe repeatedly rotated in the same direction while the wrench undergoes a swing of no more than 71/2 degrees during any one application. A wrench with offset angles of zero degrees and 10 degrees and a pivoting head wrench are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cordless electric device has a main body portion extending along an axis and a handle portion extending at an obtuse angle with respect to the axis, the handle portion receiving therein along a second axis a battery pack. The device has a two-part housing, with the parts respectively defining the front and rear of the body and handle portions.

Abstract: The tool includes a housing and a pair of forwardly projecting tubes respectively containing slidably mounted rods, one for use in tensioning a lock wire and the other for use in crimping a ferrule onto the lock wire. Camming structure moves the rods forwardly and rearwardly. First, the tensioning rod snaps back under the control of a spring to tension the wire. Then, the ferrule is crimped by forward movement of the other rod.

Abstract: A tray for a set of sockets of varying diameters includes an elongated, open-top, trapezoidal receptacle with upstanding end walls each having an opening therein in the shape of a 270.degree. sector of a circle, with the ends of each sector defining stop surfaces. A bail retainer has an elongated flat bight and depending end portions which respectively extend along the outside of the end walls, and each provided with an inwardly projecting rectangular tab which extends into the asociated opening to form a chord thereof. The retainer is pivotal between a retaining position wherein the bight closely overlies the receptacle to retain the sockets therein and a position alongside the receptacle permitting removal of the sockets from the receptacle, the pivotal movement being limited by the stop surfaces of the openings. An elongated flange depends from one side wall of the receptacle to facilitate hanging on an associated support, such as a tool chest.

Abstract: The pressure-testing apparatus comprises a manifold having a pair of conduits extending therefrom and being substantially parallel. Quick connectors at the free ends of the conduits have receptacles the axes of which are substantially parallel. A pair of adapters are respectively attached to the fittings of a broken coupler in a vehicle. The quick connectors are respectively applied to the adapter elements. The apparatus also comprises a pressure gauge on the manifold and/or means on the manifold for connection to a gauge.